More than 45 years ago Cordell became interested in photojournalism. A few of his images were sold for postcards, and several university geology textbooks, by Dr. Kenneth Hamblin, were illustrated with more than 300 of his color photographs.

In 1967, when he moved his family to Guatemala to work with rural Mayan Indians, his collection of large format color photographs of mammals of the desert were turned over to the Audubon Society.  For 10 of the next 40 years in Guatemala, the society periodically sent him a check for images sold.

For the last 37 years he has written and published the bi-annual newsletter of the Foundation for Indian Development (www.fidproject.org) providing vivid color photographs of the projects and the colorful Mayan recipients of their altruistic work.

In the summer of 2003 he launched himself into exploring and photographing the 460,000 acre High Uintas Wilderness--Utah's largest. He began with a 27 day backpack, with no re-supply points, logging 236 miles.  In the first hour, along the famous Highline Trail, he met Pulitzer Prize winning author, Philip Fradkin, who a year later in the second edition of his book, "Sagebrush Country", wrote:

“A mile or two down the trail I met Cordell Anderson.  He was about my age and, although smaller, was carrying eighty pounds of food, clothing and equipment . . . .The distinctive border of the most recent issue of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC  stuck out of his red backpack.  He planned to write articles for that publication and others like it, and hopefuly a book, about the Uintas.  Knowing something about the writing game and what he faced alone on the trail, I wished him luck on his planned 27 day  sojourn.”

In November of that year (2003) Fradkin, in an email to Cordell, said:

In early September '06 he exceeded 1,000 miles of backpacking in the 4 summers.  With nearly super-human effort for a man in his seventies, he has achieved getting to almost all of the remote and exotic areas acquiring a photographic collection of all aspects of the Wilderness.  He has also photographed many adventure loving backpackers, goat packers, and horsemen from all over the globe, who love the Uintas.

On his 27 day backpack climbing Kings Peak, Utah's highest, his deep appreciation for the Uintas was confirmed when he talked to a Belgium couple also scaling the Peak.  He asked them why they were there rather than in the famous Alps.  Kristian replied with a smile, “We prefer the Uintas to the Alps!”

Cordell's is a work in progress, learning about the new world of computers & digital photography, and constantly working on his collection of stunning photographs that depict the majestic beauty of Utah’s greatest wilderness.  In 2006 he has been featured on Salt Lake City's KSL radio Utah Outdoors Program and on their website,  www.utahoutdoors.com, and www.amazingoutdoorsradio.com.

All photographs are property of Cordell Andersen and cannot be used without written consent.