GO BIG OR GO HOME

Noah Wetzel pushes creative limits

››There are photographs we love, and then there are the very best fine art images, which are destined to be printed and showcased in large format. Wherever you draw the line between the two, Noah Wetzel has crossed it with his stunning landscape, sport and adventure photography.

Based in Steamboat Springs since 2005, Wetzel’s work has been published anot only in the USA, but also in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Canada and Norway. It has won numerous international awards. His image of a mountain biker descending into Wyoming’s Teton Valley by the light of the total solar eclipse won the RAW category of the 2019 Red Bull Illume, the premier international imagery contest dedicated to adventure and action sports photography. “The RAW category is the purest category, it is the most prized category, and truly represents the ability of a photographer,” says Ulrich Grill, founder of Red Bull Illume. Wetzel’s landscapes rival his adventure/ sports photographs, also earning global recognition. Most recently, he was awarded second place in the historic architecture category of the 2022 International Photography Awards, with his image of the Nankoweap Granaries in the Grand Canyon.

Wetzel is in the process of launching a new website, www.wetzelgallery.com, which will feature la crème de la crème of his portfolio. “The goal of the new website is to showcase my best imagery, distinguishing it from my other photography portfolios,” he says.

The images Wetzel has selected for the site are intended to be printed. Large. His multiple awards at the 2022 Epson International Pano Awards reflect his ability to capture the big picture. Landscape and action sports imagery dominate the new online gallery. They were chosen because they are timeless and will look as good on a wall in 20, 40 or 50 years as they do today.

The website marks a new direction for Wetzel, who has been working on details of the project for the past two years. Well into his second decade as a professional photographer, he is currently dedicating his time and energy to chasing his timeless images, conceptualizing moments when rare conditions collide, and showcasing remote, sometimes surreal landscapes.

Every great photograph has a story behind it. The setup for some of Wetzel’s most memorable work took months, if not years. “The photographic process is very deliberate, specific ideas demand specialized skill sets and precise positioning,” he says.

The organizational structure behind the new website is informative and immersive, allowing Wetzel to spend more time in the field pushing his creative limits. His latest brainstorm, about which he is tight-lipped, involves a desert slot canyon, a skier and a frozen waterfall.

He has been quiet on the social media front for the last couple of years. Very little has been revealed about his new direction until now. Visit www.wetzelgallery.com for the unveiling, scheduled for mid-February. ■