While I’ve never been one to put huge significance on the changing of a year, it turns out I’ve been doing these retrospectives on my work for almost a decade now. Generally speaking, it’s a rather healthy way to see where I’ve come from and how my work has progressed. While selecting images for 2021, it became quite obvious that I’ve been putting an even stronger emphasis on work from the prairie as this landscape has really been speaking to me on a personal level. I understand these types of images may not appeal to the widest audience, but it’s been rewarding to seek out new images and build a stronger body of work on this subject.
That’s not to say that I didn’t give the mountains a solid try! During the brief summer season I did several backpacking trips in Montana, Colorado, and my most strenuous one ever in Wyoming. We all know that this year was plagued by frequent dense wildfire smoke and the worst of it seemed to line up with every trip I had planned. This resulted in plenty of miles hiked, but a summer that was less photographically productive that I would have liked. Not complaining at all, but let’s hope for better conditions when I hit the high country next summer.
From a business standpoint, I want to thank you all for a wildly successful year! I couldn’t do this without your support, from those of you who purchased prints at my art shows to those who enjoy my educational material and film scanning services. This year I launched my new ebook Large Format Film Photography which seems to be much appreciated by both new and experienced photographers. Seriously, it means the world to me to have this outstanding support from the film community and art collectors. A huge thank you to all of you!
I’m going to keep this post short and let the photos do the rest of the talking. In no particular order, here’s a selection of my personal favorite images from 2021. Some of these hold more value to me than they may to the general audience, but that’s the whole point of this post. Do you have a favorite image? Leave a comment below to start the conversation.
“Mission Homestead” - Montana, October 2021. Ektar 100 4x5, 210mm lens, 6 seconds at f22, 2 stop soft GND filter. This scene just seems to depict the pure magic where prairie meets the mountains. Prints available.
“Sneffels Meadow Sunrise” - Colorado, October 2021. Ektar 100 4x5, 90mm lens, 20 seconds at f22, 2 stop soft GND filter. I’ve been wanting a good photo of a snow-dusted Mount Sneffels for years and it all finally came together one autumn morning this year. Prints available.
“Elevator Bales” - Montana, October 2021. Portra 160, 300mm lens, 1 minute at f32, no filters. Golden harvested fields and an old wooden elevator on the prairie. Prints available.
“Aspen Row” - Colorado, October 2021. E100 4x5, 300mm lens, 1/15th at f22, 812 warming filter. Sunlight hits a row of aspen along a hilltop with a storm cloud approaching in the distance. Prints available.
“After the Storm” - Colorado, April 2021. E100 4x5, 65mm lens, 1/8th second at f32, 812 warming filter. Snow laden trees are a rare treat along Colorado’s Front Range, usually only happening in spring when the snow falls wet and without high winds. Prints available.
“McKenzie Flow” - Oregon, May 2021. Provia 100f 4x5, 125mm lens, 10 seconds at f16, no filters. I’ve never quite seen a combination of lush forest and water of this color, but the combination felt so perfect for Oregon. This one looks incredible in print to fit a unique vertical panoramic space, especially in my handmade oak frames.
“Home on the Prairie” - Montana, October 2021. Portra 160 4x5, 210mm lens, 4 seconds at f32, 1 stop soft GND filter. Open spaces and abandoned homes, the autumn hues of prairie catch sunset colors so well. Prints available.
“Harvard Sunset” - Colorado, September 2021. Ektar 100 4x5, 200mm lens, 2 seconds at f32, 2 stop soft GND filter. A late summer backpacking trip brought me to this perfect reflection of Mount Harvard at sunset. Prints available.
“Nahsukin Sunset” - Montana, July 2021. Ektar 100 4x5, 200mm lens, 1 second at f32, 2 stop soft GND filter. Late evening sun pours onto a meadow of wildflowers. Part of a magical four day backpacking trip among glacial peaks that I will never forget. Prints available.
“Gannet Glacier” - Wyoming, August 2021. Ektar 100 6x7, 75mm lens, 1/60th at f16, no filters. This image is from the most strenuous and daring trip I’ve ever taken, and is also a trip I haven’t yet shared many images from. The Wind River Range took punishment to a new level, but also included otherworldly views such as crossing the Gannet Glacier. Prints available.
“Diaz Spire Sunset” - Arizona, March 2021. Velvia 50 4x5, 135mm lens, 2 seconds at f22, no filters. A steep hike up a desert mountain led to stunning views over a valley filled with Organ Pipe and Saguaro cactus. Prints available.
“Hilltop Hut” - Montana, July 2021. Portra 160 4x5, 125mm lens, 1 second at f32, no filters. Subtle colors of a prairie sunrise glow on an abandoned homestead. Prints available.
“Autumn Stones” - Montana, October 2021. Velvia 50 4x5, 210mm lens, 30 seconds at f32, no filters. Rain-soaked stones of a glacial lake and autumn leaves make for an enchanting color palette. Prints available.
“Autumn Barn” - Montana, October 2021. Ektar 100 4x5, 125mm lens, 1/15th second at f22, 1 stop soft GND filter. An old barn in a river valley lined with autumn cottonwood. Prints available.
“Railcar Fog” - Colorado, March 2021. Portra 160 4x5, 210mm lens, ¼ second at f32, no filters. After an epic spring snowstorm the prairie was shrouded in fog, creating a unique mood for this scene along the railway. Prints available.
Thanks for reading along, get ready for new images, fresh educational blog posts, and more in the coming year. I wish you all a great 2022!