Johnstown photographer's tree frog shots on display at Gallery on Gazebo

Kelly Urban, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·3 min read

Jan. 26—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — You'll want to hop on in to Gallery on Gazebo for this exhibition.

"FrogFun," a show by Johnstown photographer Steven Daniel, is on display through March at the gallery, 140 Gazebo Park, downtown Johnstown.

The exhibit features 40 photos on canvas of tree frogs, photographed on sets using realistic miniatures to create humorous lifelike scenes.

Daniel, who came to Johnstown as part of the Kernville Artist Relocation Project after living in Connecticut, said the frog series came about following his time working as a newspaper photographer and exhibiting black-and-white work.

"I was looking for a new challenge," he said. "I found inspiration in the uniqueness of tree frogs and their vivid colors."

Daniel started with one frog using simple sets, but he now works with five frogs, and the sets have become more elaborate. His works capture frogs at work and play; frogs doing sports, fitness and music; frogs and flowers; frogs and nature; and frogs in the kitchen.

Last year, he started using 3D resin printing, allowing him to make highly detailed props at any size.

Daniel works with a local retired carpenter who likes working in miniature and has built many of the sets, and with an assistant who helps get the frogs into place for the photos.

"The frogs are unpredictable, and many times the final image isn't what I originally planned," Daniel said. "People frequently ask how I get the frogs to stay in place, and the answer is that I don't."

He just needs the frog to be still for one-sixtieth of a second.

"Many cases, they're photographed in motion — the frogs crawl, climb and jump," Daniel said. "I just try to catch them at the right moment."

When he's successful, it looks like trick photography.

"They're not composites or computer-generated images," he said. "The frogs are real, and so are the photographs."

In conjunction with the exhibit, a video will be shown so that viewers can see the process of photographing the frogs.

Daniel said people would often question the authenticity of his photos.

"I got the idea to document my shoots with a video, and it's been an absolute game-changer," Daniel said. "If people say it's not a real frog, I point to my video. They look at that with their mouth open and start calling other people over to see it."

Daniel hopes people will find the humor and joy in the photos.

"Humor is one of the best ways I express myself, and I like to make people laugh," he said.

All the pieces in the show are available for purchase.

To celebrate the exhibition, an opening reception will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday. Daniel will be on hand to discuss the pieces and his process.

He studied at Manhattan School of Visual Arts, and worked as a freelance photographer in New York City, where his work appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, New York Daily News, People Magazine and the National Law Journal.

Daniel's 20 years as a newspaper photographer in Connecticut won him state and national awards. For more information on Daniel, visit www.adventuresofatreefrog.com.

There is no fee to attend the exhibit. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays and 2 to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

For more information, visit www.galleryongazebo.org or www.facebook.com/GalleryonGazebo.JohnstownPA.