"In the Heart of Mount Olympus" captured in Olympic NP

Duluth nature photographer Ryan Tischer opens an exhibit of new photographs at Washington Gallery on Friday, Feb. 11 from 6-8pm. His images are a compilation of new work created over the past year on travels through twenty states, covering over 10,000 miles by car.

I love traveling to new places and discovering new photographic possibilities,” says Tischer. Elements of Exposure includes photographs from Olympic National Park, northern Minnesota, Arizona, Utah, and most recently Death Valley. “I’ve been to the driest and wettest places in North America, and each is beautiful in its own way,” says Tischer. His photographs of Olympic National Park show lush green forests with giant spruce trees covered in moss. In contrast, the Death Valley images show a desolate, mostly barren landscape that stretches on for miles.

Regardless of where I am photographing, the one element that is always most important is the light,” says Tischer. He tends to make his most interesting images around sunrise and sunset, known to many photographers as the magic hour. “It’s not just about the colors in the sky, but more importantly the dramatic direction of the light and how it makes certain landscapes stand out.” His photograph Dynamic Dunes, captured in Death Valley demonstrates how low-angle light makes every ripple and line in the sand stand out in stark contrast.

This is Tischer’s third solo exhibition at Washington Gallery, and according to him his best. “I’ve traveled further and worked much harder for this exhibit. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten up before sunrise or how many times I’ve gone to sleep completely exhausted from hiking,” says Tischer.

Elements of Exposure will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5pm, or by appointment, starting Feb. 12 and showing through Feb. 27. For more info visit ryantischerphoto.com or call (218) 391-1827.

The Washington Gallery is located in the former Washington Junior High School at 315 N. Lake Ave.

Founded in 1996, Washington Studios Artist Cooperative, a community housing facility for artists, fosters the arts by providing a nurturing environment in which artists can create, exhibit, perform, conduct business and live safely and affordably. The co-op is owned by Artspace Projects, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit, and managed by Bowman Properties of Duluth.