Photographer and Seattle resident Jacqueline “Jackie” Oh recalled her three-week trip with filmmaker Timothy Allen to western Mongolia to document the eagle hunters’ migration. She said the experience gave her the courage to do things she would otherwise have said no to.
“Sometimes it’s easier to hide in the corner because I’m like, ‘Who wants to see my work?’” she said. “Being brave and being patient and finding ways to connect, I think it’s one way that I feel like my personal identity plays a part in my photography.”
Oh is one of eight female photographers from the Seattle area whose work is being showcased in The Light & Shade That Made My Name: Celebrating BIPOC Women Behind the Camera Tuesday evening at the Lynnwood Event Center. These artists include Tasha Goodwin, Magda Barco, Catherine Johns, Homeira Karamlou, Kanch Kovalam, Angela Ledyard and Sunita “Sunny” Martini.
The women were honored during a reception at the event center Tuesday night.
Show curator Mary Adams said the name of the show comes from a song lyric in Lonely in Your Nightmare by Duran Duran. “It speaks to the contrasts and the complexities that we all carry, and how both light and shadow shape who we all are,” Adams said. “It’s a fitting title for an exhibit that not only celebrates the art, but also the resilience, the depth and the power of the women who created it. As a curator, I feel truly fortunate to work with such a diverse, strong and intelligent group of women who have brought their artistry and their hearts to this show tonight…it’s a testament to their courage to step into the spotlight, to push boundaries and to create.”
Lynnwood Event Center Executive Director Janet Pope said that art has always played a role in helping people see the world from different perspectives. “These are voices and visions that haven’t always had space in the spotlight,” she said. “We’re proud to help share their stories from the female BIPOC lens that has caught some unique insights of life.”
While Oh’s photography interest started with looking at the works of famous photographers, such as Timothy Allen and Mary Ellen Mark, some photographers had other sources of inspiration.
Tacoma photographer Tasha Goodwin said was inspired by the birth of her niece, Sydney.
“I always caught myself taking pictures of her,” Goodwin said. “And that kind of blossomed into portrait photography. [I’m] like, ‘Wait a minute, I’m on to something.’ I was catching all those sweet moments of her just being a kid. And then I started taking pictures of other people and invested in a camera.”
Goodwin pointed to one of her photos that showed sunlight shining through a hole in the ceiling. She said she explored an old mental institution at a park during the early months of the pandemic. “Something told me to look up, all of a sudden, shining through this little tunnel,” Goodwin said. Then she snapped a photo.
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For Magda Barco of Federal Way, her grandfather was the source of inspiration. “He started doing [photography] when he was very young as a means to support his children,” Barco said. “And then my uncle got to do it as a passion project, and now I get to do it. It’s an honor, it’s a privilege, but it’s also a responsibility that I do not hold lightly.”
Barco’s “Cultura” series features a young woman wearing a yellow dress in a pastoral landscape. She said both “Cultura” photos have a similar theme.
“Our young people [Latinas] and all of their interests, passions and causes should be seen by all,” Barco said. “Portraits like these help give a spotlight for others to be exposed and draw interest in learning more. Learning about one another helps us come together.”
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Seattle photographer Angela Ledyard said that although she “didn’t have a [photography] role model,” her photography journey started “by witnessing the love of my grandparents. My grandfather used to love taking pictures of my grandmother, and I’m like, ‘Okay, I want to do that.’”
Her works displayed at the event center include “Eagle Waiting,” a portrait of a bald eagle taken at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. She said that she wants her work to help people connect with nature and the outdoors.
“Because a lot of people are so disconnected from nature and don’t understand the importance that nature is on the environment. [It’s a way of] getting out of that rat race of everyday life,” she said.
“I strive for my audience to achieve a sense of connection with nature when viewing my photography,” Ledyard continued. “I want them to be inspired to go out and experience nature – local parks, trails, beaches etc. The beauty of nature is all around us. Just pause and be open to the experience.”
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Photographer Homeira Karamlou’s work shows four panels of colorful light streaks against a black background. Karamlou was recovering from a cold, so Lynnwood resident Nazanin “Naz” Lashgari spoke on her behalf. Lashgari said that when Karamlou took the moving light pictures – “purely by accident.”
“She realized she could create painted photos in light. What you see in this exhibition are those abstract images created through motion and light,” Lashgari said, reading remarks that Karamlou wrote. “None of these photos are edited, filtered or photoshopped. What you see is exactly what the camera captured. These photographs were taken during a time when everything around her seemed black and gray, and she needed color. She was searching for something vibrant, and what you see is what she saw through the lens in that fleeting moment.”
But not all the work is light-hearted, Lashgari said. “[The photography] reflects the sorrow and the pressure felt by many Iranian women living under forced dress code. ‘Angels & Burka’ explores the duality within how even women are forced to be veiled and covered. Their strength, race and light still shines through like an angel. And the ‘Exodus of Women’ speaks to those fleeing oppression, seeking freedom. The names of the pieces are what invites the viewer into her creation. For her, this body of work is about freedom, freedom of movement to imagine and the interpretation of self expression.”
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Seattle photographer Catherine Johns said that photography has been a source of escape and creativity for her, especially during challenging times.
“Some things really warrant attention, and it’s gorgeous and beautiful, but there’s also a lot of things that are, you know, right in front of you,” Johns said. “It’s either a leaf or a flower or a bridge. I encourage anybody who is interested in their own hobbies or art or creative outlets, whether it’s writing, painting, drawing – anything. Use that because it’s such a good thing for all of us to have those creative outlets.”
One of her photos on display is “Icefields Liquid Dance,” which shows Tangle Creek Falls, taken on Highway 93 that connects Jasper National Park with Banff National in Alberta, Canada. Johns said.
“What’s important to me when it comes to sharing my photography is to share an appreciation for nature and the importance of respecting it, especially when we’re visitors to another area while traveling,” Johns said. “I like to challenge people to not only capture beautiful spots that are well-known but to also find subjects that are overlooked and unique, which is how some of my favorite images have been created.”
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Kanch Kovalam’s “Piercing Gaze” was on the San Juan Islands on a New Year’s Day hike in 2023.
“It is a photograph of a playful fox pup peeking through blades of grass before she realized we were not a threat,” she said. “Once I noticed the pup, I had to cautiously position my camera and take a picture without startling her. After this image was taken, she walked by, sniffed us and ran off, leaving my husband and I stunned by this magical moment.”
Kovalam said that wildlife photography helps her to “take things slowly, be present and admire the beauty of the fleeting moments that whiz by.”
“I want to share this feeling of connection and familiarity with the world, so they too can see how beautiful this planet is,” she said.
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Photographer Sunita “Sunny” Martini said that she prefers “candid” portraits over a traditional style. In her photo sessions, sometimes she would take clients out and “do random stuff” and see what develops.
“I want to show personality and more [genuinity] rather than like ‘Let’s set the stage,’” Martini said.
For more than 10 years, Martini also shot musicians who performed in Seattle, including Pink, Green Day and Paul McCartney. She said that when she photographs a show, she goes in with the mindset of someone who has missed the show and wishes they could have been there.
“I want to show them like this is part of the show, and to show more of the scenery and less like a portrait of the artist,” Martini said. “Like, look at this ambiance that you could’ve been a part of, and like, maybe they’ll get to [go] the next time.”
She pointed at one of her photos, Vance Joy, which showed a silhouette of the Australian singer standing at the center of the picture and the back of hundreds of fans at the concert pit.
“I stayed for a good amount of this show, and then I just turned around and I saw this,” Martini said. “And there’s no filtering. I went for the actual [shot].
For some of the artists, this is their first show, and some of their photos have never been seen in public for many years.
“My photos are not just images. It is just my way of looking at the world, in light and dark, in the people I connect with, in the way we connect with each other,” Oh said. “They’re just moments where they’re really intentional, and they’re cultivated in a way that allows me to connect through my conversations. It’s really a way for us to exist in this world, and for us to open the door for conversations, for curiosity…in a time where things feel very, very difficult.”
The Light & Shade That Made My Name: Celebrating BIPOC Women Behind the Camera will be on display until June 20. The Lynnwood Event Center is located at 3711 196th St. S.W.
