Anonymous Art Collector Purchases Peter Lik's New England River Photo, 'One,' For $1 Million

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Calling it "the best shot I have taken in my lifetime," world-renowned photographer Peter Lik has sold his first million-dollar photograph, which he calls One: a fleetingly beautiful nature shot captured on the banks of the Androscoggin River in New Hampshire.  The purchase amount for this work places Lik in rare company.  The buyer, a private art collector represented by Joel Ehrenkranz of the law firm Ehrenkranz & Ehrenkranz LLP, completed the purchase in December and asked to remain anonymous.

Taken just after dawn, amid breathtaking New England fall foliage, the photograph resembles an Impressionist painting more than any nature photograph.  Says Lik, "I will never forget this morning for the rest of my life.  It was calm, and the scent of the fall forest filled my lungs.  The mist cleared, and a magical reflection in the river briefly appeared   White birch trees, black trunks, a kaleidoscope of foliage combining to reveal an illusion of three dimensions.  I pressed the shutter - once - and then the scene vanished with the morning breeze, never to be seen again."  The single opportunity, the unity of the elements, and Lik's oneness with the moment and nature, inspired him to name the photograph One.

Master Photographer Peter Lik is known worldwide for his ability to capture nature's exquisite sanctuaries in rare and ephemeral moments.  His timeless images such as Ghost, Angel's Heart, Pele's Whisper and Tree of Life render his body of work more of a fine art experience than conventional photography.  Lik, who is emerging as one of the most influential visual artists of the 21st century, currently has 14 photography galleries worldwide and, commencing this April, will be displayed in a collection of nature photography at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.  One of the most award-winning photographers in the world, Peter Lik has been admitted to the Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society, the most prestigious photographic society in the world, and has been awarded as a Master of Photography by both the Professional Photographers of America and the Australian Institute of Professional Photography.  This spring, The Weather Channel will debut its first original programming, in which Lik treks across America in search of the most dramatic landscapes and diverse cultures.  For more information, please visit www.peterlik.com.

SOURCE Peter Lik