Photographer James Solomon has gone through many highs and lows in his life and career, but through it all he has persevered and thrived.
Over the years, he's started a business; travelled the world; met and learned from top local and international photographers; won a number of photographic competitions, including two European Union contests; was the lead wedding photographer with the Carnival Cruise Line for five years; was a foundation member of the Trinidad and Tobago Photographic Society, of which he was the VP of education for five years; and has been described as the preferred photographer for the Office of the President.
But he's also had to deal with the loss of his daughter, his brother – decorator and event planner Robert Solomon, a divorce, having to start over from scratch financially, a suicide attempt, the dissolving of romantic relationships, and more.
[caption id="attachment_1005360" align="alignnone" width="975"] James Solomon shows his range in terms of themes – buildings, landscape, nature, still life, wedding shots, portraits, mas – and techniques such as panoramic and light painting, with both film and digital cameras. - Angelo Marcelle[/caption]
Solomon, 57, described his exhibition at the National Library (Nalis) in Port of Spain, 3 of 30 – My Evolving Journey, as an interconnected memoir of his journey and evolution over 30 years as a professional photographer, highlighting works with film and digital cameras, and his skill with raw and retouched images.
The exhibition came about last year when, after taking some shots from the President’s House, he noticed the sunset. He immediately drove to the International Waterfront and started to take photos. He wanted to see how far he could push the boundaries of the tools at his disposal, and the result was a “pleasant surprise.”
“I like expanding the field of view of the camera, so I did this in three panoramas, overlapping each other, and brought it together, cleaned it up and enhanced it to bring out the details in Photoshop. It’s called a multi-layered panorama.”
He posted the photo on social media and got an outpouring of positive reactions, including a request for a four-by-six-foot print. One reaction was from the chairman of Nalis, Neil Parsanlal, who invited him to exhibit at the Port of Spain library.
“It was an opportunity I thought I should not miss, because this year I am also celebrating my 30th year as a professional photographer.
For him, 3 of 30 is "a journey, one of the many journeys of evolution, growth, learning and understanding my resilience, gratitude, and looking around and seeing, my goodness, angels do exist and the universe has my back.”
[caption id="attachment_1005359" align="alignnone" width="940"] James Solomon's exhibit includes 64 pieces for sale, with others simply for viewing pleasure. - Angelo Marcelle[/caption]
In it, Solomon shows his range in terms of themes – buildings, landscape, nature, still life, wedding shots, portraits
