First Friday Features Photographs

The Art of Photography is the theme for the First Friday event at Tehachapi Community Congregational Church, corner of Green and E Streets, from 5 - 8 p.m. on September 5. Several of Tehachapi's best photographers will be displaying their work.

The church is especially pleased to show the work of Dick Burdine who passed away August 13. He spent years taking pictures, specializing in scenes of sunsets and waterfalls. He sold hundreds of pictures and gave many away as gifts.

Another member, Jim Carmichael, began his interest in photography in 1953. His father was a photographer and encouraged him. Jim prefers using black and white film, rather than taking digital pictures.

The exhibit will also have work by Nick Smirnoff, a professional photographer whose pictures often appear in the local newspapers.

The Loop Newspaper caught up to Nick Smirnoff this week and asked him what people might expect to see of his work.

“Well, as you know outside those photos that are published I have not shown any of my work before. It may sound strange but my joy is not in seeing the picture published or displayed. My interest lies in making the image, of being there at the event of framing and composing and capturing the moment. It’s rather post-climatic after that.

“A News Photographer must produce on every assignment, every story, every day or night, under every kind of technical challenge. Every time he must consider the humanitarian side of his market and of his subjects. He does all this every time under a deadline as news is only news when it is fresh. The luxury of preparing a photo or doing it all over again is not his as a press photographer. I call my-self a generalist as I must be able to bring home the story in pictures no matter what the subject no matter what the location conditions.”

Fair Trade coffee and chocolate will be available for purchase as usual, and refreshments will be served. Come view wonderful photographs and gain tips and information from the experts.