The Art of Chris Froelich

"Where is it written that our sensibilities must be sullied by the seamier side of life along with our intellects? We know the world is a vale of tears.Must art pile it on in yet heavier doses? There was a time when the world thought that the artist was chosen, and that they were on a mission not to tell us what we have but what we might have if we'd only get our act together and see beyond the obvious.Art was supposed to transcend life, not imitate it." Raymond Steiner

Walking through the woods with a camera is a form a meditation for me. We've all heard the phrase "it's not the destination, but the journey". Well, I believe that is especially true when it comes to photography. The worth of the final image isn't dependent on the effort expended. Two of the four following pictures were painstakingly composed over hours, and in one case multiple trips over a period of two weeks. The other two were fleeting moments as I drove or walked by.  The scene caught my eye and I decided to take a quick picture. Can you tell which is which? Probably not, but journeys to the final image made a big difference to me.  Perhaps an even better example are the photos that aren't here. Just today I saw one of the most amazing sunrises of my life, but there is no picture of it. I wish you could have seen it, but it was just too windy, wet, and cold for me to capture it on film. But I was there, with a camera I couldn't use, to witness it

I am fortunate to have amazing photo opportunities close to home. Bonzai Rock and Sand Harbor State Park are particularly convenient and gorgeous. This photogenic location (I hope you like it, because I go here often) is only about a 20 mile, or 30 minute, drive from my house. It's nice because I can experiment and learn - using multiple trips to see how different combinations of tools, technique, and serendipity affect the final image. These two pictures, for example, while at first appearance my appear very different, they are, in fact, quite similar. Varying only in the film used and the exact spot I stood. Both were taken on relatively calm clear mornings with the same subject and basic compositional elements. I've taken a number of predawn trips up to the lake to this same location and used it as kind of a photo "lab". Not the kind of photo lab where you drop off film and then pick up prints an hour later. In this context, I mean "lab" as in "a pla

There is inertia, and momentum, in everything. I see inertia all around me every day, especially at work. Personal inertia keeps people from picking themselves up, moving forward, improving. It is a natural law that keeps the substance around us from randomly shuffling about. For artists, it can be a debilitating force that prevents the expansion of talents and inventiveness. But there is also momentum. Momentum keeps you moving. Makes it difficult to change course. I feel that right now, there is some momentum pushing me in my photography. I think it started in March when I picked up and headed out with some cameras and, more importantly, some film. When shooting, I always have this sense of excitement and anticipation, but with digital it quickly fades. I shoot, edit, and post - sometimes all in the same day. Each photo and location is a self contained event. But with film, the photography spans over days, weeks, sometimes even months. I make a picture and then wait for developme

The final day in of my Northern California saunter was spent in two different parks. I started out in China Camp State Park. It is on the site of the oldest continuous fishing operation in California. Chinese immigrants settled here and had a thriving shrimp fishing village here. There isn't a lot here, and the parking fee of $5 keeps it pretty deserted, even on a weekend. I was able to find some nice compositions for pictures before the rangers made me quit photographing. State statutes clearly state that photography for personal use is not only allowed, but encouraged in California's state parks, however, the ranger saw the size of my camera and decided that it was clearly for commercial use and I could not continue since I didn't have a permit.  China Camp Fishing Dock. Mamiya RB67 ProSD, Mamiya Sekor 90mm 3.8 C, Fuji FP4 Plus.  Bonsai Island. China Camp State Park, CA. Mamiya RB67 ProSD, Mamiya Sekor 90mm 3.8 C, Fuji FP4 Plus.  Well, the fuzz may have