ARTIST STATEMENT

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I met my husband Robert in 1990 at a small conference for economists in Middlebury College, Vermont.  We were both academics, Robert a well known economic statistician and I an historian of economics.   We talked economics, but Robert talked most about his black and white photography, his darkroom, and Ansel Adams. Little did we know that I would become a photographic artist.
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Twenty-six years later Robert’s black and white landscapes adorn our home in Vestal.   I have a 24’x17′ studio under a 13′ vaulted ceiling, with lots of lighting equipment and by the entrance, a New York Tax id.

Sunrise, Frenchman’s Bay

I am  jack of many photographic trades.  When we holidayed in the Bar Harbor region, I arose with the sun and photographed during the early morning.

Sunrise, Frenchman’s Bay

At Filmore Glen, New York

Photographing in our region with its many glens and waterfalls is a delight.

At Ricketts Glen, Pennsylvania

It is in portraiture that I mainly trained, first at the New York Institute of Photography (NYIP), where my teacher Jerry Rice himself was a student of the Lisette Model, an icon in the history of photography.

Some of the NYIP teaching manuals dated back 25 years, to the days of black-and-white photography. The basic principles of photography remain the same.  The NYIP manuals helped me prepare for the exam written by Professional Photographers of America (PPA) that I passed in order to become Certified Professional Photographer.  I am licensed to work, just like a licensed electrician.

I am a PPA Master of Photography, a degree that I received in recognition of the artistry in the main of my portraits, namely street portraits, a traditional field of many a New York photographic artist such as, going back to my NYIP days, Lisette Model.  I urge viewers to look at the Awards page of the website that shows some of my best street portraits.

Many photographers at PPA over the years have encouraged me in my development as a visual artist.  Take PPA Boardmember Steve Kozak,  who wrote in December 2014 that

“I won’t give up”, Poor man captured in natural light.

“Nancy is rapidly becoming one of the premier image makers of life on the streets and beyond. Her eye for the moment is keenly captured and presented in her stellar images. The rich print qualities of her black and white images are evenly matched with the deep tapestry of tones in her color images.  Her portrayal of the fabric of life on the streets is  complemented by a collection of fine art prints, including commissioned portraits, still lifes, and architecture.

One moment, you see an image that is so filled with tragedy that it is hard to view.

Good Morning Honey!

The next moment, you might see a beautiful  fine art portrait and you can’t look away. Such is the work of Nancy Basmann.”  (Steve Kozak, Member of the Board of Professional

Photographers of America.  2015.)