Night falls early in the Northern sky. From October through March, twilight and darkness sets in before 5pm. It’s easy to just call it a night, go home, and snuggle inside. But as a photographer, I find the night an irresistible subject.
I live in Tacoma, a quiet town where streets are mostly deserted after dark. There’s a delightful charm in just following the movement of someone crossing a street alone, or the way the streetlights, security lights, and night-lights crisscross and illuminate the streets, the old buildings, the museums, or the bail bond businesses.
I’ve become attuned to the night scenes; not only in my hometown, but also in the cities and towns I visit. When driving, I’ve learned to take full advantage of empty roads, and will freely do wide u-turns, back up, or just stop in the middle of a street and take my shot.
I showed an art gallery director some of the photos included in this book. The muted light of the photos made him think of security cameras, of what a night watchman might see alone in the dark making his rounds. The idea of the night watchman struck a strong chord within me; I realized that it was the role I had inhabiting with this project all along.
Sharon Styer
Tacoma, 2012
I am an urban landscape photographer. I moved to Tacoma six years ago and Tacoma persists as my steadfast subject.I’ve grown up with photography. I have photos my great grandfather took in the early 1900’s. My dad picked up the photo habit. We had a dark room in the basement and prints pressed flat in the heavier books around our home. I was my high school’s newspaper photographer. Photography continues to intrigue and inspire me.
GRANTS
Tacoma Artist Initiative Program (TAIP) Grant, February 2011
AWARDS
Tacoma Visitor’s Bureau Grand Prize Winner, Where Art Meets Nature, 2012
Proctor Art Fest, First Place, Photography, 2009
Proctor Art Fest, Honorable Mention, Photography, 2008
Puyallup Spring Fair, Best Documentary Photo, 2008
Franke Tobey Jones Juried Art Show, Honorable Mention, 2007
COLLECTIONS
Pierce County Municipal Art Collection, 2007 and 2008
EXHIBITIONS
2012 Tacoma & Pierce County Visitor Guide, Featured Photo, Chilly Walk on Ruston Way,
Rotator Magazine Inaugural Edition, Featured Photographer, Fall 2011
Tacoma Art Museum, Community Juried Show November/December, 2011
Franke Tobey Jones Juried Show, November, 2011
The Tripod Show, The Elks, Madera Architectural Gallery, September, 2011
The Gallery at Tacoma Community College, 9th Juried Exhibition, September/October, 2011
Oregon Department of Forestry, Urban Forestry Program,
Chilly Walk on Ruston Way Banner, August 2011 – onward
Kent Summer Juried Art Exhibit, Kent, June – August 2011
The Urban Forest Project, Tacoma, April/May 2011
Invitational Show, The Brick House Gallery, Tacoma, April/May 2011
Los Angeles Center for Digital Arts, “Snap to Grid” Show, November – December 2010
Zoom-In Tacoma, Mavi Gallery, Tacoma November 2010
Mighty Tacoma, Tacoma Art Museum, 9/2010 – 4/2011
Tacoma Community College 8th Annual Juried Exhibition, 2010
“Naked” Brick House Gallery, Tacoma, 2010
“Whimsy,” Brick House Gallery, Tacoma, 2010
Tacoma Photographic Society Group Show, 2010
Proctor Art Fest, Juried Show, Tacoma, 2008 and 2009
Maritime Fest, Juried Show, Tacoma, 2009
Proctor District Art Walk, Tacoma, 2008 and 2009
Art Slam, Rialto Theater, Tacoma, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
“Make No Little Plans,” Logical Diagram Gallery, Tacoma, 2009
Franke Tobey Jones, Juried Show, Tacoma, 2007, 2008, 2009
Tacoma City Hall Gallery, Photo Safari Shows: 2007 – 2008
Broadway Center for the Performing Arts/Rialto Theater
First Presbyterian Church
National Guard Armory
Old City Hall
Pythian Temple
Tacoma Art Museum
PUBLICATIONS
Tacoma Visitor’s Bureau and Convention Guide Book, 2012
City Arts Magazine, Photographer:
In Store Feature, Bargain World, 02/2010
Destination Feature, Elandan Gardens, 03/2009
Live Music Feature, Victory Music Open Mic, 04/2009
Hangout Feature, Oliver Doriss/Fulcrum Gallery, 05/2009
In Store Feature, Franco the Tailor, 09/2009
In Store Feature, Laughing Lotus, 10/2009
University of Puget Sound, “Tamanawas” Yearbook, 2010
“A Night at the Opera”
Wikipedia, Maya Lin Photograph, 2009
The News Tribune, EthnicFest ’09 Program Guide, July 2009
Tacoma Weekly, Art at Work Preview Article, October 2009
Schmap.com, Northwest Edition, Hoh Rainforest, 2008
Schmap.com, California Edition, Moonlight Beach, 2008
Washington State Tourism Experience WA.com, Leased Photos, 2007
Tacoma & Pierce County Visitor Guide, Photo, 2007
RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
City of Tacoma, Community & Economic Development,
Photo Safari Coordinator, 9/2007 – 12/2008
Photo Safaris: Organized photo shoots of landmark buildings.
Curate show in City Hall Gallery after each shoot.
Tacoma Arts Commission, Police Headquarters Brochure, Photographer, 2008
Curator: “Then and Now,” Visibility Room, City Hall, Tacoma, 2008
Art Slam, 2008, Photographer
Art at Work, Studio Tours, 2008, Photographer
Proctor Art Festival, Juror, 2007 and 2010
EthnicFest ’08 and ’09, Metro Parks Photographer
Flower and Garden Show, Metro Parks Photographer, 2008
RELATED EXPERIENCE
Pirates of Penzance, University of Puget Sound, 2012
Fleeting Photos Project: Photographer collective that create photo installations in areas of Tacoma with a significant past and that are slated for development.
Fleeting Photos Project #1, The Warehouse Tour, 2010
Fleeting Photos Project #2, What’s Happening, 2010
Help-Portrait Project is a movement of photographers who are using their time, equipment and expertise to give back to those who are less fortunate.
Help-Portrait Project #1, The Phoebe House, 2010
Help-Portrait Project #2, The Mission, 2010
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2009 themelononline.com, Video Interview, February
2009 Tacoma Weekly, Picture Tacoma Review, Featured Photo, August
2009 Tacoma Weekly, “Make No Little Plans,” Review, Featured Artist, December
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Tacoma Photographic Society, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011