About The Photographer

Norm Darwish has had a darkroom since he was thirteen. For the past forty-five years he has "gone to school" by studying the hundreds of magazines and books on photography, news, fashion, travel and art that are a part of our daily lives. The print media, he feels, shows us the most innovative and creative photography. By studying it and reading about other photographers and their techniques he has a fresh and ever-changing curriculum. Coupled with this he is continually working on the newest films, developers, cameras and lenses.

His long apprenticeship is readily apparent from the technical excellence of his photos. But beyond that his photos show a well developed "eye". He sees special moments in everyday surroundings and captures the image with a distinct sensitivity to light. A good photograph is a study of light and shadows - and the most arresting feature of these photos is the luminous quality of that light.

Norm has a highly developed style - very personal and romantic. Recently, a critic described his photos as "a wonderful combination of technical virtuosity and fantasy." His images are instantly recognizable for their softness and the intimacy of the subject matter.

For the past twenty years he has been traveling and selling his photographs at art fairs throughout the country, from Ann Arbor to Baltimore, Miami to Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago and many places in between. His work hangs in the Michigan Artists Collection at the State Capitol. Victoria magazine has published a portfolio of his work and it can be found in several books, including the Marshall's Guide to Hand-Coloring. Recently his images have been licensed for greeting cards and calendars.

A lifelong Detroiter he now lives in Coldwater, Michigan, where he develops, prints and hand colors the photographs which have earned him many awards and consistent representation at the best art shows in the country.