Dennis
Barloga’s experience
with photography began
in 1966, when, as a
Peace Corps member, he
received the gift of a
camera to document his
time in the Polynesian
islands of Tonga. He was
immediately fascinated
by the challenge.
Upon his return to
the United States, he
began to study
commercial photography
at San Francisco City
College. Even before his
studies were over he was
offered freelance
commercial work in news,
public relations and
portraiture. Although
his successes quickly
mounted, so did a sense
of something lacking.
In 1973 Barloga
turned toward quieter,
more expressive,
non-commercial work. His
new approach, concerned
mostly with nature’s
moods, colors, designs,
and forms, formed a body
of work which is now
collected on five
continents and
throughout the United
States, and has appeared
nationally in books,
magazines and calendars.
In 1979 Barloga
opened the Dennis
Barloga Gallery in San
Francisco, California,
which he ran until 1986.
In that year Barloga
took his first trip to
Europe, and a new
photographic interest
was awakened by the
architectural beauty he
found there. Doors,
windows, house fronts,
storefronts, and café
scenes all became new
subject matter. “I was
inspired to change my
focus. I found that
Europe’s villages, with
their charming, everyday
details, spoke to me. I
always wonder what it
would be like to live on
the other side of a
particular door or
window.” During the past
several years, he has
continued to visit
Europe to capture the
quaintness of the
villages on film, adding
to his portfolio of
images.
