Reviews

Review by Elizabeth Avedon; Show submission review

There are images that construct playful narratives by reflected body language. Some images have playful narratives and visual experiences as a result of careful alignment and framing. And there are Images that feel like purely formal explorations. There's a certain sense of play that comes across in these photographs. 

​

Review by Ashley Hink; NC State “Technician.”, published 9-12-2003
Reflections and altered surfaces show.

Charlie captures city scenes through reflections and altered lighting to create distorted yet honest images. The pictures appear manipulated  through computer design, but are indeed true images obscured by glass, window, metal and water reflections.

​

Review by Lennie Bennett; ST PETERSBURG TIMES ONLINE – TAMPA BAY – Published 10-19-2003 – “IMAGE AND INTIMATION.
“From Ansel Adams to Burt Uzzle – St Petersburg Museum of Fine Art  - Permanent Collection.”

Charles Cawley’s Winslow, AZ is a “what else they are” landscape, a digital color print of a rest area in a national park with a cut-out viewing window in a brick wall framing and minimizing the magnificent view, like a photograph of the scene rather than the real one. It's a witty reminder of the mistake tourists often make so busy trying to memorialize a trip on film that they miss the experience of actually being there.

​

​

Review by Peter Sasgen; Introduction to book SCENE: ST AUGUSTINE 

Like those group F64 photographers back in the day, Cawley’s photographs, whether his self-described H20tographs, his aptly named “Refletage” series, or humor and night scenes are made in the camera. They are not created using a computer program, nor are they manipulated to rearrange objects or enhance the uncanny and sophisticated juxtaposition of the elements that make these pictures so beautiful and mysterious; And also, fun! More than anything they are pure, honest, and bold.

​

*Refletage: (ref-luh-taj) -  A combination of the French word refleter - meaning “to reflect”, with the suffix “age” as in collage.                                 

 (History of Photography Journal; Oxford UK, spring 95 issue; Charles Cawley: “Refletage.”)

​

Review by Chris Bodor, founding member of Ancient City Poets. Beat Poet Laureate, State of Florida 2023-2025.Back cover jacket for book SCENE: ST AUGUSTINE

The photography of Charlie will speak to you. His images are slice-of-life stories, told from the point of view of a tour guide that is part professor, court jester and confessor. The streets of saint Augustine are filled with poetry and Cawley gives us an eyeful of verse in this well-crafted collection.