December 1, 2006

Six months after showcasing an octogenarian’s paintings, the Psalm Center Gallery is touching the other end of the spectrum by displaying of the work of a talented high school student.

The photographs now showing in the gallery belong to Grant Seidler, a senior at Salem Academy. With an eye for beauty, Seidler has captured the sights of Salem, as well as landscapes in other parts of the Northwest and abroad. Most notable is his photo “Bridge on Center” that won first place at the Oregon State Fair.

“Photography … allows me to choose location, setting and time,” he says. “What I love about it is the ability to take something ordinary and try to give it a new look. I love to travel, and each time I go out to shoot, I look for places that I feel are worth sharing.”

In each of his landscapes, Seidler uses his camera to give the viewer a “sense of place,” whether it’s a green-canopied pathway in the Willamette Valley or a misty alpine mountain range in southern Germany. Animals are another of his favorite subjects.

At his high school, Seidler is the school’s yearbook business manager, editor and photographer. He’s also taken classes at Corban and Chemeketa Community College.

His photographs will be displayed during December and January. The gallery is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The college is located at 5000 Deer Park Dr. SE, Salem, Ore., 97317. The campus’ main phone number is 503-375-7005.