Welcome Al Benas, Photography!

Al Benas, Photography

ONE11 Art Honored to present Al’s work in Studio 2 from May-June 2023.

Born and raised in Norfolk, VA, I have resided in Virginia Beach,
for the last 52 years. In 1965, I received a BS in Civil Engineering, Structural Major, from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State
University and practiced engineering until 2000, when I retired.
I always remember having a camera, but started serious photography in 1965, just prior to graduating college. Self-taught,
I have read, and continue to read, extensively and maintain a
library of photographic literature. I participate in several professional photographic groups and attend workshops to stay abreast with current trends and ideas. I
have worked in traditional B&W, color, and slide films, both developing the film and printing the pictures in my own darkroom. My early work was in 35 mm format; later work was in medium format.

I have done event photography and, toward the end of my engineering career, corporate photography and publishing. For the first four years following retirement, I published two organizational
newsletters. I then decided to concentrate on personal work: natural and urban landscapes, and
floral subjects, both in B&W and color.

In 2004, it appeared that the technology have progressed to the point where digital capture was no
longer a compromise, so I migrated to a digital darkroom. I am now exclusively digital, from image
capture to final print. Most of my past efforts had been for my own personal use and pleasure. Now
that I have more time, as well as no longer being constrained by the requirement for total darkness, I
like to share my work with a wider audience through shows and exhibits.
My work is pigment on paper – pigment based inks utilizing Epson inkjet printers, on heavy-weight
fine art cotton rag papers, resulting in archival prints equaling or surpassing traditional photographic
media. The photographs are displayed as B&W or color prints, as best portrays my vision of the
subject.

Exhibits:
One-man shows: Virginia Beach Central Library Gallery, June 2006; Portlock Galleries in Chesapeake, VA, March 2008; The Little Art Gallery, Raleigh, NC, September 2010; the Leon Family Gallery
at the Simon JCC, April 2009, March 2011, May 2016; and the Towne Pavilion Center I, July 2011
Juried Competitions: Regularly selected for Annual Juried Photographic Exhibits, Suffolk Art Gallery, Shooting Star Gallery Award, 2008, Honorable Mention 2012, Juror’s Choice 2013; Juror’s Recommendation at “Significant Expressions” by Tidewater Art Alliance, 2007 & 2008, Best in Show,
2009; “Dare to Dream” by One Eleven Gallery, 2008; Tiny Treasures Show by Tidewater Art Alliance,
2009; multiple selections for the Annual Juried Show of the Tidewater Art Alliance; the Annual
Mid-Atlantic Art Exhibits by d’Art at the Selden, Norfolk; Virginia Artists at the Charles H. Taylor
Arts Center, Hampton, and Biennial at Peninsula Fine Art Center, Newport News; Award of Merit for
the Tidewater Art Alliance, Portfolio Show 2011 and Going Up Show 2013; invited artist, Hampton
400th Anniversary & From the Sea to the Stars Exhibits, Grisaille, Word, & Carpe Noctem Exhibits, Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton; selected artist, Tidewater Office of Sen. Mark Warner,
and the Chrysler Museum Road Show Time, Excellence in Print Quality at Compelling Images 2017
by d’Art Center.

Al Benas
Virginia Beach, VA
(757)641-4390
albenasphotography@gmail.com
http://www.albenasphotography.com