Evolving photographic career Ray McSavaney

ray mcsavaney, 1988,

by sharon christman

in addition subject itself, mcsavaney cultivated sensitivity immediate surroundings , overall quality of light. worked @ getting feel immediate environment , interrelationships among elements. aware there @ least 2 people involved in photograph — photographer , viewer — aimed have maximum emotional impact on viewer. planned , visualized final print accordingly. averring found world difficult understand “through isolated bits of information”, is, single photograph, knew wanted work related subjects, ideally in series. discovered subtle relationships become clear when presented in ‘context’ of several complementary photographs of same or equivalent subjects.by subject s relationships , meant shapes, forms, tonal values, quality of light in surroundings, , color. aware of work of minor white, in addition of adams, mcsavaney no doubt knew of effectiveness of presenting interrelated photographs - white referred equivalents or sequences.

while on 1972 sierra club photography workshop showed prints instructor, bruce barnbaum, impressed quality , originality. ardent outdoorsmen, both bonded on subsequent sierra club trips. in late 70s, becoming increasingly disgruntled working impersonal corporation, mcsavaney embarked on own career in fine-art photography. friendship , collaboration barnbaum led formation of noted fine-art photography program, owens valley photography workshops (ovpw). pair, later joined john sexton, 1 of ansel adams’ photography assistants, formed ovpw staff. program co-directors, 3 organized , managed until 1990 when dissolved partnership mutual agreement. mcsavaney established own photography workshop program; barnbaumand sextonstill have active fine-art workshop programs.