Making photographs is a very personal experience but sharing them is something I love to do. To me, nothing quite has the emotional punch of a visual image. Most of us are strongly affected by light, color, texture and form. It seems to be built in to our basic sensibilities. When we discover unique examples of this in the natural world, it gives us pause. I have, through most of my life, been particularly drawn to the magic of "nature's landscape" and so those are the kinds of images I pursue.

There's another side to consider as well. When we see others of our species trash the beauty in our world, the anger drives some of us to action. Part of that action in my case is to use the photograph as a means to communicate to others what they might be missing, and why it is important to be vigilant about special places before they are destroyed.

Making photographs also has taught me to see the world a little differently, a little more slowly, and thus more completely. Even with busy schedules and responsibilties I find that I take more time to observe the little things. Not long ago, I was hiking with a friend alongside a densely foliaged stream bed and suddenly realized I had dropped my sunglasses along the way. As I went back to look for them, I was told there was no way I'd find them in the brush. But I had such a clear recollection of what I had walked through, that I was able to retrace my steps exactly. I found the sunglasses in the bushes partway up a bank and amazed my friend. Well, that's one benefit of being mindful of the details. And good photography will require that of you.

Now my wife is going to laugh when she reads this. It seems I can never find anything at home. Something interesting happens when I am outside and the setting is wild, though. The senses start to focus and work cooperatively. Attention skills become fine tuned. There is a heightened sense of self and place. Nothing else gets me quite as energized.

I have always especially loved the visual aspect to the world. When I was 10 years old I learned how to develop a roll of negatives and print black and white images taken with a brownie camera. It was sheer magic, watching the picture gradually appear under the dim glow of a darkroom safelight. When I was 14, my father gave me his 35mm Agfa rangefinder camera to use (He had just purchased his first Nikon). I used that camera, with its fixed lens, mostly shooting Kodachrome 25 (at that time called Kodachrome II) for a number of years.

Then, for perhaps 30 years I didn't do much in the way of photography at all. That all changed as I rediscovered the joy of taking pictures in the past couple of years. The pictures you see on this site were all done during this period. (with three exceptions - I did include some from my early Kodachrome days).

I live in Oregon. The Pacific Northwest, with its varied terrain and rich flora is a wonderful place to practice nature photography. Many of the images you'll see on this site are relatively close to home for me.

I also have a great fondness for true wilderness wherever it may be and have photographed in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (see my companion site at arcticwildlife.org) and a few other remote locations in Alaska and Canada. Plans for future work will include other threatened areas that need "exposure" (pardon the bad pun.)

As you will notice, I am a big fan of color. I don't necessarily always agree with the original color balance as recorded by the film - I do try to reproduce the colors as best as I can recall them in the original scene. There is a difference since one's mood will often influence what one actually sees. So I sometimes play with color a little to achieve the feeling I want to remember.

I urge you to explore this website and view the images. Hopefully you will find some that move you, or at least encourage you to go out and experience this element of the world firsthand. I welcome your comments - you can email me at photos@bobschlesinger.com.

-Bob Schlesinger

Equipment buffs may want to know what I use:

Canon EOS3 for 35mm. Lenses include a 24-70mm, a 70-200mm and a 300mm IS prime lens that I like to use with a 1.4x extender. I still shoot film but occasionally borrow my wife's Digital Rebel for fun.

Mamiya 645 (an old model 1000-S) for medium format. Lenses include 45mm, 80mm, and 150mm.

Gitzo G1227 tripod with a Kirk ballhead.

Polarizing filter, neutral density filter, and occasional warming filters and other odds and ends.

My favorite film is Fuji Velvia 50, however I also like Provia 100 when a wider gamut is needed.