La Jolla
resident exhibits panoramic desert photos
Feb 10, 2010
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'Ocotillo Splendor'
Photo: Leo L. Lawson |
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'Dune Garden'
Photo: Leo L. Lawson |
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'Verbena Fields'
Photo: Leo L. Lawson |
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Helen and Leo Larson in
the Tetons. |
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The work of Leo L. Larson of La Jolla
appears in an ongoing photographic exhibit at the Borrego Desert
Nature Center in Borrego Springs. "Legacy of Light: The Anza-Borrego
Desert Landscape" features Larson's 12- by 36-inch color panoramic
photographs taken with large format cameras that record imagery as 2
1/4-inch by
6 3/4-inch film transparencies.
"After 20-plus years of exploring this format, I can see the world
as a sweeping 1:3 ratio canvas," Larson said. "This narrow format,
which only permits the use of a limited range of wide-angle lenses,
necessitates isolating vast landscapes into photographs with strong
foregrounds, while using patterns, colors, textures and design to
complete the image.
"This combination often allows me to achieve a fresh perspective: a
new story about a subject and its surroundings. I derive great joy
from making the leap from documentary photography to art
photography, where my passion, commitment and discipline become
reality."
Larson grew up in California's Mojave Desert, inheriting his love of
photography and early riser habits from his father. Drawn to
mountains, he became a seasonal climbing/rescue ranger at Grand
Teton National Park for 33 summers and was honored to receive the
Valor Award, a nationally nominated medal awarded for risking one's
life to save others, three times.
Larson and his wife, Helen, a writer who was born and raised in La
Jolla, created Earthwalk Press in 1984, specializing in publications
geared toward the park market, including the Recreation Map to
Anza-Borrego Desert Region, a topographic map that also serves as a
field guide.
In 2009, Larson was awarded first place in both the Landscape and
People categories in Anza-Borrego Foundation's photographic
competition. Larson's photographs have appeared in numerous books
and magazines, including Alpinist, Climbing, Jackson Hole Magazine,
Teton Magazine and the California Geographic Book Series.
Many of his photographs were chosen for display use in the Grand
Teton National Park Discovery and Visitor Center, and his rescue
photographs are used extensively by the National Park Service for
documentation and public relations regarding Grand Teton National
Park's rescue operations.
His work is distributed internationally by Panoramic Images.
"The January rains have set the stage for a good spring wildflower
display in the desert this year," he said.
If you go
'Legacy of Light: The Anza-Borrego Desert Landscape' can be viewed
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through June at Borrego Desert Nature
Center, 652 Palm Canyon Drive, west of Christmas Circle. Admission
is free. Leo Larson will offer a morning photo class on Feb. 27.
(760) 767-3098.
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