'Focal Point' exhibit focuses on four local photographers' works

CHAMBERSBURG >> View the world from the perspectives of four area photographers in the photography exhibit "Focal Point," opening June 19 in The Council for the Arts of Chambersburg, 159 S. Main St.

This latest exhibit highlighting the camera work of Vince Ha, Meelika Mölder, Kaitlin Shadle and Constantine Vloutely will display a wide variety of photographs, from depictions of wildlife, nature and classical architecture, to international scenes and manipulated and mixed media photographs.

The show will be on view from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays through Aug. 14, with a meet-the-artists reception on First Friday July 3, from 5-7 p.m.

For more information, call 264-6883 or visit www.councilforthearts.net.

Chambersburg resident Ha was inspired to begin photographing when he saw the results of his newborn daughter's shoot with a professional photographer. Five years later, he has sold his photographs online in a variety of websites. "I see the world from a very different point of view," he said, "and I try to capture the moments the way I see them, whether from an unexpected perspective or color, or perhaps an unusual subject." Ha's work "The Road" is pictured on this week's Weekender cover.

Mölder was born in Estonia. She has taken art classes both in Estonia and the U.S., specializing in photography and graphic design. She is currently a student at Shippensburg University, majoring in business management with concentration in entrepreneurship. Her mixed media work has been displayed at SU's annual Student Art Exhibition, and her photography has been used in many university publications.

"My mixed media photography pieces are a combination of the crisp reality of the world and the child-like manifestations of the imagination," Mölder said. Her whimsical compositions are printed onto photography paper and built upon with the addition of patterned paper figures meticulously extracted and adhered onto the original photograph.

Shadle is a Chambersburg native who specializes in fine art photography of landscapes, nature and close-ups of objects. For nearly five years she lived in Argentina, where she studied with a professional photographer for more than three years. Some of the photos featured are from her beloved second home, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

"Color and detail are most important to me," Shadle said, "and vibrant colors are a trademark of my work. I also enjoy using a wide aperture to blur the background and draw attention to interesting textures and details."

Vloutely became interested in photography in 1955 at the age of 15, starting with black and white and progressing to color slides and prints, and then into the digital age. Born in Queens, New York, he has since lived in California, Georgia and Kansas where, in 1998, a large portion of his work was destroyed in a flood. "Connie" has lived in Chambersburg since 2002.

"Some of my photos were taken in the Chambersburg/Waynesboro area," he said, "... but in the rush of the day, interesting scenes often go unnoticed!" Currently he is adding to his collection photos from state and national parks, and the fauna and flora within them. Connie's pictures in the council exhibit are Giclee prints, which resist fading, especially when framed under glass.