Scenes from Home t h e b eauty a ro u n d u s
Our special photography issue! Six photographers present their responses to five themes about Topeka and the visual inspiration surrounding us.
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from the editor
Volume 14, No. 4
With uncertainty continuing to define our daily lives, we decided to step away from the usual format of our magazine and create pages that would allow you to take a break from events and enjoy the visual beauty of Topeka. In this edition, Bill Stephens—our longtime contributing photographer—steps in as guest editor to curate themed photo galleries from himself and five other Topeka photographers who regularly contribute to or have been featured recently in our magazine. Together, we chose five themes and asked the photographers to provide an image from their portfolio that best responded to each theme. We also asked that the photos contain an element of or connection to Topeka or the surrounding region. We hope you enjoy their work and responses to the photo essay challenge. If you want to read more about any of the photographers, you can find that information in our contributors’ section (page 6). And to see their work, simply flip through the magazine at your leisure this autumn. — B I L L S T E P H E N S, G U E S T E D I T O R — NAT H A N P E T T E N G I L L , E D I T O R
With uncertainty continuing to define our daily lives,we decided to step away from the usual format of our magazine and create pages that would allow you to take a break from events and enjoy the visual beauty of Topeka. Topeka Magazine
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Fall 2020
Photograph by Brad Neff
Welcome to our special photography issue of Topeka Magazine!
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contributors
Volume 14, No. 4
Nick Krug An independent photographer, Nick Krug has also photographed 14 seasons of KU basketball. When not with camera in hand, he is working on his house in central Topeka or spending time with his beautiful wife and children.
Brad Neff After many years of photographing people in northeast Kansas, Brad Neff now enjoys focusing on landscapes and natural scenes in his retirement. He plans to spend the rest of his days traveling and capturing images along the backroads of the state.
Kenny Membrino Kenny Membrino helps manage large audiovideo systems, but loves the escape and creativity that photography brings in his free time. He also enjoys woodworking, golfing and playing and coaching baseball.
Ken Metz Ken Metz is a Topeka-based self-taught photographer. His work has appeared in Topeka Magazine and The Kansas Trooper Magazine; several of his photos have been displayed at Capitol Federal bank branches in Kansas and Missouri.
BriJoRae’ Pusch-Zuniga Alongside her husband, Ty, Topeka-based photographer BriJoRae’ Pusch-Zuniga contributes to Topeka’s Sustainability Advisory Board and travels the country while sharing adventures and alternative methods of selfsustainable living on Instagram and YouTube.
Bill Stephens Bill Stephens grew up the son of a commercial photographer and worked on the yearbook and newspaper photo staffs in high school and college. He has photographed for newspapers in Topeka and Wichita, and continues shooting for Sunflower Publishing.
EDITOR Nathan Pettengill ART DIRECTOR Shelly Bryant DESIGNER Alex Tatro COPY EDITOR Leslie Andres ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Sunflower Publishing Angie Taylor ataylor@sunflowerpub.com (785) 832-7236 Peterson Publications, Inc publish@petersonpublications.com (785) 271-5801 AD DESIGNER Alex Tatro PHOTOGRAPHERS Nick Krug Brad Neff Kenny Membrino Ken Metz BriJoRae’ Pusch-Zuniga Bill Stephens WRITER Bill Stephens SUBSCRIPTIONS $27 for a one-year subscription, including Topeka SR; order at sunflowerpub.com
PLEASE CONTACT US AT topekamagazine@sunflowerpub.com for all comments, subscription and editorial queries. Topeka Magazine is a publication of Sunflower Publishing, a division of Ogden Publications. Director: Bob Cucciniello
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On the Cover Autumn grass grows tall in this field near Kanopolis Lake. Photograph by BriJoRae’ Pusch-Zuniga. Topeka Magazine
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Fall 2020
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SIX VISIONS FIVE THEMES Photograph by Bill Stephens
Topeka photographers share their interpretations of timeless themes with Topeka twists
Topeka Magazine
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theme:
COUNTRY IN THE CITY
Imagine photographer Nick Krug’s surprise when a grasshopper positioned itself with perfect framing on his windshield. In addition to creating a wonderful image, the unexpected landing reminds us how close nature and rural life are to daily life in Topeka. For the theme Country in the City, our photographers did not limit themselves to any physical location, but rather chose to explore the overlay of rural and urban objects and sensibilities that define much of modern Kansas. Though most of us might work in the city, we often have connections to a rural heritage, either in our blood or in the sights around us.
NICK Krug
Topeka Magazine
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Fall 2020
BRIJORAE’ Pusch-Zuniga
For BriJoRae’ PuschZuniga, an eye-catching building conveys a rural feeling simply because of its surroundings. Photographing the Territorial Days at Lecompton provided me an opportunity to encounter this bale of turtles who were plucked from their homes and brought into the center of the city for one day in order to compete at the annual festival. For many, Ken Metz’s image of a windmill set against a cloudy sky might recall memories of the wide Kansas prairie, but this particular windmill is a fixture in a residential neighborhood at Topeka’s Ward Meade Park. It is the photographer’s choice of angle and exclusion of other visual elements that allow us to experience that impression of a country scene (and that heighten our surprise in learning that it is in the middle of our city).
BILL Stephens
KEN Metz Topeka Magazine
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BRAD Neff A blue heron surveys the water at the Doran Rock Garden in Topeka’s Gage Park. For this photograph, Brad Neff skillfully avoided any visual cues that would make the viewer believe the photo was taken anywhere other than a rural setting when, in fact, it was taken in the middle of a city park just a few feet from parked cars. Similarly, Kenny Membrino’s image of heavy smoke drifting from the beekeeper’s smoker isolates our attention on the natural scene. Just as the smoke keeps the honeybees quiet and calm, we are able to put aside any questions of the greater surroundings and simply concentrate on and enjoy the moment captured before us.
KENNY Membrino
Topeka Magazine
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theme:
KANSAS BEAUTY
Beauty is one of the most subjective themes, so when we asked the photographers to submit an image on Kansas Beauty, we anticipated a wide spectrum of locations and subjects. Kenny Membrino took this opening photo near Berryton as a storm approached. I think there are no questions about beauty here—capturing the sky just before or just after a storm is a classic Kansas photograph theme, and this one was made even more beautiful by the fact that Membrino waited until that magical time of a half-hour before sunset when the long shadows change from minute to minute and often result in very dramatic photos. Finally, the image wouldn’t be nearly as powerful if Membrino hadn’t chosen the best angle—and this one certainly highlights the contrast between earth and sky as well as asphalt and nature.
Topeka Magazine
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Being able to view a scene from the perfect—and often unusual angle—is another great way to achieve a fine photo as evidenced in Nick Krug’s overhead drone shot of three people working in this apple orchard south of Baldwin City. In many respects, this is a typical Kansas scene that could have been captured at any time in the past 200 years, but the fresh angle creates a new appreciation. For Ken Metz, sunrise at Ensley Gardens in Topeka provided an opportunity to capture the contrast of a bright morning and the fine shadowy detail of a tree and shrubs. By using a technique called high dynamic range, which is merging
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Topeka Magazine
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NICK Krug
Topeka Magazine
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Fall 2020
KEN Metz
multiple exposures into one image, Metz was able to bring together the bright and shadowy features that a viewer’s eye would also observe. I think this technique works particularly well for this image as it directs attention to a landscape that many might not associate with our state, but which is just as authentically “Kansas” as an acre of wheat. Lunar photos always provide beauty and mystique. And in this one, BriJoRae’ Pusch-Zuniga chose to capture all of that, but as an element of a larger image. Shooting the landscape in late afternoon light, PuschZuniga allows the long shadows to contour the land and illuminate the full moonscape hanging low in the sky.
Topeka Magazine
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BRIJORAE’ Pusch-Zuniga Fall 2020
BILL Stephens
Being in the right place at the right time is sometimes the most important element for an eye-catching image. I was able to capture this sunrise from the air over Lake Shawnee during the launch of the annual Huff ’n Puff balloon rally, a perspective that few people, apart from balloon pilots, are able to enjoy. Timing was also a factor in Brad Neff’s early morning image of a road near the dividing line of Shawnee County and Jefferson County. Taken just at sunrise, the image’s soft, subtle lighting brings out the lowhanging fog and the hint of blue in the clouds just above them. I love how that bit of coloring in the sky seems to break through the mood of the scene and promise that a bright day is about to begin.
Topeka Magazine
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BRAD Neff Fall 2020
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theme:
NATURE ABOUNDS
Brad Neff took this opening photo for the Nature Abounds theme at Kaw River State Park in west Topeka. The strong diagonal lines of the trees coupled with the reflections in the mirror-like still water result in a tranquil, soothing image. I also love that the image shows such an abundance of color and nature in an area so close to a major highway and commercial region of the city. In BriJoRae’ Pusch-Zuniga’s image, an expectant mother appears to be communing with the colorful flowers and the huge elephant ear leaves around her. It’s a beautiful, layered commentary, allowing us to appreciate the nature in the image and also enjoy the expectant mother’s interaction with the natural scene. Perhaps the barbed wire in Kenny Membrino’s image represents our need to compartmentalize one field from another field, define one crop from another or
Topeka Magazine
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one herd of cattle from another. It makes me wonder how we direct—or sometimes work against—the natural abundance of our land. The quick movement of the heron against the green trees is enhanced by a slow shutter speed and steady hand as Nick Krug pans the camera, following the bird during the lens’ long exposure. Not all images have to be rock steady. Sometimes it helps to know when to break the rules. This image was certainly enhanced by allowing a bit of the wild, some of the feeling of the windswept motion, to seep into its composition.
BRAD Neff
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Topeka Magazine
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BRIJORAE’ Pusch-Zuniga
Topeka Magazine
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Fall 2020
KENNY Membrino
Topeka Magazine
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NICK Krug Fall 2020
BILL Stephens
Agricultural work often compels us to become more aware of nature. I captured this Australian shearing team at Orchard Hill north of Topeka. They were working their way across alpaca ranches in the state, timing their sessions with the seasonal growth of the animals’ wool, which is regularly used for weaving. Ken Metz’s image of this hummingbird was taken with an extreme telephoto lens, which allowed for this close-up view that shows off the creature’s magnificent capabilities and perhaps even its personality. The bird is a regular visitor to a feeder on Metz’s property, and in this moment it was perched just outside Metz’s kitchen window.
Topeka Magazine
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KEN Metz Fall 2020
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theme:
SEASONS
When asked to interpret Four Seasons, BriJoRae’ Pusch-Zuniga chose a time of day that conveyed minimal scenic detail but an inspiring palette of colors ranging from orange to deep blue. Even with minimal visual cues, we can tell this is near a lake or stream, and the absence of power lines or phone poles gives it a feeling of remoteness. The image could be of almost any season, allowing the viewer to interpret the season based on their individual reaction to the colors and the mood of the image.
BRIJORAE’ Pusch-Zuniga
Topeka Magazine
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Fall 2020
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KEN Metz
Topeka Magazine
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Fall 2020
NICK Krug With such an abundance of fallen leaves, there is virtually no doubt that this photo represents autumn. But by providing this rich layer of honey locust leaves, Ken Metz guides us from our abstract knowledge that leaves fall during the autumn and allows us to contemplate the beauty of each among the seasonal colors. Nick Krug’s image of a child shaking water from their head is a classic summertime scene. An extremely fast shutter speed allowed him to capture the water drops and flailing hair in mid motion
while the closeup eliminates any distracting background. Like the child in this picture, we are entirely in one moment of summer. There is no doubt that this police officer on a bicycle is enduring the cold and the slush of a winter’s day. The fact that Kenny Membrino captured this winter scene in the middle of March during Topeka’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade only proves that weather is beholden to neither holidays nor the law.
KENNY Membrino Topeka Magazine
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Fall 2020
BRAD Neff
A mare and her foal enjoy the lush foliage near Brad Neff’s home in north Shawnee County. Neff chose to zero in on the two animals and exclude any other elements, allowing us to appreciate the richness of the bonds between two creatures. Winter at Lake Shawnee brings flocks of geese into a safe haven where they can rest before leaving on the next leg of their journey. I know we aren’t supposed to be enthusiastic about Canada geese, an invasive species, but I have always admired how gracefully they rise from the lake and take off as one group of fellow travelers.
Topeka Magazine
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BILL Stephens Fall 2020
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theme:
VIEW FROM MY WINDOW
For me, Kenny Membrino’s interpretation of View from My Window is a perfect analogy of waking up in 2020. The story behind the image is also interesting. The photographer’s son is positioned in the background, arm extended as if he has thrown the rock, which was actually suspended on a string by the photographer’s daughter (the string was removed in post-production editing). The photographer’s wife threw pieces of broken glass from below and from above to give the impression of glass scattering. The final image with its combination of multiple layers was a family effort and the result of a very creative mind.
KENNY Membrino
Topeka Magazine
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Fall 2020
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Topeka Magazine
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Fall 2020
NICK Krug My image of girls playing hopscotch was originally taken to illustrate a story about the brick streets of Topeka’s Potwin neighborhood. To capture it, I supported my camera on a tenfoot pole held at arm’s length, so although this isn’t technically a view from my window (or from any window), I like to imagine it being seen from the perspective of a neighbor who leaned out their window to discover where all the laughter and
noises of play were coming from. Cupcake the cat sits on the back of a chair and gazes toward the viewer. It’s an ordinary scene, but Nick Krug also captured Cupcake’s reflection in the window to provide depth to the image. In BriJoRae’ Pusch-Zuniga’s window portrait, the shadowy, slightly out-of-focus foreground and background is an interesting choice of focus that reminds us that the portals we choose to view the world through affect what we see and how we feel about it.
BRIJORAE’ Pusch-Zuniga Topeka Magazine
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Fall 2020
KEN Metz
This nighttime photo from the perspective of a back yard window conveys a slightly disturbing scene as we see a man standing in a patch of light and returning our gaze. That subject is photographer Ken Metz, who fired his camera by remote control for this striking, slightly eerie image. Beyond being a creative self-portrait, the photo is also a brilliant use of light. Metz took the image at dusk so that the stars are just becoming visible, yet you can still see the blue of the atmosphere, and enough natural light exists to illuminate the trees and the yard. I love how Brad Neff framed his image of a leaf resting on wood and moved in close to allow us to inspect the vein patterns in the leaf and the details of the grain in the wood. Sometimes photography needs to be nothing more than a striking portrayal of the ordinary, a way to rediscover beauty that has always been around us. I can’t think of a more fitting visual analogy to close out this gallery celebrating the beauty of Topeka.
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BRAD Neff Fall 2020
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