“Say Cheese”
From its inception by Niépce in 1822, photography has preserved memories, inspired artistic invention, and compelled everyone to look at the world beyond their immediate surroundings. I have always been enthralled by photography’s unique power not only to create a permanent record of an event but also to capture the emotions and aspirations of the participants. And I think photography has an even greater power; that is, it has the ability to awaken feelings of empathy and awe in the eyes of the beholder. This shadowbox pays homage to photographers from the 1940s to the present day through the display of the equipment used and photographs taken. Over those decades, one significant thing has not changed: the quality of a photograph is inevitably dependent on the skill of the photographer. However, during that time period, there has been an enormous revolution in technology affecting both the cameras and the media they use. “Say Cheese” represents these dramatic technological changes not only in the display of the various photographic artifacts, but also in the appearance of the shadowbox itself. The front portion of the shadowbox looks like a vintage 1950s 35mm film camera, while the back portion looks like a modern day digital camera equipped with a preview screen and an electronic view finder. This view finder actually works! It displays images taken with a functional camera on the front of the shadowbox. Visitors can push the button on the top of “Say Cheese” and take a picture that will be displayed in the view finder and also recorded to a memory card. All these images will be available after the show at this website.
I would like to thank the staff of Framerica and Decor for hosting this years Boxer Challenge, my wife's and daughter's patience and understanding through the many late nights working on this project, and my former employers David and Linda for their invaluable support, allowing me the opportunity to make this frame a reality.
Michael S. Mixon
