Conservation Center Photography Show -- Blue Ridge Mountains Shenandoah National Park Virginia 2008

I have made photographs in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia since graduate school at University of Virginia in the late '60s traveling back now and then for vacations or family reasons.  I have a strong attachment to the region as place because of this history and find it inspiring to make images there.

On a photographic trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park in June of 2008 I made this image near sunset.  The forest was fully leafed out in late June and from this vantage point appeared like rolling hills covered by a carpet.  The light and the mist gave the image subtle, glowing feeling.

The image was made with Toyo 4x5 view camera and grey scale film. The image was printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight). 20" x 13.5"

Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah National Park Virginia 2008

Conservation Center Photography Show -- Floating Lily Pads, Beaver Pond, Monson Center, 2009

The New Hampshire landscape presents dense forests with embedded beaver ponds at almost every turn.  In mid summer the ponds are often full with water plants, water lilies and grasses and other plants that are by themselves striking.  I have made photographs from time to time in the Joe English Reservation in Amherst, Beaver Brook in Hollis, the Heald Track in Wilton, and in the Monson Center in Hollis.

This photograph was made at the Monson Center with the clouds reflecting from the pond surface providing a middle grey background for the high key lily pads and the darker grasses.  The lily pads float on the water, both figuratively and actually.

The image was made with a Toyo 4 x 5 Field Camera and printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight).  Image size 20" x 13.2".

Floating Lily Pads, Beaver Pond, Monson Center, 2009

Conservation Center Photography Show -- Beaver Pond and Distant Trees, Beaver Brook, Hollis, New Hampshire, 2002

The New Hampshire landscape presents dense forests with embedded beaver ponds at almost every turn.  In mid summer the ponds are often full with water plants, water lilies and grasses and other plants that are by themselves striking.  I have made photographs from time to time in the Joe English Reservation in Amherst, Beaver Brook in Hollis, the Heald Track in Wilton, and in the Monson Center in Hollis.

This photograph was made at Beaver Brook at the height of the summer when the water lilies were filling the beaver pond.  The strong stand trees on the distant shore is a characteristic of the landscape and this case the "sea" of white lilies is striking with the added feature of the dark water and, in the near field, the tree stumps.

The image was made with a Toyo 4 x 5 Field Camera and printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight).  Image size 20" x 15.6".

Beaver Pond and Distant Tree Line, Beaver Brook, Hollis New Hampshire, 2002

Conservation Center Photography Show -- River Stones and Roots, Wild River Maine, 2008; River Stones, Boulder and Trees, Wild River Maine, 2008; Leaves, Sand and River Stones, Wild River Maine, 2010; Fern and River Stones, Wild River Maine, 2010

Along the border between New Hampshire and Maine in the White Mountains runs the Wild River, meandering back and forth north of Evans Notch.  The Wild River runs through heavily forested areas and the river bed is dense with river stones and the occasional glacier erratic.  The following photographs were made during trips to this area in 2008 and 2010.

The erosion of the shore by the river during high water in the spring leaves fantastic images of intertwined roots and river stones.  This image is striking with the strong images of river stones and the grasping roots.

The image was made with a Toyo 4 x 5 Field Camera and printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight).  Image size 20" x 15.5".

River Stones and Tree Roots, Wild River Maine, 2008

The river bed is strewn with river stones and glacier erratics and in the spring is in sharp contrast with the verdant forest foliage along the shore.  I rendered this image in a high key to contrast with the "old man" glacial erratic in the center of the stream bed.  The roughness of the glacial erratic contrasts nicely with the smoothness of the river stones.

The image was made with a Toyo 4 x 5 Field Camera and printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight).  Image size 20" x 15.5".

Glacial Erratic, River Stones and Spring Forest, Wild River Maine, 2008

This fern image is somewhat of a cliche in photography but the magnificence of the fern fronds emanating from the central plant was irresistible and, with the delicate fronds and surrounding river stones, results in a compelling image.  Welcoming the day and whatever is to come and making the best of where it finds itself I suppose.

The image was made with a Toyo 4 x 5 Field Camera and printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight).  Image size 20" x 16.0".

Fern and River Stones, Wild River Maine, 2010

The overhanging foliage with it's delicate leave structure and the smooth river stone and boulder and the fine river sand all combine to make a delicate peaceful image.  The print is rendered in mostly middle grey tones, adding to the delicate nature of the image.

The image was made with a Toyo 4 x 5 Field Camera and printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight).  Image size 20" x 15.7".

Shore Foliage, River Stones and Boulder, and River Sand, Wild River Maine, 2010

Conservation Center Photography Show -- Sand Dunes and Mountains, Death Valley, 2006; Zabriskie Point and Manly Beacon from Golden Canyon, Death Valley 2006; Mountains and Clouds, Golden Canyon, Death Valley 2006; Mountains and Clouds from Artist's Drive, Death Valley, 2006

On a trip to California to attend the first "Silver" conference in 2006, I spent a week in Death Valley making photographs.  The following three images are from that time.

This image in the Mesquite Flat sand dunes rendered in relatively high key tones with the bushes providing contrast.  The dream like quality of this image has always intrigued me, other-worldly.

The image was made with a Toyo 4x5 field camera and printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight).  Image size 20" x 11.4".

Sand Dunes and Mountains, Death Valley, 2006

Walking into Golden Canyon one encounters stark hills devoid of vegetation folded onto each other.  A tremendous visible feast.  This day the sky was very clear but with an occasional thunderhead popping up.  The similarity of shape of Manly Beacon and the emerging thunderhead cloud was striking.  The cloud fragment acted somewhat as an observer of the scene.

The image was made with a Mamiyaflex 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 twin lens camera and printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight).  Image size 17" x 13.9".

Zabriskie Point and Manly Beacon from Golden Canyon, Death Valley 2006

The following image was again striking because of the folded landscape, the clear sky and the emergence of the thunderhead just above the very dark ridge in the background

The image was made with a Mamiyaflex 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 twin lens camera and printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight).  Image size 17" x 14.0".

Zabriskie Point and Manly Beacon from Golden Canyon, Death Valley 2006

Driving into the Artist's drive area provides a striking view across Death Valley and the distant mountains.  The strong contrast of the winding road, the dark and light tonalities of the mountains and the brilliance of the illuminated clouds all make for a fairytale scene but in this instance somewhat foreboding or sinister.

The image was made with a Toyo 4x5 field camera and printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight).  Image size 20" x 15.8".

Mountains and Clouds from Artist's Drive, Death Valley, 2006

Conservation Center Photography Show -- Beaver Brook Pond, Hollis, New Hampshire 2002

The New Hampshire landscape presents dense forests with embedded beaver ponds at almost every turn.  In mid summer the ponds are often full with water plants, water lilies and grasses and other plants that are by themselves striking.  I have made photographs from time to time in the Joe English Reservation in Amherst, Beaver Brook in Hollis, the Heald Track in Wilton, and in the Monson Track in Hollis.

The beaver pond in Beaver Brook in Hollis exhibited strong reflections of the skylight from the lily pads and areas of the water that made the central part of the image very high key.  This contrasts with the near field dark tree, and the lighter foliage and stones in the foreground, and the shoreline trees in the background.  The result is a very dynamic image over layered by the shapes of the foreground dead tree trunks.

The image was made with a Cambo 4x5 mono-rail view camera and printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight).  Image size 20" x 15.3".

Summer Pond, Beaver Brook, Hollis NH, 2002

Conservation Center Photography Show -- Monadnock Birches

This image of birch trees was one of several I made on the lower part of Mount Monadnock.  The contrast of the white birches and the darker foliage is of course striking and the feathery ferns adds a delicacy to the image that is appealing.  The resonance of the curves of the tree trunks gives a dancing quality to the image implying a gentle swaying motion.

The image was made with a Cambo 4x5 mono-rail view camera and printed with pigment ink on Hahnemülhe photo rag paper (308gsm weight).  Image size 18" x 15".