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BIRDS AS ART ON-LINE Note August 12, 2002
Sadly, I received this note from a friend in San
Diego this morning: "We have been informed that Galen and Barbara
Rowell were killed in a plane crash on the approach to the Bishop
Airport on their return from Alaska. Two others were also on the
plane. No survivors."
Newcomers may not know that Galen was one of the
premier adventure/scenic/nature photographers of our age. Galen's
signature image was Rainbow over Potola (the former winter residence
of the Dalai Lama). I think that he got his greatest pleasure from
combining his love of mountain climbing with his love of
photography. Barbara, too, was an excellent photographer
and contributed images to their stock collection. They are survived
by a son and a daughter. I send my condolences and a hug to family
and friends. To learn more about Galen and Barbara, visit:
http://www.mountainlight.com/home.html
While I knew Galen only a bit, and never met
Barbara, I was saddened to learn of their passing. I do know that
both of them-as we all need to do--lived life pretty much to the
fullest.
Galen's article "The Size of the Rat," which ran
in OP (Outdoor Photographer) many years ago, served to inspire me to
succeed in photography. He spoke of the rat "gnawing at the
photographer's belly to succeed." I am glad that I got to tell him
that he had influenced me (and that I had a very large rat in my
belly..) (See my comments on page 145 of "The Art of Bird
Photography.")
My favorite Galen story goes something like this:
He saw a print of an image "just like one that he had envisioned and
was working on." He was ready to sue the photographer, when he
learned that his wife--totally unaware that Galen had been
photographing the same landscape subject--had made the image while
they were on a joint vacation.
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