Cleet F. Carlton, Geologist/Photographer
www.goldengatephoto.com
BIOGRAPHY/AWARDS & PUBLICATIONS/SHOWS

BIOGRAPHY   AWARDS & PUBLICATIONS   SHOWS

BIOGRAPHY

Professional Status
I'm a California Professional Geologist working for the State of California. My background in the earth sciences has enabled me to focus on the intrinsic structures and patterns in the natural world, initially for scientific purposes. Combined with a long-existing interest in photography, particularly natural scenes unimpacted by human activities, I have set forth to capture the natural formations from an aesthetic point of view. The environmental engineering field preoccupies most of my time, leaving precious weekends, evenings, and vacation/holidays for all the work that ultimately ends up in this website.

Aspirations
The biggest drivers for my pursuit into photography have been to travel, explore, and document scientific subjects and present them in an artistic light. Chasing storms and seeking unusual natural phenomena are particularly of interest to me. My future goals focus on combining fine art landscape/earth science photography with scientific/popular science writing for scientific and nature publications with the purpose of furthering our understanding and appreciation of this delicate planet on its precarious perch in space. Through the use of aesthetically appealing photographs, I hope to inspire. Through the presentation of technical information in a format that is widely understandable, I hope to educate. Through both inspiration and education, I hope to promote a sense of appreciation for the natural world, and ultimately, a desire to protect it.

I am currently working toward producing coffee-table size books of this website and at least one other earth science-related topic while looking for the support of a major publisher. Other interests include marketing fine art landscape photographs and using my experience in computer graphic editing of photographs for geologic reconstructions.

Education
B.S., Geological Sciences, University of California, Riverside, 1984
M.S., Geological Sciences, University of California, Riverside, 1988
Certificate in Hazardous Materials Management, U.C. Berkeley Extension, 1996
PhotoExpo West seminars in Photo Scanning and Adobe PhotoShop, 1999
I have been producing my own traditional custom color prints since 2001. Currently, I use the photo lab at Digital Eyes (www.digital-eyes.com) in Pacheco, California. Photographic techniques and technology were obtained almost exclusively through mentorship (thanks Caroleen T., Steve Z., Richard T.) and quite a bit of reading up on one of my heroes, Ansel Adams.

Registrations/Certifications
California Professional Geologist, No.5152, 1991
California Registered Environmental Assessor, No.REA-04347, 1992

Affiliations
Fairfield Visual Arts Association
The Geological Society of America
Northern California Geological Society
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
National Parks Conservation Association
The Nature Conservancy
World Wildlife Fund

Photographic Equipment Used
Medium Format: Hasselblad 501CM; 50mm, 80mm, 180mm, and 500mm lenses; 2XE teleconverter, 21mm and 55mm extension tubes; PME90 meter finder; assorted filters and shades. 35mm format: Pentax K1000; 28mm, 50mm, 80-200mm zoom lenses, assorted filters and gels. Metz CL-1 flash unit, Morris mini slave wide units, Bogen Manfrotto tripod. Adobe Photoshop, Adobe PageMaker, Nikon ED8000 film scanner.

About this Website
I began the formatting of this website in August of 1999. Only after mapping out most the structure and interconnections did I begin to assemble the webpages. Since I knew this site would exceed 100 pages, each page was developed from a set of 'boilerplates'. I wrote all of the HTML code in the Notepad program and used Internet Explorer to view the results. More recently, I have modified the code for compatibility with the Netscape browser. Up until late 2002, I scanned all of the photos on the site using a Microtek ScanMaker X6EL with the assessory LightLid. Images were scanned from negatives, original prints, and slides. All photos were cleaned up in the digital darkroom of Adobe Photoshop before placing them in the site. Since late 2002, I have been using the Nikon ED8000 film scanner to directly scan, and re-scan, negatives and transparencies. This hardware has allowed me to make high-resolution versions of the originals as well as smaller files for the website. After scanning, only minor adjustments were required using Adobe Photoshop. Technical information included in this website was obtained from numerous sources, including internet searches, literature obtained from the specific localities, and from various earth science texts.

Finally, I am indebted to the Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction for their excellent online HTML tutorials. They can be accessed at http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/tut/.

I would also like to extend a warm thanks to the guitarist-extraordinaire Leo Kottke, whose vibes were with me, almost exclusively, throughout the creation of this site.

PHOTOGRAPHIC AWARDS AND PUBLICATIONS

PHOTO AWARDS   SELECT PUBLICATIONS   CALENDAR PUBLICATIONS   MEDIA COVERAGE
Photo Awards

1997 Grand Prize Winner, Weatherwise Magazine. National magazine's highest annual award for Double Rainbow in the Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. Includes cover shot in the August/September edition and San Francisco area press release. San Francisco television news exposure included NBC, Channel 4, meteorologist Steve Raleigh, and ABC, Channel 7, meteorologist Joel Bartlett.

1998 Second Place Prize Winner, Earth Magazine. National magazine annual contest award for Walking Tree of the Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.

2000 Third Prize Winner, Weatherwise Magazine. National magazine annual award for Blowing Snowbow, Mount Washington Wilderness, Oregon.

2000 First Place Winner, Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA) Photo Exhibition. Juried by the MDIA and sponsored by Reeds Camera of Walnut Creek, Cumulus and Snow-Capped Peaks won the honors and was displayed at the Summit House at the top of Mount Diablo, Contra Costa County, California from October 2000 through January 2001. The display showcased Mount Diablo State Park.

2001 Honorable Mention, Weatherwise Magazine. National magazine annual award for Brocken Specter Plane.

2002 Third Prize Winner, Weatherwise Magazine. National magazine annual award for Mammatus Clouds over Rio Vista. The image was also used for the September/October 2002 cover of the magazine.

2002 First Place Winner, Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA) Photo Exhibition. Juried by the MDIA and sponsored by Reeds Camera of Walnut Creek, Mount Diablo - February 2001 won the honors and was displayed at the Summit House at the top of Mount Diablo, Contra Costa County, California from October 2002 through January 2003.

2003 Honorable Mention, Weatherwise Magazine. National magazine annual award for Forest Corona.

2004 Third Place Winner for Photography, Fairfield Visual Arts Association 42nd Annual Regional Juried Art Show for Cinder Cone.

2007 City of Fairfield Purchase Award Winner, Fairfield Visual Arts Association 44th Annual Regional Juried Art Show for Fallen Monarch.

Select Publications

 February 1999, Artwork for "Junior Hot Cell" CD titled "The Unfenced Land". Five landscape images digitally manipulated for front, back, inside liners, and CD for the acoustic world fusion band. Under the Earth Orbit Music label.

February 1999, Association of Engineering Geologists, San Francisco Section Newsletter. Digitally manipulated black & white image combining cityscape and landscape titled "Downtown Liquefaction". This is what it looks like in color.

May 2003, Technical Aspects of Photo-Documentation and Capturing Aesthetic Geological Subjects in the Field. Poster Session for the Rocky Mountain Section of the Geological Society of America, May 8, 2003, Durango Colorado. Here is the abstract, along with additional text and clickable examples used in the poster session.

October 2005, A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906, by author Simon Winchester. A black and white version of the image Mount Diablo - February 2001 is the first illustration of this best-selling book. The image is accompanied by a detailed discussion of the mountain. Learn more about it Here

. Calendar Publications

Year 2000 ‘Weather USA' Calendar. A photograph of lightning "Twin Strike over Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada" was published in the nationally distributed calendar.

Year 2002 ‘Weather USA' Calendar. A photograph of lightning "Storm of July 20, 1994 No. 1, Las Vegas, Nevada" was published in the nationally distributed calendar.

Year 2005 ‘Celebrating Contra Costa County's Watersheds' Calendar. Three photographs, two of Mount Diablo, and one of a double rainbow near Livermore, were used in this calendar published by the Contra Costa County Watershed Program and distributed countywide.

Year 2006 ‘Weather USA' Calendar. The photograph Double Rainbow near Rio Vista waspublished in the nationally distributed calendar.

Media Coverage

Television News Exposure, Las Vegas, Nevada. In June of 1994, four photographs capturing lightning from a particularly intense storm in Las Vegas, Nevada, were showcased on network news in Las Vegas (Channel 13) by staff meteorologist Nathan Tannenbaum (now at Channel 3, NBC).

Television News Exposure, San Francisco, California. A number of my photographs have been highlighted over recent years during the weather broadcast by meteorologist Joel Bartlett on KGO-TV, Channel 7.

Contra Costa Times (Contra Costa County, California) Sunday, May 30, 2004. Two of my photos, Mount Diablo - February 2001 and Delta View were prominant in an article written by CC Times Fine Arts writer Robert Taylor.

San Francisco Chronicle (East Bay Edition) Friday, July 1, 2005. My photo, Moonlit Yosemite Falls and Pogonip Fog was featured in The Arts section to promote the Alameda Art Center's 2005 Members Show (see Alameda Art Center below).

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITIONS

PAST SHOWS   NOW SHOWING - Current Exhibits and Permanent Displays   FUTURE SHOWS
Past Shows

January-March 1997, Exhibit at the Rockridge Cafe, Oakland, California. Eleven photographs were displayed under the exhibit Portraits of the City/Landscapes of the Southwest, Contrasting Art in Juxtaposition. A two-pane photograph was displayed in front window through June 1997. A separate showing of a three-pane, three-dimensional perspective photograph was displayed in front window through the fall of 1997.

September 1997-August 2003, Exhibit at the Equinox Restaurant, Hyatt Regency San Francisco, California. Ten photographs were displayed in the famous San Francisco rotating restaurant in a continuous show which was changed out several times each year to display new works. Each exhibit showcased two themes, one of a San Francisco or Bay Area landmark (i.e., Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower), and one of a western U.S. landscape (i.e., Yosemite National Park, Vermilion Cliff Petroglyphs). The claim to fame Golden Gate Lightning Strike was continuously shown here.

September 1997-January 1998, Exhibit at Cafe Del Sol, Berkeley, California. Twenty-two photographs were displayed, including landscapes and cityscapes, and two ‘three-pane, three-dimensional perspective' photographs.

February-June 1998, Exhibit at the Chestnut Street Grill, San Francisco, California. Six photographs, including 35mm and medium format, were displayed as part of a multi-artist, multi-media display to celebrate the opening of this restaurant in one of the city's social hot spots.

March-May 1998, Exhibit at the Rockridge Cafe, Oakland, California. Thirteen pieces were displayed in the show National Parks, Monuments, and Scenic Areas of the Southwest. May 1998, Exhibit at Reeds Cameras, Walnut Creek, California. In my first exhibit here, 14 pieces were displayed in the show National Parks, Monuments, and Scenic Areas of the Southwest.

December 1998, Exhibit at Reeds Cameras, Walnut Creek, California. My second show here highlighted 16 pieces under the title High-Impact Images of San Francisco.

February 1999, Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA) 1999 Gala Silent Auction. Photograph titled "Mormon Rocks and Sun Rays" sold after Gala in Houston, Texas with 50% of the proceedings going to benefit TALA.

May 20-21, 1999, Art on the Main, Walnut Creek, California. Exhibited 35mm and medium format landscapes and San Francisco cityscapes in the retail street fair.

June 1999-May 2002, Exhibit at Ellinwood Travel, Pleasant Hill, California. Eight photographs, including 35mm and medium format, were displayed on a permanent/rotating basis. Both landscapes and San Francisco cityscapes were exhibited.

February 2000, Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA) 2000 Gala Silent Auction. Photograph titled "Mesquite Flat Dunes No. 1" sold in the auction with 50% of the proceedings going to benefit TALA.

December 2000, Exhibit at Reeds Cameras, Walnut Creek, California. My third exhibit here presented 18 of my best works along with a Bay Window Light Box exhibit.

February 2001, Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA) 2001 Gala Silent Auction. Photograph titled "Anticrepuscular Rays" sold in the auction with 50% of the proceedings going to benefit TALA.

May 2002, Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA) 2002 Gala Silent Auction. Photograph titled "Reflection of Half Dome" sold in the auction with 50% of the proceedings going to benefit TALA.

November 2002, Exhibit at Reeds Cameras, Walnut Creek, California. The fourth show at Reeds showcased 20 of my best works taken between 2000 and 2002.

2003 to 2006, Exhibit at Digital Eyes, Pacheco, California. Several photographs were presented on a permanent/rotating basis.

July-November 2003, Exhibit at the Luton Museum and Gallery, Wardown Park, England. From July 12 to November 2, 2003, photographs of Ancient Bristlecone Pines (the oldest), California Redwoods (the tallest), Giant Sequoias (the biggest), and Darlingtonia (the carnivorous) were displayed in an exhibit called Plantastic.

March 2004, Exhibit at Borders Books and Music, Pleasant Hill, California. Eleven of my best photographs were displayed through the month.

May 2004, Exhibit at Reeds Cameras, Walnut Creek, California. My fifth exhibit here was the biggest ever and highlighted 24 images in what I called Earth and Sky Series.

October 2004-May 2005, Exhibit at Hansenworks Gallery, Mariposa, California. Photographs of mostly the Yosemite/Sierra area were presented.

February 2005, Exhibit at the Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts, Fairfield, California. Two photographs, Painted Hills Close-Up and Grand Prismatic Spring were displayed through the month in the Fairfield Visual Arts Association show entitled Diversity: A Nation of Many Colors and Shapes.

March 2005, Exhibit at the Alameda Art Center, Alameda, California. Two photographs, Sun Rays over the Bay and Cantilever Reflection were displayed in the exhibit Landscapes of the East Bay.

April 2005, Exhibit at the Alameda Art Center, Alameda, California. The photograph Blue Grotto Cave was displayed in the exhibit The Light & the Dark.

May 2005, Exhibit at Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts, Fairfield, California. The photograph Double Rainbow near Rio Vista was shown in a show entitled "Early Vines" where one piece from each artist in the "Art on the Vine" show (see June 4-5, 2005 below) was displayed.

May 2005, Exhibit at Reeds Cameras, Walnut Creek, California. Twenty pieces were displayed in a show I called "The Four Corners of California" - A tour of images from around the Golden State.

June 4-5, 2005, Exhibit and Sale at the "Art on the Vine", Wooden Valley Winery, Suisun/Fairfield. Sponsored by the Fairfield Visual Arts Association.

July 2005, Exhibit at the Alameda Art Center, Alameda, California. Two photographs, Moonlit Yosemite Falls and Pogonip Fog and Yankee Meadows were displayed in the member's exhibit of all works created in 2005.

August 2005, Solo Show at the Mill Valley City Council Chambers (City Hall), Mill Valley, California. My biggest show, with 35 images, was sponsored by the Mill Valley Art Commission. The theme was "The Four Corners of California". Details from the show, including views, are Here.

August 2005, Exhibit at Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts, Fairfield, California. Two photographs, Eclipse in Tree Shadows and Reflection of Half Dome, were displayed in a show entitled "Take a Closer Look".

September 2005, Exhibit at Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts, Fairfield, California. Two photographs, Reflection of Half Dome, and a custom photo weave of two of my images were displayed in a show entitled "Paper, Stone & Scissors".

October 2005, Exhibit at the Alameda Art Center, Alameda, California. Two photographs, Forest Corona and Sea Level at Badwater were displayed in a show titled "California - A Celebration of the Golden State".

November 2005, Exhibit at Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts, Fairfield, California. The photograph Multiple Complex Strikes was displayed in the annual juried show.

December 2005, Exhibit at the Alameda Art Center, Alameda, California. Two photographs, Kachina Bridge and Petroglyphs and Ancient Ruins at Kachina Bridge were displayed in a show titled "Sacred Images".

January 2006, Exhibit at the Alameda Art Center, Alameda, California. The photograph, Sempervirens Falls was displayed in the AAC members show.

February 2006, Exhibit at Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts, Fairfield, California. The photograph Lightning and Fog was displayed in a show entitled "Figure It Out" under a title set specifically for the show "What's Lightning Got To Do With It?" (check the photo and see if you can figure it out).

February through April 2006, Exhibit at the Cal/EPA building, Sacramento, California. Three photographs, Multiple Complex Strikes, Sevehah Cliff and Convict Lake, and Spotlight on Bridalveil Falls were on display in a benefit photography exhibition by Cal/EPA staff.

May 2006, Exhibit at Reeds Cameras, Walnut Creek, California. Twenty pieces, all from Yosemite National Park, California, were displayed.

May 2006, Exhibit at Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts, Fairfield, California. The photograph Up and Away Over Napa (not yet on this site) was displayed in the "Early Vines".

June 3-4, 2006, Exhibit and Sale at the "Art on the Vine", Wooden Valley Winery, Suisun/Fairfield. Sponsored by the Fairfield Visual Arts Association.

February 2007, Exhibit at Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts, Fairfield, California. The photograph Fallen Monarch was displayed in the annual juried show and won the City of Fairfield Purchase Award.

February through April 2007, Exhibit at the Cal/EPA building, Sacramento, California. Two photographs, Double Rainbow in the Canyon, and "Mormon Rocks and Sun Rays were on display in a benefit photography exhibition by Cal/EPA staff.

September-October 2007, Exhibit at Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts, Fairfield, California. The photograph Wheaton & Hollis Hotel Billiards Table was displayed in a show entitled "Games People Play".

Now Showing
Come by and see images from this website as they should be seen - In Person!

Exhibit at "Art Explosion", Fairfield, California (Map). From Mid-October through Mid-December, 2007. Three photographs are displayed in a unique venue, which includes live artists studios and a wide array of artforms.

Exhibit at Innovations, Pleasant Hill, California (Map). From November 1999 to the present. A dozen photographs, including 35mm and medium format, are displayed on a permanent/rotating basis. Both landscapes and San Francisco cityscapes are exhibited.

Exhibit at South Shore Travel, Alameda, California (Map). From June 2002 to the present. Currently, three photographs are displayed on a permanent/rotating basis. Both landscapes and San Francisco cityscapes are exhibited.

Future Shows

Also in the Works...
I currently have several publications coming up in the near future, and I intend to put together collections of works from this website into coffee table-type books. A display is also in the works for the California Museum of Photography in Riverside, California. Stay tuned!

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