BERKELEY, CA — October is National Stamp Collecting Month, and the Berkeley Post Office, 2000 Allston Way, Berkeley CA 94704, will be the landing strip for local aerial and terrestrial photographer Barrie Rokeach to display his iconic photo of salt evaporation ponds over South San Francisco Bay, one of the 15 Earthscapes stamps recently released by the U.S. Postal Service.

Rokeach will be on hand at the Berkeley Post Office on Tuesday, October 16, from 10 a.m. to 12:00 noon, to display his aerial photos that he has taken over the years. He will be available for photo ops, to meet the public and sign autographs. The Post Office will have the complete series of Earthscapes stamps and a commemorative envelope available for sale. A special cancellation created for the day is free.

“As I fly over the salt evaporation ponds, I see patterns emerge, forms that change with the seasons, time of day and lighting,” said Rokeach. “I almost always fly alone, piloting the airplane as I explore the geography below. But now I’ll have the USPS as my co-pilot on my next flight over the salt ponds, as I carry the achievement of one of my images gracing a postage stamp. It’s a privilege to be associated with such a prestigious institution, dating back to 1775, a government service I use every day.”

Stamps are miniature “timescapes,” and the Forever Earthscapes stamps closely reflect the images in Rokeach’s 1989 book, “Timescapes.” Rokeach will give the back story on his iconic photographs while he is at the Berkeley Post Office.

“The Earthscapes Forever stamps depict America’s diverse landscapes on photos taken from airplanes to satellites,” said Berkeley Postmaster Ray Davis. “The stamps provide an eagle’s-eye view of our geographic landscapes in a whole new way — from several hundred feet in the sky to several hundred miles in space. And we’re excited to have Barrie Rokeach here to share his story on how he took this inspiring photo.”

Salt is harvested from seawater in evaporation ponds near San Francisco, California. As natural evaporation occurs, salinity levels increase and the concentrations of algae and other microorganisms in the water change, causing the ponds to take on vivid colors. “As the water evaporates, the colors evolve into unpredictable shapes, shades and hues, replacing the monotone blues,” said Rokeach. “I’ve followed these articulations of visual language over many years, decades, and always find inspiration in this interplay between industry and nature.”

Customers may view the Earthscapes Forever stamps, as well as many of this year’s other stamps, indicate which stamps they like and vote for their favorite stamp on Facebook at facebook.com/USPSStamps, through Twitter @USPSstamps or on the website Beyond the Perf at beyondtheperf.com/2012-preview. Beyond the Perf is the Postal Service’s online site for background information on upcoming stamp subjects, first-day-of-issue events and other philatelic news. To obtain a high-resolution image of the stamp for media use only, email mark.r.saunders@usps.gov.

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