Underglow by Riley Francis
(Edinboro, PA – October 1, 2023)
Sunday October 1, a reception opened Exhibit A, a show of photography by Philm sophomore Riley Francis. Hung in Bates Gallery, the collection is dominated by full-length portraits. “It grew out of portfolio work with Professor Scruton at a time when I was doing a lot of fashion photography.”
For Francis, images and wardrobe are aesthetic forces that influence each other. “Photography has shaped my style and fashion sense, helping me to use more color and patterns in my own clothes and in my work.” The combined impact of both are particularly evident in Sundress, a portrait of fellow Philm student Avery Marshall that freezes a skirt’s bright movement with high shutter speed.
“I think my favorite piece, or at least the picture that took the most effort, is Underglow,” said Riley, describing a luminous image in which the model has her back to the camera. “It took some time to get the hands and a rim of light on the legs bright enough that they really stood out in high contrast without being overexposed.”
Professor Natasha Kravchenko will be taking Introduction to Photography students to Exhibit A where Francis will present artist talks between now and the exhibit’s October 14 closing date.