Jim Kessler
Photography has always held an important place in my life. Growing up, my family were avid travelers and my parents encouraged my interest in photography. My first camera was a Kodak Brownie, then an early Konica and then a Nikon F. I received formal photographic training during my time in the U.S. Navy attending multiple schools including basic, advanced, aerial, cinematic and processing of both black & white and color.
My equipment experience includes 35mm (Nikon & Leica), medium format (Rolleiflex, Hasselblad & Yashica), 4×5 (Speed Graphic & Calumet) and 8×10 (Agfa) cameras as well as both hand and mechanized developing and printing. I also use Nikon digital cameras with Canon and Epson printers. I do images predominately in black & white but also know that certain types of subjects just cry out for their vibrant colors to be captured.
I predominately use photography as my personal creative outlet but do accept private commissions and also will provide imagery for commercial offices. I have previously shown work at SF Camerwork, SF Photoworks, City Art Gallery as well as submissions for international competitions through Lens Culture.
I am a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and reside in San Francisco.
Artist’s Statement
From a very early age I was totally captured by images from Curtis, Stieglitz, Adams, Weston and Cunningham. Their stunning images, beautiful depth of tones and emotion just stuck a chord deep within me. As such, the roots of my imagery stem from that exposure and those influences. It is also why I focus on the more traditional use of the medium; create via composition, exposure, processing and cropping versus chemical alteration, differing materials, collages or composite mosaics.
Over time, I have been encouraged to expand my interest in photography and to view things from alternative perspectives. This is whether it is a large landscape or the small detail in a flower. My imagery spans a large variety of subject matter and is driven by what I see and what generates a spark within me. But to me, the high point comes when I have been able to catch a moment in time with the result being an image that causes the viewer to pause and look deeper, even if for just a moment, knowing that you made a personal connection.