Intuitive. Sensitive. Provocative. Allen Birnbach, photographer, allows his lens to speak a thousand thoughts of humanity, peace, and tranquility. Born in 1949, Allen Birnbach was raised and educated in New York. After studying at Queens College in several disciplines, he took at year off, and during that time discovered photography. When he returned to college, Mr. Birnbach continued his studies as he shifted his focus to art. "I was captivated by the camera the very first time I put it in my hand, " he said. "It gave me a way to express myself as nothing else had before!" The more he worked as a photography assistant in New York City, the more he became overwhelmed by the beauty of the art form.
After a cross country trip which included a stop in Telluride, Allen decided to move to the mountain town to photograph its evolution from mining town to ski area. The purity of the environment and the sincerity of the people gave him the long-range vision he was looking for in both his professional and his personal life. The camera has led him to his life work.
Relocating to Denver in 1974, Birnbach opened his first complete photographic studio. His contemporary style allowed him to specialized in advertising still life and people productions. In 1979, Mr. Birnbach had the opportunity to work with the noted graphic designer, James Miho. This experience enabled him to shift his focus to include corporate annual reports as well. Because of this redirection, he started to travel extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Central and South America. With the publication of one of his images on the cover of the prestigious Communication Arts Photography Annual in 1995, his career expanded to include location photography for major advertising clients.
During this time period, Allen decided to 'let go' of his overhead including the building that housed his studio. This seemed to free him up to become more serious with his own personal work. He started shooting two major themes at this point in his career: Nudes, in 1986, and the Cogan Ranch, in 1988. Commenting on the Cogan Ranch, Mr. Birnbach said that he had recorded many ranches in Colorado and Wyoming, but none of them had the scenic quality as this one. "In addition, this is just a remarkable ranch," he emphasized. "And the personalities are larger than life. They exude a quiet power that allows the land to nurture them and they the land. When you are with them you are aware of a sense of stewardship of the land that one rarely sees," he continued. "Thus, I was drawn to record this integral part of Colorado history!"
Mr. Birnbach's photography has received recognition in The New York Art Director's Club One Show; The ARC Annual Report Competitions; Print Magazine, The Maine Photographic Workshops Annual Show, Communication Arts Magazine, Photo Design Magazine, Photomethods, and Photo District News. Along with his wife, Alece, an art director, graphic designer, and print maker; Mr. Birnbach has published two powerful photography books that capture the natural beauty of his home state, Colorado. These books are Photographs by Allen Birnbach, and Colorado Aspen. His work is in numerous public and private collections.
GALLERY M represents Mr. Birnbach photography in Denver and the Front Range of Colorado.
