58

Happy Clients

58

Happy Clients

Copyright J.R. McNew - All Rights Reserved

Fine Art Photography by J.R. McNew

I

am

a

Fine

Art

Photographer,

born

and

raised

in

the

Central

Valley

of

California.

In

1978,

I

graduated

from

Fresno

City

College with an A.A. in Liberal Arts. I went on to California State University, Fresno and received my B.F.A. in 1981.

The

early

years:

My

first

introduction

into

photography

was

when

I

was

in

the

six

grade

and

my

parents

bought

me

a

Kodak

X-15

Instamatic

camera,

with

"Magic

Cube"

flash.

It

was

for

my

upcoming

school

trip

to

see

the

Carmel

Mission.

I

still

remember

how

excited

I

was

to

open

that

Black

&

Gold

box.

Years

later

I

got

to

revisit

that

mission

and

shot

a

wed

-

ding there. Great memories all around.

In

high

school

I

joined

the

photography

club

and

did

some

work

for

the

year

book.

This

was

my

first

experience

in

a

dark room, developing my own film and making prints. I was hooked.

After

that

I

went

on

to

college,

not

entirely

sure

what

I

wanted

to

do

with

my

life.

When

I

confided

this

to

a

friend

at

school

one

day,

she

simply

asked,

"Well,

what

is

it

you

love

to

do?”

My

reply

was

without

hesitation,

"Photography!”.

Time

to

visit

my

counselor.

At

FCC,

my

instructor

was

Ray

Arth,

who

is

a

graduate

of

Brookings

Institute

and

a

devote

believer

in

the

Zone

System.

So

my

first

semester

of

serious

photography

was

spent

calibrating

light

meters,

cameras,

lenses,

film,

etc...

A

bit

scientific

for

an

art

class,

but

well

worth

the

investment

in

time.

If

you

want

your

vision

to

ap

-

pear on the final print, you'd better understand how to use your tools and make them work for you.

Moving on to my days at Fresno State, I was fortunate enough to get a professor by the name of Richard Delaney, who

has his masters from San Francisco State. Now if my studies at FCC were bit on the scientific side, Fresno State was the

complete opposite. We were concentrating on the "ideals of high art". In fact, in my photo-graphics classes, I don't re-

member ever developing my own film. We had lab assistants for that, don't you know. Anyway, back in the 1970's, there

was still some debate as to whether or not photography could be considered fine art or not. It seems silly now, but it re-

quired you to have a fighter’s mentality, once the critiquing began.

After

college,

I

decided

I

wasn't

interested

in

making

a

living

doing

photography.

I

thought

it

would

dampen

my

enthu

-

siasm

for

it.

Now,

having

said

that,

I

have

done

my

share

of

weddings

and

graduation

photos

for

close

friends,

family

members and colleagues.

I'm

not

much

into

"showing"

my

work

either.

I've

been

asked

from

time

to

time

about

it,

but

the

expense

and

time

in

-

volved

would

have

a

negative

impact

on

me

producing

new

work.

You

know,

that

thing

I

love

doing.

Now

having

said

that,

I

have

had

a

few

works

put

into

shows.

Once

at

the

Fresno

Art

Museum

and

a

time

or

two

at

the

Spectrum

Gallery.

I've

also

sold

a

few

pieces

over

the

years,

but

I

don't

really

pursue

that

either.

I

guess

I

just

prefer

to

spend

my

time

mak

-

ing the art.

On

a

side

note,

I

once

worked

for

the

artist

Cristo.

In

1991,

I

spent

a

week

down

in

Southern

California

helping

to

install

The

Umbrellas.

I

learned

a

lot

about

the

international

art

scene,

and

just

how

much

effort,

time,

and

money

goes

into

such a large project. The logistics alone was mind numbing.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. -- SMILE!

Biography

Copyright J.R. McNew - All Rights Reserved

I am a Fine Art Photographer, born and raised in the Central

Valley of California. In 1978, I graduated from Fresno City

College with an A.A. in Liberal Arts. I went on to California

State University, Fresno and received my B.F.A. in 1981.

The early years: My first introduction into photography was

when I was in the sixth grade and my parents bought me a

Kodak X-15 Instamatic camera, with "Magic Cube" flash. It was

for my upcoming school trip to see the Carmel Mission. I still

remember how excited I was to open that little Black & Gold

box. Years later I got to revisit that mission and shoot a wedding

there. Great memories all around.

In high school I joined the photography club and did some

work for the year book. This was my first experience in a dark

room, developing my own film and making prints. I was

hooked.

After that I went on to college, not entirely sure what I wanted

to do with my life. When I confided this to a friend at school one

day, she simply asked, "Well, what is it you love to do?” My

reply was without hesitation, "Photography!”. Time to visit my

counselor. At FCC, my instructor was Ray Arth, who is a gradu-

ate of the Brookings Institute and a devote believer in the Zone

System. So my first semester of serious photography was spent

calibrating light meters, cameras, lenses, film, etc... A bit scien-

tific for an art class, but well worth the investment in time. If

you want your vision to appear on the final print, you'd better

understand how to use your tools and make them work for you.

Moving on to my days at Fresno State, I was fortunate enough

to get a professor by the name of Richard Delaney, who has his

masters from San Francisco State University. Now, if my studies

at FCC were a bit on the scientific side, Fresno State was the

complete opposite. We were concentrating on the "ideals of high

art". In fact, in my photo-graphics classes, I don't remember ever

developing my own film. We had lab assistants for that, don't

you know. Anyway, back in the 1970's, there was still some de-

bate as to whether or not photography could be considered Fine

Art or not. It seems silly now, but it required you to have a

fighter’s mentality, once the critiquing began.

After college, I decided I wasn't interested in making a living

doing photography. I thought it would dampen my enthusiasm

for it. Now, having said that, I have done my share of weddings

and graduation photos for close friends, family members and

colleagues.

I'm not much into "showing" my work either. I've been asked

from time to time about it, but the expense and time involved

would have a negative impact on me producing new work. You

know, that thing I love doing. Now having said that, I have had

a few works put into shows. Once at the Fresno Art Museum

and a time or two at the Spectrum Gallery. I've also sold a few

pieces over the years, but I don't really pursue that either. I

guess I just prefer to spend my time making the art.

On a side note, I once worked for the artist Cristo. In 1991, I

spent a couple weeks down in Southern California helping to

install “The Umbrellas” project. I learned a lot about the inter-

national art scene, and just how much effort, time, and money

goes into such a large project. The logistics alone were mind

numbing.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. -- SMILE!

Biography