The story of the photography show, Photo Kinesis, that will open at the Sechelt Seniors’ Activity Centre (SSAC) on March 29 began in a church in New York. When Jacquie Allan of Gibsons visited a Manhattan church, a notice board caught her attention because it displayed large photos of people associated with the church. She was fascinated.
“These people were being celebrated,” she said. They didn’t feel like strangers to her anymore; the portraits invited her to be part of the scene.
On her return to Gibsons, Allan noticed a similar photo display at the entrance to Sunnycrest Mall and recognized the faces of local merchants. It gave her a sense of community. An idea was born.
Most people know Allan as a singer by night and a fitness instructor by day. She leads a popular exercise class at SSAC that draws around 40 people twice weekly. Allan believes that fitness is not an end in itself – it’s about fostering the good health that will allow a person to live their lives more fully. There’s also a social aspect. Many of her participants greatly enjoy their class.
“I can see that in their faces,” she said. “They’re mostly coming to make new friends.”
She wanted to capture those looks in a series of photos, not studio portraits, but images of active people. She was referred to Karen Morgenstern, a nurse with a serious sideline in photography. About 50 people turned up to the class on the days designated for photos and Morgenstern took hundreds of pictures.
“It was a challenge,” Morgenstern said, as she was more accustomed to taking outdoor photos in natural light. “None of them are static, everyone is moving.” She and Allan chose the best and she edited many of them. They came up with 20 lively images plus seven group photos that will be shown in the front entrance lounge to the SSAC (5604 Trail Avenue).
The show is called Photo Kinesis – Movement Stilled Through the Lens and it celebrates action and photographic art. It opens on Tuesday, March 29 at 11:30 a.m. and continues through April. You don’t have to be a member of the centre to stop by and have a look. More about Karen Morgenstern and her photography can be found at www.klmphotos.com
