rashberry and mlo: thanks, when I was taking many of the pictures my main objective was simply to capture the landscape in front of me as thoroughly as possible at let it speak for itself, I’m glad it feels like being there.
Tha Wookie, Galen was a great artist - I respect his work and his opinions but I think I have to agree more with HungryHowie on that one. Beautiful, idyllic, transcendent images of nature if they can rise above simply being perceived as “pretty postcards” can hopefully in some rare cases cause an emotional response in which someone thinks “Wow, I guess rocks and trees and rivers really are worth something”. However, I think a lot of people, especially those living in big cities, are already somewhat jaded and desensitized to pollution, urban sprawl etc. Just as a beautiful landscape can trigger a deeper response at times I think a rare photograph focusing in on the reality of what has been lost can show people what they don’t see with their own eyes. In my more idealistic moments I probably like to think that all of this can make a difference. In my more negative and existential moments I just sit back and think that all of us, the human race, are going to get what we have set ourselves up for, and their isn’t any changing human nature now…
By the way, your dads work is absolutely top notch. I’m sure I’ve seen it all over the place.
Soon after coming back from the trail I was discussing with a few people the idea of showing prints of my photographs - that seems to have fallen through for the time being. For months I didn’t even feel like looking at the pictures to be honest. I think I suffered from some pretty severe “post hike depression” multiplied by various disasters and illnesses that have occurred in my family this year. For a while I thought the pictures were just going to sit half finished on CDs forever and no one would ever see them. I would like to try publishing the PCT pics in some form eventually but I am being indecisive about it.
aaron111