Your Bio

Born in Seattle, Washington and raised in Montana, Rodger Kingston has lived in Massachusetts since 1968. He has shown extensively throughout the United States, and his photographs are in many collections, including Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, Harvard’s Fogg Art Museum, and the National Gallery of American Art and Corcoran Gallery of Art, both in Washington, DC.

In his 1989 exhibition catalog "Larger Than Life: The Celebrity Series," photographic historian Estelle Jussim wrote, “Rodger Kingston’s pictures are visual poems, strong, meticulous.... He is an artist without pretensions, finding beauty and complexity in popular imagery, and he pursues his findings with an admirable affection.”

Museum curator, author, and photographic historian Clark Worswick has stated that Rodger Kingston “... is amongst the best artists that America has offered: for his generosity of' spirit: for the blast of adrenalin I get from his encounters with 'the great ordinary of American vernacular': for his sense of history in photography: and for his deep sense of proportion, common sense, and uncommon humor."

His most recent solo museum exhibition, "Along the Right of Way: Landscapes from a Train," showed at the Fuller Museum of Art, Brockton, MA, in 2002, and his 1998 exhibition, "Fifty Years on the Mangrove Coast: Photographs by Walker Evans and Rodger Kingston," traveled to five museums over a period of two years.

Kingston's latest book is A LOST WORLD (see below). NEW AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHS (also below) was published in 2007 in an edition of 50 signed and numbered copies accompanied by an original print, and is now more than 2/3 sold out.

A Walker Evans scholar, he is the author of WALKER EVANS IN PRINT: AN ILLUSTRATED BIBLIOGRAPHY. He has a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard University.

Two new galleries, "In The Vernacular: Photographs from the Rodger Kingston Collection" and "The Snapshot Century" feature images from Kingston's collections of vintage photographs. "Collecting photographs," he states, "comes from the same impulse as taking them with a camera. Collecting has given me powerful training for my eye."

Archival inkjet prints in several sizes, printed by the photographer, are available through the Panopticon Gallery of Photography http://www.panopt.com/home.php) or from Kingston directly; he can be reached at rpkphoto@comcast.net.

After visiting any of the galleries, click on "Rodger Kingston (rpkphoto)", at top left, to return to this home page.

Galleries

A Lost World : JUST PUBLISHED: A LOST WORLD - A NEW KIND OF REAL PHOTO ARTIST'S BOOK July 7, 2009. I have just released A LOST WORLD, my second photographic artist's book. A LOST WORLD is issued in an edition of 250 signed and numbered copies, and is available at a prepublicataion price of $250 until its release date of October 1 2009, when the published price will be $300. An absolutely elegant 8 x 8 inch book, it opens up to display twenty three 8 x 16 inch double-page photographic spreads bound in such a way that each spread is a single flat sheet of photographic paper. No gutters; just a barely visible fold. When I first saw a sample I knew I had to publish one of my own, using the 16:9 aspect ratio small panoramas I've been making with Panasonic LX2 and LX3 cameras for the past three years. The book is photographically printed on Fuji Crystal Archive real photo paper (not the ink-on-paper reproductions of a traditional book). It’s Leporello binding insures flat, seamless 16 inch double page layouts, perfect for panoramic photographs. It is a new kind of photographic object combining the best qualities of a portfolio, a book, and an album in an elegant presentation of the twenty three images that comprise A LOST WORLD. Below are screen shots of the entire book, from front to back. You might try Slideshow (upper right corner) to see the book in sequence and at 2/3 actual size. Inquiries and orders may be directed to Rodger Kingston at rpkphoto@comcast.net.

A Lost World

JUST PUBLISHED: A LOST WORLD - A NEW KIND OF REAL PHOTO ARTIST'S BOOK ...

Updated: Aug 10, 2009 1:32am PST

New American Photographs : NEW AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHS NOW PUBLISHED AS AN ARTIST'S BOOK The title, "New American Photographs" has a double meaning: as a continuation of the lyric documentary tradition of Walker Evans’ 1938 classic AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHS and as acknowledgement of the seismic shift that has taken place technically in photography during the past decade. The images in NEW AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHS have all been made since 2003 with digital cameras, and continue work documenting the American social landscape that Kingston began in the 1970s on 35mm color film. Museum curator and author Clark Worswick says about Rodger Kingston, “He is amongst the best artists that America has ever offered: for his generosity of spirit: for the blast of adrenalin I get from his encounters with "the great ordinary of American vernacular": for his sense of history in photography: and for his deep sense of proportion, common sense, and uncommon humor. Rodger's point of departure for this book is Evans "American Photographs" ... what a thing to stand up to, and to actually be able to prevail in this space. Amazing... simply amazing to pull this off. This is a sheer bravado performance!" NEW AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHS is available as an artist's book in an edition of 50 signed and numbered hardcover copies, each accompanied by an original 8x10” print printed and signed by the photographer. Purchasers may select their print from any of the 110 images in the book. The edition was released in November, 2007 with a retail price of $350; however, copies 1 through 30 quickly sold, and with copy number 31, the price rose to $400. Copies number 35 through 50 are still available. Inquiries and orders may be directed to Rodger Kingston at rpkphoto@comcast.net. Feel free to comment (below) or by email. Click on "Rodger Kingston (rpkphoto)" (above) to return to my home page.

New American Photographs

NEW AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHS NOW PUBLISHED AS AN ARTIST'S BOOK The title ...

Updated: Feb 11, 2008 2:13pm PST

Taking The Long View: A Panasonic LX2 / LX3 Portfolio : In June 2007 I began using a Panasonic Lumix LX2 digital camera. Without going into a sales pitch (which I would be happy to do at a moment's notice), let me just say that it fits my hand - and my eye - like it was made for them. I love the 16:9 - almost panoramic - aspect ratio. My wife says I'm like a kid with a new bike. This informal portfolio, which I update regularly, is a measure of my satisfaction with this little jewel of a camera; I hope you enjoy it. To answer those who have inquired about my output with the LX2, I post-process in Photoshop CS3, and size all files to be printed (larger than 11x14) to the exact size and resolution using BlowUp, from Alien Skin Software; it is similar to Genuine Fractals, but in my view much superior. Using this method I have made splendid, extremely sharp enlargements up to 18x32 inches from both my LX2 and Nikon DSLRs for a variety of corporate and private collections. Try the slideshow feature (at the upper right); it takes a few moments to load, but is otherwise excellent. Feel free to comment (below) or to email me at rpkphoto@comcast.net. Click on "Rodger Kingston (rpkphoto)" (above) to return to my home page.

Taking The Long View: A Panasonic LX2 / LX3 Portfolio

In June 2007 I began using a Panasonic Lumix LX2 digital camera. Witho ...

Updated: Oct 18, 2008 9:19pm PST

Toronto Summer, 2004 : In July 2004 I visited Toronto to see my old friend, Indian filmmaker Bikram Kahn. He lived near Kensington Market, where I spent a lot of my time. The Kensington Market area has a cobbled-together look, like a movie set from the 1940s, with fruit stands and clothing stores, junk shops, butcher shops, bakeries, and eateries, all spilling out onto the sidewalks like a tiny lower east side with hordes of friendly people shopping, strolling, hanging out. Queen Street, bordering the tall buildings downtown, is another matter; trendy and on the rise. A few old shops remain, but not for long. I arrived to warm weather with a new digital camera and a stranger's fresh eyes. I'd always heard that Toronto was gray and staid; if you wanted color, go to Montreal. As it turned out, I couldn't have asked for anything more. I print my own archival pigment prints on fine matte papers. For inquiries and prices please contact me at rpkphoto@comcast.net. Try the slideshow feature (at the upper right); it takes a few moments to load, but is otherwise excellent. Feel free to comment (below) /or to email me at rpkphoto@comcast.net. Click on "Rodger Kingston (rpkphoto)" (above) to return to my home page.

Toronto Summer, 2004

In July 2004 I visited Toronto to see my old friend, Indian filmmaker ...

Updated: Aug 08, 2007 1:15am PST

Bethlehem : The great American photographer Walker Evans spent several days in Bethlehem and Easton, PA in late October and early November of 1935, photographing for the Farm Security Administration (FSA). In the process he made several of his finest photographs. Bethlehem became a center of heavy industry during the industrial revolution. Founded in 1904, Bethlehem Steel became a major American steel producer. It supplied armor plate and ordnance during World Wars I and II, and was the first to produce the steel I-beam, which made our modern urban skyline possible. Ultimately the second largest steel producer in the US, Bethlehem Steel ceased operations in its Bethlehem plant in 1995. In September, 2008 Amey Senape, of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, brought me to Bethlehem to lecture on Evans and his work. In addition, to compliment the lecture, Curt Rowell, an old friend who has lived in Easton for the past decade, organized a guided bus tour of the sites where Evans made his FSA photographs; and at the beginning of September and running through the end of the month, John T. Hill and Sven Martson, of Martson Hill Editions, mounted an exhibition of Bethlehem area Evans FSA photographs at Time Zones Gallery, in Bethlehem. Together these events focus on the fact that Bethlehem is the only place where sites Evans photographed in some of his most important images are still substantially intact. That so much of Bethlehem is essentially as it was seventy five years ago is what draws me there. During my visit to Bethlehem and Easton I spent every spare minute out photographing. I had two capable guides in Amey and Curt: they knew just where to take me. The weather was mostly high overcast, providing the soft, shadowless lighting that Evans used so effectively. In the course of only four days, I photographed everything in this gallery. It was an absolutely joyful, even transcendent experience. I saw photographs almost everywhere I looked, and quickly realized that I needed at least four weeks, not a mere four days, to do any sort of justice to Bethlehem and its surrounding area. I am exploring ways to make that happen, and would welcome ideas that any of you viewing this gallery might have. I can be reached at rpkphoto@comcast.net. Archival inkjet prints in several sizes, printed by myself, are available from me directly; contact me at my email address, above. Try the Slideshow feature above at the far right; it works very nicely. Comments are welcome. Click on "Rodger Kingston (rpkphoto)", at top left, to return to my home page.

Bethlehem

The great American photographer Walker Evans spent several days in Bet ...

Updated: Oct 05, 2008 10:04am PST

On Simon's Pond : For many summers my wife Carolyn and I have visited Michael and Carol Simon at their farm near Belfast, Maine. The Simons bought the 88 acre farm in 1990 and over the next several years built a beautiful frame house, where they have now retired after careers in academia. Mostly forested, the property is dominated by a one-acre pond, complete with its own island, just below the house. Everywhere I look I find evidence of a Simon sense of order and artfulness, from the landscaping of the property to the fine woodwork to the arrangement of canned goods and dishes in kitchen cabinets. There is also much that can't quite so easily be photographed, from fine cooking to memorable conversations with much laughter. I especially enjoy just sitting and watching the pond, either from a chair on the porch or from beneath a massive old pine tree a few feet away. It changes constantly at the whim of atmosphere and light, and I can see how Eduard Steichen became so taken with photographing over and over, and in every season, a small shad-blow tree outside a window on his Connecticut farm. For now photographs of Michael and Carol are scarce in this gallery; during this two day visit I concentrated on the house and pond. There will be other opportunities.

On Simon's Pond

For many summers my wife Carolyn and I have visited Michael and Carol ...

Updated: Aug 09, 2008 9:14am PST

The Obama Presidential Campaign : I first met Barack Obama when he came to stump for Deval Patrick during the months I photographed the Patrick Campaign for Governor of Massachusetts. During two visits to Boston I got to observe him up close and for extended lengths of time. He was very powerful: his personal magnetism filled the spaces - one a hotel function room, the other a sports arena - where he appeared with Deval, and it was there that my commitment to his presidential campaign began, even though he was still months away from declaring his candidacy. I have never met anyone who impressed me with the sheer power of his intellect and personality as Barack Obama did. The manner in which he conducted his presidential campaign only increased my commitment to and my admiration for this remarkable man. And now he is our President. Anyone who may be interested in purchasing prints or one-time publication rights please contact me at rpkphoto@comcast.net. Try the slideshow feature (at the upper right); it takes a few moments to load, but is otherwise excellent. Please visit my other Smugmug galleries. Click on "Rodger Kingston (rpkphoto)" (above) to return to my home page.

The Obama Presidential Campaign

I first met Barack Obama when he came to stump for Deval Patrick durin ...

Updated: Nov 17, 2008 9:26pm PST

The Deval Patrick Campaign for Governor of Massachusetts : I worked as a volunteer photographer for the Deval Patrick Campaign for Governor of Massachusetts, documenting the election during its last two frenetic months in the Fall of 2006, and then eight weeks later, at the Inauguration. Once I had the images I needed at a campaign event, I turned my camera around and photographed within the crowd, as a part of the crowd. It is these photographs of ordinary people come together to support Deval Patrick that comprise the heart of this work. I’ve heard talk of a new era of race relations in Massachusetts; whether or not this is true, I certainly felt something extraordinary while photographing the campaign. It was as if racial differences were something to value in one another, and instead of diminishing our differences, we were empowered to build something out of them, and to celebrate them. Perhaps because of this, the photographs almost seemed to take themselves, and cut to the essence of the Campaign, with its slogan, “Together We Can.” "A Victory for Hope," an exhibition of these photographs, was shown at the Panopticon Gallery of Photography, in Boston, MA, from January 29 through May 10, 2007. In March, 2008 the Deval Patrick Committee installed 30 photographs from this series in their new Boston offices. Try the slideshow feature (at the upper right); it takes a few moments to load, but is otherwise excellent. Feel free to comment (below) or to email me at rpkphoto@comcast.net. Click on "Rodger Kingston (rpkphoto)" (above) to return to my home page.

The Deval Patrick Campaign for Governor of Massachusetts

I worked as a volunteer photographer for the Deval Patrick Campaign fo ...

Updated: Nov 03, 2007 7:44pm PST

In the Vernacular: Photographs from the Rodger Kingston Collection : I began collecting photographs in the mid 1970s to show to my students, as well as for my own pleasure. I couldn’t afford prints by most of the “name” photographers (even though they were inexpensive by today’s standards), so I learned to rely on my instincts, developing a discerning eye, searching out remarkable images that no one else wanted or even saw as worth having. From the very beginning these photographs answered far fewer questions than they raised. Without the associations and validation that accompanied prints by well-known photographers, I ventured into new territory every time I bought an anonymous photograph. Anyone with money could buy a Cameron or a Weston, but acquiring a great unknown image was much riskier (and ultimately far more satisfying). Forgotten Photographs consists of over four thousand original images encompassing the entire history of photography, from the jewel-like Daguerreotypes of the 1840s, through the wet- and dry-plate variations of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, to the modern snapshots in their multitudes. Unlike the master images in the history books, these photographs bring little with them in the way of context; they exist primarily as isolated photographic statements. Devoid of the associations and provenance provided by famous names, they are open to fresh new meanings and relationships within the overall context of the collection itself, thus raising the act of collecting to the level of creation, and not incidentally, demonstrating that a collection may profitably be seen as an artistic act of assemblage. I will add more photographs from the collection as I get them scanned, so check back for images that will delight your eye as well as stimulate your mind. If you like this gallery, you will also enjoy "The Snapshot Century," which you reach by clicking on "Rodger Kingston (rpkphoto)", at top left, to get to my home page, and then scrolling down to the gallery. Comments and factual corrections are welcome. Leave a comment here (button below the thumbnails), or email me at rpkphoto@comcast.net. Also, try the slideshow feature (button at the upper right).

In the Vernacular: Photographs from the Rodger Kingston Collection

I began collecting photographs in the mid 1970s to show to my students ...

Updated: Nov 23, 2009 8:20pm PST

The Snapshot Century : More often than not, use of the word snapshot in describing a photograph involves negative connotations. This results from a confusion of means and ends: something made with simple equipment, or for simple reasons can't possibly result in a complex visual statement. Hmm. Right now I'm looking at an inch-thick 2007 catalog in my bookcase from the National Gallery of Art, in Washington, DC, "The Art Of The American Snapshot." The title says it all. These images are from a collection of several thousand snapshots I've been acquiring for over 35 years. They range from the small round prints from the #1 Kodak, taken in 1888, to Polaroids from near the end of the snapshot century, just before the beginning of the digital age. Snapshots are - some of the best of them, at any rate - the most intimate of photographs, depicting subtleties of the human condition in ways that more ambitious images seldom achieve. However, I am not denying that the vast majority of snapshots are of little value: banal exercises in trying to capture "what was there." And this I suspect is at the heart of most people's dismissal of snapshots as beneath notice. In my own work as a photographer (see the rest of my website for many examples) I have always tried to approach the degree of transparency and honesty that even the most posed, conventional snapshots routinely capture. Back in the1970s when I first started photographing, there was a similar prejudice against photos made with 35mm cameras: one just HAD to use medium format or better still, 4x5 to get acceptable results. The same for color, whose acceptance by the photo art world is very recent. I'll finish by suggesting that, as the great cultural historian John Kowenhoven has written, we live in a snapshot world, one in which our very conceptions of ourselves are in large part formed by humble snapshots. Check back regularly; I have many more snapshots to add to this gallery as I get them scanned. However, I arrange them chronologically, from the time they were taken, rather than in the order they are uploaded, so you will have to go through them all to see the newer additions. Often the dates I've attributed are guesses; any corrections or comments from viewers will be appreciated. Leave a comment here (button below the thumbnails), or email me at rpkphoto@comcast.net. Also, try the slideshow feature (button at the upper right). Click on "Rodger Kingston (rpkphoto)", at top left, to go to my home page.

The Snapshot Century

More often than not, use of the word snapshot in describing a photogra ...

Updated: Nov 19, 2009 5:48pm PST