Log In or Register
Submitted by Samatar 11/18/05 8:02 AM GMT
Our third artist of the week is Photoimagery. Michael was chosen by the previous AOTW, nmsmith, in a four way tie for first place among the current list of nominations. As usual, you are encouraged to check out Michael's exceptional gallery of works and leave your feedback, encouragement and comments for this deserved artist. Below is some informtaion which photoimagery has kindly provided despite time restraints; Michael is currently preparing for surgery, so I'm sure you will all join me in wishing him a speedy recovery aswell as congratulating him on his selection this week!
photoimagery: Thank you for your interest in my work and for choosing me to be the third artist of the week. I feel it to be a real honor. My name is Michael Furner and I live with my beautiful wife DiAnn and two dogs, “Pepper” and “Pugsley”, and a, somewhat, crazy cat, “Baby Girl” (I didn’t name it the wife did). Given my choice I think I would have named it “Chomper”, it loves to bite bare toes. If you ever come for a visit I suggest you wear shoes. I was born in Salt Lake City Utah and moved to Richland Washington when I was 1 ˝ years old. My father worked for DuPont as a chemist at Hanford Atomic Works during the Cold War Era and I still live there today, working in the Nuclear Field where we build fuel assemblies for the peaceful use of Atom to generate electricity. I first became interested in photography about 25 years ago. We had an Exxon credit card and they always sent some sort of promotional along in the bill that you could purchase on your card. As I remember it, they were offering a Canon AE-1 Program camera one month. On a whim I ordered it thinking it would be nice to have a camera to take family pictures with. Three years later I was in the city library and the local camera club had an exhibition on. Members had framed works hanging all over so I spent two or three hours looking them all over and that day I was hooked on what has become a life long challenge to produce the perfect image. (At least what I feel is the perfect image). I’ve come close several times but it still eludes me. Needless to say I joined the “Tri-City Camera Club” and have a member ever since. Nature and wildlife is my choice of subjects as I chose what I hoped would be the best avenue to show the wonders and beauty of this old Earth as we are bombarded by images of Natures Fury and Mans inhumanity daily in the media. I work with Canon equipment – mostly film, but recently bought a Canon Digital and am having fun learning all of the bells and whistles. I foresee a day in the not to distant future when digital will all but take over from film. Most of the members of my local club are getting up there in years and are reluctant to make the jump but I feel that it is inevitable so have been busy for the last 5 or 6 years at least scanning my film images into digital. I use Nikon film scanners: Namely the “LS-2000” and the “Super Cool Scan 5000” and am very pleased with the results. I promised myself that when it reached 8-mega pixels and was affordable, I would purchase one. Enter the Canon Rebel XT. A friend at work who by the way never joined introduced me to Caedes almost 1 ˝ years ago. I must say that the time spent here has been most rewarding. The images are. ……Well, I guess the best way to describe them is ……exceptional. I have learned a lot from a bunch of very talented, friendly and helpful artists. To those of you who are not photographers, I would like you to know that you have opened my eyes and my mind to a whole new art form. I’m proud to consider you part of my great circle of friends here at Caedes. I don’t know the ins and outs of your art form but I can certainly appreciate your talent and the beauty of your creations. I was asked to maybe list my favorite artist/Caedes artist, and I think that overall I would have to say Art Wolfe. I consider him to be perhaps the greatest Nature and Wildlife photographer alive today. As for my favorite Caedes artist: Of course I have a short list of people that I believe show greater ability but then there are other artists that are struggling to learn the art and I think that that group of people are my favorites. Through them, are coming the next generation of great photographers. Keep up the good work EVERYONE. You all inspire me greatly. I would also like to say a special thanks to all of you for welcoming me into this great group of very special artists and people.
