David & Jane Ernst
Going Beyond the Photograph

Photography holds a very dear place in the hearts of this husband and wife team. Not only are they photographers themselves, but they are avid collectors of fine-art photography. They appreciate the eyes of others.

David and Jane both have an eye for the unusual and often find themselves taking the same shots. That may sound like a problem to a typical photographer, but not for the Ernsts. By the time they have each printed their final image,the viewer sees two very unique photographs. Their individuality shines through the creative processes that they use to capture the wonderful images of their vision. David uses both traditional and digital means to create his fine-art photographs. Some images are created totally digitally, some are traditional photographs that have been creatively modified digitally, and some are abstract images created by layering 6 ˜ 9 multiple exposures on each frame of color film but are printed digitally. Using 35 mm and panoramic cameras as well as placing objects directly on his scanner, David creates a variety of fanciful and abstract images out of ordinary landscapes, buildings, and objects. He uses the computer to loosen the tie between photographed color and the final image as well as to print the finished images. Jane specializes in the creative uses of Polaroid film, and digital manipulation. Her favorite process is that of manipulating the SX-70 film to create an image that resembles an impressionistic painting. She achieves this by using tools to move and manipulate the soft emulsion surface of the print before the colors have set. To preserve the small delicate image just created, she scans the image to create a digital file and then makes enlarged prints digitally. ˜After many years of experimenting in various art forms, I have finally found a method to combine my love of photography with my love of drawing and painting to create images that have an impressionistic feeling. I have found that working with Polaroid film has given me an almost unlimited avenue for creativity.˜

Both David and Jane have won awards in numerous art shows and have sold their work through the several galleries: