Stan Hellmann

Gango Editions, Inc. Artist

I was born in South Africa where I lived until emigrating to the USA at age 28. My interest in photography developed early in life and flowered in my early twenties when I started shooting quite seriously. A lot of time was spent in the darkroom doing my own developing and printing. It was at this time I developed a deep and life-long affection for black & white which remains a fundamental pillar of my work to this day. Some of that original work is featured here.

At first skeptical of digital photography I ultimately came to fully embrace it. I find the “digital darkroom” a powerful creative and technical environment - similar to the old physical darkroom but far more powerful and enabling.

My primary photographic love and interest is in the natural world, the beauty that surrounds us. My wife Pam and I travel extensively, both in the US and abroad, seeking natural beauty which I try to capture and interpret in my work. I am also fascinated by people, as well as form and shape present in both our natural and man-made environment. So although the bulk of my work is of nature, landscapes and scenery, I would not characterize myself as a “nature photographer”. That term is too constricting and limiting. I prefer to think of my work as representing all that interests me in its many and varied forms.

Photography allows me to express myself in a way that provides great joy and satisfaction. The creation of a beautiful or striking image, one that others may appreciate, is a blessing.