Even while he was still volunteering abroad in Peace Corps, Ron Gratz bought an enlarger and helped set up a dark room in a local grade school. In return for the use of the space and for the help in setting it up, he taught photography classes, and when he left to come back to the U.S., he left his equipment and dark room there for the school to use.
Classic Style Photography Showcase at Tech
By: Kassia Prystalski - Staff Writer
Date Posted: October 26, 2004
Biology professor Ron Gratz has 22 of his black and white photographs on display at the Copper Country Community Arts Center this month.
Dr. Gratz's photographs feature a variety of subjects, from local historical buildings to the barren landscapes from Badlands National Park in South Dakota.
"Ron approached me about a year and a half ago about doing an exhibit," said Cynthia Cote, CCCAC Director.
The CCCAC occasionally approaches people about doing exhibits, but it is more often the case that someone approaches them with an interest in having their work displayed.
Because it is funded by state grants, everything needs to be decided far in advance so that it can be determined whether or not they can leverage funding for the project. Artists are required to bring in samples of their work along with a proposal for an exhibit in order to be considered.
"What I think is very interesting," said Cote, "is that even though these pictures have very different subjects, very different looks, they have a similar feel to them."
Dr. Gratz has used many different techniques over the years with his photography, especially a technique known as 'negative sandwiching.' With this technique, Gratz will carefully place two negatives on top of one another in order to create a whole new look, before he develops the photograph.
"It adds a whole new dimension to the picture," commented Cote.
Gratz has been involved with photography since he was in the Peace Corps after he graduated. This is when he got his first "real camera, not point and shoot." From there, he just got more and more into the hobby through the years.
Even while he was still volunteering abroad in Peace Corps, he bought an enlarger and helped set up a dark room in a local grade school. In return for the use of the space and for the help in setting it up, he taught photography classes, and when he left to come back to the U.S., he left his equipment and dark room there for the school to use.
"When I go out to shoot, I go to places I like to be," said Gratz. "Then, I look for good shots. Sometimes I get them, sometimes I don't. I very rarely go out with the sole intention of 'getting the shot.'"
Gratz is involved with the entire process of his pictures, from thinking of good places to shoot, through the developing process.
"You have to do it yourself," he said, in reference to his negative sandwiching techniques. "Being off a little bit wrecks the effect completely."
When deciding what pictures to display, Gratz went through many different ideas, finally settling on the title "Two Decades of Black and White."
"I thought about doing all water [photographs], all Keweenaw, but I decided that it should look back over the 20 years, at different aspects and approaches," he said. "My interests changed... most people do that."
He finally decided on the 22 photographs on display as a representative selection, including many water focused pictures, some local ruins, and several featuring landscape from Badlands National Park.
"Whatever it means to me," Gratz said, "it may not mean the same thing to you. I don't want to impose my feelings."
Although he is more than happy to explain the techniques used in a particular photograph, or photography rules in general (he has taught several high school level classes on the subject in the area), if asked 'what does this picture mean?,' he likely won't try to explain.
"People over-analyze things," he said. "Photography is a visual form of communication. It should stand alone, and not be explained verbally."
Dr. Gratz's photographs will be on display at the CCCAC in downtown Hancock until the end of October.
