Rebecca Gates
It seems I have always had a slightly different way of looking at the world. My first camera was a little keychain version into which I could clip a 35mm roll of film and take real pictures! As a small child, I looked at my little world through that tiny “lens.” My next camera was a hand-me-down that rattled when I shook it. I inherited it with 15 pictures out of 24 already used, so I carefully guarded each frame and made sure not to waste any pictures on pulled faces. Imagine my delight when I discovered there were 36 total frames available! These were reserved for beloved cats and flowers in my slightly expanded world. I have been taking pictures of flowers ever since, and once in a while I look up from these intricate treasures of creation to see sunsets, silhouettes of trees, unique architecture, remnants of the past, and abstract scenes. On occasion, human beings can be seen in my work as I expand into the wonderful world of portraiture. I carry my camera constantly and each moment holds the potential of finding beauty. My love of nature and photography, and the desire to excel in it, has been inspired by my paternal grandfather who was a skilled hiker and photographer. I have been critiqued and encouraged by loved ones and acquaintances as well as through online forums and communities such as facebook, twitter, and blogspot. I have practiced my art from Boston to Sequoia National Park and Brazil. As a self-taught photographer, it has been a joy and an adventure to come to the point of being able to produce photographs I can share in a cooperative and professional setting, and I am proud to join local artists in Local Colors of Utah Fine Art Gallery.
Here are some samples of my photographs.
