James Parker

Listen to the Land is what I tell viewers when asked how I get my striking images of prairies, mountain ranges and abandoned architectural artifacts. My love for the West is evident in my carefully composed images. Years of reading the light and the weather tell me where to go and when to go. I tend to be an opportunist — an explorer — and that is a good thing. Opening my eyes in a new place for the first time gives me a fresh perspective that’s completely different from shooting near home. One of the things I love about shooting landscapes is waiting for first light and being surprised at the beauty that is revealed in those magic moments.Some of my favorite images are simply horizon & sky; clouds & sand. Other pictures tell the story of past inhabitants: miners, soldiers, farmers. Together, these photographs weave a history both real and imagined.The infinitely changing patterns of nature interwoven with quiet time along the road inspires me to keep moving, and to keep listening to the land.