About Susan Neville

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"The phrase, 'hidden in plain view' sums up the mystery and intrigue that photography holds for me," said Palo Alto resident Susan Neville.

"In this image of the Tech Museum in San Jose, I looked from a different perspective at the obvious. Taking this picture required slowing down and shifting to a more intuitive mental state. When I do that, I look for interesting shapes, intense color, and an element of imagination. I wanted to show beauty in a reflected color and the tension of big geometric curves and angles."

Neville started photographing 21 years ago when the first of her four children was born. Her children were a wonderful motivation to keep photographing, she said. She started taking photographs on family trips, and her travel photography appears on Postcards2.com, a Web site that she co-founded that lets users send free e-mail travel postcards.

She received her master's degree in business administration from Stanford Business School. She currently facilitates a course on interpersonal dynamics.

"I see similarities between my photography and the work I do helping small groups of students work on developing their ability to communicate effectively with others. In my facilitator role and as a photographer, I try to catch and bring to view moments or images that might have otherwise stayed hidden. I've done my best work when I've been able to create an image that strikes a chord in someone else," she said.

-- Sue Dremann