The 2021 Lawrence Salley Photography Award Exhibition

"My approach is a blend of portraiture and architectural photography, to illustrate that subjects and environments are a unified fabric. I shoot subjects at home because our natural habitats bring out our character. The LGBTQ person’s home is an extension of him/herself. And for a community sometimes obsessed with image and beauty, our living spaces can also be the ultimate in self-expression." -Tom Atwood

"Working in black and white lets me extract the essence of my subject, focusing my attention on the interplay of light and shadow." -Marianne Campolongo

"Working in black and white also draws attention to pattern and texture." -Marianne Campolongo

"A durbar is a cultural celebration with music, dance, and food especially when a new King or Queen is enstooled. Dancing in honor of the new Queen Mother, Iddy Mohammad (left) and Kwame Ras Pinto (right) perform the Bamaya, the spiritual rain dance done by men at the request of the gods. It is from the Dagomba people of Northern Ghana. The dance was in search of water during a long drought. The men, disguised as women, walked from the village square to the shrine as they got halfway there it started to rain." -Collette Fournier

"The Asantes are a matriarchal society where the Chief is chosen by the Queen Mother. Queen Mother Monica spends time with Queen Mother Yaa Oforiwaa when she returns to the Village for a visit in 2017." -Collette Fournier

This image comes from Goodwin's series called “The Smallest Wilderness Project.” Through this project, the artist's aim is to visit and photograph all sixty-five federally designated wilderness areas under five thousand acres that are stand-alone units. His goal is to create a body of work that documents the uniquely American concept of wilderness and in particular this idea of small wilderness areas, which weren’t even conceived by the framers of the original Wilderness Act, which suggested parcels of over five thousand acres. What makes a wilderness, wilderness? Can some traditional wilderness characteristics be compromised while still giving visitors a sense of “true” wilderness? What is the value of wilderness in the first place? Goodwin's goal is to make the public aware of these issues with the hope that it will help the public understand the value of these often unique areas and garner greater support and advocacy for their preservation and management.

"In the series “Shapes Of Water” which celebrates all the wondrous mathematical, geometric, and flowing forms of water through in-camera multiple exposures. The multiple exposures are used to enhance and draw attention to the already existing patterns within flowing water, still water, and ice/snow. The goal of this body of work is to celebrate what a crucial and exquisitely beautiful resource clean water is and to encourage viewers to better appreciate the beauty around them." -Elijah Goodwin

"As a self-identified woman, artist and photographer based in the Lower Hudson Valley, my focus is on archetypal myths centered on the Divine Feminine. Through photography and digital manipulation, my artwork explores modern womanhood, ancient mythology and its interconnectivity with feminist, earth-based spirituality. Affectionately nick-named the “Annie Leibovitz of Goddesses,” my art reveals fierce and commanding identities grounded in larger narratives that weave together the personal and collective journeys of women’s lives." -Lisa Levart

"During the Victorian era, photographs called Memento Mori were created to commemorate deceased loved ones. These photos, both beautiful and unsettling, exquisitely posed the dead in their finest clothes and surrounded by their favorite objects. The images were extremely popular in the mid 1800’s and were often the one opportunity to have a permanent likeness of a beloved family member." -Susan Richman

"The Covid lockdown permitted me great deal of time in my garden and for long walks in the parks and Aqueduct trail near my home. I produced this series after observing the alarming decrease of the insect and small mammal population due to habitat changes. These observations made me want to celebrate nature and create Memento Mori to honor these endangered species." -Susan Richman

"The Touch of Love" is from the photographic series “Infrared Impressions". As the name implies, these images were created with a camera that was converted to make infrared photographs. Infrared images often have a surreal or mystical effect. Additional editing was done in post-production.

"I didn't have to worry about the health of the 'models' - and they were all very cooperative! When I look back on this project, there might have been an unconscious connection between cemeteries and COVID. However, I didn't think about this at the time. I was most interested in showcasing the historic and dramatic statues and architecture with the magic of infrared photography." -John Verner