Swaner EcoCenter to open New Photography Exhibit

Utah is home to some of the most beautiful and most photographed wild landscapes in the country and many are showcased in the “Utah Wilderness 50” exhibit opening April 17 at the Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter.

The exhibition, featuring 50 compelling photographs of Utah’s public lands, was curated through a juried process from more than 1,400 entries in the “Utah Wilderness 50” photo contest. The exhibit opens Friday, April 17, and runs through June 7.

The exhibit is a part of a larger national commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act which created a way for Congress and Americans to designate “wilderness areas,” which represent the nation’s highest form of land protection.

While at the EcoCenter, the exhibit will also feature the short film “The Wilderness Act: 50th Anniversary,” provided by Kontent Films and the Sierra Club. The film tells the story behind the creation of this landmark act and “captures what drove us as a nation” to create it.

Children will have the opportunity to practice their own photography skills while visiting the exhibit. They’ll be able to check out iPads, learn some photography basics, take their own photos of the surrounding nature preserve and choose one to print.

An interactive touch table will also be available for the EcoCenter’s youngest visitors.

The exhibit was originally organized by the Natural History Museum of Utah at the University of Utah. The museum worked with Jeff Clay, the “Utah Wilderness 50” state team coordinator, to develop the contest and judging team.

The Utah Wilderness 50 photo contest brought entries from all over the western region of the United States, spanning California, Washington, Idaho, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. Each photographer successfully captured the exotic scenery of Utah’s wild lands.

The winning photographs were chosen by a select group of photographers and writers that are internationally recognized and have spent most of their lives shooting natural landscapes. Utah-based judges Rosalie Winard, Stephen Trimble, Tom Till and James Kay were directed to select photos that moved them and were well composed.

All levels of photographers were invited to participate, with some winning photos even taken with cell phones.

For more information on EcoCenter admission, Utah Wilderness 50 and the contest winners, see the center’s website.

Writer: Stephanie Cooper, Stephanie.cooper@usu.edu