An upscale Upper East Side salon is presenting a stunning exhibition of visually striking photographs in its gallery space by photographer Herb Fixler. An avid traveler, Fixler has taken numerous images throughout his native New York City as well as many desirable places across the country and around the world. Some of these images are in black and white while others are in color and the subjects include bridges, mountains, water, animals, plants, and people.
One of the most ethereal works in the show is the dreamy Windmill Impression taken in a field in central France. Covered in a blue haze, the photo shows of a field of hyacinths up front, a group of trees with flowers on the side, and out in the distance a field of grass where a windmill sits. The soft clouds in the blue sky give the photograph a painterly quality.
Fixler effectively captures the ambience of a foggy and misty day with Fog Bank where a schooner holding about six people can be seen very clearly sailing very calmly on the water amidst the dense fog in Key West, Florida. There are no other boats in the water, and, though heavily obscured, a few beach houses can be seen out in the horizon.
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| Windmill Impression (2014) by Herb Fixler |
Fixler also captures light and reflection in extraordinary ways with images such as Dune 45 photographed in Namibia in the late afternoon where a large Dune is half dark on one side and half light on the other. The two halves are separated by a curvy structure in the middle that spreads out with the darker half being the more dominant. He also captures a scene from a cold winter evening with Niagara Falls at Night where a frozen waterfall can be seen as the bright spot in the middle dark surroundings, as an incredible hue of pink and purple light hovers over a small house.
Fixler illustrates reflection well with image photographs like Venice Canal taken on an early morning in Venice, Italy where the reflection of a small, arched bridge and surrounding building are clearly reflected in the water below. Similarly, in Iceberg Reflection, the image of a sturdy iceberg is clearly mirrored in the frozen water below. The photo was taken in Harjeford in Eastern Greenland.
Fixler offers many New York City images such as Super Moonrise, Brooklyn Waterfront at Night, and Belvedere Castle. Super Moonrise is a panoramic image of a full moon on the left side of the image shining over the Manhattan skyline revealing landmarks such as the Bank of America Tower and Empire State Building, while Brooklyn Waterfront at Night features the Brooklyn skyline with the iconic Watchtower and the beautifully lit Brooklyn Bridge.
Central Park is undoubtedly a popular location for Fixler as it is for many artists as there are so many intriguing elements and features. For instance, Belvedere Castle in Winter II beautifully depicts the magnificent landmark built in 1869 by Calvert Vaux, co-designer of the park. The word “Belvedere” name translates to “beautiful view” in Italian and the photo was taken in the days following a snowstorm in 2008.
At the gallery at Paul Labrecque Salon Spa, 171 E. 65th St., through Jan. 23. The gallery is open Mon.—Fri. from 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat. from 9 a.m.-8 p.m., and Sun. from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
