May 25 - July 29, 2007
Patrons Reception - May 31, 2007, 5-7 p.m.
John Bunker Sands Photography Gallery

One of the first things I remember my dad teaching me was how to frame a proper photograph—not riding a bike, not tying my shoes, but framing a photo. I had learned “the rule of thirds” in taking a photograph before I was in first grade.
- Haven Heinrichs, daughter of John Bunker Sands

The exhibition, John Bunker Sands: Seeking the Sublime, showcases the work of talented amateur photographer John Bunker Sands. Opening May 25 it runs through July 29, 2007 in the namesake John Bunker Sands Photography Gallery at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Highlighting over 30 photographic works, also included are observations from family and friends, information about photography techniques, and writings from various naturalists and authors. The images in this online exhibition feature the annotations of family and friends.

A native Texan, John Bunker Sands (1948-2003) was renowned in business, a distinguished advocate for land stewardship, especially wetlands, but was happiest when he was out exploring the world, and with that came his other great passion - photography. Sands hiked and climbed mountains in Wyoming, Alaska, Peru and scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro - always with his 35-millimeter Pentax camera in tow. Never utilizing sophisticated professional equipment, the composition in Sands’ photographs reflects his artistic sense and attention to the subject.

Although an amateur photographer, Sands’ landscape images are brilliant, and more beautiful in the fact that he simply attempted to document the sublime majesty that stretched out before him in places like the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming and Peru’s highest peaks. So acutely determined to capture these sublime places, Sands often requested those who joined him to wear brightly colored clothing so they would stand out more in the composition and provide an extra element of scale to any given frame.

The photography of John Bunker Sands is a celebration of a life that included family, friends, and the spaces he held dear.

Images for this exhibition were scanned from 35-millimeter transparencies using an Imacon Flextight scanner. They were printed onto archival Epson papers using Epson UltraChrome pigment-based inks.

John Bunker Sands: Seeking the Sublime is a collaborative exhibition between the Buffalo Bill Historical Center and the family and friends of John Bunker Sands. The Rosewood Foundation has generously sponsored this exhibition.

View/Print the EXHIBITION BROCHURE IN A PDF FORMAT