Across the Southwest » Featured Articles

Anasazi Gallery – Visions of the Past

Adam Schallau — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:40:03 +0000

For several years now, I have been working on a personal project photographing several of the lesser known Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi), Basketmaker and Freemont Indian sites of the American Southwest. While this is an ongoing project, I have created a new portfolio on my website to exhibit the current collection of photographs.

Window with platform

Titled Visions of the Past, the new portfolio features images of granaries (small structures used for the storage of food) and cliff dwellings (larger structures used for housing) that have been abandoned in the countless canyons of the Four Corners region. At a later time I will add photographs of rock-art sites including both petroglyph and pictograph panels.

Finished in a subdued sepia toning, all images represented in this portfolio are available as limited-edition prints of 50 each. Paper choices include lustre, metallic and watercolor.

Please click on any image for an expanded view.

Yellow-Headed Collared Lizard

Adam Schallau — Tue, 12 May 2009 03:31:33 +0000

Yellow-Headed Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris auriceps)

I came across this interesting little guy (or lady) while hiking with friends in southern Utah. It’s a Yellow-Headed Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris auriceps). This image was captured with my Canon EOS 5D Mark II with a 70-200mm f/4L IS lens and 1.4x tele-converter, hand-held.

Please click on the image for an expanded view.

Anasazi Hands Pictograph

Lipan Point, Bright Angel Trail, Mohave Point

Adam Schallau — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 06:28:40 +0000

Sunrise to sunset, one end to another, and a hike into the canyon. That was my day today. I began my day by getting up a little before 5:30 to drive out to the east end of the park near Desert View for sunrise. All went well, There were a few nice wispy clouds and the light broke through long enough to light up the north rim. I did manage to take a short tumble and in the process I tore my winter pants, this was my first morning to actually wear them. Oh well.

After sunrise I drive back to my trailer in Grand Canyon Village. I needed to catch up my journal entries, prep for my presentation tomorrow, and I needed a little rest. After all that and a little breakfast I headed out the door for a hike down Bright Angel Trail (my first time into the canyon) to the 3-mile rest house.

Six miles round trip and a little over 2,100 feet loss and gained again in 4-hours with a 20 minute lunch break and a few photos on the return trip to the rim. There was some ice on the first mile of the trail, but otherwise the trail appeared to be in good shape, although I wouldn’t know any different since I’ve never hiked it before. I’ll be doing several hikes into the canyon over the next several days and in two weeks I will be hiking down to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon. I can’t wait. Getting below the rim is an amazing experience.

After my hike down Bright Angel Trail I headed over to the Verkamps’s Visitor Center to take care of a few last minute details for tomorrows presentation.

I was going to head home and call it a day, but after seeing the sky begin to fill with clouds I decided to head out Mohave Point on the Hermit’s Rest Road for sunset. This is a great spot because it sees very few visitors and you have a view down to the river.

Oh, and the last thing, updating the blog at 11:30 at night. I sure hope I spelled everything correctly. Good night.

On the Rio Grande – the book!

Adam Schallau — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 04:48:42 +0000

I’m excited to announce that I have completed the layout and design for my limited edition book, On the Rio Grande ~ A Photographic Exploration of Santa Elena Canyon. This book takes the viewer on a photographic journey through a corner of the land not often seen or experienced by most people. The photographs represented in the book chronicle three days spent canoeing the Rio Grande on its course from Lajitas, Texas, through Santa Elena Canyon, to its mouth in Big Bend National Park.

This book contains 63 pages, and 31 images printed on premium paper, including several images not show in my portfolios. This is a hardcover book measuring 13″x11″ in landscape format and is complete with a beautiful full color dust jacket.

The first proof of the book has been printed and after a few minor adjustments were made, I can proudly offer the book for sale. This book has been created as limited-edition of 25 copies. Each copy will be numbered and signed. The first 10 books are available for $225, with the second batch of 10 selling for $325, and the last 5 will be held in reserve. Please note: as of early February 2009, 6 books have been spoken for. Please contact me to order your copy.

For collectors that are interested in both the book and fine art prints, I would like to extend to you a special offer of $100 off the cost of your prints when ordered with a book.

To see a selection of images from my project, please visit my Big Bend galleries on my website. If you would like to know more about my project and the Luminous Landscape Endowment, please visit the Santa Elena Canyon Project page on my website.