Ansel Adams' grandson challenges negatives bought at garage sale

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Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Ansel Adams' grandson is unconvinced that several dozen glass plates found at a garage sale were photographic negatives created by the famed nature photographer.

Matthew Adams, who runs the Ansel Adams Gallery, said even if the photos are proven beyond a doubt to be authentic, they are not worth the $200 million value estimated by an art appraiser.
A lawyer for Rick Norsigian, the California man who paid $45 for the negatives a decade ago, said that based on overwhelming evidence gathered by a team experts "no reasonable person would have any doubt that these, in fact, were the long-lost images of Ansel Adams."

Read the rest of the article from CNN here.

Trailhead Sign Contest: Submit a photo, win KEEN footwear!

A good looking trailhead kiosk at the start of the trail to Grays Peak (14,270 feet) and Torreys Peak (14,267 feet) in Arapahoe National Forest.

Summer is in full swing, and we would love to see your favorite Leave No Trace-related trailhead sign photos! Post a photo on the Leave No Trace Facebook Fan Page with a caption including the location and be entered into a drawing for a free pair of KEENs!

Winners will be selected at random on August 16 at noon, MST.

Partner Highlight: Kathryn Beals

Discovering the art of Kathryn Beals, Small Business Partner of Leave No Trace. [Submitted by Kathryn Beals.]

Background: I grew up in a small fishing town on the northwest coast of British Columbia. As a kid, my parents took me camping frequently and taught me to love the outdoors. I met my husband Travis ten years ago and we moved to California in 2003. We are both long time promoters of Leave No Trace ethics and have lead backpacking trips in the Sierras and Rockies. In 2008, we hiked the West Coast Trail of Vancouver Island and the high Sierra section of the PCT. The places we see on our treks provide the inspiration for my paintings.

What is your motto? I don't have a motto, but I always strive to communicate my love of the backcountry in my work. In my paintings, I try to balance the look of a favorite place with the feeling of being there. Tents are a focal point in many of my paintings because I want to give the viewer an emotional and symbolic connection to the landscape. As an artist specializing in commissioned paintings, I try to get a sense of the story behind each photograph so I can help people capture the memory of special places.

What does your company do for the environment? I select eco-friendly materials and methods in all aspects of my business. I paint with acrylic paints, which do not require the use of toxic solvents, as oil paints do. I use sustainable packaging materials whenever possible when shipping my paintings. My art cards are printed on 100% recycled paper with vegetable inks.

What does your company do for the community? I donate spare art supplies to local public schools, and I donate paintings and gift certificates to local animal shelters. I also run an art technique blog, howipaint.com, featuring some of my current paintings in progress with advice and instructional videos for beginners. I am a self-taught artist and I hope to inspire and encourage people of all ages to learn to paint.

Why does your company partner with Leave No Trace? (Why we love you.) It is a privilege to work with Leave No Trace, since I have long supported their approach to wilderness preservation through access and education. I donate 10% of profits from my card sales to Leave No Trace. I hope that my paintings can inspire people to visit the backcountry and have the experiences that have taught my me why Leave No Trace ethics are so important. Having grown up camping, my husband and I are glad to say that trails are cleaner now than we remember as kids. We believe that Leave No Trace is responsible for this improvement and we want to do our part to help.

To learn more about Kathryn Beals, you can visit any of her websites:
www.bealsstudios.com <http://www.bealsstudios.com>
Landscapes: www.kathrynbeals.com <http://www.kathrynbeals.com>
Art Blog: www.howipaint.com <http://www.howipaint.com>

To learn more about Small Business Partnerships, please visit us online: http://lnt.org/support/small_business.php

My Backyard: Wildflower Photography Tips

As the wildflowers bloom in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, I find myself using my camera more and more for scenery and landscape shots. Wildflowers are one of my favorite subjects, and taking pictures of them is a great way to support the Leave No Trace principle, Leave What You Find. Considering some of the following tips will help you make the most of your next outdoor excursion.

• Consider using a tripod to steady the shot and produce a sharp image.
• Get up early and shoot the sunrise in the best location. Scout the area the day before or during the dead time during the high noon sun.
• Wait until sunset to shoot large fields of flowers, the light is golden and will render your subject much better than the harsh light of the day.
• Take plenty of batteries for your camera — or make sure your batteries are charged.
• Take more than enough film — or a sufficient memory card - you may just use it all.
• Fill your frame! It’s okay to not have the entire flower in photo. Just like shooting a portrait of a person, all we need is a head and shoulder, not a full length body shot. Consider portraits and landscapes for your shots.
• Shoot from a low level, just as you shoot at portrait on the same level as the subject (you don’t shoot down on the top of the head) flowers should be shot with the camera at the same level as the flower.
  

Indian Peaks Wilderness Macro Photo Project

King Lake, our destination, sits just below the Continental Divide at 11,648'. 

On the Fourth of July I ventured into the Indian Peaks Wilderness area with 2 friends and 3 dogs.  The Indian Peaks Wilderness is a wilderness area, just west of Boulder, is managed by the United States Forest Service within the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. The wilderness area borders Rocky Mountain National Park to the north, and the James Peak Wilderness to the south, and straddles the Continental Divide.  Summary:  it's gorgeous.

The Front Range received its second rainiest June in more than a Century, which means great things for our watersheds and wildflower viewing.  Over the course of our 13 mile hike, I quickly realized that my pictures of meadows filled with blooming wildflowers weren't doing the beauty justice, and thus my macro photo (close-up photos) project was born.  Since picking the flowers was out of the question (in keeping with the Leave No Trace principle Leave What You Find) I decided to take a series of close-up photos of wildflowers, leaves, tree bark ... whatever piqued my interest - including my friend's dog, Harvey.  It was a great way to explore the intricate beauty of my surroundings.  

Oh, Harvey ...