- Land Rover partners with Magnum Photos to showcase some of the U.S.’s most dramatic landscapes
- World‑renowned photographer Michael Christopher Brown drove a Range Rover to reach superior vantage points for each stunning shot
- Second in a series of photographic works, captured in Pacific Northwest region of the U.S.
- Stunning images of the active volcano Mount St Helens
- Ultimate Vistas set includes mountainous peaks, rugged coastlines, colourful valleys and island life
- Range Rover is the original luxury all‑terrain vehicle, a genuine design icon that has been going above and beyond for 47 years
(MAHWAH, NJ) – June 27, 2017 ‑ Sixty years after Magnum Photos co‑founder George Rodger first drove a Land Rover 8,000 miles through the Sahara desert, the two iconic brands have partnered on the second in a series of photographic works, titled ‘Ultimate Vistas’.
Land Rover worked closely with the world‑renowned Magnum Photos agency and acclaimed photographer Michael Christopher Brown to capture and showcase some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The images reflect the variety of backdrops surrounding Portland and Seattle, from the mountainous peaks of volcanoes to dozens of inlets and islands along the coast, and the brightly‑colored Skagit Valley. These unique vantage points were reached using the refinement and capability of a Range Rover.
Since its introduction almost half a century ago, Range Rover has achieved more than one million global sales and sits at the pinnacle of the Land Rover family. The original Classic model made its debut in 1970 and over four generations the luxury SUV has represented the ultimate in design, desirability and capability.
From behind the wheel of the Range Rover, photographer Michael Christopher Brown explored the urban and more remote parts of the Northwest, seeking the best spots from which to shoot beautiful landscapes. Using the exceptional capability of the luxury SUV, Brown drove through snow at the peak of volcanoes, crossed sand dunes to reach coastal vantage points and climbed rocky hillsides for privileged access to incredible vistas.
The trip started in Portland, Ore. and headed north into Washington state, with the crew climbing the active volcanoes of Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier and Mount Baker. Brown’s crew then stopped in Seattle before venturing along the coast, catching a ferry to the sparsely‑inhabited San Juan Islands.
The entire expedition was completed in a production Range Rover 5.0‑liter V8 Supercharged which transported Brown, his crew and all their equipment.
Brown’s work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine and National Geographic. His ability to capture insightful images of critical moments with just an iPhone has recently led to his involvement with the social platforms of Time and the New York Times.
An avid traveller, Brown has produced bodies of work about Libya and the Congo, and was the first journalist into Cuba following the lift of U.S. trade embargoes in 2015.
Michael said, “I’m often driving off‑road to go mountain biking, snowboarding or hiking and having a vehicle that can handle confidently a variety of road and off‑road conditions is key. I always have a plan for a shoot but it’s important to remain open to other possibilities and the Range Rover allowed us to do that. Often the best pictures happen on the way and way back from a shoot. And while on the shoot, sometimes if I just stop what I’m doing and look around there are often unexpected, serendipitous surprises!”
The shots below showcase some of the Ultimate Vistas captured by Brown, with his own captions. The full selection is available for download here: http://media.landrover.com/en.
RANGE ROVER AND MAGNUM PHOTOS CAPTURE THE WORLD’S GREATEST LANDSCAPES
We stopped at this viewpoint along Chuckanut Drive (Highway 11), which hugs the coast of Samish Bay, between the Skagit Valley and Bellingham, Wash.
It was an impromptu thing – I saw the light looked great and we had an opportunity to get the Range Rover in shot, so we grabbed some images and then headed on our way.
Chuckanut Drive is a great driving road that snakes through forests and along the water, offering spectacular views of the coast. There are many oyster farms along this stretch where you can buy, or dine on, shellfish literally minutes after they are caught from Samish Bay.
The base of Mount Saint Helens. Looking south‑west from the Castle Lake Viewpoint, located along the Spirit Lake Highway, Oregon.
RANGE ROVER AND MAGNUM PHOTOS CAPTURE THE WORLD’S GREATEST LANDSCAPES
One of my favourite locations we visited in the Skagit Valley was Strawberry Hill. It sits just above the Rexville Grange, where I used to listen to live reggae music several times a year while in high school. We would go up the hill at night and take in incredible views of the valley, especially during the clear full moon nights.
The valley’s population has grown but there is still very little light pollution, so you can see the heavens quite well.
During the day there is a great view of the farmland so for this shot of the Range Rover driving on Bradshaw Road through the Skagit Valley farmland, I hiked up there to photograph the fields, architecture and landscape one afternoon, luckily just before the rain fell!
Sometimes on a shoot you catch a break, and we were lucky to bump into two horse riders out for a gallop along the Del Rey Beach State Recreation Site, which borders the Pacific Ocean in Ore.
They didn’t mind stopping for us to get some shots of the horses and the Range Rover – both looking majestic on the sand.
RANGE ROVER AND MAGNUM PHOTOS CAPTURE THE WORLD’S GREATEST LANDSCAPES
The view of Mount Sefrit and the Nooksack Ridge, from White Salmon Lodge. This is close to the Mount Baker Ski Area in Washington State.
We had to tackle some snowy passes and cross rough terrain to reach this spot in the Range Rover. As someone who grew up in the Pacific Northwest, often driving off‑road to go mountain biking, snowboarding or hiking, the adjustable height of the vehicle came in very handy in handling a variety of road/off‑road conditions while touring the region.
RANGE ROVER AND MAGNUM PHOTOS CAPTURE THE WORLD’S GREATEST LANDSCAPES
This landscape is taken at sunrise looking southwest from Paradise, towards Wahpenayo Peak, within Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State.
The drive up and down the volcano was filled with spectacular views of Mount Shuksan, the ski area, and the incredibly lush forest, full of trees covered in bright green moss.
Each time I drive up there it brings back great memories of being in the mountains, the fresh air and good times with good friends.
Weather can be tough to predict in these mountain environments and in 1998 nearby Mount Baker broke a world record for snowfall in a ski season, so conditions can be challenging but often good for snowboarding. On this trip, the ski area was closed and as there are often frequent breaks in the clouds in late spring, we were lucky to have some sun on this day.
RANGE ROVER AND MAGNUM PHOTOS CAPTURE THE WORLD’S GREATEST LANDSCAPES
This is a shot of the Range Rover on top of Cap Sante, close to Anacortes, two hours north‑west of Seattle. I had a feeling this vantage point would give us a great view at sunset, overlooking Fidalgo Bay to the North Cascades National Park.
The Range Rover was a great vehicle for this trip – really smooth and relaxing to drive on road, and then superb at getting us to places I wouldn’t normally be able to reach, by using its off‑road technology. I drove it on and off‑road in sand, snow, rain. In mud, dirt and big rocks and in each scenario, the vehicle always remained composed.
