Donald A MacDonald

About

Influenced by the work of Ansel Adams I decided to take up photography as a serious hobby in the early 1970’s. To this end I purchased a a 35mm SLR camera and started to take photographs. Initially my work was developed and printed by professional labs but finding this creatively unsatisfying I taught myself how to develop and print film. From the beginning I took my subject matter principally from nature which resulted in a lot of fine detail in my photos which could not be readily evaluated directly from the negative or contact sheets. In the mid-1980’s I switched to medium format cameras in order to obtain a larger negative; first a 21/4 inch square format SLR and then a 2 1/4 x 2 3/4 inch press style camera. This format not only provided a larger negative but also a larger viewing screen which facilitated working with arranged still lifes as subject matter. In 2008 I purchased a 5 x 7 inch format view camera which finally gives me a negative where all the details of the image are plainly visible. I have always taken my time in composing my desired image; even when shooting with a 35mm SLR I frequently used a tripod not only to steady the camera when using slow shutter speed (which I frequently do) but also to force me to take my time and compose my image so little if any cropping will be necessary when printing. All my work currently and in the foreseeable future is and will be done with a large format view camera using film technology. The view camera allows me to adjust for perspective and point of view to give the greatest reproduction of my vision directly on the negative. I have not ignored new technology; I currently scan all my negatives, remove any spots or blemishes, adjust relative contrasts and tonalities on the computer creating a negative which matches the characteristics of my printing paper. Since 2018 I started printing in palladium/platinum and now all my prints are done on hand coated paper using a palladium/platinum solution by contact printing from digital negatives; previously printed silver images are still available. Since retirement from a career as an environmental scientist in early 2011 photography has become my career.   In 2012 I again expanded my vision to include the female nude, both as a study in form as well as a component of the environment. Over the years my photographic vision has matured and expanded, but when it comes to photographing the world around me I’m still attracted to the same subjects with my view camera as I was with my 35mm SLR.

EXHIBITS

Gallery                                               Location   Exhibit                                                                 Date
Center for Photographic Art   Carmel, CA       2015 International Juried Exhibit                     Nov 21, 2015-Jan 9, 2016
Azuma Gallery      Seattle, WA      Solo Exhibit/Book Signing                               Apr 2, 2016-Apr 9, 2016
Center for Photographic Art         Carmel, CA   2016 International Juried Exhibit                       Nov 12, 2015-Dec 23, 2016
Lightbox Photographic Gallery   Astoria, OR      The Photographic Nude 2017                               Feb 12, 2017-Mar 8, 2017
Larson Gallery                               Yakima, WA       40th National Juried Photography Exhibition Mar 9, 2017-Apr 15, 2017
Emerald Art Center                    Springfield, OR    2nd Annual National Juried Art Exhibition   Sep 5 , 2017-Sep 29, 2017
Lightbox Photographic Gallery   Astoria, OR      The Photographic Members Exhibit 2017          Dec 9,2017-Jan 9, 2018
Lightbox Photographic Gallery   Astoria, OR      The Photographic Nude 2018                             Feb 10, 2018-Mar 7, 2018
Lightbox Photographic Gallery   Astoria, OR      File Exhibit 2018                                Apr 3, 2018-May 3, 2018
Bryant Corner Cafe                        Seattle, WA       Solo Exhibit                                Apr 3, 2018-May 31, 2018
Lightbox Photographic Gallery   Astoria, OR      Members Summer Showcase                              July 13, 2018-Aug 7, 2019
Lightbox Photographic Gallery   Astoria, OR      The Photographic Members Exhibit 2019         Dec 8, 2019-Jan 9, 2020
Collective Visions Gallery           Bremerton, WA   13th Annual CVG Show                                       Jan 18, 2020-Feb 29, 2020
Lightbox Photographic Gallery   Astoria, OR      Pacific Northwest 40                                              Apr 11, 2020-May 6, 2020
Lightbox Photographic Gallery   Astoria, OR      The Photographic Members Exhibit 2020           Nov 26, 2020-Jan 2, 2021
Lightbox Photographic Gallery   Astoria, OR      The Photographic Nude 2021                              Feb 13, 2021-Mar 8, 2021
Collective Visions Gallery           Bremerton, WA   14th Annual CVG Show                                        Jan 23, 2021-Feb 26, 2021
Light Art Space            Silver City, NM    Visions of Nature                                                    Aug 7, 2021-Oct 2, 2021
Arts Council of Lake Oswego   Lake Oswego, OR Abandoned: Images of What Remains              Sep 3, 2021-Oct 29, 2021
Collective Visions Gallery           Bremerton, WA   15th Annual CVG Show                                        Jan 22, 2022-Feb 25, 2022
Lightbox Photographic Gallery   Astoria, OR       Reminisces in Platinum Solo Show                       Oct 8, 2022-Nov 9, 2022

AWARDS
2016 Honorable Mention 2016 Tokyo International Foto Awards
2017 Second Place Purchase Award Larson Gallery 40th National Juried Photography Exhibition
2021 Purchase Award Collective Visions Gallery 14th Annual Show

PUBLICATIONS
View Camera Magazine   Jan-Feb 2015
Five Decades in Silver       Mar 1, 2016