For Littleton photographer Andy Marquez, “a photograph must capture the heart and soul of a scene during that brief moment in time when divine light and natural shadow converge.”

The American Southwest is surely one of the spots on earth where that convergence can be particularly astonishing.

Marquez will open an exhibit of new images, “The Light Between Day and Night: Enchanting Images From the Southwest,” on April 28 in the gallery space he and his wife Teresa opened in downtown Littleton late in 2010. They had operated a downtown gallery for a number of years, moved to a location in Cherry Creek and had to close that due to serious illness. He has commented on their joy at having a mountain view again in the new space.

He grew up in the east and put his interest in photography on hiatus for a period until he and Teresa moved to Houston and discovered the wildlife and parks such as Big Bend, which made him “dust off his camera.”

In 1985, they moved to Colorado, where he at first focused on the state’s mountains and wildlife, then expanded to other parts of the world. In the years that followed, he visited 32 countries on six continents, capturing dramatic images of people, landscapes and architecture.

“It truly is a world of magic and wonder,” he writes.

In 2004, a near-fatal accident sharpened his appreciation for the details in each scene he encounters. Architectural details, such as the “Picuris Ladder,” are often recorded in his work.

Over the years, Marquez has published books that combine his photographs and poetry. The most recent is “Dreams that Last Forever,” which includes international photos, and is available in the gallery, as are other titles.

If you go:

Andy Marquez will open an exhibit of new images “The Light Between Day and Night: Enchanting Images From the Southwest” with extended gallery hours: April 28, 4 to 8 p.m; April 29, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m; April 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m; May 1, 1 to 4 p.m. at 2690 C, W. Main St. in downtown Littleton. 303-797-6040, www.andymarquezgallery.com.