“A World of Whimsy: Underwater Portraits” by Angela Michelle is one of the slide shows featured at PechaKucha Tuesday at Blue Star. Courtesy
Presenters share passion with slide shows.
Angela Michelle’s focus is on underwater, fashion-inspired photography. Courtesy
By Adriana Ruiz
aruiz168@student.alamo.edu
Experience others’ passion through an artistic slide presentation at PechaKucha, Japanese for “chitchat,” 6:30 p.m-9:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum, 116 Blue Star.
PechaKucha features storytelling by an array of artists and passionate people who specialize in media such as painting, photography, graphic design and even real estate.
Vicki Yuan, committee chair for PechaKucha, said the event takes the idea of the traditional PowerPoint presentation and limits the artist to 20 slides.
Each slide lasts about 20 seconds before automatically switching to the next slide, giving the presenters a total of six minutes and 40 seconds.
Yuan said the idea originated in Tokyo by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Klien Dytham architecture in 2003. The duo created the event as a platform for young professionals, designers and architects to show their work in an informal environment.
Yuan said the event is a fun, quick format that has spread internationally to more than 700 cities.
“I think part of its success is the simple format,” Yuan said.
She said PechaKucha has taken place in San Antonio 12 times in the past four years.
Yuan said the event has been growing every year and organizers expect about 350 people will attend.
Eight people will present. She said the only requirement is that the presenter be based in San Antonio.
Photographer Angela Michelle Ramos, a former photographer for The Ranger, who goes by Angela Michelle, will present. She is the owner of Raven Red Photography.
She specializes in fashion-inspired, conceptual shooting, and her presentation will feature underwater fashion photography.
She used a point-and-shoot camera for her underwater photography and was inspired by the idea that expensive equipment is not needed to make great work.
“I wanted to make it a point that the latest and greatest equipment is not needed,” she said.
Although she used a simple camera for her photos, Michelle said she put emphasis on the other aspects like lighting, aperture and ISO.
South Town urban pioneer Michael Casey will present his story on the evolution of the Sala Diaz gallery and the Casa Chuck compound in the King William neighborhood.
Casey said his presentation will include details of his journey of buying real estate in the neighborhood.
Yuan said Casey was invited to present this time around because the event is at the Blue Star and it would be a great opportunity for him to speak on his history of the neighborhood.
“Mike (Casey) is like the unofficial mayor of South Town,” Yuan said.
Admission is a $5 donation at the door.
For more information, visit www.pechakucha.org/cities/san-antonio/events/ 52fcf410dbdd20012f00000b.
