Ertanax: The Photography of Frank Miller

Resume

I have been a full-time professional photographer since 1996. I have worked in academia, journalism and as a freelancer. I am also an active artist, and regularly exhibit my photography. I have maintained a gallery in Portland for two years, featuring a wide range of artists. I have work in the permanent collection of the George Eastman House and am represented by the Corbis Fine Art division.

I have management experience administering photographic staff and resources in a variety of environments. I proactively work with other team-members during design and concept stages of projects, administration of departmental resources, and achievement of strategic goals. I have been in charge of beginning the photography wing in the publications departments at two universities.

Education

MA in Photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin, 1997.

BA in Japanese Language & Literature from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, 1989.

Additional Training

Professional Experience

Willamette University Office of Communications — Salem, Oregon

Publications Photographer, 8/02–present

Created photography position from zero. Purchased equipment, established digital workflow and set up relationships with clients and suppliers. Implemented and fine-tuned a database and archiving system, which incorporated previous film holdings with new material, and allowed designers rapid access to images. Managed student workers and hired freelancers. Partnered with Hallie Ford Art Museum to create on-site digital copy area. Together with web designer, created successful multimedia presentations, and worked with a video production agency to create a short promotional videos. Photographed extensively, winning numerous awards.

Awards

2007 CASE District VIII Competition

  • Gold medal, series of photographs
  • Gold medal, overall publication (shared)
  • Bronze medal, individual photograph
  • Bronze medal, digitally enhanced photograph

2006 CASE District VIII Competition

  • Gold medal, series of photographs
  • Gold medal, overall publication (shared)
  • Gold medal, special materials design — dvd (shared)

2005 CASE District VIII Competition

  • Bronze medal, Individual photograph
  • Bronze medal, digitally manipulated photograph
  • Bronze medal, series of photographs

2004 CASE District VIII Competition

  • Grand Gold medal, annual report (shared)
  • Gold medal, individual photograph

2003 CASE District VIII Competition

  • Gold medal, series of photographs
  • Silvermedal, fundraising publication (shared)

2002 CASE District VIII Competition

  • Bronze medal, Student Recruitment Publications
University of Oregon Department of Art — Eugene, Oregon

Website Project Manager, 2/02–8/02

Lead team in design and construction of website for university Art Department. Generated designs, created and edited content and managed student workers. Acted as liaison between art department administration and web team members.

University at Buffalo (SUNY) Office of Creative Services — Buffalo, New York

Photographer and Digital Media Specialist, 9/98–1/02

Chief photographer and digital media specialist, managing photography department and creating film and digital images for use in university brochures, magazines, newspapers and websites. Created computer graphic illustrations and layouts for use in publications. Collaborated with designers on conceptual and production phases of projects. Directed photography staff and administered resources. Completely overhauled long-defunct photo area, replacing obsolete or inoperable equipment, establishing relationships with suppliers and bringing in digital technology. Restructured photo archives and streamlined holdings. Received Service Excellence Award for development of inter-organizational liaison to share digital resources.

Awards

2002 CASE II District Competition

  • Bronze medal, Student Recruitment Publications

2001 Western New York Awards for Creative Excellence

  • Silver medal for Individual Photograph (unpublished)
  • Bronze medal (2) for Individual Photograph (published & unpublished)
  • Silver medal for Best Cover (UB Today, Spring/Summer 2000 Issue)
  • Silver medal for Best Magazine (UB Today, Winter 2000 Issue)
  • Bronze medal for Individual Photograph
  • Silver medal for Campus Magazine (UB Today, Fall 99 Issue)
  • Silver medal for Creativity (“UB in 3-D” Fall Preview Day guide)

2000 Western New York Awards for Creative Excellence

  • Bronze medal for Computer Generated/Digital Art
  • Bronze medal for Still Photography — Color

1999 CASE National Competition

  • Silver medal (shared) for (“UB in 3-D” Fall Preview Day Guide)

1999 University Photographers Association of America Competition

  • Second Place Award, “Viewbooks” category
The Killeen Daily Herald — Killeen, Texas

Photo Editor/Chief Photographer, 4/97–8/98

Photographed complete range of subject matter and managed department for daily newspaper, circulation 24,000. Coordinated with other departments to generate assignments. Edited work of self and other photographer, oversaw photography resources and managed freelance workers.

Awards
  • First place, “Feature Photography” category, 1997 Texas Associated Press Managing Editors awards
  • 1997 Certificate of Recognition from the Associated Press for team photo coverage of 1997 tornado in Jarrell, Texas
The Williamson County Sun — Georgetown, Texas

Photo Editor/Chief Photographer, 5/96–4/97

Photographed a wide range of stories, contributing 75% of photography used in bi-weekly newspaper, circulation 8,500. Also trained and supervised part-time photographic staff. Designed and photographed monthly photo pages.

Osaka Nishikawa Kabushiki-Gaisha, Pin Dot Kojo — Osaka, Japan

Corporate Interpreter and Production Supervisor, 10/90–11/93

Acted as liaison and between American and Japanese companies engaged in joint manufacturing venture and translated communications between them. Contributed to the design, implementation and streamlining of manufacturing system. Trained manufacturing staff.

Teaching Experience

University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon 6/02–8/02

Adjunct Faculty

Taught intensive class in Digital Imaging to students ranging from absolute beginner to advanced levels. The course covered photography basics, such as lighting and composition, as well as digital techniques (scanning, retouching and digital capture). Created syllabus, lectures and assignments. Advised students and graded work.

Oregon State University Corvallis, Oregon 4/02–6/02

Adjunct Faculty

Designed and taught undergraduate class in Visual Literacy for Art Department. The course, with an enrollment of 65 students, covered basics of design with an emphasis on photographic history and analysis of current advertising devices.

University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas 9/94–12/95

Teaching Assistant

Taught undergraduate level photography course in Journalism Department.

LL Obunsha English Conversation School Kochi, Japan 9/89–9/90

English language instructor for private conversation school.

Madison Area Technical College Madison, Wisconsin 6/89–8/89

Volunteer teaching assistant in English as a Second Language (ESL) program.

Portfolio

Selected Solo Exhibitions & Awards
2007
TRUST, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, solo exhibition, Eugene, Oregon.
2005
Still, George Eastman House, purchase award, Rochester, New York.
2004
Still, KODOKU Gallery, solo exhibition, Portland, Oregon.
2003
Reliquary of Desire, Room 301 Gallery, solo exhibition, Bloomington, Illinois.
2003
Hope, KODOKU Gallery, solo exhibition, Portland, Oregon.
2002
Reliquary of Desire, SRO Photo Gallery, solo exhibition, Lubbock, Texas.
2001
Souvenirs, CEPA Gallery, solo exhibition, Buffalo, New York.
2001
Reliquary of Desire, CEPA Gallery, solo exhibition, Buffalo, New York.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2005
One Foot After Another, Mark Wooley Gallery, Portland, Oregon.
2003
Work by New Means: Recent Digital Photographic Prints, Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR.
2002
23rd Annual Mini-Works, Jacksonvillle State University Gallery, Jacksonville, Alabama.
2002 National Artworks, Joan Kuyper Farver Art Gallery, Pella, Iowa.
2002 FacultyWork, OSU Gallery, Corvallis, Oregon.
2001
Bienniale d’Arte Fotografica del Mediterraneo 2001, Mediterranean Foundation for Arte, Calgari, Italy.
Curious Journey, Makeready Press Gallery, Montclair, New Jersey.
Small Impressions, Printmaking Council of New Jersey, Somerville, New Jersey.
Invitational 2001, Period Gallery, Omaha, Nebraska.
Here and Now, Digital D.U.M.B.O. Gallery, Brooklyn, New York.
2000
Near Blighted, Open Space Gallery, Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Buried Within, Hunger Artist Gallery, Sante Fe, New Mexico.
New Images 2000, Gallery 214, Montclair, New Jersey. Featured photographer.
The Stage Gallery, Merrick, New York.
28th Annual Photo Exhibition, The Larson Gallery, Yakima Washington.
10th Annual New Images Exhibition, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
1999
Convergence 99, The Carnegie Art Center, Tonawanda, New York.
12th Annual McNeese Works on Paper Exhibition, McNeese State University, Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Barrett Art Center, Poughkeepsie, New York.
Body Prints, The Printmaking Council of New Jersey, Somerville, New Jersey.
1998
Featured photographer on Spilled Ink online gallery.
Asian Eyes, The College St. Gallery, Buffalo, New York.
Work Published
2004
Shots Magazine Winter 2004, single image.
2003
The Portland Review, images from Reliquary of Desire Series.
2002
disCourse collective, featuring images from Passengers and Airin series.
2001
Slipstream Journal of Poetry, featuring images from Reliquary of Desire series.

Philosophy

Now and then people ask me what kind of photography I do.

The truth is, I have never had to declare an area of specialization. I hope I never do.

For me, the challenge (and, naturally, the fun) is finding myself in a new situation, with a new set of variables. It is this change that keeps photography fresh and vital.

I firmly believe that everything is useful, even though it may not be in the way that one first hoped or intended. Thus, I try to learn something with every shoot. I don’t exactly know where the things I learn will be useful, but I have faith that somehow they will. We are the products of our experiences, and the things I learn photographing a skyline in Shanghai are with me when I’m photographing a handful of seashells on a table.

imilarly, I always approach professional work as collaborative. Ideally, all of the people involved in making a publication work (photographer, designer, printer, viewer, etc) contribute something so that the finished product is more than the sum of the parts.