Courtesy of Patrick Brooks Brandenburg
Photographer Patrick Brooks Brandenburg enjoys being part of the artist line-up for the 53rd Annual Park City Kimball Arts Festival on Main Street, August 5-7.
“It’s an honor to be part of it again,” said the photographer, whose studio is in Kamas. “As you know, there are so many photographers participating, and like any big art show, this festival is a very competitive event. I feel really honored.”
This will be Brandenburg’s fifth year in the festival line-up, but he doesn’t take it for granted.
“I applied for three or four years and was not hired,” he said. “It was devastating because all I wanted to do was take pictures.”
I focus on reminding people that there is still natural beauty on this planet…”Patrick Brooks Brandenburg, fine art photographer
Brandenburg began training in photography as a junior in high school in Spokane, Washington, and developed his own style through his love of animals and nature.
“I’m motivated by open spaces and wild places,” he said. “I am committed to reminding people that there is still natural beauty left on this planet, and I want to inspire and improve what I do.” I think.”
To do so, the Brandenburg style has evolved over the years.
“My compositions are more minimal and simple,” he said. “I’ve always been inspired by incredible sunsets and dramatic landscapes, but now I find beauty in simpler things.”
Simply put, Brandenburg means toned down.
“I think that over the years some people have been flooded with very bright colors, so I think that appeals to more people,” he said. I have always wanted my photos to look authentic, accessible and natural.
One of Brandenburg’s upcoming new works this year is titled “Swans Along the Flat” in monochrome.
“We stopped at the Salt Flats for the night and I woke up early.
The pre-dawn and sunrise light is always what I’m trying to get,” he said.
Brandenburg noticed and photographed a row of swans standing in a puddle reflecting on the salt.
“It was epic,” he said. “The colors were great, but the problem was trying to match my style.”
Since he was doing a lot of black and white work, Brandenberg decided to quit color.
“That’s where my style is going now,” he said.
While photographing swans was a coincidence, Brandenberg also has plans for how he will photograph animals and landscapes.
“I always have a camera and I’m hunting and I know some good places to go,” he said. You can find it in Yellowstone.”
Brandenburg recently traveled to Alaska to spot grizzly bears off the Alaskan coast.
“I love bears. You can see bears in the parks here in Yellowstone roll-up cars, but I don’t really like being around large groups of photographers,” he said. “When I was in Alaska, I was mostly alone and had some cool images.”
From time to time, Brandenburg plans to spend time with the farm animals.
“I love to come up and take off my harness and stand in their shadow,” he said. “I don’t know, but I love being with animals.”
Brandenburg uses the same instantaneous or premeditated approach to photographing landscapes.
“I always try to find a more natural place to get my stuff,” he said. Sometimes I wonder what it will look like in the fall, so I plan to come back around that time.”
Courtesy of Patrick Brooks Brandenburg
Brandenburg still relies on his intuition when composing his photos.
“I have a feeling that you click and it tells you that you need to capture the scene,” he said. If I do, I hope it inspires and uplifts others.”
However, sometimes it doesn’t work.
“It takes a lot of patience to get the right image, which means you can’t give up,” he said. “I don’t know how many times he went out shooting, but he came back with no interest.”
With that said, Brandenburg knows there’s nothing he wants to do for a living.
“There is an ardent dedication to being a photographer and the desire to be a photographer all my life continues to drive me to keep getting out there,” he said. I have the freedom to be the boss.I’m a one man show.It’s a high risk though.If the show doesn’t work out or doesn’t sell anything, I don’t have a backup plan.But I still go out and do nature. There’s nothing more I want to do than take great pictures inside, all I need is a certain amount of patience and perseverance.”
