Kenneth Nelson
Email: knelson101@gmail.com
Born and raised in Brooklyn NY, my photographic practices incorporate digital, and film photography using traditional wet darkroom processes.
Like many photographers, the joy of watching a print develop in a processing tray is the magic that put me on the path to a lifetime of photography. The first photograph I ever took was using a 126 Kodak Instamatic cartridge camera with black & white film. You know, the ones that use four-sided flash cubes (go ahead, search the www for “GE Flashcubes”).
The first photo career job I had was as a professional camera salesperson selling small cameras, accessories & film. Surprisingly, this is where I learned to teach photography to the public. Ten years of preaching & teaching how to use cameras and film. Explaining the science of ASA/ISO, aperture, shutter speed, F-stops, etc.
Afterward, I began working at a NYC in-house agency advertising studio. Shooting and perfecting studio lighting techniques in still-life photography. These were some great years of immense learning. Coinciding with the period of time where digital photography in commercial studios was growing and gaining its foothold.
Working to achieve my own photographic voice, I began a few long-term fine art photographic projects. Seeing the world’s people. Exploring the who, what, where, why, and how of human nature. The projects include: "Harlem Nocturnal", "Coney Island House", and "Theory Over Time".
As photography is what I live and breath every day of life, it has allowed me the ability to chronicle experiences and share them with others. To which, I'm humbly appreciative.
Solo Exhibitions:
"Harlem Nocturnal"
En Foco Touring Gallery
Bronx Library Center, Bronx NY 2010
"Harlem Nocturnal"
Gallery at Adam C. Powell, Jr.
State Office Building, NY NY 2006
Group Exhibitions:
-Museum of the City of New York, NY Responds - Dec. 2020
-Museum of the City of New York, ActivistNY - Aug. 2020
-Rush Arts Gallery, Curate NYC - 2010
-BWAC/Van der Plas Gallery, Brooklyn Show - 2006
-BWAC, Fall Art Show - 2005
-BWAC, 25th Anniversary Spring Art Show - 2005
-BWAC, Solo Works Show - 2003
-Amber Gallery, 9/11 Remembrance - 2003
Publications:
“Harlem: A Century in Images” - October 2010
By Deborah Willis, Cheryl Finley, Elizabeth Alexander
Studio Museum in Harlem/Skira Rizzoli
“Red Hook”
Nowy Dziennik (Newspaper) - July 2003
Education:
Pratt Institute – BFA w/Honors, Photography
Commercial History:
-Studio Photographer, A&S/Jordan Marsh
-Camera Sales, Abraham & Straus
Associations:
Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition
NAACP/ACT-SO Program, Photography Judge