“I never want to see another picture of ________.” Industry veterans share their pet peeves on themes in contemporary photography. In this series they present their “rule” along with five photographs that break the rule in an effort to show that great work is the exception to the rule.
Rule Setter: Susan Spiritus, Owner Susan Spiritus Gallery
Rule Breaker: Lurie Belegurschi
I never want to see another picture of the Northern Lights, a.k.a Aurora Borealis! I will admit at the outset that while I’ve not traveled to Iceland and have not seen the “lights” with my own eyes, I certainly feel as though I’ve been there multiple times based on the prodigious number of photographs that I’ve seen of the Northern Lights from email submissions; while serving as a juror and reviewing submissions on line, and quite frequently, while surfing through pages on Facebook or through other means of social media. Lately, photographs of “the lights” are quite prevalent.
It is safe to say that if the Arctic has beckoned and you’ve been to this region, it’s been on a photographic expedition to capture nature’s grand and mysterious displays of light as well as the unique landscape. Of course, with iPhone in hand, everyone takes an abundance of photos of the “lights” and frankly while this display of nature is truly unique; all of the photos I’ve seen are pretty much all alike, dull, blurry and boring, albeit colorful.
However, here comes the rule breaker. If it weren’t for a recent introduction to the work of photographer Lurie Belegurschi, I’d still feel the same, but having viewed Lurie’s photographs I’ve changed my “tune.”
Lurie Belegurschi is a Romanian landscape photographer who has been based in Iceland since 2006, where he is constantly in search of epic light, specifically the Northern Lights. I was wowed from the start and think that the images he has produced from this extraordinary natural light show are truly amazing! They are unique, original and have clarity and sharpness of image. I was immediately drawn into the images, which left me with a strong desire to see them for myself one day, especially since I’ve just acquired a new iPhone!
—Susan Spiritus
Symphony of Lights
Aurora Borealis Along the Coast, Iceland
Northern Lights & The Milky Way
Northern Lights Over Icebergs in Greenland
Aurora Borealis, Iceland, Winter
