Hey there art lovers!
I am David VanGelder..
..and I really hope you like my view of the world in which we live.
Cruise around my galleries and you will see that I have travelled some. I try to create images that to me, are universal, yet uniquely mine. I often hear people say, "i've been there a hundred times and never saw that.."
I have been at this for awhile. In the early 70's a friend, Norman Smith, loaned me the first slr I had ever touched, a Pentax ME Super and I was hooked! I was a teenager and maybe he saw my interest/talent for it, or possibly it was an effort to shift my focus (sorry, had to say it..) toward something besides girls and partying, it sure worked!
I taught myself basic darkroom skills, and began developing film in my bedroom closet, changing out the darkroom from developing film to setting up a Bogen enlarger for printing and tray processing. After high school I went on to join the US Navy, become a Hospital Corpsman, and specialize in Biomedical Photography.
The Navy gave me opportunities to learn so much; studio shooting, location shooting, Public Relations, crime scenes, plus a ton of time in color and black and white darkrooms. I used cameras of all makes and formats up to 8x10 view cameras. The things I learned and the people with whom I worked influence me to this day.
I am amazed at the progress in photography over the last 40-some years. Things that were impossible in the darkroom are now a few clicks away. It is a constant challenge for me to 'let go' of the traditional way of thinking about creating images, and allow myself to embrace the reality that what happened in the camera is just the beginning. Years ago I freelanced for a big city newspaper and all that mattered, all that was useable, is what happened at the click of the shutter. You got your shot or you didn't. Now, I love the freedom to let my imagination run, knowing that the tools to complete my vision are at my fingertips.
My art business has been designated as a "Trusted Art Seller" withThe Art Storefronts Organization
..which means you can shop with confidence, and know that I stand behind the quality and value of my products.
We live in an amazing world..I am so thankful that I am drawn to it visually and that I can capture some of what I see for others.
What does that even mean? I see what I see and I shoot what I shoot. Sometimes street shooter, sometimes landscapist, and occasionally a compositor! But always on the prowl for the next image, whatever it might be.
With a new camera or two and a renewed enthusiasm for the craft I am excited about the coming years and traveling the country. 2022 will be my 'Year of the Airstream' as we hit the road in our silver tube, 'Hilton'.
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