BIO
Exploring Fine Art Astrophotography
My studio is in Monterey County, near the city of Carmel. In the early 1900's, Carmel was an artist colony established by painters, sculptors, writers, and photographers. Among the most notable early Carmel residents were Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, pioneers in fine art photography. Their legacy still strongly influences our area, encouraging artist to find new ways forward and to create. It is a perfect place for me to explore astrophotography as a fine art.
Gary Lopez is a fine art astrophotographer. His images have received recognition in international fine art photography competitions, including First Place in both the 2020 and the 2021 International Photography Awards (Nature/Astrophotography category).
Gary is also a filmmaker, entrepreneur, and scientist. He has produced more than 40 documentary films and series, including television programs for Jacques Cousteau and his son, Jean-Michel Cousteau. His programs have been broadcast nationally in the United States, distributed through out Europe and Asia, and have received many awards for excellence. In 2006, U.S. President George W. Bush cited one of Gary’s films, Voyage to Kure (Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventure, PBS), as his inspiration for establishing the Northwestern Hawaiian Island Marine National Monument, the largest marine protected areas in the world (Los Angles Time, June 15, 2006). Gary’s media company, Archipelago, was acquired by Harcourt Brace in 1993. Dr. Lopez received his Ph.D. in Marine Biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 1982.