I have had a lifelong love affair with photography. It started as a little girl, only five years old, in Sweden many years ago. As a birthday gift, I received a kaleidoscope, the old-fashioned kind that you hold up to the light. I was fascinated with the swirling colors, patterns, shapes, and the endless little details. It was my first experience with light and lens, and it was magic in my hands. And the elements were already there: character, color, and composition, the three Cs that represent my work.
At age 16, a well-known Swedish photographer introduced me to the world of the darkroom. I set out to capture the world my way. Courses in Photography and Graphic Design at the University of California at San Diego enabled me to widen my photographic skills and sense of design to a point where I was ready to expand my vision. The fortune of being able to travel a lot with my husband and as a tour escort resulted in a successful line of greeting cards and enlargements that are sold both in this country and abroad.
My journeys have led to some of the most romantic and picturesque parts of Europe, charming scenes in the Caribbean and Latin America, and many everyday images that speak to us visually of life in the Orient. In my travels, I always try to capture the essence of the place and the people. When someone tells me, "I feel like I was standing there right next to you!" I know that I have reached my goal.
Styles: Abstract, landscape, cityscape, portrait, still life, documentary
Memberships: La Jolla Art Association
Awards & Exhibits: San Diego County Exhibition, 3rd Place, seven Honorable Mentions; Solo Show, Solana Beach City Hall; Art Walk 2003, Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego; Photo Art Walk 2004, Little Italy, San Diego
Website: www.birgittawhite.com