Venus: Meet Me at 12,000 feet

It started with "meet me at 12,000 feet." From there, two adventure artists immersed themselves in creating art over 24 hours and 16 miles in the range of light.

Two strangers.  A few Instagram DMs to talk about our love of the Eastern Sierra and to outline a grand adventure.  We met for 5 minutes to discuss backpacking logistics, then I asked if I could get a head start with the heavy camera gear.  She was a local and new the location well and was more fit than me, so we decided to meet at the 12,000 foot contour on the trail.  That is when the magic began.  From there we would spend the next 24 hours backpacking 16 miles, mostly off-trail, to chase the light in the wilderness.  We just absolutely immersed ourself in art and adventure, hardly speaking a word about anything other that the world in front of eyes.  Then, just as it began, we parted at that same 12,000 contour.  As I reached the valley below, we traded wolf-like howls with each other. 

Truth be told, when I got back home and looked at the pictures I was crushed.  I had missed the epic shot I wanted most.  I hardly looked at them for months.  But then when I stopped hunting and pecking for good shots, and instead processed them in order, I was brought back to that time and all the sounds, smells, and feelings that I experienced with each her creating each shot.  All my love for the Sierra and the natural art of the body came back to life.  That is why I present the photos in chronological order in the book- it is the story as we experienced it.