TITLE: Dejeuner

The oyster mushroom captured my imagination because of their bizarre shapes, alien textures and intricate detail. To create the best images, my preference is the brown and pink color varieties; however, with creativity, I am able to capture unique images with blue and grey color varieties.

To compose the image, I experiment with the position of the mushroom cluster. The subject is best presented against a rich black background. Prior to clicking the shutter, I pay careful attention to the focus, the quality of lighting and anticipate printing the image in the darkroom. To round out my artistic expression, I use my darkroom skills to create depth and warmth in the subject. I present the image in a square format as this allows the mushroom cluster to monopolize the space.

Rather than titling each image, I number the images sequentially to allow the viewer to form their own interpretation.

AUTHOR: Dale M Reid (Canada)

Contemporary fine art photographer Dale M Reid took charge of her destiny by making a commitment to herself and her life partner and soulmate.

Reid's belief in herself has allowed her to chart a new course in life as a full-time professional artist and transgender woman. As Dale transitioned through her new life journey, she developed technical skills, questioned convention, trusted her instincts, and with her passion, was able to craft a distinctive artistic voice. Her artwork ranges from classical to sensual to erotic and engages the viewer to question what they see.

Owning who we are, respecting and trusting our character, and engaging people has allowed Dale to be accepted as a respected woman and professional artist.

Inspired by studying other photographers' work and other art forms, her artwork has been compared to classical photographers such as Edward Weston, Georgia O'Keeffe and Ansel Adams, as well as to contemporary photographers such as Robert Mapplethorpe and Cindy Sherman.

In creating her artwork, Dale exclusively uses black & white film and traditional photography methods. She believes that the lack of color allows the viewer to focus on the variety of textures and the richness of interesting lines and shapes that engage in an elegant, visual synthesis in each photograph.

Early photographic explorations included landscapes and interpretative self portraits. She started to develop her artistic style with a strong focus on creating landscape images. These images ranged from maritime to urban to industrial views. After moving into her studio in 2008, her work has expanded significantly to include floral and still life studies. Today, her artwork is primarily created in the studio where she imbues botanical subjects with unimaginable personality and emotion. Working in the controlled studio environment has allowed Dale more flexibility to experiment with composition and lighting.

Dale's artwork continues to be recognized internationally by juried art competitions resulting in group exhibitions, nominations and awards. In 2013, Dale was invited to have ten images from her oyster mushroom series featured in a Spanish photography magazine along with thirteen other international photographers. This international exposure has earned Dale several invitations to participate in art fairs throughout North America, Europe and the Far East.

Dale M Reid is currently based in Toronto, Canada.