I was always inspired by the black and white photos by Ansel Adams but was never skilled (or patient) enough with a camera to emulate them.   But I have found a method that allows me to capture the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains in a fashion similar to Adams' style while incorporating elements that invite you (the viewer) to place yourself within the image.

Since we see the world in color, a monochrome rendition of an image can accentuate the highlights and shadows, giving the viewer pause and creating a desire to look more closely at the details.   There is something uniquely satisfying about creating a subject that can be conveyed through nothing more than the simple gradation of tones from the “absence of color” (black) to the combination of all colors (white).

I use black & white because they are opposites . . . and because the final image demands the viewer look deeper into the art to find and appreciate the details that are revealed in the tones between these two opposites.   And because that is the challenge – to create something that will move people to wonder what it would be like to be inside that work of art.