A patron looks over the new exhibit unveiled Wednesday night at SAC

The Steinbach Arts Centre unveiled its latest exhibit to a packed house Wednesday night.

The exhibit, called 'Out & About', is by local photographer Kevin Friesen and features a couple dozen local photos taken in the area at various times of the year.

"For the most part it's landscape.  There's one exception, but it's all landscape within 50 miles of this area.  Originally, I was labelled a '10-mile photographer' by my wife, but I've kind of branched out.  I've got four pictures from Saskatchewan from a recent trip I took there with my wife and one from just across the border in the States."

Not that being a '10-mile photographer' is a bad thing.  Based on some of the response from patrons to the photos, there's plenty of great material in and around this area.  Friesen heartily agrees.

"The Steinbach area is absolutely amazing.  I especially tend to spend a lot of time going towards the Giroux area, but also east to Labroquerie, Friedensfeld area.  A lot of beauty and somehow, we're not always seeing it and I'm hoping that the people that see this exhibit get to see a little bit of all that's around them that they're missing as they're driving to work or whatever."

Friesen, who's exhibit opening also doubled as a 50th birthday party, has been snapping photographs since his grade 12 year when he took a photography class with teacher Jim Peters.  Peters was on hand last night to see his former student's work and said he himself felt inspired to go out and take some pictures.  In terms of what he looks for when driving around taking photos, Friesen says a lot depends on his mood.

"I'll prefer the morning because the lighting is just a lot better, so I guess the first thing I consider is the lighting.  Sometimes, I just start driving, I don't even know where I want to go and I end up somewhere and something catches my eye.  It probably revolves around lighting in some way or form.  Maybe there's a mist or fog that changes your lighting, but it rolls around lighting and I guess just how I feel."

He adds he'll often grab a Timmies, throw on some Bob Dylan and start snapping pics.  In looking around the room, Friesen was asked if he has any one picture that he calls his favorite.

"I do have some long-term shots that keep on coming back that I like, but my favorites are always my more recent ones.  My favorite right now is, I think, 'Storm On The Prairie', which is a more recent one I took in Saskatchewan.  It always changes and what was a favorite now, may not be my favorite a year from now."

Most of the pictures in the 'Out & About' exhibit are for sale.  They will remain on display at the SAC until January 6th.