Panoramic view of Kjerkfjorden and the fishing village of Reine, on Moskenesøya island, part of the Lofoten Islands. Published with the permission of © Jack Brauer

I don’t have a habit of promoting of other photographers on my blog, really, I want you to look at MY images :p Yet, as photo hobbyist and enthusiast you have to know your limits. There are people that make images and then there are Photographers. So, in the name of  general education, enlightenment and beauty, you got to see this!

Jack Brauer is an American landscape photographer that travels across the globe. He works in color and with large format/high resolution cameras. His trademark is stunning landscapes with vibrant, fresh and pure color, often shot from the summit of mountain peaks and other perilous viewpoints.

Brauer is one of several modern photographers that follow in the footsteps of legends such as Ansel Adams, Edward Weston and other monumental classic (landscape) photographers, yet still with his own twist. Some part of his work reminds me of contemporary photographer and author David Noton, but where Notons work is more subdued and subtle, often shot in the late or very early day, Brauers photographs hold nothing back and show you the full splendor of the landscapes. His compositions are grand and the immense detail, resolution and technical quality of his images simply pull you in.

Romsdalen. The sheer walls of Romsdalshornet (left) and Trolltindan (right) both rise 1500m (5000 ft.) from the Romsdalen valley. Visible here as the long shadow on Trolltindan is the Trollveggen, the tallest vertical mountain wall in Europe. Published with the permission of © Jack Brauer

The most important quality all these photographers have, is the ability to get out, get up and be there. They climb that mountain side and they drag along that heavy gear with a single-mindedness and focus that my highly procrastination-prone mind envy them. They also have a profound technical knowledge and understanding of the medium they work with and all stages of the process, from exposing and composing to developing, processing and last but not least, printing their work. They are simply craftsmen and artists and the reason why billions of digital cameras never will or can truly overtake or throw the professional and highly skilled master photographer.

Now, I haven’t actually seen Brauers prints, but judging by the images on his site and their exceptional quality that is visible even in web-sized versions, there’s no doubt they look fantastic hanging on a wall. I have no doubts that a detail-oriented photographer such as Brauer, never takes shortcuts when it comes to printing. 

Brilliant pink fireweed and the Lyngen Alps, with Jægervatnet lake in between. Published with the permission of © Jack Brauer

One of the things that really got my juices flowing over Brauers work, is a gallery from Norway. As I’m Norwegian those images obviously hold a special interest to me, particularly because some of the shots are from regions well-known and dear to me. I’ve seen a lot of great photographic work from Norway, but his is clearly among the finest in the landscape genre. Not only do these images show how old Norway may look when she puts on her fancy dress and good moods (weather and light in Norway changes with the blink of an eye) but he’s even got the (weird) names of places and locations right. Tiny details perhaps, but it shows the effort this guy puts down in his work, many would just state general region and leave it at that. Also, the fact that he manages to show locations I’ve known for decades from a new angle and in a light and way I’ve never seen before just prove that once you get used to seeing something, you start overlooking what you’re actually seeing.

I would like to thank Mr. Brauer for his work and dedication, and also for allowing me to use some of his images to illustrate this post. I urge you to have a closer look at his work at his site.