The dawn of the digital camera can be described as the best, and worst, time in photographic history. The best, because it is not a wasteful era. Images can be reviewed immediately and only the favorites need to be
printed. The worst because most of us never get around to printing off the images themselves, and they sit in image ‘purgatory’, perhaps never to be seen again.

Although everyone can use a camera (well, almost everyone – my mother used to put her thumb over the lens and then depress the control dial instead of the shutter) a true photographer must be able to do several
things right to capture not only the moment, but also our attention.

Recently I had the pleasure of touring the newest art gallery in Schomberg – ‘Images Gallery of Photographic Art’, owned by photographer Tom Wray. Tom opened his studio in December 2009 to display his art, which unlike many of us, he has taken the time to print.

To open a gallery in their home, Tom and his wife Mara had to renovate the front room of their circa 1851 Victorian home, where they have lived for the past 30 years.

Tom wanted to open his own gallery to have more control over his art and how it was displayed, and because he had been asked “where is your gallery” a few too many times. A question that lingered with Tom.

Prior to opening the gallery Tom’s work had adorned the walls of several local eateries, including: Sheena’s Kitchen, the Grackle Coffee Shop in
Schomberg, Daniel’s in Nobleton and Mr. McGreggors in Kleinberg.

Tom also offers printing and framing services from his gallery to other artists.

If an artist wants to make prints of painted art, Tom can photograph the piece to bring it into a digital format. From there, Tom is able to make adjustments to the image offering a different interpretation of the original.
Which Tom admits, sometimes his clients even prefer. The images are then printed using a large-format printer onto the selected media stock, using a ‘sprayed-ink’ technique. After drying, the print is then ready to be framed, or if printed to canvas, can also be gallery wrapped. A protective UV coating finishes the piece, ensuring that it will last for up to 200 years.

Although this service allows Tom to communicate with other artists, his passion for creating his own art keeps him behind the lens.

Referred to as ‘fine art photography’, Tom’s work features mostly sky and landscape scenes, with a precision that is often met with the comment “that’s not a photograph, it’s a painting”.

“I take my camera wherever I go, because you never know. Sometimes when you’re looking too hard, that special moment doesn’t happen. Sometimes you go out in search of an image in your head, and find something else,” says Tom, who admits that although he has travelled across Canada to capture images, many of the beautiful photos in his collection have been taken right in his own backyard. “Light has so much to do with it. You can take a good picture in bad light and it’s a bad picture. You can take a ‘bad’ picture in good light and still end up with something amazing.”

Tom also uses his digital camera to manipulate his finished product. By combining three different exposures of the same scene (underexposed, over-exposed and a regular exposure) he can “optimize the image to
more closely represent what the eye actually sees”.

“I also use my aperture creatively to limit the depth of field. Longer depths keep everything in focus, a shorter depth of field draws the attention to the focal point. It gives the photo a softer look,” explains Tom. “A good photo has both hard lines, and soft edges.”

Tom uses a Sony R1, a fixed-lens camera, that gives him professional results without the professional equipment prices.

“I can create end results that compete with people who spend thousand’s on equipment,” Tom admits. “It kind of confirms that it isn’t the equipment. People say ‘you must have a really good camera’ to me all of the time. That’s like telling a painter that they must have a really good paint brush.”

Tom’s interest in photography began as a student. He was enrolled in an Audio/Video program with a photography component, and although he always liked taking pictures, after graduating Tom found it difficult to
make the time for his art, then just a hobby. The onset of the digital era sparked Tom’s interest in taking pictures again and this once air navigation expert has now been selling his art for the past eight years.

Images Gallery, located at 399 Main Street W. in Schomberg, is open to the public daily by appointment, or by “chance”. Tom makes seasonal changes to the work on display, and all of the art is for sale. Prices range from $5 to $500.