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02-12-2007, 11:55 PM
NMSU Library Features Photo works of
Lincoln County Photographer John Soden
By S. Harkness, Ruidoso
Alamogordo, NM - During February, the David H. Townsend Library at NMSU-Alamogordo is displaying the photographic works of John T. Soden, Photographer. The exhibit of Soden's work is available for viewing during the Library's normal business hours each day which are Mon - Thu 7:45 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Fri 7:45a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Closed Sat, and Sun 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. The public is invited to drop in at the University Library to enjoy this show which is free.
<img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/soden04.jpg align=left border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5>Growing up in New York City, Soden received his first camera when he was thirteen years old, a Kodak Instamatic, from his father just in time to photograph the 1964 New York World’s Fair. His Dad impressed upon his young son that because the World’s Fair would only be in New York two years, he should document this event.<img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/soden05.jpg align=right border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5>
Therefore, began John’s love for photography. His first professional assignment was to photograph his sisters wedding when he was sixteen. His sisters’ friends were reportedly impressed, wanting to know who her photographer was.
After obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University, John joined the U.S. Naval Reserves and was given the assignment “Operation Sail”; his duty was to photograph the “tall ships” as they pulled into New York Harbor during our country’s Bicentennial, July 4, 1976.
His career has spanned both coasts. In New York, he worked as a fashion and catalog photographer, photographing models from the top modeling agencies. After a few years in New York, John returned to southern California where he was a photographer for ABC TV and the Pat Boone Television Show.
<img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/soden02.jpg align=left border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5>In 1993, while enroute to Carlsbad, NM, Soden and his wife Sue, visited the Mescalero Apache Reservation to visit their friend, Father Tom Herbst. While there, they observed a private ceremony and John was so moved by this experience, he sought and received permission from the late Wendell Chino, to photograph on the reservation. Over the years, he has photographed the Coming of Age Ceremonies for many families of the girls involved in this Ceremony. To Soden, it is a very spiritual event and not taken lightly. While in New Mexico, the couple fell in love with the area. Later they moved to Ruidoso.
<img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/soden_FS_Quadrangle.jpg align=right border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5>In the February show, the NMSU Library will be featuring a collection of Soden’s black and white photographs of Lincoln and Otero Counties. On display will be one or more photos of the Railroad trestle in Cloudcroft, as well as several old buildings in Tularosa. Also included in the exhibit will be original black & white photos of Fort Stanton in an effort to preserve this historical landmark.
As an active freelance photographer, John has photographed events in Lincoln County for REDTT (Rural Economic Development Through Tourism) and has also done shoots for the Ruidoso and Capitan Chambers of Commerce. For the past several years, he has also been teaching a class in photography titled ‘Improve Your Photographs’ at ENMU Ruidoso. Collcetctions of his photos are displayed at Eastern New Mexico University, Pub 48 and Josie’s Framery. Four of his Black & White original photographs of midtown Ruidoso with the snow gently falling are on display at the First Federal Bank on Sudderth Drive. His Black & White photo “Starry Night in Lincoln” was the first photograph chosen for permanent display by the Hubbard Museum of the American West. This photograph is also currently on display in Congressman Steve Pearce’s Washington D.C. office. Another Soden photo of the Gila Cliff Dwellings is also on display in Washington D. C.
<img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/soden03.jpg align=left border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5>In 1998, the Sodens moved back to Connecticut for two years to help take care of family obligations. While there, John joined the Greenwich Art Society. He also offered photography tips occasionally on the “Good Morning America” television show and did photo assignments for two Greenwich newspapers.
After a summer of traveling throughout the United States, John and his wife Sue returned to Ruidoso. He joined the Ruidoso Regional Council for the Arts and has had photo exhibitions at Ruidoso Village Hall as well as Cornerstone Bakery.
On Christmas Night, 2000, John photographed the businesses of midtown Ruidoso during a snowstorm. Using Black & White film he then Sepia Toned the prints. The owner of Pizza Hut purchased a set of these and they are currently on display at Pizza Hut on Mechem Dr. and at Josie’s Framery.
<img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/soden06.jpg align=right border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5>In 2005, a travel writer named Starley Talbott Anderson wrote a collection of short stories about her adventures from her travels and some of the interesting people, she has met along the way. One of the chapters in her book, “Lasso the World” is called “The Man Who Shot the Mescalero’s”. It is all about John Soden and his photographic experiences with the Mescalero Apaches.
In the spring of 2006, he was featured in one-man show at Ruidoso Village Hall featuring a collection of color works he took during one of his many cross-country excursions. Later in the year, John submitted two photographs to the Fall America Photograph Contest. Both submissions were juried into the show.
During the Governor’s Conference on Tourism, John presented a portfolio of both his Black & White and color photographs of the Ellis Store in Lincoln to Tourism Hall of Fame recipient, Jinny Vigil. He has also had his images featured in various New Mexico publications, including Ruidoso News and New Mexico magazine. Internationally, his photographs have been published in travel magazines DeVere and Travel & Leisure.
In addition to all these adventures, John keeps busy as a freelance photographer, often ‘shooting’ weddings, special events and commercial projects for businesses and families from Lincoln and Otero Counties and beyond.
To enjoy more of Soden’s photographs, visit his web site at: www.weaselvideoproductions.com (http://www.weaselvideoproductions.com/).
To contact him about private or commercial professional photography assignments, call him at 505.630.0044 or email him at weaselprods@yahoo.com (weaselprods@yahoo.com)
Lincoln County Photographer John Soden
By S. Harkness, Ruidoso
Alamogordo, NM - During February, the David H. Townsend Library at NMSU-Alamogordo is displaying the photographic works of John T. Soden, Photographer. The exhibit of Soden's work is available for viewing during the Library's normal business hours each day which are Mon - Thu 7:45 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Fri 7:45a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Closed Sat, and Sun 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. The public is invited to drop in at the University Library to enjoy this show which is free.
<img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/soden04.jpg align=left border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5>Growing up in New York City, Soden received his first camera when he was thirteen years old, a Kodak Instamatic, from his father just in time to photograph the 1964 New York World’s Fair. His Dad impressed upon his young son that because the World’s Fair would only be in New York two years, he should document this event.<img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/soden05.jpg align=right border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5>
Therefore, began John’s love for photography. His first professional assignment was to photograph his sisters wedding when he was sixteen. His sisters’ friends were reportedly impressed, wanting to know who her photographer was.
After obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University, John joined the U.S. Naval Reserves and was given the assignment “Operation Sail”; his duty was to photograph the “tall ships” as they pulled into New York Harbor during our country’s Bicentennial, July 4, 1976.
His career has spanned both coasts. In New York, he worked as a fashion and catalog photographer, photographing models from the top modeling agencies. After a few years in New York, John returned to southern California where he was a photographer for ABC TV and the Pat Boone Television Show.
<img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/soden02.jpg align=left border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5>In 1993, while enroute to Carlsbad, NM, Soden and his wife Sue, visited the Mescalero Apache Reservation to visit their friend, Father Tom Herbst. While there, they observed a private ceremony and John was so moved by this experience, he sought and received permission from the late Wendell Chino, to photograph on the reservation. Over the years, he has photographed the Coming of Age Ceremonies for many families of the girls involved in this Ceremony. To Soden, it is a very spiritual event and not taken lightly. While in New Mexico, the couple fell in love with the area. Later they moved to Ruidoso.
<img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/soden_FS_Quadrangle.jpg align=right border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5>In the February show, the NMSU Library will be featuring a collection of Soden’s black and white photographs of Lincoln and Otero Counties. On display will be one or more photos of the Railroad trestle in Cloudcroft, as well as several old buildings in Tularosa. Also included in the exhibit will be original black & white photos of Fort Stanton in an effort to preserve this historical landmark.
As an active freelance photographer, John has photographed events in Lincoln County for REDTT (Rural Economic Development Through Tourism) and has also done shoots for the Ruidoso and Capitan Chambers of Commerce. For the past several years, he has also been teaching a class in photography titled ‘Improve Your Photographs’ at ENMU Ruidoso. Collcetctions of his photos are displayed at Eastern New Mexico University, Pub 48 and Josie’s Framery. Four of his Black & White original photographs of midtown Ruidoso with the snow gently falling are on display at the First Federal Bank on Sudderth Drive. His Black & White photo “Starry Night in Lincoln” was the first photograph chosen for permanent display by the Hubbard Museum of the American West. This photograph is also currently on display in Congressman Steve Pearce’s Washington D.C. office. Another Soden photo of the Gila Cliff Dwellings is also on display in Washington D. C.
<img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/soden03.jpg align=left border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5>In 1998, the Sodens moved back to Connecticut for two years to help take care of family obligations. While there, John joined the Greenwich Art Society. He also offered photography tips occasionally on the “Good Morning America” television show and did photo assignments for two Greenwich newspapers.
After a summer of traveling throughout the United States, John and his wife Sue returned to Ruidoso. He joined the Ruidoso Regional Council for the Arts and has had photo exhibitions at Ruidoso Village Hall as well as Cornerstone Bakery.
On Christmas Night, 2000, John photographed the businesses of midtown Ruidoso during a snowstorm. Using Black & White film he then Sepia Toned the prints. The owner of Pizza Hut purchased a set of these and they are currently on display at Pizza Hut on Mechem Dr. and at Josie’s Framery.
<img src=http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/soden06.jpg align=right border=0 vspace=5 hspace=5>In 2005, a travel writer named Starley Talbott Anderson wrote a collection of short stories about her adventures from her travels and some of the interesting people, she has met along the way. One of the chapters in her book, “Lasso the World” is called “The Man Who Shot the Mescalero’s”. It is all about John Soden and his photographic experiences with the Mescalero Apaches.
In the spring of 2006, he was featured in one-man show at Ruidoso Village Hall featuring a collection of color works he took during one of his many cross-country excursions. Later in the year, John submitted two photographs to the Fall America Photograph Contest. Both submissions were juried into the show.
During the Governor’s Conference on Tourism, John presented a portfolio of both his Black & White and color photographs of the Ellis Store in Lincoln to Tourism Hall of Fame recipient, Jinny Vigil. He has also had his images featured in various New Mexico publications, including Ruidoso News and New Mexico magazine. Internationally, his photographs have been published in travel magazines DeVere and Travel & Leisure.
In addition to all these adventures, John keeps busy as a freelance photographer, often ‘shooting’ weddings, special events and commercial projects for businesses and families from Lincoln and Otero Counties and beyond.
To enjoy more of Soden’s photographs, visit his web site at: www.weaselvideoproductions.com (http://www.weaselvideoproductions.com/).
To contact him about private or commercial professional photography assignments, call him at 505.630.0044 or email him at weaselprods@yahoo.com (weaselprods@yahoo.com)