Category: Fine Art Photography

Essential Moments: Photographs by B. Docktor at Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center in Kingston

 

Essential Moments: Photographs by B. Docktor

at the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center in Kingston, NY

Opening reception July 12, 2014 from 4-6pm. All are welcome.

The show will run through September 30, 2014.

 

Essential Moments Photography by B. Docktor at Kingston LGBTQ Center

 

Virginia Apuzzo Hall in the Center’s lovely old building at the corner of Wall and John Streets is a large room that allows me to show a broad range of work. Here’s what I’ll be showing: animals from Columbia and Dutchess County farms are seen up close in a way that we rarely get to view them–alpacas, goats, cows, and sheep with personality!

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Also showing uplifting images of flowers, water, and landscapes. Every exhibit that I do gives me the chance to see how these images work in different spaces, in different configurations. I love this design process; figuring out how to piece together the puzzle to make it look like the work was created just for this space. Aside from the joy of making the images, I really get into combining them to make something more powerful than one image alone, and seeing how they change the feel of a space.

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I was encouraged by Marcuse Pfeifer, the former NYC gallerist and manager of the Center’s exhibitions, to show photos that I don’t usually exhibit. One of these sets is of dogs and features the kind of spontaneous, unposed movement that I love to capture.

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The other set is a group of images of gay people, which I want to show simply because I have them, they are rarely seen, and in general we hardly every get to see images of lesbians and gays. I don’t think I’ve ever seeing a group like this exhibited–some are of gay weddings and couples I’ve photographed in the last few years; some are friends, some are well known lesbian performers.

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I grew up in the 50s and 60s knowing I was gay and never seeing images of gay people. I remember the first time I ever saw an out person in print. It was author Merle Miller on the cover of the New York Times Magazine in 1971, with his piece “What It Means To Be A Homosexual.” That photo and his article affected me so deeply because at that time, we never saw anything like that in the mainstream press. We were starved for information about each other. Thank goodness for change, for having an LGBTQ Center, and for the lovely folks who opened up to me and my camera.

Apuzzo Hall is named for Ginny Apuzzo, the Founding President of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Center, and one of our nation’s great gay and lesbian rights activists. The Center is at 300 Wall Street and is open 9:30-5:00 Monday-Friday and 10-2 most Saturdays. The show will run through September 30, 2014.

Essential Moments at Cinnamon Indian Cuisine Closing Reception June 8, 2014 from 4-6pm

The Closing Party for Essential Moments at Cinnamon Indian Cuisine is Sunday June 8, 2014 from 4-6pm. The show will be viewable through Monday night June 9.
I am grateful to Shiwanti Widyarathna, Cinnamon Indian Cuisine’s owner, for the invitation to exhibit  Essential Moments–a beautiful collection of photographs of farm animals and scenes from Dutchess and Columbia County. Some of the locations represented at Essential Moments are Coach Farm in Pine Plains, Dashing Star Farm in Millerton, Herondale Farm in Ancramdale, and Spruce Ridge Alpaca Farm in Old Chatham.
Also included are closeups of nature–water and flower images that have a soothing and joy-giving affect in healthcare environments and business offices.
This exhibit has resulted in a permanent installation at the new offices of Ettinger Law Firm in Southampton, NY. Some of the images chosen are larger versions of those exhibited at Cinnamon, as well as others not in this exhibit.
Cinnamon Indian Cuisine serves contemporary Indian food rooted in age-old traditions and has received a 5-star rating from Hudson Valley Magazine. That magazine also rated Cinnamon as the best Indian restaurant in the Hudson Valley in 2012. Cinnamon is at 5856 Route 9, south of the village. For more information please call 845-232-5430. 
Every gathering I’ve had at Cinnamon–from the lovely opening reception with food donated by Coach and Herondale Farms–to meals with family and friends has been absolutely delightful and delicious. Shiwanti and Chaminda Widyarathna, the gracious owners/chef of Cinnamon have a knack for making their guests feel so welcome, and the food is wonderful! I want to thank Alex Lage for introducing me to Shiwanti.
More photos of the installation at Cinnamon, and Ettinger Law Firm are below. To view my website, click here.

 

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Below: Photos from the exhibit Essential Moments at Cinnamon Indian Cuisine
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Below is one of the 18 images installed into Ettinger Law Firm in Southampton. This image was made close to my home in Ancram–one of the fields cultivated by Coach Farm–and it looks fantastic on that wall at 5 feet wide. This is how my images should be seen! It’s amazing how the sharpness holds up printed on canvas at that size–they really make an impression. I had so much fun working with Michael Ettinger to select the images, decide which walls they should go on, and at what size. He wanted a group of images that have thematic coherence and my landscapes, animals and nature fit the bill. He also loved the fact that I can make each image exactly the right size for a particular space. I love doing this, and seeing the smiles on people’s faces when they enter the space and see the images.

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Essential Moments

Photography Exhibition by B. Docktor
Location: Cinnamon Indian Cuisine in Rhinebeck, NY

Very happy to have the Essential Moments exhibition at Cinnamon Indian Cuisine in Rhinebeck, NY! The exhibit opens on April 5 from 4-6pm and runs  through May 1. Hudson Valley Magazine rated Cinnamon Indian Cuisine as the best Indian restaurant in the Hudson Valley in 2012. 

I’d like to thank Shiwanti Widyarathna, Cinnamon Indian Cuisine’s owner, for the invitation to exhibit  Essential Moments–a beautiful collection of photographs of farm animals and scenes from Dutchess and Columbia County. Some of the locations represented at Essential Moments are Coach Farm in Pine Plains, Dashing Star Farm in Millerton, Herondale Farm in Ancramdale, and Spruce Ridge Alpaca Farm in Old Chatham.

Also showing closeups of nature–water and flower images that have a soothing and joy-giving affect in the offices of hospitals, doctors and therapists who have chosen to decorate with these photos.

Cinnamon Indian Cuisine serves contemporary Indian food rooted in age-old traditions and has received a 5-star rating from Hudson Valley Magazine. Cinnamon is at 5856 Route 9, south of the village. For more information please call 845-232-5430.

Essential Moments at Cinnamon Indian Cuisine

If you are interested in holding the exhibition Essential Moments, please contact B. Docktor at 518-329-6239

Essential Moments: Photography by B. Docktor at Manna Dew Café in Millerton, NY

This month, my photography exhibit “Essential Moments” is at the great restaurant, Manna Dew Café, in Millerton, NY. When I install a show of my work, I love getting to transform the way a space feels. Manna Dew is in a lovely old building a few doors from the Millerton Moviehouse, and the photos, (many are canvas gallery wraps) look excellent against the old wainscoted walls. Beautiful local farms are represented in this show–the Coach Farm goats, sheep and cows from Herondale Farm, Spruce Ridge Alpaca Farm, and chicken and fin sheep from Dashing Star Farm.

I am often amazed at how strongly people respond to my animal “portraits.” I believe it’s because I get close enough to really show their eyes that we feel so much kinship with them. You really get a sense of a personality. I am lucky to have access to these beautiful places and amazing animals!

The reception is Thursday February 20, 2014, from 5-7pm.

 

Essential Moments: Photography by B. Docktor

 

Hudson Valley fine art photographer B. Docktor specializes in creating images of nature, animals, and the landscape that are stunningly beautiful, and peaceful. These images have a soothing, healing, sometimes humorous quality that make them perfectly suited for your home or office, and art for healthcare environments: hospitals, medical offices, spas, rehab facilities. Please call me at 518-329-6239 to discuss a custom installation. View portfolio: http://www.bdocktorphotography.com/Nature/Nature-Photography-Fine-Art/

Open Farm Days in Chatham

This weekend September 28 & 29, 2013 from 10-4 is a wonderful time for an outing to Open Farm Days in Chatham, NY. I will be selling prints and cards of farm animals at Spruce Ridge Farm, where I photographed their beautiful alpacas this year. Spruce Ridge is at 434 Route 13 at Highland Road. Jeff Lick & Steve McCarthy raise alpacas, pigs, chickens and cattle and it’s a beautiful place. They will have lots going on: in addition to the great array of animals, they’ll have vendors, demonstrations of spinning, weaving and knitting, and you can have lunch there.

There are nine farms on the tour which is hosted by The Chatham Agricultural Partnership. I wish I could be in two places at once and drive around to visit all the farms. Chatham is a gorgeous area, and the leaves are starting to turn. I highly recommend getting out there, and I hope you’ll come visit me at Spruce Ridge! Here are a few of the images I made of these gorgeous alpacas. I have cards of these to sell and I can print these at any size. I made three of them at 20×30 and they look fabulous hanging next to each other–I can attest that they make great company in my home.

Do you have something or someone you’d love to have photographed in a way that thrills you? That’s what I love to do!

To see more, click any image.

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The pet photographer, B. Docktor photographs pets, farms and lots more in the Hudson Valley, Berkshires, NY, and NJ. Call me to capture the love, the action, the beauty and humor of your pets and animals: 518-329-6239.

Photography of B. Docktor at Roe Jan Library Sept 6-Oct 4

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The photography of B. Docktor will be featured at the Roe Jan Library September 4-October 6, 2013. The opening reception is September 6 from 5:30-7:30 and the library is at 9091  Rt. 22 in Hillsdale NY, about a mile south of the Rt. 22/23 intersection.

Versatile Ancram photographer, B. Docktor photographs everything from families to animals, landscapes and nature, to weddings, performances and events. Whether the subject is people or nature, her work always brings the comment: “Wow, that’s stunningly gorgeous!” She has a knack for capturing the most essential moments that convey the spirit and beauty of what she sees. 

To help the Roe Jan Library celebrate its 100th anniversary, Docktor donated many hours to making a community portrait of the people who make up the library community. She photographed staff, reading groups, performances, workshops, donors, artists, writers, individuals using the library, and many groups who volunteer in various ways to serve the library. “I wanted to create a portrait of this very giving, diverse, and extremely talented community who use and serve the library.” 

“For the library exhibit, I am putting up photographs that feature the beauty of our area, as well as selections from the RJCL Community Portrait. I love where I live, and I so enjoy making images that show off our landscape, nature and animals. We’ll also have a slideshow of the RJCL Community Portrait playing during the opening reception which I hope will foster conversation and connection between people who may recognize each other, but don’t really know each other,” said Docktor. 

The show is called “Essential Moments,” and runs from the opening reception 5-7pm on September 6 to October 4.

 

Hudson Valley fine art photographer B. Docktor specializes in creating images of nature and the landscape that are stunningly beautiful, and peaceful. These images have a soothing and healing quality that make them perfectly suited for your home or office, and art for healthcare environments: hospitals, medical offices, spas, rehab facilities. Please call me at 518-329-6239 to discuss a custom installation. View portfolio: http://www.bdocktorphotography.com/Nature/Nature-Photography-Fine-Art/

Landscape and animal photography celebrating Ancram, NY

Sunday July 21, 2013 from noon to 3pm, the Town of Ancram is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Town Hall with a dedication of our Historic Vestibule Project.

This project is the brainchild of Ancram artist Lynne Perrella who wanted to pull together a beautiful way of presenting Ancram history and culture using photography, words, and great design.

(Click any photo to see more of my Ancram landscape and animal photographs)

Herondale Cows (by B. Docktor) and vintage photo of Pat Hoysradt (photographer unknown). This is one of the panels in the Ancram Vestibule project.

Herondale Cows (by B. Docktor) and vintage photo of Pat Hoysradt (photographer unknown). This is one of the panels in the Ancram Vestibule project.

Lynne enlisted me to contribute photography of how Ancram looks now, and to edit, restore, and help fabricate a photo “frieze” that wraps around the space of the vestibule. She also got Ancram artist and craftsman Perry Rollins to re-do what was a very drab and unused space into a beautiful space that will have ongoing interest and value. In addition to designing the space and shepherding it into fruition, Lynne will be curating a show of Ancram history that will change four times a year. Many of you know Lynne as the creative force behind Ancram Angels holiday parties–she has led a team that has charmingly transformed Town Hall year after year. I am particularly happy to see her doing a project that Ancram folks will enjoy for more than one night a year! The first show, opening at the dedication ceremony will be on one-room school houses. 

(Click any photo to see more of my Ancram landscape and animal photographs)

Ancram landscape: After a storm, from Roche Drive
Ancram landscape: After a storm, from Roche Drive

 

Potluck Lunch, new art, new space to celebrate our history. I hope you will come out and see what we have been up to! It’s been a very interesting and fun collaboration. We started by getting together with Ancram historians Clara Van Tassel and Robin Massa to select the photographs that would represent “vintage” Ancram. Then we culled through favorite images I’ve made over the years, showing Ancram’s landscape, animals, and yes–even a few people. Lynne chose the sequencing of images while I was busy restoring the old images. I take a lot of pride in the before and after differences in these photos. If you have old images you’d like to restore, I can do this for you. (I’d rather be photographing, but I do take on a limited amount of restoration work–particularly if it is part of a larger project that includes current photography as well.)

(Click any photo to see more of my Ancram landscape and animal photographs)

Ancram landscape: Sunflowers on Rt. 7. (No, they're not there yet this year).

Ancram landscape: Sunflowers on Rt. 7. (No, they’re not there yet this year).

To help celebrate Ancram and this wonderful project, I am offering a special Ancram gallery with some of my favorite images of  landscape and animal photography on sale through the month of June. Click here to view this gallery where you can see the images available as 20×30″ canvas prints, ready–to-hang for only $500 tax and shipping included.

Ancram animals: Herondale Farm Whispering Sheep

Ancram animals: Herondale Farm Whispering Sheep 

Hudson Valley fine art photographer B. Docktor specializes in creating images of nature and the landscape that are stunningly beautiful, and peaceful. These images have a soothing and healing quality that make them perfectly suited for your home or office, and art for healthcare environments: hospitals, medical offices, spas, rehab facilities. Please call me at 518-329-6239 to discuss a custom installation. View portfolio: http://www.bdocktorphotography.com/Nature/Nature-Photography-Fine-Art/

Art for Healthcare

One of my specialties is photographing the beauty of nature. I have always used my favorites soothing images of nature in my massage therapy office (my other occupation), and I never get tired of looking at the photographs that show movement–especially those of water flowing. Images of flowers, water, animals, the beauty of the natural world make for perfect art for healthcare offices. People who are in waiting room environments in hospitals, doctor’s offices, rehab facilities–whether they be patients or loved ones of patients–they are stressed, and the soothing images of the real world outside can have a truly beneficial affect.

http://www.bdocktorphotography.com/Nature/Nature-Photography-Fine-Art/10570591_DRbdWg#!i=1124241892&k=qrRDNHL

Stunning and fascinating close-ups of flowers enliven this doctor’s office waiting room.

A recent installation at the office of Dr. Zoe Weinstein in Kingston, NY brought this response: “Our patients look uplifted and moved by B’s photographs in our medical offices. The images provide a connection to nature and animals that’s so welcome in this clinical setting. We love the photos filling our walls, and we also love seeing our patients’ delighted responses.”

"Images of nature are uplifting in this clinical setting." ~ Dr. Zoe Weinstein

“Images of nature are uplifting in this clinical setting.” ~ Dr. Zoe Weinstein

 

These images bring color and life into waiting areas of medical offices.

These images bring color and life into waiting areas of medical offices.

In “Picture of Health: Handbook for Healthcare Art,” family practice physician and excellent photographer Henry Domke writes that he was “. . . captivated by research that shows that some art has the power to enhance healing–it can reduce blood pressure, reduce the sensation of pain, and minimize the need for pain medication.”

That seems amazing, and yet it’s so obvious–we love looking at beauty, and we respond viscerally to it.

Hudson Valley fine art photographer B. Docktor specializes in creating images of nature and the landscape that are stunningly beautiful, and peaceful. These images have a soothing and healing quality that make them perfectly suited for art for healthcare environments: hospitals, medical offices, spas, rehab facilities. Please call me at 518-329-6239 to discuss a custom installation for your environment. View portfolio: http://www.bdocktorphotography.com/Nature/Nature-Photography-Fine-Art/

Dance Photography

Dance photography is one of my favorite things to do. It’s challenging, but I love working at getting just the right moment to make you feel like you were there seeing it with me. This is Parsons Dance doing Bachiana in 2011 at the Joyce Theatre in New York. Beautiful choreography by David Parsons. Fabulous dancers  Eric Bourne, Steven Vaughn, and Miguel Quinones. Gorgeous lighting by Howell Binkley


dance photography

 

This photo below was made a few years ago when the Hudson Opera House invited some artists to make images in the Opera House. This is beautiful dancer Erin Reck, who played with me to come up with some wonderful images.

dance photograph

B. Docktor specializes in capturing the spirit, mission, and energy of programs for dance companies, businesses, non-profits, schools, farms. Whatever your organization does–it’s important to document it. I’d love to help tell your story–call me at 518-329-6239.

B. Docktor Photo Show & Bash Bish Bluegrass Band Sunday Nov. 11 from 1-4pm

I’m exhibiting my photography at Maplebrook School in Amenia from Nov. 10 to Dec 15.

The opening reception is Sunday November 11 from 1-4pm and my friends who make up the Bash Bish Bluegrass Band

have agreed to play at the opening! Hope you will come on over and have some fun with us. Last week we made a photo

of the band in front of the Taconic Wayside Inn where they play every 2nd Saturday of the month. Whether it’s

a group, a family, or an individual, I  really enjoy making natural photographic portraits that have a

spontaneous and authentic feel to them. Yes, we have to do some set-up to get the arrangement and light right,

but then I like to get people engaged in what they’re doing or feeling, or the reason why we’re making

the pictures to have something true and real shine through. I think we achieved that in this band portrait photo of

wonderful folks and great musicians.

Bash Bish Bluegrass Band at the Taconic Wayside Inn

 

 

Hudson Valley creative portrait photographer B. Docktor specializes in conveying your character in a natural and authentic way. Beautiful portraits that show you at your best, with heart and soul and humor. Call B at 518-329-6239.