Photography & Images by Ron Donofrio Photography & Images by Ron Donofrio

About

Photography & Image Maker: Producing a visual literacy of images I've been privileged to capture, witness, appropriate, create and/or participate in.  Most provided an experience in either capturing the image or working on the image.

It's  a treat to be a guest of light and be a part of the produced work.

Now at this point in my life (luckily  the point keeps moving) I need to grow more socially conscious and focus my visual voice, to concerns and blessings that surround us all. 

Normally, i'd witness or discover something that looked and felt unique to me, in its own right, or captured along with others in a social environment or event, and then produced an image, that hopefully produces my visual voice in the work.

It's special when there's "magic light" and to be able to pull that from the experience and get it in the image or create a visual statement, of what I thought was interesting.

In the darkroom days, it was very cool when an image wasn't immediately revealed. Then, like magic, there it was, living in the final print. Taking an image from the light, and bringing it into the dark, and then back out into the light again, was a wonderful feeling. I was like witnessing time standing still, and I was the only one invited.

"I think my images balance each other, from images past, to images future and everything in between. It makes me feel old, in a young way, and still current".

Many of the images that are presented here, had a "reveal" or "emergence", especially birthed in the darkroom. Now in photoshop, something else happens, I have to reveal my current self, to the images, and not always easy thing to do. Sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn't. What's really cool, is when the image that showed itself, was not what I expected. That always brings me joy, like discovering something new and feeling it was always there, and always a part of me. 

The darkroom was like a party,  even if no one else showed, the invitation read "bring film, chemicals, water, paper, time and music". I always went and had a good time.

Images captured or created from film, or digital, share the same thread of "time, light and space" or equally, the lack of it.
My darkroom is now my computer, iPhone, scanner and printer. My music, is still my music...and time, and light, well, it is what it is.

Digital allows me to capture or appropriate work in public places, the visual literacy in the space in which we all live. Up down, all around. Creating something different from what is already there, or already seen, but maybe, not paid too much attention to, becomes something new to discover, and share. It's really fun. That's mostly what I do now.

In one of my earliest photographs, written on a painted temporary wall, as part of construction scaffolding, was a message to all of us; it resonated and stuck with me all this time: "The Fragile Beauty That's All About Us".  I believe it's a reminder for me everyday to look around, appreciate and have gratitude, even when their is pain in the air.  Just like the visual of the lyric: "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls".

I still want that uniqueness and magic light to work it's way into what I see and share now. The best of the best has always been the other artists I meet, hangout with, become friends, have a meal, talk crazy shit, hoist a drink, smoke a bowl and disappear into the light and say hey, see ya later. 

I hope there are few images you can enjoy or at least, get to experience or re-experience. Keep coming back, and I'll keep posting images. Peace - Ron D.