DAYTONA BEACH, FL (Oct. 16, 2009) - The Southeast Center for Photographic Studies (SE Center) is presenting a series of public lectures and exhibitions that coincide with the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the Daytona State College Gallery of Fine Arts and its Alumni Reunion. The SE Center is a partnership comprising the School of Photography at Daytona State College, Southeast Museum of Photography, and University of Central Florida - Daytona Photography Program.
Jerry N. Uelsmann, internationally renowned photographer, will kick off the celebration with a public lecture on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m., at the Southeast Museum of Photography with a reception and book signing in honor of the artist following his talk. “(re)collection the growth of a museum collection (1981-1998),” will be on display at the museum, which includes a suite of vintage Uelsmann photographs.
Uelsmann is credited with almost single-handedly changing the direction of contemporary photography today. He was the first major photographer to lecture at the gallery and he donated the first print to its permanent collection. His work has been exhibited in more than 100 individual shows in the United States and abroad over the past thirty years and is represented in the permanent collections of many museums worldwide. In a 1981 report by American Photographer, Uelsmann's work was named one of the ten most collected in the country.
Uelsmann is a master printer producing composite photographs with multiple negatives and extensive darkroom manipulation. He uses three to ten enlargers at a time to produce his final images. When asked about whether or not he takes advantage of the digital options that are available today, he reassures, “I am sympathetic to the current digital revolution and excited by the visual options created by the computer. However, I feel my creative process remains intrinsically linked to the alchemy of the darkroom.” 
On Friday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m., the museum will present two public lectures that feature distinguished alumni of the SE Center. Wendy Lynch will be the honored alumna. She and her husband Mark Redfern are the founders and co-publishers of "Under the Radar" magazine. She is also a music photographer and has conducted many photo-shoots for the magazine, including shooting many of its covers. The magazine has been in publication since late 2001 and is issued quarterly each year with an international distribution.
Stephen Crowley will be the honored alumnus during the evening. Crowley was cited as "Photographer of the Year" by the White House News Photographers' Association for a portfolio that included his essays "Voices of Afghanistan" and "A Day in the Life of President Bush" in 2002. That same year the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography was awarded to Crowley and four other photographers at The New York Times for work produced during the war in Afghanistan. In 2005 American Photo Magazine included Crowley on its list of the 100 Most Important People in Photography. His personal photography has been exhibited in shows at the Library of Congress, The National Geographic Society, and the Corcoran Art Museum.
The SE Center is also celebrating the achievements of its former students by hosting an exhibition of alumni photographs Gallery 202 in the Photography Building (bldg. 530) located on the Daytona Beach Campus at 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach. The exhibition will coincide with the Alumni Reunion and run from Oct. 21 to Nov. 16.
The series of lectures and exhibitions are open to the public, free of charge. The museum is located at 1200 W International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114. For further information, please contact Dan Biferie, chair, School of Photography, Daytona State College, at (386) 506-3891.
**images available upon request**
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