Today’s featured guest is Erik Stensland
Erik is a landscape photographer based in Estes Park Colorado. His business consists of two main parts: Morning Light Photography, his images focusing on the American Southwest Desert, the Pacific North West, and Lanscapes throughout the United Kingdom. Images of RMNP or Rocky Mountain National Park depicts aspects of the park through every light and weather condition imaginable. Some early mornings Erik devotes to a long hike for the perfect view as the sun peaks over the horizon.
Erik Stensland was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but it was after his family moved to Montana that he developed his deep love for the wilderness, often hiking alone in the mountains from an early age. Later Erik moved back to Minnesota, where he attended high school and college. After graduating, Erik followed his other passion—that of making a difference in some of the world's impoverished countries. For twelve years he lived in the Balkans, where he led nonprofit initiatives working to help those in need. It was there he met his wife, Joanna, who is from England.
After a decade working together in Bulgaria, Albania, and Kosovo, Erik and Joanna returned to the States and settled in Colorado to be close to the mountains. Their son, Luke, was born during their first year in Colorado and soon after Erik opened his first gallery in downtown Estes Park. Erik quickly became one of the premier photographers of Rocky Mountain National Park. He has an intimate knowledge of the park, having hiked every trail and visited nearly every nook and cranny.
Erik has authored several books, including: Images of Rocky Mountain National Park, Getting Started in Landscape Photography and The Landscape Photographer's Guide to: Photographing Rocky Mountain National Park. To help celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Rocky Mountain National Park, he released a new hardcover book called “Wild Light: A Celebration of Rocky Mountain National Park” which is available at the bookstore upstairs. Besides his gallery in Estes Park, he also sells his work at the Grand Lake Art Gallery and the Trail Ridge Store. Erik also has a gallery outside of Abiquiu, New Mexico, where he displays his growing Desert Southwest collection.