About Me
Photographing in Reflected light @ Coyote Buttes South
My philosophy is to get to know the location before even bringing my camera with me into the wilderness. I will often spend several days at each location so I can experience sunrise, sunset, and the way that the light falls on the land. This allows me to formulate how best to capture the beauty of a scene. Without doing this, I find myself very intimidated by the beauty of a location, and feel that I am not capable of truly capturing the essence of a location.
My ultimate goal is to create simple, structured, and zen-like images of nature. These images are often shaped by my graphic design background.
In late 2009, I began documenting my adventures with daily video journals. As viewership has increased, I have taken steps to increase the quality and content of these videos. My goal, as always, is to bring you along for the ride. I want you to see what I see, and feel what I feel at each location.
I invite you to visit me at my upcoming shows to view my work in person. Once you see the prints, I think you will understand why I enjoy photography so much!
Ben Horne Photography: Contemporary Large Format Landscape & Nature Photography 
April 25, 2010 at 8:49 pm |
Hey bud,
How the heck are you doing ?
Kurt
April 26, 2010 at 7:42 am |
Hey, great to hear from you Kurt! I’m doing well, very busy, but well. Just finished ArtWalk this year, and had a great showing there. I visited your site a couple weeks back, and enjoyed watching your demo reels.
June 13, 2010 at 8:16 am |
Wow. You don’t see many guys lugging around an 8×10 anymore. From what I see here at your blog you certainly use it well.
January 4, 2011 at 10:15 pm |
Thanks! I really enjoy the process. It’s a great way to get a workout, and also take some photos!
September 13, 2011 at 4:57 am |
Awesome Ben! It’s been way too long since we’ve connected. Saw a post of yours on Twitter and thats how I got here. Great work and I like the video diaries of your adventures. Do you still shoot any sports or are you all landscape now?
September 13, 2011 at 5:55 am |
Hey man, it’s been a long time. I hope you and your family are doing well. I sold off my entire Canon setup in early 2009, and have been doing nothing but large format with a touch of medium format since then. The video thing has been fun, and it’s a great way to show the things that still photos cannot. Next year I am planning some backpacking trips with my 8×10 gear. That should be interesting. 🙂
September 18, 2011 at 3:50 pm |
Ben, I just went through your entire video stream on youtube (subscribed as well, myallegro31). I have been shooting digital, but have a ton of respect for you large format guys. I think i have patience, but no where near as much as you. Which you were walking in some of those places, I would have my tripod up every 5 minutes shooting brackets… haha. Anyways, just wanted to introduce myself and tell you I dig your stuff. Keep it up buddy. Oh, one other thing, I have been stationed in Italy for the past 2 years, one more to go, and your videos have remeinded me how many awesome palces there are to hike and shoot back in the states. Thanks!
October 4, 2011 at 5:31 pm |
Thanks for watching the videos Adam! I hope to produce a whole new set on my next trip. I’m really having a blast with the whole video thing — it really helps tell the story behind each shot.
Though it might seem like I have a ton of patience by shooting LF, I tend to think it’s the lazy approach. Rather than hunting down a shot, I simply setup my camera, then wait for something to happen. I burn a whole lot less calories that way. One of the lessons I’ve learned though, is that you can’t capture every moment. As a result, I don’t stress when there’s an amazing sunrise/sunset that I’m not equipped to photograph. I simply enjoy the moment, and maybe roll a bit of video!
November 5, 2011 at 3:30 pm |
Ben, I don’t know if you remember me from our Digital Photo Contest days 6-7 years ago. Laryl Hancock added me to her Google+ group recently, and I saw you were connected to her too. It’s lovely to find out what a superb photographer you’ve become! I have one of your very first “for sale” framed prints of the LaJolla coast hanging in my home – it’s still one of my favorites.
Keep up the great work, and it’s lovely to run across you again now all grown up 🙂 and discover the turns your life has taken since college and DPC. I’ve subscribed to your blog – see you online!
November 14, 2011 at 6:03 pm |
Great to hear from you Linda! It’s hard to think that the DPC days were that long ago. It seems like only yesterday! It’s awesome to hear that the La Jolla print is still one of your favorites. It’s hard to remember back then, but that may very well have been the first print I sold. 🙂 Thanks again so much! On another note Lyuba and I will be getting married next year. My how time flies.
February 29, 2012 at 1:53 am |
I have been looking for LF equipment lately. I ran across your YouTube channel while researching 8×10 cameras.
Amazing photography. I like your composition.
I shoot landscape, outdoors.. On digital. But want move toward the advantages of LF film.
I think it would be interesting for your viewers if you talked about your equipment too. I know for some of us that’s adds to the interest of each shot.
Take care, Keep up the great shots.
March 7, 2012 at 11:09 pm |
Thanks Todd. I do plan on doing some equipment videos as well. I really don’t get much of a chance to talk about that in the field because I’m often preoccupied with other things, but I really should make a video that shows some of the things I’ve learned and some of the gear that I’m using.
March 3, 2012 at 8:45 am |
Ben your photography is very inspirational, and your videos very interesting.I’m with Todd on adding some more technical info in your vids, but either way I’ll keep tuning in 🙂 Thanks!
Chris
March 7, 2012 at 11:11 pm |
Thanks so much Christopher! While filming the videos in the field, I try to walk a line between offering some technical details, and not boring the rest of the audience who isn’t as interested in those aspects. I think the best compromise would be to create a set of videos where I discuss more of the technical aspects of LF.
November 9, 2012 at 9:23 am |
Hey Ben, Just saw this on the DP Review site. http://connect.dpreview.com/post/7689725486/gopro-wedding-photographer
April 5, 2013 at 8:27 pm |
Hi Ben,
I came across your amazing image The Dot District on Fred Miranda’s facebook post. SO moody! Just curious who does your drum scans and lightjet prints?
Keep up the amazing LF work. I used to shoot Sinar F 4×5, mostly in studio back in the 80s, but I’m all 35 DSLR these days.
Best regards,
John
April 13, 2013 at 10:03 pm |
I just finished watching your youtube series on Death Valley and Zion. You’re such an inspiration! I recently attended a workshop with Ian and Joe in Chincoteague, great guys. I’m heading to Namibia in July/August for 18 days and I hope to come back with some great shots by taking your advice…well thought out shots, patience, perseverance, and simplicity.
April 15, 2013 at 1:15 pm |
Hey Ben, congrats on the gallery representation. Hope you sell enough over there to at least recoup your gas cost and buy another box of film 🙂 Still sitting on two boxes of Fuji 8×10 chrome myself (Velvia and Provia) it’s hard to get motivated to shoot these days, and getting older doesn’t help when it comes to lugging the 8×10 kit around, but it’s always an inspiration watching your vids and seeing the results.
Christopher
August 1, 2013 at 1:05 pm |
Hi Ben,
Your photography really stands out from the crowd. These days, photo sites are subject to oversaturated, oversharpened, overcooked images that all fight each other with colour and intensity.
I enjoy your take on image making and find it very similar to the likes of Michael Reichman or David Ward (currently my favourite photographers). It’s very hard to find quality photography that isn’t super saturated or cliche.
Keep up the great work. Glad I found your site.
October 12, 2013 at 7:39 am |
Ben,
I recently stopped into the store to buy a tripod and you were a huge help. We had an informative conversation about Zion. Low and behold, I found your youtube videos and gallery. Great work!
Thanks again for being so helpful!
Bill
March 8, 2014 at 4:21 am |
Hey man. Been going through lots of your videos now after just recently finding you here (and there). Thanks for the massive boost in inspiration!
November 24, 2015 at 2:42 am |
Hi Ben,
my name is Michael, I’m 54 years old and living in Freiburg (Germany). For 4 years my great passion is the landscape photography in the Black Forest with the Ebony RW45 (backpacking).
I regularly visit your website and admire your photos and your way to get there. Because of your review over the Ektar I tested this film and learned to like and use it.
I’ve been thinking a long time whether I should upgrade on 8×10. But I think it would be too heavy and bulky for me.
Now I want to switch to 5×7. What do you think of a change from 4×5 to 5×7? The Ebony SV57 is made in mahogany and in ebony. What is your experience by using your RW810? Is the mahogany wood robust enough or get your Camera quickly scratches and dents? Should I better choose the ebony variant (this would be 1 kg heavier)?
All the best, my dream ist hiking with a 5×7 in zion national park!
Many kind regards
Michael
June 27, 2016 at 9:12 pm |
Are you still hiking and shooting. Miss your adventures.
July 7, 2016 at 6:30 am |
Yes! I just haven’t been as active as my blog as I should be. It seems there aren’t enough hours in the day to keep up with everything. I just started posting my videos from my Spring trip, and if you go to my youtube channel, you’ll also see my winter trip.