Posted on August 12, 2022, 11:57 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Among the cornucopia of natural environments found on the American continent, maybe the most unusual are those of the Colorado Plateau, where a convergence of geology and climate has created landscapes without equal anywhere else. When asked about my favorite national parks, I’ve always felt the list would not be complete without one of the […]
Posted on July 29, 2022, 4:26 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone National Park. When President Grant signed the Act of Dedication (you can read its brief text here) on March 1, 1872, setting aside Yellowstone “for the benefit and enjoyment of the people”, the first national park in the world was established. Yellowstone National Park is internationally renowned […]
Posted on June 26, 2022, 10:24 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Haleakalā National Park protects two areas of the island of Maui. The contrast between them always amazes me. The nearly freezing temperatures, barren lava soil, and sea of clouds of the 10,000-foot-high Haleakalā Crater couldn’t be more different from the paradisiacal tropical pools, jungle, and waterfalls found at the ocean’s edge at Kīpahulu. Despite its […]
Posted on May 28, 2022, 4:50 pm, by QT Luong, under
Books.
The third edition of Treasured Lands has just arrived (order your copy). Although differences are not as many as between the first and the second edition, they were still enough for my distributor to request a new edition rather than another printing – overall the seventh. The New River Gorge chapter The main difference is […]
Posted on May 13, 2022, 9:02 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Glacier National Park, which celebrated its anniversary this week (established May 11, 1910) pays homage in its name to glaciation. However, although the work of past glaciers can be seen everywhere in a landscape that owes its shape to ice, its present glaciers are quite elusive. Follow me on the trail that is by far […]
Posted on April 29, 2022, 12:17 pm, by QT Luong, under
Techniques.
As the light progressed towards the evening, I improved the composition of a most iconic scene through foreground refinement. This installment in the series “Steps behind the image” differs from the previous ones as it was made of published images of an icon rather than digging into archives. I had released the images that led […]
Posted on April 20, 2022, 11:19 am, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
Almost thirty years ago, what drew me personally to America’s national parks was its diversity of natural environments. On the occasion of this year’s National Parks Week, I reflect on what generally made America’s national parks so special and if contemporary changes, especially in visitation, have affected any of that. The first national parks To […]
Posted on March 11, 2022, 9:18 pm, by QT Luong, under
Announcements.
As national pavilions are how each of the countries at Expo 2020 presents itself to the world, I am so honored that the USA Pavilion featured nine of my national park photographs as one of the exhibits and invited me to talk about my work there. Exhibit 5 (“America the Beautiful”) may appear at odds […]
Posted on November 19, 2021, 11:58 pm, by QT Luong, under
Locations.
This spring, I returned to an adjacent segment of the John Muir Trail, a quarter-century after my first visit. How did things change, particularly with respect to photography? Although I carried my 5×7 camera, my first backpacking trip about 25 years ago was mostly a fun outing with friends on a short section of the […]
Posted on November 5, 2021, 8:03 pm, by QT Luong, under
Recollections.
I first connected with the wilderness on the high peaks of the Alps. Besides the setting of that world new to me, mountain climbing captivated me because of the intense concentration it fostered. During technical ascents on steep faces and ridges, there is nothing but you and the mountain in mind, as the only concern […]