Mt. Katahdin, Maine

A bull moose watches from the shadows as the cow he has been pursuing slowly wades into the depths of the pond – her calf emerges from the thick forest to join mom. All the while, Mt. Katahdin, the most rugged and elusive mountain of the east, towers in the background. This scene is a moment when “everything came together”, not just the image, but a foundational concept I’d been formulating for years. Let me explain.

By 2012, I had developed a lofty vision for a career-defining series of images. Instead of producing large editions of my best work, I wanted to limit my best work by putting a special hedge around the pricing structure of those pieces, and trust that astute collectors would be willing to pay more for the exclusive series. In my mind, it was simply supply and demand, just like in business class. In reality however, it would be easy to argue my vision was a terrible business decision. Every successful photographic artist I knew of released large editions of all their work, especially of their best work. If those same artists were to make fewer of the pieces people really wanted, they would struggle financially. Nonetheless, I was convinced of the path I would take and the glaring question emerged – was my best work good enough to pull off such a lofty concept, or would demand dissipate the instant the price went up?

I knew I needed a flagship image to kick off my special series, and when the moose walked into the water in front of Kathadin, I knew I’d found my moment. Not only because of the extremely striking nature of the image itself but also because of the story I’d come to know about Baxter State Park. This anomaly of wilderness conservation was extremely inspiring to me. I admired how, even after the federal government had failed to protect the area as a national park, Percy Baxter was willing to go against the grain and dedicate his entire life to the conservation of a place he loved – how he made his vision a reality that people today can enjoy.

I titled my new series the Frontier Series™ and its flagship image you’re currently viewing, Frontier. The Frontier concept has become ubiquitous to my story and approach – I often tell people, I endeavor to live my life on the frontier line, right on the edge of what is possible and impossible – technically, artistically, and otherwise. I strive to break new ground daily, and in doing so I am constantly reminded that it is messy on the frontier line – there are wolves and thieves – those that will distract and discredit the work being done, while the masses and critics are back safe in the city. Yet, it’s all made worthwhile when the efforts rendered hit their mark – when I see the enthralled joy, sometimes tears on viewers faces, and when veteran entrepreneurs and choosy collectors alike complement and collect the work.