The Art of Chris Froelich

February 28, 2015 Sorensen's Resort, Hope Valley, CA Near the middle of January, it became apparent to me that I was no longer willing to work for my previous employer. There is an every widening gap between my business ethics and philosophy and that of the people who wrote my check. That gap created a conflict of interest leading to stress gnaweing away at my emotional and physical health. In frustration, I threw out a couple of resumes, having no idea how long it would take to get a new job.  Luckily, for me, there was a fish looking for just what I was casting, and I had an offer in just a few days. I needed to give notice to my boss that I was leaving, and when I was up in the mountains (just breathing), I stopped at Sorensen's to see what was for lunch. I picked up a flyer for a photography workshop that only cost $75 and was run by Terry Nathan, a photography educator at UC Davis. It was on Saturday, the 28th of February, a day I was scheduled to work. ...

Katie, Polly, and I had a beautiful day up in the Sierras on Saturday. We started out with a late lunch an Sorenson's Resort, and then continued up into Carson Pass, exploring US Forest roads. This was a digital day for me, using my Fuji XE2 and a Fuji 10-24mm lens. By all accounts, this lens is one of the finest ultra wide lenses ever made. I have no idea if that is true since I have nothing to compare it to, but so far I am extremely happy with it. I've collected a humongous pile of undeveloped film, so I'm not going to shoot anymore until I get the rolls I already have developed. Since we're moving in a few weeks, nothing is expected to happen in that arena.  The one thing that has really impressed me with the Fuji is the ability to pull highlights and shadows out of the RAW files. The JPEG files had white skies and very little shadow detail. Looking at the LCD screen while I was shooting made me consider shooting multiple exposures and blending them. But I'...

The Mamiya AFd II is a camera I want to love. I'm just not sure if I'll ever get to that point in the relationship. It is an old, big, and noisy hunk of metal and plastic that is capable of producing outstanding pictures. To my taste, Mamiya produces the finest medium format optics. Fuji, Ziess, and Schneider just don't do it for me like the Mamiya glass does. Combined with a fine grain film, Mamiya glass renders the world in an ethereal sharp but soft light. I love doing long exposures where I breathe on the lens with a few seconds left to add a little glow.  So why aren't I enamored with this camera. Mostly, because I own the RZ67 and RB67. They have spoiled me with unparalleled image quality. If I'm going to carry around a 10 pound camera, I darn well better get world class results.  I've owned a Hasselblad 500c, and the AFd II just doesn't have the same feeling. That precise confident exactness of meticulous attention to detail and dedication to c...

"I am losing precious days, I am degenerating into a machine for making money. I am learning nothing in this trivial world of men. I must break away and get out into the mountains to learn the news" -John Muir I need to get some sun on my face. How sad that this is true, so I am out the door in a moment to go hobble about so Nature can touch my face, but before I go..... These were from an exercise of composition using my Hasselblad and Fuji Astia 100f film. The Hasselblad shoots in a square format and Spooner Lake State Park has a large meadow dotted with clumps of bushes, pines, and willows. It is also crisscrossed with little brooklets and each low spot is a gathering place for cold mountain runoff. There was a lot of texture and layers to be explored in both the earth and the sky! What a glorious sunrise.

Sunrise and Thunderstorms at Artist Point Morning thunderstorms were rolling in from the west and the sun was getting ready to rise in the pale and clear eastern sky. My alarm had gone off at 4:00 am in our tent. I was camping in Yellowstone with my family and those of two of my brothers visiting from the Midwest. The night before, I had told everyone I was going to get up and go to Artist Point and do some photography if anyone wanted to join me. I had no takers. Quietly as I could, I snuck out of camp and started driving in the dark toward the valley. As is so easy to do in the summer at northern latitude, I had misjudged how quickly the morning comes. As the road emerged from the tall Jackson and Lodgepole pines and into a bison strewn meadow, I saw clearly for the first time what was going on in the sky. Layers of cold front thunderheads were marching from out of the west, and the light from the rising sun would fully hit them as it cleared the horizon. I knew the spot I had scoute...

Photography travel can be frustrating. I've made two dedicated photography trips so far. Both of them were within driving distance from where we live. The first was to Glacier in the fall. It was a steady drizzle with overcast sky the whole trip. Not interestingly cloudy. Just a dull grey blanket that was coupled with 50 mph winds two of the three days. I had a lot of ideas about shots I wanted, (ie. mountain/lake refection shots, sunrise alpenglow, fall colors, maybe a grizzly or two), but those all went out the window. Lakes aren't that interesting when they have a chop, sunrises in the rain haven't really inspired anyone in the art world for the last few thousand years. I didn't know what to do and I didn't get many shots I because I had these preconceived notions of what my photos should be. I hadn't left room for creativity or spontaneity. I don't really have enough experience to be creative or spontaneous, anyway. I just went to the iconic locations ...