Ed Williams’ photography exhibit “Beauty Is All Around Us” will be on display at NorthWind Fine Art Gallery until Sept. 30, featuring pieces like the one above, “Autumn Day." The opening reception is Friday at 5 p.m. (Photos provided— Ed Williams)

SARANAC LAKE — Ed Williams’ photography will open Friday at the NorthWinds Fine Art Gallery.

It starts with taking a photograph for Williams. For many others like him and who’ve inspired him, this first step is essential and varies little. But for the next step, Williams takes photography into the modern world. He brings it to Adobe Photoshop.

“Photoshop is the part that allows me to be me,” Williams said.

Williams said the photos he takes can come from anywhere. He enjoys landscapes and being out in nature; the solitude of nature relaxes him. But he could be driving and see something along the road that appeals to him. His goal is to find beauty in everything. But it’s in Photoshop that he finalizes the art.

“I’m kinda all over the place,” he said, chuckling.

Williams said that every photograph tells him what to do. He uses multiple effects and then layers them on top of each other to create something that sometimes looks like an oil painting. He said the interpretations is what makes them into art.

Williams said the distortions are important, and artists he looked up to, like Ansel Adams, who didn’t have Photoshop during their time used other methods of distorting images.

“They were heavy manipulators in the darkroom,” Williams said.

Artists like Adams taught him that the purpose of photography isn’t simply to capture a scene or a subject.

Williams said each picture is as unique as a snowflake. He doesn’t use the same technique for each photograph, and he doesn’t save techniques to use again. When he’s finished distorting his picture, he flattens the image so that each layer melds into the other, hiding what he did with each layer.

His new exhibit will include some of the things we see as well as some of the things we miss out on.

“It’s an eclectic group of pictures that I’ve put together,” Williams said. “Things we take for granted — walking by a wild blackberry bush or kids playing ball.”

Williams said the takeaway for the audience is to sit back, take a look at what’s around you and see the beauty all around.

One such piece is titled “Snowy Day.” Williams took it with his wife when he was cross-country skiing. He said they stopped to catch their breath and saw how serene and peaceful the moment was.

Another piece is of a family participating in a dogsled ride. Williams said seeing the people enjoy the run inspired him to capture that moment.

People can see his work unveiled during the exhibit’s reception Friday at 5 p.m. at the NorthWinds Fine Art Gallery at 11 Woodruff St. The show will be on exhibit through Sept. 30. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, 11 a.m to 4 p.m. Sundays and closed Tuesdays. For more information, call 518-354-1875.