Bruce Barnbaum of Granite Falls,
Washington entered photography as a hobbyist in
the 1960s. After 35 years, it is still his hobby;
it has also been his life’s work since 1970.
He has taught workshops since 1972. His classic
book in four movements, Visual Symphony, was published
in 1986. The Art of Photography, An Approach to
Personal Expression, first published in 1994 (with
a revised, expanded edition published in 1999),
is a complete illustrated textbook on photography,
delving into its technical, aesthetic, philosophical,
and creative aspects.
He is a frequent contributor
to several photography magazines: his
feature article, The Master Printing Class,
appears in each issue of Photo Techniques,
and he has been published regularly in
LensWork, with articles, interviews, and
his “1998 Portfolio.” Through
his workshops, articles, lectures and
textbook, Bruce has become as well respected
an educator as a photographer.
Bruce is recognized as one of the
finest photographers and darkroom
printers on this planet, both through
his b&w work,
and increasingly through his color imagery. His
work is represented by more than ten galleries
throughout the United States and Canada, and is
in the collections of museums and private collectors
worldwide.
His photography expands upon the dynamics he
finds in both nature and the works of man, relating
forces to the sweeping forms that dominate his
vivid imagery. Visually he emphasizes the best
of humanity and nature, sometimes with bold
realism, often with degrees of abstraction to
heighten the mystery. He understands light to
an extent rarely found, and combines this understanding
with a mastery of composition, applying them
to an extraordinarily wide range of subject
matter. His photographs often contain ambiguities
concerning either the size of the scene photographed
and/or its orientation, forcing the viewer to
pause and think, and to become part of the creative
process.
