The Cortland Foundation is honored to announce that acclaimed photographer Frank Ceravalo has been selected as the esteemed judge for our upcoming Photography Contest.

 

With over 40 years of experience in the field, Ceravalo brings a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and artistic insight to the judging panel. Based in Martinsburg, WV, Ceravalo is widely recognized for his exceptional talent and mastery of the craft, with his work celebrated in galleries and exhibitions and gift shops across the region.

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Judge Ceravalo’s passion for photography and keen eye for detail will undoubtedly enrich the judging process and inspire participants to showcase their best work. His expertise will play a pivotal role in selecting the winning photographs that will be featured in the exhibition at Cortland Acres Blackwater Rehabilitation Center.

 

Contest submissions will open May 1, 2024 online: http://blackwater.cortlandacres.org/ 

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In February 1983 the Shenandoah Valley experienced a 30-inch snow fall. One of the things he and his wife realized was that they did not own a camera to take pictures of the event. So as soon as the snow melted enough to drive, they went to their local photo shop and purchased a used 35mm range finder camera. He was given a 12-exposure roll of film and told to go out, give it a try, and bring the camera back if he did not like the results. One of the images from that roll resulted in his first landscape. Since then he has improved his technique and equipment, but the main focus of his photography has remained the same: Nature & Landscape Photography.

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Judge Ceravalo’s formal photographic training consists of adult education classes and several seminars. The majority of his education has been from personal reading, analyzing the work and technique of the top nature and landscape photographers and by experimentation in the field. He holds a BS degree in Chemical Engineering and feels that his training as an engineer helped with the technical aspect of photography. But more importantly, he uses the engineering mind set of always looking for different ways of viewing a situation and adapting to it. Emphasis is placed on composition of light and form. He particularly likes morning for the quality of light but also for the effects of fog that are more prominent in the morning. A majority of his work is from West Virginia, Virginia, and Western Maryland, but also includes images from a variety of places like the Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, Alaska, Bavaria, Japan, and Italy.

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The photographic journey started for Judge Ceravalo with 35mm film and he now shoots completely in digital to produce his photographs, viewing the type of camera used as only the tool to achieve the desired image.

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His goal in creating an image is to compose both form and light in a visually pleasing balance and tries to tell the story of the experience. In the current digital darkroom, he uses standard darkroom techniques as well as methods like High Dynamic Range processing and Panoramic Image splicing to create images that reflect my vision of the setting. Ceravalo is the owner of Vista Landscapes. The core of this business is to provide the shops across WV, VA, Western MD, and some parts of KY with Photographic Prints, Gifts, and Souvenirs.

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Contest submissions will open May 1, 2024 online: http://blackwater.cortlandacres.org/