Weiser photographer’s work featured at Ontario hospital

When Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Ontario, Ore., finished remodeling a new wing at the facility, officials were looking for some landscape photos to decorate the hallways.

 Hospital officials also wanted to support the work of a local photographer, marketing director Olivia Sorensen said.

 They got both in the art of Weiser photographer Royce Nowlin, who had previously sold the hospital some photos four years ago for the Ontario Health Plaza, another Saint Alphonsus facility. 

 The hospital bought about 30 of Nowlin’s photos and had them professionally printed, framed and mounted by a company in Boise. Today, they line the halls of one hospital wing and are hanging in a waiting room.

 Royce has been shooting photos seriously since 1993 and has been prolific in his pursuit of his art. He estimates he has 150,000 photos in his extensive collection. 

 Nowlin has owned his own commercial photography business for the past nine years. All the photos he posts at the Lonesome Pine Photography website are for sale. He can size them to a customer’s specifications or re-edit them. A vendor that Nowlin uses will make a print for the customer that is worthy of framing.

 A Weiser resident since 1983, Nowlin discovered a passion for photography more than two decades ago after he was severely injured in a car accident. He signed up for business classes at TVCC in Ontario, Ore. Along with the business classes, he took a few electives, including art and photography.

 He gives credit to art department chairman Ted Fink at TVCC in Ontario, Ore., for encouraging and inspiring him to pursue photography. Fink helped him get several scholarships to continue his schooling. 

 Fink said his former student has a really good eye for photos. He also works hard at getting unique photos, traveling to places like Yosemite and Yellowstone and continues to attend workshops to get better.

 “The composition in his landscapes is really nice,” Fink said on Thursday, as hospital officials showed off Nowlin’s photos. 

 Fink, a faculty member at TVCC for the past 28 years, said everybody has a camera these days, but not everyone can take great photos. Nowlin strives to do what is the essence of good photograpy – understand the technical side, such as lighting, and find subjects that are different and intriguing.

 Nowlin said he sent the hospital about 50 photos to pick from for the wall decorations. Sorensen said the patients and guests at the hospital can recognize the familiar places depicted in the photos and feel more comfortable.

 Nowlin was selected last December as the featured artist by the Four County Art Guild, an organization that promotes art in Washington, Payette, Malheur and Adams counties. He frames and shoots in unreal clarity of 4K resolution.

 Nowlin’s photos have been featured in various magazines. He’s won awards, including the artist of the year for the Treasure Valley Artists Association.