For the past 25 years, photographer Jim Starkey spent his free time capturing different cultures with a paintbrush and his camera.

Starkey visited the city of Salvador in Brazil four years ago during Carnival, an annual celebration before Lent, and was captivated by the city's rich blend of European and African religions and cultures.

"I loved Brazil," Starkey said. "It's such a beautiful place."

Four of Starkey's Carnival-themed oil paintings and 20 black-and-white photographs are on exhibit until March 28 at the Creole Gallery, 1218 Turner St. in Lansing.

"I went there generally planning to paint, but the photos I took also turned out so well," Starkey said.

The photographs on display all were taken with a simple $90 point-and-shoot Olympus film camera.

"There is a lot of emphasis on digital today, but there is still a lot to be said about black-and-white film and the kinds of images that can be produced with any inexpensive camera," Starkey said.

Creole Gallery owner Robert Busby said he was captivated by Starkey's photos, and gallery visitors share his sentiments.

"I was totally amazed at the clarity of the photos and what they show in terms of action and scenes," he said.

"The show has been very well-received. Everyone was extremely taken by the photographs."

Starkey said he took more than 800 photos to get the perfect images to display.

"With free photographing of people in social situations, you are going to waste a bunch of film just trying to get the right moment," he said.

Most of his photographs were taken at night and focused on individuals in the smaller neighborhood celebrations, just outside of the parades with a few million people.

"I've tried to explain the life of the people that live there," Starkey said, "and how they able to discard the worries that an impoverished nation has and be themselves and celebrate during carnival."

When Starkey isn't busy with his job as photo editor for The Grand Rapids Press, he spends his time traveling around the world.

Meegan Holland, concert presenter for the Creole Gallery, has known Starkey for years and has politely lobbied for Starkey to display his photographs and paintings.

"Jim is an interesting guy," Holland said. "These photos and the way he conducts life open up people's eyes to the fact that there are different ways to operate in life."

Holland said Starkey always has been interested in other cultures.

"When he's not doing journalism, he's traveling," she said. "It's the journalist in him that makes him feel comfortable going into small towns and rural areas, rather than typical tourist spots. That's what makes these photos so interesting."

And Starkey continues to travel throughout the world, exploring different cultures and venues to share his artwork.

He returned to Brazil this year with the intention of showcasing his photos in a gallery, but he couldn't get past some logistics and language barriers. Determined to allow local residents to see the images he captured of their culture, Starkey improvised a display of his own.

"I took the photographs and set them out in the street, just for the enjoyment of showing people my photographs," Starkey said. "People were generally surprised at how I was able to picture things in their culture."

Starkey said it's easier to let his artwork do the talking instead of describing the images in his exhibit.

"Pictures speak for themselves," he said.

Although Brazil is a country with breathtaking scenery, Starkey said he prefers to aim his camera lens at people rather than landscape.

"People motivate me more than anything," Starkey said. "Flowers are great, but there is no mystery with them.

"When you look at a picture of person, there is a lot that you can learn and want to learn about what the image says."