- Land Rover works with Magnum Photos to showcase some of the USA’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 USA, in Washington State
- Stunning images of the active volcano Mount St Helens
- Ultimate Vistas set also 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
Land Rover and acclaimed Magnum photographer Michael Christopher Brown have revealed a set of stunning landscape photos taken from unique vantage points in North America, reached using the refinement and capability of a Range Rover.
In the second of the ‘Ultimate Vistas’ series, Land Rover worked closely with the world-renowned Magnum Photos agency to showcase some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
RANGE ROVER AND MAGNUM PHOTOS CAPTURE THE WORLD’S GREATEST LANDSCAPES
We stopped at this viewpoint along Chuckanut Drive (or highway 11), which hugs the coast of Samish Bay, between the Skagit Valley and Bellingham, Washington State.
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 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-coloured Skagit Valley.
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!
Since it created the luxury SUV sector almost half a century ago, Range Rover has achieved more than one million 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.
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.
A series of films will be released to Social Media from August. View the trailer here.
From behind the wheel of the Range Rover, photographer Michael explored the urban and more remote parts of the Northwest, seeking the best spots from which to shoot beautiful landscapes. Using the unparalleled capability of the luxury SUV, Michael 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.
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 Oregon.
They didn’t mind stopping for us to get some shots of the horses and the Range Rover – both looking majestic on the sand.
The trip started in Portland, Oregon and headed north into Washington State, with the crew climbing the active volcanoes of Mount St Helens, Mount Rainier and Mount Baker. It’s nearly 40 years since Mount St Helens volcano erupted, taking 57 lives and destroying hundreds of square miles of forest, bridges and homes. The volcano has been dormant for ten years, but is still classed as active.
The base of Mount Saint Helens. Looking south-west from the Castle Lake Viewpoint, located along the Spirit Lake Highway, Oregon.
Michael’s crew then stopped off in Seattle before venturing along the coast, catching ferries to the sparsely-inhabited San Juan Islands.
The entire expedition was completed in a production Range Rover 5.0-litre V8 Supercharged with 510 PS which transported Michael, his crew and all their equipment.
Michael’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.
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.
An avid traveller, Michael has produced bodies of work about Libya and the Congo, and was the first journalist into Cuba following the lift of US trade embargoes in winter 2015.
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!
Michael Christopher Brown
Acclaimed Magnum Photographer
These shots showcase only some of the Ultimate Vistas captured by Michael. The full selection is available for download here.
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.
