Christopher Burkett (b. 1951)

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Christopher Burkett - Appalachian Forest Sunrise, Virginia - Cibachrome Photograph - 30x 40 inches - Sizes Available: <br>20x24 inches (matted 28 x 32 inches) <br>30x40 inches (matted: 40 x 46 inches) <br>40x50 inches (matted: 58 x 66 inches) <br> <br>Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>In autumn, 1991, Ruth and I went on a very productive photo trip across the USA. At this point we were about three weeks into our trip and found ourselves in Virginia in late October exploring the photographic potential along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We were about mid-way in the Parkway when the light was fading and we needed to find a place to camp for the night. <br> <br>We had recently purchased a used Okanagan camper van, which was self contained and gave us more options than pitching the small tent we used in 1987. We found a gravel side road that went steeply off the south side of the Parkway and found a wide, flat spot at the apex of one of the turns where we pulled over, cooked dinner and went to sleep. Arising before daybreak, I left the van and walked up and down the mountainside road a bit as the world started to light up with the break of day. <br> <br>I could see that this beautiful forested area was full of promise. And thankfully, there was no wind whatsoever… the bane of 8x10” photographers.(Smaller f/stops and longer shutter speeds are necessary to get enough depth of field with these large cameras.)This was going to be a day to remember. <br> <br>This was actually the third photograph I made that morning. The first was “Glowing Appalachian Forest,” when the soft early morning light was beginning to fill the forest. The second was “Yellow Maple, Forest and Light,” when the sunlight was starting to hit the ridge beyond the foreground trees and then finally, this image. Each photo was created using only one exposure on a single piece of film and the three images were made within 100 yards of each other, all within the space of about 30 minutes. This couldn’t have been possible without the skilled help of Ruth, who stops the lens down to various f/stops as I focus, dusts off film holders before shooting, writes down the exposure information in our log book and helps to move equipment quickly from one spot to another. My pit stop crew of one! <br> <br>While this image was photographed in 1991, I didn’t make the first print until 2012, 21 years later. It was technically a challenge to bring this image to life as a fine print, including holding the brightest values without burning out or becoming chalky and printing the dark trunks with full detail and tonal separation. The composition, lighting and tonal values remind me of classical Chinese screen paintings. Several people told me that when they view this print they have a sense that “I’m really there, looking at the sunrise light in the forest.”
Appalachian Forest Sunrise, Virginia
30x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #49

Christopher Burkett - Aspen Ethos, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 40 x 30 inches - Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>In 2006 Ruth and I went on another cross country photo trip, first stopping in Colorado. When we arrived, the aspen trees were in full color and the weather was sunny and relatively calm. I was able to make some photographs under those conditions in about six days, including “Cheerful Aspens,” “Forest Light” and “Oxbow Aspens.” <br> <br>But then a vigorous storm, with gusty rain mixed with snow, came in for two days, so we retreated to a hotel in Crested Butte until the storm passed. When we ventured out we discovered that the storm had stripped almost all of the leaves off the trees. That was the bad news. The good news was that the wind was calm and the sky overcast, so there was still potential for some good images. <br> <br>We loaded up our camper van and headed back into the mountains, finding this tree about ten miles west of Crested Butte. To the casual eye, it might have seemed as though there wasn’t much to photograph here. But from experience I knew that between the soft light and the delicate tonal relationship between the overcast sky, the white tree branches would record quite well on the transparency film. And I knew what I could do with that film in my darkroom to make a luminous print. <br> <br>One of the unique properties of printing positive to positive images onto Cibachrome, (as opposed to the usual negative to negative printing), is that the tone reproduction curve for Cibachrome print material is much like the tone reproduction curve of transparency film. This has its unique pluses and minuses. In this case, I knew that if I exposed the transparency so the image on the film was darker than I wanted the print to be, I could print the image lighter onto Cibachrome and hold more detail and delicacy in the lightest values than if the transparency was as bright as the print I was visualizing that moment. <br> <br>I set up my 8x10 camera, which turned out to be difficult because I had to set up my tripod against a steep slope and use the rising front on the camera to the maximum amount to avoid the “converging verticals” effect (the top of vertical items tilt toward the center). A compendium lens shade was necessary to avoid flare from the sky but the only way to confirm that it wasn’t going to vignette the image was to remove the camera back and examine the aerial image. <br> <br>Using my spotmeter, I placed the lighter trunk values on Zone V, middle grey, knowing I would reproduce those tones on the final print about 1.5 stops brighter, on Zone VI 1/2. As is often the case, I made only one exposure of this image, confident the exposure was correct and the wind was calm. When I later examined the processed film in my darkroom I knew the image had potential but it wasn’t until seven years later that I finally printed the image for the first time. <br> <br>I spent three full days working on making a print that expressed what I visualized and felt when I first saw the tree. It took a lot of re-dos on the contrast masking and many full size work prints to fine tune the color balance since the colors and tones are quite delicate. <br> <br>I titled it Aspen Ethos because for me this image could have the feeling of an archetype of the great aspen forests of Colorado and the west.
Aspen Ethos, Colorado
40 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #3

Christopher Burkett - Aspen Glow - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches - "All of Christopher's photographs, is able to act across distance, to illumine a viewer standing fifty or a hundred feet away, to transcend the physical dimensions of its frame." Burkett requires "absolute material accuracy" and has since 1980 evolved into one of the greatest color printers in the history of the medium, creating Cibachrome color prints of unprecedented dimension up to 40 x 50 inches from his brilliant 8x10 transparencies. "The best of Christopher Burkett's photographs have an almost mystical sense of connection to us, one that cannot fully be conveyed through words or reproductions.
Aspen Glow
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #3

Sizes Also Available: 20 x 24 inches <br> 40 x 50 inches
Aspen Grove, Colorado
1993
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #260

Until January 31, 2014: <br>24x20" $900 / 40x30" $1,800
Aspen Thicket, Colorado
2005
24 x 20 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #9

Sizes Also Available: 13 x 33 inches <br> 25 x 64 inches
Aspens and Golden Light, CO
20 x 50 inches image
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #11

Christopher Burkett - Autumn Circus, Oregon - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches - Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>In September of 2002 we moved my darkroom and studio from the very small town we had lived in for 21 years, a distance of 50 miles. Because of the move we were unable to go on an extended photo trip so I had to be content with photographing whatever I could find close by. <br> <br>The previous day we had an extraordinary moment when I was able to make my photograph “Resplendent Light.” I had not yet had that film developed but I knew there was a good chance that there was a great image on that film, although since everything happened so fast it was hard to be sure. <br> <br>Since this one tree proved to have so much photographic potential we went back one more time, just before sunset. We arrived at the tree earlier than the day before and in just one day the colors of the tree had changed and the light was quite different. There was sunlight shining on the tree but it was more enveloping and more diffuse. <br> <br>The previous day I used a 250mm lens but that was not going to work today. Usually I can visualize which lens to use when I see some photographic potential in a scene but this evening I had difficulty and went back and forth between three or four choices before settling on the 100mm lens; I used Provia film to make the exposure. As usual, I only made the one photograph of that tree at that time. I almost never take multiple views of any scene, trying to find the strongest possible image and going with that one. <br> <br>The next day I had the two rolls of film developed. I was pleased to see that both photographs had met or exceeded my expectations. (It’s hard to exceed my expectations since I don’t make a photograph unless I think it will be terrific. And once in a while it is.) <br> <br>It’s worthwhile to compare the two images because they are so different. Different day, different light, different lenses and different film. Same photographer, same Cibachrome print material, some of the same leaves in both photographs. This is one of the best examples to show how photography can be simultaneously literal and artistic. It’s not just about finding a pretty subject to photograph, although in this case it certainly was beautiful. <br> <br>I titled the image “Autumn Circus” for several reasons. To me it has a festive, rambunctious quality… this is no polite, tame tree; the colors reminded me of circus colors. Also, the word “circus” is a version of the word “circle” and this image has a circular composition that revolves in a counterclockwise direction.
Autumn Circus, Oregon
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #64

Sizes Also Available: 13 x 33 inches <br> 25 x 64 inches
Autumn Tempest
20 x 50 inches image
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #42

Sizes Also Available: 20 x 24 inches <br> 40 x 50 inches
Black Mountain Aspen Forest, Utah
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #34

Christopher Burkett - Blue Melange, Maine - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
Blue Melange, Maine
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #64

Christopher Burkett - Blue Scherzo, Maine - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
Blue Scherzo, Maine
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph

Christopher Burkett - Bold Autumn Forest, Tennessee - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
Bold Autumn Forest, Tennessee
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph

Christopher Burkett - Bright Sunny Aspens, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 40 x 30 inches
Bright Sunny Aspens, Colorado
40 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph

Christopher Burkett - Clearwater River Ripples, Idaho - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches
Clearwater River Ripples, Idaho
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #45

Christopher Burkett - Cottonwood and Light, Utah - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
Cottonwood and Light, Utah
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #214

Christopher Burkett - Crystal River Aspens, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 40 x 30 inches
Crystal River Aspens, Colorado
40 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph

Sizes Also Available: 30 x 30 inches <br> 40 x 40 inches
Dancing Sea Stars
20 x 20 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #21

Christopher Burkett - Daybreak, Wyoming - Cibachrome Photograph - 40 x 30 inches - Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>In 2004 Ruth and I went on a two week photo trip to Wyoming and Colorado at the end of September. We photographed first in Yellowstone National Park and then Grand Teton National Park. Most of my photographs are not taken in national parks and the few that I do take are rarely of recognizable features. <br> <br>On September 27 we had camped out at Grand Teton National Park in our camper van and I was out and about early in the morning as the sun was just beginning to rise. The sky was clear and there wasn’t much wind. There was beauty all around us but I could not find a worthwhile photograph no matter where I looked. We got back in the van and drove over to Jenny Lake which is at the foot of Grand Teton Mountain. <br> <br>I was getting anxious; the sun was rising, the light was gorgeous and the morning was slipping through my fingers. I left the equipment in the car and raced around until I saw what was happening in this scene. This stream is the runoff from Jenny Lake and the sun was hitting a group of aspen trees with golden leaves. I could see there was a photo possibility that combined the reflections from the trees and sky, the pattern of small stones in the creek, the water ripples and the subtle view of the rocks under the water. <br> <br>Ruth and I literally ran with the camera gear to this spot and set up the camera in record time. The sun was rising and the sunlight was headed towards the camera. I had to take the photo before the light hit the lens which would ruin any possibility of a photograph. I used the 800mm lens with the back tilt to adjust the plane of focus parallel with the water and stopped the lens down to f/45 to get everything in focus. I made one exposure on Provia film for one second. You can see that the sun was hitting some of the stones at the bottom of the image. We were able to get this image with just one minute to spare. <br> <br>I titled this image Daybreak not just because it was but also because its colors and drama were reminiscent to me of Maxfield Parrish. This image is a perfect example of what amazing work can be done with transparency film and Cibachrome printing. There’s an astonished depth and life to the image with incredible subtle color differentiations in the gold and blue reflections and delicate pastel images of the rocks beneath the water. This is an image that always compels me to examine it up close and it never fails to fill me with wonder and joy.
Daybreak, Wyoming
40 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #7

Also Available: 30 x 40 inches <br> 40 x 50 inches
Dogwoods, Forest and Mist, TN
20 x 24 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #68

Sizes Also Available: 20 x 24 inches <br> 40 x 50 inches
Fiery Mountain Sunset, Utah
40 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #6

Christopher Burkett - Frozen Lake Reflections - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
Frozen Lake Reflections
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #15

sizes available: 20x24," 30x40," 40x50"
Gentle Dogwoods, Kentucky
20 x 24 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #8

sizes available: 20x24," 30x40," 40x50"
Glowing Autumn Forest, Virginia
20 x 24 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #305

Christopher Burkett - Glowing Winter Aspen, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches
Glowing Winter Aspen, Colorado
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #209

sizes available: 13x33," 20x50," 25x64"
Golden Aspen Glade, Colorado
20 x 50 inches image
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #85

Christopher Burkett - Golden Aspens and Afternoon Sunlight, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
Golden Aspens and Afternoon Sunlight, Colorado
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #18

Christopher Burkett - Graceful Aspen, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 40 x 30 inches
Graceful Aspen, Colorado
40 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #27

Christopher Burkett - Green Ash and Woodbine, Tennessee - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches
Green Ash and Woodbine, Tennessee
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #13

Christopher Burkett - Green Veratrum - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches - Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>While photographing throughout Alaska in 1993, I spent a week or so in the Valdez area. This area is amazingly beautiful, with steep, rocky canyons and snow capped mountains only a few miles from the ocean. It is an area full of excitement and adventure. <br> <br>I explored many small sideroads in this area and on one of my excursions, I came upon a large collection of wild Veratrum plants. These plants were growing in a sheltered canyon next to a small river. The days are very long at this latitude, so that it really never gets totally dark during the summer. <br> <br>Due to the long days and the rich floodplain soil, these Veratrum plants were growing at an almost explosive rate. Over a three day period, I kept returning to this location, carefully walking among the plants and viewing them under different lighting conditions, trying to find a way to express within the limitations of a photograph, the life and vigor I saw and felt. The shapes and forms were quite unique and gave me an opportunity to portray an aspect of life which is rarely seen as clearly in the physical world. <br> <br>Of the three photographs I took during those days, this one best conveyed the sense of intensity and wild abandonment. The forms and shapes remind me of fire and flames as much as they do of plants—a remembrance of that burning flame of life which brings all of creation into being and sustains all things.
Green Veratrum
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #96

sizes available: 20x20," 30x30," 40x40"
Helios, Oregon
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #9

Christopher Burkett - Illumined Sugar Maple, Vermont - Cibachrome Photograph - 40 x 30 inches - Also Available in <br>20 x 24 inches <br>40 x 50 inches
Illumined Sugar Maple, Vermont
40 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #5

Christopher Burkett - Iridescent Charred Tree, California - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches
Iridescent Charred Tree, California
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph

Christopher Burkett - Luminous Aspens with Snowy Branches - Cibachrome Photograph - 20 x 20 inches
Luminous Aspens with Snowy Branches
20 x 20 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #14

Sizes Also Available: 30 x 30 inches <br> 40 x 40 inches
Maple Leaf in Stream
20 x 20 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #19

Sizes Also Available: 20 x 24 inches <br> 40 x 50 inches
Marcellina Aspens
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #55

Christopher Burkett - Oak Jubilee, Oregon - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
Oak Jubilee, Oregon
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph

Christopher Burkett - Orange Aspens, Owl Creek Pass, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
SOLD
Orange Aspens, Owl Creek Pass, Colorado
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: TBD

sizes available: 20x24," 30x40," 40x50"
Peaceful Autumn Forest
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #17

Sizes Also Available: 20 x 24 inches <br> 40 x 50 inches
Pearl Barnacles, CA
40 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #8

Christopher Burkett - Radiant Mountain Aspen, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
Radiant Mountain Aspen, Colorado
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #172

Christopher Burkett - Radient Aspens, Alaska - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches
Radient Aspens, Alaska
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph

Also Available: 30 x 30 inches
Redbud and Dogwoods, Kentucky
20 x 20 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #13

Sizes Also Available: 24 x 20 inches
Separation of Light, Idaho
40 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph

Christopher Burkett - Serene Lake Stones, Newfoundland - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
Serene Lake Stones, Newfoundland
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph

Christopher Burkett - Snow and Cottonwood, Utah - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches - Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>This image was photographed during my return trip from Bernheim Forest in the spring of 1991. Just a few days previous to this I had photographed the Pink and White Dogwoods, one of my most popular images. I had stayed longer than originally planned in Kentucky and was hurrying home to print the new photographs as well as print images for orders which had come in while I was gone. <br> <br>Leaving the town of Green River where I had spent the night, I drove up and over a low range of mountains on highway 6, heading toward interstate 15 on my way through Utah. I was driving through a vigorous spring snowstorm, glad that my vehicle was four-wheel drive. The snow had been falling for about two hours but a brief respite came for around 20 minutes. <br> <br>During the lull in the storm, I was driving along, admiring the quiet beauty around me when I spotted a stand of cottonwood trees along the highway. Quickly stopping the car, I had just a few minutes in which to work with no wind and the just-fallen snow. All too soon, the wind picked up and the snow began to fall again and so I continued driving and late that same night I arrived home in Vernonia, Oregon after having driven over 1000 miles that day. <br> <br>This image is a reminder to me that nature can be soft, delicate and transitory—of how many perfect snowflakes fall every second, and how the world is filled with beauty and glory everywhere.
Snow and Cottonwood, Utah
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #8

Christopher Burkett - Snow Covered River Stones, Wyoming - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches - Also Available in <br>20 x 24 inches <br>40 x 50 inches
Snow Covered River Stones, Wyoming
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #5

Christopher Burkett - Snowy Mountainside, Aspens and Sunlight - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches
Snowy Mountainside, Aspens and Sunlight
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #22

Sizes Also Available: 30 x 40 inches <br> 40 x 50 inches
Spring Aspens and Lavender Stone, CO
24 x 20 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #75

Christopher Burkett - Spring Aspens and Sunlight, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 20 x 20 inches - Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>In the spring of 1990 I found myself photographing in Colorado. I had been selected to do a book that combined the poetry of Robert Frost with my photographs, to be published by the Henry Holt company. The book was to be titled “Seasons” with poems and images in four sections, one for each season. The photographs were not intended to illustrate specific poems but to complement groupings of Frost’s poems which had been selected for each season. <br> <br>I was putting together sequences of images to be used in the book but found I was a bit shy of photographs made in the spring. I had made some new photographs in Oregon but felt I needed a few more images to make the Spring sequence work. Thus this photograph, the only one I’ve made for a specific project (although I would have made it regardless). <br> <br>The aspen leaves were just beginning to come out, it was the middle of the day with bright sun and this group of aspen trees had particularly white trunks. Aspen trunks can vary from white, gray or shades of greenish-gray or brownish-gray, depending on the individual grove of trees. <br> <br>I used my Zeiss 250mm lens on my Hasselblad camera to make this image on Fujichrome 50 film and printed it in 1992 as I was working on the book layout. The Superachromat lens has remarkable sharpness and perfect color rendering with no aberrations. The delicacy of the light gold leaves and very subtle colors throughout the trunks is reproduced wonderfully in the Cibachrome prints. <br> <br>It’s a luminous image full of light which brings to mind one of my favorite poems by Frost: “Nature’s first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower, but only so an hour…”
Spring Aspens and Sunlight, Colorado
20 x 20 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #22

Christopher Burkett - Spring Grass and Rainpool, Oregon - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches
Spring Grass and Rainpool, Oregon
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph

Christopher Burkett - Spruce and Bright Aspen Forest, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 40 x 30 inches
Spruce and Bright Aspen Forest, Colorado
40 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #57

Christopher Burkett - Summer Aspen Forest, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches - Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>In the summer of 1999 I had a gallery opening at Valley Fine Art in Aspen, Colorado. Ruth and I flew to Denver, rented a car and drove to Aspen. I brought a stripped down version of my Hasselblad outfit and tripod on the plane with us in the hopes of perhaps finding a photograph on our way to or from the gallery. <br> <br>The day after the gallery opening we headed west on Highway 82 which goes over Independence Pass. As usual, Ruth was driving so I could be looking for photographs. Depending on the area I’ll often ask Ruth to drive at a specific speed depending on my ability to evaluate the constantly changing scene for worthwhile images. In this case I asked her to drive at 27 mph. <br> <br>We had good weather with no wind and high clouds that weren’t too thick. The quality of light on an overcast day varies tremendously from heavy flat “dead” light to “cloudy bright” which can have highly directional light but still softer than sunlight. “Dead light” I’ve never found useful for any worthwhile photograph: there’s something about it that just sucks the life out of a scene. Any other type of overcast light is workable depending on the subject matter and the intent of the photographer. In this case we had overcast light which had life in it and although it was soft and non-directional it still showed the shape and form of objects. <br> <br>We came upon this scene I saw it instantly and asked Ruth to pull over now. She stopped the car as soon as she could and backed up to this spot. The light was perfect for the scene, soft and delicate yet with beautiful edge lighting on both sides of the aspen trunks. It was the remarkable lighting which made this scene something special and drew me to it. <br> <br>I used a 100mm lens on my Hasselblad and exposed the Velvia 50 film slightly darker than I wanted the Cibachrome print to be so it would hold the delicate shape of the aspen trunks. When I saw the film later I knew it had potential but would be tricky to print. It wasn’t until two years later that I was able to do it. The tonal values are close together with no true whites or deep blacks and is very sensitive to slight changes in overall color balance. <br> <br>For me it is a quiet, tranquil and peaceful image.
Summer Aspen Forest, Colorado
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #23

Also Available in: 20 x 24
Sunlit Golden Aspens
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #6

Sizes Also Available: 20 x 24 inches <br> 40 x 50 inches
Sunlit Mountain Valley, Utah
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #12

Sizes Also Available: 30 x 40 inches <br> 40 x 50 inches
Sunlit Towering Aspens
2005
24 x 20 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #3

Christopher Burkett - Sunrise and Autumn Blueberries, Maine - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
Sunrise and Autumn Blueberries, Maine
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #276

Christopher Burkett - Sunset, Great Sand Dunes, CO - Cibachrome Photograph - 16 x 20 inches - Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>I exclusively used black and white materials for my first four years of photography. Eventually, I became interested in exploring the possibilities of color. At that time, it was possible to do high quality work only by using color transparencies. I had saved up my money for a long time and I was finally able to purchase a used Hasselblad camera with the normal 80mm lens. <br> <br>Rather surprisingly, this image is one of my first color photographs, taken on the second or third roll (12 exposure) of film. I was living and working in Cheyenne and had a three day weekend for Memorial Day. My wife Ruth and I drove hundreds of miles south to Great Sand Dunes National Monument in Colorado and camped out for two nights. <br> <br>After studying the light on the dunes for the first day, towards the end of the second day I hiked with the camera out over the dunes in the hot sun. Being rather inexperienced, I chose to hike over the hot sand in my bare feet—a choice I soon regretted. The light was magnificent but the wind was blowing a steady 20-30 m.p.h., kicking up sand everywhere. <br> <br>I was walking carefully, studying each view before proceeding, lest I spoil a photograph by walking into it. As I neared the summit of the highest dune in the Monument, (over 750 feet tall), the elements of this scene fairly leapt out at me. I set my bag down in the sand and carefully got the camera out, shielding it from the blowing sand. I had to compose the scene by prefocusing the camera to the approximate distance, whirling around to face the sun and wind, whipping the lens cap off for a brief moment, catching a quick peek, then spinning around, placing the lens cap back on and trying to absorb what I briefly saw in the viewfinder. <br> <br>I needed to move fast, as the sun was swiftly setting and the backlit highlights on the dunes were changing with every passing second. I carefully measured the light in the scene with my 1° spot meter, set the aperture and shutter speed and then, pausing with my back to the wind, I waited for a momentary lull between gusts. Facing the sun, I removed the lens cap, held quite still, and exposed the film—one shot only, then I turned from the wind and waited (with the lens cap back on) for another small reduction in the constant wind for one more exposure. <br> <br>This is the only handheld photograph I have ever printed—it’s an image which still amazes me. Don’t ask me how I managed to do it! It was truly a gift to me and it was quite influential in my decision to begin to work exclusively in color. <br> <br>I see in it serenity, power, and the unexpected, unified beauty which fills the earth.
Sunset, Great Sand Dunes, CO
16 x 20 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #165

Sizes Also Available: 30 x 30 inches <br> 40 x 40 inches
Swirling Vertrum, Alaska
20 x 20 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #24

sizes available: 20x20," 30x30," 40x40"
Swirling White Winter Aspen, CO
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #6

Christopher Burkett - Sycamore and Hillside, West Virginia - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches
Sycamore and Hillside, West Virginia
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph

Christopher Burkett - Telluride Aspens, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches - Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>In 1997, Ruth and I went on our annual fall photo trip, traveling first to Colorado, then on the east coast. We happened upon Colorado at just the right time for the changing of the Aspen trees. The aspens slowly change color but after they reach peak color, the leaves hang on by only a thread and one windstorm will drop them to the ground overnight. Also, they’re not called “quaking aspen” without a reason, as even the slightest breeze will cause every leaf to flutter and shimmer in the wind. So it is necessary to have no wind, not even a slight breath, in order to have a sharp photograph. As you can imagine, this is not easy to come by in the Rocky Mountains in the fall! <br> <br>That fall, we photographed for about a week in Colorado, traveled up and down the mountains throughout the state. At the beginning of that week, the leaves were at or near peak color and at the end of the week, they were all on the ground. We were fortunate to come away with a few good images, including this one and Radiant Mountain Aspen. <br> <br>This image was taken just outside of Telluride, on the road that goes to the gold mine east of town. It was a hot afternoon and Ruth and I were looking for a place to rest up a bit from our travels. The road runs right along the side of the steep mountain slope. We parked along the side of the road and took our miniature schnauzer, Smoky, for a walk. I was struck by the beautiful light coming through the trees, which was made more luminous by the deep blues of the distant mountainside in shadow. I knew that if the wind would allow, that this was a rare photo opportunity. <br> <br>The exposure of the film was critical, as the tonal range of the scene surpassed the ability of the film to record all of the values. Even so, I knew that it was only barely printable, even using extraordinary masking techniques. I was not sure if it was possible, but the scene demanded photographing! I used a 300mm Schneider Apo Sironar-S, a modern, highly-corrected lens. The camera was set up and carefully leveled, using the rising front to nearly its full extension. This avoided any keystoning effect and gave the required composition. I exposed three sheets of film, using the same exposure for all of them, in order to insure against any subject motion. <br> <br>As expected, the transparency was extremely difficult to print. I could probably not have printed it even a year or two earlier. I had to remake the contrast mask numerous times. The problem lies in the extreme contrast of the transparency. When reducing the contrast, it is an extremely fine line between having an image which is too flat and loses shape and brilliance and one that is too contrasty and unprintable. Even so, very precise dodging and burning is required in order to make the final print. Each one is quite difficult to produce, treading a fine line to achieve maximum luminosity in every part. <br> <br>To me, the golden leaves in the final print, surrounding the progression of trunks in the foreground, appear almost as flames, set against the cobalt blues of the background. To me, there is a sense of that “fire of life” which breathes life into all of creation.
Telluride Aspens, Colorado
1997
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #84

Christopher Burkett - Translucent Forest - Cibachrome Photograph - 24 x 20 inches - Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>This image was made in 2003 during one of those autumns in Colorado when all of the conditions come together to create a high potential for creative and worthwhile photographs. In this case, we were high in the mountains in an area filled with thick aspen forests at their full peak of color. There was no wind for several days, a huge blessing, and the forest was full of the promise of exciting images if I could but see them. <br> <br>We parked our vehicle at a turnout on the dirt road we were traveling on and I hiked up a ravine that was filled with trees. While the ravine seemed to have lots of potential I couldn’t find an image that captured the feeling of enveloping light. After about an hour of searching, while working my way up the ravine, I finally came to the top of the ridge. <br> <br>As I gazed to the east I found the image that had been calling to me. I looked long and hard at the situation and hoped that the light would remain constant, as it was a long hike back to the van to get the 8x10 equipment. Calling Ruth on the two-way radios we carry with us, I met her back at the vehicle and we packed up several cases of equipment and the tripod. <br> <br>We practically ran up the hill, or at least jogged, considering the high altitude and the 100 pounds of gear we were carrying. It was quite a hike including up and over, sometimes under, fallen trees and various other obstacles. <br> <br>I used my 300mm Apo-Sironar-S lens at f/32-1/2 on Fujichrome 100 film, using the maximum amount of front rise that the lens would allow. This not only prevented a keystoning effect but also gave the visual qualities I was looking for. The center of the lens image is actually near the bottom of the photograph. As you look toward the top, the trees seem to soar upwards. This is actually the visual effect you see when in the forest looking up at the trees but it cannot be obtained photographically without the use of view camera adjustments. <br> <br>More than any of my other photographs this image seems to capture a sense of peaceful, enveloping light and the taste and fragrance of a heavenly place just beyond the veil of this physical world.
Translucent Forest
24 x 20 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #31

Christopher Burkett - Triune Winter Aspen, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches
Triune Winter Aspen, Colorado
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #27

Christopher Burkett - Triune Winter Aspen, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 40 x 40 inches
Triune Winter Aspen, Colorado
40 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: 3/15

Christopher Burkett - Truffula Aspens - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches - Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>In 2003 my wife Ruth and I were photographing in Colorado and were returning to our campground after a rather uneventful day. Ruth was driving, as always, and I was still looking for a photograph, as always. As the sun was setting, we sped by this really unusual clump of aspen trees at 50 mph and I instantly saw they had photographic potential but the light was all wrong that evening. <br> <br>The next morning we set out before sunrise and came back to this spot. Ruth was surprised that I knew exactly where to go as I hadn’t mentioned anything about seeing it the previous day. With this particular scene I knew precisely where to put my camera and tripod and used my 250mm Superachromat lens on my Hasselblad with Velvia 50 film. This lens has exceptional sharpness and perfect color correction, and thus perfectly resolved the details and color differentiations in the leaves. <br> <br>After the camera was set up, I waited a few minutes until the early rays of sunrise were almost in the scene but not quite. You can see a bit of bright sunlight on the background trees at the top of the photo. Over the years I’ve learned to photograph using that marvelous glowing quality and color of light with the rising sunlight skimming the air over the scene but not hitting it directly. The closer the sunlight is to striking the scene the more pronounced the effect. You need to set up ahead of time, since you have only 15- 30 seconds before the sunlight hits the scene and spoils the glowing effect with harsh contrast. <br> <br>The brightly colored leaves picked up the glowing light from the rising sun while the background was dark, illumined only by the dark blue sky. The intense color contrast between the background blue-blacks and the warm glow of the bright leaves gives great depth and a dynamic quality to the image. This photograph is enjoyable to print, although I need to simultaneously use two dodging wands. There’s a lot of dodging needed to balance the tonalities and densities of the “pom-poms” on the trees. Viewing the finished prints, the clumps of leaves seem like clouds, alive with color and light, floating in the midst of the mysterious dark forest. Light in the darkness, a welcome sight.
Truffula Aspens
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #21

Christopher Burkett - Vivid Red Maple, Virginia - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
Vivid Red Maple, Virginia
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #18

Sizes Also Available: 30 x 40 inches <br> 40 x 50 inches
White Aspens and Rock Wall
2000
24 x 20 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #7

Sizes Also Available: 20 x 20 inches <br> 40 x 40 inches
White Callas at Dawn
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #29

Christopher Burkett - White Dogwood Canopy, Kentucky - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 30 inches - Here's what Christopher Burkett says about this image: <br> <br>In 1990 and 1991 the Bernheim Forest Foundation in Kentucky gave me artist grants to photograph at the forest. We’ve maintained a wonderful relationship with the folks at Bernheim Forest and have often returned to photograph there. This native white dogwood tree happened to be on the home property of the Bernheim Director and was photographed in 2000. <br> <br>One of the primary difficulties of photographing dogwood blossoms is wind. Each blossom is perched on the end of a very thin branch and the flowers act as sails, wafting in even the slightest breeze. This sunny afternoon was absolutely calm and the blue sky was clear with a few wisps of clouds. The blossoms were at their peak and the tree was magnificent; an irresistible photographic subject. <br> <br>I first tried to make a photograph with my 8x10 camera, using a wide angle lens but had to give it up after about 45 minutes of struggle. I was trying to shoot almost straight up, with the camera close to the ground but composing and focusing the image was awkward, convoluted and ultimately undoable. Therefore I switched to the Hasselblad with a 50mm lens and a prism viewfinder. <br> <br>When you compose an image with a wide angle lens and the subject matter is close to the camera, when moving the camera a fraction of an inch noticeably changes the composition. To compose this image I first hand-held the camera underneath the tree, moving in and out, up and down, until I found the exact composition you see here. Carefully marking the spot, I put the camera on a sturdy tripod, took careful spotmeter readings and made this exposure. <br> <br>Making the print is a delicate matter. The blue colors progress from a light cyan in the lower right corner to a clean blue color in the upper left corner. The whites are luminous but need to be held to the right density and color balance. Dodging and burning each print has to be precise and flawless to bring the Cibachrome print into a unified whole. <br> <br>This image consists of three visual layers which cohesively interact with each another: the blue sky background with a hint of clouds, the craggy framework of the black branches, and the flocks of butterfly-like white dogwood blossoms. They all work together to make an uplifting image which is greater than the sum of its parts.
White Dogwood Canopy, Kentucky
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #64

Christopher Burkett - White Snow Spires, Colorado - Cibachrome Photograph - 30 x 40 inches
White Snow Spires, Colorado
30 x 40 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #14

Also Available in: 20 x 20
Winter Alder Glade
30 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #6

Christopher Burkett - Yellow Maple, Forest and Light. VA - Cibachrome Photograph - 40 x 30 inches
Yellow Maple, Forest and Light. VA
40 x 30 inches
Cibachrome Photograph
Edition: #52