New In Town
Photographic Magic
Although Los Gatos is known for the numerous art galleries scattered about town, there's always room for another, especially, when the venue is the Los Gatos Gallery of Photography.
In business about two months, the gallery celebrated its grand opening on March 23. It debuted three new series by photographer and owner, John Akhtar: "The Dream Places," "Wet Paint" and limited edition portraits of porcelain dolls.
According to gallery director Heather Barry, Akhtar was once a physicist in the area of optics, which helped him develop a mathematical way of looking at things. This carried into photography, in which he uses various precise, time-critical techniques to achieve the vibrant colors, unusual exposures, distinct details and interplay of light and dark that make his photos unique.
Akhtar does about 70 percent of this magic in the darkroom. The rest is done on location, or in studio with his camera. Barry stresses that none of the effects in Akhtar's photos are done on a computer.
"The Dream Series" consists of montages, which are combinations of several different images blended seamlessly. Most of them combine outdoor and indoor photography, sometimes with people or animals, for added interest. "They're very interpretive and symbolic," Barry says.
In "Wet Paint," Akhtar creates brightly colored still lifes, nudes and other subjects, by actually painting them before photographing them. The images of dainty porcelain dolls are painstakingly lit and photographed in a way that completely belies their hard texture.
In each of these series, Barry adds, "John strives to do things that other people can't achieve."
The gallery also offers custom framing. Later this year, it plans to offer photography classes to the public.
Los Gatos Gallery of Photography, 214 N. Santa Cruz Ave. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.; Thursday, noon to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, noon to 9 p.m. Appointments are also available. 408.354.0862.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
