About the Photographers



 
  Erik Barnes  
 
   Hello and welcome to Light in the Landscape, fine art photography captured with an artistic touch. My name is Erik Barnes, and I currently reside in Jerome, Idaho with my wife Melissa and our dog Sadie. When my wife and I aren't driving over the road as long-haul truck drivers, you can find us in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, located in Stanley, Idaho, photographing the majestic mountain landscapes and alpine lakes. I found a love for nature and the mountains at an early age while living briefly in the small mountain community of Wrightwood, California. My wife and I are self-taught photographers and have been seriously photographing landscapes since 2007.
   Following in the artistic footsteps of my Grandmother Hewitt, I began my artistic career at the age of 11. After graduating from high school in 1989, I attended the Colorado Institute of Art in Denver, Colorado, where I majored in graphic design. I would often visit the basement area of the school, where they held the photography classes, and stroll the halls to view the photographic images that lined the walls. I was excited whenever I got the chance to check out the basement just to see if perhaps they had hung up new photographs. I was fascinated and curious about this other artistic tool that would allow me the creative opportunity to show my artistic side. I became very bored and burned out with my regular studies, to the point where all I was thinking about was photography.
   Owning a film camera was a requirement for certain projects in school, so I purchased my first Minolta film camera. I learned the very basics of photography and the whole "how-to-think- outside-the-box" concept, which proved to be invaluable to me. After college, I dabbled off and on with my film camera trying to find that certain photographic field that would allow me to express myself artistically. It wasn't until 2006 that I found my passion and became completely engrossed in the world of landscape photography. Technology had found its way into the world of photography, and this was the beginning of the digital age. After doing a little research, I ended up selling all of my film equipment and switched over to this new and exciting digital era, purchasing my first Nikon digital camera in 2006. The entire 2006 calendar year was a learning one for me. Before venturing out into the world with my camera, I decided to use the entire year researching everything I could via the internet and in books about photography, landscape photography and lighting. In 2007, I took what I had learned and combined it with my love of the arts and my artistic visions and began photographing landscapes.
   I hope you will enjoy this beautiful country as seen through the eyes of my camera!


    
 
  Erik Barnes  
 
   Hello and welcome to Light in the Landscape. My name is Melissa Barnes and I currently reside in Jerome, Idaho with my husband Erik and dog Sadie. Growing up in Southern California, I have always had a love of the beach and the mountains. I would spend my summer vacations at the beach or at the Colorado River. I was always fascinated with the slr camera, but I was afraid of not knowing how to use them. With my 110 camera in hand, I would hit the beach. I never thought I would get as serious about photography as I did since meeting my husband.
   I started out as his assistant in 2006, when he tried his hand at casual and fashion photography. While helping my husband during his photo shoots and posing models, the bug hit me and I wanted my own camera. In 2007 when Erik began photographing landscapes, he bought me my first slr camera and began instructing me on the basics of light and photography. Erik imparted to me an understanding of how light worked in the landscape. I am taking what I have learned from my husband and endeavor to capture nature at its best.  
  
   We would like to thank you for stopping by; and if you have any questions or comments about our work, please feel free to contact us.