Rich Bergeman

Artist Statement

What I most enjoy about photography is how it helps me to see. Every picture-making gadget and process—from a sophisticated digital camera to a simple pinhole box—has its own peculiar way of presenting the world to us. I love the challenge of learning how to see the way each different camera sees, and finding the kind of images that each is best suited for. After mastering a succession of cameras and printing processes over the years, I am currently exploring the infrared spectrum, a hauntingly beautiful range of light that transforms the ordinary into a more highly charged experience.

Artist Bio

A native of Ohio and an Oregonian since 1976, I am now retired from a career as a journalist, educator and exhibition curator. For the past 40 years, I've been exhibiting my fine art photography throughout the Northwest and beyond, most of it focused on telling stories about local histories in the PNW through photographs of what's been left behind. Originally a large-format photographer printing in both silver and platinum, I currently work with digital cameras converted to record infrared light and print with archival pigment inkjet printers.

Eastman House Portico, 2024