Contact me at: jd@johndesilvaphotography.com
Bryce Canyon, Utah 2003 Cockscomb Rain Forest, Belize 2003
On Lake West in Hangshuo, China 2006 Kerela, India 2004
Artist's Bio
After over 20 years in the communications industry, I decided to take a different path, and turn an enjoyable hobby into an enjoyable profession. A lifelong love of nature and a developing interest in photography as a teenager ultimately led me into the photography program at The Southeast Center For Photographic Studies located on the campus of Daytona Beach Community College in 2003. I have also attended Crealde School of Art in Winter Park since 2002 and was awarded a Fellowship in their photography department. My areas of focus are travel, nature, and wildlife, however I am practiced in portraiture, studio, and commercial photography. Some of my many influences are Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter, Galen Rowell, my professors, and fellow students.
Artist's Statement
I try to capture or build an image in a unique way, or render a familiar image in the manner we are used to seeing it but improving upon what has come before. I want to elicit emotion from the viewer, and hopefully even take them to the familiar or unvisited place I present.
The work on my website is a small example of images in the collection. Please feel free to contact me if you are looking for something specific.
Purchasing Photographs
I currently offer two ways to obtain work. The first is to contact me by phone at 31-(0)20-775-9919 or via e-mail and place a direct order to purchase the prints. To get an idea of the prices, click on the following link:
The second way is to lease pieces. This method comes in various options and is very desirable for businesses. You can lease for a determined period of time for a number of pieces. You can choose to have the work rotated yearly, bi-yearly, or quarterly.
Other ways of obtaining the work is at various public shows as they occur. These opportunities will always be posted as they are scheduled on this web page under Exhibits & Events below.
All work will be signed by the artist and include background on the image. If shipped without framing, images will be rolled and placed inside a tube mailer for protection. If framing is requested, utmost care and packaging will be provided. Additionally, the work will be shipped insured for breakage to be paid for by the client. The price lists above do not include the cost of shipping & handling or insurance.
Exhibits & Events - Past, Current, and Future
April 2010 - Marketing shoot for Blue Boat Company. - Intermediate Workshop - Trip to champagne area of France March 2010 - Photographed ACCESS 2010 Creative Competition Ceremony - Workshop 6 in Amsterdam - Photographed EXPAT Awards Ceremony February 2010 - Workshop 5 in Amsterdam December 2009 - Two and a half month visit to USA. November 2009 - Weekend visit to Aachen, Germany. - Photograph Selma/Hugo wedding in Wormer. October 2009 - One week visit to Munich, Germany. September 2009 - One week visit to Barcelona, Spain. - Two visits to Alkmaar to photograph Cheese Market. - Workshop 4 in Amsterdam July 2009 - Two month exhibition at De Waaghals in Amsterdam.
June 2009
- Trip to United States and one week visit to Ireland.
May 2009
- Early May four day visit to Normandy coast
- Late May visit to Paris for French Open Tennis Tournament.
- Workshop 3 in Amsterdam.
- Weekend visit to Maastricht, Netherlands and Brussels, Belgium.
- Assisted Jeffery Noble Photography on Caterpillar commercial shoot in Munich.
April 2009
- One week trip covering parts of Germany, Switzerland, France, and Luxembourg.
March 2009
- Six days in Prague. Workshop 1 and 2 in Amsterdam.
February 2009
- Six days in Vienna/Bratislava.
December 2008
- One week visit to Gran Canaria, Canary Islands.
September 2008
- Two day visit to Munich during Oktoberfest and two and a half week tour of southern Italy.
May 2008
- Two week tour of Norway and Copenhagen, Denmark. Visited Oslo, Flam, Fjaerland, and Bergen in southern Norway with a two day visit in Copenhagen shooting landscapes, cultural events, and street work.
January/February 2008 Solo Show - "30 Days In China"
Opening Reception - January 11th 7pm The venue again will be the main downtown branch of the library. In addition to exhibited photography work, there will be work created by a Chinese artist brought back to the US, catered Chinese food, Chinese cultural music, and a slide show on the 30 day China experience of the artist and his wife.
November 2007
- Relocation To Amsterdam - We have relocated to Amsterdam, Netherlands for a projected three year stay.
Fall 2007
- Planned three week tour of New England and southeastern Canada for a fall colors photography tour. Any suggestions feel free to email me what you know and what you think!
August 2007
- Metro Gallery 323 East Church Street Orlando, Florida
July / August 2007
- Ichiban Japanese Restaurant, Downtown Orlando
April / May 2007
- Fourth Semester Student Show - The Southeast Center For Photographic Studies on the campus of Daytona Beach Community College. Along with fellow students, I will display work in the program gallery in the liberal arts building. Go to http://www.dbcc.edu/ for directions.
March / April 2007 - Crealde School of Art, The Art of Fellowship: Photography by Emerging Artists from Crealde's Fellowship Program. Opening Reception - March 2, 2007, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Showalter Hughes Community Gallery
Established and emerging Crealde Fellowship artists will exhibit their photography. For additional details, visit http://www.crealde.org/
July & August, 2006 - Solo Show - Windows To The World The main downtown branch exhibited approximately 30 pieces of work centering on my travel images. Price list from the exhibit is posted above under Purchasing Photographs.
April 2006 - Crealde School of Art, Fifth Annual Spring Art Sale Established and emerging Central Florida artists will exhibit their art on campus, 9am to 5pm Saturday and 11am to 4pm Sunday. Part of the proceeds benefit Crealde programs.
My Tools
Image Recording- I use Velvia, Astia, and Provia Fujifilms and Kodak Portra 160NC for my color images and Ilford Films and Kodak PX Plus-X for black and white photography. Occasionally I experiment with other films. For my Canon 5D and 20D, I use a 12GB Sandisk Extreme III, two 1GB, and one 2GB Lexar flash cards.
Image Capture - For film, I use a Mamiya RB67 Medium Format camera with four Mamiya lenses (50mm, 90mm, 180mm, and 300mm). Digitally, a Canon 20D with a Canon 70-200mm f2.8 lens with a Canon 2X teleconverter on the long side, and a Canon 5D with a Tamron 28-75mm lens for wider needs. Both camera's are fitted with battery grips and eyepiece extenders. Occasionally I'll use a Canon AE-1 Program, Wista 4X5 view camera, or Horseman 8X10 large format.
Image Printing - I print on Ilford papers for my black and white photography and various Kodak papers for my color work in the wet darkroom. I use an Omega Super Chrome D Dichronic II enlarger to expose the image to the paper and then use Kodak and Illford chemistry to make the black and white print. For color printing I use the Delight DL-M50RT RA-4 processor to print color images. When printing digitally I use various Epson and Ilford papers on various Epson printers. I have started using several labs for digital work, as well.
Image Rendering- The traditional methods are used in the wet darkroom and Photoshop CS3 is used in the digital darkroom.
Image Scanning- For scanning negatives I use the Nikon Coolscan V ED and Super Coolscan 9000 ED and for print scanning I use the Epson Perfection 4490 flatbed scanner.
Image Storage- I use Fujifilm CD's and Western Digital external hard drives.
Other tools- I use Bogan Manfrotto tripods, Cokin, Hoya, and Tiffen filters, Lowepro bags and backpacks, IBM PC and flat screen monitor, a MacBook Pro, LiteDisc reflectors, and rain sleeves for that wonderful, damp, Amsterdam weather.