Reclaimed Light

My father spent several years as a photographer when he was a young ski instructor. His travels brought him to South America, Australia and New Zealand, Europe and the American West. He died many years ago. I grew up looking at several of his prints hanging in the house. To the best of my knowledge, nearly everything he took from high school till just before I was born has been kept in a box in my closet. I am going to scan and clean as many of these pieces as I can. His work was quite good. In curating this collection, I hope to do what he would have done had he lived long enough to use the Internet. All images copyrighted. Any questions can be directed to me through tumblr or ian AT anelegantweapon.com

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San Blas (which San Blas I don’t know) c. 1970.

People building a boat. I think the San Blas Islands of Panama, but I could be way wrong about this.

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San Blas (which San Blas I don’t know) c. 1970.

I think the San Blas Islands of Panama, but I could be way wrong about this.

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San Blas (which San Blas I don't know) c. 1970.

I think the San Blas Islands of Panama, but I could be way wrong about this.

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Jackson Hole, WY. 1971.

The @jhski ski patrol, and my father's dog, with sleds.

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Portillo, Chile. c. 1968.

Musicians play.

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Jackson Hole, WY. 1971.

Ski Patrol with a sled.

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Jackson Hole, WY, 1971.

Ski patrol readies an avalanche gun.

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Portillo, Chile. c. 1968.

I haven't posted in a while. I just got a whole bunch of slide boxes. There's probably a good couple of hundred to paw through. Should be fun.

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c. I don't know when... or where. Most likely New Hampshire.

Heh. This is a photo of my uncle taken by my father. I imagine it was roughly around the time my uncle received his commission. I'll bug the young lieutenant about the details next time I'm home, hehe. Must have been around the time my father was still in highschool.

I'll clarify date and place when I can talk to my family.

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Peru, c. 1970.

This is the photograph that means photography to me. There is a large print of this hanging in the hallway in the family home. We've moved a few times, but it's always been hung. For a few years, it hung on the wall in my apartment during my undergraduate.

I've spent over 30 years looking at this photo. I know that woman's hands as well as anything else in my life. The shape of her rings. The texture and dried green color of the coca leaves.

The influence on my own work is obvious. I can't get close enough to hands. The only thing more expressive about a person is their eyes. I am always looking for this shot.

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I really have no idea where this was taken. Must be from 1969 to 1972.

My father skiing with someone I don't recognize. Probably a good ski buddy from my pre-history. I can't tell you how many days in my life has been spent this way: Frozen, probably tired, insane, most likely hungover, and grinning like a madman.

This is what I was taught as a child. This is the world I choose to love.

God I love it.

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Jackson Hole, WY. c. 1970.

I haven't posted any of my father's work in a while. I've been busy with work and moving things around my apartment. I realize that I have gone over lots of what I brought with me from my mother's house and that there is still a lot left there. I really need to get back up there. Lots more slides.

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Portillo, Chile, 1968.

Found a series of B&W negs that are obviously a long hike up the Andes. The photos show a large group, probably about 20 people, scrambling over rocks and snow. Looks like it was a nice day too.

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Portillo, Chile, 1968.

Seriously want to be on a slope like this now. Our winter has been mostly non-existent. So OF COURSE this means that I'm looking at 40 year old photos of great winters past... Oif.

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No idea where or when this was taken. Sometime around 1968-70.

I'm generally quite happy with how these are scanning. One of the major issues has been crud on the film. I'm cleaning with an airgun before I scan, but that still leaves lots of spots. The only real editing I'm doing is some image correction to clean off errant black spots that aren't part of the original image. Sometimes they're just gross and I can't really tell till they're scanned.

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Jackson Hole, WY. c. 1970.

Another shot of avalanche prevention. Best start the new work week with a bang.

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Death Valley, 1971.

A closer shot of the previous desert scene.