by Mark G. Sullivan

Created on: August 11, 2010

As the years have slid by the artist in me is finally making an escape. This has appeared in the form of writer and photographer, both fighting their way through stages of infancy. With each article written the words seem to flow easier while the photographs become richer in color.  Now the time has come to write an article about photography, certainly not about my “shots”, but those of award winning photographer Bill Straus.

The biography of Bill Straus states he has been a professional photographer since 1973. It further explains that his background in the field of photography was anything but, having received an AA degree in Social Sciences and a BS degree in Business Administration. At this point photography became an integral part of his life, having been hired by the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper to capture the excitement of football games via still photography.

His professional career got a start in 1977, when taking a full time position with a Lexington television station, followed with a stint at an advertising design firm. Then in 1978, Bill Straus made the break and became a free-lance photographer for hire. Bill's success has been the result of hard work and a keen eye, resulting in the transformation of his subject matter into works of art.

In the past thirty plus years, Mr. Straus’s photographs have shown the world his ability to capture the essence of a subject. Whether working for a corporate client, catching the movement of a sporting event, or his specialty, horses, the viewer will feel as if they are part of the moment.

While reviewing his extensive portfolio, I continually returned to the photographs of the many horse races. The action caught allowed me to feel the pounding of the hoofs, as the jockeys demanded the most from their ride. Both work as a single force, pushing hard to be one-step faster than any other in the race. Amazingly, Bill Straus has the ability to take the viewer to the spot of the action, leaving one to speculate the outcome.

Still, as a reviewer, I have a tendency to look beyond the subject matter. What else has been captured that brings additional depth to the photograph? Many times the obvious is just the beginning of the story. The whipping of leaves, raindrops pounding the dirt, shadows cast by billowing clouds, human excitement or even lack of by those involved, all give the photograph depth. The photo's Mr. Straus creates, catches all these and more.

One such photograph that tells multiple stories is of the 2008 Kentucky Derby winner, Big Brown. It shows the horse and jockey gliding across the dirt, as if out for an enjoyable afternoon's ride. However, look beyond, into the enclosed boxes and a completely different story is taking place.

Is it a celebration or a sign of exasperation? We have no way of knowing. Yet the excitement bursting forth from the background will generate interesting conversations for years to come. This is Bill Straus at his best.

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