{"id":6095,"date":"2026-06-07T01:06:37","date_gmt":"2026-06-07T01:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/feralflowers.com\/?page_id=6095"},"modified":"2026-06-07T16:11:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T16:11:10","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/feralflowers.com\/?page_id=6095","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Gallery
G2 Gallery – Flowers of the Wind Exhibit for Theodore Payne Foundation<\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Publications<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vogue <\/strong>– Saving the Super Bloom<\/mark><\/a> April 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fremontia – The Last Floral Blooms – Richard Dickey<\/strong>
Journal of the California Native Plant Society – The Last Floral Blooms<\/mark><\/a> (2.9Mb PDF) Winter 2009<\/p>\n\n\n\n

California’s Fading Wildflowers – Richard Minnich<\/strong>
University of California Press Book Cover<\/mark><\/a> May 2008<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tejon-Tehachapi National Park Campaign<\/strong>
Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council
Brochure May 2007<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wildflower – Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center<\/strong>
Magazine<\/mark><\/a> Fall 2006<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UCLA Magazine<\/strong>
Magazine<\/mark><\/a> April 2006<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UCLA Today<\/strong>
January 2006<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Human Flower Project<\/strong>
August 2005<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Exhibits<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Flowers of the Wind at The G2 Gallery<\/strong> – Theodore Payne Foundation Fundraiser<\/strong>
Gallery Exhibit 1<\/mark><\/a>, Gallery Exhibit 2<\/mark><\/a>, Gallery Exhibit 3<\/mark><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frazier Park Public Library – Kern County<\/strong>
Permanent Exhibit Panorama Wildflower Murals<\/mark><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wild Wood Gallery – Journeys<\/strong>
Beacon, NY – Group Exhibit, Jurists – Leonard Freed and Helen Wright<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Los Angeles County Museum of Art – ARSG<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Theodore Payne Foundation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suzuki Camera and Gallery<\/strong>
Osaka Japan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Clients<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

University of California Press, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Center for Biological Diversity, Theodore Payne Foundation, Kern County Library, California Native Plant Society\/East Bay Chapter, Sierra Club\/Condor Group, S.C. Anderson Inc, California Cactus Center, University of Texas Austin, Red Cross – Katrina Relief, UCLA Magazine, Art Source LA, Phoenix Memorial Hospital, Cedars Sinai Hospital, Colburn Sassaman, GLAAD Media Awards Auction<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Award<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Community Service Award of Honor – Gorman Wildflower Preserve UCLA<\/strong>
American Society of Landscape Architects Award<\/mark><\/a> – September 2006<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"G2
G2 Gallery – Flowers of the Wind Exhibit for Theodore Payne Foundation<\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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\"Framed
G2 Gallery – Flowers of the Wind Exhibit for Theodore Payne Foundation<\/mark><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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About the Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I began this body of work in the mid-1980s, photographing California landscapes with various Canon 35mm film cameras, using a range of lenses and UV and polarizing filters. I shot primarily on transparency (slide) film \u2014 a demanding medium that teaches a photographer how to truly see light. There is little room for error in transparency film; exposure must be precise, and color must be earned rather than corrected later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, I developed a visual approach grounded in atmosphere \u2014 how the quality of air, seasonal moisture, and the direction of light determine how flowers and terrain render on film. The land reveals itself differently depending on those subtle variables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I work with a Canon 5D Mark IV digital camera and Canon L-series lenses, alongside a Fuji GX617 panoramic film camera. The Fuji produces 2.25\u2033 \u00d7 6.75\u2033 film originals \u2014 a sweeping 3:1 horizontal format known for its immersive quality. This panoramic ratio closely resembles the natural human field of view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When printed at large scale, these high-resolution panoramas reveal an astonishing range of detail, encompassing thousands, millions, and occasionally billions of individual flowers within a single landscape. The result is an immersive experience that feels less like viewing a photograph and more like standing within the landscape itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because the images are presented through a modern digital workflow, some viewers assume the landscapes have been heavily manipulated. In reality, the photographs originate from original GX617cm and 35mm film transparencies. These slides remain the ultimate analog proof of their authenticity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the originals are placed on a light table and viewed through a magnifying loupe, the natural detail, color intensity, and depth recorded in the film often leave viewers stunned in awe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much of this archive is preserved on original film transparencies dating back decades. During capture, a polarizing filter is sometimes used to reduce atmospheric haze and surface glare. This allows the film to record color and contrast with greater clarity and fidelity \u2014 often closer to reality than what the eye perceives under harsh sunlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scanning & Archival Process<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Film originals are digitized using professional-grade equipment, including a Nikon 4000 Coolscan, Flextight 949, and drum scanning when required. This ensures that the integrity, color depth, and fine detail of the original transparency are maintained at the highest possible resolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Printing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While studying at School of Art Institute of Chicago in late 70’s, I began printing in the darkroom, hand-burning and dodging black and whites prints along with Cibachromes. While that process instilled discipline and tonal sensitivity, advances in digital workflow now allow for exceptional archival reproduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Print Options:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Kodak metallic papers – limited edition<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Fuji Crystal Archive paper – limited edition<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Fine art gicl\u00e9e print – limited edition<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Select metal and acrylic presentations – limited edition<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Archival wall murals – available on commission<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Rare Cibachrome test prints – limited availability<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    All prints are produced using archival materials and are rated for longevity under proper display conditions. For preservation, works should be kept out of direct sunlight and high humidity, and framing behind glass or acrylic is recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Lighting also plays a crucial role in presentation. Thoughtful overhead illumination can significantly enhance depth, color, and dimensionality \u2014 not only for these works, but for any fine art displayed in a space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Details of the Fuji GX617 Panoramic Camera<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    After high-resolution drum scanning, files intended for large-scale prints are carefully prepared using advanced interpolation techniques. This process is not simple enlargement, but a disciplined refinement that preserves edge acuity, tonal richness, and the structural integrity of the original 6\u00d717 cm transparency. Owing to the expansive film area, mural-scale enlargements remain remarkably faithful to the source image. Prints exceeding ten feet in width maintain clarity and immersive depth, as evidenced in permanent installations at the Frazier Park Library.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t