Minimal photography is an excellent way to express more with less. A simple but poetic photograph, with one or two elements, can be as powerful as an image laden with cues. An excellent example of this is an upcoming exhibition by Elliot Ross, whose evocative images transcend the usual form of animal photography and capture the essence of the artist’s feelings.
The lead image is by Elliot Ross, courtesy of Schilt Publishing & Gallery. All images are used with permission.
The photography exhibition, called Crows Ascending, has been organized by Schilt Publishing & Gallery and is part of Elliot’s ongoing series Animal. The showcase will also feature a photo book of the same name. The images, which are black and white and have a fine art appeal, are of crows in flight. According to the press release, Elliot made these photographs from the rooftop of his apartment during the pandemic. In contrast to the time they were created, the photographs portray movement in stillness and harmony in isolation, which was also felt by millions through the depiction of the most intelligent bird species.
“Ross creates images laden with emotion. He discards their environmental surroundings and uses an almost painterly approach in post-production, leaving us with these beautifully isolated and powerful portraits,” stated Aperture.
What sets Ross’s work apart from his other series is that the photography exhibition transcends simple reportage of the birds. The photographer utilizes various technical skills. The slow shutter, along with eliminating the cluttered background, ensures the movements are highlighted. The photos also highlight Ross’s style, as seen in his other works, Animal (2010) and Other Animals (2014).
A little about Elliot’s background will also give insight into his practice. Born in 1947 in Chicago, and has a Master of Fine Arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute. His works have been exhibited worldwide and are also in the permanent collections of the Center for Creative Photography, the Musée de la Photographie Charleroi, and the Bibliothèque nationale de France, among others.
The photography exhibition will display 20 pictures from Crows Ascending in two different print sizes. It will also include 14 new portraits of animals, giving visitors a distinct perspective on the natural world. “Am I, are we, the subject in these pictures? Are we the ones looking in? Or, through Elliot Ross, do we become the object the animal studies? Probably, as always, it is some mysterious combination of the two,” stated Alexander MacLeod from Granta magazine.
Moreover, the book Crow Ascension features 20 images and is dedicated to the author’s younger brother, Michael. “Michael had a profound intellectual disability caused by lifelong seizure disorder,” Ross stated. “He survived a severe case of Covid-19 in 2020 only to die of Parkinson’s-related pneumonia months later. It is also dedicated to the millions of others who have suffered or died in the United States – many due to government inaction – from Covid-19.”
Crows Ascending, in a way, will offer you solace in a time when our world is being bombarded with AI images. The pictures, stripped of every interfering element, will draw the viewer in. In a way, they may feel a sense of calm akin to the one felt at the side of a flowing river. So, this showcase and photobook must be on your list if you want to find beauty and peace.
Crows Ascending photography exhibition and book will be unveiled on October 6 at Schilt Gallery.
Get rid of the ads!
Did you enjoy reading this article as much as we enjoyed writing it? There's a way to support us and our reporting, getting ad-free navigation and more as a bonus. Subscribe to us for less than a coffee per month —just $3.99— or take advantage of our yearly subscription with a hefty discount for only $25.- An ad-free experience
- A free mystery box for Lightroom or Capture One
- All the books in our store
- 20% discount on Capture One
- 30% discount on Imalume Photo Theft Protection
- 20% off Herbs and Kettle Tea Company.