American River Rush

An early morning image of American River captured near Sacramento, California. The morning mist flowed along just as quickly as its rain-swollen waters. Captured just a few days after Christmas.

Miniature Grand Canyon

You'd be forgiven for thinking this was another stretch of the Grand Canyon. This overlook is brought to you by of one of the many canyons near Dead Horse Point State Park near Moab, Utah. Perhaps the hikers at the right can give an indication of just how expansive and deep this canyon is.

Waiting On the Morning

An early morning photo walk brought me upon this tree, set apart from the others planted along the American River trail. While the morning mist was grey to my eye, taking a long-exposure by camera brought out all the beautiful color that my own eyes couldn't take in.

Kirkjufell Through Bleary Eyes

We had arrived in Iceland just that morning, long before the winter sun had come up. We were bone tired when our plane landed. We were far worse for the wear by the time we had driven another five hours across the island to where we would stay at the Snaefellsness Peninsula. I got my second wind however when I learned that Kirkjufell (Church Mountain) was only 20 minutes drive from our hotel. I convinced my wife to tag along to capture some photos. The drive itself was lovely, but the eerie sight of the mountain disappearing into the clouds, with the falls running beneath was spectacular. That's when I got my third wind. Here's a bit of what we saw...

Something In The Water

While I was enjoying this vista over the landscape at Strawberry, this fella looked like he saw something incredible in the water. Wish I knew what it was!

Under Pressure

Just a few hundred yards back down the beach were hundreds of people from around the world, taking in the alien sight of a handful of icebergs washed ashore. Though as my wife and I walked further from the noise, and far from footprint-marred sand, we discovered a part of the beach with no one around. Even better, new chunks of ice were arriving like clockwork. With each wave that pounded the shore, some ice was taken and some was deposited. And thanks to a bit of sun, the name "Diamond Beach" made that much more sense.

Sucker Weather

You never know what to expect with April weather in Northern California. It could be chilly and wet. Then again, it could be ninety degrees. Our mountain bike ride along the middle fork of the American River took us along some muddier-than-average trails. This was due to higher-than-average rainfall we'd recently received. Though I'd ridden and hiked these hills many times before, each pedal further along the trail revealed far more greenery than I was used to seeing. And so each pedal was a breath of fresh air. When we reached the trail's end, we spotted this unexpected waterfall flowing down the hills. Ordinarily these waters might have slowed to a trickle by springtime, but the surplus of water meant this corner of our famously dry land looked more like a rainforest. Can you blame me for stalling awhile before starting the ride back home?

Finding a Way

You expect sun, surf, and shave ice when you visit Hawaii's Big Island, and yet sun was in short supply that day. That didn't stop me from visiting one of its beaches, covered over by the rocky remnants of an ancient lava flow. In this long exposure of the waves breaking over the beach, you can almost imagine the steamy, original collision of fire and water. You can also imagine me slipping and falling a few times in the making of this image.

Undercover

The sea haze began to roll in at the same time as the sun began to set there at Point Reyes National Seashore in Northern California. As we drove home from a great day out at the beach, we spotted this: a tunnel of Cypress trees leading toward the KPH Maritime Radio Receiving Station. Talk about your grand entrance! It is as if the trees had a will of their own--offering shelter to those who travel below.

Last Chance

With just two days of Hawaiian travels remaining, I had yet to capture a sunset. Overcast evenings and packed schedules meant that timing just hadn't worked out. And though it was raining and I was wet from snorkeling (and had just ordered a cheeseburger) I darted with my gear over to the shoreline at Kailua-Kona to see what might present itself while the sun set. I'm so glad I did, despite the cold burger waiting for me when I got back to the table.

Get Off My Land!

While driving across the south coast of Iceland, we spotted groups of multicolored, shaggy horses dotting the countryside. They huddled together in the chill wind, grazing, and standing in defiance of the harsh elements. When I crept in closer for a look at this solitary fellow, he greeted me with this face. I'm told that horses make this look when they are yawning, or trying their hardest to catch a whiff of something. All I can think is that he was yelling at me to get off his property.

Creeping Mists at Bass Lake

An early morning view from the shoreline of Northern California's Bass Lake between early morning rain storms. A relatively warm winter combined with drought conditions and some parasitic beetles colored many of the evergreens with a stunning suit of red. Courtesy of one wet camera.

King's Creek Falling

During a camping trip to at Lassen Volcanic National Park, we rolled the dice and chose to hike the King's Creek Falls trail. By the time we made it to the observation deck at the top of the falls, my kids were about ready to mutiny. But disaster was averted when grandpa offered to wait with the kids while I scrambled to the foot of the falls. The view from down there was far better and rewarded me with a faint mist from all that falling, frigid water. And there I might have stayed for hours if not for the knowledge that grandpa was trying to lead three tired kids uphill. I took the exposures for this vertical panorama and started my climb back up.

Closed Off at Point Bonita

It was a boys' biking weekend of riding our fool legs off, and I knew I would have trouble sleeping. So after dropping the boys at the hostel, I took the truck out to Point Bonita in hopes of photographing it's old lighthouse. Fat chance. As my sore legs crossed the bridge you see here, I discovered a tunnel with a locked door--keeping me from getting any closer to the lighthouse. So I started back across the bridge to head for the car, when I turned and realized that this sight was as good as any I would have seen. I planted my tripod in the ground and got to work.

Muckle Loch

Scotland's Loch Ness stretches on for over twenty miles, surrounded on both sides by beautiful low-lying hills. This was the morning view we took in riding a boat along the waters of Loch Ness.

The Warrior Way

This trip had been in the works for months, bringing my wife and sister-in-law along for an afternoon of landscape photography at South Lake Tahoe. We stumbled across a beach we'd never heard of and found it warm, quiet, and ours for the (picture) taking. This was one of my favorite moments from that evening...

Freezing Falls of Kirkjufellfoss

So many of Iceland's iconic waterfalls take less work than you'd think to reach. The Ring Road highway that winds around the island often leaves you with just a few hundred feet to walk from your car to take in the majestic sites. The real challenge begins with photographing the falls. All sorts of chilly spray blasts not only your face, but the lens of your camera--covering it with water that threatens to blur your image. I was fighting that very blur with a near-soaking cloth while kneeling near this pile of pumice and ice in front of Kirkjufellfoss. And I was loving every minute of it.

Life On Earth

This view came from a hillside at Cronan Ranch Trails one winter in California. The plans had begun flat, but began climbing upward to form the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. While hikers and parasailers had packed the park earlier, most had left by this time, leaving expansive spaces open for us to explore. This string of rocks seemed ancient, but supported all sorts of mossy, planty things that seemed to be thriving here. A beautiful recollection of a pristine space at a wonderful time of day.

Bridge Without Waters

A ground-level view of the sandstone Landscape Arch in Arches National Park near Moab, Utah. This image that followed a breathless run to race the sun and reach the scene before the sun went down. Next time, remind me to start out a bit earlier.

Playa Penca

Making this image took the concentrated effort of no less than twelve people. We'd rented a pair of Toyota Land Cruisers to carry our extended family around Costa Rica on our summer vacation. And so the prospect of me borrowing a car to capture landscapes meant that the rest of my extended family were left with one car to get around. That said, I didn't plan many photography escapes on this trip. And yet on this final evening of our family vacation, I plotted a sunset escape while the rest of our party went shopping in town. This meant that my gracious family squeezed eleven people into a seven-seater on a humid afternoon to make their way back to our condo. I almost wish I had been on hand to photograph that madness. Then again, the view from Playa Penca was spectacular...and I had it all to myself. Now here's hoping my family thinks this panorama was worth their discomfort!

Edinburgh Rooftops

Scotland is a country of green and gray: lush, well-watered hillsides and gray cloud cover. And all that green just wouldn't be without all that gray. This image captures the second city of Scotland, Edinburgh. This view of a city both modern, aged, and altogether charming was taken from the parapets of Edinburgh Castle.

Sand Harbor Silence

Just twenty minutes before, this same scene was anything but serene. Sure-footed kids scrambled across the boulders out in the lake, trying to avoid a slip on the ice. Jacketed tourists stood out on the rightmost rock shelf with smartphones held high. And a sweet couple briefly removed their snowcoats to pose for their engagement portraits. But at this moment, the only ones left on Sand Harbor Beach were my daughter and me. She sat on a rock just out of frame, covering her canvas with a watercolor version of the same scene I was photographing. We sipped hot chocolate from a shared thermos, but didn't trade too many words. We were each engrossed in the quiet, lovely moment ... together.

Making a Splash

The roads were empty that morning as I made the 4:00am drive to Eagle Falls. And indeed, I was the first arrival at the falls, save for some kindly visitors from China who asked to follow me to a good spot to take in the sunrise. Before long, I was surrounded by other photographers with all manner of tripods and camera gear, angling for a good spot to catch the sun waking up. Lots of voices, people in frame, lots of movement. It was all a bit overwhelming, but it also gave me the chance to meet a fellow photographer who makes a living through his work. We talked shop, we talked gear, we talked about where we hoped to go next in life. Kindred spirit sort of talk. And he wrapped up by suggesting that I move my camera off the tripod, just inches above the water to eliminate all of the people from my frame and soak in the surroundings. Wise guy, eh? Best of luck, Richard!

Flooded Shores of Bass Lake

The view while walking the waterlogged shores of Northern California's Bass Lake. A weekend storm dropped sheets of rain on a lake bottom that had been exposed to the sun by three years of drought. This is what it looks like to refill a lake.

Arnarstapi Winds

Gusts and gales whipped us as we walked the path from Arnarstapi to Hellnar, sometimes blowing in our faces and sometimes pushing at our backs. It was difficult to tell if the weather wanted us to move along or just throw us over the edge into the Atlantic Ocean. The cave you see cut into the basalt column formations made it all feel even more menacing, as though a dragon was likely to emerge at any moment.

Silhouettes at the Summit

During a visit to Calico (a silver-mining-town-turned-ghost-town) I glanced off to my right to see a set of hikers just beginning their journey for the evening. The sunset lent their first steps a dramatic feel, and a vivid memory of my own explorations of the area.

Inbetween Springs

An aged Oak tree sits bereft of leaves in the low winter sun, with branches that have begun to lean low to the ground with age. The gnarled branches give a haunting impression, as though they had to twist and turn unnaturally to grow at all. The image was captured near Napa, California on an unseasonably warm day in November.

Pointing Me Right

I rarely sleep well when I'm camping. The cold combined with my inner voice telling me that I'll regret not waking up to photograph the sunrise means that my sleep is fitful. Listening to that inner voice, I hopped out of the tent in some pajamas and extra layers to catch the sunrise. My brain was still sleeping though and inspiration seemed nearly impossible in that mental fog. I finally stumbled across these decaying twin logs resting on the shore of the lake, pointing me right toward the light. I'm not sure I actually ever woke up though...

Hillsides of Planada

A Northern California hillside is made green once again by the heavy rainclouds overhead. The grasses are dotted by oxidized rock that hints at the geology of the nearby Sierra Nevada mountain range. I wasn't thinking about the science when I shot this--just the delight of seeing green return to a drought-ridden countryside.

Red Rock, Running River

This was not one of my introverted, landscape-chewing photography sessions. This was a holiday hike with the entire family and some friends along the Confluence Trail just outside Auburn, CA. While the kids couldn't quite handle covering the whole distance, their slowing pace allowed me a few minutes to perch my tripod in the river for some shots of the beautiful hues of the rock peeking out from the water. I loved the entire time hiking with this crew, but this little moment by the river was soul food to me.

Not Penny's Boat

Only after returning home from my first trip to Northern California's Point Reyes National Seashore did I learn just how many iconic spots it features. So on my second visit, I knew I'd need to spend some time with this unlucky lady. Though "some time" turned into about five minutes as my camera battery died shortly after arriving. My kids showed their relief at the empty battery by splashing in the little streams diving the shipwreck from the shore.

Back Home

A busy day's travels had led me to Portland, OR. Yet the minute I finished up at the office, I drove like a bat out of...uh, Portland... to the Columbia River Gorge for a hike. It was only as I wrapped up my adventure and started the drive back to town that gasped at the hazy, orange skies that gave the gorge an entirely different coat of paint. I stopped of near the Bridal Veil Falls State Park to see if there was a view worth capturing. Just as I set up my tripod, my wife and kids gave me a Skype call to check in. While normally I might have avoided the call to get some introvert-time, I was glad for it on this particular evening. Talking to my kids about nothing in particular while taking in the view was a salve to a sleepy soul.