Karsh-style portraits in the Big Apple

Yousuf Karsh was a brilliant photographer who lived and worked in Ottawa throughout the mid- to late 20th century. He would have turned 100 in December and to celebrate his work, the Portrait Gallery of Canada is holding a celebration from June 12 through September 13 called Festival Karsh.

Ontario Tourism & Ottawa Tourism co-sponsored the refreshments at the April Canadian Tourism Commission Marketplace for American journalists and Canadian tourism representatives, and brought brilliant photographer Gary Crallé to take people's photos à la Karsh -- in black and white, with dramatic highlights and shadows. Participants could peruse a selection of famous Karsh shots beforehand -- Winston Churchill, Muhammad Ali, Jacqueline Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Albert Einstein, Prince Charles, etc. -- then recreate the pose themselves.

And for the results:

http://picasaweb.google.com/OTcommunications/KarshLikePhotosAtCanadaMediaMarketplace?authkey=Gv1sRgCKTNpaicqpDgOA&feat=directlink

A web story about a previous overnight stay I experienced in the 'Karsh suite', Ottawa, Canada can be viewed at the Olympus PDN Visionage website. Scroll down to the B&W photo of the waiter in Behind the Shot:
http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/cp/olympus/behindtheshot/index.jsp

Presidents' Day - Abraham Lincoln

Montreux, Switzerland – a Christmas fable in 3 parts

Tourism map of the Lake Geneva and Matterhorn Regions.

Please note: Photos and text © Gary Crallé 2008. All rights reserved.

To view the entire blog, click the bracketed number beside ‘2008’ on the right side of your screen and you are set to go! For my initial blog, click on ‘Older Posts’ at the bottom of this page, then ‘2007’.

All photos made with Olympus digital cameras and lenses: 10.2MP SLR E410 & E500 bodies, 11-22mm Zuiko lens, 14-54mm Zuiko lens, 50-200mm Zuiko lens, 1.4X Zuiko tele extender. This kit gave a 35mm film format equivalent of 22 to 560mm focal length coverage.

A unique aerial view of Chateau de Chillon, Montreux, as reflected in an ornamental ball decorating a Christmas tree within the courtyard.

Christmas in Switzerland can take you back in time. The Swiss have worked studiously to preserve their historical and natural environment for an excellent quality of life. The entire country is a cornucopia of recreation, food and drink. A trip by my wife and I to the Lake Geneva region (www.lake-geneva-region.ch) centered on Montreux, but the choices are many.

Part One: the Chateau

Our hotel offered romantic views of the chateau from the balcony. A misty day enhanced the effect very nicely.

Dancing bears on the walls greeted us in a small entrance room to the chateau.

The Prisoner of Chillon, a haunting poem by Lord Byron, made Francois Bonivard and the castle the most popular monument in Switzerland, according to the Michelin guidebook . For 4 years Bonivard was chained to a rock in the castle dungeon by the Duke of Savoy who objected to the Protestant views of the Prior.