Decades ago I found myself in the wind, clouds and snow at Maroon Lake, high in the Colorado mountains. As I watched and waited, I found myself having a conversation with another photographer who was set up in the same spot. We were hoping for a break in the weather that might allow for a better view of the mountains. But he mentioned that even if he did get a good shot on his 4x5, it probably wouldn't be too popular in his nearby gallery. He told me that his best selling prints were generally taken at noon on clear, quiet, blue-sky days. "People appreciate the atmospheric shots, but buy the print that reminds them of how it looked when they were here. Or the one that matches the couch."
My friend Adam, who is a professional photographer at the Grand Canyon, puts it this way: "People appreciate the art, but they buy the postcard." I have found this to be accurate. The most frequent criticism that I hear about my photography is that it's "too artsy". People may appreciate the artistic and the original at the museum, but what they really want is a simple picture of a barn or mill taken at noon, standing in the parking lot. I must admit that I sometimes have the same concept when studying the paintings my talented friends hang at the local Arts Council gallery. "I love this, but I sure wouldn't want it hanging in my kitchen!" Eventually the storm at the lake did break, and I took a few shots with my humble Pentax 645. This particular image is a bit of a compromise, just a little atmospheric but at heart a really nice postcard.
