Web Profiles

http://home.inreach.com/mytmoss/index
Shaw must have been listening to one of my musical performances when he said, "Hell is full of musical amateurs," but Michael Moss is an amateur whose photography is as professional as it gets. Over the years, Moss has traveled around the world and throughout the US and during most of these trips he took lots of pictures that are collected into several galleries. His African adventures consist of wildlife pictures of everything from lions to landscapes captured in a straight documentary style. His landscapes, especially those in the South American gallery, crackle with drama that makes you want to see really large images. You'll find a great kangaroo shot in the Australian gallery and lots more. In "Bali & Asia" there's only a few shots and what you see makes you wish there were a few more. The same can be said of the European collection. The "Good Ol' USA" gallery contains an abundance of photographs and it is, once again, in the landscapes of America that Moss expresses his affection for the natural world. Moss works for The Salvation Army and he suggests you donate to this charity to support their work in helping men and women find their way back to health as well as helping those in need during disasters.

© 2006, Michael Moss, All Rights Reserved

www.studi06.com/
JW Stovall's site (be careful typing the URL) features lots of great photographs by this accomplished amateur photographer. His Gallery contains five collections: Just for Fun, Flora, Southwest Scenes, Wheels, and Black & White. Since I first bumped into Stovall on the Black & White Photography Forum (www.bwphotographyforum.com) I decided to look at his monochrome images first and was glad I did. What I discovered was an assortment of styles and genres, from flowers to race cars. Mixed in among them was some great-looking architectural photography, but the unifying theme on all of these photographs was his strong use of lighting and dramatic compositions that force you to take a second look.

His Southwest images, some in color, monochrome, or monochromatic color, exhibit the same good judgment of, as Ansel Adams once said, "knowing where to place the camera." "Wheels" has too few images but what's there is evocative and reflects upon a time long ago in America's motoring past. It is in the "Just for Fun" collection where I think you'll find the photographer at his best showcasing powerful images ("round house #122") mixed with some whimsical ones ("curious"). Yes, Stovall provides not only captions but when clicking any of the large thumbnails in each collection, you get to see screen-filling images that let you appreciate his craftsmanship and artistic intentions. If you would like to own any of his images, Stovall offers Epson K3 prints for sale at affordable prices.

© 2006, JW Stovall, All Rights Reserved