A Close-up of Photographer Peter Cram
Colorchrome brings color, patterns, and movement to drab office walls with the help of photographers like our longtime collaborator and partner Peter Cram, whose magnificent artistry brings the outdoors indoors. Our business has grown in partnership with artists and photographers like Peter, who trust us as a creative partner for their fine art printing and framing needs.
Peter has been taking photos since the age of nine and has worked with us since 2014. His first project was an oversized print of Mid Tide for a South Carolina restaurant that utilized a specialty laminate recommended to him by Colorchrome. Peter was thrilled with the result and has since relied on our printing expertise for all of his high-end residential and commercial clients. He is also the photographer behind some of the gorgeous float framed canvas pieces that hang in the Colorchrome offices.
Peter uses a variety of Colorchrome’s printing and mounting techniques but primarily uses a photographic paper as the base. “A lot of my work, I believe, shows well on a satin finish photographic paper. I like the softness and organic feel that the paper gives an image”, says Peter. “My images also do well with the more contemporary look of metal and acrylic face-mount.”
The Lowcountry Look
The striking features in Calm Waters, shown above, are in many ways representative of Peter’s home and happy place. He resides in the South Carolina lowcountry adjacent to the salt marshes of a wildlife refuge. When asked how he finds his inspiration, Peter told us that “he is always looking at light and patterns over the salt marsh which are constantly changing throughout the day and the seasons.”
When he is out in his kayak or boat, he often brings his iPhone to capture the setting. These spontaneous shots inspire him to return with his gear at particular times of day to get the right shot.
Capturing an Opportunity
For most of his life, keeping a camera close by has been part of Peter’s method for capturing whatever was right in front of him – and getting some of the best photographs as a result. Peter got his start as a professional photographer in 1978.
“I was asked by a friend for some abstract images to put in a new restaurant she was decorating,” he explains. “I happened to be experimenting at the time with long exposure shots of flocks of birds in flight, so I used that idea to get the abstract images for the restaurant.”
Around the same time, a gallery owner asked him to join a group show after seeing one of his pieces through a mutual friend. “The abstract landscapes that I put in the show received good reviews, so that got me going,” he says.
Peter had a small photography business in the 1980s but never anticipated it becoming a lifelong career. He continued to grow the business with the expansion of his online presence, as well as gallery representation and interior designer clients. He is currently in the process of developing an eCommerce website.
Going Digital
Since his business’ beginning, his aesthetic has shifted to more abstract imagery and an acceptance and appreciation for Photoshop and editing platforms. “I used to be more of a purist, trying to stay true to what comes out of the camera,” Peter says. “In Photoshop, I love to see what I can create from my images. I guess that you could call that digital art, but I still need to start with a good photo.”
As far as future work, he says he hopes to focus more on editing some of the thousands of photos he has taken. “At this point, I am getting out to shoot photos whenever I can, but for now, I’ll be working more on creating art in Photoshop.”
When we asked Peter if he had any closing comments, he remarked, “Buy more art! Seriously, Colorchrome has been great to work with and I look forward to many more years of a productive relationship.”
You can find more of Peter’s work at Four Corners Fine Art in Bluffton, SC and Camellia Art in Hilton Head, SC. Or if you’re ever in our area, his pieces are featured here in the Colorchrome office – we’d love to host you for a tour of our facility. Peter is also on Instagram at @peter_c_cram or you can visit his website at www.petercramphotography.com. If you would like to explore different printing, mounting and framing techniques for your photography, let’s start a conversation.