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Even the label for Iron Creek Photography’s fourth volume is a work of art. (Don Libby photo)
By Jennifer R. Carnes
In my family, my dad was the photographer. He had this really cool 35mm Pentax camera with all the lenses. He shot slide film and once or twice a year, he’d dig out his old slide projector and screen, we’d all gather in the living room, and he’d give us a slide show.
I remember begging him to let me take his camera with me to college – just for a little while – so I could try my hand at photography. I went to school in Flagstaff and for the first time in my life was living in an area with four distinct seasons (unlike the two seasons we experience in the desert – hot and not quite so hot).
Fast forward too many years later and I have realized that photography has become an integral part of my life.
For the past 20 years, I have been pointing a camera at anything that will stand still (and more that won’t). My first lesson in newspaper photography is one I won’t forget – don’t just take one photo, my managing editor said. Take many from different angles. You never know which one will be the best.
I always thought that those guidelines were just for newspaper photographers. That is until I met Don and Sandy Libby.
Don and Sandy are the owners of Iron Creek Photography based in SaddleBrooke.
“I’ve had a camera in my hand most of my life,” Don once told me. His wife picked up the habit from him.
Don shoots with a medium format camera – much more technical than your standard digital SLR camera. He likes to play with the settings – everything manual. Sandy prefers the digital SLR camera, although hers is not even close to standard – think Canon Rebel on steroids.
Iron Creek Photography is most definitely a business for the Libbys. They produce and sell fine art photography – landscapes and nature scenes. They have two galleries: showing at Claire’s Cafe and Gallery in Catalina and at the Homewood Suites-Hilton in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Their gorgeous art prints are always for sale through both galleries and online at www.ironcreekphotography.com. These photos are always the “best of the best.”
One thing that the Libbys had to consider was what to do with the extra photos they had taken – ones they considered not “printable” but still amazing. Don has a blog and some of his photos end up on that site.
Four years ago, they hit upon a great idea – why not create a digital slideshow, burn it to a DVD and see if anyone will buy it?
Guess what?
People loved the idea!
Iron Creek Photography has just released its fourth DVD featuring images from the past year of Don and Sandy’s adventures in America.
My daughter and I were lucky enough to view the slideshow before it was finalized. Let me tell you – AMAZING!
It begins with a little video clip of American Buffalo moving into a wintery, snowy field. The slideshow follows this herd which roams throughout with large landscape scenes and closeups on members of the herd. At one point in the slideshow you see a stand of trees, bark scraped clean, leaving you wondering just what might have caused their nakedness, only to realize with another stark photo late in the slideshow that it was stripped of its bark by the same buffalo who needed to scratch an itch.
Two minutes into the slideshow, you are introduced to a laughing, raspberry-blowing horse (definitely my daughter’s favorite image).
The video follows the couple’s travels across the United States, mainly in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; but also including Florida and New Mexico’s White Sands. They visit Native American ruins and bring the desert spring to life, experimenting with macro photography (think really close up).
Ten minutes into the slideshow, the viewer wanders into ‘gator territory in the Florida Everglades. Don’t be fooled by the seemingly placid looking scene – Mr. Gator’s looking right at you.
In the next minute, you are transported once again to Wyoming for some stunning mountain views and more stark winter scenes. A herd of moose graze in a snowy field, antlers proudly on display. Then the viewer is treated to a vignette of a pregnant female moose cooling off in a mountain lake, lapping up water. Other animals wander in and out of the slideshow including elk, bears and majestic big horned sheep. You’ll even meet a sweet camel named Matilda.
Next time I have guests over, I plan to pop my copy into my DVD player and set it to play. It will turn my display into a digital photo frame. (And the music, which is from royaltyfreemusic.com is so relaxing and calm, it really adds that special touch to the slideshow.)
The Iron Creek Photography Volume 4 DVD can be purchased for $20 at Claire’s Cafe in Catalina (16140 North Oracle Road, Catalina) or ordered online through Don’s Blog at www.IronCreekPhotography.com. The other volumes are also offered for the same price and are still available for purchase.
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