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Mountain Photographer : a blog by Jack Brauer
…all things related to mountains, photography, and especially mountain photography…
The Archives
February 2012
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Colorado
Something New
February 25, 2012 | Permalink | 2 Comments
Aimee making snowkiting look easy.
On Saturday I tried snowkiting for the first time! Notice I said “tried”. I more or less got my ass handed to me! My friends were ripping it up though… I can see how this sport could get addicting. I can’t say I got the hang of it yet, but I was on the verge of the cusp of starting to ride a little bit with the little trainer kite. Then I tried the 9 meter kite and almost got blown to the Front Range. I need a massage. And more practice.
Matt getting gnarly!
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Environment, Videos
Garth Lenz: Images of Beauty and Devastation
February 21, 2012 | Permalink | 9 Comments“The boreal forest is perhaps our best defense against global warming and climate change. The boreal forest sequesters more carbon than any other terrestrial ecosystem, and this is absolutely key. So, what we’re doing is we’re taking the most concentrated greenhouse gas sink – twice as much greenhouse gasses are sequestered in the boreal per acre than the tropical rain forests – and what we’re doing is we’re destroying this carbon sink, turning it into a carbon bomb. And we’re replacing that with the largest industrial project in the history of the world which is producing the most high-carbon, greenhouse-gas-emitting oil in the world.” – Garth Lenz, photographer
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Colorado, Skiing/Snowboarding
More Bluebird
February 17, 2012 | Permalink | 2 Comments
Alex gettin some fluffies
I finally got out again today to shred some powder… such good snow out there right now after a week of on and off snowfall. But, the avalanche conditions are still very dangerous so we remain on the easy routes. Over the last two days, CAIC has been blasting some of the larger avy paths along the highway with both howitzer and helicopter, and the resulting avalanches and debris are impressive – including some huge slides off Mount Abrams which are even visible from Ouray, as well as big natural slides on the bigger slopes throughout the area.
Colorado’s awful avalanche season has even made it into the news on Huffington Post, where Dale Atkins, president of the American Avalanche Association, is quoted: “We have to go back 30 years to see this kind of widespread danger. It’s dangerous inside ski areas, outside ski areas. A lot of folks who have only been here two, five, 10 years haven’t ever seen or experienced a snowpack like this.”
UPDATE: Check out this incredible video shot near Red Mountain Pass the same day as our above outing. This is what I’m talking about! Can’t believe these guys were railing this terrain in these conditions, but all’s well that ends well, I guess. NSFW!
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Articles, Environment, Mountain Photographers, Wyoming
Interview with Dave Showalter
February 8, 2012 | Permalink | 4 CommentsDave Showalter is an accomplished nature, wildlife, and conservation photographer. His dedication and relentless efforts shine through on his must-read blog Western Wild, which is full of inspiring photos and informative text. I recently asked Dave a few questions about his photography and his conservation efforts.
Aerial view of gas development on Riley Ridge, southern Wyoming Range – Imagine this scene with 136 wells, storage, roads… Photo by Dave Showalter.
You’ve worked on a wide range of conservation fronts, most recently involving the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Can you explain in a nutshell what this project is about? How and why did you become involved with this particular conservation effort?
I was contacted by Barbara Cozzens, NW Director of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition about their campaign to protect wild areas along the Absaroka-Beartooth Front. Barb understands the value of advocacy-driven photography and we agreed to develop a project with the support of the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP). It’s called a “Tripods In The Mud” (TIM) where the three legs of the tripod signify the partnership of the conservation group, the photographer, and ILCP. The Absaroka Front TIM is a big step for any conservation group, and GYC deserves a lot of credit for thinking outside the box and partnering with ILCP. It speaks to their commitment to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). We planned three photo expeditions in August, September, and November and I covered an enormous amount of territory in Cody Country.
The A-B Front forms the eastern boundary of Yellowstone, is often called “Yellowstone’s Wild Side” and includes a bewildering amount of truly wild country, the Shoshone, Clark’s Fork and Greybull Rivers, and important migratory and winter habitat for a lot of Yellowstone wildlife. The recreation and sportsmen opportunities, and associated revenue are enormous. It’s easily the wildest and most important landscape in the West, and it’s all threatened by oil and gas drilling, fracking. Our job is to illustrate why this land is so important to the GYE, steer energy development to more appropriate “brown field” areas, and get the A-B Front protected by convincing land managers and local politicians that it’s the right thing to do long-term. The timing is critical too, with both the Shoshone National Forest and the BLM drafting their 20-year land management plans right now.
Sunset lights alpine tundra and distant storm clouds over the Wind River Range from Lookout Peak. Remarkably, this roadless landscape is leased for a full scale gas drilling operation; I had to see it for myself before it is destroyed. The Wyoming Outdoor Council and Citizens Protecting the Wyoming Range are among the conservationists contesting the lease and seeking permanent protection for this special place in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Photo by Dave Showalter.
Can you describe your “fantasy” conservation photo? By describing a few of your “dream” conservation-related photo scenarios, whether in the past or future, I hope to gain an insight into your strategies and goals when heading out for a shoot.
I approach my work in a story-telling fashion, linking images with many elements on a landscape scale. Rarely do I even think about a fantasy photo because there’s always a lot more to the story. I guess that’s why it’s often called documentary photography; which I don’t care for because I think we’re all trying to present the work in an artistic way. On a rare occasion, there is an opportunity to make a single image that either shows a roadless area that warrants protection, or a place that’s been completely decimated by industrial development. Aerial photography is a great way to make connections and I’ve been able to do both through my partnership with LightHawk.
I've worked with Wyoming Outdoor Council and The Wilderness Society for protection of two areas in the Wyoming range, both wildlife corridors as well as important recreation areas. The area known as "The 44" is officially protected and the "Upper Hoback" is held up, awaiting a new environmental review. The image shows unbroken roadless land all the way to the Grand Teton, at the top of the frame. Photo by Dave Showalter.
What is the most challenging aspect of your photography when you’re out in the field?
I think it’s difficult to accomplish all that I want to in a finite amount of time. I want to tell the whole story at once and have to remain patient, realizing that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. There’s also the variables of weather and wildlife having the freedom to roam. I also miss home and my wife, Marla.
A Greater Sage-grouse male displays for a female on a lek in Sublette County, Wyoming. The birds put on an elaborate display on leks, or mating grounds in spring, often in areas threatened by energy development. The species is in rapid decline and determined to be "warranted, but precluded" from protection under the Endangered Species Act. Photo by Dave Showalter.
Read on! (more…)
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Colorado, Skiing/Snowboarding
Bluebird
February 7, 2012 | Permalink | 5 Comments
Hank carves some fluffy powder on a gorgeous bluebird day in the San Juans, Colorado.
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From the Vault, Switzerland
Griessental Sunset Panorama
Griessental Sunset Panorama : Prints Available
Sunset light illuminates the snow-filled valley of Griessental, February 2011.
Here’s a photo from my archives, from February last winter in Switzerland. You can see more photos from this hike here.
Back home in “the Switzerland of America” this winter, I haven’t been getting out into the mountains as much as I’d like due to the sketchy avalanche conditions. On the bright side, I’ve been taking the opportunity to work on some projects that have been on the back burner for years. Among other things, I’m learning Adobe InDesign book publishing software and am excited to start creating some photo books. I might even have time to finally put together a screensaver app for sale on my website. So, stay tuned… I’ve got some good stuff in the pipe!
About Jack Brauer
