Capturing Community and Conservation: The Photography of Robert Tognoli
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Photo by Robert Tagnoli, who currently has a show at the Grover Gallery [/caption]
Arts reporting by Carolyn Lewis
Robert Tognoli was first drawn to photography in high school when he volunteered as a photographer for the school newspaper. That early hands-on experience—chasing moments with a camera and seeing them in print—lit a spark which stuck.
Later, while studying at San Francisco State University, he dove deeper into photography and visual anthropology, exploring how images can be used as a way to research and tell human stories. Tognoli holds a BA in Photography and an MA in Creative Arts Interdisciplinary from San Francisco State, training that gave him a solid foundation in both the technical and artistic sides of photography.
The switch from film to digital came in 2005 with a Nikon D70. “It was a pretty seamless transition, being able to instantly see what you just shot felt like magic.” Tognoli still has a soft spot for the darkroom days—the smell of the chemicals, the quiet process of watching an image appear on paper—but today’s digital tools have their own perks. With better software and beautiful print materials available, post-processing has become its own kind of art. These days, much of his work is done on an iPhone, showing just how far mobile photography has come.
One of his first proud moments with a camera came while shooting for that same high school paper. “There’s just something incredibly satisfying about lining up a shot in the moment, and then seeing it come to life later,”. Whether it was sports, portraits, or school events, the thrill of telling a story through pictures has always been at the heart of his work.
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Photo by Robert Tognoli [/caption]
These days, that storytelling thread still runs through everything he does. With a style that leans toward documentary and narrative photography, photos that show real people, real places, and the details that connect them. Tognoli is especially drawn to subjects like cultural and social life, environmental portraits, and events or performances.
A big focus in recent years has been the Farm Families of Chimacum Project. It started as part of a larger effort with other photographers to highlight environmental issues in Jefferson County—things like old-growth forests and farmland at risk of development. Tognoli decided to zoom in on the people behind the land: the farmers and families who are such a vital part of the local ecosystem. The project is both visual and personal, built around trust and honest connection. “It’s important to me that people feel respected,” he said. “Whether I’ve known someone for years or we’ve just met, I want that trust to come through in the image.”
When asked what makes a photo stand out in today’s image-saturated world, Tognoli points to authenticity. That’s something he says he admires in the work of classic photographers like Walker Evans, Edward Weston, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Imogen Cunningham—artists who knew how to frame real life in a way that still feels powerful.
Right now, Tognoli is showing portraits from the Farm Families of Chimacum Project at the Grover Gallery in Port Townsend. The show runs through the end of July and offers a window into the lives of the people who help shape this rural community.
As for what’s next? More work on the Chimacum project, and hopefully a larger exhibition down the line. The goal is simple: “If someone looks at one of my photos and really sees something—feels something—that’s enough for me.”
Carolyn Lewis is a serial entrepreneur, artist, and community builder happily living and volunteering in Port Townsend. Visit her social media group on Facebook at Port Townsend Life and follow her on Instagram @linalewisart
