Mentorship Student Portfolios

David Matthews
Villanova, PA
davidmatthewsphoto.com
Workshops: MV Workshop 2000, 2001, 2003; Tuscany 2004; Oaxaca 2006; Venice 2008; Mentorship 2013-2014; Advanced Mentorship 2014-2015, 2015-2016

I am always searching for something that catches my eye. It may be the way light falls upon a surface or the quirky juxtaposition of objects. One step to the right or left can change everything.

As I walk around I am not necessarily seeking something specific to shoot but keeping several themes in mind. The play of light upon an object, the shadow it creates or how a window may subsequently reflect that light onto another surface. I enjoy exploring time by catching a brief moment or showing the passage of time with a longer exposure.
I take photographs of ordinary things in a way that makes them appear extraordinary. I appreciate bringing order to my visual world by using the frame to isolate and define images.

My experience with the Mentorship:
In addition to working to refine my working style and to create several unified groups of photos, I joined the mentorship in order to work alongside a group of like-minded photographers. It has been a very stimulating and rewarding experience, which I will extend by taking the advanced mentorship.

I have taken workshops with other photographers and none compare with Alison. Her time commitment and dedication to teaching are impressive, as is her artistic sensibility. She is able to give the students, no matter their level of experience, precisely what each one needs to move forward.

Sue draws on her years of experience on “the other side” as an art director and gallery owner to present the practical side of getting one’s work seen, promoted and exhibited. Together they are a formidable team to help photographers grow as artists.