Bret Edge is a different kind of weather and storm chaser. He often watches the weather and the corresponding light from his living room window, ready to head out into the great outdoors at a moment’s notice.
As a nature and adventure photographer, light is one of the most important elements of his time and focus. Light can make or break a photo – a fact Edge knows well.
Take The Organ, for instance. Located in Arches National Park, The Organ is a well-known, impressive sandstone fin among the Courthouse Towers that begs to be photographed.
“I spent six years trying, trying, trying to get that shot,” Edge said. A well-lit, “perfect-conditions” shot of the famed rock now resides in Edge’s portfolio.
The trying is anything but frustrating, Edge said.
“I’m fortunate to live here,” he said. “I can wait for just the conditions I want. And when I’m out shooting, I’m not in the office…there’s nothing frustrating about being outdoors.”
Edge moved to Moab with his wife, Melissa, by happenstance. After being laid off in 2005 from the financial industry – a catalyst moment in his life, he said – he and Melissa were looking for a suitable small town and Moab fit the bill.
At that point, Edge, a self-taught photographer, had been dabbling in photography for many years and knew it was “then or never” to truly make a go at the profession. Moving to, and living in, Moab presented an ideal opportunity for any nature and adventure photographer – especially for Edge, who loves to explore outdoors.
“Taking photos of people doing something I personally enjoy doing, it has been a natural progression,” said Edge whose photos have been featured in such magazines as “Backpacker” and “Popular Photography” and in various print advertising campaigns for popular outdoor adventure gear and locations.
“I have taken, literally, thousands of photos,” said Edge. “When starting out in this business, I took photo upon photo until one day one photo didn’t suck.”
Earlier this spring, Edge made the decision to put his diverse, dynamic and ever-growing portfolio on display for Moab and the visitors who come through town. He opened The Edge Gallery in March to favorable reception.
Edge attributes the majority of his business to tourists who are seeking a realistic reproduction of Moab’s landscapes – the bold colors found in Edge’s photography are natural. Edge avoids oversaturation, or color altering, of the images that, he says, speak for themselves.
“The best piece of advice I received when opening my gallery was from another gallery owner in Estes Park, Colo. He told me to display the iconic images that people can see from the road. People want to take home a visual memory of what they have experienced.”
For Edge, he is happy to shoot the celebrated locations in the Moab area, but with a different twist. He strives for a perspective that hasn’t been considered before.
“It is challenging to go to a place that has been photographed a million times and come out with a shot that’s unique,” he said.
The gallery features Edge’s “eye” at every price point and in varying formats. From large-scale canvas and smaller matted prints to calendars and cards, what is most important to Edge is that people are being introduced to his vision and the beauty that the photos have captured.
Although Edge loves seeing his own images in print, he is “happiest when helping others become better photographers.” Edge offers year-round photography workshops in Moab and elsewhere in the West. The next workshops will be offered in the fall, but Edge hopes to offer monthly seminars featuring other traveling artists and how-to instructional sessions in the coming weeks. Visit the gallery website for more information and to register for upcoming events.
This weekly feature highlights a Moab business. E-mail Meredith at mereditharndt@yahoo.com with suggestions or tales of an exceptional experience.
