Honor.

She was my friend.  A climber.  

I climbed in the dark to get to this special place before sunrise.  Just another alpine start, I suppose.  But this one was different.  Truly special.  I'm honored to have been asked to carry out this request. 

Thank you, my friend, for trusting and empowering me for this personal assignment. 

 

PHOTOGRAPHY.

TO WRITE WITH LIGHT.

    This is an outtake from a shoot earlier this year with Mikaela. We ended up with almost two full days of shooting, from horses, to old trucks, to the fairgrounds, to the riverside, fashion, lifestyle, and eventually shooting some exciting shots at sand dunes.  She is well on her way to a full fledged modeling career and I wish her the best along her journeys.  No doubt, our paths will cross again.

    I rarely take behind-the-scenes shots.  This is primarily due to one legitimate reason - I forget to.

    You see one light setup here; however, this is a two-light creation.  On the left is a Nikon SB900 in a white umbrella, bounced.  The main light is out of view to camera right.  It is commonly referred to as the sun.  You can clearly see that there are scattered clouds to the west, which was a blessing, actually, as they subdued the main light.

    Below, we have a portrait taken a few minutes later, one of the last shots of the day.  As the sun set and the light became darker, I continued to lessen the power output of the SB900 to maintain a delicate balance of light on the model.

    A reflector may have worked pretty well for this particular shoot.  Winds were very light, so I may have been able to use a reflector stand.  An assistant would have been ideal if I had used a reflector.  Using a speedlight allowed me lots of control of the lighting, which I managed with Pocket Wizard TT5, TT1 and AC3.

    For those who claim that they like only natural light, I must proclaim that all light is natural!  But we don't need to argue over that (though it might be fun.)  Bottom line is that for my style of shooting, I generally like for the viewer to enjoy the image one way or the other without being caught up over the technical aspects of the shot.  By enhancing the light on Mikaela's right side of her face and body, I do believe that this may be a portrait worth savoring.

    And then the sun went down.

Breathe and Let Go

Breathe & Let Go

Brevity

Brevity

 

 MOUNTAIN GUIDES

R.J.

The past few weeks have been enjoyable in the mountains of western Wyoming.  Though we had an early round of monsoonal flow, stress levels generally have been normal to low.  Monsoonal weather in Wyoming becomes extremely unpredictable, from simple cloud cover to violent unprecedented thunderstorms.  Combine the mix of strong southerly flow, unstable atmosphere, and Teton-scale orographics, and you end up with something like a hormonal adolescent with his first beer on a Saturday night - absolute unpredictablility.

When the weather is forecast to be somwehat decent I do often take my SLR camera.  Maybe I should focus more on landscapes, but I tend to gravitate toward the people of the mountains in their environment.  It's difficult enough already to grab any snapshots, even more difficult to stage shots in advance.  The first priority, of course, is safety to the clients and to myself, and not necessarily in that order!

With every photograph there certainly is a story.  Neither of us has time to tell all those stories right now.  But when the day is done and we're old and decrepit and we're sitting at the base of the mountains, looking up with intensity, memory, and longing, come find me and we'll go for a walk and we'll share our stories.  For now, as my ol' buddy Jim Kanzler used to say, "Motion is Life," and I'm on the move.

Here is a link to a small sample of images from just a few of the mountains I've explored and traveled.  Take a look.  Grab a drink and hit 'slideshow.'  Climb on.

 

Tetons at Dusk

Summer.  Heat.  Long Days.  Long Nights.  Fun.  Exhaustion.  Energy.  Motion.  

Life. 

Landscape Portrature is one of my favorite subjects to shoot.  I hope it shows!

Grand Teton

View from the summit.  Father's Day.

Summer has arrived for most people in the northern hemisphere.  In the Teton Range of Wyoming, however, winter snow lingers well past the solstice.  For those uncomfortable with travelling on snow and ice and rock, the high Teton peaks will most likely be rather unwelcoming.  On the other hand, travel on snow can be a delight and can offer a distinct advantage for efficiency of movement on steep terrain.

I took this photo from the summit of the Grand Teton last Sunday, Father's Day.  While my dad is busy at his home caring for his less-abled wife, I am in the midst of providing care for clients who I've guided on this day.  Similar?  Perhaps.  I must say, as much stamina and endurance and mental focus that it takes to guide a peak like this in these conditions, ... this is no comparison to the perseverence and dedication that he demonstrates.  

I am inspired and motivated.

This image is not necessarily composed to evoke beauty.  It is the view that I had the other morning at 9:00 AM.  It's raw, cold, harsh, bright, dark, not entirely conclusive.  It isn't grounded so well and doesn't carry an obvious foundation.

Most accidents occur on the descent.  So, for middle-aged, or over-the-hill, people, what's so good about "it's all downhill from here?"

Stay focused on that descent!

 

MIDNIGHT SUN

© David Bowers Photography

This is the first midnight of the season at this locale, Arnoy, Norway, taken at 12:04 AM, May 16, 2013.

In this photo the sun is peering between a heavy layer of clouds and the Barents Sea..  It traversed this sliver of sky from left to right until it disappeared behind the mountains to the right.

Summer is here.

Enjoy.

Norway

Coastal village of arctic Norway.

 Here you can find a few images from a recent trip to northern Norway.  This is my second trip to the country and I do believe there will be a third.  My primary reason for visting Norway is for the absolutely incredible backcountry skiing.  Of course, photography is a close second reason, and then add in the typical sightseeing and cultural enjoyment, and it's the perfect package for a spring getaway. 

Norway, for the most part, has things figured out.  They have very high taxes, but unlike other wealthy countries, they redistribute their income to the betterment of the whole of the country with a great education system, very good health care, decent roads/bridges/tunnels, career opportunities, and clean air and water.  Ironically, lots of their income comes solely from interest earned from accounts filled by the sale of oil from the North Sea.  What a system, though!  Produce the pollutants and ship them to someone downwind and make a lot of money!

It will be interesting to watch to see how Norway continues to develop.  As fishing and oil compete for Norway's income, many questions will arise, specifically regarding the environment.  I hope that they make the best decision possible, considering all the parameters, short term and long term.

For now, it is a very clan country full of vibrant people with tremendous pride of their country.  They're healthy, their crime is virtually zero, they're happy, and they like to ski!  Like me.

I plan to soon have more photos posted at the above link and also here.  Enjoy.  And Happy Spring!



The Teton Range

It's a new project. 

The goals are:  1)  photographically document backcountry areas that are commonly skied during winter and spring

                           2)  identify and label ski runs with currently accepted names

                           3) produce a portfolio or catalog of these labeled images in print form

                           4) share this information with local rescue services so that we are all using the same nomenclature

This image will likely not be in the catalog; however, it is an iconic image of the Teton Range where this project will be focused, specifically in the southern end of the range, which is more accessible and therefore more used by backcountry travellers during winter conditions.

It's a fairly simple idea, really, but there will be much post production work.  Acquiring the data is only the initial phase.  Sorting through representative images will take diligence.  Next, sitting at a round table with a large variety of experienced individuals will be where a lot of the work is - working into agreement of common names and labels.  Lastly will be  producing the final product in book or catalog form.  (This project is not intended to be published for the public.)

So far it's been enjoyable, producing images from strategic places on the ground but high in the mountains.  Additionally, aircraft has been used to get these shots.  Many thanks to a couple of key individuals and organizations that have trusted me in this project.  Airplanes and helicopters are not inexpensive to operate!

Ultimately, this resource will be designed to familiarize rescuers with ski terrain and its names in the southern end of the Teton Range, thereby expediating search and rescue missions where life and limb may be endangered.

Meanwhile, all backcountry users should, of course, exercise caution and travel as though there will be no rescue because search and rescue efforts are simply impossible sometimes due to a variety of reasons.

Live adventurously and travel safely!

                          

Negative Space

The Positive Side of Negative Space

Negative space.  It's that page that is made up mostly of colorless whiteness - either white ink, or the absence of ink on a pure white sheet of paper.  Im our busy, rushed world, the average person's eye will race relentlessly to and fro across the page, scanning for that all-important piece of information that is supposed to be there.  Hopefully, during this multi-millisecond search, just before fatigue or frustration sets in, the searcher will find the piece of information that has been there all along.  Simple, clean, precise, clear.  Ahhh, even stress releaving, perhaps.  It's o.k. every now and then to have a moment that is not filled with an overload of information, leaving you in angst and a puddle of adrenaline.

One of these days I hope to warrant advertising my photography services and productions on the local radio station.  I have not listened to my local radio station for at least ten years - probably something more like twenty years, actually.  The super high paced babbling is just too much for me; it has no productivity whatsoever with me.  The DJ's speak very rapidly, never including a breath or a pause, as they race into the next advertisement, over and over, only sporadically mixing in any sort of entertainment.  So my plan, when the time comes for me to advertise, is to purchase a moment of silence, or at least a moment of calmness in their otherwise over-amped duration of chaos.

Negative space.  Similar to what I intended to demonstrate with the photo above, I think the same use of negative space can be applied to sound.  Great musicians do it!  Silence seperates the chorus with many composers' works.  It offers a breath, a sigh, a release, a moment of peace. 

Ideally, this sense of negatve space could even be applied to our daily lives.  Consider taking the long way home after a week of work.  Consider going to that other restaurant.  Walk your routine path in the opposite direction.  Leave the television turned off for a night?  Brainstorm, and come up with your own way of checking out some negative space.  It has a purpose!

2-page image of Rebecca, March, 2013 issue,

OM Yoga & Lifestyle Magazine

OM magazine approached me awhile back with interest in publishing this image - and here we are!  I'm proud to be able to share this shot with thousands of viewers, and Rebecca is proud, as well.

When we met for this photoshoot I'd already done some scouting and had some ideas of what I wanted for scenery.  It was, indeed, a yoga themed shoot.  High on the to-shoot list was this row of old posts reaching into the lake.  The sunset and full moonrise times I had memorized.  What I didn't realize was that they would occur at exactly the same time at our specific location due to nearby topography.  This made for interesting scrambling of model and equipment so that we could shoot, literally, in opposite directions.  Quick thinking.  Rapid metering adjustments.  Fun stuff.  Fortunately, I had a human tripod for my lighting setup, which was nothing more than a remotely triggered speedlight with a Lumiquest III softbox attached.

The landscape in this area is very interesting and offers a plethora of scenic options.  Rebecca was open to every idea I had, including being photographed with a bison.  A bison was nearby and I spontaneously asked her, "hey, ya want to get a picture of you with the buffalo?"  "Yes," she said, without hesitation.  And I must admit, these were some of my favorite shots of the day.  The paradox of a beautiful woman in mid-summer attire and a beastly bison fully robed in thick matted hide and hair was pretty cool.



Rebecca was a pro at changing outfits and moods, from flashy and serious, to subtle and ethereal.  Fantastic model, no doubt, and one of the most impressive yogi's with whom I've worked.  More shoots with her are forthcoming so stay tuned.

To see more shots from this day, visit my web site, David Bowers Photography , or take a look here and click 'slideshow.'

Namaste.

Avalanche Art

The paradox.  The trade-off.  Watching a wolf take down an otherwise healthy cow elk while giving birth is a horrible site, no doubt, until one considers the den full of hungry pups, dependent entirely on their mom's provisional skills.  Okay, well, maybe that's not the best example, given the controversial existence of re-introduced wolves in the American west.  But you can come up with your own species to use as an example, right?

Avalanches kill.  Snow on a slope has potential energy.  Its energy can destroy everything in its path, including old growth trees, railroads, bridges, buildings, cars, and people.  As a professional ski patroller I have seen many avalanches.  I've initiated many avalanches.  Most often these are initiated with explosives, guns, or artillery, and occasionally with ski cuts.  The idea is that we will release that stored energy intentionally instead of allowing them to build and release at an inopportune time, such as when many recreational skiers are in the line of fire.

I have pulled my fair share of victims from avalanches.  Some lived.  Some died.  Some of them were strangers.  Some were my friends or peers.  It is a bittersweet site, these avalanches.  The power is impressive, as impressive as an F-16 fighter jet taking off at close proximity, a railroad locomotive accelerating, or a high alritude helicopter defying gravity on a mountain rescue. 

As death is a part of life, beauty can be found in power and destruction.  This photo is an attempt to enjoy the beauty of an extremely powerful and potentially devastating event.  This avalanche today, from a safe distance, was a beautiful site to behold. 

MOUNTAIN GOAT

  From time to time I find it important to bring to the front of consciousness how fortunate we are to have such a diversity of wildlife in this area.  For example, while going to where I thought I'd see mountain goats today, I saw a plethora of critters:  deer, elk, bald eagles, waterfowl.  Not a bad way to spend a day off from work.

  Though some people like to bad-mouth goats in this region, I personally enjoy seeing them.  They are very unique looking creatures.  And as a long-time climber and mountain guide, I have tremendous respect for their travel skills.  Some folks will tell you that they run off the bighorn sheep, pushing the sheep into even less hospitable habitat.  Hmmm, there seems to be no persuasive scientific evidence readily available regarding this.  Considering that I can find sheep more easily than goats, I think the balance is sustainable for the time being.  Oh, and we happen to have the largest Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep herd in the world, ... yep, in the world.

  Tonight, as the U.S. President rambles along about his administration's view of the State of the Union, I reflect on the fact that this humble species, the Mountain Goat, has survived for a very long time, something to the tune of approximately 10,000 years before tonight's public address.  Who should we listen to the most?





This is an outtake from yoga photoshoot that I did recently.  Having photographed YOGA as a project for the past year and a half, I've learned a lot about yoga.  I certainly admire all of its attributes and benefits, and it is a remarkable medium with which to honor the art of the human form.



Rough Legged Hawk

    Winter is Here.  Officially, yes, it's a few days away.  But the sun has dipped low on the horizon and the lag-effect of cooling of the Earth is now upon us.  This process has driven many animals to warmer climes, or perhaps windier environments where some vegetation may be more exposed, or to lower elevations where the environment is slightly less brutal.

    Migration.  A long and in-depth process.  Also a long and in-depth discussion, probably for another time when I have more ink with which to write.  Mankind has certainly had an effect on migration, from corridors to road kill to prohibitive fencing.  For now, occasionally with some human help, most species are doing alright.  In the long run, most of them will be fine as a species.

    Lately I've seen a number of rough-legged hawks.  Beautiful creatures.  As the red-tailed hawks leave this valley rough-legged hawks move in.  Though we see fewer species of raptors during our winter months here, we still have quite a few birds of prey, including our national bird, the bald eagle.  For now I plan to continue enjoying seeing these rough-legged hawks, as it seems I'm seeing more than usual.  I suppose the one in this photo from today could serve as the angel in its Christmas tree.  Ahh, maybe that's a stretch.  Maybe rough-legged hawks appear to be angelic sometimes but that doesn't make them an angel!

   
The JHSP avi rescue dogs continually go through extensive training and testing.  A small- to medium- sized pure bred dog is best.  Social skills and obedience skills are a must.  Methods of transporting rescue dogs vary, depending on the location, terrain, distance, and potential hazards:  they must be able to be carried on the shoulders of any ski patroller; they must be comfortable being transported in a rescue toboggan; they must be able to board and unload from a ski lift with a patroller; and they must be manageable around helicopters.  Today's training included loading into and out of a Bell 407 ship under full power, and then staging next to the skid of the aircraft as it lifted off.  Obviously, once at the sccene of an avalanche is when the real work begins.  Having a trained avalanche rescue dog on the scene is certainly one's best chance of quickly finding a buried victim.

Red Fox

  The first real snow of the season fell the other day here in the Valley.   It is inevitable; winter is on its way.  Perhaps in another post I'll ramble thoughts on the trials and triumphs of Old Man Winter.  Shouldn't there be a Young Man Winter also?

    I wanted to get some sort of assessment of the snow in the Tetons during a morning break in the weather.  Certainly there is significant snow from about 10,000' on up in elevation.  This will be something to watch carefully over the next few weeks as winter develops.  If we continue to get small amounts of snow, avalanche hazard will likely be far less than if we get a long dry spell with this amount of snow just sitting, rotting, drying out, metamorphosing into dangerous angulated faceted crystals.  Avalanches kill.  I know this very well, ... all too well.

    A nice prize for my early morning efforts was the view of this beautiful red fox.  Fortunately for me and my camera, he was inquisitive enough to pose for quite some time which allowed me to get a shot or two or three.  Once again, the best camera to have is the one you have with you.

    Later in the day while going for an evening walk I ran across a neighbor and friend of mine, a full time professional adventure photographer.  Interestingly, I noticed no camera, other than possibly a cell phone camera.  Ahh, maybe one day I'll get the shot that sells because I had the best camera with me!

    Short post.  Autumn weather.  Hunting season begins finally for me.  It's still snowing.



Snow King Mountain, The Town Hill

SNOW KING MOUNTAIN, WYOMING

    In contrast to its surroundings, Snow King Mountain is merely a bump that flanks the town of Jackson, Wyoming.  The grandeur of the Teton Range dwarfs nearby mountains, such as Snow King.  Snow King technically is a high point along a ridge that extends from the Gros Ventre Range, which itself, is merely an extension of the Wind Rver Range.  I should add that the mighty Wnd River Range would practically dwarf the Teton Range!  But back to the backyard mountain called Snow King, .. it is a convenient place to recreate, to socialize, and if you walk a short distance it is a place to get away from it all.  

    Recently this autumn I went for another walk on "the town hill," as it is often called.  This time I packed a small day pack, as in, a pack that had everything I would need for an entire day.  

    I began my first 1600' vertical ascent by bushwacking up an obsure, unassuming route.  While trails grace most aspects of the town hill, I often prefer to literally get off the trail.  This time I was rewarded by seeing a cow moose with her two calves.  I do believe it's a safe guess that these were the same three moose that I saw two days prior, right in my backyard.  After summiting the mighty town hill I immediately dropped down the other side, once again off trail.  From this next canyon I continued straight back up, continuing to another ridge that I would then travel back to the main summit ridge of Snow King. 

    The ascent was mostly uneventful, giving me time to ponder and time to listen to the trees whistling through the leaf-less aspen trees.  As I traveled through prime cougar country I thought of all the new residents that move to this area every summer and winter, many of whom just do not know or appreciate their curroundings.  So many folks plug in the earphones, no extra layer or rain jacket, no food, maybe they have a small water bottle, .. and they run through this prime habitat, tuned out to what it has to offer.  As I wondered, and wandered, I heard a snap, then immediately a crash.  Thrity yards away a standing dead tree had fallen prey to the afternoon winds.  No tunes to dull my senses, thank goodness.

    At the top of the ridge I observed the blowing ash and soil from the recent fire.  This recent fire was started by an old man, defiant of the temporary fire ban in place on this extremely dry year.  While burning his trash an errant ember flew into adjacent dry grass.  In an hour's time the fire raged up the mountain side and into the thick forest where it really began to build up momentum.  The fire ended up burning over 3300 acres and costing $9 million.  The town of Jackson was seriously threatened for about two weeks as fire strategists worked diligently to redirect its course.  They were successful, with the help of 600 personnel.

    Continuing along my unburned ridge I noticed an antiquated liimber pine that had been struck by lightning.  The blast blew off a very large portion of the tree which did not catch fire.  And a trench, approximately 1' deep by about 20' long extended from blown out tree roots. 
 
    Farther along the ridge I intersected with the main ridge that would take me back to my original high point on Snow King.  Here is where the recent fire was.  Though it was windy and there was risk of falling trees I spent a little time wandering theough the aftermath.  This paritcular section had obviously burned intensely, leaving nothing behind except for a few standing dead trees and an occasional portion of a partially burned stump.  The ground was black and covered in ash, even after two days of recent rain.  Eerily beautiful, it was.  My culminating thought was that the elk, moose, and deer must be eager for next spring when this area will provide reprieve from bugs, and in one more year it will be loaded with nutritional grasses. 

    Leaving the burn area, I continued along a ridge back to my first high point.   The late afternoon sun provided hints of warmth that the wind quickly neutralized.  I added another layer of clothes, finally had a very late lunch, and lied down and relaxed, out of range of the noise, traffic, and perpetual backup alarms of town development,   Soon I mustered up the momentum to climb the one last hill, where on the other side I ran across a rather large bull moose.  He looked up at me from his bed and realized that I was simply passing through.  Giving him a wide berth I continued past flocks of ravens surfing the eddies and vortices of ridge effected wind.  For some reason the ravens really congregate near Snow King this time of year. 

    The sun has now dropped below the horizon.  I've spent almost an entire day of walking and exploring on the town hill, yet far from town.  Thoughts, pondering, wandering, wondering.  Moose, ravens, fires, and lightning.  Wind, warmth, exploring, snoring.  Not a bad day really, for being so close to town.

    As I dropped into the thick woods to bushwack my way back home, the Teton Range emerged from its veil of clouds.  Bright brief light illuminated the newly snow-covered rugged range, extending along this huge piedmont valley we call Jackson Hole.  And one by one, the town lights began to emerge as night fell.  My long walk today was from town, to the town hill, and back to town.

The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Footstep

Un-named Peak, northern coast of Iceland.



Well, here we go.  Into the blogosphere.  My name is David Bowers and I am a photographer.  I've lived practically my entire life in the mountains.  As in, "IN" the mountains.  I spend my summers as a mountain guide and my winters as a ski patroller.  The free time I have in spring and fall is spent IN the mountains, as well, climbing, hunting, mountain biking, hiking, canoeing, traveling, and photographing.

I am considered an outdoor photographer by most.  I am "supposed" to be an adventure photographer because I spend so much time in the mountains and I have tools, experience, and skills to get almost anywhere above sea level.  I don't do so well below sea level.  Certainly, I enjoy photographing adventure activities, but I do believe my photographic priorities lie in capturing people in the environements they love/

As this blog develops, I'll let you decide what my specialty is. To me, climbing is simply climbing.  I don't care about the terms "sport climbing" or "trad climbing."  When I began to climb, it was simply "climbing." 

Photography is similar to me.  I like to photograph the world around me.  By default, a lot of my images include mountains.  But I'm not afraid to photograph my wonderful cup of hot chocolate after a day of skiing in the backcountry, nor do I distance myself from photographing the talented yogini who happens to be an outstanding rock climber.  The dynamic of people interacting with Life, that's what I enjoy.

Let's go for a walk.  Right now.  Grab your backpack and let's go.  We'll be back in time for dinner.  I promise.  Well, .. I hope you don't mind having dinner tomorrow at breakfast!  It'll be fun.  

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single footstep. 

Step one is already behind us.