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FORCE OF NATURE
I’m very inspired by painting and specifically the Hudson
River School of painters, who celebrated nature and the
Hudson more than 150 years ago. Their use of allegory
and symbolism is something I try to learn from each time
I make an image. I had these
artists on my mind when I made
this photograph, “River of Ice,”
close to my home in Beacon, New
York, on the Hudson River. Since
chunks of ice on the Hudson are
nothing unusual for anyone who
lives here, my challenge was to
capture something that goes
beyond the ordinary and inspires
someone to see winter differently.
As a nature photographer, I live for that experience
of being totally present and in perfect balance with the
moment, when I forget how cold I am or how difficult
is was to get to a particular location. Nature inspires
gratitude in me, and sharing that is really a passion that
exceeds all others. I want others to appreciate what truly
Robert Rodriguez Jr.
extraordinary moments happen around us each day and
how, if we just stop and look, they can have a positive
effect on our lives.
The paper I print on is a crucial component of
translating what I see and feel. I use Canson Infinity
papers because they’re extremely consistent in both
color and tonal accuracy, which means every print from
a box or roll will be identical, and because there’s a
wide variety to choose from. My favorites include Baryta
Photographique, which I love for my black-and-white
prints, and Platine Fibre Rag, which is particularly good at
preserving deep shadows with incredible Dmax. I printed
“River of Ice” on Rag Photographique 310, which always
yields vivid colors; I also love its matte feel and texture.
I teach fine-art printing workshops, and at the end of
each one, the students get to take home a print of their
work printed on a Canson Infinity paper of their choice.
This experience helps them understand the difference
paper can make in producing prints that are true to their
vision. In my own work, when I’m determining which
paper to use, I always go back to how I want to interpret
the photo. Sometimes a matte paper will take the edge
off of an image, for example, focusing the attention on
another part of the composition that conveys warmth or
emotion. The great thing about Canson papers is that I
can create these subtle changes without worrying about
the overall quality of the print. Ultimately, the medium
must be second to the message, and with Canson, I can
present my photographs knowing the message will be
direct and clear.
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