ONEONTA _ An Oneonta native who lives and works in California has captured the city like no photographer before him.
An exhibit at the State University College at Oneonta featuring the work of Stephen Joseph showcases 360-degree, panoramic photographs of the landmarks, homes, businesses and people of his hometown.
The exhibit is nearing the end of its one-month run at the Martin-Mullen Art Gallery at SUCO and has been well-received, said gallery director Tim Sheesley on Tuesday.
The photographs are made from eight fish-eye images of each landmark stitched together by computer, Joseph said in a statement on display with the exhibit.
"It gives a very different perspective on space," Sheesley said.
Subjects of Joseph's photos include Damaschke Field, Table Rocks, the old Delaware & Hudson railyards, Steven's Hardware, New Year's Eve at the Novelty Lounge, the Oneonta Fire Department and many other businesses, landmarks and sights around the city.
Forty-four photographs are on exhibit, and together they provide a portrait of how Oneonta looks today.
With the expected renovation of the former Bresee's Department Store, the photograph of that building on a winter night could soon be considered a portrait of how Oneonta once looked, Sheesley said.
"I have never lost the affection for the town I was born and raised in," Joseph said in the exhibit statement.
The 55-year-old moved to California in the 1970s, first for college and then for a career in photography.
Joseph dedicated the exhibit, titled, "Portrait of a Town: Stephen Joseph Celebrates Oneonta," to his parents, Bunny and Howard Joseph.
"I thought it was great," Bunny Joseph said Tuesday night from her Oneonta home. "He worked for a few years on this."
The project began in 2003 with the studio of Jack Beal and Sandra Freckelton and continued until this year.
Bunny Joseph said more than 100 people turned out for a reception earlier this month celebrating the exhibit, which was designed to commemorate the centennial of the city of Oneonta.
Oneonta resident Dave Hutchison, one of those at the reception, said the exhibit is wonderful and people should take the time to see it while it is still open.
"He's done a great job," Hutchison said. "His whole life is photography."
Hutchison, who appears in a photograph of the Autumn Cafe and is a friend of the Joseph family, said many of the establishments featured in the exhibit have received copies of the photos.
But, he said, he's not sure if all of the photographs will ever all be in one place at the same time again.
Joseph's first book, "Nature's Beloved Son, Rediscovering John Muir's Botanical Legacy," is scheduled for release this year. He is working on two more books, which feature images from Muir Woods National Monument and panoramic images of Mount Diablo, both locations in California.
The photographs from the SUCO exhibit are available for sale through the Greater Oneonta Historical Society, and a percentage of the $250 cost will be donated to the society.
The exhibit runs until July 31. The Martin-Mullen Art gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.
