Celebrating Seniors - A Portrait Exhibition

Kel Casey - Photographer

This project was so much fun and was a great opportunity to get to know some of our local seniors. It was a bit of an unusual venture for me. Most of my portrait subjects are high school seniors, athletes, or young professionals who need headshots. With this project, I photographed five unique women in 15-minute time slots. It was important for me to spend a few minutes with each of them before we started shooting. This allowed me to get a quick read of each senior, which helps me decide how and where to capture them.

Each of the women had strong, and very different personalities, so I took advantage of some of our great city locations that lent themselves perfectly to the sessions. We used not only the Spreckels Senior Center, but the library and Spreckels Park as well. I truly enjoyed my brief time with each senior, and I’m looking forward to seeing them at the opening.

Keith James - Photographer

What better use for a camera is there than taking photographs of people? They are the ultimate, endlessly fascinating subject, are they not? I had never taken formal portraits of anyone before. So, for me, joining the photography team for the Celebrating Seniors project was a chance to break new ground. I was determined to learn new skills and provide my subjects with a portrait they would love. It was a wonderful experience: making new acquaintances, and deepening connections with existing friends. At my urging, several brought along an item meaningful to them. We worked out how to incorporate these, both personalizing the portrait, and enhancing its visual impact. I learned a lot: how to set up and use a studio lighting system; and how to partner with each of my subjects, helping them to relax, as I guided and posed them. When can I do it again?

Katie Karosich - Photographer

It was a pleasure to meet the four individuals that I photographed for the Spreckels Senior Center.

Photography is an excellent way to get to meet and learn about people and their life experiences. I tried to capture some of the spirit of each individual after learning a bit about them. Thank you for the opportunity.

Bill Sandke - Photographer

In my work, I see the main task of a portrait photographer as capturing a pleasing image for your customer that represents them looking their best and is lit, posed and shows an expression conjured that reveals a bit more personal depth in the subject. Viewers should be able to see both the person photographed as well as a bit of their personality and spirit. I use the word “conjured” to allude to my belief that there is always a bit of magic in the best portraits.

May this exhibition remind us that every wrinkle tells a story, every smile reflects years of wisdom, and every gaze carries the depth of a life well-lived. Feel inspired by the legacy and stories these faces represent. Celebrating SeniorsA Portrait Exhibition is open through March 2025 at the John D. Spreckels Center located at 1019 Seventh Street in Coronado. The Spreckels Gallery is a city-own gallery featuring artwork and exhibitions of local artists. It is managed by the City’s Cultural Arts Commission.

For more information about the Commission visit CoronadoArts.com