“Photography is so much more than pointing, shooting, and editing with digital tools. Real artists harbor a love for moments and an eye for style. It’s more than a hired job—it’s the curiosity and passion for discovery—interesting lighting, unusual subject, or spur of the moment feeling. Whether an animal in its element, a bride and groom on their big day, or landscape architecture—the best photographers are adept at finding a moment that tells a story. 

I met Jeffrey Barnes because I was a fan of his photography. We had few mutual friends and never seemed to be in the same place at same time but I remember the moment I was first shown his work. It was a wedding portrait—I felt an immediate difference between his work and others and wanted to know the person behind the lens. His shots were special—not only is there a sharp and assured technical prowess—but his subjects transmit energy. Even when a bride, animal, or building is immobile, it comes alive in Jeff’s eye and the way he presents it to the viewer. You’d swear the outlines themselves are vibrating with joy, passion, and excitement. His sense of timing and perspective combined with technical skill sets him apart in the days of Pinterest imitations. He remains the first and only photographer I’ve sought out in order to get to know the person and vision inside the artist. 

Most photos in this collection were taken during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when Jeff’s business was closed for safety precautions. But true artists never stop creating, expressing, and communicating. These photographs reminds us that art is always essential: it enlarges our perspective, lowers stress, and increases creativity, joy, and appreciation of what’s come before.

Jeffrey and I are both Buffalo-born and raised. I sense within these images a desire to express the diversity of our post-industrial city rather than indulge its popular reputation for snow and cold. There’s stunning natural beauty and incomparable architecture. A vibrant history and cultural perspective. I can’t imagine a better eye with which to document Buffalo, N.Y—a city teeming with memories and frustrated identity. Under Jeff’s eye, the lines and curves of these beautiful buildings, whether University at Buffalo’s Hayes Hall, the old Post Office, or the Electric Tower, some well-known, some under the radar, vibrate with the energy of a city re-merging from a long sleep, shedding skin through a resurgence to claim its own life and vision. I can’t think of a better artist to present these landmarks to you. Whether seeing them for the first or 5,000 time, I promise that when seeing them through the Barnes lens, it’ll be an entirely new and essential experience.”

Enjoy-

Alycia Ripley