Getten featured artist at Northern

Press release

The Montana State University-Northern October artist of the month is Teresa Webber Getten.

Getten has been well-known in the Havre community for at least the last three years since her days working for a local newspaper and, most recently, as a freelance portrait photographer.

"The most important thing to capture in a photograph is the moment, the emotion and the story," she said. "Sometimes, as a photographer, you have to wait for the right moment. Once you get your composition, you have to be patient and brave."

With photography, she added, light is really important. It is the photographer's job to capture emotion, and in the case of a photojournalism, one of the most important aspects is to portray real emotion.

Getten, who is originally from Utah, has formal training in graphic design and photojournalism in addition to humanities.

"I had the opportunity to take photography classes with teachers who had great expertise working for the New York Times, and the Washington Post, for example," she said.

In regard to how she developed a passion for photography, she says she fell in love with creating photos during her times in the dark room.

"I spent long hours in the dark room," Getten said. "There was definitely something soothing in this place with the running water and the red light that kept me there for hours. I could say that since then I have also been fascinated with light and shadow."

She said photojournalism is about telling a story. Pictures help to get attention to the situation. Currently, Getten gets many requests for newborn, wedding and portrait photography.

She has experienced adverse times in her life, which has had a few detours, one of which led her to Havre.

"I remember taking pictures of my first rodeo, my first cattle drive. Life was good," she said. "I couldn't believe I got paid to do what I love."

As far as the pictures Getten is presenting this month, two of them are moments during the powwow at Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation. The pictures have no names, but they represent "the pride of Native American women; everything that embodies their identity and culture," she said.

Another picture is a senior portrait. Getten said the girl's expression in the picture portrays innocence and vulnerability.

  The MSU-N Office of Diversity Awareness and Multicultural Programs invites local and regional artists to exhibit their pieces, preferably those that have some link to multicultural themes. For more information, contact [email protected] or call 265-3589.