PSA's 2004 progress medal honoree

David Muench was born in 1936 in Santa Barbara. He noew resides in Corrales, NM, with his wife, Ruth. His sensitivity and determination to champion the strength and beauty of the land, and wilderness in particular, have led to extensive contributions of his work in magazines, books, advertising, exhibit format books, wilderness and conservation publications, as well as numerous exhibits. His formal schooling includes the Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY: The University of California at Santa Barbara; and the Art Center School of Design, Los Angeles, CA. David has been a freelance photographer for 33 years and a member of American Society of Media Photographers for 30 years.

Somewhat of a maverick in landscape photography, David Muench has studied under the tutorship of nature more than with the great landscape photographers. He has tried to follow his own intuitions and perceptions, without imitating work of other photographers. In his words: "For me, making photographs is always a total and continuing involvement. Underlying my need for expression of a spirit of the land are certain patterns of discovery and exploration. Intense creative awareness, along with the patience in waiting for dramatic forms of sun and shadow, unusual angle of light, or a decisive moment of mood challenges my mind's eye."

Muench's primary interest is in photographing with a sense of spirit of the land, for the land itself--trying to make people aware of the importance of preserving what is wild in its natural state--through the viewing of his photographs. "A definite commitment to preserve our wild lands, and particularly to improve and to maintain a balance between economy and ecology, is most vital for our children and for future generations. Hopefully my works lead to a celebration of man and the earth--and the mystical forces of nature that help shape our destinies."

During his years as a landscape photographer, Muench has photographed for more than forty books and has participated in numerous one-man showings. One of his favorite assignments was in 1975 when he was commissioned to provide photographs for 33 large murals on the Lewis and Clark Expedition for Jefferson Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, MO, including 350 smaller eco-photographs to accompany the murals. Hanging of this permanent large collection was completed in June 1976.

David's most recent book is California with Graphic Arts Center Publishing. It is a collaborative book with his son, Marc. Plateau Light, with Graphic Arts Center Publishing (GAC), became available in the fall of 1999 and is currently in bookstores as are David Muench's Arizona with Arizona Highways and Images in Stone with Brown Trout Publishers.

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