Beginning in 1957, building upon my love of hunting and fishing, I sought photographically to record rare, memorable instants in nature when place, subject, light and event would combine in some extraordinary, intense and revealing way. Each successful image brought back is something of an epitome, yet never a final statement as each day dawn anew. Each place, subject, season and light continually changes.
From 1962 onward I worked only with large format cameras whose bulk, heft and controls demanded a full-time dedication and deliberate pace. To be on hand when these singular events occur demands so much time afield most images were made near my home in Carmel, California or Camp Sherman, Oregon, although for years I toured the West towing an old Airstream trailer and putting in wherever the prospects seemed good.
Of the 36 images shown here in my galleries, 31 were scanned from original transparencies, some employing extraordinary manipulation and restoration using the controls of Adobe Photoshop. Five were scanned from dye transfer prints I made in the 1960's and 1970's, with no controls added. Each is faithful to my observation and sense of doughtiness, and none is contrived nor exaggerated for impact. What you see are moments from a real world that did exist, once, in one place, when I was there.
Copyright 2013 Dennis Brokaw Images. All rights reserved.