Antelope Slot near Page, Arizona.

I remember going to the library in the 50’s just to look at picture books about the rest of the world. I remember Oregon for the waves and rocks, California for the Golden Gate and Muir Woods. Somehow, slot canyons escaped my attention, maybe because few photographers had access to the canyons at the time. Sometime in the 80’s I began to see a print here and there, and frankly I thought they were somehow faked. Fast forward to 2008 or so, and I just had to find out how these photos were made. Research gave me the location, even gave me the “why” about how sandstone could look like this, and certainly fanned the flames of curiosity. I knew I had to go there. - soon. I’ve been twice now, and when people ask me if these prints are real, I strongly encourage them to find a way to visit these slots to "see" the answer for themselves. Seriously, as this has to be one of the wonders of the natural world.

“Aspen Grove”

This print began life as an exercise at a workshop in Crested Butte, Colorado. The workshop leader, Nat Coalson, had all of us find a comfortable spot in which we could lie down with our eyes closed after wandering around the grove not shooting for ten minutes. He then asked us to “work” the scene with our cameras, exploiting our relaxed mood. Skeptical at first, I am now a disciple of spending time just “looking” when I first discover a new location. When you think about it, the goal is to capture the very best of an opportunity, right? This technique provides a bonus of enjoying the moment to the max.

Crested Butte, Colorado

Not one to explore off the beaten path, the temptation to explore the valley below Crested Butte led me to this magically peaceful moment. For the next hour, I became a part of Colorado in a way that was totally unexpected, but fortunately, as a photographer I have the ability to preserve such a moment.

"American Basin"

What do you do three hours after your wildflower workshop concludes? Take a test, of course. Leaving Crested Butte, I drove through the mountains toward Durango, hoping to find wildflowers in the high country. At this altitude, near the tree line, this area stood out as if it were waiting for me to show up.

A different view of the Crystal Mill in Colorado.

“Crystal Mill”

Most shots of the Mill are taken from the vantage point directly across from it. I was a little late in the season for the iconic autumn capture, which led me to explore the scene more carefully. Finding a way down to stream level gave me a perspective that absolutely intrigued me, and that led to a bit of rock hopping to place myself midstream. The resulting image is now a staple in my portfolio.

Oh, did I mention this was late in the season? A few hours after making this capture, winter set in with more than twelve inches of snow!

“Hill Country”

Seven minutes. (start to finish)
Four skies. (exactly as I saw them)
One fantasy. (using the original red sky)

Success begins with location, location, location. Once found, the application of skill hopefully takes over allowing for a memorable capture. With that said, a sunrise like this one, really helps!

“Hill Country”

Seven minutes. (start to finish)
Four skies. (exactly as I saw them)
One fantasy. (using the original red sky)

“Hill Country”

Seven minutes. (start to finish)
Four skies. (exactly as I saw them)
One fantasy. (using the original red sky)

“Hill Country”

Seven minutes. (start to finish)
Four skies. (exactly as I saw them)
One fantasy. (using the original red sky)

Someone once told me, after viewing this set of prints together, that God must have opened up a new box of crayons that morning. As excited as I was by the opportunity to shoot this scene, I remember saying to myself that this would have been a perfect location if there had just been a pond between me and the tree. Three weeks later, I found a tutorial that helped me put that pond there myself. Considering my limited photoshop skills, I’m still amazed every time I see the print I call “False Dawn.”

Ghost Ranch

Every time I look at this print, I'm amazed at the differences I see when compared to what I saw less than an hour earlier. Setting up, I debated whether or not I was wasting my time on such a beige, monochromatic scene. Trusting a friend that suggested I make this attempt, I was about to see the colors that inspired a revered American painter .... Georgia O'Keefe. Sure enough, as the sun set behind me, the colors at the base of the cliffs began to reveal themselves. Without question, this is one of the most memorable moments I've experienced to date on a photo shoot.

Ghost Ranch

Every time I look at this print, I'm amazed at the differences I see when compared to what I saw less than an hour earlier. Setting up, I debated whether or not I was wasting my time on such a beige, monochromatic scene. Trusting a friend that suggested I make this attempt, I was about to see the colors that inspired a revered American painter .... Georgia O'Keefe. Sure enough, as the sun set behind me, the colors at the base of the cliffs began to reveal themselves. Without question, this is one of the most memorable moments I've experienced to date on a photo shoot.

"Indian Beach" from Ecola State Park

The weather reports had prepared me to expect little chance of an epic sunrise shot. With that in mind, do I drive on to another location, or do I gamble on finding something different simply based on opportunity? I made the decision to stay based on having traveled half way across the US without knowing what to expect at every location, so why not wait to see what happened? When I first entered the park, the weather was simply dreary, with no definition to the sky, but soon after arriving at this vantage point, i was rewarded with this scene. Experience told me the overcast would mute the colors in the scene, so I bracketed my shots in case I needed to build an HDR print, or convert to black and white. The final print made use of both techniques. This was one of those moments in which the collective wisdom of every pro I’ve had the opportunity to work with, became critical to the success of the final print.

Three views from a single capture remind me to always explore the possibilities available through cropping.

If the titles seem a bit odd, I did this as a reminder of the gift Mother Nature offered up on the evening of my 65th birthday.

"Spirit Ranch - Stream"

For many years, everyone in the area knew this location as a superb dining experience. Old trees, a stream and good food certainly made this a West Texas oasis. The property was sold and turned into a motivational center for several years but is now, once again serving as a restaurant. On this morning a fresh coat of snow and frost turned the property into a winter wonderland.

"Bridge at Spirit Ranch"

For West Texas, this weather is a virtually unheard of event. Several days with temperatures in the teens, followed by several inches of snow, combined with a very rare coating of frost created a winter wonderland. The owner of Spirit Ranch heard about this print, and ended up presenting a copy to the original owner of the property at a Mac Davis - "Lubbock in my Rearview Mirror" - charity event.

Antelope Slot near Page, Arizona.

I remember going to the library in the 50’s just to look at picture books about the rest of the world. I remember Oregon for the waves and rocks, California for the Golden Gate and Muir Woods. Somehow, slot canyons escaped my attention, maybe because few photographers had access to the canyons at the time. Sometime in the 80’s I began to see a print here and there, and frankly I thought they were somehow faked. Fast forward to 2008 or so, and I just had to find out how these photos were made. Research gave me the location, even gave me the “why” about how sandstone could look like this, and certainly fanned the flames of curiosity. I knew I had to go there. - soon. I’ve been twice now, and when people ask me if these prints are real, I strongly encourage them to find a way to visit these slots to "see" the answer for themselves. Seriously, as this has to be one of the wonders of the natural world.

Ghost Ranch

Every time I look at this print, I'm amazed at the differences I see when compared to what I saw less than an hour earlier. Setting up, I debated whether or not I was wasting my time on such a beige, monochromatic scene. Trusting a friend that suggested I make this attempt, I was about to see the colors that inspired a revered American painter .... Georgia O'Keefe. Sure enough, as the sun set behind me, the colors at the base of the cliffs began to reveal themselves. Without question, this is one of the most memorable moments I've experienced to date on a photo shoot.

“Fairy Falls” - Columbia River Gorge - Oregon

Flatlanders beware! It was about a mile from the trailhead to the falls, with an elevation change equal to the height of the Empire State Building. My location/shooting guide warned me this would be a challenge, but of course I didn’t listen thinking only of the distance. Looking back, the hike was a grind for someone my age (60 at the time) but as you can see here, it was worth every bit of the effort required. Fairy Falls is only 20’ in height, and certainly makes up for it’s lack of height with an amazing cascade rarely seen in nature.

Sunrise Glow - Columbia River Gorge

Have you ever stood there and had to be reminded it might be time to trip the shutter? This happened to me on this shot. Fortunately, I heard my shooting partner fire off his camera and began doing the same. For the next ten minutes or so, it was all about the magic light and compositions.