(Isstories Editorial):- New York City, New York Sep 16, 2023 (Issuewire.com) – On Friday, September 15, 2023, Commercial photographer Dennis Chalkin and commercial director Charlie Chalkin kick off their exhibition, From Film to Digital and Back Again. Father and son–and business owners of Chalkin Studio and Chalkin Creative, respectively–team up to take over a Brooklyn gallery in a retrospective examining the evolution of photography and video over the course of the two careers spent in the industry.
“It’s a participatory, collaborative, and community-building festival celebrating the past, present, and future of visual storytelling,” says Charlie Chalkin, a 31-year-old Manhattan-based artist and commercial director and photographer.
Chalkin’s father, Dennis Chalkin, a Manhattan- and North Fork, Long Island-based artistic and commercial photographer, has spent over 50 years honing precise, technical skills first in traditional and then in digital photography. His work transforms chaos and monotony into gripping, decisively composed images. He has chronicled acclaimed public figures like Coretta Scott King, Magic Johnson, Yogi Berra, George H.W. Bush, Muddy Waters, Sissy Spacek, Geena Davis, and David Steinberg, among others.
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“In hindsight, working in film was a monumental challenge,” chuckled the elder Chalkin. “We pushed the technology and techniques to their absolute limit. We did wacky things with lighting, film, miniatures and custom sets, double-exposures, and darkroom tricks to develop innovative and creative images. The productions were complicated and costly. We needed a lot of light and a lot of space–and we went on location often.”
In the mid-1990s, when Adobe Photoshop became popular, Chalkin taught himself digital retouching and soon transitioned entirely to digital equipment.
“The transition from film to digital was natural for Dennis because his work often created an imaginary world that had to be built out of ‘bricks and mortar,’” said Arthur Hockstein, Design Director, TIME Magazine. “Digital photography gave Dennis an expanded palette and ability to enhance imagery to meet his vision. The vividness of his images makes them less technical and dreamier because his inquiring eye has laid the groundwork. The pictures grab you by the neurons.”
Charlie Chalkin spent his early years witnessing Dennis’ craftsmanship, a camera always around his father’s neck. The younger Chalkin is a visual world-builder, constructing realities through vivid imagery, enlivening personalities, and transforming brands. He has worked with celebrities and sports stars like Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, CC Sabathia, and Billie Jean King, and brands like Google, Hennessy, Patron, GrubHub, Nickelodeon, and more.
“Charlie is one of NYC’s unique multi-disciplined artists who combines a traditional photography background with an eye and passion for cinematography,” said Director David Ma. “Together we’ve shot a number of branded films and videos that have garnered millions of views across social media. Much like his father, Dennis, Charlie is an entrepreneurial artist and a generous creative using the camera in his hands to craft visual narratives.”
In addition to artistic and commercial works from father and son, the show features a showcase of images from local photographers, live music from Lucas Kadish, Magdalena, and others, an experimental food and film event with Chef Yvan Lemoine, a neighborhood photo walk with Dennis Chalkin, a New York Wine Club event, and more.
“The entire world changed with the shift from film to digital,” said Charlie. “The results may be similar, but the entire process of capturing an image was turned on its head.” He continued, “My father experienced the shift in real time, and he had to radically change how he worked. Since I decided to explore film, I’ve been experiencing the same change in reverse. It is fascinating to see our careers mirror one another and converge at this point of inflection–and our show is a celebration of that.”
From Film to Digital and Back Again opens on Friday, September 15 and continues until Sunday, October 15 at the 17 Frost Art Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
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