Omega Photo showing Allen’s ‘New Dimensions in Photography’

‘Omega Photo is hosting local photographer Jim Allen’s exhibit, “New Dimensions in Photography.” The exhibit is a provocative look at reframing the art of a photograph and people’s response to a photo.

Allen has been a commercial photographer for 40 years, but only recently began push the envelop by taking new risks with his art and craft via his three dimensional collage pictures.

“We are constantly bombarded with images,” Allen said, added he wanted to break what he calls, “the three second barrier,” which is the average attention span and length of time someone will look at a picture. So he began looking for new ways to present the images.

His fascination with pattern and light led to experimenting with cutting apart and putting back together pictures in a three-dimensional collages which accentuate and ad another level to the design of the picture. In another collage, a trip traveling the entire length of historic route 66, inspired him to age and print sepia toned pictures that he combined with torn edges accentuating the step back in time to golden era of car travel. Other pieces in the exhibit are portraiture of dogs and cats and an expression of emotions evoked by the synthesis of various pictures.

“If it makes you stop and think, feel uncomfortable, or feel joy, then I have has succeeded,” Allen said.

Omega Photo is located at 1100 Bellevue Way NE. The store is open from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.