Wanderlust Landscape Gallery

These images of creation—sometimes sprawling and sometimes silent—are born of photographer P.J. Oswald's journeys around his native Northern California and the rest of the world. You could say these images are fueled by his wanderlust and wonder. Each certainly bears a story. P.J. invites you to make his works of art a part of your collection, and part of your story.

Prints, canvases, and framed artworks of the finest quality are available for purchase for each landscape you see here.

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.
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.
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.
Fresh Out of Fish
If you have to choose somewhere to air out your freshly caught stockfish, why not choose a spot like this? The lovely Norwegian fishing town of Henningsvær straddles a handful of tiny islands in Norway, where fishermen have historically hung their fish out on wooden racks to dry. Weeks of cold air and cool winds work their magic upon the fish before they're shipped off around the world. Admittedly, the fish are nowhere as charming as the rows of colorful homes, shops and hotels that line these shores. And though the town sits within the Arctic Circle, the waters are somehow warm enough for a swim, and the local soccer field is second to none.
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.