Canyon People

Ralph Elliott Starkweather originates from Santa Monica, California from a time of freedom, freedom of thought and action.

Ralph has used his camera to focus on the passions he has held within to share with the people around him. The passion of the outdoors, travel, food, sport and many other varied subjects.

In his late teens onward Ralph was very fortunate to have worked with his father in advertising on many campaigns including testing motorcycles with his father Ralph Sr. In 1979 they both traveled on two identical Kawasaki KZ1000’s from Tijuna Mexico to Victoria Canada and back for a total of 3,400 miles. The same year he traveled to Australia with Muhammad Ali. In the early 1980’s Ralph signed up with a photographic agency called West Light established and run by 3 National Geographic photographers. Many of Ralph’s photographs found their way into the pages of LIFE Magazine, Gourmet, Food and Wine, Smithsonian, Cheshire Life and many more. He has also photographed some of the Royals in Great Britain and Mohamed Al Fayed of Harrods-London.

After living in the UK and France for many years he has recently returned to the US to work on many personal projects and to print his best work for exhibitions and to conduct photographic workshops.

The “Canyon People” show is a collaboration of ideas between Frank Langen and Ralph. 

Frank wanted to take a snapshot of the residents, business owners and characters residing in the Santa Monica Canyon, in their environment, documenting  a moment in time.

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