About the Photographer
Ernest T. Koch
Ernest became fascinated with photography as a child while playing with his mother’s Kodak Brownie camera. In the Army (while stationed in Hawaii in the late 60’s) that fascination became a passion. He is a self-taught photographer and is continually sharpening his skills. Recognizing there is always something new and exciting to learn, he strives to keep up with new software and technology, always imagining how he can be uniquely creative with each new photograph. Why? Because, photography is not simply a picture on a piece of paper. To Ernest, each picture is truly a work of art.
Ernest enjoyed his childhood years in Philadelphia with his teens in Bucks County. He settled in Southampton (Bucks County) after marriage to his lovely wife, Sharon (50th Anniversary in 2022). In June of 2022, they moved to Perkasie. They have three wonderful daughters and a niece (like a fourth daughter) with six treasured grandchildren and a grandnephew (five boys and two girls).
Ernest was a project manager for commercial construction building stores up and down the East Coast, but his heart was always in his photography. After an early retirement in 2010, he was ready and finally able to focus his full attention on his fine art photography. Inspired by the words of renowned photographer Ansel Adams, who said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it,” Ernest set out to make it his mission to make each image he captures a distinctive work of art. His focus is on landscapes, waterscapes, cityscapes, and nature in black and white or color (and sometimes black and white with a splash of color) either natural, infrared, or digital enhancement. Color, composition, and creativity are the hallmark of Ernest’s outstanding portfolio of work.
Ernest’s first group exhibition was in 2008 at Allens Lane Art Center in Philadelphia. Years of group, solo, and juried exhibitions have followed (and continue) in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Throughout that time, he has been humbled to see his work recognized and validated with many honors and awards. Ernest also had his photographs chosen for publication in the prestigious “Philadelphia Stories Magazine" in the Spring Editions of 2023 and 2021 and the Winter Edition of 2022. He was a long-time contributing photographer for Orchard Artworks and Bristol Centre for the Arts (which both, sadly, have now closed). He is currently an active member of Artists of Bristol on the Delaware.
In addition to keeping busy with his family and his photography, Ernest believes in giving back to the community. To that end, he was active in his church and was a volunteer at a local food pantry. He also enjoys supporting and encouraging the work of other photographers and was, for many years, the Curator of the annual PERT photography contest and exhibition. He looks forward to the volunteer opportunities that being a new member of the Perkasie community will present.
Ernest extends his thanks to you for visiting his website and invites you to enjoy his work.
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Review: By Janet Purcell | The Times of Trenton | Re: Straube Center Exhibition 2020
“Ernest T. Koch is an exceptional photographer. Be prepared to be stopped in your tracks when you come upon his “Bleeding Hearts,” where nine bleeding blooms gracefully trail like dancers across the lower portion of the black picture plane while two green leaf clusters emerge from the darkness. His photographs have a quality that causes them to look very much like paintings. For example, in “Big Brother,” showing two little boys walking hand in hand away down a wooded path, light falls softly on the backs of the children and the far distance is blurred into its own gentleness. And in “Bloomin’ Beauty,” while the flowers of importance are seen clearly, others have edges blurred, as do the stems and leaves -- much as a painter would do. The spirit of Koch's work is evident in the closing words of his artist statement: 'I look forward with great anticipation to the images yet to be seen --and the works of art yet to be created.’”
Serving the Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia areas.