GINA B. GOOD / PVT Photographer Toni D'Angelis is showing several digitally enhanced pictures in the PAC exhibit recently hung in the lobby of Pahrump's Government Complex. Advertisement

Even if you have no other reason to go to the courthouse, you might want to wander into the lobby and take a gander at the new exhibit of photographs, sponsored by the Pahrump Art Council.

There is a diverse mix of pictures, using both standard photographic methods and digital techniques that manipulate colors or other aspects of the original subject. Some photos look like watercolor paintings and a few will make you wonder how they were done.

Many of the works on display are from students in a recent introduction to digital photography class taught at Great Basin college by Alex Compton, who also is exhibiting.

"There is a lot of interest in digital photography," said Compton. "It's a dual credit course and a high school students earn credit toward their college degree."

Artist Lloyd Martin normally uses photographic images from which to paint, but he framed some of his photos for the exhibit. "I'm impressed by the diversity here," he said. "There are so many different directions you can go with in photography."

Martin and his step-son, Eric Easley, enjoy their common interest in photography. Easley has two photos in the exhibit taken with a disposable digital camera. One is a bush in bloom in his own backyard and the other is a picture of a wild cat, taken at Bonnie Springs refuge.

There are more than 85 photographs in the exhibit.

You must take a second look at Gary Howland's digitally colored group of koi to recognize the fish, which is why he selected that photo to show.

Howland learned photography in the 1950's while he was in the Army. He also worked for many years in electronics, taking pictures of circuit board designs which were then miniaturized.

His next stint in the Army was as a helicopter pilot, but now he and his favorite model, his wife Diane, travel and Howland takes pictures.

Toni D'Angelis said she used her digital camera to document "the beauty of Pahrump at the duck ponds.

"I go there all the time and take pictures," D'Angelis said. She manipulated the contrast and color in her works. "It's half reality and half cartoonish," she said of her photograph of a meandering path leading up to and beyond a large tree.

"It's like entering the real world, like Alice in Wonderland," said the 19-year-old.

Other photographers in the exhibit include Jessica Bindi, N. Bosnek, Debbie Zaman, Patti Babcock, Gus Moreno, Kaylee Harker, Sonja Celius, Jana Riley, Steve Schmidt, Lyn Shirkey, Meagan Razniak, Cierra Massy and Lyndsee Nettles.