Charles Savage's most famous photograph was that of the driving of the Golden Spike at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869. He was the first to photograph the area of southern Utah now known as Zion National Park, and took hundreds of photographs documenting the growth of Utah towns. He traveled extensively over the western United States, taking pictures in such far-ranging areas as Canada and Mexico, and from California to Nebraska. His views were sold throughout the United States and Europe, and his studio at one time was the most widely known producer of western landscape views in the country. In its heyday, the studio employed ten employees besides Savage himself.

Brad W. Richards has penned the authoritative, full-length biography of the pioneering Mormon photographer, C. R. Savage's life work, including a portfolio of some of his excellent photographs of the western United States during the 19th Century. The book is published by Carl Mautz, who publishes a wide variety of books on the history of western photography. Brad Richards is a medical doctor specializing in visual disorders and collector of western landscape photographs.