Manfred Gsteu, FPSA, PPSA

Enns, Austria

The Journal has selected Manfred Gsteu, FPSA, PPSA, for its Distinctive Image feature. As with all members invited for this feature, Manfred is well known for many kinds of photography but trees continue to be one of his favorite subjects and it is some of his tree subjects that the Journal shares with its readers at this time. A strong supporter of the Photographic Society of America (PSA) and of the Journal, Mr. Gsteu has had several feature articles in the magazine over several years, beginning in 1987. He joined PSA in 1979; in 1987 he was elected an Associate, followed by elected a Fellow of the Society in 1999. This year, Manfred was encouraged to apply for Proficiency distinctions and he now adds PPSA after his name.

In addition to PSA, Manfred Gsteu has been a member of Federation Internationale de l' Art Photographique (FIAP) from 1976 and holds their distinction of EFIAP. He was the founder of Kameraklub Linz Bilderbank (KKL-BB), Austria-an unique collection of over 4200 images (slides, color prints and monochrome prints from 1000 photographers
of 50 countries of the world) since 1987 and he has served as vice president for several year.

He has served four times as the chairman of the International Slide Exhibition Linz (Linzer Diasalon).

Mr. Gsteu holds many honorary distinctions from photographic organizations in several countries including Buenos Aires, Taipei, Macao, Romania, Japan, Germany as well as Austria. He has earned five Stars in Class A, Large Monochrome prints, two Stars in Large Color prints, plus four Stars in Color Slide Division. In addition to his interest in trees as subjects, he likes portrait, winter landscapes, children, man in his working environment, and much more. In 1998 he received PSA's International Understanding through Photography Award, the first European photographer so honored!

TECHNIQUE

Manfred Gsteu works from film, both slide and negative, and generally uses Fujichrome Velvia and Kodak Extachrome film. He states his special technique in black and white as well as color is to make photo-snapshots, preferably instant photography... to take the photo and determine the size of the subject and how it will best be presented, possibly not to cut its parts away. I work with the motto, 'less is more,' he advises.

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

For me the most important thing in photography is to express my feelings and impressions I have from my environment. I want my photos to tell stories and create emotions. With my philosophy and ”photographic hand-writing„ I want to build bridges, because I am convinced that photography is a “language” which is understood everywhere and by everybody. Images are constant documents of events and emotions which can be transported across all borders and continents.

I started in 1974 with a course in B&W photography and my first photos were of human beings at work and play, happy or sad, with special faces that tell stories - I call it “Life photography”. For me it is very important to preserve human dignity and also to show it in my photographs - and especially my photos taken of outsiders. I hope my photos reflect the real life situation.

Some years later I started with color slides and color prints - mainly photos of nature and trees. Trees have always been companions to me, in their various clothes, especially the winter clothes, like hoarfrost, heavy snow. What would the world be without trees? It would be an empty world - so trees are extremely fascinating to me and I admire their age, form and shape - which is so different from tree to tree.

PSA Journal. December 2006

å© Manfred Gsteu, FPSA, PPSA - Photos

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