PHOTO OF THE WEEK

-- Don Leach

Taking portraits of artists is always a fun assignment. There’s almost

always several elements to work with. First is the artist, then the

artwork and then the studio.

These assignments are the classic “environmental portrait.” It’s fun

and challenging to blend these elements together in one shot to make your

own piece of photographic art.

Artists sometimes have interesting personalities, and I always try to

put them in their artwork somehow. When Graham Weinbrenshowed me the

interactive presentation he was installing at UC Irvine, the idea for the

picture came together quickly.

Everything was already in place. The projected pictures behind

Weinbren and the hanging picture frame were obvious graphic elements. I

had him stand behind the frame and put his hand through it because that

is how visitors to Weinbren’spresentation can change the picture on the

wall. I would like to go back and see how “Frames,” his interactive

artwork, looks when completed.