The desert in black and white

A series of black-and-white photographs entitled “Moab in Monochrome,” by landscape photographer Bret Edge, will be on display at The Bighorn Gallery inside the Dead Horse Point Visitor Center.

Edge has spent years developing this unique collection of images from the Moab area. Most commonly associated with fiery red sandstone and brilliant blue skies, under the right conditions the landscape around Moab lends itself quite well to black-and-white photography.

Edge said he finds black-and-white photography more elegant than color photography.

“Black-and-white photography demands strong compositions and reduces an image to basic elements of tone, contrast, texture and pattern,” he said.

Edge said he enjoys the challenge of creating dynamic monochrome imagery that shares the same impact and power as his color work.

“Some of my earliest photographic influences were artists who worked primarily or exclusively in black and white: the work of Ansel Adams, Robert Mapplethorpe and Edward Weston had tremendous impact on me,” he said.

Edge said it was a difficult process to choose which photos to display in the exhibit.

“I’ve been working on this series over the last seven or eight years and I’ve amassed quite a collection of black and white images,” he said. “In the end, I chose the photos that elicited the strongest emotional reaction from me.”

Edge had to battle the elements while taking some of the photos on display, including “Storm Light at the Fiery Furnace,”

“I made the Fiery Furnace image while standing atop a narrow sandstone fin, in a stiff wind with strong gusts, and brief, but intense deluges of rain,” he said. “It took considerable focus to keep myself and my camera gear from being blown off the fin.”

Each photograph on display at the Bighorn Gallery is printed on a thin sheet of aluminum and is displayed using a float mount. The metal printing process results in unparalleled image depth and luminescence, Edge said.

The exhibit will be available for viewing during regular visitor center hours from May 1 to June 30, 2014. An opening reception will take place Saturday, May 3, 2014 at 6 p.m. The park is located 35 miles from Moab on state Route 313. Visitor center hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is a $10 entrance fee, which includes access to the visitor center.

Edge also owns The Edge Gallery, 137 N. Main St. He said the gallery is doing well.

“We’re in our third year and we feel like we’re really getting things dialed in,” he said. “We suspected we’d do well with tourists, but we’ve been amazed by the amount of local support we’ve received. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our fellow Moabites for supporting us and accepting us into the community.”

Edge has black-and-white pictures available for sale at The Edge Gallery. He said not all the pieces in the exhibit are at the gallery, but he can do custom orders.

Monochrome photos by Bret Edge to be displayed at Dead Horse Point

When: Saturday, May 3, 6 p.m.

Where: The Bighorn Gallery inside the Dead Horse Point Visitor Center, state Route 313

Cost: $10 Entrance fee