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barnbaum-2
Bruce Barnbaum 2
Death Valley Slide Slopes
gelatin silver print
image 20 x 16

Bruce Barnbaum of Granite Falls, WA entered photography as a hobbyist in the 1960s. After nearly 50 years, it is still his hobby; it has also been his life’s work since 1970. He has taught workshops since 1972.

Bruce's educational background includes Bachelor's and Master's degrees in mathematics from UCLA in 1965 and 1967. After working for several years as a mathematical analyst and computer programmer for missile guidance systems, he abruptly left the field and turned to photography in late 1970.

His photography expands upon the dynamics he finds in both nature and the works of man, relating forces to the sweeping forms that dominate his vivid imagery. Visually he emphasizes the best of humanity and nature, sometimes with bold realism, often with degrees of abstraction to heighten the mystery. He understands light to an extent rarely found, and combines this understanding with a mastery of composition, applying them to an extraordinarily wide range of subject matter. His photographs often contain ambiguities concerning either the size of the scene photographed and/or its orientation, forcing the viewer to pause and think, and to become part of the creative process.

Bruce is also recognized as one of the finest black and white traditional darkroom printers on this planet. His color work, now all-digitally created, attests to his ability to see equally well in color or black and white, and to work digitally or traditionally to obtain the finest results. His work is represented by galleries in the United States and Europe, and is in the collections of museums and private collectors worldwide.