#70 …  check! Hang a solo art show of personal photographic work.

Breaking into the art world is never easy. Sure education, experience, and good gear helps. Yet unless my work can be viewed by the public, my art remains silent. Getting it out there is the hardest part.

I’m excited to finally check off this long-time goal from my list of 101 goals in 1001 days by hanging a photos from a ongoing series of portraits of sheep and goats from my travels in Ireland and Norway I call (Geo)Graphic Animal Portraits. If you are in Fargo, ND, stop by Atomic Coffee until September 1, 2014 to view the show. We will also host a closing reception with snacks and refreshments on September 1 from 4-7 p.m.

I could tell you I photograph animals for fun, that I’ve shot more weddings than the average Joe photographer, or that I’m one of the lucky few who LIKES to go to work, but what fun is that? Instead, I want to tell you what I believe.

I believe…

Signature prints are highly underrated.

A hike to the top of the mountain is a reasonable thing to do for the right photo, especially of sheep and goats in Norway and Ireland.

60-megapixels can be appreciated best in print.

Travel allows our creative brains to workout, hard.

Personal work inspires my ability to create for others.

You should make time to drink coffee and wine, but not at the same time.

Comfortable shoes are among my favorite accessory.

Travel is a proving ground, a time to slow down and explore.

The happiest of people are those who follow their passion.

FOR THOSE MORE SERIOUS FOLKS:

It was my mentors while working at National Geographic that inspired me to pick up my first camera and shoot seriously. It was my friends who allowed me to shoot my first weddings 10 years ago. It’s you (my blog readers) who allow me to feed my creative self through expressive photography.

This series of personal work was inspired by the work of Minnesota landscape artist Charles Beck, animal photographer Sharon Montrose, and commercial portrait photographer Joey L. In addition, the scenic geography of Ireland and Norway compliment my Irish roots with my wife’s Norwegian heritage. We also enjoy the humor animals share with us, especially from our Goldendoodle, Willy.

I created these images using a PhaseOne 645 DF medium format camera system with a PhaseOne IQ 140 Digital Back, a 55mm LS lens, lit with a Alien Bee 1600 with a 60 degree reflector and a Vagabond II power pack. While traveling with such gear can be cumbersome, I appreciate the ultimate image quality seen in the final print.

The limited-edition series of 7 are printed on Hahnemuhle fine-art paper at The Photo Touch in Loveland, Colorado where they were mounted on archival acid-free paper and framed with UV-protective acrylic glass.

The images from the show:

Special thanks to Atomic Coffee to offering me this opportunity, to my wife, Krista and my #1 M-I-L for helping with their support and encouragement, and for my mentors including Rachel LaCour and Rachel Olsen for sharing their wisdom.