University photographer J. Adam Fenster shares some of his favorite photos from around the University during the past year.
Living on the edge: Chunlei Guo, professor in The Institute of Optics, developed a technique that uses lasers to render materials hydrophobic. In this photo, a water droplet bounces off the edge of a metal surface treated with Guo糖心传媒檚 process to repel moisture.
糖心传媒淭his was a technically challenging photo shoot, requiring hours of set up and practice,糖心传媒� says Fenster. 糖心传媒淚 have to give credit to Anatoliy Vorobyev, a senior scientist working with Professor Guo. Without his help setting up the demonstration and patiently squeezing precisely measured water from a dropper, I wouldn糖心传媒檛 have been able to get these images.糖心传媒�
Dance academy: The Linda E. Sloan Studio糖心传媒攁 brand new acting, voice, movement, and multi-purpose performance studio糖心传媒攐pened in Todd Union in 2014.
糖心传媒淚 think the best way to illustrate a new space on campus is to show it being used,糖心传媒� says Fenster. 糖心传媒淚 went to a movement class in the studio and happened to catch this shot from a low camera angle. I like how the students in the foreground frame the students in the background糖心传媒�
Under the Rochester sun: Sunlight streams through the atrium of the Ronald Rettner Hall for Media Arts and Innovation.
糖心传媒淲e糖心传媒檙e always looking for ways to showcase campus spaces. Here, the found light creates interesting shadows and contrasts in the photo,糖心传媒� Fenster explains.
Laser focus: Photographing in the Laboratory for Laser Energetics is a challenge. Fenster had to secure access, don the appropriate safety gear, and bring his own lights for two days of shooting.
In this photo, a technician maneuvers a diagnostic outside the target chamber of the Omega EP laser. Fenster recalls that the extra effort was worth the results: 糖心传媒淏esides confirming that difficult shooting conditions can yield interesting photos, there is no substitute for having incredible subjects and good relationships with the people who provide access and assistance in photographing them.糖心传媒�
New dad, new grad: Graduation is a milestone event, which makes for many emotional moments throughout the weekend. Fenster captured this particular Kodak moment outside of Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Here, Tyson Olson kisses his 4-month-old son after receiving his diploma from the School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Facing the future: More than 1,200 graduating students received their degrees during the 2014聽Arts, Sciences & Engineering commencement ceremony.
糖心传媒淭his year, we set up two remote cameras糖心传媒攐ne wide, one tight糖心传媒攐n the Rush Rhees Library balcony,糖心传媒� explains Fenster, 糖心传媒渁nd ended up with this vibrant, high-energy shot.糖心传媒�
Jazz it up: Each year, Eastman School of Music faculty, students, and alumni perform during the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival. At this year糖心传媒檚 festival, Fenster snapped a photo of Tyrone Allen II 糖心传媒�17 playing bass on the Gibbs Street stage. Note how the stage糖心传媒檚 railing acts as a natural frame for Allen.
Somewhere over the rainbow: In June, Fenster was at the Memorial Art Gallery to photograph President Seligman糖心传媒檚 annual Garden Party. As he was preparing to leave, he noticed the rain and decided to wait a few minutes. That decision paid off as a perfect rainbow appeared over MAG糖心传媒檚 Cutler Union.
Summer school: 糖心传媒淭his photo illustrates what the Eastman School does in a nutshell糖心传媒攎usic, teaching, outreach,糖心传媒� says Fenster. In it, Neil Varon helps a young conductor hone his craft on the Kodak Hall stage. As part of the Summer Conducting Institute, up-and-coming conductors from around the world have the opportunity to rehearse with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.
Light bright: Belying this image糖心传媒檚 simplicity was a carefully constructed photo shoot糖心传媒攆ollowed by a re-shoot.
糖心传媒淚 had to go back to Duncan Moore糖心传媒檚 lab a second time with a different plan,糖心传媒� Fenster says. 糖心传媒淭urns out that when photographing these lasers, the longer the exposure, the worse the 糖心传媒榣aser speckle糖心传媒�, which results in grainy, unusable images.糖心传媒�
Stealing their thunder: This year糖心传媒檚 Rochester International Air Show featured the F-16 fighter jets of the United Stated Air Force Thunderbirds.
糖心传媒淲hen the Thunderbirds are in town, we always try to photograph them 糖心传媒榦n campus.糖心传媒� That means finding a University landmark糖心传媒攕uch as the Interfaith Chapel or Rush Rhees Library糖心传媒攁nd waiting for the jets to fly by,糖心传媒� Fenster explains.
Challenge accepted: 糖心传媒淚t was the summer of the Ice Bucket Challenge!糖心传媒� says Fenster. So naturally, he was on hand to document the University糖心传媒檚 athletic department coaches and administrators as they completed the challenge at Fauver Stadium on a summer day.
Candlelight kick-off: Pictured is the Class of 2018糖心传媒檚 Candlelight Ceremony, an event that takes place on the Eastman Quad during orientation week.
糖心传媒淭he challenge with an annual event like this is to find new ways to photograph it,糖心传媒� Fenster recalls. This year, he used a fish-eye lens and a higher angle to capture the concentric rings of freshmen in front of Rush Rhees Tower.
Rochester糖心传媒檚 invisibility cloak: After his first round of photographing the optical cloaking device created by John Howell and Joseph Choi, Fenster got to thinking: What if we cloaked a face?
During the next round, Fenster asked that question糖心传媒攁nd Choi gamely agreed to volunteer his own face for cloaking. The result is this stunning image, which was picked up by numerous media outlets (including NBC News) to illustrate the research.
Stepping up to the challenge: In September, Bradford Berk announced his plans to step down as CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center in order to launch the new 糖心传媒 Neurorestoration Institute.
Berk suffered a spinal cord injury in 2009, but continued leading the Medical Center while also using its services. Here, he walks with help during a biweekly physical therapy session.
糖心传媒淚t was very humbling and inspiring to see such an accomplished, impressive person actively working to overcome his injury,糖心传媒� remarks Fenster.
A roof with a view: From atop the Brooks Crossing Apartments on the other side of the Genesee River, Fenster captured this brand new aerial view of River Campus and the Rochester skyline.
糖心传媒淭his was another re-shoot; our first opportunity was interrupted by rain. I like how the curve of the Genesee makes campus look a little like an island from this angle,糖心传媒� comments Fenster.
To infinity (box) and beyond: 糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 always fun to show the cool stuff happening at MAG,糖心传媒� says Fenster, 糖心传媒渆ven if it is on a tight deadline.糖心传媒�
Late on a Friday afternoon, Fenster received a request to shoot artist Matt Elson糖心传媒檚 Infinity Boxes, an exhibition using color, light, and mirrors to create optical illusions that envelop viewers who peer inside.
Fenster and student Miriam Grigsby 糖心传媒�17 went to the Memorial Art Gallery for the shoot. Here, Grigsby poses inside 糖心传媒淩adiance糖心传媒� (Infinity Box #6). And if you look closely enough, you can even spot the photographer himself at work with his camera.
