Photographer/Artist
Jill Skupin Burkholder is a photographer/artist who lives in Palenville, NY and works with handcrafted, alternate photography processes including encaustic techniques using beeswax and resin to coat photographic images. Her prints have been exhibited at SohoPhoto in New York, Foto & Photo photography festival in Milan, Italy, Garrison Art Center in Garrison, New York, the Center for Photography at Woodstock, and the Texas Photographic Society’s traveling Alternative Processes Exhibition. Her work has also appeared in various publications. on the web and is the permanent collections of The Museum of Fine Art, Houston, Texas, and The Harry Ransom Humanities Center in Austin, Texas.
The Client
A Community Arts Grant from the New York State Council on the Arts administered by the Greene County Council on the Arts.
The Assignment
To reach into the hidden world of wild animals in the nearby Catskill Mountains using a trail camera to photograph them remotely.
The Execution
"Assisted by local people with knowledge of Catskill’s wildlife, I set up a trail camera at different locations to capture their images. The camera was automatically tripped when the animals came into range and their images were wirelessly transmitted back to my iPhone at low resolution using a specialized app. The camera itself stored higher resolution images on a memory card for later retrieval."
Post Production
"I use Photoshop and many, many apps on the iPad including Snapseed, PhotoCopier, and others. The final artistic step is the digital enhancement of the raw trail camera images and, in many cases, creating a reverse of the images to evoke all the emotion and wonder at the heart of the project. In the finished images the animals seem to live in a fairyland; an enchanted setting filled with light and spirit."
The Output
"After the computer editing is complete, my prints are output on Red River Polar Matte paper using an Epson 9900 inkjet printer and then attached to a wooden birch frame. The image is enhanced with charcoal and other artistic materials such as pastels and graphite. Hot encaustic medium (beeswax) is layered onto the surface and fused with a heat gun. More layers are added until the piece has its finished look. I use Red River paper because most other inkjet fine art papers will not accept hot wax properly. If an inkjet paper resists the wax, the final art piece will be unstable and flawed. Red River is the first paper I found that delivers consistent results."
Contact Info
Jill Skupin Burkholder’s website is at: jillskupin.com.
More images from the trail camera series can be viewed at jillskupin.com/hidden-worlds.
Email Jill at: [email protected]
Favorite Papers
UltraPro Satin
UltraPro Satin looks and feels just like traditional photo lab paper and features a medium depth luster finish.
Favorite Of: Jim DiVitale & Peter Randall
River Linen
River Linen adds a special dimension to your printed image with its premium quality linen surface paper.
Favorite Of: JVS & Helene Glassman
Aurora Art
Made using fine 100% cotton rag content, Aurora Art White and Aurora Art Natural offers the look and feel of fine art paper.
Favorite of: Marilyn Sholin, Matt Hoyle, Susan McCartney, & Kaitlin Walsh
Arctic Polar Satin
With its crisp blue white shade, Arctic Polar Satin ensures your images will project more brilliance. Its state of the art microporous coating will enhance details and color saturation.
Favorite of: Al Francekevich & Susan McCartney
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Last updated: September 03, 2021
