North Gallery
Paul McEntire
Life Reflected
May 12 thru July 6, 2008
Tulsa photographer Paul McEntire’s exhibit, Life Reflected, displays images from his trips to Tanzania, Romania, Ecuador and Cambodia. He says he works as a photographer, as opposed to any other artistic medium, because “I like the idea of documenting moments as they are instead of creating a new, subjective version of them.”
“I prefer to photograph nature and people in a candid, observational way. Although I do work as a commercial photographer, in my personal work I dislike pre-editing my images by posing or arranging elements. For me, it’s all about context and I feel that doesn’t truly come through when the scene has been manipulated. Therefore, I also don’t do excessive color correction or ‘digital darkroom’ work. I prefer the images to speak for themselves. For me, a successful image is one that brings all of the elements of the scene together through the technical decisions and aesthetic choices I make. And, although I obviously use a camera, ultimately it is light that defines and describes the scene.”
In combination with the available light, technical decisions and aesthetic choices used to create an image, McEntire has found that printing his fine art images on papers other than traditional photographic papers can enhance the story-telling power of the image. Working with Oklahoma artist and printer Dave Horton of Barnlab Studio in Stillwater, McEntire has explored printing his images on handmade papers made with natural fibers.
McEntire has been taking pictures since childhood. Growing up in Stillwater, he was given a camera and slide film when he was nine years old, beginning a life long passion for capturing images. His interest in the medium continued to grow as he had opportunities in school to take photography courses. Under the guidance and encouragement of Stillwater High School Journalism teacher Marjorie Jones, at the age of 15, he learned to develop and print his own work. In high school he won two statewide photography awards. McEntire has worked as a freelance photographer since graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts in Photojournalism in 1993. He worked his way through college as a staff photographer in the University’s Photo Services Department being mentored by Department Director Dan Smith. McEntire’s craft is also influenced and inspired by Woodie Gaddis, long time photography professor at UCO.
In his professional career, McEntire has created images for TV Guide, Wired magazine, Oklahoma State University, and USA Today as well as commercial images for many Oklahoma businesses. He also freelances for several Christian ministries. When not shooting for a client, McEntire creates fine art images varying from landscapes to western tack found in private collections throughout the United States.
Sponsored by the Oklahoma Arts Council. For more information contact Amber Sharples at 405.521.2931 or amber.sharples@arts.ok.gov.
The North Gallery is located on the 1st floor of the State Capitol and open daily from 8:00-5:30.