Zack Brodie:
Zinnia
ON DISPLAY
September 9 - November 28
RECEPTION
September 27 2:00-4:00 Afternoon Tea
Where Color Sleeps
Zack Brodie’s journey into macro photography began on a fateful day when his wife brought a coneflower into their home. Intrigued, he lit the flower with colored lights and captured its intricate details using a macro lens. The photograph showcased the remarkable detail that the naked eye often overlooks, complemented by the vibrant color artistry. This captivating work marked the beginning of the exhibit “Where Color Sleeps” at the Montgomery Museum of Art and History,
The high resolution of a macro lens is what captures the detail. Imagine how close together two dots need to be before you perceive them as one. That’s a measure of resolution. While the macro lens offers high resolution, it has a shallow depth of field, which means the amount of the subject that is in focus at any given time is limited. Consequently, you get a very clear image of a small part of the subject. Zack often uses a macro rail, a device that allows him to adjust the focus incrementally. He takes 70 to 100 pictures at different focal distances to capture the entire image. Then, a computer program combines all these images to create a single image that is in focus throughout. The detail in these images is reminiscent of a Georgia O'Keefe painting.
The artistry in these photographs lies in the deliberate use of two, sometimes even three, lights of different colors, positioned at varying angles from the subject. Brodie employs RGB (red, green, blue) lighting, which enables him to create any color he desires. Some subjects naturally reflect the light more effectively than others. A thin-petaled dahlia reacts differently from a thick succulent. The subjects include plants, particularly small parts of them, amethyst and other minerals, and insects. Notably, while Photoshop is used for basic post-processing, there is no addition or painting of color in the pieces. Every color that you see is captured in-camera.
Zack Brodie, a graduate of Radford University with a degree in graphic design, pursued photography as a passion. Currently, he works as an art director, but his photography career remains his heart’s desire. On Saturday September 27, 2025, the Montgomery Museum will host a tea from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. to showcase his work, and the public is invited to attend.