Distinctly Montana Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.distinctlymontana.com/i/1126990
D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 40 Coming to Montana some 4 years ago I had to learn about safety hiking in the mountains. So I had to learn about bear and moose safety, dealing with higher elevations, understanding unpredictable mountain weather, etc.. When it comes to the actual photography though, both locations are similar in the sense that I am simply looking for great light. e landscapes are visually dif- ferent of course, but great light is great light no matter where you are. LARGE FORMAT PHOTOGRAPHY SEEMS TO BE YOUR PRE- FERRED MEANS OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. WHY DO LARGE FORMATS APPEAL TO YOU SO MUCH? Yes, I love printing large. Some of my most successful photographs have sold in sizes up to and over 10 feet in length! And for me it's all about the emotional impact that only a large print can achieve. Many times I am photographing grand vistas. ese scenes simply don't have the visual impact I want in small prints. I print large so the viewer can truly appreciate the detail and the feeling that I want to convey, and to share the awe I experi- enced when first photo- graphing the scene. WHAT ARE YOU EXPERI- MENTING WITH RIGHT NOW IN YOUR WORK? Currently I am going back to my roots with photography and am working on producing more black and white photographs. ere is something so pure with a b&w image that can get lost when color is introduced. Almost every detail in your image from the cropping to the light to the textures—it is more difficult but more impor- tant to get right than if you were shooting in color. I am also looking for simpler scenes right now, scenes that can have a more emotional impact. A lone tree on a hill with dramatic clouds interests me more right now than a killer sunset in front of the mountains with a river in front reflecting the color for example. I think people are getting a little oversaturated with all of the colorful images on social media these days, and I want to get back to simpler photographical designs and muted colors. It's a way to be differ- ent, and a way to challenge myself as well. Two Medicine Lake Bison in Snow "As for me it's all about the emotional