This writing is a copy of the Houston Audubon Society (HAS), Houston Audubon Nature Photography Association’s (HANPA) website announcement: “(by Laszlo Perlaky) Perhaps seven years ago, one of my friends who specialized in large format photography talked with me about large format photography, introducing me to the magic of lens and camera movement, and I began using tilt-shift lenses for my digital photography. That was a nice experience, but I missed something. My friend and I continued discussing more and more about the advantages of large format photography, mostly from a technical point of view. Finally, after a year of hesitation and much serious discussion, I felt I was ready to dive into it. Lo and behold, my wife surprised me with a carefully selected large format camera! While I was happy with it, I didn’t know at the time that this fine instrument would completely change my vision. I made several hundred fine negatives with extremely high resolution. The results were fine art prints that showed detail and depth — on black & white, of course. Previously, I wished to have everything and when I finally arrived at the fields and waited for the sunrise, I was not relaxed. I was still filled with the remnants of the daily grind from the previous week. However, something special happened to me during the past years. I finally became relaxed more and more and I started seeing the world around me differently. I even focused on nature differently from before. I began pre-visualizing my never-seen images and saw more images when I was alone with the upside-down and reversed orientation 4″x5″ or 8″x10″ image on the camera’s ground glass. I would talk with my image. I tried to make it work within my storyboard. I would tell my story and the image replied to me generating a special connection and binding. The camera’s dark cloth separated me and my image from the disturbing surroundings and this slow, precise, and intimate image-making process opened my heart and cleared my mind. When I finally clicked the shutter and captured the image, I felt inner peace. I was happy. If everybody could feel similar to what I experienced, we would all be large format photographers. We would all be able to change the world around us, perhaps giving inner peace and happiness to all hearts.”
“Laszlo Perlaky is a Baylor faculty member at Texas Children’s Cancer Center during the week and a photographic artist on the weekends. He born and raised in Hungary and came with his family to Houston, TX in 1990. After 20+ years of black and white photography, he has transitioned to the chrome medium, and then the new technology helped him to rediscover the monochrome, combining large format film photography with fine art photographic printing. He has won several prestigious awards, published and exhibited his work on art festivals, group and solo exhibitions. He is member of the New England Large Format Photography Collective (NELFPC), several national and international photographic organizations, past Print competition Vice President of the Houston Photographic Society, photography instructor at Houston Center for Photography and Houston Photography Study Group and leads his Naturalperl workshops. Websites: Naturalperlart, HCP webpage.“
“Houston Audubon Nature Photography Association (HANPA) is an informal photo club for Houston Audubon members. Meetings are held September through May on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM in the Edith L. Moore Sanctuary headquarters library.”
Comments from e-mails and FaceBook:
- Dad, I really enjoyed reading that blurb. I’m glad that you are getting so much joy from photography and that you and mom are both able to share that experience! Love, Gergo (Gergo Perlaky)
- I wish we could make it, Laszlo. Should be most interesting. Milton (Milton Finegold)
- I know it will be great Laszlo. Regards, Joe (Joe Aker, Aker Imaging)
- Nice Laszlo! I hope you aren’t getting too much violent weather, although it sometimes makes for good pix! Marie (Marie Curtis, Curtis Studio)
- Congratulations Lazlo! You are everywhere these days! A good thing! Jo-Anne (Joe-Anne White and Frank White, Frank Sherwood White Photography)
- I loved reading about you and your conversion to large format and the peace and joyful experience it has brought to your photography. That you actually pre-visualize your images is impressive. You make me want to experience large format! Who knows…… Charlotte (Charlotte Bryson, North Valley Art League, Carter House Gallery)
- I want to tell you and Lexi how much I loved your presentation at HANPA! It was so inspiring! Thank you once again for sharing your “inner peace” and knowledge. Mary Anne (Houston Audubon Society)