Gregg Albracht (1949)

Albracht started down the photography trail 30 years ago when he was inspired by black-and-white images taken by another photographer. Many of his photographs are considered a window to the west, not the west of billboards and subdivisions, but a timeless place where human beings live in deep connection to the animals and the land.

"My photographs never look like the original scene," he explained. "You try to work your magic in the dark room. You have to master technique in order to be able to come up with a print that expresses how you felt at the moment. You know when it's passed." He's not after a uniform look so all his photographs will tie in together. "I approach each new image as if it's the first I've ever done." He experiments with a variety of toners and photographic papers which respond differently to different toning techniques to find out which best sets the mood.

Albracht studied philosophy at Regis College in Denver. He has had more than 80 shows all over the west. Albracht has won more than 25 regional and national awards, and his photographs are exhibited in museum collections from Montana to Santa Fe, Nebraska, and Washington, D.C.