John Fire finds extraordinary beauty in familiar landscapes
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WHAT: "John Fire: Images of Nature"
WHEN: Through Jan. 8, 2027, with meet-the-artist reception from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday
WHERE: Weller Gallery, Fellows Riverside Gardens, 123 McKinley Ave., Youngstown
HOW MUCH: Admission is free. For more information, go to www.millcreekmetroparks.org or call 330-740-7116.
Sometimes, a photograph that changes an artist's life begins with something as simple as a drive through a familiar park.
For John Fire, that moment came in October 2012, when he and his wife, Janet, were driving along Lake Glacier in Mill Creek Park. Janet spotted a group of sycamore trees that had shed their leaves, their bare branches standing out against the colorful autumn foliage.
Fire took several photographs and entered his favorite in Mill Creek Park's annual nature photography exhibit. He won first place.
"That gave me the confidence to believe in my ability," Fire said.
The experience helped ignite a passion that continues to shape his work. Visitors can see the results in his exhibition at the Weller Gallery at Fellows Riverside Gardens in Mill Creek Park, running through Jan. 8, 2027.
Photography offers Fire a way to preserve fleeting moments and encourage others to appreciate the beauty around them.
Learning to see differently
Sports and action photography first drew Fire to photography. He took classes in his early 20s but has largely taught himself since then, learning through reference books, online research and other photographers.
His first camera was a Minolta SRT101 35 mm film camera with a 50 mm lens. The transition to digital photography significantly changed his approach, particularly in post-processing.
One of his greatest influences is Galen Rowell, the celebrated landscape photographer, mountaineer and author. Fire owns many of Rowell's books and has visited his gallery in Bishop, California.
"He kept his compositions simple and uncluttered while emphasizing the main subject," Fire said.
Fire sometimes wonders what Rowell might have accomplished with today's digital technology.
In his own work, Fire seeks unusual perspectives, sometimes placing his camera close to the ground or shooting from above. He also uses foreground elements and leading lines to create depth and guide viewers through a photograph.
The magic of the golden hours
Fire particularly enjoys photographing at sunrise and sunset, when changing light can transform a landscape. He also appreciates the peacefulness of dawn, when wildlife stirs and the sounds of nature emerge. Capturing the first light of day is always a surprise, he said, because a photographer never knows what will appear.
"Patience is key because sometimes you have to wait for just the right moment," he said.
While photographing Jenny Lake in Wyoming, Fire encountered cloudy skies and light rain. Just as he was preparing to leave, the clouds lifted and the setting sun illuminated the landscape.
Another photograph, featuring a great blue heron at the Lily Pond in Mill Creek Park, required a long wait to capture the bird in midflight.
At Acadia National Park in Maine, Fire wanted to photograph the rocky landscape at sunrise. His goal was to emphasize the textures and shapes of the rocks in black and white.
Finding beauty close to home
Although Fire enjoys photographing the American West, he believes compelling subjects can be found much closer to home.
Mill Creek Park is his favorite location. He also photographs at Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Lake Erie. On one occasion, he even had the opportunity to take his camera inside Meander Reservoir.
Selecting photographs for the current exhibition was challenging. With several thousand images to choose from, Fire selected approximately half from Mill Creek Park and the remainder from favorite destinations around the country.
He previously exhibited at the gallery in 2023 and was pleased to be invited back.
"It's a great space with wonderful employees," he said, adding that the gallery attracts visitors from throughout the region and beyond. Some visitors from Canada even signed the guest book during his previous exhibition.
Fire said that strong landscape photography depends less on a destination's fame than on finding an interesting subject and the right light. A deer in a backyard photographed in soft, misty light might make a better image than the Grand Canyon photographed under harsh midday sunlight.
Photographs with personal meaning
One photograph that holds particular significance for Fire depicts the Lily Pond, with fog hovering over the water on the left and a path extending along the right.
He dedicated the image to Catherine "Kitty" Hackett, a close relative who died in 2022.
Hackett experienced great tragedy at a young age. To Fire, the path symbolizes the steady direction with which she approached life, contrasting with the uncertainty represented by the fog.
Fire also finds satisfaction in knowing that his photographs bring happiness to others. A woman dying from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS, had enjoyed visiting Mill Creek Park's suspension bridge with her husband. He purchased Fire's photograph of the bridge so she could look at it while lying in bed.
Although Fire had never met the woman, he found it deeply meaningful to think that his photograph might have brought her comfort and peace during her final days.
"That was very special and rewarding," he said.
An invitation to look closer
Fire acknowledges that photography has its challenges, particularly when carrying equipment over long distances or at high elevations in the West. Nevertheless, he enjoys exploring new places, meeting people and helping younger photographers develop their skills.
Two destinations remain on his wish list: Glacier National Park in Montana and Denali National Park in Alaska.
For now, the Weller Gallery exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to experience the places and moments that inspire his work.
Fire hopes people will take their time viewing the collection and appreciate the beauty of nature.
Whether photographing a familiar path in Mill Creek Park, a bird taking flight or the dramatic scenery of the American West, he encourages viewers to look beyond the obvious.
Sometimes, as he discovered on that autumn drive in 2012, a closer look at a familiar place reveals something extraordinary.