Lake Music - Water and Light

Book specifications:

This large-scale book set is housed in a gloss black Plexiglas box with drawers for the books and a display area for the books on top of the box, all designed by the photographer. The books in this set include 6 panorama books plus 1 panorama-sized index titled “The Score”, and 5 accordion standard format image books with hidden magnetic closures plus one standard format accordion colophon book. The panorama books have one image each, and the standard format books contain 6 images each. The colophon book contains 10 images and information about the project.

Box dimensions: 14 3/16”h x 29 1/4”w x 10 3/16”d (36 cm h x 74.3 cm w x 25.8 cm d)
Panorama book dimensions: 8 5/8”h x 27 1/2”w x 3/8”d (83.3cm h x 22cm w x 1cm d)
Standard book dimensions: 8 1/16”h x 12”w x 1 1/16”d (21.7cm h x 30.4cm w x 2.7cm d)

A drawer in the base of the Plexiglas box can be placed on a raised panel located on top of the box. The drawer contains two removable panels that can be left as is to view one panorama book or can be rearranged to create a platform 56 3/4” (72cm) wide for viewing the accordion standard format image books.

All of the books were printed and crafted in our studio using the Epson 9880 using Epson K - 3 inks with Vivid Magenta on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag 308. The book’s binding boards are 100% rag archival mat board. The adhesives used are Bienfang Color Mount and PVA glue. The mat board is covered with a book binding fabric.

From the photographer:

Context and Reflections

My first trip to Eagle Nest Lake was over 20 years ago. I was captivated by mists rising over the lake and flowing along the floor of the valley. With a background in theater, the unfolding light events immediately commanded my attention. The first photographs were made and I was hooked on Eagle Nest Lake and the opportunities it presented for photography. It has become my custom during an annual August visit to Taos, to begin the day with a drive to Eagle Nest Lake through Taos Canyon and over the pass descending into Moreno Valley. The first glimpse of the valley through the trees reveals the atmospheric conditions for the morning. The valley is 8,300 feet above sea level. This high elevation produces crisp cool mornings with mists often filling the valley.

Early on I really had no idea that I would be committed to this etheral place for such a long time. During those first visits, cattle were grazing around the lake and the owners of a ranching operation had allowed lake access for fishermen. I learned later that the lake was formed by a dam built by two ranchers in the early 20th century to impound water of the Cimarron River for irrigation. This created a two thousand acre lake named for the eagles nesting in the area. The lake was stocked and fishermen arrived. The Eagle Nest community evolved and a few
years ago New Mexico acquired the lake and surrounding land to form a new state park. It is unusual for me to be drawn to a place with so much surrounding development. But, here the morning mists radically change the sense of place and create their own magic. The unpredictability of sunrise events at Eagle Nest Lake keeps drawing me back.

Over time conditions change and the water level in the lake rises and falls in conjunction with prolonged droughts or heavy snow melt. Plants in the surrounding fields respond to these conditions. Some years, the mornings have been too warm for the mists to form. It is always a surprise and a gift to be at Eagle Nest Lake before dawn to see what is presented. This photographic series reflects and distills this involvement over time.