The Peter Lik Photographic Gallery, 1205 Prospect St., is an amazing place that is worth a visit. In addition to the large vividly-colorful panoramic landscape photographs that adorn the walls, the interior design of the gallery is first- rate and sets the stage for comfort in viewing and contemplation. Visitors walk through either of two glass double-doors and enter the world of a modern primitive or anthropological museum. A full-sized stone Hindu sculpture of a god greets on the right. The fine wood flooring is striped in beige and dark brown like the camouflage of an animal of the forest. There are numerous fine leather chairs and sofas with heavy hardwood finishing to sink into. Large upright hollowed-out logs and lamps looking like campfires are set in corners. Everywhere there is attention to detail and atmosphere. The best thing of all are the backrooms with sliding doors which are like dimly-lit caves or caverns where you can sit in supreme comfort and look at photos on the wall or read one of Peter Lik’s four photography books. The walls of the gallery are covered with large prints, creating a dance of light and color. There are clear baby blue and green waters of the sea, trees ablaze with the red leaves of fall, ancient caves, sunlight through birch trees on snow, volcanoes erupting, vistas from ancient cave sites, twisted rock formations of the southwest, sunsets on the rocky shores of the northwest coast, rolling fields of lavender, and quaint roads through Appalachian woods. Peter Lik, the most decorated photographer in the world, with the title of master of photography, was born in Melbourne, Australia. He began photography at an early age, taking his camera with him on family outings to the outback. It is astonishing, but he is completely self-taught. His first picture was of the dew on a spider web. The turning point in Peter’s life came when he was in Alaska. A fellow photographer introduced him to wide-angle large- format photography and whispered to him, “Go big or go home.” Peter listened. He sold his van and bought the type of camera he needed, went back to Australia and got to work. Peter’s vision and passion for photography paid off. He opened his first gallery in Cairns, Australia and now has 14 galleries all around the world. He has written four books on photography and won more than 30 awards from the Australian Institute of Professional Photography. His photographs have garnered huge sums at Sotheby’s auctions. His more famous collectors include The Rolling Stones, Celine Dion, Magic Johnson, Justin Timberlake, Bill Clinton and George Bush. His latest accolade — he is going to be on TV, starring in an NBC action-adventure reality series. One of his books is titled “Australia: Images of a Timeless Land,” of which he says, “I searched for the essence of Australia … in an elusive quest to capture the secret of that great land through the lens of a camera.” For “Spirit of America” he traveled around the U.S. for five years, visiting every state, logging some 50,000 miles and shooting 1,000 rolls of film. He recalls, “I’d walk into a lab and drop a bag with 200 rolls on the counter and have absolutely no idea what I was going to get.” “Las Vegas and Beyond” has images of the city and its buildings as well as the desert that surrounds it. He reflects, “My deep connection with the land is, and the soul of the landscape is what drives me and keeps me searching for the indefinable perfect image.” Lik’s latest book, already an award winner, is called “Twenty Fifth Anniversary: The Big Book.” It has 580 pages and contains 25 years’ worth of his best work. “My photography is about the capturing the beauty of the earth in a fragile record of a moment in time. I will wait hours on end for the right light or return multiple times for the right shot. It is a never ending quest for the perfect image,” he states. Lik uses a medium format Linhof 6 by 17 camera. Linhof is an excellent German camera that has been made in the city of Munich since 1887. They start at around $8,000 but this camera seems to have an important influence on the quality of his photographs. Lik is an incredible photographer, adventurer, nature lover, businessman and a true artist and spokesman for the beauty of nature. Fans can see his true poetic and artistic soul when he states, “I have stood in awe of the sculptured landscape, touched by the energy in the light of dawn, the fading light of day, and the haunting glow of moonlight. I am certain that the land knows I am there and I am affected by that knowledge.” For further information, call (858) 200-0990 or see peterlik.com. For information on Lik’s cameras see Linhof.com.