Photo Courtesy of Juergen Vespermann

One man has traveled the world and has a photography gallery to prove it.

Entering the gallery “on the left you can see a night shot of a flower of the Peruvian Cactus (Cereus Peruvianus) which is about eight feet tall and located in my backyard. The flowers open only one night and die the next morning; But they look spectacular,” Juergen Vespermann, art show photographer, said.

The shot of the Peruvian Cactus flower is just one of many photographs featured in Vespermann’s art show “Juergen Was Here” showing at the Spectrum Art Gallery in Downtown Fresno until Nov. 14.

Vespermann is a California-based photographer specializing in black and white architectural photography. But recently, he added digital photography and color images to his portfolio.

Vespermann said he enjoys architectural photography because he likes the lines and shapes of structures. “I don’t think [pictures] have to have a deep meaning to create a reaction from people.”

“Juergen Was Here” showcases a selection of black and white and color photographs from around the world. Vespermann has captured shots in several places such as the Amazon in Peru, Hawaii, Spain, Europe, Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Australia and his hometown in Germany.

The show also features architectural details of various structures from around the world: the Eiffel Tower; Getty Museum in Los Angeles; Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain; The Performing Arts Center in Portland, Oregon; and several other structures in Dallas, San Francisco, New York and Chicago.

Vespermann said one advantage of taking photographs of architecture/buildings is that the object hardly ever moves.

The art show also includes a small portion dedicated to Vespermann’s faithful travel companion, the Pink Panther. Vespermann explained that he had an inflatable Pink Panther that he would place in the passenger’s seat in his car to accompany him on his travels.

Vespermann said he didn’t really start the whole Pink Panther thing, but people started giving him Pink Panther stuff and it developed from there.

“We used to watch the Pink Panther cartoon; he was the mascot for my group of friends,” Vespermann said.

The Pink Panther has become a permanent travel companion for Vespermann even though his original inflatable Pink Panther passed away several years ago because it had too many holes in it. Vespermann now carries a smaller Pink Panther figurine on his travels. “The people in Peru got into it after a while and started asking to take pictures with the Pink Panther,” Vespermann said.

Even though Vespermann did not get his degree in photography but in civil engineering, he became interested in photography during his college years. “It started as an interest. I never took any photography classes,” Vespermann said.

“Someone approached me in Germany and wanted me to show. They were going to open a frame shop and asked if I wanted to be the opening artist. I thought it was a good idea and it went from there,” Vespermann said.

Vespermann’s work has been displayed in more than 20 art shows in Germany and California. He has also had his “Not a Bullet Hole” photo featured on the CD cover for a rock band in 2004. “It was cool because the metal rock band “Dead Season,” contacted me to put my picture on their CD case.”

Kristen Merriman, Vespermann’s girlfriend, also accompanies Vespermann on his travels and photography shoots. “It’s ironic, [Juergen] didn’t have any formal training and I had formal training. I’ve taken all the photo classes I could at Fresno City College and I’m still not as good as him,” Merriman said.

Merriman commented on Vespermann’s current show in a book for guest responses. “This November 2008 show is really incredible. The combination of color and black and white together shows two avenues of creativity. It is exciting and powerful.”

LaDonna Rowe, a regular art show guest said, “I’ve looked at a lot of photography and his photography is very exact and his mats are cut perfect. He is very detail oriented and his prices are fair.”

Vespermann’s photography ranges from $250 to $600.

Rowe also wrote in the guest commentary book, “Such jewels for the eye. I love how exact the pictures are and the attention to detail.”

Jaanai Ochoa, another art show guest, said her favorite piece was of a boy on stairs. “I thought the composition was interesting,” she said.