Welcome to The Clarkin Collection and thank you for taking a look through my last eight years of exploration and landscape photography. The question is often asked, where the desire to get involved in landscape photography emanated from. I can say it didn't, initially, arise out of an ambition for photography itself, but rather a desire to share and communicate my adventures through the spiritually evocative scenes Mother Nature afforded me, along my photographic journeys.
Growing up, I spent a great deal of time in the mountains and lakes, of the Adirondacks, in upstate New York and while New York City is one of the most beautiful cities, in many respects, those unfamiliar with the rest of the state wouldn’t realize the spectacular settings the Adirondacks and upper regions of New York have to offer. This, along with a true sense for adventure, likely spurred the passion for capturing such incredible scenery. While it’s hard to say when the real intererst in landscape photography began, a high school trip across Europe visiting many of the major historical landmarks only yielding, roughly, 100 images of the Swiss Alps, was likely a good indicator. I'll never forget the look on my Father's face as he quickly sifted through so many pictures, with almost no variation from one to the next. Apparently, I failed to realize that once you've seen two or three glacier shots, the other 97 don't exactly come across as unique.
While some shots were destination shots and involved serious hikes and tremendous patience, others like Aspen Glory were simply and fortunately a result of being in the right place at the right time. That said, in most instances, I'd spend 4 to 7 days at a location waiting for the optimal weather conditions to offer up the extraordinary light we all chase, in hopes of capturing that perfect shot. I’ll often look back at photos taken in earlier years, of Europe, the Swiss Alps, Bali Indonesia and some of the most beautiful places in the world and regret not having the appropriate equipment to capture these places in the way they deserved. The good news is, they can always be re-visited and many locations require multiple visits before feeling you've even captured the appropriate shot. Additionally, with all the amazing places I’ve had the fortune to explore, I’ve found the majestic and iconic landscapes of the Western U.S., Hawaii and Canadian Rockies to be virtually unparalleled. The landscape diversity you find in these regions is truly unlike anywhere in the world and while Upstate New York offers some magnificent landscapes, of it's own, it wasn’t until a move out west that the true inspiration for capturing such compelling imagery evolved.
Feel free to browse through some of the breathtaking places I’ve had the fortune to experience and capture over the years.
Chad M. Clarkin