"I describe my photography as capturing life’s moments … plain and simple. Photography has been my passion since childhood. It is something that I must do. It’s like breathing. I don’t like being in the spotlight … rather behind the lens capturing those moments that will never return. I try to please myself with images, but if you happen to like them, I am only more pleased. I see things differently. I view the world in pictures." — Sharlene Holliday
Our featured photographer Sharlene Holliday is drawn to pattern, repetition, shadows, colors and an odd fascination with windows and doors. She is also interested in chairs, graffiti, typography, street photography, flea markets, and boardwalks. She loves photographing new locations, and seeing something for the first time.
Before retirement, Sharlene was a darkroom technician in a corporate photo lab. There, she received extensive on-the-job training, took numerous photography classes and earned a BA in Photography. She is currently focused on alternative photographic processes, mainly cyanotype, an early photo process from the mid-1800s that was originally used to reproduce technical drawings, or “blueprints.” Chemicals are mixed to create a photosensitive emulsion placed on a substrate yielding beautiful blues when exposed to ultraviolet light. Most of her subjects are botanical. "The cyanotype process is slow, tactile, imperfect, unpredictable … perhaps that’s why I find it appealing," she says. "Every image is unique. The cyanotype process pairs well with traditional photography. I love digging into my photo archive and digitally blending my photos with my scanned cyanotypes to produce fresh new imagery. I also convert some of my images into digital negatives to create new cyanotypes. I am having fun!"
Sharlene has been in numerous photographic exhibitions, including Phillips’ Mill, Ellarslie, Praxis Gallery, and Photo Place Gallery, and print publications including Black & White magazine and Shots. She is a member of several photography art organizations, volunteering and participating in competitions and art shows showcasing both her photography and her work with cyanotype.
