Landscape, Nature And Travel Photography

Taking in early morning light in the Owens Valley is a magical experience. Drab grey rocks come to life in a variety of colorful hues as the sun’s first rays of light are filtered through the atmosphere. The success of capturing my now favorite photo of  Mobius Arch, taken back in 2006 and the subject of one of my first podcast episodes, hooked me on repeatedly visiting the Alabama Hills in the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately such great light and scenery does not go unnoticed these days…

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First Light on Mount Whitney Seen Through Mobius Arch

Photo Details:
Canon 1DS Mark III, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, f/13, 115 seconds, ISO 200

Venturing out to Mobius Arch is seldom a solo event. The tight space that one can capture this photo is often filled with numerous photographers clamoring to get the perfect angle shutting out other photographers. On this morning it was the most crowded I’ve seen with at least 5 photographers in the area.

Photographers stake their ground to photograph Mobius Arch in the Alabama Hills

In this day and age its nearly impossible to keep a good photo location under wraps. Given the popularity of this arch I wonder when the BLM will take action to preserve the area or regulate access. During this visit it would seem the BLM was more interested in making it as easy as possible for folks to find the arch with a freshly marked trail being in place. Given these circumstances its no wonder the likes of Marc Muench keeps his Unknown Arch location quiet.  As the popularity of this area grows I do hope that photographers take care of this special location and stay civil to each other.

Mobius Arch Crowd of Photographers

Technorati Tags: photography, California, arch, Mobius Arch, nature, landscape, stock photo, Alabama Hills

In 2004 I stumbled upon an incredibly interesting area of White Sands National Monument while hiking out into the 360 square miles park, an area I can only describe as an ancient dune field. When I first discovered this area I photographed one of the many yardangs I found in this isolated area (see photo #2 in My Top 5 Favorite Photographs and Accompanying Stories), but upon my return in April of 2010 the formation I originally photographed had been eroded into oblivion and was gone forever. I have to admit I was really bummed the formation was no longer present, but that disappointment soon transformed into an adrenaline fueled high as I discovered yardang after yardang the farther I hiked out.

Snakehead Yardang, White Sands National Monument

One of the more fascinating yardangs I found and photographed was one that resembled a snakehead emerging from a 60 foot dune. I took care to photograph various compositions of this fragile sand formation and cherished the fact that no one would ever see this formation in the exact same way. As I discovered while visiting the area of my last yardang photo these formations  are here one day and gone another. The winds of the Tularosa Basin simultaneously shapes and destroys the landscape providing a unique experience with every visit. It is for this reason that every visit to White Sands National Monument is as exciting as the first.

Photo Details:
Canon 1Ds Mark III, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 II, 16mm, 1/200 sec, f/16, ISO 200

Technorati Tags: Photography, Fine Art, New Mexico, White Sands National Monument, Landscape, Nature

It’s ironic and sad that only when we lose something does it become treasured. Muir Woods is a perfect example of this. These majestic Redwood trees were nearly wiped out to build and rebuild San Francisco (after numerous fires and the great earthquake of 1906). This last stand of local Redwood trees was saved by rough terrain that made logging difficult if not impossible and the donation of the land by William Kent.

Muir Woods National Monument Visitors

Muir Woods National Monument is among the most popular destinations in the San Francisco area. Just the other weekend my wife and I drove through Marin to see large crowds gathering at a shuttle stop to visit Muir Woods. The small parking lot there is quickly filled by early arrivals and numerous tour buses. I think it’s great that people now see the value in the serene beauty of this oasis of Redwood trees, but I can’t help but feel sad that it took their near destruction for others to appreciate their existence.

God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools. – John Muir

Redwood Canopy, Muir Woods National Monument

Technorati Tags: California, Muir Woods, National Monument, Redwood, nature, stock photo

Two of the most photogenic nature icons in San Francisco are the fog and Monterey Pine trees. Shaped by the wind Monterey Pines have a rugged appearance and texture. When shrouded by fog these trees stand out even more with their sweeping canopy and jagged branches. This scene was photographed very close to my home and in viewing it you can’t help but get the feeling these trees are reaching out to embrace the fog as it wisps by. Only after years of walking my dogs here have I learned that in fact that is what they’re doing. Their needles condense water from the fog and it drips down to the ground allowing them to hydrate and grow ever taller into the fog.

Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata) Trees in the Fog - San Francisco, California

Technorati Tags: photography, nature, stock photo, San Francisco, California, Monterey Pine, Pinus radiata

Few would argue that one of the cutest sea mammals around are Sea Otters. Whether they’re grooming, using tools to crack open shellfish to eat or just warming themselves in the sun Sea Otters seem to have an eternally cute appearance. As Sea Otters rest in rafts you never know what pose they might take. The rare combination is the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” pose between neighboring otters. I happened to get luck one morning witnessing and seeing this classic pose. I do wonder if I’ll catch this pose again… I hope so.

In the news: Sea otter numbers take a turn for the worse

Raft of Sea Otters (Enhydra lutris) - Monterey, California

Technorati Tags: photography, wildlife, Monterey, California, Sea Otter, Enhydra lutris, stock photo

As long as there are trees to walk under I will forever enjoy a harmony with nature.

Back in 2007 a morning walk along the shore of Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park yielded stellar views of Mount Moran, but it was my brief moments amongst the trees as I returned to the trailhead that grabbed my eye most. Wildflowers, vibrant green grass and dappled light filtering through the tree canopy created an infinite space to let my mind and body wander. While there were infinite elements of the scene before me to grab my eye it was the vastness of the forest that captured my imagination most and inspired my photo “Wonderland”.

Wonderland - Grand Teton National Park

Technorati Tags: photography, fine art, nature, landscape, Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park

The dunes of White Sands National Monument in New Mexico are an endless fascination of mine. The landscape here is full of paradoxes. The regularity of irregular patterns formed by the wind create incredibly photogenic sand patterns. The rolling dunes provide an infinite fabric to catch contrasty shadows in the sand patterns throughout the day making optimal lighting virtually an all day affair. Yet what I love most about this terrain is the ability to find simplicity amid the complexity.

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White Sands Textures I - White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

Photo Details:
(3) Three photo panoramic, Canon 1Ds Mark III, TS-E 90mm f/2.8

Technorati Tags: photography, fine art, nature, landscape, panoramic, New Mexico, white sands, national monument, stock photo

Glacier National Park is one location that will forever capture my imagination and reverence of nature. No matter where I travel in Glacier National Park I can always find myself lost in thought as I gaze across the landscape. Whether its towering mountains, reflections, eroded stone, or wildlife it can be found with in the maze of glacially carved valleys. It is no wonder that this amazing place is considered sacred by the Blackfoot nation.

Technorati Tags: photography, landscape, nature, fine art, panoramic, Glacier National Park, NPS