Touch the Sky: Prairie Photographs by Jim Brandenburg

Minnesota’s northwoods overshadow its southwestern prairies, but Jim Brandenburg—the acclaimed nature photographer and Ely resident who’s best known for his images of woodlands and lakes—is doing his part to change that. His foundation is working with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to bring back the tall grass prairie on hundreds of acres near his hometown of Luverne. And now there’s this exhibit of forty-three lush photos, featuring the kind of work that has brought the photographer acclaim from the National Geographic Society. Our only quibble is that these images, however gorgeous, are printed on canvas, which diminishes their clarity and even makes a few of them look like paintings by a talented amateur. On the other hand, Brandenburg’s work is nicely complemented by a series of eloquent, sometimes downright poetic quotes from nineteenth-century settlers and explorers. 10 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-627-4430; www.bellmuseum.org