Flagstaff, Arizona

I loved the cozy, retro interior of the old hotel across the street from the landmark Mission billboard in ye olde downtown Flagstaff, Arizona. I envisioned clouds of smoke lilting gently past the bold stripes and brushed steel of the upper level art deco balcony in the Hotel Monte Vista. Drawn from the cute coffee joint out into the 1920s lobby dragged my all-too-curious eye to the dark saloon that proudly boasted of not having a single customer at that hour. I shared with the bartender how I wanted to photograph every detail in that bar. She thought I was crazy. "What was there to see?", she said, pondering my curiosity and chalking it up to my being a stranger in town.

But then it struck me that being a stranger, the new face, also comes with a few perks. A new face means new vision. New vision means noticing the hidden gems on which locals turn a blind eye. I got to enjoy the subtle textures of the aging red paint, the funky trophies behind the bar, the neon sign 60 feet above the hotel lobby that seemed to flicker with that mosquito-zapper intensity during the height of summer barbeque season. Just stand around and admire the Mission billboard, touch its fading paint chips, and to capture it all on film so I could bring it into my computer and continue to explore the textures I didn't see the first time.

I love new vision--I get to feel like a kid again.

A Time and A Season

We emerged from our tent adrift in a sea of golden Populus Tremuloides, the common name for the well-known aspen. Nothing common about our stunning destination secretly lodged deep within the autumn confines of Ashley National Forest in northern Utah. Bugling elk serenade the sunrise. Each boot print crunches down on icy leaves scattered about like amber and peach-colored silver dollars. The air rips the lungs with each frozen inhalation, mellowed only by the fresh aroma of coffee brewing on the camp stove. But ‘inspiration’ rather than ‘inhalation’ night be the better choice of breathing nouns, as it’s not long before the grandness of it all inspires me to make this photograph.

It’s a time and a season such as this that many wonder silently if nature is all just random chance or if it springs from the hand of an intelligent designer. If a box of Alpha Bits cereal on the breakfast table spelled out the words "T-a-k-e o-u-t t-h-e t-r-a-s-h, M-o-m", we wouldn't conclude that the box of cereal just happened to tip over and the little letters fell into this order on its own. The presence of a message implies a sender. Why, then, do we assume that nature, which is infinitely more complex than a single sentence, is the product of random chance? This passage from the book of Romans says it all:

For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Marc Littmann Photography

Welcome to the home of Marc Littmann Photography, a visual tale involving color and texture. What began as a backpacking trip around the world for a year, Marc and his wife, Tonya, returned home and started a fine art and wedding photography business. His fine art prints ar for sale at Art Mart on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, CO and on the art show circuit around the state of Colorado during the warmer months.

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The Story

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Look For This Image in the Movies!

Utah Aspengrove
Originally uploaded by mntjourney.

Columbia Pictures recently selected our aspen forest panoramic print to appear in their upcoming movie entitled "Catch and Release" with Jennifer Garner. The motion picture is to take place in Boulder, CO and exterior shots will be filmed this summer. They don't guarantee where the image will appear in the film, but keep your eyes peeled!


See Marc Littmann Photography Landscape Gallery

Magazine Interview

GTB interview thumb
Originally uploaded by mntjourney.

Read our press coverage from a regional magazine feature. Our landscape work was featured on the cover as well as throughout the
magazine.


Follow the link below to view published interview:

Magazine Interview Spring 2005