Petaluma photographers in the spotlight

Dan Kabanuk and Charles Versaggi have a couple of things in common. They are both experienced photographers, they are skilled at capturing landscapes and cityscapes in striking and unexpected ways, and they both have exhibitions of their work opening in May.

In the case of Versaggi, it’s two shows. Running from May 19 to June 12 at the Live Worms Gallery in San Francisco, Versagi’s “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is a 12-image selection of shots taken in the early morning in North Beach, conjuring mysterious phantom memories of iconic folks like Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Carol Doda. The photographs are part of a group show taking place at the eccentric gallery at 1345 Grant Ave. The exhibit’s kick-off on Thursday, May 19 marks the start of a two-month stint of being in the spotlight, since another exhibit opens at The Image Flow Photography Center in San Anselmo (328 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.). Titled “Community,” the second show runs from May 23 to July 22, with a reception for the artists on Saturday, June 4.

As for Kabanuck, his exhibition is a little closer to home, having started on Saturday, May 14 and running through July 3 at Petaluma’s Riverfront Art Gallery, 132 Petaluma Blvd., North. Titled “Through My Eyes 2.0,” the exhibit features a number of Kabanuck’s Petaluma-shot images, a range of dramatic black-and-white shots and intensely colorful sunset shots. Kabanuck has a few San Francisco images as well, in addition to some striking limited-edition posters he is selling at the gallery. For gallery hours, visit RiverfrontArtGallery.com.