Paul
Kozal, a self taught photographer, was born and raised in the
southwest suburbs of Chicago. He first became interested in photography
when the family camera was passed down from his father to his
two brothers and then finally to him, the last in line.
While attending
Benedictine University of Illinois in the 1980s, Paul began to
study photography on his own since there were no art courses offered.
After graduating with B.S. in Economics he went to work for Alcala's
Western Wear in Chicago as a boot designer and eventually became
the photographer for the stores catalogs and advertising. He then
worked at Wolf Camera as a salesperson and lab technician. A few
years later, he opened a photography studio in the Chicago area
specializing in advertising and studio photography. This new arrangement
afforded him the opportunity to take time off and explore the
Southwest, a particular area of interest. During his travels he
realized that his personal photography was more challenging and
rewarding than studio photography. Since 1984 he has been devoted
to fine art photography and continues to do so until this day.
Kozal's subject matter consists mostly of landscapes, particularly
in the American Southwest and the West. Moving to the Bay Area
in 1996, Kozal's work now incorporates the landscapes of California's
interior and coastal locales. Kozal works in two distinct areas:
toned and hand-tinted black and white gelatin silver prints. His
images incorporate atmosphere, mystery and evocative tones to
create his unique signature style.
His photographs
have appeared in numerous publications and are collected by private
and corporate collections.
Paul and wife,
Carol reside in Sea Ranch, California. |