'Flat Lake Sunset' image was shot in 1976, near Morgan City
BATON ROUGE -- Wildlife-environmental photographer C.C. Lockwood, who has specialized in documenting the quiet beauty of the Atchafalaya Basin and the state's swampy backwoods, has registered his share of milestones. He is a regular contributor to National Geographic. He has 13 books to his credit on topics as diverse as LSU's Mike the Tiger mascot to the state's vanishing wetlands.
The Louisiana Bicentennial Commission has commissioned a commemorative stamp that will be available at post offices April 30, the date of the state's admission to the Union 200 years ago.He has written, filmed and directed a documentary on the Atchafalaya, and has won environmental and literary awards.
Now one of Lockwood's favorite images will be immortalized on a little piece of American history, a postage stamp that will commemorate the 200th anniversary of Louisiana statehood.
Postal officials said the "forever" stamp -- one that will always represent the value of regular first-class postage -- will go on sale April 30, 2012, the date two centuries ago when Louisiana became the 18th state.
The image chosen, Lockwood said, is "Flat Lake Sunset," which the photographer said he shot in 1976 and remains one of his favorite photos.
It is a study in hues of blues, grays and yellows depicting the end of a day on Flat Lake near Morgan City shortly after a cold front has passed through, when the depth of the basin was just right to display the cypress trees with their hanging Spanish moss, and a bass jumping out of the water.
"Everything came together that day," Lockwood said. "Sunset is one of my favorite things to photograph. I think this says it all about Louisiana."
He said he sent postal officials 15 different images about two years ago and they selected the Flat Lake photo almost 18 months ago, but "told me to keep it a secret."
U.S. Postal Service spokesman Mark Saunders said the selection was made from among scores of submissions from more than a dozen photographers who were invited to participate.
"This one stood out," Saunders said.
State officials were asked to look at the image and give input.
"They showed me the design they wanted us to review," said Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, whose office is coordinating the statehood bicentennial celebrations. "As soon as I saw it, I loved it."
Dardenne said the governor's office also gave its quick approval.
The commemorative stamp was previewed Nov. 29 at the bicentennial kickoff at Kent Plantation House near Alexandria.
"C.C. Lockwood always provides a unique view of Louisiana's fascinating landscape and his photograph is a fitting tribute to Louisiana's 200 years as 'Sportsman's Paradise,'" Dardenne said.
Photographer C.C. Lockwood is shown in 2004, when he spent a year on a houseboat documenting the vanishing wetlands.Lockwood said having his Flat Lake sunset selected for use by millions of postal patrons and stamp collectors is one of the top honors of his career.
"It is in the top three," he said. "Getting my first photograph published in National Geographic took the sweat off my brow," a singular achievement for any nature photographer. "Then sweating over publishing my first book. This is up there with those."
Sharon Varnado, the postal service's customer relations coordinator in New Orleans, said ceremonies will accompany the first-day sale of the stamp, probably to be issued and postmarked in Baton Rouge on April 30.
The stamp and many others to be issued next year can be viewed on Facebook at facebook.com/USPSStamps or on the website "Beyond the Perf" at www.beyondtheperf.com/2012-preview, the postal service's address for background on upcoming stamp issues and other stamp-related news.
Ed Anderson can be reached at eanderson@timespicayune.com or 225.342.5810.