ARTIST’S STATEMENT

In 1999, I spent 7 months hiking the entire 2,160 miles of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.  Some five million steps and many mountain climbs later did I realize during this time that I developed my passion for photographing the natural world. I knew that photography would be my way of sharing my love of nature and adventure with others.  Since then, I have traveled extensively throughout the country capturing the beauty of the American landscape and falling victim to class five rapids, 14,000 foot peaks and many other wild expeditions. My main focus centers on the landscape and nature of the Appalachians but also photograph the Rockies and accept special assignments photographing cityscapes and maritime subjects.

I have a thirst for adventure travel and my major ambition is to thoroughly explore the world and document my many adventures on film.  Being a landscape photographer is something that must be in your blood.  There are days when I get more than I bargained for in quest for the “perfect” shot.  On weekends, I often leave directly from a full day of work and drive 8 hours to one of my favorite spots such as New England or the Blue Ridge Mountains. By dawn, I have already raced to the summit of a mountain to catch the first rays of sunlight as they break the horizon.  This is typically followed by a full weekend of scouting and shooting until “the golden hour” of dusk fades into night.  Sometimes I have to return to a spot a dozen times to get the shot I want.  Occasionally, I will sit at a spot after a long and strenuous climb for hours in the freezing cold waiting for the wind to settle and the light to become perfect.  Despite these hardships, when I awake on the top of some distant mountain, miles from civilization, surrounded by fresh mountain air and brilliant red clouds that brighten into an orange sunrise, I marvel at the beauty that God has created.  In the warmth of new morning sunlight on my face, I can turn 360 degrees and see nothing but mountains and wilderness and know that I am experiencing the very best that life has to offer.  I want you to be a part of that with me and I hope my pictures help to share these moments and inspire others to find their own adventures in life. 

I work in 35mm, medium format and digital finding that each have their advantages and disadvantages. Given a preference, I like medium format, however 35mm is the most versatile and each focal length has a greater depth of field when shooting landscapes.  Often, if I can’t get the shot with my medium format camera, I can usually capture it with my 35mm or digital system.

I sometimes encounter inquisitive strangers during photo shoots. One of the most common questions they ask is whether I develop my own film. The answer is no.  My images are produced on professional, archival paper by a breakthrough technology that needs to be seen to believe. They also want to know why I'm there waiting. By the time you're finished talking with me, it's easy to tell that I eat, sleep and breathe adventure and the outdoors.  If I am not out on the road shooting or immersed in my duties at the office, I am consumed by my travel, adventures, and expeditions. As a landscape photographer, my goal is to create a powerful image that propels you into that very moment in nature every time you gaze upon the scene. Photography allows me with a medium of documentation and artistic representation to the many beautiful places I have traveled. I welcome and invite you to share my world.

Bill Booz