Photographer: Craig Wood, Albuquerque, New Mexico Image Title: Another Day Category: Environmental Issues   Technical Details: Nikon F5, Nikkor 17-35mm lens at 18mm, 1/125 second at f/5.6, Kodak E100VS film Location: Skagit Valley, Washington Description: An interest in lifestyles, travel and the environment has always been guiding passions behind my corporate and documentary location photography. I love exploring the beautiful details of our world's agricultural regions such as the lavender of Provence, the vineyards of Tuscany, the vibrant tulips of Holland, along with the daffodil and tulip growing regions of Skagit Valley, Washington. We all appreciate the beauty of a flower, but sometimes fail to realize the hard work and labor, in addition to the occasional potent chemicals, needed to produce a flower. Workers take precaution by wearing jackets and gloves to protect themselves from continual exposure. However, it's the farmers' and workers' unwavering hard work ethic along with their soft hearts that bring the beauty to a vase on the table. I have always been intrigued by man's handprint on the environment, especially when we, as a people, can create such beauty.   Craig Wood seeks to create inspired images of people, their lifestyles, the landscapes and the environment in which they live. His goal is to create images that are truly worth a thousand words.   Cedric Wright wrote, "Great art is usually created under some saturation of awareness. The work is then permeated with an inner perception of beauty and an inner personal philosophy."   When photographing on location, I take these thoughts as dictum. My greatest creative asset is being aware, seeing the details, and then, perceiving what could be. It would be too easy if artistic vision was simply the awareness of many details. It's not only the awareness, but the ability to seamlessly arrange the details together in harmony that at first, affect us, and then, when combined with our imagination, clearly affects the viewer. When it all comes together, it's magic.   Photographing on location for agricultural, industrial and travel clients, including a recent six-day panoramic assignment at Joshua Tree National Park for the National Parks Service, keeps Craig's schedule very busy. His imagery continues to be published extensively, including annual reports, advertising brochures, corporate electronic media, catalogs, calendars and editorials. He has received awards from Nature's Best as a winner in their "People in Nature" category, and Kodak, as a winner in their International Landscape Competition, as well as others.   The magic I mentioned, still surprises me when I photograph, whether for a client or myself. Even when I do capture a great image, I don't feel like stopping. I always feel there's another image - just another way of seeing the same subject. There's never a need to be reminded that I am truly fortunate to create images for a living; and making a three-dimensional world come alive within the two dimensions of film is my tireless pursuit - and a pursuit I love. Life is too short to do anything else.   Craig Wood Phone: 505-792-1007 E-mail: cwphoto@earthlink.net Web: www.craigwoodphotography.com   Return to 2003 Galleries | Return to 2003 Environmental Gallery     Home | Contact Us | Copyright