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| Eric Foltz began his photographic journey in 1981 when he purchased his first
camera to chronicle his adventures while serving in the U.S. Army's 1st Ranger
Battalion.
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| In 1998 he began Eric Foltz Photography and began licensing images to magazines
and selling prints to collectors. He has since sold prints all over the United
States.
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By-the-Bus
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Following the bombing of the USS Cole in October of 2000, Eric volunteered to
rejoin the U.S. Army as a photojournalist.
From 2001 - 2004 he documented military events in Iraq, Korea and thoughout the
United States. His images from Iraq have appeared in publications worldwide.
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Merrick Butte-- Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Arizona
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During this time, while traveling on leave, he also continued to add to his
collection of spectacular landscape images from throughout the U.S.
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Dana Point Sunset -- Dana Point, California
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Discharged again January 2005, he now resides in Southern California where he
sells his images through art fairs, festivals, galleries and art consultants.
He continues to create award winning images of his travels and adventures.
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| Read more about Eric Foltz at
Eric Foltz Photography site
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We would like to know as much as possible about the
Photographers who are presenting their work at FeaturePics.com
Eric Foltz's blog is
one of my favorite blogs to read.
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"I was going through my files today and came across some of my images from
Iraq. Children mostly. Faces that came into my viewfinder while covering
missions near As Samawah and An Najaf during 2003.
Thumbs Up GirlI often wonder how many of these people are still alive and
whether I would be able to interact with them now the way I did then.
I remember thinking to myself that I'd like to go back and visit these towns
and villages in five or ten years to see them again. Maybe bring along prints
to share with those who allowed me to capture their image.
The children would be older. Hopefully happy to see themselves. Maybe
remembering that day that the American took their picture, maybe not.
Seeing the news today and talking to friends who are in Iraq now, I have to
wonder if the day will ever come that veterans will be able to visit the sites
of memories that most could never understand.
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Thumbs Up Girl
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Will there ever be a time when I can return to Iraq and see a vibrant society
the way Korea War Veterans do when they visit Seoul. Will there ever be a 50th
Anniversery Commemoration of the invasion the way there was for D-Day.
Or do the wounds run too deep at this point? Has the death and violence created
a rift that will never mend?
I don't look at these images very often. They are in my files for a future
exhibition and I've got five or six ready for printing. But the story isn't
done being written and until it is, I don't think these images will be
finished. The dream I have is that I will return someday to take the now
pictures of all these people.
I wonder if that will be possible."
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A famous photograph taken by Christine Spengler 31 January 1972 in Northern
Ireland.
"Bloody Sunday" - Fourteen civilians were killed by British soldiers during a
demonstraion in Londonderry. Christine took a picture of fifteen children in
the heart of Bogside, Londonderry's Catholic neighbourhood.
Nine of them met up with Cristine Spengler twenty seven years later.
"How wonderful! I recognise the one who stuck his tongue out at me!"
Source: "The photos of the Century" by Marie-Monique Robin
The photograph "Thumbs Up Girl" taken By Eric Foltz is already a fragment
of our history. And we hope the on going war will not touch the beauty of this
girl.
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Eric, if the above wonderful story repeats and
you meets this girl - will you take a black and white photo again or it would
it be a photograph full of colors?
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It would probably still be in Black white.
I can see the impulse to show the second image in color, hopefully illustrating
a new start and the vibrancy of the new Iraq, but I tend to prefer Black &
White when I shoot people or man-made objects.
There is also a good chance that this girl, being older, would be wearing an
Burkha in accordance with her religious convictions.
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| Eric, do you agree with the
famous saying by Roland Barthes "Photography exists not to represent but to
remind"? Do you see the world any differently when you are acting as
a photo journalism photographer vs. when you are doing landscapes or
more relaxing themes?
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I'd say I think it is a combination of both
representation and reminder.
We represent what we see to show the world when action is required and later
those images are used to remind us of what has happened in the past or how a
location looked in the past.
When you shoot in a war or a human crisis like what is going on in Sudan, I
think those images represent what we see in order to remind us of our values
and push us to act upon our moral convictions.
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Reading your blog and looking
over over your photographs, I am thinking "If you have only one photo to take -
would it be in Joshua Tree National Park"?
This is a really hard question for me
because my photographic interests are really diverse.
My goal with each click of my shutter is to create an image that strike an
emotional chord with someone.
It can be a landscape image or an action shot that reminds someone of a special
time in their lives or even a street shot of an anonymous homeless person that
will show that that forgotten person will be remembered somewhere.
When you are planning your trip
to this park, or any other location - what do you pack first: camera or
rock climbing equipment, or?:)
I usually keep most of my gear in my truck
all the time.
I tend to be a little impulsive so I never know where I'll end up when I get on
the road. Example: I once went out for seafood and ended up in Monterey (about
400 miles away). The real problem is when I forget to bring a bag with extra
clothes.
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Cholla Cactus Garden
Cholla Cactus Garden
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Arches National Park, Utah
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Eric, you are exhibiting a
lot. Obviously different people fall in love with your photographs. Who is your
favorite audience? People who appreciate your professionalism and want to
observe your photographs in their places? Maybe Professional photographers with
whom you can speak the same language?
My favorites are people who buy my prints to
put in their homes.
For me, there is no greater honor than to have someone want to hang one of my
images in their home and let it become a part of their lives.
The young people who maybe just moved into their first home and are buying
their first piece of "art" are the best because you know that they maybe don't
have as much money so it really represents a sacrifice for them.
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| Eric, could you please to tell
FP visitors more about your upcoming exhibitions?
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Big Bend National Park, Texas
Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument, Utah
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Most of the shows I do are organized by West
Coast Artists and move around various locations in Southern California.
All of the shows are juried and will have a wide variety of disciplines
represented.
I only do 15-20 shows per year and enjoy them because it is my best way of
reaching the buyers described in the previous question.
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| 2007 Spring Art Show Schedule
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Feb. 17-19 - Desert Arts Festival, Palm Springs, California
March 3-4 - Desert Arts Festival, Palm Springs, California
April 7-8 - Warner Park Fine Arts Festival, Woodland Hills, California
April 21-22 - Thousand Oaks Fine Arts Festival, Thousand Oaks, California
June 9-10 - Downtown Burbank Fine Arts Festival, Burbank, California
July 7-8 - Channel Islands Art Festival, Oxnard, California
July 21-22 - Long Beach Artwalk, Long Beach, California
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| The Stock Photo Saga: Photojournalist and photographer
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