Chased by the Light: A 90-Day Journey

by Jim Brandenburg

Presents the noted photographer's images of Northern Minnesota taken during his self-assigned task of taking only one photograph per day through the fall season.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, Art, Nature, Natural History

124 pages, Paperback

First published June 28, 1998

About the author

Jim Brandenburg was an environmentalist and nature photographer and filmmaker based near Ely, Minnesota. His career included over 10 years as a newspaper photojournalist, over 30 years as a contract photographer for the National Geographic Society, and commissions from such groups as the United States Postal Service, NHK and the BBC.
Jim Brandenburg was a Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers.

Reviews

[Suz Davidson]

Nature photographer Jim Brandenburg challenged himself to take one photograph each day, no more and no less, for 90 days. This collection goes beyond the images themselves to a deeper understanding of a photographer's hunt for "the shot." Some days are stellar, others are stressful, others are comforting, and still others are maddening. In seeking to capture something of this world we live in, there is always a quest, whether it be structured to an event or exercise such as this one, or not. Often photographers are asked why we let the camera "get in the way" of an experience, with the implied judgement that to "just be present" is far superior. This book, for me, gives a peek at what it is like to have the moment a photograph is captured enhance an experience significantly.

[Lida]

I loved Jim Brandenburg’s project and his beautiful photos since first seeing it in National Geographic nearly 20 years ago (November 1997). I bought this book at the time and treasured it, escaping into the north woods and boundary waters of Minnesota through its pages. I marveled at the discipline it required to take only one photo a day. I appreciated how the Zen sensibility from Brandenburg’s time in Japan shone through. When I heard that he had passed away, I brought this book out and drenched my soul with these pictures again. All were familiar, some still haunting, others transporting. For the first time, I also reviewed the pictures in reverse order and saw the colors gradually reintroduced: first orange, then green, and pink. If you can find a copy of this artfully designed and thoughtfully presented book, I highly recommend the experience.

[Michelle Reynoso]

Love this idea of a picture a day. I can see where some days it would be hard to choose one photograph and others it's hard to find even one. These shots are beautiful. This is a book I've had on my shelf and just rediscovered it again today and found the experience of this photographic journey mesmerizing.

[Zoë]

Brandenburg's writing and photography is illuminating. This self-chosen project and its parameters, one photograph per day, from fall equinox to winter solstice, delighted me with his images and descriptions of his days and the work he created. It welcomed me into a place I have never been and educated me to the natural world there.

[Mark]

There is a Zen like quality to this book that gives the reader an unexpected inner peace.

[cj]

[read for school]

[Shirley Erstad]

3.5

[Kristi]

So proud that this great photographer is from Minnesota!! Beautiful!! Kristi & Abby Tabby

[Trey Piepmeier]

I had never really owned a photo book like this before, I don't think.

It was delightful, but I was put off by a couple of things. First of all, how un-sharp a lot of the photos looked. I can only assume it's because of the way the book is printed, and not the photos themselves. The other thing is the way the book is laid out. It's set up as a narrative of the project as it unfolds, but then there will be interstitial pages where there will be a couple of photos that are FULL BLEED that are much more impactful than they are when they're shown in sequence, and the fact that there are those huge images out of sequence also totally breaks the narrative.

But it was great. It made me want to go out into the woods and take photos.

[Karlie Nyte]

My husband and I have been fans of Jim's photography for many years. This book is a wonderful look into the steps that a person at the very top of their profession can take to refresh and revitalize themselves in that profession. Jim captured some truly amazing images during his project, and also shared some quite personal thoughts. This is definitely a book to keep and go back to, for our own needed time of revitalization. I also really love that Jim went back to some of the sights after the storm in the BWCA, to revisit what nature did, what she is truly capable of doing. I look forward to watching the area grow and renew itself as time continues on.

[Anna Kendig]

These photos are spectacular. In the spirit of full disclosure, I come from MN and have camped and hiked the areas he photographs, but I think I'd appreaciate the masterfulness of his art and the excitement of the project he undertook: one photo (one exposure) a day for a year. As a National Geographic photographer he was clearly up for the task, but the work is stunning, nonetheless.
I also recommend the companion documentary released on PBS where he talks more about selected photos, shares stories of capturing specific shots, and narrates the year.

[Jennie]

This book came into my life completely by accident -- and blew me away. Jim Brandenberg was a National Geographic photographer who needed to find a way to reclaim his art. He did so by limiting himself to one photo a day for 90 days during the fall and winter. In this book, he describes the process and the journey, and you get to see each of the photographs. It's a lovely meditation on creativity.

[Jamie]

This is a beautiful book and is a great gift idea for any lover of photography. I read this in graduate school when I was shooting about 1000 frames a day for projects. The idea of only taking one picture a day was...unheard of for me. The book teaches you about the value of patience, the joy of discovery and the creation of beauty's relationship to time.

[Mike]

One photo a day in the most beautiful place in America, the BWCA.
This makes me want to hold a canoe paddle.

[Jane]

The iPad App for this book is incredible, with video footage from the author reflecting on his experiences and lessons learned.

[Lynna]

Signed copy

[Gwern]

Moved to gwern.net.

[Ann]

author took just one picture a day for a year. Really nice results.

[Kristin]

Really loved this meditation on nature and artistic process.

[WordsByFlashlight]

Beautiful photographs with a beautiful story behind them.