All images copyright by the individual photographers

	Soar By Lisa Enterline Soar by Lisa Enterline is a quietly powerful meditation on scale, patience and discovery. At first glance the eye is drawn to the massive geology of Letchworth State Park---its stratified rock walls, towering trees and the slow reflective curve of the river below. Lisa’s confident use of black and white tones heightens the texture and contrast, allowing light, shadow and form to take center stage. The black and white treatment amplifies the tonal depth, giving the landscape a timeless almost prehistoric presence. Lisa processed the tonal range with restraint and intention, guiding the viewer through the composition without distraction. As I looked closely at the image, wondering what was meant by Lisa’s title, I noticed it: a tiny bird at the top of the frame, suspended against the sky, soaring effortlessly above the canyon. That small, fleeting detail introduces a sense of freedom and lift, a delicate counterpoint to the weight and permanence of the stone. Lisa’s image exemplifies the spirit of our Black & White Invitational---thoughtful, carefully planned, and richly layered---making Soar a notable Gallery Pick. By Marie Costanza
	Where the Body Ends By Olena Kondrashova Where the Body Ends is a strong, unsettling image—quietly confrontational, but in a good way. Olena’s use of conceptual photography continues to impress! The paper-wrapped head is powerful. It can read as anonymity, suffocation, identity erased, or self-protection—perhaps all at the same time. Pairing that with a nude body makes the contrast sharper: total vulnerability below, total concealment above. That tension carries the photograph. The diagonal lean of the body creates visual momentum and discomfort, which suits the theme. The pedestal grounds the figure, almost like a classical sculpture, while the posture seemingly undermines that stability. It feels intentional and thoughtful. The low-key lighting sculpts the form beautifully. The highlights along the back and hip are elegant without being gratuitous, and the shadows maintain mystery rather than swallowing detail. B&W is the perfect choice for this image. Color would dilute the severity. The monochrome emphasizes texture—the crumpled paper, skin, concrete—without distraction. This feels like fine art photography, not just a nude. It’s evocative, restrained, and psychologically charged. It invites interpretation without explaining itself, which is exactly what conceptual photography should do. By Don Menges
	Revealed Structure By Tom Kredo Tom Kredo’s display is made up of photos taken with an infrared camera, which results in images with bright white foliage, dark skies and high contrast. Tom’s Gallery Pick, Revealed Structure, is an excellent example of how the use of infrared transforms a familiar tree into an intricate study of line, rhythm and underlying form. The luminous foliage recedes into a pale backdrop, allowing the dark, twisting branches to emerge with sculptural clarity. What makes this image especially compelling is its balance between complexity and order. The branching limbs move with an almost calligraphic grace, guiding the eye outward and back again, while the grounded trunk anchors the composition with quiet authority. Infrared becomes more than a technical choice here---it is a revealing tool, exposing the hidden framework that gives the tree both strength and elegance. Tom’s choice to work in a square format further reinforces the subject in Revealed Structure. Trees don’t move left to right the way landscapes often do—they expand upward and inward at the same time. By avoiding a horizontal or vertical rectangle, the square allows the branching structure to breathe equally in all directions. The tree’s twisting limbs are complex and energetic, but the square acts as a stabilizing force. It contains the movement, letting the viewer explore the interlocking branches without visual tension pulling the eye away. Revealed Structure exemplifies how a thoughtful approach to format and technique can transform a familiar subject into a quiet moment of discovery, making this image a well- deserved Gallery Pick. By Marie Costanza
	Leave Your Boots by the Door   Erin County Clare, Ireland by Regina O. Muscarella A strong, complementary entry. This image aligns with the invitational’s celebration of monochrome by using black and white to amplify narrative and materiality. It contributes a quiet, poetic voice to the show—one that contrasts well with more dramatic or abstract pieces. Its accessible subject matter paired with thoughtful execution makes it both approachable for general audiences and rewarding for critics and photographers who look for craft and concept. This photograph transforms a humble, everyday object into a quietly powerful statement. It balances narrative and stillness, inviting viewers to linger and read layers of meaning—reuse, resilience, and the passage of time—without forcing a single interpretation. Black and white elevates the subject. Stripping color focuses attention on texture, form, and tonal relationships, which is essential here: the worn leather, the brittle twigs, and the rough stone ground become the story. Contrast and midtones guide the eye from the boots to the plants and then into the softened background, creating a contemplative mood that color might dilute. In the context of a black and white invitational, this image exemplifies why monochrome remains vital—its emotional clarity and ability to distill visual information into pure photographic language. This photo has a whimsical feel.  Placing boots as planters is a creative choice that reads both literally and symbolically. The arrangement feels deliberate yet lived-in, a successful blend of found-object photography and still life. By Steve Levinson