Andrew Child Photography

ArtSpace Maynard Open Studios

2008-09-25T14:01:00.005-04:00

The annual ArtSpace Open Studios are October 4th and 5th this year. I hope you'll drop by my basement studio (20-S) and check-out some of the pieces from my recent exhibition of infrared photography. I may also have a few new prints, including shots of a shipwreck at Newcombe Hollow on Cape Cod.

Here are the details:

Date / Time: October 4 & 5, 12 pm - 5 pm
Location: ArtSpace Maynard, 63 Summer Street, Maynard, MA
Directions: Available on Google Maps

Spanish Horse Farm Infrared Panorama

MS Challenge Walk

2008-09-12T16:18:00.002-04:00

The MS Challenge Walk was last weekend. Beautiful - but rainy - Cape Cod for fifty miles over three days. I photographed the event for the sixth consecutive year and, as always, had a wonderful time. I've tried something new this year and posted three albums to my Facebook page:

Friday - Hyannis to the Cape Cod Sea Camps in Brewster
Saturday - Cape Cod Rail Trail
Sunday - Sea Camps to Nathanial Wixon School

You don't need a Facebook account to view the albums. If you have one, though, send me a friend invite!

Like Summer Camp for Photographers

2008-08-15T16:19:00.006-04:00

So if I was a kid again and had one of those what-I-did-during-my-Summer essays, it would go something like this...

I spent a week in Rockport, ME at the Maine Media Workshops taking Joyce Tenneson's workshop on creating photographic books.

Joyce Tenneson is one of my all-time favorite photographers. She describes her work as beauty photography, but that's sort of like describing what Michael Phelps does as swimming quickly. I've been interested in taking one of her workshops for years and jumped at the chance this summer when a workshop came along at a time that fit into my schedule.

Joyce Tenneson, courtesy of Enid Bloch

The workshop was a hands-on week of learning, doing, eating and trying to sleep a little. Here's a photograph of me in front of my laptop by fellow student Enid Bloch.

the author by Enid Bloch

Enid caught me in a rare moment when I wasn't staring into the screen bleary-eyed. I credit three travel mugs worth of coffee and Enid's photographic expertise with my apparent alertness.

crit session courtesy of Don Albrecht

The week culminated in crit sessions of book mock-ups that we created in class. I'll probably have more to say more about that in a future post.

Friends have asked me what I thought of scenic Rockport, Maine. I'm guessing it's pretty nice but, to be honest, didn't see much of it except the classroom where we met every day. I did manage to sneak out for a couple of early-morning walks, though, and saw...

fog courtesy of Maine

... a lot of fog.

After the Messy Studio

2008-07-16T16:38:00.007-04:00

I am delighted to announce a solo exhibition of my color infrared photography now hanging at the Acton Memorial Library through August 28th.

Spanish Horse Farm

This exhibition includes several full-color, infrared panoramas on display to the public for the first time as well as a number of photographs taken locally (Acton, Stow, Concord, Harvard and Boston).

A reception will be held at the library in two weeks:

Date: Wednesday, July 30
Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St. (Rte. 27) in Acton, MA

Directions: http://www.actonmemoriallibrary.org/locationandhours.htm

I hope to see you there!

Old North Bridge, Concord, MA

What does a messy studio mean?

2008-06-26T09:35:00.003-04:00

The floor is littered with scraps of foam board, mat board, and bits of canvas strips. The safety goggles are out, sectional frames are – well – sectional still, and the music's cranked to loud.

What's it mean?

It means I'm on deadline for a solo exhibition...

Great, but should I spring for the trophy?

2008-06-16T12:00:00.001-04:00

Here's a different twist, I've been awarded a Bell Ringer award from the Publicity Club of New England. The best-in-category (Special Event: Series Campaign) award is for the Faces and Voices of Autism Photo Exhibition.

Okay, that's not the different twist. The different twist is that I can order a certificate for $15 or a trophy for $125. Hmmmm....

Portrait of Michelle from Faces and Voices of Autism Photo Exhibition

Got the Gold!

2008-06-09T13:36:00.003-04:00

The Faces and Voices of Autism traveling exhibition is on the road – somewhere in California, last I heard.

Portrait of Rossi from Faces and Voices of Autism

Meanwhile, it's been recognized a little closer to home. The New England Society for Healthcare Communications (NESHCo, for the acronymly inclined) awarded Faces and Voices a best-in-category (Public Relations Projects) Gold award during its annual Lamplighter awards last month.

The Lamplighters are especially notable because they evaluate not just communication, but also outcome. When we (May Institute, the National Autism Center, and Andrew Child Photography) set-out to turn a body of work into an exhibition two years ago we approached it with a communication strategy. Rather than pulling together a group of attractive photographs, we identified the target audience groups and key messages we wanted to address. Among the groups were legislators, professionals who work in special needs fields, and the general public. One of the key goals was simply to make autism personal – to move people in a deeper and more meaningful way than facts and statistics can alone.

Faces and Voices of Autism at Boston's Prudential Center

What makes the Lamplighter Gold award especially gratifying is the peer acknowledgement that we hit our mark, scoring 98 out of a possible 100.

Ya, what she said!

2008-05-12T12:44:00.002-04:00

One of my photographs has been accepted into Cambridge Art Association's annual Northeast Prize Show. Whitney Heavy, who also has a studio in my building, describes it well in her blog.

The reception is Friday, May 30th, 6-8 pm. I'll be there!

I'd embed an image of the photograph but... it's the same one I wrote about (and embedded) in this blog just last week. So scroll down.

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Wait, I've seen that photo before!

2008-05-05T12:08:00.006-04:00

I'm sitting in a portfolio review yesterday morning, chatting with James Hull, when I pull out an infrared panorama of a cabin in Harvard, MA. He pauses then excitedly says, "Wait, I've seen that photo before!"

Turns-out that he almost accepted it into the CAA Interiors/Exteriors show that he juried last month. Ummm, small world.

It was one of those moments that could have slipped into awkward silence. Instead, we just eased into a conversation about the merits of saturation, printing on canvas, and explaining how I make my infrared photographs.

And, as much as I'd like to be resentful about not having a piece accepted for exhibition, I found James to be both charming and very helpful. Guess I'll have to find another chip to put on my shoulder. :-)

It's just a crock...

2008-05-01T15:35:00.004-04:00

A water crock, actually, and it's the newest addition to my studio.

I've been looking for an alternative to all the bottled water I drink but didn't want a full-blown water cooler. I eventually came across this crock on the web and ordered it. When it arrived, I became more than a little enamored with its shape. There's something I like about all the intersecting curves that seem to echo one another.

That and it's supposed to be lead-free.

Photos from Capitol Hill

2008-04-24T13:54:00.005-04:00

Faces and Voices of Autism is now in its last couple of days on Capitol Hill. I've returned to my studio in Massachusetts (a team from May Institute will break down the exhibition tomorrow afternoon) and thought I'd post a few photos from the venue.

This corner of the Russell Senate Office Building houses the rotunda – and the exhibition.

Senator Kennedy toured the exhibition Tuesday afternoon and spoke with us for a few minutes. Shown here (left to right) are Juanita Class, Heidi Howard and Abbey Maney of May Institute meeting the Senator.

We were also joined by Karen Driscoll (center) who is a Marine Corps spouse and mother of a child with autism.

Karen and Heidi chatting with members of Senator Kennedy's staff.

The Russell Rotunda viewed from a third-floor balcony.

Can I pet your dog?

2008-04-22T17:40:00.003-04:00

What do you say to a senator?

Not just any senator, but the living icon of what is arguably the most powerful dynasty in American politics?

If you were my son, you'd ask to pet his dog...

Faces and Voices in the US Senate

2008-04-21T18:17:00.002-04:00

The Faces and Voices of Autism Photo Exhibition made its way to the US Senate Russell Rotunda today and will be on display through Friday. I was awake at 4:30 this morning to clear security and start setting the display up. I'm running on adrenalin at the moment but will post a few photos before nodding-off...

Juanita Class (left) and Abbey Maney (right) from May Institute met me at the security check and did much of the work. Special thanks to Nathanial and Evan from Senator Kerry's office for their help, as well.

iHaul

2008-04-20T08:25:00.002-04:00

It's been a week of – seemingly – endless logistics. It culminated Friday with a mock-up at May Institute and a careful packing of a rented trailer.

We're on the road today and plan to begin the rigorous security clearance before dawn on Monday. Next post should include photos from Russell Rotunda!

Faces and Voices of Autism, U.S. Senate Venue Details

2008-04-16T16:08:00.002-04:00

Preparations are in high gear to bring the Faces and Voices of Autism Photo Exhibition to Washington, DC next week!

I will be working with staff members of May Institute and the National Autism Center to set-up the exhibition Monday morning and plan to remain in Washington for a couple of days.

If you are in the area and would like to see the show, I hope you can schedule your visit for a time when I am around. I will be attending the show during the following hours:

Monday, April 21, 12pm - 4pm
Tuesday, April 22, 12pm - 4pm

Location: U.S. Senate Russell Office Building Rotunda in Washington, D.C.

Feel free to email me at Andrew@AndrewChildPhotography.com to let me know when you'll be visiting.

It's an Exhibition, Not an Execution

2008-04-16T12:26:00.003-04:00

So when my mother-in-law got the news that Faces and Voices of Autism was traveling to DC, she IM'd me right away.

"I hear you're going to hang in the big house."

Ummm, I hope not. But thanks for the encouragement...

Faces and Voices of Autism Goes to Washington

2008-04-01T15:25:00.007-04:00

The Faces and Voices of Autism exhibition is going to Capitol Hill later this month. Details are being worked-out by the organizations that commissioned the show (May Institute and the National Autism Center) but here's what we know for sure:

Dates: April 21-25, 2008
Viewing Hours: 7am - 7pm
Location: Russell Rotunda, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC

I expect there will be some sort of reception or event surrounding the exhibition. If you'd like an update then subscribe to this blog or just send me an email <AC@AndrewChildPhotography.com>.

Getting Started...

2008-03-31T15:19:00.010-04:00

I am a freelance photographer based in suburban Boston, Massachusetts. My specialty is environmental portraiture – small windows that I open into the lives of my subjects. I work primarily with natural light, unadorned settings, and a genuine, direct approach.

The result is photography that conveys a sense of authenticity for the corporate, healthcare and educational clients I serve. Much of my work involves individuals with special needs. Among my subjects are children with autism, children with brain and spinal injuries, and adults with persistent mental illness. I have a low-key, unobtrusive approach combined with a sense of respect for every person I photograph. The body of work which has emerged includes a traveling exhibit, Faces and Voices of Autism.

I also have a unique niche in color, infrared photography. Oriented toward fine art display, these pictures have been described in the Boston Globe as vivid and energetic with "an attitude about acceptance of change that's actually rather Zen – Technicolor Zen."

I hope you'll look around my site and contact me the next time you need a photographer.