New Images

Here are some images from recent contact sheets. Comments are appreciated!

Comments are welcome and greatly appreciated! Thanks all ya’ll.

The Golden Light Awards Grand Prize!

This morning, I received an incredible phone call. About 2 weeks ago, I entered my work in a contest called the Golden Light Awards in Rockport Maine. I entered the project competition for a body of work. I had trouble deciding what one of 6 categories to enter. I wanted to enter in the “Documentary & Photojournalism” category, but my work is moving away from being documentary in nature. So, to be fair, I entered in the “Personal & Fine Art” category. There were some prizes listed, as well as awards for the top winner in each division.

But it turns out it didn’t matter what category I entered, because I was informed this morning that I was chosen as the overall Grand Prize Winner!! How spectacular is that?! The details are still coming in as to what all of this means, but I know that I’ll be showing some prints in Maine (possibly in New York as well), I’ll receive free tuition to a class at the Maine Photographic Workshops, and I’ve won a handful of photo-related prizes (digital camera, gift certificates to photo-related business, etc.). I’ll keep you posted!

P.S. Contact sheet images are coming soon...Stay tuned.

Notice: Last Minute Show Opening!

I almost forgot, but I have 3 pieces in a show that is opening tonight at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts in Wayzata, MN, near the shores of Lake Minnetonka. The opening is from 6-8 pm. I will not be able to make it, but please, go check it out! The show will be up through July 21st, so if you’re ever out in that area, swing on in. Go to the Minnetonka Center for the Arts website for directions and hours.

If you can’t make it to the gallery, here’s basically what you’re missing (at 1:64 scale):

Contact Sheets Suck the Life Out of Me

Thanks mildly in part to the harassment of 2 friends, I finally had some film processed yesterday. I biked to ProColor and met an interesting person on the way back. Now I’m sitting at MCAD printing contact sheets - always the most pointless and tedious step for me. Don’t get me wrong, I see the point in making contact sheets, I simply hate making them. Stupid color processor, wasting my life 4 minutes at a time.

Also, I think I need to have a point to each trip that I go on to make photos. Sometimes, when I have a free day to make photos, I just pick up and drive to some town and see what there is to photograph. I don’t think that’s a good strategy. In fact, as I write it, I feel like it’s making me dumber.

Of course I need to have a point; I can’t just randomly drive up to a random town and make random photos. Or can I?... It HAS worked in the past. I don't know anymore.

Contact sheet favorites coming soon.

Getting Revved-Up for my Residency

A few months ago, I was informed that I was accepted to a Residency at the Anderson Center in Red Wing, Minnesota. I will be making photographs there from August 16 through August 31. I don’t have to pay them a stipend, nor am I paid a stipend, but I am given a small private room with 3 meals a day while I am there. I be creating work in a similar manner to my Faribault County series, but it will be a quick, intense, 2 week project about the people and places of Red Wing, as well as the surrounding countryside. I am REALLY looking forward to it as an opportunity to be able to make a lot of work. I haven’t been shooting as much as I could be shooting so far this summer. I’m teaching 3 summer classes, and that keeps me pretty busy. I NEED TO BE MAKING MORE PHOTOS!! Hopefully I can do more work later this week. I’ll keep you posted...

Background Info

So I wanted to show a few pieces that best describe my work from the past 3 (or so) years. Here are a few teasers. You’ll have to pay for more...

If you want to see more (or larger versions), please go to my official website. Head to the portfolio section and have a look-see. I have more writing about my work in the portfolio section as well. Comments are welcome and greatly appreciated!

Photo Slump

Autumn 2004 - about 1 and a half years ago. That was the last time that I was satisfied with the amount and quality of photographs that I was making. I’ve been teaching since about then. I love teaching, but it’s keeping me from my work more than I would like. My mind is set more on my next class and less on my own work.

I’m starting this blog because I’m becoming a little too overwhelmed with all of the teaching at all of the different schools - last fall I had 5 classes at 3 schools, this past spring I had 4 classes at 4 schools, and currently for “summer break” I have 3 classes at 3 schools. I want,... no,...I NEED to be creating more of my own work. I feel like I’ve been slacking off, and I’ve simply been uninspired in the last year or so. So I’m hoping this blog will help get my butt in gear.

PLEASE e-mail me;
HARASS me to create work;
FORCE me to show you new work;
QUESTION what I do;
ASK me the tough questions.

That’s why I’m here.

Contact Me

Steve Stenzel
Merriam Park Neighborhood of Saint Paul, MN

763-913-2977

stevestenzelphotography [at] yahoo [dot] com

About Steve

Steve Stenzel studied at the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Photography. He graduated with his Masters from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

He has taught Photo or Design courses at Brown College, the University of Minnesota, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and the College of Visual Arts. For the last 5+ years, he's been the sole photography professor at Hamline University in St. Paul.

Steve’s work has been shown in galleries internationally and his work is in numerous public and private collections. His latest work has been seen in Night, an International Juried Show at The Center for Fine Art Photography in Colorado; in Here and Now, an exhibit of contemporary photography at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery at the University of Minnesota; The New Works Gallery in a 2 person show at the Silver Eye Center for Photography in Pittsburgh, PA; Illuminance, a biennial photography exhibit in Texas; The ReFresh Print Biennial at the University of Wisconsin; Art on the Plains at the Plains Art Museum in North Dakota; After Dark, an International juried show at The Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, CO; and the 5th Photographic Image Biennial at the Wellington B. Gray Gallery in Greenville, North Carolina.

Steve has recently completed a residency at the Anderson Center in Red Wing, MN. He was commissioned by the New York Times Magazine to shoot a cover story, which was published on November 19th, 2006. Since then, he’s completed 4 more projects for the New York Times. He won the prestigious "Golden Light Award" at the Maine Photographic Workshops for his Faribault County body of work.

In his free time, Steve enjoys training and competing in triathlons, duathlons, and road races.

Click here to contact Steve.

(Updated: Summer 2018)

Resume

This is an abbreviated resume (not a complete CV) with only select exhibitions, awards, and publications listed.
Click here to find me on LinkedIn.

• Education •
- Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN - MFA in Photography.
- College of Visual Arts, St. Paul, MN - BFA in Photography. Graduated Magna Cum Laude.

• Teaching Experience •
Hamline University, St. Paul, MN.
    (Fall 2013 - Present)
- Digital Photography I.
- Digital Photography II.
- A handful of independent studies.

North Central University, Minneapolis, MN.
    (Fall 2020 - Present )
- Photography (in person).
- Photography (online).

College of Visual Arts, St. Paul, MN. Full Time Assistant Professor.
    (Fall 2005 - Spring 2013)
- Intro to Photography.
- 2D Design / Digital.
- Color Theory / Color and Design.
- Photography II.
- Digital Design.
- Development Workshop: Digital Photography.
- Development Workshop: Scanning and Photoshop.

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
    (Fall 2005 - Spring 2011)
- Intro to Digital Photography.
- Photography: Digital Imaging.
- Worked with 4 independent study students.

Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN.
    (Spring 2006 - 2008)
- Foundation Media 1.
- Foundation Photography.
- Digital Photo Exploration (through Continuing Studies).
- Photography 1 (through Continuing Studies).
- Art Educators Workshop (through Continuing Studies).

Brown College, Mendota Heights, MN.
    (Spring 2005 - Summer 2006)
- Photographic Imaging I.
- Photographic Imaging II.
- Photographic Illustration.
- Print Technologies I.
- Print Technologies II.

• Other Work Experience •
- Vice President and then Co-President of the CVA Action board, 2014-2016.
- Photography Lab Technician / Photo Lab Manager, College of Visual Arts, 2011-2013.
- Faculty Liaison for the Photo Club, College of Visual Arts, 2010-2013.
- Technology Committee, College of Visual Arts, 2011-2013.
- Digital Tutor, College of Visual Arts, 2007-2011.
- Faculty Liaison for the Photo Club, Brown College, 2005-2006.
- Numerous "adult education," continuing studies, and high school workshops through MCAD and CVA, 2005-2013.

• Exhibitions • (selected)
- [upcoming] 4 a.m. (solo show), Concordia University Gallery, St. Paul, 2022.
- Chase the Light 2021 at the Photographic Center Northwest, 2021.
- Juried Exhibition, TJ Jones Library, North Central University, Minneapolis, MN, 2021.
- Making Strange, a photography exhibition juried by Douglas Beasley at the Praxis Photo Arts Center, Minneapolis, 2020.
- International Exhibition 2020, a juried exhibition at the Glasgow Gallery of Photography, Glasgow, Scotland, 2020.
- Chase the Light 2020 at the Photographic Center Northwest, 2020.
- The Premier Exhibition, a juried exhibition at The In Art Gallery, 2020.
- The Poetry of the Ordinary, a juried exhibition at the PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, Vermont, 2020.
- Bare Men, a juried exhibition at The Living Gallery, New York City, NY, 2019-2020.
- Not Accepted, the MPLS Photo Center, Minneapolis, MN, 2019.
- Wells Art Expo, a Sesquicentennial Art Exhibition, Wells, MN, 2019.
- Hamline University Faculty Show, Soeffker Gallery, St. Paul, MN, 2019.
- OH+OG Juried Show, Minneapolis, MN 2018.
- The Art of Teaching Photography Biennial, Concordia University, St. Paul, MN, 2016.
- Night, International Juried Show, The Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO, 2016.
- Hamline University Faculty Show, Soeffker Gallery, St. Paul, MN, 2016.
- Reverberations, curated exhibition by Kristin Makholm, Form+Content Gallery, Minneapolis, MN, 2015.
- Hamline University Faculty Show, Soeffker Gallery, St. Paul, MN, 2014.
- Practice/Profess, Faculty Show, The College of Visual Arts Gallery, St. Paul, MN, 2012.
- Practice/Profess, Faculty Show, The College of Visual Arts Gallery, St. Paul, MN, 2011.
- Practice/Profess, Faculty Show, The College of Visual Arts Gallery, St. Paul, MN, 2010.
- Kernel Days (solo show), Wells, MN, 2010.
- Here and Now: Contemporary Photography, The Katherine E. Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, MN, 2009.
- Practice/Profess, Faculty Show, The College of Visual Arts Gallery, St. Paul, MN, 2009.
- The Minnephoto Show, Fallon Design Firm, Minneapolis, MN, 2008 - 2009.
- New Works Gallery: 2 Person Show, The Silver Eye Center for Photography, Pittsburgh, PA, 2008.
- CVA Alumni Exhibition, The College of Visual Arts Gallery, St. Paul, MN, 2008.
- Fellowship 2007, The Silver Eye Center for Photography, Pittsburgh, PA, 2007 - 2008.
- Flash Forward 2007, The Lennox Contemporary Gallery, Toronto, Canada, 2007.
- Photocentric 2007, A Photographic Biennial, The Minnesota Center for Photography, MPLS, 2007.
- 2006 Golden Light Award Show, The Maine Photographic Workshops, Rockport, Maine, 2007.
- Illuminance, Biennial Photography Exhibit, Buddy Holly Center, Lubbock, Texas, 2007.
- 5th Photographic Image Biennial, Wellington B. Gray Gallery, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, 2007.
- MCAD Faculty at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts, MCA Gallery, Wayzata, MN, 2006.
- 2-D-2, International Juried Show, Energy Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2006.
- After Dark, International Juried Show, The Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO, 2006.
- 10X Out, MCAD Juried MFA Alumni Show, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, MN, 2005.
- Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition, MN State Fair, St. Paul, MN, 2005.
- PhotoSpiva 2005, National Photographic Competition, George A. Spiva Center for the Arts, Joplin, Missouri, 2005.
- The Singular Image, Santa Fe Center For Photography, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2005.
- Illuminance, Biennial Photography Exhibit, Buddy Holly Center, Lubbock, Texas, 2005.
- Works on Paper, Santa Cruz Art League, Santa Cruz, California, 2004 - 2005.
- ReFresh Print Biennial, Lawton Gallery, U of W - Green Bay, Wisconsin, 2004.
- Art on the Plains 7, Plains Art Museum, Fargo, North Dakota, 2004 - 2005.
- Ninth Annual National Juried Photography Contest, Texas Artists Museum Society (TAMS), Port Arthur, Texas, 2003.
- Scene/Unseen 03, Runnels Gallery, Eastern New Mexico U, Portales, NM, 2003.
- Untitled 2, The Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN, 2003.
- Photo-rama, The College of Visual Arts Main Gallery, St. Paul, MN, 2002.
- Untitled 1, The Soo Visual Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN, 2002.
- ASMP Personal Works Show, Minnesota Center for Photography, Minneapolis, MN, 2002.
- 3 Artists, 2 Media, 1 Show, The Northfield Arts Guild, Northfield, MN, 2002.
- Visual Literacy, Statewide Juried Show, Orbit Gallery, St. Paul, MN, 2002.
- Juried Photo Show, Minnetonka Center for the Arts, Wayzata, MN, 2001.

• Achievements and Awards • (selected)
- Photography Grant Recipient through SEIU MN, 2021.
- "Director’s Award" for piece in The Premier Exhibition at The In Art Gallery, 2020.
- Photography Grant Recipient through SEIU MN, 2019.
- Hired by the Minnesota State Fair to make photos for a permanent installation on the North End, 2019.
- Photographer/Professor lectures given at White Bear Lake H.S.'s career day, 2015-2018.
- Organized the first juried alumni exhibition after the closure of the College of Visual Arts, 2014-2015.
- Guest Lecturer for the Macalester College Photo Club, 2014.
- Hired to make photos for a “Local Voyages” story for the New York Times Magazine, 2013.
- Minnesota State Arts Board Grant Recipient, funding for "Kernel Days" show, 2010.
- Lunchtime Lecture, The College of Visual Arts, St. Paul, MN, 2008.
- Honorable Mention in Fellowship 2007, Silver Eye Center for Photography, Pittsburgh, PA, 2007.
- Photographs for 3 different featured stories, New York Times Magazine, Aug, Oct, Dec 2007.
- Recipient of a Book Publishing Grant through the MCAD Faculty Senate, 2007.
- Purchase Award Recipient, Buddy Holly Center, Lubbock, Texas, 2007.
- Photograph appeared as the cover story for the NY Times Magazine, 2006.
- Recipient of a Faculty Development Grant, CVA, St. Paul, 2006.
- Visiting Artist Lecture, ArtReach, Red Wing, MN, 2006.
- Maine Photographic Workshops Golden Light Award Grand Prize Project Winner in the Photographic Project Award Program, 2006.
- Maine Photographic Workshops Annual Photographic Print Competition Social Document Award Winner, 2006.
- Residency accepted at the Anderson Art Center, Red Wing, MN, 2006.
- Commencement Speaker, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, 2005.
- First Place Award Winner for Body of Work, PhotoSpiva, George A. Spiva Center for the Arts, 2005.
- Purchase Award Recipient, Buddy Holly Center, Lubbock, Texas, 2005.
- Honorable Mention Recipient, The Singular Image, Santa Fe Center For Photography, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2005.
- Accepted to the Review Santa Fe program at the Santa Fe Center for Photography and given a full scholarship to attend, 2005.
- Guest Reviewer, Minnesota Center for Photography, Minneapolis, MN, 2005, 2007.
- Won Best in Show in Works on Paper, Santa Cruz Art League, Santa Cruz, CA, 2005.
- Won Best in Show: Student Photography Division in Applied Arts Magazine's international photography competition, 2003.

• Publications • (selected)
- The Oracle, Vol 130. "Professors showcase skills at faculty art show," March 2019.
- The Oracle, Vol 127. "Gallery Showcase," March 2016.
- MDRA Yearly Annual, 2011. (photo for the cover) November 2010.
- Med Ad News. Photos of John Hayes, Vice President, Antares Pharma. November 2010.
- 16 Days In Red Wing. Self-published book. December 2007.
- The New York Times Magazine. Photo for the article “Our Decrepit Food Factories,” Section 6, December 16, 2007.
- The New York Times Magazine. Photo for the article “What Every Child Needs,” Section 6, October 28, 2007.
- Flash Forward 2007: Emerging Photographers From Canada, The United Kingdom and The United States. Toronto: Magenta Publishing for the Arts, October 2007.
- The New York Times Magazine. Photo for the article “Universal Faith,” Section 6, August 26, 2007.
- MCAD Magazine, Winter 2007. Volume 3, Number 1. “Faculty, Staff, and Student Accomplishments.”
- The New York Times Magazine. (photos for the cover story) “Gay Donor or Gay Dad,” Section 6, November 19, 2006.
- Faribault County. Self-published book. March 2005.
- American Photography 20. New York: Amilus Printing, December 2004.
- Selected: The Winning Images of American Illustration 23 & American Photography 20. New York: Amilus Printing, October 2004.
- Applied Arts Magazine, Sept. 2003. Illustration/Photography Annual. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Farming of Yesteryear, (photo essay) Rural Heritage, Vol 28, No. 4, Summer 2003. Gainesboro, TN.
- Photo-Rama: A College of Visual Arts Gallery. (review) Pulse, Vol 6, Issue 30, 10/30-11/5/02. Mpls, MN.


(Updated: Spring 2021)