Photographer’s Choice – Kelly Clampitt

Pickin’ and Fiddlin’ at Phipps Store

Kelly Clampitt - Phipps Store near Lansing

Kelly Clampitt - Phipps Store near Lansing

The images above and below are just two great examples of the work by Kelly, one of four ACC members, who recently participated in the “Lansing Project”, an attempt to capture the everyday life of area residents. A total of 36 large black and white images will be displayed at the old Lansing School during June with the proceeds to benefit the Greater Lansing Area Development program.
Instead of sticking with the tried and true approach, Kelly elected to move to the edge with a focal length of only 10mm for some extreme wide angle shots. As in most cases, these images show considerable distortion which, with the right subject matter, only adds to the interest. If you listen carefully, you can hear the mountain music in Phipps Store.
The photo below depicts James “Dawg” Wood, who volunteered to be a subject for the project, with two of his prized rare Crockett Plott hounds whose origins in North Carolina date back to the mid 1700’s. The setting, the signs and the two hounds tell the story of, as Kelly says, ” A vastly talented and unassuming man except when bowing his fiddle, Dawg thought it quite odd that he should be the subject of any documentary. He much prefers to be in the background, so I had challenges getting him “in” some of the shots. My experience working with Dawg gave me a deeper appreciation for the people and bounty of these mountains I now call home.” Quite a statement from an Oklahoma girl by way of California.

Kelly Clampitt - James "Dawg" Wood On His Front Stoop

Kelly Clampitt - James "Dawg" Wood On His Front Stoop

Photographer’s Choice – May Weller

Three Generations Dressed for Songkran Celebration

May Weller - Celebration at the Temple

May Weller - Celebration at the Temple


May has just returned from a 2 month visit to Thailand, her home country. She visited a temple in Lamphoon Province where this photograph was taken. Each April the Country celebrates “Songkran Festival” in which these women were participating with their very colorful dress, complimented by a great variety of necklaces, scarves and pennants. Part of the celebration involves returning sand to the Temple to replenish that removed during the past year which inevitably adheres to the worshiper’s feet or soles of the shoes with each visit. Elaborately decorated sand mounds are also sculpted by individuals to help repay the debt. These people came from Burma about 100 years ago and are known locally as the “Mung Tribe”. About 50 families live near this Temple, all vegetarians who practice the Five Precepts of Buddha.
Canon EOS Rebel T2i w/EF28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens
Focal Length – 53mm
Shutter – 1/125 sec
Aperture – f/4.5
ISO – 100