(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Familiar objects take on entirely new aspects when photographed in black and white with infrared technology. See your world in a bold, different way in "Infrared Plus" by photography artist Frank Saragnese at the Ocean County Library, November 2024 through February 2025.
The Second Floor Gallery exhibit places an intriguing spin on common subjects.
“[It’s] very surreal and twisted looking,” he said. “Blue skies turn black. Greenery turns white. Sun flare is exaggerated. I try to pre-visualize the outcome, then I alter the image further in Photoshop.”
The New Jersey native finds ideal subjects in churches, cemeteries and other spots rich in visual texture. “My subject matter tends to be statuary and landscapes, as they lend themselves well to the tonality of infrared,” he said. “I love history, so the older the subject matter, the better.”
“As a photographer’s son, I guess I was destined to pursue photography,” Frank said. An Art major at the State University of New York at New Paltz, he supported himself as a custom color printer, created commercial and editorial images, and sold professional photography equipment in New York City.
Frank’s work can be found in Getty Images and has been featured in the New York Times. His image of the salvaging of Asbury Park’s famed “Tillie” mural is featured on websites including Monmouth Timeline and Palace Amusements Museum Online.
The “Infrared Plus” exhibit is free and open to the public during normal Branch operating hours. For more information, stop by the OCL Toms River Branch, 101 Washington Street, call (732) 349-6200 or visit the Library’s online Calendar of Events.
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Photography Art by Frank Saragnese
