Red River Blog September 2019 Archives

How does this New York photographer turn national parks and city streets into fine art? THROUGH MUSEUM-QUALITY PRINTS MADE EXCLUSIVELY WITH RED RIVER PAPER From Courtroom to Camera Since founding his business in 2010, artist and author Xiomáro (pronounced SEE-oh-MAH-ro) has carved a singular path through the art world — one that began with a cancer diagnosis, a camera, and a quiet act of reinvention. After overcoming prostate cancer in 2005, the former entertainment lawyer found solace wandering New York City's streets with a camera. That meditative practice evolved into a thriving career, including commissions from the U.S. National Park Service to photograph historic sites across the country. What sets Xiomáro apart is his deliberate focus on the overlooked. Rather than chasing iconic landmarks, he turns his lens on lesser-known national parks and the everyday streets of large cities, revealing the hidden humanity and history that tourist maps rarely capture. That work has earned him solo exhibitions at Smithsonian-affiliated museums, PBS coverage, and a growing catalog of street photography books chronicling urban life as "future history." Enter Red River Paper Xiomáro does all his own printing, something that surprises many gallery visitors who assume the quality demands an outside lab. For that level of results, he turns exclusively to Red River Paper, relying on a variety of sizes and finishes to suit each project. His “absolute favorite” is Polar Luster Metallic 255 (17x25"), prized for its rich contrast, luminous color depth, and a luster finish that enhances without creating glare. For exhibitions where lighting demands a subtler surface, he reaches for Polar Matte (17x25") or the cotton-rich Aurora Art White 250 and Aurora Art Natural 250 — each lending a distinct fine-art character. Red River's 17x25" sheet size is itself a practical necessity: it's the largest format Xiomáro can print without cropping, a dimension he notes other manufacturers rarely offer. See More of Xiomáro's Work Xiomáro's National Park photography is currently on view at the Long Island Museum through September 13, 2026, as part of America's 250th anniversary celebrations. His next book, Street Photography of the Wildwoods , released March 31, 2026. Explore his work and upcoming projects at his website . Want to see Xiomáro’s review of his “Top 10” favorite Red River Paper products and the meaning behind his name? Read our full Q&A below. Enjoy our Q&A with Xiomáro What year was your business founded and how did you get started? My business was founded in 2010. After overcoming prostate cancer in 2005, I transitioned out of a career as an entertainment lawyer representing recording artists. During my recovery, I found peace in the solitude of wandering with a camera. Experimenting with photography and acceptance into an artist-in-residence program eventually led to commissions from the National Park Service. In between commissions, I engaged in street photography during my daily encounters in Manhattan as a way to sharpen my skills. The reinvention from attorney to artist was commemorated by adopting a pseudonym — “Xiomáro” (pronounced SEE-oh-MAH-ro) — which literally means “ready for battle.” Tell us a little about what product or service your business offers. I am an internationally exhibited artist and author. Since 2012, the U.S. National Park Service has been commissioning me to photograph their iconic sites. Museum exhibitions, gallery walks, talks, and workshops all help raise awareness of their history, culture, and natural beauty. Publishers also contract me to author street photography books that chronicle candid urban life as “future history.” What makes your business unique? Rather than photographing commonly known national parks or urban tourist attractions, I use my images to draw attention to smaller sites and common streets. Historical parks associated with presidents George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt, for example, tell the story of the nation. Street photography of large cities and towns celebrate the humanity of their residents and reveal the hidden beauty overshadowed by well-trafficked tourist spots. Where do you source your raw materials from? Cameras and lenses are from Nikon, Panasonic, and Sony with Manfrotto and Oben tripods. Additional lenses are from Sigma and Tamron. For image editing, I use DxO PhotoLab and Photoshop. Printers and inks are from Epson. American Frame provides my mounting and presentation materials. All my papers are exclusively from Red River Paper. In what ways does the business reflect your own personality? My personality is, in part, the sum of my family. My uncle painted and introduced me to oils and watercolor. My father was a cabinet maker and reproduced one-of-a-kind museum pieces for clients such as Chris Jussel, who was later cast as the original host of PBS's “Antiques Roadshow.” Eventually, both parents became avid collectors and appreciators of the history represented by their acquisitions. This influenced my interest in art and history, which — as a life-long New Yorker — also gets expressed in my street photography. Who are your typical customers? Photography clients are typically the U.S. National Park Service and its many partner organizations such as the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Connecticut Forest and Park Association. Museums are the client when I am doing an exhibition, lecture, talk, and gallery walk. Libraries, historical societies, and school districts are typical clients for photography workshops. My books are authored for sale by Sutton Publishing and Arcadia Publishing. Then there are the institutions and individuals who purchase my prints for their collections. What is the most interesting project you've encountered in the course of your work? New Jersey’s Morristown National Historical Park commissioned me to photograph George Washington’s key military headquarters during the American Revolutionary War. This resulted in a solo exhibition at a Smithsonian-affiliated museum and coverage by PBS. It was a moving experience to go beyond the velvet ropes and enter the very rooms where Washington walked, ate, and slept. What has Red River Paper done for your business? Is there a particular challenge Red River Paper has helped you overcome or a goal they helped you meet? I do my own printing and Red River’s 17x25" papers are the largest size I can print without having to crop the image. It seems that other manufacturers commonly produce 17x22" sheets. Red River, on the other hand, has a wide variety of paper types and sizes in 17x25" to suit the variety of prints my work requires. Which Red River Paper products do you use, and what do you appreciate most about them? I’ve been using Red River for well over a decade. Although their papers have always been well-protected for shipping, I’ve seen them improve the packaging. Their downloadable .icc profiles, easy-to-understand instructions, and printing information are a great resource. These are the papers I use: Polar Luster Metallic 255 (17x25") My absolute favorite. It’s now my go-to paper. It has great contrast, rich color with depth and luminescence, a beautiful grain/texture, and the luster finish is just the right amount — shiny enough to notice and enhance the photograph, but not so much that it creates glare. Polar Gloss Metallic 255 (17x25", 13x19", 11x14", 12x12", and 8.5x11") My favorite until I became aware of the Luster version! It’s a great paper for many of the reasons I described above. I love the shine and it’s the paper I’ve used in the vast majority of my exhibitions. I switched to Luster because in some galleries, the light from the ceilings or windows create glare. 68lb. UltraPro Gloss 2.0 (17x25" and 11x14") The paper I used when I first started out before switching to the Metallic papers. I still keep plenty in stock. 60lb. Polar Matte (17x25") Some museums request matte to minimize glare and for certain images that benefit from a “fine art” look with high contrast and smooth feel. Aurora Art White 250 (17x25") I like varying how my matte photographs look. The 100% cotton has a bit of a tooth and luxurious feel that looks great with certain images. Aurora Art Natural 250 (17x25" and 4x6") This is another matte variation I use for certain exhibitions. It has a warm tone that gives depth and richness to blacks and other colors. The 4x6" size is perfect for creating wall labels. 60lb. Premium Matte PLUS (5x7") I always print wall labels for my exhibitions. I also print announcement cards to promote my exhibitions and books. This paper is ideal for both purposes. UltraPro Satin (5x7" and 4x6") I like the UltraPro papers enough to get the smaller satin version for wall labels and announcement cards — just to have some variety in the paper type. 86lb. Pecos River Gloss DUO (4x6") I used these for double-sided announcement cards. The high gloss finish made the cards very eye-catching. Inkjet Photo & Fine Art Sample Kit The kit is a handy reference when selecting new papers to try out. How can people purchase your products/service? My books are available on my website ; through my publisher, America Through Time ; as well as Amazon and other online and brick-and-mortar retailers. Anyone interested in purchasing or exhibiting my photographs can contact me at my website or through my gallerist . For talks and workshops, reach me though my website. Do you have any future growth plans? To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, my National Park photography is part of an exhibition at the Long Island Museum, which is on view now through September 13, 2026. Visit my web page “ The Seat of Action ” for details. My latest book, “ Street Photography of the Wildwoods ,” was released on March 31, 2026. I also have a commission to photograph George Washington Birthplace National Monument in Virginia and am doing street photography in Greenland for a book and exhibition. Is there a special story you’d like to share about your work? Many visitors to my exhibitions or my studio assume that my photographs were printed by an outside service. They are surprised to learn that I do my own printing and that I get such high-quality results. Although I use many different Red River papers, viewers particularly like the luminance and depth of color from the Metallic papers.

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