Bert Shankman

I own this gorgous photograph "Weston" by Bert Shankman. He named it after the great American photographer Edward Weston (I think from a comment David Tannous made when reviewing his portfolio) But to me the petals feel like rich fabric, the pose elegant, somthing like Cecil Beaton. (example... Audrey Hepburn)



We have exhibited Bert's beautiful prints at the US Botanic Garden and NIH, he will also have work in our Voices and Visions show this November. His work is in the permanent collections of NIH, Children's Medical Center and Martha Jefferson Hospital. Bert has kindly donated his work to support Smith Farm and the Society for Art in Healthcare.



Bert's artist statement below:

My passion is to see beauty in life as I interpret it through the form of flowers. Flowers are my metaphor for life. I see birth and death, pain and joy, agony and ecstasy in flowers. My objective is to give shape, texture and color to my feelings through the images I photograph. I am intensely passionate about my work.
I record an image on film by 'playing' with sunlight using the different lights of the day and different qualities of filtered light. Many times I am deliberately seeking a preconceived image but frequently I find the spontaneous. The work I do in my 'dry darkroom' is just as important as the 'work' I do behind the lens. The image is not complete until I am satisfied with it as a print.
My goal is to create images where I can 'see' my feelings and to share those images with others.

Visit Bert's web site here