RELEASED MARCH 2021 | There's no grand story behind this image; I was simply exploring along the shore of the Merced River in Yosemite Valley, looking for abstracts in small details as the light quickly faded. Going into my first trip to Yosemite I wanted to focus on slowing down and working to find (and appreciate) small details like this; in the past, this is something I would have walked by without noticing the swirling patterns and subtle details in this (very) small patch of ice that had formed in a still pool.
RELEASED MARCH 2021 | I shot this less than three minutes after the dramatic light captured in Arrival at Inspiration Point. Proof of not only how quickly the light changes but also the value of waiting to see what may yet unfold when others are already packing up their gear to leave. Half Dome had one last encore as the last of the light faded away.
RELEASED MARCH 2021 | Taking this shot doesn't really stand out in my memory at all yet it may be my favorite from this foggy January outing. The orange leaves seem to flow around the structure of the tree, like a trail of flame surrounding a fire dancer.
RELEASED MARCH 2021 | The stark, barren trees in the left half of this frame caught my eye as I wrapped up shooting another closer scene. I love the extreme variation between the almost black and white of those trunks in comparison to the bold greens, reds, and oranges as you move through the frame left to right.
RELEASED FEBRUARY 2021 | The rusty orange of the oak leaves against the green and bluish backdrop first caught my eye but it was the way everything seemed to be reaching for the light as the morning sun struggled to break through the fog that drew me in. As I processed the image, the orange clusters of leaves, heavier at the bottom and more dispersed as you move up through the frame, called to mind embers drifting from a fire.
RELEASED FEBRUARY 2021 | At first glance, this is just a tangle of trunks, branches, and leaves... but upon further reflection I see the rough outline of a couple in a dancing pose. More abstract, letting my vision go out of focus I see the impression of cracked rock or mud, covered in fallen leaves and with smaller cracks spidering across the surface.. and then looking closer, you may notice all the tiny pearls throughout the image, water drops forming from fog and light mist throughout the morning.
RELEASED FEBRUARY 2021 | Captured during the final morning hike in Wyoming in the summer of 2018, scenes like this make one want to hold on to every moment for as long as possible.
For once, one of our rare foggy Texas days fell on a weekend and I was able to take full advantage. Shooting with a friend for the first time since the start of the pandemic, with great conditions, I felt reinvigorated but also a bit out of practice after not going out with the camera for more than two months. Fortunately, shortly after we started hiking, I spotted this twisted oak tree standing out from the chaos of its surroundings. It was a bit challenging to process this one but I was ultimately able to emphasize the interesting structure of the branches and create some balance in a fairly chaotic scene.
RELEASED JANUARY 2021 | Walking through a small meadow, I was scanning for compositions when this distant, twisted tree jumped out at me. Near the main trail, I've walked right by it countless times without ever seeing it. Its gnarled shape and the wonderful mix of colors and textures make this a contender for my favorite shot from this foggy morning. It wasn't until I was back home and showing some of my images to my partner that she pointed out it looks like the hand of an ancient witch.
JANUARY 2021 REVISION | I captured this sunset view back in 2018 after heading out in the late afternoon to hike up Peralta Trail to Freemont Saddle in Arizona. At the time, it was the hardest hike I'd completed... and only my second or third "true" hike ever. Exhausting, but absolutely worth it! I was very thankful for having a friend with me that's highly experienced, especially when I realized I left my headlamp back at our campsite... it was an interesting hike back down, in the dark, holding a small flashlight while using hiking poles.
JANUARY 2021 REVISION | Staying up late to capture the night sky at Lost Dutchman State Park back in April 2018 - this view literally steps away from my tent - a Search & Rescue chopper suddenly flew in and landed near Flat Iron. Eventually, I watched as the light from a few headlamps descending the mountainside traced the path you see here as they presumably brought someone to safety. If you look closely, you can even see the glow of the red navigation lights on the helicopter. The added detail of the light trail from the rescuers, combined with the brilliant colors captured in the star trails and the almost perfectly lit landscape bathed by the distant city lights of Phoenix, make this one of my favorite night sky images, and one of my top photography experiences to-date. In this revision I fixed several gaps in the star trails and ran the final image through Topaz DeNoise for improved noise reduction and sharpening. Canon 80D Tokina 11-20mm @ 11mm 30 seconds @ ISO 800, f/2.8 Star trails: 195 frames total Foreground: 2 frames total Star trails created in StarStax Sky and foreground blended in Photoshop Processed in Adobe Lightroom
RELEASED JANUARY 2021 | Having hit the ground running upon our arrival in California back in May 2019, this image was captured towards the end of a second consecutive night without sleep, using a few hours' rest during the day between to recharge our bodies and minds. The Milky Way was quickly fading away as the first hints of light began to brighten the sky but it would be several hours before the thrill of shooting the stars above this amazing landscape began to wear off. Experiences like this are why I love photography.
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020 | I had this view all to myself for the hour or so I sat here back in February, capturing the night sky above Yosemite Valley from the iconic Tunnel View while also reading a biography of John Muir (perfectly timed to coincide with his own arrival at Yosemite). I'd been visualizing this image since arriving at the park the day before at sunset. Cold but without wind, a few scattered clouds adding depth and interest (note a cloud's shadow on El Capitan), I couldn't have asked for better conditions. The moon, too often shunned for night sky scenes, providing the perfect amount of light to show off the spectacular landscape unfolded before me, and even creating an ever-so-faint "moonbow" in the mist of Bridal Veil Falls. The outside world fading away. Fully attuned to this moment. 𝘕𝘰𝘸. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦. Other than the occasional booming of ice breaking loose and crashing down from the distant falls, the night was completely silent. I've found myself reflecting back on this experience often over the past several months; an idyllic, peaceful moment for which I'll be forever grateful.
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020 | A spot of color and a split second of calm for this bough in the middle of a sudden snow storm in Colorado.
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020 | As the snow continued to fall, I found myself in complete solitude, and the world around me drifted into silence. I tried to balance my desire to capture as many images as possible with a need to just enjoy the moment; a brief respite from the chaos of the year.
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020 | Subdued but not yet overcome, golden cottonwood leaves dance amidst the blowing, falling snow during a wintry interlude.
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020 | Once again, Fall and Winter collide, creating a contrast of the warmth of gold leaves against the cold snow.
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020 | Stepping away from some of the smaller details I shared in the prior images, we start to pull back towards the broader scene I experienced during a brief snow shower in Colorado, when Fall and Winter had a brief embrace.
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020 | Like rivulets of gold, freshly fallen leaves are caught up in the rocks along the edge of the Blue River in Colorado.
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020 | A mix of fall and winter in a small crevice between two boulders, with the reflected light of the leaves providing a warm glow on the dark, slick rock.
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020 | Snow swirling above, golden leaves floating atop, and shadowy boulders lurking below the surface of the Blue River in Colorado.
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020 | Ice beginning to spread across a still pool of water filled with the remnants of Fall.
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020 | As I was processing an image I shot the week before (Dearly Departed), I noticed this little scene in the background. Returning the following weekend with a telephoto lens, I was able to capture it with some nice fall colors in the foliage.
RELEASED DECEMBER 2020 | This lone giant sat in stark contrast against an otherwise unbroken sea of trees.