At least that's the premise for the nature photographs by noted psychiatrist and photographer Alvin Rosenfeld in "Prey Predators and Peace," showing at the Images Gallery in Old Greenwich.
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Rosenfeld is a psychiatrist frequently quoted in mainstream media, regularly appearing on TV and radio talk shows. When photographing underwater, he creatively segues from his field but doesn't stray far. In his notes for the show, Rosenfeld suggests that photographs are a catalyst for introspection, touching on hidden fears and long-held secrets only to reveal an unexpected inner beauty. In other words, if you can see past your fear of sharks -- or phobias in general -- there is an incredible (underwater) world.
Rosenfeld softens his psychiatric bent with jovial titles as he sashays the wild kingdom into our world, redefining the animals in our terms. "Divorce Lawyer," depicting the penetrating eyes of a shark baring its sharp, glinty fangs, is edgy and disarming. We recoil with the idea that Rosenfeld got this close to what is often considered a predator.
In "Going My Way," an azure-hued Carribean reef squid, whose eye is in the middle of its body, lingers effortlessly with translucent fins in a blue-black sea, stilling the moment. The squid, with its three-pronged, snout-like antenna reading the currents, is slightly illuminated and heady in its reference to individuality. In "First Step Towards Recovery," the head of a yellow-striped fish with orange and black eyes seems to be emerging from a wide, pink dimpled surface of coral reef with a splash of gray organic matter at the side. Is the fish being pulled in or jettisoning out through the reef? The title suggests a ritual passage of sorts, analogous to getting through the stuff of life.
From land side, there are captivating shots of elephants, zebras and birds. "Republican National Convention" is three elephants in a hub-bub at a watering hole, tusk to tusk. A half-dozen river otters pose en masse for the camera in "Yes." A lioness settles near a gnarled tree, the sun catching her chin.
Some photographs of the ever-fascinating, mighty bald eagle have one perched atop a tree, another close-up of him posed gallantly in a field, another mid-dive with talons just skimming the water. "The Beauty" is a small, multicolored bird claiming its brilliance as it claws a single tree-top branch against a clear blue sky. In "Bull Market," curly horned bovines -- the only sepia-toned photograph in the show -- has the weighty cows in center frame with light, prickly strands of grass in the foreground and an atmospheric kick of dust in the background.
Whether all photographs in this show have a secret meaning, as Rosenfeld intones, is ultimately up to individual interpretation. Beyond that, the work is a great look at wildlife, a global appeal for us all.
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"Prey, Predators and Peace," photographs by Alvin Rosenfeld, will be on view through Nov. 2 at Images Gallery, 202 Sound Beach Ave., Old Greenwich. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 637-4193.
