Portraits of Love: Photographs by John Bentham and Rick Gerrity

 February 1 – March 15, 2012

Curated by Hyewon Yi

Opening Reception: Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 4pm –7pm

Lecture: Monday, February 27, 2012, 4:40pm – 6:20pm (Campus Center F114)

The Amelie A. Wallace Gallery at SUNY College at Old Westbury is pleased to announce a special

exhibition by two professional photographers, John Bentham and Rick Gerrity.

Portraits of Love  is a joint venture by PMDA (Photoimaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association) and the USO* to provide free portraits to families of deployed service members of the US military at holiday time. For the third year of this project, 2011, these New York-based photographers volunteered their time and skill, driving eighteen hours to Gulfport, Mississippi for the two-day shoot. Bentham and Gerrity photographed about forty families, producing over one hundred images. For this exhibition, seventeen individual and group portraits will be presented.

These portraits of children, from toddlers to teenagers, including three images that include parents, remind us of what is absent from so many of these families—the fathers. Dani , a little blonde girl, holds a Daddy Doll that bears a photo of her Marine father printed on the fabric; she takes it everywhere with her and even sleeps with it. Presented with broad smiles and dressed in their best holiday clothes, the children in these pictures deliver a message of love to their fathers (and sometimes mothers) overseas. One serviceman, shown holding his son upside down, was to be deployed to South Korea in a few short weeks. Children photographed with an American flag offer patriotic gestures. Two young mothers left behind are also shown smiling cheerily despite the lack of emotional and practical support that challenges them in the absence of their husbands.

 Behind this evidently loving presentation of playful children and faithful spouses is the reminder that large numbers of U.S. military service personnel are stationed overseas. Regardless of one’s view of U.S. foreign policy and the powerful cultural, social, and political impact that U.S. foreign bases have on their host countries, the challenges faced by the families left behind, many living on U.S. military bases waiting for the return of their loved ones, deserves understanding and compassion. Although it is not conspicuous in this project, the shadow of anxiety and tragedy hangs over military families. In addition to combat deaths in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the cost of mutilated bodies and psychological injuries is tremendous. As just one indication, the U.S. Army reported record high suicide fatalities for 2011. This exhibition hopes to raise awareness and promote discussion of such topics.

 The photographers employed traditional studio portrait techniques that include full-body, waist-up, and three-quarter profile portraits shot in a temporary studio. John Bentham used mostly dark backgrounds for his sitters, creating a deeper receding space behind each model. Gently directed children show an awareness of Bentham’s camera, through which he captures the vulnerability of the young ones and theawkwardness of the teenagers. Bentham portrays these young individuals with dignity, offering the viewer a naturalness akin to the sensibility of August Sander or Diane Arbus. Employing a white background, Rick Gerrity opted for more lighthearted moments in which the children were free to express playfulness among themselves. The performative aspects of Gerrity’s sitters were brought out by his sense of humor and inventiveness as their poses suggest a lively interaction between sitters and photographer.

John Bentham (b. 1959, Toronto; working in New York since 1991) is an award-winning photographer specializing in documentary and portraiture. His images have been widely reproduced in periodicals andbooks. As his particular interest is in sub-cultures, he has documented a diverse range of subjects,including biker rallies, burlesque dancers, Native American powwows, drag queens, and underground NYC clubs. He was named A Photographer to Watch by Kodak, and in 2009 was awarded one of only twelve coveted slots in the Magnum Photos portfolio review. Bentham has garnered accolades from Nikon, Magnum Photos, Photo District News, and The New York Times. He has exhibited in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto, Paris, Tokyo, and Prague.

Rick Gerrity (b.1954, Newark, NJ; lives and works in New York and New Jersey) has been photographing professionally over the past twenty-five years, specializing in people, products, and locations throughoutthe U.S. and Canada. Gerrity has documented bikers in the tradition of iconic figures Danny Lyon and Hunter S. Thompson. A motorcyclist since age seventeen, Gerrity utilized, to some extent, the participant observer approach to record the lives of the bikers. Gerrity’s twenty-one year-old son, Marine Lance Corporal Ryan Gerrity , is serving his second combat tour in Afghanistan, a connection that makes Gerrity’s participation in this project all the more poignant.

A reception to mark the opening of Portraits of Love will be held between 4:00pm and 7:00pm on Wednesday, February 1, 2012. The exhibition remains on view through March 15, 2012. Gallery hours are Mondays and Wednesdays between 12pm and 7pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays between 12pm and 4:30pm; and by appointment.

The lecture  is scheduled for Monday, February 27, between 4:40pm and 6:20pm in F114 Campus Center. The photographers will discuss their works accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation.

Canon and Gilbert Displays generously donated the printing and mounting of the images.

For further information about Portraits of Love , please contact Gallery Director Hyewon Yi at yih@oldwestbury.edu or 646-421-5863. Please visit our gallery Facebook page or follow us on  Twitter.

For directions to the College, see the link here. For a map, please click here

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* The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO ) is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the United States military.

Recipients include Pulitzer Prize, Nobel Prize and Emmy Winners

New York, NY- November 1, 2011– The PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA), a respected photo industry organization founded in 1939 that brings together some of the most renowned brand names in the photographic community, will award six individuals for their outstanding contributions to the photography industry on January 9^th, prior to the opening of this year’s 2012 International CES^®. Sir Howard Stringer, a nine-time Emmy winner and chairman, chief executive officer and president of Sony Corporation, will receive the esteemed Person of the Year honor at the event.

Photojournalist Carol Guzy, a four-time Pulitzer Prize winner, has been named Photographer of the Year, and 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics Winner Dr. George Smith, a co-inventor of the CCD, will be awarded the DIMA Lifetime Achievement Award at this prestigious event. In addition, Shutterfly CEO Jeffrey Housenbold will be recognized as Visionary of the Year, industry veteran Mona Kelly will be awarded the PMDA Lifetime Achievement Award, and Tatsuo Konno from Canon will receive the Technical Achievement Award.

The prestigious PMDA Awards are given annually to the persons or organizations that have made significant contributions or meaningful impacts to the photography industry during the year or over the course of their careers. This year, the awards will be given out during a celebratory gala event, PMDA’s first ‘Imaging Night.’ Following the awards presentation, attendees will enjoy a sparkling, energetic reception. All festivities will take place at Haze Nightclub at the Aria Hotel in Las Vegas.

“It is our pleasure to spend an evening commemorating the achievements of these six outstanding individuals,” said Joellyn Gray, PMDA president. “Their contributions to the art, technology and business of photography have left lasting footprints in the industry.”

Person of the Year: Sir Howard Stringer – chairman, chief executive officer and president, Sony Corporation

Sir Howard Stringer has held a distinguished 30-year career as a journalist, producer and executive at CBS Inc., winning nine individual Emmys as a writer, director and producer from 1973 -1983 and serving as the company’s president from 1988 -1995. Stinger later served as Chairman and CEO of TELE-TV, the media and technology company formed by Bell Atlantic, NYNEX and Pacific Telesis, from 1995 -1997 and is a recipient of the U.S. Army Commendation Medal for meritorious achievement for service in Vietnam (1965 -1967).

Visionary Award: Jeffery Housenbold – president and CEO, Shutterfly

Jeff Housenbold is a new-media visionary with a successful track record of building online consumer franchises by artfully combining commerce and community. In just five years, Shutterfly grew from a 120 million dollar company to 300 million under Housenbold’s leadership. Before Shutterfly, he held positions of vice president and general manager of eBay’s business to consumer group and vice president of mergers and acquisitions. Housenbold is the co-author of “The Shutterfly Guide to Great Digital Photos,” an instructional book published by McGraw-Hill and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.A. in Economics and Business Administration from Carnegie-Mellon.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Mona Kelly – photo and front end consultant

Mona Kelly has amassed thirty-seven years of diverse photo industry experience, beginning as a part time associate with Eckerd Drug in the main photo lab where she rose to plant supervisor responsible for all aspects of production. She was instrumental in the dynamic photo growth Eckerd experienced, first as district manager and later as director of photofinishing and vice president photofinishing. During her time as general merchandise manager of photo and front end services at Walgreens, Mona played a leading role in the transformation of the company from a traditional in-store photo service provider to a fully integrated digital and photo lab providing a range of services including on-line access for consumers.

Photographer of the Year: Carol Guzy – staff photographer, The Washington Post

Carol Guzy spent eight years as a staff photographer at the Miami Herald before moving to her current position at The Washington Post in 1988. Her assignments have included domestic and international stories and documentary reportage. Guzy was honored with the Pulitzer Prize for spot news photography for her coverage of the military intervention in Haiti and a devastating mudslide in Armero, Colombia. Her feature work in Kosovo and an up-close portrait of grief and desperation after a catastrophic Haiti earthquake also won her a Pulitzer Prize. Guzy holds an associate in applied science degree in photography from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.

PMA/DIMA Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. George Smith

Dr. George Smith earned a B. A. in Physics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1955, and an M. S. and PhD. in Physics from the University of Chicago in 1956 and 1959, respectively. In April 1986, Dr. Smith retired from his position at Bell Laboratories as head of the VLSI device department. Recipient of the 2009 Nobel Prize in physics for the invention of the charge coupled device (CCD), an imaging semiconductor circuit, Dr. Smith holds 31 US patents and is author to more than 40 papers.

Technical Achievement Award: Tatsuo Konno – senior general manager of Imaging Communications Products, Camera Development Center, Canon Inc.
Since joining Canon in 1980, Mr. Konno has worked exclusively on the development of SLR camera products. Over the course of his career, he has taken part in the creation of ten film-model SLR cameras and six digital SLR cameras. He has played an active role in the evolution of Canon’s digital SLR technology, supporting EOS’s transition to digital through the EOS D2000 (1998), as well as the introduction of an HD movie recording feature in the EOS 5D Mark II (2008).

PMDA will host the Imaging Night 2012 celebration on January 9th from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Las Vegas Haze Nightclub at Aria Hotel and Casino City Center, located at 3730 S. Las Vegas Blvd. The PMDA awards dinner is being sponsored by The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and National Geographic.

About PMDA

Founded in 1939, PMDA provides a series of forums throughout the business year for its membership to exchange ideas and learn about new technologies and business trends, in addition to administering programs that promote photography to the general public. Programs and symposiums feature leading photo and imaging product suppliers and retailers, as well as financial analysts and technical experts. The organization has also teamed with PMA International to produce www.TakeGreatPictures.com, a site created to help American consumers find meaningful ways to incorporate photography into many aspects of their everyday lives, while helping them to make intelligent decisions about buying new cameras and accessories.

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 By Tim Barribeau – September 22, 2011 – PopPhoto.com

Woodbury, NY, August 29, 2011 – The PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA), a respected photo industry organization that brings together some of the most renowned brand names in the photographic community with the common goal of sharing the impact photography has on our society, today announced that it is calling for studio photographers throughout the country to participate in its third annual Portraits of Love Project, which offers families of deployed military personnel free portraits for the holiday season. Photographers who volunteer their time will be asked to photograph families stateside and then simply upload the images to a server where prints will be shipped free of charge to both the families and their loves ones serving overseas.

The Portraits of Love Project offers professional photographers and portrait studios an opportunity to use their talents and resources to show their appreciation for our military personnel serving abroad. The PMDA’s nationwide network of volunteer photographers will be asked to open their studios to military families from October 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. While some studios may choose to host sessions by appointment throughout this period, others may elect to host open sessions on select days.

Interested photographers can register to participate in the program online at http://www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com/photographers.php between September 1 and October 1, 2011. Volunteer photographers will receive program promotional materials from the PMDA along with directions on how to upload portraits to the Project’s fulfillment system. Additionally, volunteer photographers will be asked to provide details about their studio space, such as location, size and set-up to allow organizers to plan for anticipated volumes in each market.

“In 2010, we had more than 400 photographers host portrait sessions for families on military bases and in studios throughout the country,” said Joellyn Gray, President of the PMDA and Director of Marketing at FUJIFILM. “This year we hope to expand the effort to deliver a small taste of home to even more servicemen and servicewomen who aren’t able to be with family during the holiday season. The photography community has always been amazingly generous with its time and resources around this cause, and we believe we’ll be able to do even more with their support this year.”

In its first three years, the Portraits of Love Project has enjoyed the generous sponsorship from industry partners and PMDA member organizations including:, Canon, FUJIFILM, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Bonnier Technology Group, Digital Photo Academy, Photo Industry Reporter, SeeHere.com, Samsung, Panasonic, Hewlett Packard, Tamron and The Tiffen Company.

About PMDA

Founded in 1939, PMDA provides a series of forums throughout the business year for its membership to exchange ideas and learn about new technologies and business trends, in addition to administering programs that promote photography to the general public. Monthly programs and symposiums feature leading photo and imaging product suppliers and retailers, as well as financial analysts and technical experts. The PMDA teams with the Soldiers’ Angels volunteer organization to create the Portraits of Love Project, with a goal to provide 10,000 U.S. soldiers around the world with free portraits of their families and loved ones during each holiday season. The organization has also teamed with PMA International to produce www.TakeGreatPictures.com, a site created to help American consumers find meaningful ways to incorporate photography into many aspects of their everyday lives, while helping them to make intelligent decisions about buying new cameras and accessories.

Redesigned Website Brings Together Experts from Behind the Lens to Provide Advice for Those with an Interest in Photography Regardless of Picture Taking Experience

Woodbury, NY, May 31 – TakeGreatPictures.com, a website dedicated to inspiring, informing and educating the general public on topics related to photography, today announced the expansion of its educational resources for photographers. As a trusted information center for picture-taking tips, how-to articles, project ideas and more, the enhanced website will now bring the valuable insight of industry pros directly to photography enthusiasts on a daily basis. 

Whether seeking camera buying tips or advice on shooting better travel photos, TakeGreatPictures now offers readers expansive photo tips and techniques from master photographers in addition to the latest on product news, photo events and popular artists.  Enthusiasts will also find information on simple techniques to improve their snapshots, details on photo contests, photography book reviews and regular software tips.   Visitors to TakeGreatPictures will not only find an online network to share their own images with other photography hobbyists but a community-based atmosphere from which to receive feedback and critiques of their images and projects. Articles will discuss core photographic topics as well as residual applications such as scrapbooking, album making, and print outputs.

“TakeGreatPictures.com has long been a trusted outlet for amateur photographers. Whether you rely on your camera phone, a point-and-shoot or have delved deeper into your passion with a DSLR, the information that we provide will help you take better pictures,” said Jerry Grossman, Executive Director of the PMDA and Editorial Director of TakeGreatPictures.com.  “Whether readers are looking to take better pictures of their kids or make the most of a photo safari, the information, how-tos, and general advice from our experienced columnists will help them make the most of those snaps and most importantly have fun doing it.”

Key content additions now available on TakeGreatPictures will include regular contributions written by professionals who offer their unique insights to individuals seeking tips-of-the-trade on getting the most of their camera whether it is a point-and-shoot or a high-end DSLR. 

Photography experts regularly contributing columns to TakeGreatPictures include: 

• Russell Burden – An internationally published photographer, Burden’s commercial often shows up in magazines and advertisements around the world.  
• Ron Eggers – A senior editor with NewsWatch Feature Service, Eggers covers photography, digital imaging, computer technology and software applications for national consumer, trade, and technical publications. 
• Mark Lapin – A professional writer and avid amateur shutterbug, Lapin expertly writes about photographers and photo equipment and has published more than 100 articles on photography.   
• Bob Krist – A well-known travel photographer who works regularly on assignment for magazines such as National Geographic Traveler, Smithsonian and Islands, Krist has shot on all seven continents. 
• Gabby Salazar – A 23 year-old photographer from Greensboro, North Carolina who was named BBC Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year and won Nature’s Best Photography magazine’s Youth Category in 2002.  
• Jon Sienkiewicz – A contributing editor at Digital Photo, Outdoor Photographer and Digital Photo Pro as well as a freelance journalist and frequent contributor to a wide variety of business, photo and consumer publications, Sienkiewicz is a season photographer writer with extensive educational experience.  
• Frank Veronsky – An editorial and commercial photographer for over 20 years, Veronsky specializes in photographing people, portraits, fashion, and has worked for some of the most well-respected print publications in the country. 

About TakeGreatPictures.com

TakeGreatPictures.com is an online resource created to help American consumers find meaningful ways to incorporate photography into many aspects of their everyday lives, while helping them to make intelligent decisions about buying new cameras and accessories. The website is designed to provide helpful tips that will inspire, inform and educate on topics related to photography. TakeGreatPictures experts are also available to offer information or provide source material for interested media.

Woodbury, NY (March 31, 2011) – The PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA) today announced that its member organizations have collectively raised over $32.7 million (¥2.65 billion Yen) in support of the victims of the recent devastating earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan.  Many member organizations have also established employee matching programs and are providing additional support for relief efforts from LED lanterns to company expertise to high-tech rescue equipment and more.  

Thus far, PMDA member organizations have contributed through extraordinary financial efforts to benefit the Japan relief-assistant efforts. In addition to members’ corporate contributions, many of the employee communities have provided significant financial support. To augment the various employee efforts, member organizations have also established matching programs for these employee contributions.

“Our member organizations each have friends, families, and colleagues in Japan, so this devastation has greatly impacted all of our lives,” said Joellyn Gray, president of the PMDA and director of marketing, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “While many of our member companies have already made in-kind donations and financial commitments exceeding $32 million in the ongoing relief efforts, the employee communities continue to amaze us.  For example, employees at Fujifilm have already donated over $90,000 in personal funds. This outpouring of everyone’s support during such a critical time of need is simply remarkable.”

 In addition to immense financial support, PMDA member companies have dedicated significant equipment and manpower to the rescue and relief efforts. In-kind support abounds from clocks, radios, flashlights and batteries to diagnostic ultrasound systems, and industrial videoscopes used to assist in location of survivors inside collapsed buildings. Additionally, some member organizations have sent valuable rescue personnel to the region along with scarce rescue equipment, or provided expertise and capabilities to work in assisting local authorities and relief organizations.

Member organizations contributing to the Japan relief efforts include Canon Inc., FUJIFILM Corporation, General Imaging Company, Nikon Inc., Olympus Corporation  Panasonic Corporation Samsung Electronics Co Ltd., Sony Corporation, and Tamron Co Ltd. 

 For more information about the relief organizations that PMDA member companies are assisting, or to learn more on how to help the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami please contact the AmeriCares, Convoy of Hope, Doctors Without Borders, GlobalGiving, International Medical Corps, Japan Society, Red Cross, Salvation Army and ShelterBox.

The PMDA will also raise additional funds to benefit the earthquake relief efforts at the organization’s annual golf outing held in June. For more information on how to participate in the event, please contact Michelle Tramantano at Michellepmda@hotmail.com.

 About PMDA

Founded in 1939, PMDA provides a series of forums throughout the business year for its membership to exchange ideas and learn about new technologies and business trends, in addition to administering programs that promote photography to the general public. Monthly programs and symposiums feature leading photo and imaging product suppliers and retailers, as well as financial analysts and technical experts. The PMDA teams with the Soldiers’ Angels volunteer organization to create the Portraits of Love Project, with a goal to provide 10,000 U.S. soldiers around the world with free portraits of their families and loved ones during each holiday season. The organization has also teamed with PMA International to produce www.TakeGreatPictures.com, a site created to help American consumers find meaningful ways to incorporate photography into many aspects of their everyday lives, while helping them to make intelligent decisions about buying new cameras and accessories.

TEMPE, Ariz. – If you have a loved one in the military who will spending the holidays away from home, you can sign up to get free family portraits sent to them.

FOX 10′s Jayme King has the details. Watch this video clip to see how the Portraits of Love Project helps a family create a portrait for their loved ones in the military.  Click on this link: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/morning_show/portraits-of-love-jcp-10122010

For more information about the Portraits of Love Project, click on the link below: http://www.pmda.com/2010/09/pmda-launches-2010-portraits-of-love-project-2/

Woodbury, NY October 5, 2010 – The PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA) today announced that it is calling for volunteer studio photographers throughout the country to participate in its annual Portraits of Love Project, which offers families of deployed military free portraits for the holiday season. Photographers who volunteer their time will be asked to photograph families stateside and then upload the images to FujiFilm’s SeeHere.com, from which prints will be shipped free of charge to both the family and deployed military personnel. Interested photographers can sign up through the Portraits of Love Project website at: http://www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com/.

Launched through a joint effort between the photography industry organization PMDA and Soldiers’ Angels, a grassroots volunteer organization serving military families, the Portraits of Love Project provides professional photographers, photo enthusiasts and portrait studios an opportunity to use their talents and resources to show their appreciation for those serving abroad. The PMDA’s nationwide network of volunteer photographers will be asked to open their studios to military families from October 1, 2010 through November 30, 2010. All images will be printed and shipped to overseas personnel in time for the holidays.

“Last year we had more than 400 photographers host portrait sessions for military families on bases and in studios throughout the country,” said Joellyn Gray, President of the PMDA and Director of Marketing at FUJIFILM. “This year we hope to expand the effort and help deliver a small taste of home to those deployed overseas during the holiday season.”

This coast-to-coast volunteer effort represents the second phase of the 2010 Portraits of Love Project. The initiative kicked off in early September with event sponsor JCPenney Portraits opening all of its studios to military families for free portrait sessions. In its continuing effort to bring military families and photographers together, the PMDA will also be organizing on-base portrait sessions on various military installations. For a complete listing of participating local photo studios, and more information on the participating bases, families and photographers are encouraged to visit the Portraits of Love Project website.

As a 70-year-old, highly respected photo industry organization, the PMDA brings together some of the most recognized brands in the photography community with the common interest of sharing the impact photography has on society. In addition to JCPenney Portraits, sponsors of the 2010 Portraits of Love Project include: Canon, FUJIFILM, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, SanDisk, Roxio, Bonnier Technology Group, Digital Photo Academy, Photo Industry Reporter, SeeHere.com. For more information on the Portraits of Love Project, or to find a listing of local participating photography studios, please visit: http://www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com/, or check out the Project’s Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/portraits.of.love.

About PMDA
Founded in 1939, PMDA provides a series of forums throughout the business year for its membership to exchange ideas and learn about new technologies and business trends, in addition to administering programs that promote photography to the general public. Monthly programs and symposiums feature leading photo and imaging product suppliers and retailers, as well as financial analysts and technical experts. The PMDA teams with the Soldiers’ Angels volunteer organization to create the Portraits of Love Project, with a goal to provide 10,000 U.S. soldiers around the world with free portraits of their families and loved ones during each holiday season. The organization has also teamed with PMA International to produce www.TakeGreatPictures.com, a site created to help American consumers find meaningful ways to incorporate photography into many aspects of their everyday lives, while helping them to make intelligent decisions about buying new cameras and accessories.

Pictured here are (l to r): Anthony Ruotolo, Bonnier Corporation; Jerry Grossman, Photo Industry Reporter; Brian Pridgeon, SanDisk; Kristen Elder, Sony Electronics; and Mark Huggins, Olympus America

The PMDA Board of Directors are well represented at Photokina this year. The above photo includes just some of the board members that managed to gather for a quick meeting during a very busy and exciting event. The 31st Photokina is the biannual “World of Imaging” event that attracts over 150,000 visitors and 1,250 suppliers from 45 countries around the world and takes place from September 21-26, 2010 in Cologne, Germany.

Some of the 150,000 visitors eagerly climbing the entrance to catch a look at all the new and exciting products being introduced at Photokina 2010.

Flags flying on a beautiful sunny day in Cologne, Germany at Photokina 2010.