JOE FALOUT - MONOCHROMATIC FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHER Joe has been involved with photography since 1980, beginning as a hobbyist producing color slides for Chicago area camera club competitions. He began doing black and white darkroom work in 1983 and soon became totally committed to the creative aspects of fine art printing. He is a dedicated user of the zone system and works with both 35mm and medium format equipment. Digital cameras are also being employed to utilize this expanding technology. He is primarily interested in graphic isolation of elements in architectural photography and the production of full tonal range scenics under dramatic lighting conditions, drifting occasionally toward abstract or impressionistic images. He will at times add subtle color by hand tinting select works. His photographic palette covers a wide variety of materials and techniques. Films used range from slow, fine-grained emulsions to fast, coarse grained versions. Traditional wet darkroom prints are made on variable contrast, premium quality paper for precise control of scale. They are archivally processed and finished with a variety of toners to further enhance the feel of the final image. With the advent of recent digital photography advancements and proven archival printing materials equaling or even surpassing traditional photographic methods, Joe is now increasingly embracing the film to digital or pure digital processes. This is being done to take maximum advantage of the superior control they offer for precise tonal rendition. All prints are archivally mounted, using museum quality materials. He has studied under noted black and white photographers John Sexton, Bruce Barnbaum, Howard Bond and Daniel Anderson. Joe has instructed for the Chicago City Colleges, the Mundelein Illinois High School and the Ambient Light Workshops in Burr Ridge, Illinois. He has lectured throughout the Chicago Area Camera Clubs Association (CACCA), and his work may be found in many private collections throughout the United States and abroad. AWARDS AND CREDITS ‘TOPS in CACCA” – for multiple Bests of Show in the monochrome print division (CACCA -1988) “PHOTOGRAPHER’S AWARD’ for photographic excellence (CACCA - 1995) Best of Show – Norris Gallery’s “Artist’s Open” (1991) 1st Place in Monochrome Prints – Door County Maritime Museum (2000) 2nd Place in Monochrome Prints – Door County Maritime Museum (2001) Best of Show - Gretchen Charlton Art Gallery Juried Photography Exhibit (2002) 2nd Place - Gretchen Charlton Art Gallery Juried Photography Exhibit (2003) Best of Show - Gretchen Charlton Art Gallery Juried Photography Exhibit (2004) 2nd Place in Monochrome Prints – “Images and Imagination” Juried Photography Exhibition (2005) 1st Place in Monochrome Prints – Door County Maritime Museum (2006) Honorable Mention - Gretchen Charlton Art Gallery Juried Photography Exhibit (2007) 4th Place in Monochrome Prints – “Zoom” Juried Photography Exhibition (2007) 2nd Place in Monochrome Prints – “Eye of the Stone” Juried Photography Exhibition (2007) 4th Place in Monochrome Prints – “Oh, Shoot!” Juried Photography Exhibition (2008) Best of Show in Monochrome Prints – “Eye of the Stone” Juried Photography Exhibition (2008) 1st Place in Monochrome Prints - “Eye of the Stone” Juried Photography Exhibition (2008) 4th Place in Monochrome Prints – “Click!” Juried Photography Exhibition (2009) 2nd Place – Gretchen Charlton Art Gallery Juried Photography Exhibit (2009) GALLERIES AND EXHIBITS Du Page Art League – Wheaton, Illinois Infinity Gallery at Governors State University – University Park, Illinois Southminster Presbyterian Church – Glen Ellyn, Illinois (solo) Roberta Campbell House – Geneva, Illinois Restored Opera House – Sandwich, Illinois (solo) Brickton Gallery – Park Ridge, Illinois Norris Cultural Arts Center – St. Charles, Illinois Argonne National Laboratory – Argonne, Illinois Bloomingdale Park District Museum Gallery – Bloomingdale, Illinois Gretchen Charlton Art Gallery – Kankakee, Illinois Door County Maritime Museum – Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Francis Hardy Gallery – Ephraim, Wisconsin Batavia Art Gallery – Batavia, Illinois Woodridge Library – Woodridge, Illinois (two-person show) 2001, 2003, 2005 Westmont Library – Westmont, Illinois (two-person show) 2001 Benedictine University – Lisle, Illinois (two-person show) 2005 Dr. Scholl Exhibit Mezzanine - Aurora, Illinois (two-person show) 2006 Graue Mill – Hinsdale, Illinois (group show) 2008 Joe is currently represented by Door County’s Blue Dolphin House Gallery in Ephraim, Wisconsin.