We’re already halfway through the first month of our inaugural Artist of the Month program, so it’s about time we gave you a little more information about our artist Raynor Czerwinski!
Early Shadow and Lupine (Crested Butte, CO)
One of Raynor’s favorite photographic subjects is the area around Crested Butte, Colorado, where he has lived for about a decade, so we asked him about the unique way he ended up settling there.
Raynor:In 2002 I spent about 7 months bike touring around Europe. One thing I noticed is that Europe is a collection of small towns strung together, and I really like the small town vibe. I returned home to Seattle and worked throughout the winter, all the while researching small mountain towns in the US. It came down tho three. Jackson Hole, Crested Butte, and Telluride. I packed up all my belongings to be shipped once I had an address, stored them in my sister’s garage, and set off on my bike. It took me one month (just under 2000 miles) to get to Crested Butte. On the way I passed through Jackson Hole, a bit to busy for my liking. I arrived in CB and decided to go no further, it was exactly what I was looking for, small town, 9000 feet in the Rocky Mountains, and beautiful scenery right out my back door.
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Another notable feature is the breadth of Raynor’s work; his landscapes are spectacular, but he also shoots action, candids, flowers, architectural features, etc. So we asked him what he looks for in a subject and whether he has a favorite subject.
Harris Horse (Luskentyre Beach, Scotland)
Raynor:I believe that subject matter is secondary, or even tertiary to how the light is affecting the subject and how the main subject is arranged in the frame. I’d rather see a well-lit and composed photograph of a dung beetle, than the Golden Gate Bridge photographed in unflattering light.
I’m constantly looking for relationships within the frame. A pattern or shape mirrored or answered between foreground and background, kelp swirling in a tide-pool on a beach and a similar cloud pattern in the sky for example. Bright yellow flowers in the foreground and a purple sky after sunset (complementary colors).
It is paramount that one arranges the shapes (mountains, a grove of aspen, rivers) in a frame to support one subject; if you have more than one main subject, the image becomes cluttered and visually confusing. **** Raynor has clearly established something of a signature style and has had his work featured on the cover of Crested Butte Magazine, used by Crested Butte Mountain Resort, and hung in various establishments around town. So we asked him about his future goals.
Crested Butte Magazine, where he has been a cover artist, by Crested Butte Mountain Resort, – See more at: http://www.crestedbuttearts.org/page.cfm?pageid=15425&eventid=353458&calendarid=25#sthash.oNPjDSlr.dpuf
Crested Butte Magazine, where he has been a cover artist, by Crested Butte Mountain Resort, – See more at: http://www.crestedbuttearts.org/page.cfm?pageid=15425&eventid=353458&calendarid=25#sthash.oNPjDSlr.dpuf
Raynor:I would like to lead small (4-6 people) international guided photo tours and workshops. I think exploring and experiencing a foreign place through photography is a
Thailand
great way to do that. One of the many great things about photography is it helps you to become more visually aware, and in doing so, keeps you in the present moment.
Raynor’s work can be viewed at his website www.lucidlandscape.com; he’ll be generously donating a percentage of all of this month’s online sales to the WCC. Stay tuned for his tips on shooting great landscapes!
