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The exhibition will move to the Elmsford Town Hall from March 1, 2016

About the exhibition “UnExpected”

I hadn't taken pictures with serious intent for a number of years, when a friend on the West Coast  suggested we do a daily photo exchange as a way to keep in touch. It turned into more of a weekly exchange but that coupled with a long but interesting commute is where the majority of this collection of photos was born.

 

I began searching for images on my way to work, after work and in my daily life. I have taken hundreds of photos from the window of the train, and thousands more in daily life.

 

When I shoot photos, I am compelled to capture a view that might go unnoticed, or an angle, that could not be seen without one making a great effort to see a different view. I derive pleasure from misdirection or making an image appear to be not quite what it really is at a glance.

 

The image of the man on the train with a pork pie hat was truly unexpected for me. I didn’t notice the perfectly placed words in the Johnny Walker Black ad till I was reviewing the photos at home. This is the only image in the show heavily manipulated. I made the image black and white, to hide the color of the man’s brown hat and gray hair. I also added the blur to alter the focal point in the image. I was compelled to take this photo because it was days before the series finally of the TV show Breaking Bad and the main character wore a similar hat.

 

The image of Batman in a rest room was a guy in costume at Comic-Con NYC. And since he is continually asked to pose for photographs, the only place he could find time to himself was in the restroom. I also found the symbol for the men’s room to be an unexpected juxtaposition of the dark figure of Batman.

 

Many of the other images, are unexpected for the viewer, who might have to guess at what is going on, or easily misinterpret what is going on. It forces a viewer to look closely to understand what is happening or simply to notice something they might otherwise have missed.

 

— Aaron

Here are some of the photos on display

Black Amplified

2013

Nature Calls

2013

Frosty Bun

2015

Spiral

2012

The Commuter

2013

Last Train, Saturday Night

2014

Flight

2014

Peace in a Cup

2013

Carousel (profile)

2014

Maid of the Mist

2013

@2016 Aaron Porter All Rights Reserved