Trees and Rocks

Eric Klemm's images of vintage automobiles being overtaken by the foliage of an old-growth forest are some of the strongest works at Williams Tower Gallery. Among the weakest is Harri Kallio's series of digital photographs, which insert models of the long-extinct dodo bird into Mauritius Island environments. Kallio obsessively constructed the models himself, an endeavor that's much more crackpot and interesting than the resulting images.

But "The Earth" isn't all trees -- there are rocks, too! Mark Ruwedel (Winter Street) photographs ancient trails through rocky landscapes. Elaine Ling (One City Centre) seeks out "Incredible Rocks," and Barbara Yoshida (Winter Street) creates moody images of "Rocks and Stones by Moonlight"...

Ultimately, FotoFest is an epic undertaking by smart, well-intentioned individuals. I admire the social consciousness they exhibit in their choice of themes, but the exhibitions are too unwieldy and filled with too much mediocre work. FotoFest's noble goals could be much better served by stronger choices. Photography is a wonderful medium, but it is only as good as the artist using it.