"The biggest thing I try to do is put somebody in the picture -- to feel like they're sitting there and getting the real depth of the picture and take in all the perspectives."
Photographer Greg Ballos fell in love with Bentonville when he was living in Tulsa, Okla. Now he is using his photography to capture the growth of the city in a way people may not have noticed before. Often using reflective surfaces, night lighting and wide angle lenses, Ballos takes the viewer on a colorful tour of downtown.
FAQ
‘Bentonville And Beyond’
WHEN — On display through Jan. 15
WHERE — 211 Cafe in Bentonville
COST — Free to view; art for sale
"There's more colors [at night] than during the day," he says. "The low light photography, I noticed, more people connected with that because you can't really see that even with the naked eye. You can't see the light trails -- can't see the light create a star-burst."
Ballos guesses part of the reason a viewer sees so many reflections in his images has to do with his growing up on a lake in Ohio.
"Something about the reflection can make the mundane things just look beautiful."
But it also expands the image in a way, he says. Whether he's shooting a sweeping Western terrain or a water tower in downtown Bentonville, it can be difficult to convey the vastness of the image or to bring the viewer into the scene. That is always Ballos' challenge.
"When you're sitting there taking a picture looking at an expansive landscape, how do you bring that home? It's hard with a camera," Ballos says. "The most complimentary feedback I can get is when somebody says, 'Wow, I've never looked at it like that before.' That's what got me into cityscapes. There are a lot of great photographers out there, but I try to help people see in a new way if I can."
-- Jocelyn Murphy
NAN What's Up on 12/30/2016