Capturing light

H. Richard Kuhns, M.D., has been capturing images with his camera for some time.
Now he is sharing them with the public through Time Light Images Photographic Art Gallery, the gallery and frame studio he and his wife, Tamsel, opened on Main Street.

“We started thinking about this probably a year ago,” Richard said.

But it wasn’t until this building, formerly the Bluestem Art Gallery, came available that things began to take shape.

“We looked at other spaces and nothing seemed to work out,” Richard said. “This came available and it was the right time.”

The gallery had its “soft” opening on Jan. 26, but the work began before that.

“We started working on this building the first of January,” Richard said. “We basically gutted it and started over.”

“It’s been fun to watch it transform,” Tamsel said.

Richard and Tamsel did most of the work, which included putting in a wood floor and painting. They did contract some of the work, such as the track lighting.

Photography has been a passion for Richard for some time.

“I’ve always been interested in photography,” he said. “I’ve done it since I was in junior high.”

While he was in junior high, his father worked at the paper and he hooked Richard up with one of the photographers. he also was mesmerized by a photograph taken 150 years earlier in 1827. Those experiences hooked him.

Then a few years ago he met portrait photography Rick McNary from Potwin and McNary looked at some of his photos. McNary encouraged Richard to send some of his images to his printer to be enlarged.

“People wanted to purchase some,” Richard said.

He then started a Web site, www.time-light.com.

“One thing led to another and here we are,” he said.

Richard also has made the transition from film to digital during his career.

“I’ve always been impressed with photography,” he said. “You can freeze a moment in time and freeze light. Coming from a scientific background and having studied light, that is fascinating. There really is no other medium that can do it.”

That is where he got the name for the gallery, Time Light Images.

His photographs run the gamut, from small things such as bees to large, broad landscapes.

“It’s just whatever catches my eye,” he said.

He also knows when he sees a scene whether it will be black and white or color right away.

In addition to his prints, which are on photo paper or canvas, they will have about 120 images displayed on a flat screen television for people to choose from.

Unique to each of his images is a philosophical writing of Richard’s thought processes that engages one to reach deeper into the works’ image. Meant to simulate involvement and interpretation, these unique writings tease the viewer with a glimpse into the artist’s soul as well as allowing freedom for one’s own vision to give meaning to the work.

Richard hopes to encourage the art community with his gallery, as well as make his photographs more available.

“We just hope this will be a place people can come in to be a respite from the world,” Richard said.

In addition to the photography and framing, their daughter, Chelsea will show some of her jewelry in the gallery.

The gallery, located at 112 N. Main, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. They have planned a grand opening for March 29.