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Holiday Print Sale

Monday, October 9th, 2017

It’s never too early to start planning for the holidays; Christmas is, after all, only 77 days away! This year I’m starting my holiday print sale early to ensure delivery of your gifts by Christmas. Now through December 24*, I’m offering 25% off prints and canvases.

Why buy art as a gift?

Simply put, art is a gift that can be enjoyed every day. Viewing art reduces stress and improves mental health. With the increase in popularity of our national parks and other public lands, people to whom you give art can enjoy their favorite landscapes even when they’re between vacations.

How it works

I believe art buying should be a personal experience. Once you’ve decided which print you’d like, send me an email to tell me which print you’d like to purchase. You can visit my purchasing page for a price list, keeping in mind that prices are reduced by 25% through December 24*.  We can discuss the size you’d like and any other considerations, for instance if you’d like a canvas or a metal print, etc.

After the print is finished, I’ll inspect it personally, sign it, and ship it to you.  Shipping costs are included in the price of the print.

What you get

All of my prints are made on archival quality paper, which comes in a variety of finishes such as luster, matte, gloss, or pearl. Color prints are made on a state-of-the-art inkjet printer, and black and white prints are actually digitally projected and exposed on photographic paper. Custom canvases are stretched over a wooden frame, giving them a three-dimensional feel that can add depth to any room.

holiday print sale

Black and White prints are created by projecting the image onto photographic paper. Cute kid not included.

I guarantee canvases and prints for life from fading, provided they are displayed properly (for example, out of direct sunlight). I also include a free 5×7″ mini-card with all prints; mini-cards provide information about the image, and are included at no charge.

Greeting cards – perfect for any occasion!

I also have greeting cards available for purchase. There are 6 photographs printed as 5 x 7″ prints on sturdy card stock. A set of 6 is available $15 + $3 shipping within the US, $10 international. Quantities are limited, so contact me soon for the best selection!

Alpenglow Images greeting cards

Six greeting card photographs are available.

*Because I personally inspect every print, orders placed too close to Christmas will likely not be delivered by December 25.  Please be sure to take advantage of this holiday print sale by ordering as early as possible, and thank you for considering my photography!

The Sacred Mountains of Tibet–eBook review

Thursday, December 13th, 2012

I can remember being in a sporting goods store with my Dad when I was about 14 years old.  It’s not clear to me exactly what he was looking at, but as he talked to the salesperson, I started looking at the pictures in a catalog sitting on the counter; it was for the clothing company The North Face.  In those pages I saw my first big wall climbers, my first mountaineers, and I discovered the Himalaya Mountains of Nepal and Tibet for the first time.  Fortunately the catalogs were free because I decided almost instantly that I was bringing one home with me.

Over the next several weeks I went to sleep and woke up with those photos–those places–on my mind.  In my daydreams I would fantasize about what it would be like to visit Everest base camp, or trek between Buddhist monasteries.  As I got older, my own adventures began, albeit much closer to my home in northern New Mexico than the Himalaya, and my mind started to wander to these places instead–the Colorado Plateau, and the high peaks of the southern Rocky Mountains.

Yet, to this day, I still find myself in awe of the Himalaya.  Although I hate the term, “bucket list,” I guess you could say that someday before I die, I’d love to visit these mountains.  While I don’t hold on to the adolescent fantasy of climbing Mt. Everest or K2 any more, I would love to take a trek though the lower elevations, admiring the scenery, as well as the culture.  As a photographer, I see the austere peaks as very beautiful subjects; they seem to create their own weather, which can make for dramatic light.  I enjoy viewing photography from this region; its relative inaccessibility results in an internet that is not flooded with “iconic” Himalayan images (for which I’m grateful).

Photography in the 21st Century leads to a lot of “online” friendships, and I’m grateful to have developed one with Alister Benn and his wife Juanli Sun.  Together, they are Available Light Images, and live together in Liajiang, China.   I have long been a fan of Alister’s photography; his nighttime work is top notch (I reviewed his night photography eBook, Seeing the Unseen in March), and both he and Juanli have impressive images from the Himalaya.  How fortuitous it was that Alister and Juanli just published a free (that’s right: free) eBook last week called, The Sacred Mountains of Tibet.

The Sacred Mountains of Tibet

Unlike Seeing the Unseen, The Sacred Mountains is not text-heavy.  This is not a how-to manual; it is a celebration of place, written by two placed people.  A short introduction, and individual introductory sections to different regions make up the bulk of the text, but the real gem–the thing that sets this book aside in my opinion is Juanli’s poetry.  Several of her poems appear on pages between images, bringing a better sense of belonging to the viewer (I use that word rather than “reader” because, again, this book is about admiration of place, not of the written word).  In addition to the cover, I’ve included two of my favorite images in this blog post.

Makalu, Lhoste, Qomolangma - Juanli Sun

Makalu, Lhoste, Qomolangma – Juanli Sun

The Sacred Mountains is the brainchild of a larger project; Alister and Juanli are planning on expanding this project and turning it into a printed book over the next few months.  I think this is a worthy project, and it would make a fine book, library-worthy for any adventurer, or photographer.

The only thing I found myself wanting in this eBook was more, but I suppose it was the perfect teaser for their (hopefully larger) book.  I’d like to thank Alister and Juanli for publishing this eBook, and for reminding me of my teenage dreams, awe, and respect for this mountain range.  It really is a lovely effort, and I highly suggest you settle in on one of these cold winter nights with the beverage of your choice, dim the lights, and let the light of the Himalaya fill you up.  You can download your free copy of the 51-page PDF by clicking here.

Chanadorje - Alister Benn

Chanadorje – Alister Benn

New ebook announcement

Thursday, September 27th, 2012

Things have been fairly slow here on my blog lately.  That’s partly due to the fact that I’ve been working on finalizing a project that has taken up most of this year.  Along with my two co-authors–Ann Whittaker and PJ Johnson–I am happy to announce our first e-book: An Honest Silence.

An Honest Silence combines photography and a series of short essays to celebrate wilderness.  If you’ve been reading my blog, you are familiar with my writing style; PJ explores the interrelationships between art and science, as well as his experiences along the Boundary Waters canoe area in Minnesota; and Ann takes a very eloquent and poetic approach to honor her beloved redrock wilderness of the Colorado Plateau.  We are also very fortunate to have had David Leland Hyde (of Landscape Photography Blogger) write a thoughtful foreword to the book.

More and more photographers are offering books as an ebook format; this format, while getting away from a traditional book, is significantly more affordable.  We are offering An Honest Silence for $5 as a PDF download; it will be available on October 12 and a portion of the sales will go directly to the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

Please join us in celebrating wilderness.

book cover to An Honest Silence: A celebration of wilderness

Citizen of the West

Monday, March 5th, 2012

Over the last few days, I have been contemplating some upcoming trips, and after a friend gave me some advice on a location, I pulled out a map to get my bearings; my memory of this particular area just wasn’t cutting it.  I have always liked maps: they tell a story, whether in a particular place name, in my memory of driving through a small town, or of a place I dream to visit.  When I was in college, before graduating to more sophisticated wall decor, it was not uncommon for me to put a map on my wall.

As I looked through my map file the other day, a flood of memories came back to me as I recalled roads I have driven, places I have seen, adventures I have had.  There’s something more tangible than paper here: these maps of the American West are the landscape of who I am.

The West has shown me what a windchill of -60°F feels like, and that those are perfect days to stay indoors.  I know that the radiating heat of 120°F in the Mojave Desert might seem uninviting, but that you can still find active wildlife.    My daydreams often drift to lonesome highways, and I find myself craving the feeling (and aroma) of being chest-deep in sagebrush at least every few months.   Dusty dirt roads were a staple of my childhood; I’ve had friends who give directions to their houses using landmarks and the words, “bear left at the Y then turn left after the cattle guard.”  This isn’t uncommon in the West.

Issues here, whether environmental or social, are hardly ever simple.  My approach to many of them is somewhat moderate.  I believe in wisely managing some of our public lands for more than one use.   The livelihood of many residents here relies on that principle–they count on our natural resources to put food on the table for their families.   That said, I watch news stories about things like coal mining, grazing, and dammed rivers closely.  As insignificant as some of them might seem, these issues ultimately affect every resident of the West.

I admire the people here who are extraordinarily hard-working; many of them know nothing else.  My grandmother is 81 years old and still works hard at least 4 days a week.

At the end of the day, politics do not matter as much as basic respect for your neighbor.  I lived in Laramie, Wyoming through many of the events surrounding Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student who was killed as a result of what is essentially a hate crime.  His murder showed that the rot of hatred and ignorance is indeed alive in the West, but it also brought out the best in people. A few months after things settled down, I was loading my groceries into my car, and I looked at the bumper of a beat up old ranch truck parked next to me.  On the bumper was a blue sticker with a yellow, “=”; the sign of equality.  Everyone in Wyoming, from farmers and ranchers to liberal progressives, came together in support of common, simple ideals.  Stereotypes do not hold much water here; what matters most is your character.

My website will tell you I am a photographer.  Indeed, I am.  However, I am more than that.  I am a citizen of the West.  I was born here, have lived here my entire life, and likely will die here.  I’m proud of the people who surround me, for their hard work, their vision, their character; all of these ideals are born from the landscape we live in.  They are as much a part of the West as the iconic landscapes we all chase with our cameras.

The prairie ecosystem near Cheyenne, Wyoming

High Plains Storm, December 2003

 

Unsolved Mystery

Monday, October 31st, 2011

It was just another evening in the desert.

My Dad and I, along with another friend, were visiting the Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness along the Arizona Strip for a couple of days of photography and hiking.  Although it was August, the heat wasn’t too bad, if you stayed in the shade during the hot part of the day.  With evening coming on, we emerged like lizards from our burrows to enjoy the final vestiges of our vacation.

The plan was to hike back to an interesting rock formation we had found earlier in the day for some night photography.  After shooting sunset, and moving into position, we waited for darkness to fall.  In August, that happens slowly, so after our cameras were set up, we went for a short hike.

As stars began dotting the sky, returning to “our spot” seemed like a good idea.  Cresting the final ridge, and looking down, we saw a very unusual sight.  The rocks near our equipment were glowing red, and we could see small red lights moving around them very quickly!  Watching in amazement, the lights moved faster and faster, and although we could see no figures, it seemed almost as though the lights were dancing in the evening light.

Almost as soon as they began, the lights disappeared.  For three grown men, it took us a while to get the guts to return to our gear.  Without any discussion at all, it seemed like a good idea to pack up and go.  Although we’d marked GPS waypoints to help us over the two miles back to the car, we didn’t seem to need them, and we sure didn’t look back!!

When I got home, I began looking at the files on my memory card and saw the most curious thing–whatever it was making those lights, also made a few images.  A supernatural photographer?  Perhaps.  I did some homework, and found reference to a group of spirits in the area–los espectros de las animas–the specters of lost souls, who sometimes haunt visitors in the area, although they’re seen rarely.

The next time you venture into the wilderness and think you’re alone, you might think again.  You never know what may be lurking under the cover of evening skies….

Light painting at Dali Rock

Supernatural, August 2011

Happy Halloween from Alpenglow Images!

Big changes for Alpenglow Images

Monday, October 17th, 2011

For several months now, I’ve been contemplating a change in the format of my website, one which speaks more to my evolving style and vision as an artist.  Over the course of the last few weeks, those changes have taken form, and I’m proud to announce the release of my new website.  Please take a look, either at this link, or by using the tabs you see to your right.

Rather than showcase all of my images, I’ve attempted to choose a few select images that truly are “mine.”  In that sense, Alpenglow Images is now a portfolio site, rather than the “stock” site it used to be.  Call me sentimental, but I haven’t been able to completely abandon my old format; you can still view it at this link.

There are still bugs to be worked out, and I’d appreciate hearing about any you find.  Many of them are simply due to my novice skills in coding a website, but I will try to get everything resolved in the next few weeks.  In the meantime, please take the time to look around and enjoy the images; they all foster in me a deep sense of connection with the land.  I hope they do in you, too.

I have to admit, too, that going through my image catalog, choosing these photos for my portfolio has allowed me to see clear themes emerge in terms of my style.  I think its an instructive exercise that every photographer should do from time to time.

Here’s to reflection and self-examination.

A hiker stands in Capitol Reef National Park in the early morning, just after dawn

Self-portrait, August 2011

2012 Calendar now available

Saturday, October 8th, 2011

I’m very happy to announce that my 2012 calendar is now available.  The center-folding, wall-hanging 17″ × 22″ (8.5″ × 11″ folded)  calendar features 12 of my images on heavy-duty stock paper.

The holiday season is already underway, and these calendars will make a great gift, either for yourself, or for someone else who loves wild places.

Cover

 

January

 

June

 

September

 

The calendar is available for $27 (includes shipping); if you are interested in purchasing one, send me an email at:

alpenglowimages (at) gmail.com

or visit my purchasing page for information on purchasing.

In addition to my calendar, I’m very happy to offer a 10% discount on all of my photographic prints through December 25!  I’m appreciative of all of the visitors to my site, and would be honored to have my art hanging on your wall.

But I’m Not Dead Yet

Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

Over the last few weeks, family trips, a busy work schedule, and various home improvements have kept me extremely busy.  Of course this would drive any photographer/blogger crazy because I really enjoy writing, and I do have some new images to share.  I’ll be posting more in the latter half of July, but in the meantime I do want to put up some links to new images.

A few weeks ago, I shared an image from a small drainage near the northern border of Kolob Canyon, in Zion National Park.  Kanarra Creek, near the small community of Kanarraville, is such a great place, and despite its small size, it rivals the more popular Virgin Narrows in beauty.  In addition, south of Zion Canyon is a virtually untracked wilderness–the Smithsonian Butte National Scenic Backway.  Both of these locations, although “known” seem to be virtually “unknown.”  However, to celebrate the entire area, and perhaps to emphasize that there is indeed more to photograph that just Zion itself.  You can see my images of the Greater Zion Region here.

The Smithsonian Butte, south of Zion Canyon

Smithsonian Butte, June 2011

Over the Fourth of July, we made a trip out to the Four Corners Region to visit my parents in northwestern New Mexico.  While there, I got to re-visit the Bisti Badlands Wilderness, south of Farmington, New Mexico.  Although I grew up less than an hour’s drive from this amazing moonscape, I have to admit that I never fully appreciated it as a 17 year old (in fact, if I remember correctly, it was downright torture every time I was “forced” on a hike by my dad!).  What a difference several years makes!  I was sad to get only one morning in the Bisti, but you can view the images here.  Finally, in addition to visiting the Bisti, I was able to visit several other archaeological sites in the San Juan Basin; most of these sites were occupied by early Navajo inhabitants in the early-mid 1700s.  While this gallery will grow with time, you can see a couple of images here.

A Navajo pictograph from the San Juan Basin of northern New Mexico

Warrior Pose, July 2011

I hope you enjoy the images, and don’t give up on me…I’m not dead yet!  More to come soon!

New Mexico Images (Bisti Badlands & the San Juan Basin)

Greater Zion Region Images

2011 Calendar now available!

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

I’m very happy to announce that my first calendar is now available.  The center-folding, wall-hanging 17″ × 22″ (8.5″ × 11″ folded)  calendar features 12 of my images on heavy-duty stock paper.

Although we’ve had continued record heat in southern California, the Christmas season is already underway, and these calendars will make a great gift, either for yourself, or for someone else who loves wild places.

What’s the calendar look like?  I’m glad you asked.  Here are a few images:

2011 Alpenglow Images calendar cover

Cover

Alpenglow Images 2011 Calendar May preview

May

2011 Alpenglow Images Calendar November Preview

November

The calendar is available for $27 (includes shipping); if you are interested in purchasing one, send me an email at:

alpenglowimages (at) gmail.com

or visit my purchasing page for information on purchasing.

In addition to my calendar, I’m very happy to offer a 25% discount on all of my photographic prints through December 25!  I’m very appreciative of all of the visitors to my site, and would be honored to have my art hanging on your wall.

Some Zoo Creatures

Monday, August 30th, 2010

After nearly a week of 100°-110°F temperatures at our house, we took advantage of a very autumnal day (mid 70s) and went to the San Diego Zoo yesterday.  With a heavy cloud layer that didn’t lift until mid-morning, it allowed for some great photography, without having to worry about high contrast situations.  By noon, however, the sun came out, and so did the crowds.  However, with a 2 1/2 year old, we were ready to leave, have a picnic lunch, and head home by then anyway…

 lesser spot-nosed guenon Cercopithecus petaurista

Lesser spot-nosed guenon (Cercopithecus petaurista), August 2010

Su Lin the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), san diego zoo

Su Lin the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), August 2010

Of course, I can’t go to the zoo and just visit the charismatic megafauna.  Some of the lesser-visited attractions are some of the most pleasant for me.  One in particular I like is the exhibit on local (to southern California) rattlesnake species.

Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus, speckled rattlesnake at the san diego zoo

Speckled rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus) August 2010

*As a technical note on the above photo, I handheld that with my 300/4 + 1.4x teleconverter and focused through glass.  The image was pretty sharp, but it did take some help in Photoshop to make it look presentable.

Finally, a visit to the hummingbird aviary was in order, before leaving the zoo for the day.

hummingbird in aviary, san diego zoo

Hummingbird, August 2010

All in all, it was a pretty good day!  Even on a family-oriented trip to the zoo, there are many opportunities for photography available.  With so many opportunities, it is a good time to practice refining your skills with flash and exposure so when you’re in the field and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity arises, you can draw on the knowledge you gained.