Southwest Images

With the simple statement "I don't do weddings, babies or portraits," Harvey Caplin, the legendary photographer of the Southwest, revealed his deep love for the history and mystique of the Four Corners region.

Few artists have so completely dominated their subject matter, both artistically and historically, as Harvey Caplin did in the post World War II Southwest. Because he had such a thorough knowledge and love for the people and physical environment of his adopted Southwest, he was able to be much more that just another photographer of a very well documented region.

With wonderful insights, he understood the environment of Four Corners in much the same way as the renowned Taos painters did. He used the clarity and depth of light to create magnificent contrasts of light and dark, of shadows and bright images. He framed his pictures so that the composition itself often intensified an already penetrating subject.

His images are an artistic and pictorial history of an ever changing country. He rode and worked with the Cowboys of New Mexico, taking extraordinary shots of cattle drives, branding, horse breaking, their daily life at cowboy camps, chuck wagons and campfires. He climbed cliffs with Barbary sheep hunters, beat Mexican road racers to the finish line, and waited for hours in the desert sun and on snow covered peaks - all for that perfect shot. He captured the translucent light, cathedral-like clouds, weathered rocks and the dignity of the people, all in his own unique way.

The artistic and historical value of Caplin's work is undeniable. There is double pleasure viewing his work, which is stunningly beautiful as well as historically important. Harvey Caplin's work is a rare treasure.