Photographer James Ponder to Discuss the Natural Method of Composition

Fine art photographer, James Ponder, will discuss “The Natural Method of Composition—What the Camera Clubs Can’t Tell You” during the September meeting of the Loma Linda Cultural Arts Association, from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13 at the Loma Linda Senior Center, 25541 Barton Road. Ponder has been photographing for more than 40 years. From his early days working with an 8x10-inch large-format camera in the tradition of Brett Weston and Ansel Adams, to his recent color abstractions and Southwestern landscapes, Ponder brings an intuitive and powerful vision to the task of creating photographs that evoke a strong response in viewers. His presentation will compare and contrast two competing theories of photographic composition-one championed at camera clubs and salons throughout the country and the other articulated by some of the greatest fine art photographers of all time. In his own work, he employs the second theory and ignores the first. He recognizes, however, what works for him does not work for everyone, and encourages photographic artists to try both methods before deciding which one to use. With his business partner, Larry Kidder, Ponder also conducts photography workshops and tours in a variety of interesting and beautiful locations throughout California and the Southwest. A patient teacher who puts the word ‘constructive’ in the phrase ‘constructive reviews,’ he tends not to criticize his students, but to lead them to the discovery of their own visual center. Photographers who would like him to review their own work at the meeting are invited to bring a disk or thumb drive with five to 10 of their photographs.