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Jared Watson

Mrs. Burakowski

Photography

28 April 2017

Photo Research Paper

Galen Rowell was one of the most famous nature photographers of the post-Ansel Adams

world, expressing his passion for mountain excursions and conservationism through his work. During his

lifetime, he published eighteen photography books and won the Ansel Adams Award ("About Galen

Rowell.") and the National Science Foundation award for his work (The Editors of Encyclopædia

Britannica). The vibrant and expansive features of his photos, in a way, pull the viewer into the scenery.

Additionally, his original technique of literally inserting the observer into the scenery as part of the

photo enhances the element of human interaction (Dems). Personally, he is one of the reasons that

nature photography is my favorite of the main photographic categories both to shoot and to admire.

Galen Rowell’s passion for outdoor activities and the photographic process have lead to a body of work

that entrances the viewer in scenery and provides a reflection on the interaction between mankind and

the natural world.

Galen Rowell lived from August 23, 1940 to August 11, 2002 (The Editors of Encyclopædia

Britannica). Through his life he resided in California, although he traveled the world. He started climbing

mountains at the age of ten (Douglas). Eventually, he dropped out of college and found work as a

mechanic to pay for his excursions (Douglas). During this time, he started taking photos as a way to

show his experiences to friends and family, and he was intrigued by the photographic process (Douglas).

He sold his automotive business in 1972 to pursue photography full-time (“About Galen Rowell”). His

largest inspirations early on were the natural beauty of places such as Yosemite National Park and the

photographic process itself. He also shows inspiration from the work of Ansel Adams, the mentality of

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conservationism, and commissions he received from National Geographic. He has become an influence

to most nature photographers after the 1980s, especially those who sought to portray nature in the

context of man’s interaction with it and adopted the technique of including the observer in the

environment. Rowell favored 35mm equipment (“About Galen Rowell”) and gear that was easily

portable, creating landscape photos with a deep depth of field and sometimes making himself or others

a part of the scenery as a way to depict adventure (“About Galen Rowell”). He is most famous for

landscape photos that depict wilderness around the world (especially mountains). He pioneered a style

of presenting the observer, often himself, as part of the photo to add the concepts associated with

human interaction to the photo’s meaning (Dems).

Rowell’s photo “Wild Seas of the Drake Passage to Antarctica” was taken in 2002 as part of his

expedition to Antarctica. It shows intense waves that have been frozen in motion by a shutter speed in

front of a serene skyline with sun rays shooting

through the clouds. This photo was inspired by the

availability of portable, color camera technology,

and the fact that Rowell had received a National

Science Foundation Artists and Writers Grant to

photograph Antarctica ("About Galen Rowell.").

The contrast of calm and moving imagery represent

well the experiences one can find in nature, and this and photos like it could be used to show the

importance of protecting the south pole. The photo influences my own work by showing what can be

achieved with a deep depth of field, a large contrast in color, and the freezing of motion.

The photo “Winter Sunset, Gates of the Valley” was

taken at Yosemite National Park in 1990. It shows water

with trees, a mist, orange mountains, and a sunset

Fig. 1. Rowell, Galen. Wild Seas at the Drake Passage to Antarctica. 2002. Mountain Light Photography. Galen Rowell / Mountain Light Photography, Inc. 10 May. 2017.

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respectively behind it. It uses a contrast from the bottom of the image to top of the image like the

Antarctica photo, but the contrast created between cool and warm colors is much more apparent and

there is a larger variety of scenery. It was inspired, like the first photo, by the availability of portable,

color camera technology. It was also inspired by the beauty of Yosemite and Rowell’s own fascination

with it, as well as the beliefs of environmentalism. Personally, this is my favorite of the images included

here, and helps me to see the importance of including some warm colors, when I tend to favor

uniformly cool colors.

“Rodeo Lagoon, Marin Headlands” was taken in 1991 at the Golden Gate National recreational

area. It shows water reflecting a red and orange

sky with marsh and trees that are completely

black and a swan in the water that also appears

black. It contains a much different type of

scenery than the first two images and relies

completely on completely warm colors. It was

inspired by portable, color camera technology,

Rowell’s background (being from California),

and his appreciation for national parks. The image effectively shows the beauty of nature/sunsets and

the importance of national parks. I find the ways this image uses deep depth of field and creates

negative space by making certain objects completely black especially influential.

Rowell’s most well-known photo,

“Rainbow Over Potala Palace, Lhasa”, was

taken in 1981. The rare shot depicts a rainbow

appearing to strike the Palace of the Dalai

Lama (The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica)

Fig. 3. Rowell, Galen. Rodeo Lagoon, Marin Headlands. 1991. Mountain Light Photography. Galen Rowell / Mountain Light Photography, Inc. 10 May. 2017

Fig. 4. Rowell, Galen. Rainbow Over Potala Palace, Lhasa. 1981. Mountain Light Photography. Galen Rowell / Mountain Light Photography, Inc. 10 May. 2017.

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in front of faintly visible mountains and sky, which together act as negative space. Inspiration for this

image came from portable, color camera technology, likely the rare occurrence of a rainbow in this spot,

and the fact that it was included in a book with text by the Dalai Lama (The Editors of Encyclopædia

Britannica). The photo has strong implications about the link between mankind and nature in the

context of the search for spirituality, such as that the power nature has to captivate us is linked to the

divine. I find the image influential in how it treats the entire background as negative space through a

shallow depth of field and thrives despite not having a high color saturation.

Galen Rowell’s nature and landscape photography express strong examples of the beauty of

nature and the power that can occur in its interaction with mankind, which reflects his own love of

adventuring and the outdoors. Although never formally trained as a photographer, his love of mountain

climbing and his being drawn to the photographic process forced him to peruse his dreams, finding

much success. He sought to exhibit nature’s impact on mankind by immersing the viewer in the

landscape and sometimes depicting the observers. His work has drawn me to be more interested in

nature photography than other genres and helped me to see certain techniques that of which I was

unaware. The life and work of Galen Rowell show the importance of searching for and seeking

fulfillment in one’s life.

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Works Cited

"About Galen Rowell." Mountain Light Photography. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

Dems, Kristina. "Remembering Galen Rowell: A Wildlife and Landscape Photographer." Bright Hub. N.p.,

10 June 2010. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

Douglas, Ed. "Obituary: Galen Rowell." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 15 Aug. 2002. Web. 30

Apr. 2017.

The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Galen Rowell." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia

Britannica, Inc., 31 Dec. 2002. Web. 30 Apr. 2017.

Rowell, Galen. Rainbow Over Potala Palace, Lhasa. 1981. Mountain Light Photography. Galen Rowell /

Mountain Light Photography, Inc. 10 May. 2017.

Rowell, Galen. Rodeo Lagoon, Marin Headlands. 1991. Mountain Light Photography. Galen Rowell /

Mountain Light Photography, Inc. 10 May. 2017

Rowell, Galen. Wild Seas at the Drake Passage to Antarctica. 2002. Mountain Light Photography. Galen

Rowell / Mountain Light Photography, Inc. 10 May. 2017.

Rowell, Galen. Winter Sunset, Gates of the Valley. 1990. Mountain Light Photography. Galen Rowell /

Mountain Light Photography, Inc. 10 May. 2017.