My Turn
Bob Estrin at
Tucson Jewish Community Center
Bob Estrin at
Tucson Jewish Community Center

My name is Bob Estrin and I am a fine art photographer from Gilbert, AZ. My first solo exhibit in Tucson will be at the Tucson Jewish Community Center Fine Art Gallery from June 5 – July 10, 2014. Artist reception is June 5, 5:30 - 7:30 pm. I hope some of you can visit and see my art on display at 3800 E River Road, Tucson, AZ Hours: M-Th 9-9, Friday and Sunday 9-6. Free. My website is www.bobestrin.com .
I recently embarked on a two week adventure to see what is in Southern New Mexico with that location selected mainly because I have not been there before.
My first two days was in Tucson. I tend to look for interesting areas to photograph and drive around a lot. One place I visited in Tucson was a historic music store called “The Chicago Store”. Since I grew up in a suburb of Chicago and the store had many interesting items from the past in the windows I went inside. Much of my photography has to do with object from the past and when I saw an old stairway in the back leading up to a Mezzanine Area. I had asked the owner if I could photograph from this restricted area.
I recently embarked on a two week adventure to see what is in Southern New Mexico with that location selected mainly because I have not been there before.
My first two days was in Tucson. I tend to look for interesting areas to photograph and drive around a lot. One place I visited in Tucson was a historic music store called “The Chicago Store”. Since I grew up in a suburb of Chicago and the store had many interesting items from the past in the windows I went inside. Much of my photography has to do with object from the past and when I saw an old stairway in the back leading up to a Mezzanine Area. I had asked the owner if I could photograph from this restricted area.

I was told I could but be careful of the low tin 6’ ceilings. It was very interesting with hundreds of old stored instruments lining the floors of every room. While exploring, I noticed a banjo with a big tear in it. It had a tag on in that it was in for repair but most likely was abandoned perhaps years or decades ago. With the beautiful side lighting coming from a large old window probably from the 1940’s, the banjo was just asking to be photographed. You can see the image below named “Banjo on a Tear”. In total I spent about a half hour photographing different locations and instruments and had a fun time.
Many times with my photography, I use it as an excuse to go places I may not normally go or in this case ask someone that does not know me to explore an area normally out of bounds to customers. Many of my photographs have a story like this and I find that my customers enjoy seeing the connection between the artist and the art work through these stories.
Click on images to enlarge
Many times with my photography, I use it as an excuse to go places I may not normally go or in this case ask someone that does not know me to explore an area normally out of bounds to customers. Many of my photographs have a story like this and I find that my customers enjoy seeing the connection between the artist and the art work through these stories.
Click on images to enlarge

This New Mexico trip brought me too many scenic locations, ghost towns, abandoned homes, mines to Indian ruins. I also had numerous opportunities to explore my most recent fascination with door images. I went from visiting art museums and galleries to walking on the sand dunes at White Sands at 11pm with my only light source being a full moon. On my brief visit to El Paso, TX for the day, I somehow almost ending up in Mexico and I was lucky that the border patrol stopped some cars to let me make a U turn before it was too late and I was back on my way in 10 minutes.
I always try to put my experiences I feel while photographing into my images since much of the final image is done after the initial image is taken and is part of my artistic workflow process.
Tucson Jewish Community Center http://www.tucsonjcc.org/
I always try to put my experiences I feel while photographing into my images since much of the final image is done after the initial image is taken and is part of my artistic workflow process.
Tucson Jewish Community Center http://www.tucsonjcc.org/