Landscape photographer Cass Kalinski captures the intimate and grand

Re-posted from the Ravalli Republic; first published March 21, 2021

Landscape photographer Cass Kalinski captures the intimate, grand and the subtle “sense” of things that define a place.

He is inspired by red sandstone against a cobalt sky, a miniature forest of mushrooms, the golden glow of a fall sunset, flowing springs and glistening rocks.

He originally started taking pictures as a kid to be behind the camera instead of in front of it, and he still has very few photos of himself, he said.

He remembers always being an “outdoors person” who began backpacking and hiking as soon as he could walk. He off-roads and sea-kayaks around Alaska, Greece, Turkey and the California coast and rivers.

“Photography is something I got into early on in my late teens and early 20s, learning techniques in high school yearbook and newspaper classes,” Kalinski said. “I even had a small wedding photography business for a while then got away from it with family, kids and work. I got into it again about 10 years ago to capture the unusual places I go.”

He uses photography to bring back some of the feeling of awe he experiences for desserts, oceans and mountains.

About seven years ago, he met and married artist Annette Wagner and they moved from California to Stevensville in the fall of 2019.

“We were looking for a change, something quieter, more back to the earth and we just fell in love with the valley. It is amazing,” Kalinski said. “It’s been great to have two mild winters in a row. I was born in Michigan and spent a lot of time in Tahoe so I’m used to the snow. I wouldn’t say at the Montana level, but at least I knew what I was getting into.”

Kalinski said his photography is “event-driven.” Then he uses modern digital software such as Lightroom and Photoshop.

“Half the work is with the camera and half the work is with the computer,” he said. “I tend to binge. I’ll go on a trip and take hundreds of pictures, enjoying the event as well as the photography. I’ll get home and usually let it sit for a week, a couple of months, or sometimes a year.”

Then he will immerse himself into the photos from the event, playing with the images, cropping and trying new techniques.

“It’s more of a binge kind of thing,” he said. “Last year with COVID, a lot of work on the new property and my new job I kind of neglected my photography. I probably spent 100 hours on it versus a normal year of 500 hours.”

For a career, he was doing high-tech information technology for business but then earned a master’s degree in geographic information systems (GIS).

“Essentially, I do mapping and data analysis, I love playing with numbers,” Kalinski said. “I ended up working for an engineering firm in Missoula. We are working with the Department of Natural Resources on stream gauges, mapping and reporting that’s going live. I’ve always been a map geek and I’m doing coding using map technology, geospatial dealing with time and place. Fun stuff.”

For his photography, his goal is to get in touch with unique locations that “touch his soul.” He calls it “capturing intimate landscapes.”

“I occasionally do big, grand and fabulous vistas,” Kalinski said. “My back porch is St. Mary’s Peak. I try to boil that down to show people what it’s really like to be in the Grand Canyon or on the Salmon River and help people get more in touch with that location.”

He enjoys his photography.

“If it becomes work it’s no fun anymore,” he said.

Kalinski is a member of the Artists Along the Bitterroot. To enjoy more gorgeous and unique photographs, visit CassKalinskiPhoto.com.

Sabino Canyon Excalibur, Tuscon, Arizona. © 2019 Cass Kalinski. All Rights Reserved.