My work explores and documents the emotion of light over the landscape. I spend countless hours visiting (and re-visiting) places in the Rocky Mountains (particularly in Colorado) and the Desert Southwest, waiting for the perfect moment when the light, sky, weather conditions, and seasons conjoin into a magical still-life at the time the shutter is released.

Photography expresses my love of the natural world-with considerable effort in both the field and lab-I create images bordering on the impossible without resorting to digital manipulation beyond traditional darkroom techniques. These unique qualities come from capturing superb detail using unique Large Format cameras that yield amazing brilliance and clarity when printed to any size. Standing in front of my work is like looking out a window into an unreal world of color, shape, feeling and frozen time-yielding an unforgettable experience for the viewer.

Dave Rodenbaugh is a native of Colorado with over 20 years experience behind the camera, including his work in the traditional black and white wet darkroom in photojournalism and fine art. He is largely self-taught but has been fortunate to have a couple of good teachers over the years to advance his craft to the level you see today.

Dave has traveled extensively throughout the American West and Southwest but his favorite places remain in his home state of Colorado and the neighboring states of Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. Dave has maintained a lifelong relationship with the natural world, starting with early camping and fishing trips with his parents, to frequent sojourns around the country with his friends and family today that rediscovers the natural beauty of this fragile world.

Influenced by many diverse photographers including Ansel Adams, Jerry Uelsmann and Galen Rowell, Dave strives for emotional power as well as aesthetic and technical perfection in each image he creates.

Dave lives in Lakewood, CO with his wife, daughters, dog and cat, who, with the exception of the cat (lazy twerp!) frequently accompany him on the trail.