The post Marshal Hilton wins Honorable Mention in the Jury Selected 2022 reFocus Awards International Black & White Contest appeared first on Marshal Hilton Fine Art.

I was admittedly hesitant to share my thoughts on this perverse subject that I find so fascinating within the landscape photography community. So much hate, so much envy, so much petty criticism and critique of a man, and fellow artist, that up until a little more than a few years ago, I never knew existed.

“…To be, or Not to be”…Creative

 

I wasn’t given a choice, I just came into the world this way. I’ve been a creative since birth. My muse has taken many forms over the course of my life. Music was my first, Acting was my second. For close to three decades I had a thirst to learn techniques from artists that inspired my muse. As artists we take in vast amounts of creative inspiration from artists we admire. We learn from, copy, and reinterpret that which we aspire to emulate. Artists inspire Artists, which inspires more Art. All great artists acquire techniques from those that came before, and our contemporaries; we add these techniques to our repertoire and we make them our own within our work, thus the “Cycle of Artful Creation”.

Musical inspirations from guitarists David Gilmour, Neal Schon, Steve Lukather, Eric Clapton, Joe Satriani, Eddie Van Halen, Eric Johnson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robin Trower, Carlos Santana, and many of the 1980’s and 90’s rock bands shaped my voice as a melodic rock guitar player. I fell in love with the big fat wall of amplified sound; the soulful, melodic, and grinding tube sustain of a Marshall stack launching bombastic ear piercing lead guitar riffs. Every lick they played, no pun intended, can be heard in my playing, it’s in there, somewhere.

Legendary actors Clint Eastwood, Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford, Alan Rickman, Steve McQueen, Jack Nicholson, Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman, Al Pacino, Sean Pen, and many others, fascinated my imagination on how they created legendary film characters with their ability to tell a story in what they didn’t say; their silence, their stillness, their physicality, their inner dialogue, their intuition, their instinctual knowledge of how a movie camera “sees the soul” of a character through their eyes, and the subtle layers of human behavior. “Simple” and “Small” goes a long way in the craft of film acting. I learned much from them. Their techniques inspired my creative interpretation, and can be also found in my acting work, they’re in there, somewhere, trust me.

“…To be, or Not to be”…a Fine Art Landscape Photographer

 

“Tempestas Viator”, Storm Traveler – Oceanside California. Limited Edition – 50 Prints

My introduction to Photography as a potential craft happened in 1974, as an elective class in High School. We learned about the basics of Black & White photography and darkroom processing. It was so long ago that I’d be lying if I said anything more than that. What I do remember is being given an old 35mm film camera, lying down under a tree and shooting into the sky. My eye has always looked for a different perspective instinctively.

Although I’ve had a camera close to me over the last thirty plus years, photography as an art form was not the subject of my creative focus. I was busy working on my acting craft; navigating Hollywood, working on film sets, connecting with producers, directors, writers, and casting directors, all in the effort to carve out a career as an actor. As with any endeavor in life, the old saying, “You get back what you give” rings true in degrees. Over thirty years and a hundred plus professional credits in film and television, I managed to build a decent resume, but it took an enormous amount of work; hundreds of auditions, and many, many failures. Along the way friends and family telling me “ I’m sure its fun, but you’re never going to “make it” or “when are you going to call it quits you’ll never be a big star?”

And then there were those loud little voices of insecurity and self doubt ringing in my ears when times looked bleak. And let’s not forget about the critics, those lovely individuals that somehow found their way to a position of creative “judge and jury.” Seated behind the anonymity of an innocuous avatar, in the comfort of a secret basement somewhere, they declare their analytical prowess as to the intimate details of cinematic storytelling and the craft of acting. The angry ones are easy to spot, frauds and full of negative crap. Easy to criticize, but coming short of any real world success as an artist, they are safe to hurl the “Slings and Arrows of outrageous fortune” to crucify that which has escaped their personal dreams.

“…To be, or Not to be”… An Artist

 

“LUX DEI”, Light of God – Limited Edition – 50 Prints

The triumphant “To be or not to be” soliloquy in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, arguably one of the most famous pieces of theatrical dialogue ever composed, appears in Act 3, Scene 1 and raises the overarching question of Hamlet’s dilemma:

“To be, or not to be,” that is, “To live, or to die.” Hamlet poses this as a question for all of humanity rather than for only himself. He begins by asking whether it is better to passively put up with life’s pains (“the slings and arrows”) or actively end it via suicide (“take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them?”).

Over the last several years as the glass ceiling of my Hollywood career started coming into focus, I knew that my creative muse was still strong, my youth was fading, and that I desperately needed an avenue to satisfy my never ending muse; my incessant curiosity, imagination, and creative intuition. When I started curating my photography collection I began sharing some of my work with close friends and colleagues for whom I trusted. They were people that were brutally honest as only Hollywood creatives can be. To my surprise, my work was well received by all. One such friend, Dan Peterson, a Los Angeles based fashion photographer of many years said that he was amazed by the work and that it reminded him of a gallery that he visited in Hawaii some years prior. He told me that he almost pulled the trigger on one of the artist’s prints. That artist was Peter Lik. I vividly remember saying to him “Peter who?” He said, “Peter Lik, you should look him up.”

“To be, or Not to be…” Commercially Successful

 

 

Having also been the target of the critic’s arrow over the years, walking through his LIK Fine Art Gallery in La Jolla California, I instantly understood why Mr. Lik was the muse of so much hate and controversy from the professional photography community, envy.

His gallery presentation is flawless. Gorgeous wood floors, perfect lighting and interior design, beautiful and vibrant museum quality prints; a reflection of his worldly travels captured and presented perfectly, with an eager, and at times over zealous sales staff more than willing to have you mortgage the farm to own one of his works. Everything about his gallery experience is a successful, well oiled, luxury premium brand provider. And herein lies the heart of my observation.

“To be, or Not to be…” Envious

 

Having a true career in the arts is a rare thing. The arts are filled with those that desire and aspire to greatness, and fail, and those select few that manage to succeed. Most are “gig” players who live hand to mouth. The angry ones see themselves as victims; not enough money, or gear, or the ability to travel the world as the reason they can’t break through. And when they see someone that is doing well in a career they aspire, they can’t handle it, they lash out, get bitter.

They grind into the minutia of a photographic purest mentality, pixel integrity, or cast dispersion as to what is “in camera reality” verses artful creative post processing. They very rarely, if ever, dig into why he’s successful, but chose to highlight the many petty reasons why he shouldn’t be successful. But in their misguided desire to level up by putting down his work, they often forget the most crucial aspect of what it is that we artists do, we make ART for the public to enjoy. We make artwork that hopefully transports the viewers mind away from the drudgery of every day life, even if for a brief moment of peaceful inspiration and stress relief. That is the purpose of our craft; to create emotional value with stories and imagery that inspires people to stop, dream and wonder. The public could give a rats ass whether the pixels are perfect, or if it was shot on a DSLR or Mirrorless, or whether or not the image was “In Camera” or how much Lightroom or Photoshop post processing is performed on the image. All that chatter is the noise produced by envy; photography purists that are so far down the technical rabbit hole that they fail to understand the purpose of art; to create imagery that connects people to a moment, Emotional Value; and if that moment is a deep and powerful connection, they will be willing to pay money in order to experience that connection for the rest of their lives. And so as to not ignore the elephant in the room, yes, we also create art in the hopes of selling our work so we can make a living. But rather than appreciate Mr. Lik’s success, they opt for long winded, passive-aggressive deep dives of envy, searching for any ridiculous reason they can find to release their personal anger and frustration at why they are not Peter Lik.

“To be, or Not to be…” Talented

 

I learned a long time ago that having “talent” and achieving commercial success is not mutually inclusive; in the arts desire, effort and outcome are not symbiotic, they’re anything but. I know some amazingly talented people, some would say even “gifted” that are incapable of the risk associated with achieving commercial success. They are just too sensitive to suffer the “…Slings and Arrows of outrageous fortune…” for there are many. Because of this, they subconsciously “…take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them…,” essentially ending any hope of an artistic life via career suicide, by simply disappearing under the false cover of “artistic principle”. It’s heartbreaking cause their talent and art will inevitably stay with them and never serve its noble purpose, which is to inspire and share their vision of our world with humanity. So they create in obscurity, casting doubt and throwing shade on the successful, complaining that it’s not fair, or it’s “not real” because it’s emotionally safer hang onto this flawed proposition.

 

“…To be, or Not to be…” Peter Lik

 

“PACIFIC ZEN” – Limited Edition – 50 Prints

Mr. Lik on the other hand is Brand creator and an excellent marketer. Whether you like him or not, his work and technique is good, his color and compositions are equally top notch. As with any industry, rumors run abound. I’ve never met the man, but I can say that I’ve worked with some amazingly talented people in my career that were loving and compassionate one day, and passionately difficult the next. Some days you got the good side, other days you’d best stay clear, that’s just the way highly motivated creatives roll, I am one of them, I am painfully self aware. As a photographer, there are equally talented shooters in the world, one just needs to search the internet. What makes Mr. Lik different is that he understands brand marketing and is willing to take a risk, both personally and professionally, regardless of what his contemporaries are saying. And to be brutally honest, he showed everyone that aspires to a successful career in Fine Art Landscape photography how to do it right, regardless if you like his work process or not. Being a visionary artist and an effective marketer takes a thick skin. You know you’re going to take shots from those that want what you have, success. And so the slings and arrows keep coming.

But what’s even more sobering is that the very people that seem to scream the loudest, will secretly seek to snuggle up to his brand in the darkness of the deep web, away from the eyes of the public. They want what he currently has, market penetration and brand positioning, but most of all, they want a piece his internet traffic. I am admittedly a “newbie” in the technical world of Internet Marketing and Google’s Search Engine Algorithms. It is absolutely NOT something that I find artfully creative. But every day I learn about something new that lands my radar. In my numerous and ongoing consultations with a seemingly endless supply of SEO and SEM “experts,” they have presented me time and time again the many examples of WHO, and HOW, so many of these passive-aggressive internet search assassins “do the dirty” in the game of SEO. I was frankly astonished. Page after page of Fine Art Photographers, fellow artists, that were willing to Keyword and Tag their Fine Art Prints as “Peter Lik Style”. What the fuck is that? How about showing a little pride and dignity in one’s craft?

Maybe I’m old school. Maybe I’m a victim of artistic integrity. Maybe I’m a just guy that is respectful of an artist willing to “…suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune…” on his journey to climb to the top of the mountain.

I’ve been told by more than a few that I am principled. I’m proud of that. Personal and professional integrity are qualities I strive to maintain even in the face of “Well everyone else is doing it”. But I also know one thing that is for certain, I’m not desperate. I’m also proud of the things that I have accomplished through hard work, perseverance, discipline, and respecting my authentic self.

Building a Brand is a long and diligent process. I’ve been doing it for many years. If you don’t believe me, do a search, I’m not hard to find. Short cuts are never a long game play. They may garner a sale here and there, a little publicity, but how does one build a unique top tier Brand being a “Peter Lik Style” artist? If one desires to be a unique, respectable, and successful artist within the Fine Art Photography world, why would anyone choose to position themselves as anything but authentic? That is a Brand philosophy of creating a second, or at best third fiddle identity. It’s like admitting to potential fans, customers and Fine Art collectors “Yeah, I’m not the best, or the most famous, but I’m similar…and cheaper”.

 

“…Not to be…” Peter Lik

 

The concept of “sniping” a successful fellow artist and entrepreneur using sneaky SEO techniques just makes my stomach turn, regardless of how “Everyone is doing it.” It feels like something a thief would do. Instead of working an honest job to make ends-meat, they sneak in the back door and steal the fruits of your hard earned labor. Look, I’m not a naive idealist when it comes to free market capitalism, competition is healthy for all concerned. As eloquently spoken by actor Michael Douglas in Oliver Stone’s 1987 film “Wall Street,” Gordon Gekko states that…

“…greed — for lack of a better word — is good.
Greed is right.
Greed works.
Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
Greed, in all of its forms — greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge — has marked the upward surge of mankind…”

The “Greed” question as it relates to this topic, is can “Greed” exist within a moral and ethical business environment? I say yes, it can exist. Because we all have a choice of conscious regarding our Brand, our products, and how we choose to compete in the market. Competition motivates those at the top to stay sharp, and those not at the top to evolve; become better, prettier, sharper, faster, and more unique in order to grab additional market share. But declaring my art to be “Peter Lik Style” is like crawling under the carpet wearing a Top Hat. It is this misguided, short term “Greed” that tells the world that you don’t value your work or Brand, and that you’re desperate. How would one ever expect to attract respectable Fine Art Photography customers and Collectors to pay top dollar for artistic value, when you’ve already told them you don’t respect the value of your own work?

It’s certainly not something that I’d feel good telling my mother or friends about. And the many other photographers that are out there sniping competitors brands certainly aren’t telling the world that they’re doing it, I wonder why? 

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been an entrepreneur for over 30 years. I’ve started and owned numerous business. I’m not naive, I see the short term benefit of SEO Black Hat Marketing, but it’s just not a decision that I could feel good about. Creating a Brand that is respected and valued one needs to have a bit of moral courage and self respect. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions, eat little turds along the way, they taste terrible, and they’re a painful play in the long game. But “Value” has never been a simple commodity, you cant steal it, you have to earn it within the market. You gotta make cool stuff that people love, perceive value in, want to purchase, and share with their friends and family.

At this point the only thing I can control is my work and the decisions I make how to share the work; to continue growing artistically, being the ever curious, evolving, humble, and authentic version of Marshal Hilton. I’m proud of the things that I’ve accomplished, grateful to the people that have supported and provided opportunity, and I’m good with being “Marshal Hilton Style”.

Although I voted “No” on the whole “Peter Lik Style” SEO sneakery, I would be lying if I didn’t say that I haven’t looked at a lot of Mr. Lik’s work since being introduced to him a couple years ago. Hell, I get his ads in my social media stream every day, the dude isn’t shy. He’s had a long and successful career, he developed his unique photographic style, and he’s got a lot of talent in his operation. Some of his work I really like, some not as much. But that’s life in art, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. But I also peek at a handful of other Fine Art Landscape artists. I’m constantly learning and wondering “How in the heck did they do that?” I ask my fiends and colleagues in the film industry that are wizards in digital editing technology to help me reverse engineer the process. I watch a lot of tutorial videos of digital photo editing to learn new techniques every single day. Well, not every day, but I do watch a lot. Much like playing guitar, or acting, the process of learning new techniques by mimicking the “licks,” again, no pun intended, of artists that are inspiring, is part of the process of becoming a well rounded artist.

I have been fortunate to have had several personal mentors as counsel in the curation of my current Marshal Hilton Fine Art Collection, as well as offering helpful artistic and technical critique along this new creative journey. Photographer and Master Print maker Robert Park at Nevada Art Printers is the absolute best in the business. He creates world class museum quality prints that are second-to none. His advice on maintaining image quality and file integrity for large format printing has been invaluable. Photographer Serge Ramelli, and several others, for their tireless editing tutorials that have opened my eyes to creative digital post processing. I am also a fan, continuously flabbergasted, and in awe of the work and location tenacity of Marc Adamus, the man is simply a beast. And yes, I even admire Peter Lik, not because of his wild success, not because he’s this generations most commercially successful landscape photographer, but because of his personal fortitude and commitment to “…suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune…” on his journey “To be, or not to be” Peter Lik.

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I have been blessed in many ways, as have you.

I have been cursed in many ways, as have you.

What makes us alike is our humanness, the world that we call home; the way our minds work, the struggles and worries that we all share in
one way or another as we dream and aspire to an idyllic life.

My curse, without question is fear of failure. Without this fear I would have achieved nothing in my life. As much as I hate the anxiety caused by fear, it has propelled me to continue seeking a path towards inner peace and self reliance. I have failed so many times I have lost count, and that is a good thing.

My blessing, is that somehow, somewhere, I was gifted the qualities perseverance, curiosity and storytelling. Failure after failure, both personally and professionally, perseverance was the behavior inspired by my fear of failure. I am an insanely curious being. I have been counseled by many that my childlike hyper imagination is a dangerous place. Imagination and curiosity as to the “how and why” things happen has forever been the way that I solved problems, and as an artist, it is my responsibility to share my ideas, interpretations and discoveries with people through my artful creativity, both as an actor, musician, and through my Fine Art nature and landscape photography.

In my creative life, my oversized imagination and curiosity has served me well as a storyteller. Art, and the art of storytelling, is finding the
words and images that trigger ones imagination to dream and ponder their lives through the art that they are viewing; be it a movie, reading a book, listening to music, or in this case looking at one of my fine art nature and landscape prints, we engage our imagination to feel a moment of inspiration, a break from the often hectic reality of life to rest our minds in a moment of peaceful dreams. The best way I can describe this artful moment is akin to taking a short restful power nap; the quieting of the mind in a moment of dream-like inspiration calms the spirit, lowers your pulse rate, and allows us to stop, breathe, and take note of our blessings. Appreciating and experiencing art is a mentally and physically healthy practice.

Now, I know all of this sounds like fanciful, esoteric gobbledygook, but I experience this moment many times a day through my work, and you can as well. I am blessed to get to roam around the planet standing in the middle of amazing scenes that blow my mind. Many times they are hard to capture because they are so intoxicating that it’s hard to concentrate. Everyday when look through my library of images, or when I’m working on an edit that allows me to re-live the
journey to that place, I am in many ways taking that short restful nap, disengaged from the “To-Do” list that dominates my day, after which, I feel invigorated with positivity and optimism that I am blessed, and that my fears are nothing more than a self created obstacles to finding the peace and success that we all deserve.

This is my purpose as an artist, actor, landscape photographer and storyteller; a bridge to you, your lives, your passions and dreams. Yes, I create fine art acrylic landscape prints and sell them, it’s fairly straight forward, but I would also create them regardless of any commercial endeavor. I create because my muse and imagination are larger than myself. I am wired with emotional and visceral curiosity; they consume my daily life and no matter how hard I try to push them aside, they force their way to the forefront of my thoughts; they insist on being satisfied, so I create. It’s like medicine for my soul.

I have been told by my customers many times that my Lumachrome Acrylic prints also re-invigorate the energy of their lives, homes and offices. They feel the healthy, calming benefits of these little “daydreams” throughout the day. They are able to transform rooms into places of calm and inspiration; they also enjoy the pride of exclusivity while sharing my fine art limited edition prints with friends and family. When I hear these stories I become overwhelmed with
artistic purpose; too investigate, to create, to share, to inspire your imagination to dream, and live your fullest life.

Live well,

The post The Zen and Purpose of Fine Art Landscape Photography Prints appeared first on Marshal Hilton Fine Art.

Some imagery will speak to you regardless of its technical merits. I’ve seen many images that were technically perfect, that were lifeless with zero spirit, and seen other images that were technically a mess, but were profoundly inspiring.

Much of what we see when looking at a one dimensional photographic image is an unconscious process; our minds are searching for the visual depth that we see in our real world that camera technology is unable to capture. In order to create an image that has visual immersion, one that brings us into the image as if we are standing there in real life, a photograph’s Composition is paramount in any well crafted Landscape and Nature Print.

A few technical things to consider when purchasing a Black & White Fine Art Print for your Collection

• A foreground, middle ground and background element create visual depth in an image. Another way to look at an image is from the front to the
  back, and notice how your eyes navigate through the image on the various features. I like to refer to this concept as the visual layers of black from
  foreground to background; another way to think about it is from dark-to light. In life we see oqbjects in the foreground to be crisp and dense with
  contrast, texture and color, and as we view objects in the distance they are not as sharp, more defused by distance and atmosphere. A camera sees
  and captures an image in one flat plane. A well crafted Fine Art Photograph creates depth by highlighting the visual layers from front to
  back as if we were standing in the location and viewing it in real life.
• Are there any Leading Lines from front to back that guide you into the scene? Sometimes it can be a physical object such as a fence or a road, or it can be the angle light from the sun or moon guiding us through the image.
• Is there Balance and Symmetry within the image? Symmetry in landscape and nature can be found on a micro level, but in the grand scale, it’s rare to find nature symmetrical. Nature is random and the evolution of our planet is violent and disruptive. It is our job as visual storytellers to find inspiration in the random elements a scene provides, and place them in the frame with symmetry and balance, and it is all too often the bane of our existence as photographers. We stumble into a scene that is begging us the capture the moment, and yet the elements we need to create depth and balance are just not available. There’s no foreground element, no leading lines to bring us into the image, the background is too busy, the light is changing too quickly, and we can’t get another perspective because to do so would mean falling off a cliff to our demise. Many times we just have to appreciate the view and walk away, knowing that the shot just wasn’t there. It’s rare to find all the natural compositional elements needed in the creation of a great photograph. That’s why great landscape and nature prints are so difficult to capture.
• Is there full Dynamic Rage of grey tones from pure black to white in the image? Black and White images come to life in the many different levels of Black and how it contrasts against all the lighter grey and white tones.
• Are there multiple layers of Texture in the image? Nothing is EVER singular in texture. Distant skies are never crisp and crunchy in nature. Skies will always have a natural gradient of tones from dark to light and defused levels of atmosphere. An image that encompasses the many layers of texture from smooth and wispy atmosphere, too dense and crisp foreground features, create depth, dimension and visual interest in the image.

Perched on the seaward bluffs of Point Loma in San Diego, California, the view from Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is haunting and humbling; the winds of Duty, Honor and Country permeate the your soul with the stillness of historical sacrifice. Internments on this stretch of hallowed land date back to the early years of the California Republic and the Battle of San Pasqual, (1846) during the Mexican-American War, thru WWI, WWII, Korea, to present day.

Although cemetery imagery can be heavy and uncomfortable for some, “Requiem” is one of my favorite Black And White Fine Art Prints, and a wonderful example of using the Rules of Composition when framing an image:

Rule of 3rd’s: The horizon line is on the lower 3rd of the frame. The two distance Islands land on the exact intersection of the lower right and left thirds grid. Symmetry: The trees on either side of the image frame the image perfectly. The tree in the middle of the frame is centered precisely between the Islands that are placed on perfect thirds.

Leading Lines: There are actually two sets of Leading Lines – Left and Right Foreground lines that lead the eyes through the grave stones toward the subject of the photo, the distant islands.

Foreground, Middle Ground and Background: The Foreground gravestones begin the journey, eventually landing on the Middle Ground trees and the end of the cemetery, passing over the ocean to the horizon and two Background Islands.

Why is Black & White Photography so captivating?

I think what most Fine Art Collectors and photography lovers find so interesting with Black & White Photography is that it’s unnatural to how we view the world in our daily lives. Most humans experience and live in a world in color. Our brain is wired to recognize color. When we are young we are taught to identify the hues that we see by names, Blue, Red, Yellow, ect. We instinctively see color when we are born, and then learn how to associate color with objects. But when we look at a Black & White Photograph, something in our brain squeezes. It captivates our attention in an entirely different way. We unconsciously try to project what the colors might be in the image we are viewing. Without colors creating warm or cool feelings, or the saturation and vibrance of hue, we are left to engage the image with the curiosity of what subject or place looked like in color. What we are left with, is our familiarity with nature in color, now experienced in Contrast, Texture, and Form. We recognize Form, we recognize Texture, but now the total of the image speaks to us with Contrast, and how light affects the many shades grey.

Another visual advantage of Black & White is how it presents images with a lot of negative space. Black and White is a very simple pallet. It isn’t concerned with color dynamics, it just loves to find the elegance of gradient tones and light. That’s why simple compositions such as portraits, or very specific subjects with clean low frequency negative space can deliver soft, etherial and peaceful images, or dramatic moody images.

These are just a few compositional concepts to consider when viewing a potential Black & White print for your collection, but they are not hard and fast rules. Some images offer up many opportunities, others not as much. But more often than not, when you find yourself frozen in place, speechless, staring at an image with your mouth open, the composition of the image will contain most, if not all of these principles. That’s when you know you’re looking at a potential “keeper,” a Fine Art Print that is speaking to your soul, and will continue inspire you for the rest of your life.

In my work as a professional Photographer, Actor, Musician, and Visual Storyteller, my entire life has been a process of exploring my inner creative spirit and expressing my imagination through the creative arts. My creative process is an impulsive curiosity, an internal search, a journey to connect with myself, our human nature and our world, while sharing my thoughts and inspirations through my art.

If you’re considering adding any of my Black & White Fine Art Landscape and Nature Prints to your collection, or have any questions about my Fine Art Prints for sale, I’d love to hear from you. I look forward to answering any questions and inquiries.

Live well,

The post HOW TO IDENTIFY THE PERFECT BLACK & WHITE LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPH appeared first on Marshal Hilton Fine Art.

Scientific study of human anthropology and evolution concludes that human beings have a deep rooted affinity towards nature, which is due to the thousands of years early humans spent living amid vast wild landscapes. Because of this relationship, staying connected to nature brings a feeling of emotional balance and happiness. But for many of us in today’s modern society, the reality of our lives have become entirely different.

Today’s world is hectic and fast paced. We are bombarded and blistered by advertisers, images and mass media. Most people spend a majority of each day staring at computer screens, watching television or scrolling through smartphones. Our daily lives for the most part have become sedentary, with an ever growing disconnect between a healthy balance of daily life, and our evolutionary connection with nature. Further studies focused on our current living and work conditions reveal that living in todays modern society contributes to disorders such as depression, obesity, stress, and cardiac diseases. The effects of living and working in these environments challenge our overall well-being.

The fact that cities and dense urban centers are associated with work, noise and chaos, perfectly reflect the evidence that natural landscapes induce a calmness and relaxation response because they have positive correlations with pleasant experiences. Fine Art Nature and Landscape Photography helps to provide an emotional and spiritual escape from the noise and crowding in manufactured environments. It should be no surprise to find that exposure to the outdoors or something as simple as viewing a beautiful landscape or nature photograph has a natural calming effect on our brains, which helps to reduce stress and increase positivity. Viewing a soothing nature scene promotes relaxation while slowing areas of the brain involved in anxiety. Furthermore, new studies in the science of color psychology reveal how different colors have been found to affect our moods and feelings. Longer wavelength colors, like the red and orange of a sunrise or sunset landscape photography prints are arousing, whereas shorter wavelengths, like the greens and blues of mountain, forests, streams and lake photography, are more calming.

Take the cool calming color of a Blue Hour sunset, with the arousing hue of a golden tropical horizon from under the shade of a sturdy Palm Tree Palapa, and let the Zen begin. Every time I see this image I immediately decompress. I feel like I’m on vacation in a tropical locale sitting in a beach chair, a cooling afternoon breeze on my skin, and a cocktail not far away. As a Landscape and Nature photographer, my goal is to create fine art prints that teleport your imagination to a place of peace and tranquility; too help create a space that offers a moment to dream and aspire, too ignite the curiosity to explore our world in the short time we are blessed with this level of consciousness.

AMERICA’S LANDMARKS AND DESTINATIONS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

When documenting and presenting iconic landscapes and nature photography, it is vital to capture not only its grand familiar essence, but also explore its more intimate offerings, and research man’s historical relationship with the subject. By combining layered imagery and thoughtful narrative storytelling we are able to offer a deeper emersion into the essence of a place and its people, with a captured moment in time. Fine Art Landscape and Nature Photography Wall Decor is the perfect medium to bring calm and tranquility to your home or work environment. Some of my personal favorite places to document are:

SEDONA, ARIZONA

Occupying 714 square miles of breathtaking Arizona landscape, the Verde Valley is one of the most spiritual places in the American Southwest. At 4,500 feet above sea level, nestled at the base of the Mogollon Rim in the Colorado Plateau Region, the wind-blown Buttes, Mesa’s and Spires of the Red Rocks of Sedona are an iconic symbol of the vast American Southwest. Sedona is one of my favorite places to “be” and should be a “bucket-List” experience.

GRAND CANYON, ARIZONA

The Grand Canyon is a geologic marvel. Standing on the edge of its many lookouts literally takes your breath away, as your brain attempts to digest the magnitude of its size. Although it would appear an easy subject to photograph, it is actually very difficult. Many of the locations are fixed and the canyon is very “busy” visually. Where do you focus? Who is the “Star of the Show?” In this image I needed to find a foreground subject and use the Colorado River as a leading line through the image. The only way to accomplish this was to shoot a Pano in portrait orientation. This image consists of twelve shots, six images of the foreground to catch the nearest ridge-line and snow from the night before, and six shots of the horizon to capture the burning Arizona sky and the Colorado River.

ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH

The Watchman is the iconic image of Zion National Park, a “Bucket-List” destination of photographers and tourists world wide. Over the years I’ve seen hundreds of images from the bridge over looking the Virgin River, but standing on the narrow bridge in person is difficult to explain. I’ve seen many images of Photographers stacked at this location jockeying for the perfect framing position. It can be a zoo. But on this evening in early December 2020 at the hight of the Covid lockdown, I had to pleasure of experiencing this moment completely alone, just myself and my local guide. The park was “officially” closed, but the locals know how to navigate the park. He told me that it’s rare to have a moment like this with The Watchman all to ourselves, nothing but the crisp winter air, the sound of the meandering river, and the pristine silence of natures perfection.

GARDEN OF THE GODS, Colorado Springs, CO.

“…Nestled on grassy plains which lie at the foot of the Great White Mountain that points the way to heaven lived the Chosen People. Here they dwelt in happiness together. And above them on the summit of the Mighty Peak where stand the Western Gates of Heaven, dwelt the Manitou.” ~ Marion E. Gridley, “Indian Legends of American Scenes”.

Towering over 300 feet of crimson ancestral red, pink, and white Sandstone, the monolith’s and spires at Garden of the Gods spring from the valley floor as if being pulled to the heavens by the supreme creators hand. The energy of this place is undeniable. The moment you step foot beneath their watchful presence everything changes, your breath, your heartbeat, your sense of being human; you become keenly aware of our frailties, our mortality, as an overwhelming desire for greater spiritual intimacy rushes through your soul. Formed over 300 million years of nature’s evolution, Garden of the Gods is truly an angelic place and considered sacred ground by the Apache, Kiowa, Pawnee, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Shoshone and Ute peoples. It is believed that the red rocks had spiritual properties and their oral tradition describes how man was created in the Garden of the Gods.

Southern California Coast

Southern California sunsets are the visions that dreams are made of. Littered along the iconic Pacific Coast Highway are miles upon miles of beaches, life guard towers, cozy surf towns and historic piers. California’s view of the Pacific Ocean is unrivaled with star quality vistas and a diverse desert costal landscape. With its mild climate and miles of beautiful coastline, on any given night opportunities to experience a view like this are a daily treasure.

Being a Southern California native, I’ve been up and down the Southern California coastline more times than I can count. I’ve had a chance to visit most of the iconic piers that dot the coastline, but there’s something special about Scripps Pier. Most of the old California piers are built upon wood pilings structures. But Scripps Pier in La Jolla is engineered with modern concrete and steel. The geometry of Scripps is precise, technical and elegant. And when the conditions are perfect you get to witness the randomness of nature against the technology of modern architecture. I often think that if the ancient pyramids of Egypt were built along the coastline of California, this is the vision they would offer.

Spanning 11,179 feet, Coronado Bridge is literally the gateway to Coronado Island and the Port of San Diego. This view of the bridge is from the Coronado Island landing highlighting its 80 degree curve path, a feature that makes this Southern California bridge such a unique and picturesque landmark on the Port of San Diego skyline.

In my work as a professional Photographer, Actor, Musician, and Visual Storyteller, my entire life has been a process of exploring my inner creative spirit and expressing my imagination through the creative arts. My creative process is an impulsive curiosity, an internal search, a journey to connect with myself, our human nature and our world, while sharing my thoughts and inspirations through my art.

If you’re considering adding any of my Fine Art Landscape and Nature Prints to your collection, or have any questions about my work, I’d love to hear from you. I look forward to answering any questions and inquiries.

Live well,

The post THE CALMING AFFECTS OF NATURE AND LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY ART appeared first on Marshal Hilton Fine Art.

I often hear from customers that have purchased my Limited Edition Nature Prints that the energy in their room as completely changed. The imagery they purchased has transformed what was a “livable environment” into an extraordinary environment; a room that captivates their attention and fills their soul with imagination and dreams.
Some people purchase my landscape prints to remind them of a place they hold dear in their heart, or a place that they aspire to experience in person one day. Regardless of the reason they acquire one of my Fine Art prints, there’s one thing I know for certain, the imagery connected with their soul on a deep level. The connection was so strong that they wanted to have that energy close to them for the rest of their lives. That is what we artists live for, a visceral and emotional connection with those who love and support our work.

THE WORLD AS LANDSCAPE TAPESTRY

Collectors and Fine Art Photography Enthusiasts love landscape and nature photography. It is my endeavor to capture, document and present the most beautiful places in the world; to recreate the spirit and essence of time, place and moment; too encapsulate the memories of having traveled there, or to inspire the dreams of one day visiting again.

One of the many challenges with photographing iconic locations is how do I present something familiar to millions of eyes with a unique and artful presentation? For me it comes down to several key elements: Perspective, Composition, Transitions, Color, Texture, Post-Processing and Story.
My eye naturally gravitates to bold vibrant colors, I love fine art photography prints that explode off the wall, demanding attention.

Some subjects lend themselves to this bold style of acrylic print presentation, others require a more sensual and delicate touch. In the end, the image will dictate the process, how it chooses to reveal itself. I can massage and introduce light, texture, and visual transitions, but at some point the image will push back as if to say, “This is what I am in this moment,” and it either works or it does not.

Colorado in winter in magical. “…And as he walked through the meadows blanketed in white, up the hills draped with snow-bowed branches, through a world enveloped in delicious quietude and covered in a pure elastic heaven”, American Author Henry David Thoreau believed that “every walk is a sort of crusade, a return to the invaluable inward focus which winter alone invites — a quiet conquest of one’s interior world…”

Some locations only offer up very few perspectives, so you end up having to focus on unconventional shooting decisions and creative post processing to present a fine art print that is captivating and unique.

Other subjects that are more unique to the world offer more compositional opportunities. And then there’s the element of good ole dumb-luck. Yes, very rare is the moment that you plan, travel and trek to a location and nature offers up the perfect visual moment. More often than not the universe takes a conspiratorial slant, and you’re left scrambling to salvage the day.

In the end it becomes an appreciation of the journey not the outcome. Yes, it is disappointing to put in the trip planing and execution only to end up with a handful of images that will never see the light of day. But I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing. As with any endeavor, you win some, and you lose some, that’s just life.

In my work as a professional Photographer, Actor, Musician, and Visual Storyteller, my entire life has been a process of exploring my inner creative spirit and expressing my imagination through the creative arts. My creative process is an impulsive curiosity, an internal search, a journey to connect with myself, our human nature and our world, while sharing my thoughts and inspirations through my art.

If you’re considering adding any of my Fine Art Landscape and Nature Prints to your collection, or have any questions about my work, I’d love to hear from you. I look forward to answering any questions and inquiries.

Live well,

The post CAN LANDSCAPE AND NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY PRINTS TELEPORT ME WITHOUT LEAVING HOME? appeared first on Marshal Hilton Fine Art.

For actor and thirty-year Hollywood veteran Marshal Hilton, these famous words have been the countdown to creative “Go Time”; the process of storytelling and emotional discovery; living moment to moment in front of the bright lights and cameras of Hollywood.

With over one hundred credits in his Film and Television career, Marshal has spent most of his adult life in front of Hollywood’s cameras creating characters and telling scripted narrative stories.

With Marshal now positioned behind the camera capturing nature’s unscripted perfection, we get to visualize how this intensely creative artist experiences and documents nature’s moments with his unique perspective, vibrant colors, vivid detail, and eloquent soulful storytelling, presented in his Limited Edition Marshal Hilton Fine Art Collection prints.

“We just installed six 40″ x 60″ Limited Edition acrylic prints from my collection at Forest & Ocean Gallery in Laguna Beach, and they look phenomenal, they literally explode off the wall and will change the energy of any environment, be it your home or business. I couldn’t be happier”

Forest & Ocean Gallery owner Ludo Leideritz is quoted:

“These works are resplendent, true vision went into these images. Ansel Adams was the proponent of “pre-visualization” before you even click the shutter. Marshal’s work clearly shows this ability to create the compelling image before it is even taken.”

As Marshal states, “The emotional goal of any artful endeavor is to inspire the imagination to dream, initiate a soulful moment in one’s heart that inspires curiosity; to create an image that connects on such a deep level that people would desire to bring the transformative energy of my work into their lives; a daily reminder to take a short moment each and every day to stop, breathe, and honor their dreams. If I can provide that moment through my work, then I’ve contributed in some way to a healthy and positive moment in one’s day”.

The post LIGHTS… CAMERA… ACTION! appeared first on Marshal Hilton Fine Art.