In Medicine Bow, Wyoming, they say the wind doesn’t blow twenty four hours out of the whole year. Even in July, the wind is cold, noisy, all-consuming. One morning, my friend, hiking in the wind near Medicine Bow tripped, and at the last second looked down to see a small prairie rattlesnake strike right between her legs; if she hadn’t stumbled, she would have been bitten. The wind silenced the snake’s warning rattle.
The wind can be harsh, cold, brutal, and at the same time it can be life-giving, sustaining. It shapes who we are, and what we have yet to become. If you’ve lived with it for any period of time, you know what I’m talking about. It may be much more tangible to see how the wind shapes the landscapes we love so much. I’m excited to present four new images (See the portfolio here, as well as below) from two of our national parks–Bryce Canyon and Death Valley–that are devoted to the wind that shapes these beautiful, mysterious, and awe-inspiring places.
Bryce Canyon National Park is hugely popular, being part of the “Grand Circle” of the Southwest, and its no wonder why. Bryce’s hoodoos–formed by the brilliantly colorful Claron Formation–simply glow like no other rock in southern Utah. In concert with water, the wind shapes the hoodoos into various shapes–from hammers, to broken palaces, to entire cities. Jagged and raw, Bryce inspires imagination and creativity, and as Ebenezer Bryce pointed out, “its a hell of a place to lose a cow.”
Contrast Bryce’s ruggedness with Death Valley’s seemingly endless sand dunes. The wind shapes the sand into sensuous, almost erotic, curves that perhaps could be an abstract nude study rather than a grand landscape. The light plays on the dunes on both a micro and macro scale, providing endless shapes and forms.
Bryce Canyon #1, 2011
Bryce Canyon #2, 2011
Death Valley #1, 2011
Death Valley #2, 2011
These images signify–in part–the forces that have shaped our national parks. To help with the continued protection of our public lands, I’ll be donating 25% of the profits from the sale of these prints to the Wilderness Society, which works to make visits to our national parks more meaningful and inspiring. This is not a limited-edition series of prints, and this offer doesn’t expire–I’ll make the donations forever. Finally, I am offering special pricing for the purchase of all four of these prints, in any size. Please visit my purchase page, or contact me for more details.
“The truest art I would strive for in any work would be to give the page the same qualities as earth: weather would land on it harshly, light would elucidate the most difficult truths; wind would sweep away obtuse padding. Finally, the lessons of impermanence taught me this: loss constitutes an odd kind of fullness; despair empties out into an unquenchable appetite for life.” –Gretel Ehrlich
These are four outstanding shots Greg. The quality of the light in all is special…you’ve done a superior job of processing them IMO.
The Bryce shots are breathtaking with the illuminated crags (right term?) highlighted by the rays of light. The Death Valley dunes are my favorites of the quartet. I really enjoy the wind blown ripples of #2 and the sensuous lines of #1 are very pleasing and, as you mention, do have a quality similar to a fine nude study….not that I’ve looked at many.
Finally, again..your prose matches up with the images so well which makes for outstanding posts.
As Steve says, four really great images that illustrate your writing so well, yet stand alone as fine art prints in their own right.
The light and composition in Bryce 2 I find particularly outstanding.
I wash you great success with she prints and she fund raising. Best wishes mate.
the texture in the sand dunes in DV#2 is my favorite of these 4 shots. All nicely done.
That’s a beautiful set of images. all of them are really nicely toned. I hope the sales go well for you & TWS. Cheers & Happy 2011
All good, but those Death Valley photos are breathtaking. Beautiful B/W work.
Oh, very beautiful, Greg. I especially like the last. I have always lived in windy environments – it can be thrilling to stand and watch the wind wildly blow grass or waves or trees – it makes me feel very alive and present (if that makes sense).
Sharon
Thanks for the comments, everyone! Its not very often a set of images comes together so well as these; I’m quite happy with the end result. Its also appropriate, I think, that all four of these images were made on very windy (some might say miserable) days…
Sharon, I definitely can relate to what you’re saying about the wind making you feel very alive and present…it definitely does!
Again, thanks so much everyone!
Greg – this is a beautiful selection of images. I especially love the two from Death Valley. The curves, patterns, and textures all come together to create a really sensuous view, as you describe in your post. Really wonderful work!
Happy 2012, as well! I hope it is a great year for you and your photography.
Thanks so much, Sarah! I really appreciate it.
Happy New Year to you, too; I look forward to following your blog, and new images, in 2012!
I just discovered your site and I’m certainly glad I did! Beautiful images…and I really like the b&w treatment you gave of Bryce. I’ll be visiting often.
John
Thank you very much, John! I appreciate it. Bryce, no doubt, is beautiful in color, but I am glad you like the monochrome as well…
Greg, just love those dune shots. Love their simplicity. I really would like to get to Death Valley someday soon.
Greg, love the connection you draw between these very different images. I would be really interested to see how this portfolio grows over time and particularly how additional images might help to create a visual connection across the entire portfolio. All in all, really fantastic photographs.
Thanks, Mark and Wesley! I appreciate the comments.
Mark: yes, DVNP is a spectacular place with so much to see…you could spend a lifetime there, I’m convinced of it. If you end up in the area, please let me know.
Wesley: thanks for your insight here, and I appreciate you saying that you’re looking forward to the portfolio growing. I really appreciate it.