Nightlife. Bungard's shots of the city are a must-see, including this one that's bathed in golden light (but shown here in black and white). (Photos by Bill Bungard / BillBungard.com)
There’s a new photographer to Tacoma’s art scene, showing his work for the first time this month at the Mandolin Café. Bill Bungard is not new to Tacoma, though. A resident here for more than 20 years and the official photographer for Maurice the Fish Records, he’s rather well known among area musicians for his gifted skills at creating compelling images of them doing their thing onstage. These types of shots, along with his wildlife photos and exquisite Northwest wildlife and scenery portraits, make for an exhibit that illustrates the breadth of his work.
Now showing in the café’s banquet room, its quiet environs offer a pleasant place to sit, sip espresso and take in Bungard’s exhibit of about 50 matted photos he’s taken over the past two years. (But be sure and check the chalkboard outside the banquet room doors to see if the room is reserved for use.) About half of the collection consists of his dynamic live music shots taken at city bars, clubs and stages, while the other half offers a more rural vibe in its tribute to the great outdoors. This showing could be titled “Town and Country” for its variety of subject matter and locations.
A DSHS worker by day, Bungard describes himself as “a very serious hobbyist” when it comes to his photography. “I’m at the point in my life where creating is very important to me. This is something I just love to do.” His training includes a few photography classes at Tacoma Community College and mentoring with accomplished local photographer Christopher Boswell www.chrisboswell.com. “Then I just went out and started shooting,” Bungard said, noting that he takes thousands of photos a month.
Among his shots of music-makers assembled on one wall of the café banquet room are local favorites like Kim Archer, Rafael Tranquilino, Perry Acker and Doxology, and world-renowned performers like the B-52s and Robert Cray. Bungard has perhaps thousands of such photos. “I had a hard time whittling that wall down to a manageable size,” he said.
Taking such photos can be difficult due to unpredictable and changing lighting, but Bungard seems to have that under control. These images show artists at their most raw and real, their faces joyful or contorted depending on the groove in the midst of a musical moment. No, these aren’t simply photos of someone playing an instrument; rather, they communicate the power of the union between player and instrument at a most intensely exciting and passionate instant. Capturing such a charismatic force through a camera lens isn’t a happy accident, but evidence of a real artist at work.
On the wall next to and opposite his music shots are some of Bungard’s outdoor photographs. An avid hiker, Bungard has a knack for capturing that split-second when the sun is just right in the sky or an animal he’s encountered is in the perfect position, such as for his photo of a snowy owl’s face looking right at him. There are photos of a fox that followed him once out in the wilds, and of other wildlife as well. His portraits of Northwest coastlines and Tacoma at night have a definite “wow factor.”
Bungard said he’s thrilled with the outcome of his first art exhibit, especially “…the incredible show of support and love for my work. I just want to create and make things happen.”
Priced to sell, just about all of Bungard’s portraits in the exhibit are for sale starting at $35 – perfect for holiday gift giving. See lots of Bungard’s work at www.billbungard.com.
