“Portraits of Our Environment,” Widmann Gallery (N. Franklin and N. Main streets.) Free, open to public. (Note: Gallery is closed for spring break until Monday, March 15). Info: 570.208.5900 ext. 5328, www.kings.edu.
Every day you may see local landmarks like the Luzerne County courthouse, Market Street Bridge, Wyoming Monument and coal breakers, but you probably don’t see them like Bill Tarutis does through his camera lens.
Tarutis is a local freelance photographer whose exhibit “Portraits of Our Environment: A Scale of Perspectives” is on display at Widmann Gallery at King’s College through April 22. Tarutis will discuss his work at the gallery Friday, March 19 from 6-8 p.m.
Many of the photographs in the exhibit were created through Tarutis’ use of macrophotography and infrared imagery.
The exhibit, the photographer’s first, is “a show that has a little bit of everything,” said Tarutis. It features photographs of people, architecture and flowers. His interest in local history led to photographs of local landmarks such as the Wyoming Monument, plus photographs of the river and surrounding landscape.
“I gravitate towards the river,” he said.
In Tarutis’ own words, “Portraits of Our Environment” is an exhibit of “different snapshots of local environment.” He sees ordinary things and gives them a different look.
Tarutis is a science professor at Lackawanna College in Scranton, but he has been interested in photography ever since he was five years old and got his first camera. As a teenager, he kept up with his hobby using a Polaroid camera. In 2001, Tarutis got his first digital camera, which he used mostly to take pictures of his family. The coupling of photography with technology made the hobby even more interesting to him.
A few years later, he decided to take a photography class at Luzerne County Community College. This May, Tarutis will graduate from LCCC with a degree in photography. He said that taking classes is important.
“You have to know how a camera works,” he said. “You have to be able to see what a good picture is made of.”
For aspiring photographers, Tarutis suggested to “always study other photographer’s photos, try to learn what they did to get their results, and have a passion for it.”
Tarutis explained that photography takes time.
“You don’t just point and shoot,” he said.
Tarutis often takes many pictures of something just to get one great photograph. “You have to create a photo, worry about composition, background and take advantage of light. It really is an art and a science,” said Tarutis.
He believes his background in science allows him to understand the technical aspects of photography easier; Tarutis has even incorporated photography in some of his science courses at Lackawanna College.
About three years ago, Tarutis started taking photographs for Pittston’s Sunday Dispatch, and after a year he decided to contact the Times Leader. He now takes photographs for most Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co. publications, including the Scranton Edition and the Abington Journal. (The Weekender is a Wilkes-Barre Publishing Co. publication.)
Tarutis enjoys photojournalism and environmental photography the most. When working as a photojournalist, he said that shooting sports is his favorite, especially basketball and football. Tarutis was a PIAA high school official in basketball for 15 years and football for 20 years.
“I just retired from football this past season and basketball five years ago,” he said.
As a college professor, photographer, part-time student, husband and father, Tarutis said “none of it would be possible if I didn’t have a very dear and understanding wife.” Teaching only in the mornings, being organized and planning ahead also help him juggle his busy schedule.
w
| Tweet | Follow @wkdr |
|
|
.JPG)