Photographer Gregory P. DeRespino is a native New Yorker and credits his father, Salvatore, for inspiring his love of photography, particularly the Black & White genre’;

Greg’s more than 20 years of work in the Theatre and Performing Arts have honed his abilities to judge line, shape & position and have refined his perception of ‘a good shot’.  For me, the photograph should tell a bit of the story to the viewer right away. It allows them to imagine past the print and extrapolate from there. In the way in which radio and theatre actors bring to life the words of a writer, I am interested in conveying stories with pictures which may interest others and challenge them to see their world a little differently.”

In addition to successful showings at the Staten Island Institute of Arts & Science’s Fence Show over the past 5 years, Greg has participated in various local Arts projects as both a volunteer and a designer.  Among these was the 2002 “Tellebration” in honor of National Storytelling Day.  The event, sponsored by Lambent House of Staten Island, and hosted at Art Lab - Snug Harbor Cultural Centre, featured Local Artists in a program relating the spirit of their work through storytelling in an intimate setting.

Greg’s work has been shown in New York City installations at:

• R. H. Tugs Restaurant (“A Study of MY Surroundings in Black and White”)

• Jerry’s 637 Café (“Native Flora and Fauna of Staten Island”, “Firenze’: A Walk Through Town On A Winter’s Day” and “NYC in Focus”)

• Side Street Saloon (“The Grand Canyon: A Southern Exposure”).

He feels honored to have also been included in private collections and The Brooklyn Academy of Music’s corporate archives.

Working with both standard film and digital cameras has allowed for a more diverse repertoire when capturing an image and advancements in reproductive technologies has increased both productivity and accessibility of these images.

“I would like to bring my photographic work and ideas into local schools as both a teaching tool and an artistic display. I believe that any positive exposure of relevant topics on a local level will bring larger issues into clearer focus and may present them as a more attainable goal.  Think Globally, Act Responsibly & Work Locally”