Master Photographer – Galen Rowell

January 7, 2011 • Tim Parkin

Introduction by Joe Cornish

Had he lived, Galen Rowell would by now be 70 years old. That his name still resonates down the years says much for the power of his art. I still remember finding Mountain Light at Stanfords, Covent Garden, on a grey London day in 1986. The colour and compositional invention and energy compelled me to buy, even though £25 was a lot of money for me. Twenty five years ago! I was lucky if I made £100 a week then. I read the text, every word. Several times (I made sure I had my moneys-worth). Along with David Muench’s Nature’s America, Mountain Light was my main inspirational, practical and conceptual resource for many years after.

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11 Responses

  1. Beyond Words

    Of the Galen Rowell books mentioned in GBL6, ‘Mountain Light’ is out of print, unfortunately, though readily available secondhand. The cheapest overall price I could find on ABE was £10.55 including carriage.

    ‘Sierra Nevada’ is a recent publication, readily available. I’m afraid Beyond Words can’t compete with Amazon on price on this one but you can get it from us for £22.90.

    Of the other in-print titles, the best ‘thinking about photography’ title would be ‘Galen Rowell’s Inner Game of Outdoor Photography’ (recently reprinted as a paperback, £22 rrp, our price £19.80).

    For the coffee table, the paperback of ‘Galen Rowell: a Retrospective’ appears to be still in print – just (our price £33.25).

    (If David Muench is a new name to any of you, ‘Nature’s America’ is out of print but again available cheaply through ABE. If you’d like further recommendations on his work, please get in touch.)

    Neil McIlwraith
    http://www.beyondwords.co.uk
    info@beyondwords.co.uk

    On January 9, 2011 at 8:46 am • Reply
    • Tim Parkin

      Thanks Neil, I’ve just bought the ‘Retrospective’ which is a stunning book and ‘Inner Game of Outdoor Photography which is also a cracker. I’ll add an article soon about these two as well but in the short term I would highly recommend Retrospective as a beautifully printed and balanced view of Galen and Inner Game looks very interesting, more soon hopefully

      On January 9, 2011 at 7:08 pm • Reply
  2. bax

    I’d also really recommend the ‘Inner Game’ book, once leant to someone and sadly it’s not returned….! There are a couple of essays in it which have proved very influential upon me. Especially the explanation of Edwin Land’s research into how the brain processes 3D and 2D scenes. I use this knowledge repeatedly to scrutinise scenes for elements which will distract in the photograph which the eyes have initially ignored when first viewed in 3D, ie reality.

    Like his pictures, not all his writing is to everyone’s tastes and I couldn’t honestly enthuse about the whole content of ‘Inner Game’, but there are gems and I think it is very much worth a read if your time permits.

    On January 12, 2011 at 5:29 pm • Reply
    • Tim Parkin

      Yep – I’ve just received “Inner Game…” myself and am enjoying it so far. He does come across a little ‘arrogant’ at some points but I think that this is possibly a cultural thing so I can forgive him because he has so much to say.

      On January 12, 2011 at 5:35 pm • Reply
  4. Jason Theaker

    Sounds like my kind of guy from the brief quotes you mention here. I laughed out loud when he said “Use the lightest camera you can – go out with just a compact now and again – use it hand held or maybe with just a monopod. Don’t fuss about resolution (that means you large format users). The picture is more important! 3×2 ratio can work in the right hands!” and I have to say this tickled me too… “Don’t be an equipment snob, make the most of what you have got and get out more.”
    Anyway not wishing to get into a lengthy debate about these quotes, he does seem like somebody that enjoyed life first and photography wasn’t going to stop him doing what he wanted… I will look out for the book, cheers for the review guys…

    On January 14, 2011 at 5:32 pm • Reply
  5. Jason Theaker

    oh by the way Bax do you mind letting me know the title of the essay you talk about regarding “the explanation of Edwin Land’s research into how the brain processes 3D and 2D scenes” I’m intrigued…

    On January 14, 2011 at 5:39 pm • Reply
  6. bax

    If someone had returned the book 3 yrs ago Jason the task would be easy! It’s toward the front of the book. Recall enjoying/learning more from first half of book before it becomes more a recall of his commendable athleticism. Perhaps Tim or someone with a copy can help out. I think it might be this http://www.mountainlight.com/articles.html 1996 Seeing Photos–Where Art and Biology Meet Galen Rowell March 1996

    On January 15, 2011 at 10:39 pm • Reply
  7. adamp

    I’ll see if I can find it – I bought the book at the Rowell gallery in Bishop a couple of years ago. Rgds., Adam

    On January 17, 2011 at 1:22 pm • Reply
  8. Adam Long

    Jason – its in the three essays between ps 48- 56, ‘ The Doors of Perception’ ‘The Eye of the Beholder’ and ‘Visual Reality’. Well worth ten minutes in Waterstones…

    My favourite essay is on p31, where he explains how a blinded monkey could still see, as long as she didn’t try too hard. Good parallels with seeing creatively.

    On January 17, 2011 at 8:26 pm • Reply
  9. adamp

    You beat me to it – perhaps… I thought that these passages were more about colour vision and colour perception, or possibly lack of it. I had not made the connection to interpretation of 3D scenes. In any case, there’s plenty of good thinking there and this thread has stimulated me to re-vist the book. Rgds., Adam

    On January 17, 2011 at 10:18 pm • Reply

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