Think Of Something Funny

Nightly Hydraulic Advent

Serious Fangs

Behind The Lens – Where One World Ends…

In life, you sometimes have to jump off the cliff to see the ground below. This idea especially holds true in photographing the world around us. Perspectives are a key component of a good photograph. Show the world from a unique perspective and it forces people to ponder.

This photograph was made of the sun setting over the Hood Canal outside of Seattle, Washington. What I found interesting about this scene was the clear delineation of various ecosystems as they were painted under incredible colors of the evening sun. With that in mind, I headed down to the beach near where my wife and I were having dinner to capture this moment.

Most of the time, I can see the image I am going to capture by looking through the viewfinder on my camera. In this case, however, I was holding the camera so low to the ground, trying to get a unique angle, that I had no idea what I got until I examined the shots after. The camera was, literally, about half an inch off the ground and I was in a crouched position in attempts to keep the camera steady.

What made this image work was the identification of all the elements (the rocks on the shore, the water in the canal, the far shoreline, and the sky). I hoped all would come out well, but I was blindly pressing the shutter release and hoping for the best.

My hope with this image is the identification of how interlaced the worlds of nature really are. This is accentuated by the various elements of the shot leading from one to the next. Where one of these elements ended, another began.

Did I know how this was going to turn out? No. Yet if you take that leap and just experiment, you can leave the world of what you know and venture into worlds you do not. Sometimes the results are better than others. Nevertheless, you have to take that leap to even be in the game.

In this case, it was only after I leapt off the proverbial cliff that I could make out the ground below.

This image is available for purchase here.

We Are The Music Makers

Admirable Quality Of Nature

Distinguishably Bremerton

My Collection of Snow

Behind The Lens - Winter's Discontent

Change is a certainty in life. Yet, we as humans tend to resist change as much as possible. Our resistance varies in intensity, but, as much as we resist, said changes occur. This concept holds true for nature as well.

Seasonal changes are always exciting. It’s the annual closing of one chapter and the beginning of another. With it brings new optimism and hope for humans and nature alike.

This is an image of South Boulder Creek as it flows through Eldorado Canyon outside of Boulder, CO. As my wife and I were walking around the canyon, this lone rock with remnants of winter caught my eye. The entrenched nature of the snow and ice drew me in and made me ponder. What I found so fascinating was how this small piece of winter had adapted in its last stand to remain significant. Through it, it seemed that although winter knew its chapter for the year was closing, it continued to adapt and fight to exist. I made several photos of this scene but decided to use a long exposure because I felt it really captured the story of the scene.

In terms of stubborn fervor, nature and man are not that dissimilar. Irrespective of the outcome, we all continue to fight to hold on to what we know and love.

Change is never easy. It is a battle of both mind and spirit. Yet in this battle that we as humans engage in, it is reassuring to know that the nature surrounding us is waging the same war.

This image is available for purchase here.

A Look All Her Own

The Staring Contest...

Where One World Ends...

Nutritional Containers

Behind The Lens - Ripples and Reflection

During my trip to Grand Teton National Park in the summer of 2009, I had several things on my checklist. A moose in a body of water was at the top of the list. It was the last day of our trip; my wife and I were heading out of the park for the evening. Disappointment had begun to set in.

Just then, to my exhilaration, my wife and I noticed something moving in a pond just off the roadside. We quickly pulled over and saw this young male moose snacking in the water. According to the GPS data, this part of the park was closest to the town, aptly named, Moose, Wyoming (I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried).

Moose are known to be nasty creatures and have little tolerance for humans. As the crowd observing him grew, what I found amazing, was how curious he was of his audience. He really could care less that we were there and he even seemed, at times, to play to the crowd. Add to this, the moose appeared to enjoy blowing bubbles in the water as he did this numerous times (I kid you not).

As a wildlife photographer, I could not ask for much more than that. I feel very fortunate to have come across this gorgeous animal and get to cross off the number one goal on my list. It really was a great trip.

This image is available for purchase here.

Regal Footsteps

Sooner They Learn To Talk...

Urban Invasion

Slant Of Hard Work

Behind The Lens - Solitude

A trip I was on to Grand Teton National Park in the summer of 2009 was marred with rain and clouds. One afternoon, the rain stopped and the clouds broke just in time for the sunset.

I was fortunate enough to be on a hike around Jackson Lake at the time and the scene in this image revealed itself to me. What really drew my eye was the lone tree on the left hand side of the photograph. It was almost as though Mother Nature was trying to put it in a spotlight on it via the sunset.

This image was one of the best of my collection for 2009 and was used as the cover of my book, 2009 – A Year In Photography. The title, I hope, tells the story photographically, of what I saw and what I found special.

There are always moments of beauty regardless of the elements.

This image is available for purchase here.

Windy Stillness

A Smile Unmatched

Glide and Soar

Winter's Prowl