By By JAMES COLLINS / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Harry Trescher and his daughter Karen Rubin share a passion for photography and their new gallery at the Riverfront Cafe proves it is more than just a hobby.
The exhibit showcases some stunning images with the local charm of Trescher's work and the international flavor of Rubin's work.
Their work will be on display throughout the month of August in the Riverfront Cafe's art gallery located upstairs.
Trescher, who was the staff photographer for the Niles Daily Star from 1953 to 1957, has been taking pictures as a hobby for nearly his entire life. He now has his own studio, H. Trescher Fine Art Photography.
Rubin, a 1971 Niles High School graduate, was a nurse for 10 years before she became a professional photographer and owner of Karen Rubin Photographing, Inc.
In fact, she remembers the exact day her career path took a dramatic shift – May 1, 1984.
It all started when she gave birth to her first son, Joshua.
She brought the pictures of her son to work and co-workers were so impressed they told her that she should be taking picture professionally.
Rubin took the advice to heart and invested $5,000 in a camera, lenses, lights and the other equipment needed to start a studio.
In addition to being naturally drawn to children, Rubin saw the need for a studio that specialized in photographing children.
After running the studio out of her home for seven years and enrolling in numerous photography classes and workshops, she has become a nationally renowned children's photographer with her own Denver-based studio.
She has received five prestigious Kodak Gallery Awards, four Fuji Masterpiece Awards and her work has been displayed at Epcot Center in Florida.
But, it is not her work in children's photography that will be on display at Riverfront Cafe, it is a collection images from her travels around the world including places like Italy, Israel and China.
Rubin said her main reason for returning to Niles was the opportunity to share a gallery with her father.
And after their photographic outings, the father and daughter enjoy sitting down together and processing the images in Adobe Photoshop.
They have both taken to digital photography and many of their images currently on display in Niles, show the colorful effects that the new digital age can provide.
Rubin was much more selective when taking photos with film and said digital cameras now allow her to shoot away without holding back.
With digital photography, Trescher said you are able to eliminate the lab and put your own personal touch on the photographs.
n extensive look at Rubin's work can be viewed at the Karen Rubin Photographing website, www.karenrubin.com. For more information on H. Trescher Fine Art Photography, call (269)684-4664.