My name is Calvin Chiu, I'm a landscape and nature photographer from the San Francisco Bay Area.
I have always enjoyed the outdoors, but found I had a difficult time describing and sharing the natural beauty of the places I visited. Then I realized that photography was the perfect medium to express that desire artistically.
Through my work, I hope I can evoke the same emotional reaction in others as I had when I captured the photo.
A few years ago, I started shooting film again for the first time since I was a kid. I found the challenge of (re)learning a new medium fascinating. Learning how to deal with its limitations, especially when it comes to slide film, has taught me how to become a better photographer.
I now also write a monthly blog where I share my photos and talk about recent trips or photography-related topics.
Photo by Calvin Chiu
Ektachrome E100
Photo by Calvin Chiu
Ektar 100
I’m currently working on a photo book documenting the Sierra Nevada mountain range here in California.
I first fell in love with Yosemite when I visited the park as a kid, and discovered the rest of the Sierra later on. It has become like a second home for me. It was here in the Sierra that I first learned the importance of finding good light and how to patiently look for the right compositions.
The scenery is simply breathtaking (and not just because there’s less oxygen at 11,000 feet). I feel as if I could explore the area for decades to come without being bored or running out of scenes to photograph. The same locations can look different from year to year, or even season to season.
I’ve found immense joy from hiking into the Sierra backcountry and finding hidden alpine lakes and meadows.
I’m thrilled to share those moments with people
through my photographs.
As with so many other places, climate change has made its impact in the Sierra. Through this project, I hope to emphasize both the beauty of this region as well as its fragility.