'Luminance & Order'
An exhibit of photographs by Geanna Merola opens Friday at McKay Imaging Photography Studio and Gallery in Red Bank. "Luminance & Order" will run through May 15 at the gallery, located on the second floor of 12 Monmouth St. Merola currently teaches photography and the history of photography at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft.

"Bottle Still Life No. 2"

Many of the works included in "Luminance & Order" are photograms, cameraless photographs created by placing objects onto photographic paper and exposing it to light. The character of the objects is transferred to the print in a way that makes them appear sensuous andmysterious, often resembling X-rays or artifacts from an archeological dig, Merola explains.

"The prints have a minimal simplicity … and act as sketches or notes for more profound ideas," she writes in an artist's statement. "It has been common forme to combine and organize images fromnature, art and science to create a finished work."

Other prints explore the possibilities of using various materials for photograms and combining them with photographic images that are contact-printed or projected. The still life images in one group use contact-printed negatives that are exposed along with paper and tissue placed on top or underneath the film. The photogram elements add texture and pattern to the images as well as altering the picture space in interesting ways, she said.

"Sea Glass Photogram"

Additional uses of the negative include cutting the negative image to eliminate or recombine the photographic information. This technique can be seen in prints such as "Nests" and "Eggs and Tray" or the still life images of bottles, which have been cut, repositioned and contact-printed together, according toMerola.

Merola's use of photography spans a period of over 30 years. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, inEurope and SouthAmerica.

Her work is included in private, public and major corporate collections and has appeared on CDcovers aswell as book covers forworks of fiction and poetry.

Merola divides her time between New York City andOceanGrove,where she keeps a studio near her home.

"Still Life With Photogram No. 1"

Gallery hours atMcKay Imaging Photography Studio andGallery are 1-7 p.m.Wednesday and Thursday, or by appointment.

For information, visit www.mckayimaging. com.