Photo Highlights 2016

Another year come and gone already, it seems like just yesterday I was writing about the 2015 Photo Highlights. For me, like many others, 2016 had some great highlights that were overshadowed by sadness and uncertainty. So many creative and influential people had passed this year, including famous public figures I admired and close family members. It often made me pause and wonder.

On the creative side, 2016 was a year that saw me finally visit and photograph several locations that have been on my list for many years. New Mexico and the Canadian Atlantic Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, to name a few. Perhaps even more important were a number of events and realizations that had me look back into the roots of my art and photography, resulting in a growing awareness of the direction my photography should take. Several of the images shown below represent the beginnings of this effort.

So without further ado let’s look at some of the Photo Highlights of 2016, and please feel free to vote or comment on your favorites!

Southwest

Borrego Badlands Cloud  #56801r  Purchase

My first major trip of the year was a return to the Desert Southwest. Beginning in Anza Borrego Desert State Park of California I met up with my good friend Cyril Albrecht, visiting from Belgium. Although we both had different itineraries we were able to photograph together in a couple of locations, Fonts Point overlooking the Borrego Badlands was one of them. One evening while waiting for the light I noticed this wonderful cloud formation developing in the opposite direction. I loved the abstract graphic qualities and how the round softness of the cloud contrasted with the harsh desert environment below.

White Sands National Monument #57148    Purchase

White Sands National Monument in New Mexico was one of the new locations I visited this year. Sand dunes are always fun to photograph, and the white gypsum dunes in the monument added an extra level of excitement to my visit. The area is wide open for roaming and exploration. Due to the number of tracks in the sand created by visitors, it was necessary to hike further out for pristine conditions. Although the area is fairly small it is extremely easy to become disoriented and lose the path back to the trailhead. This image is definitely one of the favorites that I brought back. The cool tones, layers, angles, and ripples in the sand created a pleasing composition.

Bisti Badlands New Mexico  #57428r   Purchase

Another new location was the fabled Bisit/De-Na-Zen Wilderness, or simple Bisti Badlands, of northern New Mexico. Badlands and hoodoos are among my favorite subjects to photograph, and Bisti contains some of the best examples of these whimsical eroded rocks. I stayed there for three days and managed to just scratch the surface of creative possibilities. On the second evening, I was treated to some of the most dramatic light I’ve seen in years. That evening, after finishing photographing my prime subjects I hurriedly scrambled around to locate more compositions. This nearby hoodoo exemplified the oddities of Bisti, and post-processing the image to reflect the harsh alien-like environment added to this feeling.

Arches National Park  #57869   Purchase

This image from Arches National Park was made in the Klondike Bluffs area. Although I’ve been to Arches several times before, this remote section of the park was new to me. Klondike Bluffs offers several dramatic arches and lots of red rock pinnacles, in addition to lots of solitude. While the main park attractions were swarming with visitors I enjoyed sharing this beautiful area with just a handful of people. Once again, some wonderful clouds glowing in evening light added to the drama, here balancing the composition with red sandstone pinnacles.

North Cascades

North Gardner Mountain, North Cascades Washington  #58051    Purchase

Back home in the North Cascades, my first backpacking trip of the year yielded this image of an approaching storm over Gardner Mountain. A grueling hike, post-holing through snow and downed trees, led to the summit of Driveway Butte. Although my camp near the top had wonderful vistas, it didn’t really offer the compositions I had hoped for. However, as day broke my fortunes changed as the leading edge of the storm glowed with light and mirrored the angles of the mountain ridges. I made several photos of this event before sitting down to enjoy the show.

New York

Watkins Glen State Park New York  #58452   Purchase

September marked the beginning of a long-anticipated trip with my wife Coleen to New England and the Canadian Atlantic Provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The first new location on this trip was a brief stop at Watkins Glen State Park in New York. Situated in the Finger Lakes region, the main attraction in Watkins Glen is a beautifully sculpted narrow gorge. Only about a mile long with moderate elevation gain, the trail passes numerous pools, waterfalls, and hanging gardens. One of the highlights is this view framed by a stone bridge. Unfortunately, I only had a short morning to explore the photographic possibilities of this gem. Oh well, there is always next time.

Nova Scotia

Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse, Nova Scotia  #58903   Purchase

Nova Scotia was one of the highlights of the trip for me. For many years I’ve wanted to visit and photograph the Atlantic Provinces. The colorful fishing villages and seascapes have a powerful attraction for me. One location was high on my must-see list. Peggy’s Cove is arguably one of the most photographed and visited spots in all of Canada. After spending several days in remote and quiet Cape Bretton Highlands National Park, we were unsettled to be confronted by endless tour buses and crowds of people swarming everywhere! While waiting for evening light and the crowds to thin, we spent a relaxing day picnicking and exploring the nearby granite shoreline.

Photographing the sunset at the lighthouse was a bit disappointing due to the lack of clouds. The local weather forecast had predicted rain the next morning adding to our frustration. With a chance the storm may arrive after sunrise we spent an uncomfortable night truck camping in the parking lot near the lighthouse. The next morning clouds began to move in just at sunrise. Perfect conditions for those extremely rare light show that starts great and continues to improve over time. I ended up making many images before the clouds finally blocked the sun and everything went grey and rainy.

Maine

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, Maine  #59018   Purchase

Next on our trip was Acadia National Park. The park, situated on Mount Desert Island, is said to be the most visited national Park east of the Mississippi. We had several instances of good light here, one of these at Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. Photographers can’t visit this park without making a photo of this iconic lighthouse. On this evening I was among a sea of tripods. Everyone crowded into a very small space on the edge of the rocks. One photographer told me that it was a low turnout, the previous evening had twice as many photographers!

Cobblestone Beach Acadia National Park  #59047   Purchase

The next morning I planned to make some long exposures at a popular cobblestone beach in the park. Arriving before sunrise, there were several other photographers from the previous evening set up well above the waterline. I, however, wanted to get down to the water’s edge to create a smoky effect of water among the rocks. The wet bowling ball-sized boulders were treacherous. Smooth and extremely slippery, I had to carefully plan every step, the effort was worth it though.

Pennsylvania

Onondaga Falls, Ricketts Glen, Pennsylvania  #59553   Purchase

The last new location we photographed in 2016 was Ricketts Glen State Park, Pennsylvania. This park was only a little out of our way as we traveled back home, but it was worth the detour. I’ve seen many wonderful images come from this park, and like Watkins Glen, it really needs time for exploring all the hidden gems in all seasons. The northeastern states were experiencing a drought, so the water flow through the glen was low during my visit. I didn’t mind since there still was an abundance of subject matter to work with. In the image above I utilized a long exposure to create a swirling pattern through the motions of the leaves.

With so many new images and locations added to our files in 2016 selecting the top ten was a very difficult task. There were many images from the SW and New England that I very much wanted to add.

Thank you so much for visiting this post, and don’t forget to vote for your favorite image and feedback!

Photo Highlights 2016

Photo Highlights 2015

Yes, it’s time once again to look back and reflect on the highs and lows of the past year, and hopefully, see how much we have accomplished and learned.  This past year included several great locations that turned out to be very productive and memorable. Most notably my spring trip to the Southwest, where my wife Coleen was able to join in the fun.

So let’s check out some of the photo highlights of 2015. Please feel free to vote for your favorite photos in the comment box and share this post with your friends. Also, don’t forget that all of these photos are available for purchase as Fine Art Prints and Commercial Licensing!

Many sincere thanks to all my friends, colleagues, and loyal clients for making 2015 another successful year. I wish you all a Happy New Year with the best of health and prosperity for you and your families in the coming year!

Jumbo Rocks Joshua Tree National Park California #55199  Purchase

This photo was made at the beginning of my spring southwest trip, with the first stop being Joshua Tree National Park. There is a lot to see and photograph in this park but the Jumbo Rocks have to be among the most interesting. Surrounding a great campsite Jumbo Rocks is a wonderland of whimsical granite rock formations. During our visit, I had a couple of instances of good light. This really kept me on my toes running around for interesting compositions. It definitely paid off to scout the area earlier in the day!

 Cholla Cactus, Superstition Mountains Arizona #55462  Purchase

Later on the same trip, we stopped for a few days at Lost Dutchman State Park in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains. I was hoping for some dramatic photos of iconic Flatiron Peak and wildflowers. However the area was in the middle of an early season heat wave. With clear blue skies, conditions were not the best for landscape photography.  The annual bloom of wildflowers was just past peak with the heat withering them fast.

However, I did get some nice photos of one of my favorite desert subjects, the Teddy Bear Cholla Cactus. Illuminated from behind like in this photo they take on a beautiful glow. From a distance and to the uninitiated they look soft and cuddly. But if you even so much as brush lightly against the one you will experience excruciating pain. The barbs are very sharp and can penetrate thick clothing and still keep going into your flesh. I was picking barbs from the inside of my shoes for weeks after!

An evening storm over North Rim of the Grand Canyon #55558  Purchase

The last stop major on the Southwest trip was Grand Canyon, National Park. A classic location filled with endless photographic possibilities. One can spend a lifetime exploring and photographing in the park. The canyon, however, can be very frustrating since everything depends on the right light. Anytime between sunrise and sunset can offer nothing but flat washed out hazy light unless of course there are some storms moving through. Most visitors see the canyon during midday and come home with disappointing images that do not depict the grandeur and immensity of the canyon. During our stay, I was lucky to have three evenings and one morning with good light. The image above was made at sunset as a storm was beginning to clear over the North Rim.

Deception Creek North Cascades Washington #55663

May is a wonderful time in the Northwest. Everywhere there are vivid shades of greens and rushing creeks filled with snowmelt from the mountains. Deception Creek on the north border of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area is a classic example of a lush cool old-growth forest. It has been many years since I hiked this short trail, and it was a pleasure just to sit and breathe in the cool scented air!

Whitewater rafting on the Skykomish River Washington #55728  Purchase

Later on the same trip, I decided to spend the afternoon sitting along the banks of the Skykomish River.  Here I photographed rafters negotiating the rapids of Boulder Drop. The Northwest was already experiencing the initial stages of drought with little winter snowpack to feed the rivers. Although the Skykomish had enough to keep these folks hooting and hollering all the way down. I had almost as much fun watching and photographing them as they did running the rapids!

Moon over Stanley Lake, Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho #55933  Purchase

My next trip in June to the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho was perhaps the most successful of the year. During my stay, several rainstorms passed through and began clearing just at the right time. These provided some beautiful light for photographing the scenes. One morning I woke up disappointed to be socked in by fog. Fortunately, it began clearing over Stanley Lake just as the sun was coming up. As I finished my work the fog closed in to shut off the view, talk about timing!

Dawn over Little Red Fish Lake, Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho #56197  Purchase

Above is one of many variations of sunrise over Little Redfish Lake in the Sawtooth Mountains. This was another morning that started out looking like a dud and then really came to life as the sun rose and illuminated the clouds of a passing storm.

Owyhee Canyon sunset, Oregon #56352  Purchase

The final stop on this trip was Owyhee Canyon and the Uplands of both southwest Idaho and southeast Oregon. One of the most remote areas in the west I’ve ever visited,  you can be assured of solitude just about everywhere. The geology is fascinating, ancient basalt lava flows and ash deposits carved by rivers into dramatic cliffs and spires along with natural hot springs sprinkled throughout. The highlight of this area was an overlook of the canyon at sunset, again a clearing storm provided drama to the scene. I’m definitely coming back again to spend more time exploring and photographing, hopefully, my aging truck will survive the beating!

Pasayten Wilderness North Cascades, Washington #56447  Purchase

In the fall I made a trip to Hart’s Pass and Slate Peak in the North Cascades in search of new images of my beloved Subalpine Larch (Larix lyalli). This is another location I used to frequent often in the 90s.  I haven’t been there for many years and it felt good to be back in my old haunts. The road to Slate Peak and Hart’s Pass is the highest drivable in the state and provides an exceptional view of the eastern peaks of the North Cascades along with trailheads to numerous destinations including the Pacific Crest Trail. The above photo shows a grove of larches in full color just before an autumn snowstorm closed in.

Nooksack River, North Cascades, Washington #56544  Purchase

Finally, just a few days ago I made my first winter trip of the season to test out some new ski bindings in the Mount Baker area in preparation for winter photography. What a change from last year, the snow has been piling up for weeks and if it continues we may have a record year. I know it’s too early to say that but I feel optimistic! On the way down the Mount Baker Highway in the late afternoon, I was treated to this view of snow-covered trees along the Nooksack River.

Top Eleven Photos 2014

Once again it is time for all of us to look back on the past year and review our accomplishments and mistakes, in hopes that we will learn from them and experience personal growth in the coming year. 2014 was an exceptional year in which I was fortunate enough to visit some of my favorite truly outstanding locations. The top eleven images (yes other blokes best of lists may go to ten but mine goes one more, up to eleven)  below represent some of the best and most memorable experiences I had behind the camera while on the road and trail in 2014. Many of you that follow me here and on Social Media will recognize some of them, but there are a few that have not been posted anywhere before.

I would appreciate it if you could vote for your favorites in the comment box and share this post with your friends. Thanks to all my friends colleagues and loyal clients for making 2014 a successful year. Happy New Year with the best of health and prosperity for you and your families in 2015!

Mount Baker from Baker Lake #53563  Purchase

First in line is this late winter photo of Mount Baker, made on a short overnight backpacking trip along the shore of Baker Lake. One of those wonderful sunrise events where the light gets better every second.

Methow Valley Wildflowers #53744   Purchase

On a trip to the Methow Valley to discover new locations for Spring wildflowers I came across this beautiful hillside. I spent several days hunting down wildflower compositions in a variety of lighting conditions.

Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park #53979  Purchase

One of the most scenic beaches on the Washington Coast. This photo was made on the summer solstice. Behind me the beach was lined with dozens of tents from campers here to enjoy the event.

Sol Duc Falls Olympic National Park #53867

A visit to Olympic National Park wouldn’t be complete without seeing some of the fantastic forests and streams. The short easy hike to Sol Duc Falls is one of the most popular attractions in the northern part of the park.

Hidden Lake Peak North Cascades #54196  Purchase

The first of several high season backpacking trips into the Rugged North Cascades yielded this awesome sunrise view from Hidden Lake Peak.

Ruth Mountain Mount Baker Wilderness #54363  Purchase

A week or so later further north in the Mount Baker Wilderness comes this view of Ruth Mountain made from wildflower meadows on Hannegan Peak. After spending a few days photographing on the summit I moved lower down to these meadows. Here the warm evening alpenglow cast a nice soft light across the scene.

On to the Canadian Rockies

Mount Robson British Columbia #54613  Purchase

For me the pinnacle of the year came on this morning view of Mount Robson, King of the Canadian Rockies. This was my third trip to Mount Robson Provincial Park and I was hoping to come back with a great shot of the mountain. However, the first three of the five days I spent there offered only clear blank blue skies. Nice for hiking and camping but somewhat dull for photography. On the fourth morning the first clouds of a storm system arrived just at sunrise, casting an exceptional glow everywhere for about twenty minutes. That brief period was my reward. In the afternoon it began to rain and didn’t stop until I reached my truck 15 miles and a day later.

Berg Lake Mount Robson Provincial Park #54660

Another image from Mount Robson Provincial Park offers textbook examples of glaciation. The silty delta of the glacially fed Robson River on the left, and Berg Glacier on the right. Glacial flour suspended in the lake gives it it’s turquoise color.

Tonquin Valley Jasper National Park #54753  Purchase

Another fantastic location in the Canadian Rockies, the Tonquin Valley of Jasper National Park. The light wasn’t of the colorful dramatic type I had hoped for. However, the steel grey sky and cliffs of the Ramparts accentuated the copper colors of the autumn grasses. Creating a foreboding feel to the scene.

Floe Lake Kootenay National Park #54933  Purchase

Further south in Kootenay National Park is Floe Lake. Set at the base of the awesome limestone cliffs of the Rockwall. This is a stunning scene at dawn when the water is mirror still. This visit coincided with the needles of the Larch trees turning golden in late September.

Kananaskis Lake Alberta #55057  Purchase

In Conclusion

Lastly in this years highlights is a view Mount Sarrail reflected in the still waters of Kananaskis Lake. At the end of a trip punctuated by unseasonably warm fall weather an Arctic front moved in. Depositing several inches of snow on the Canadian Rockies, giving this September scene a wintry look.

Although the above photos comprise my favorites of 2014 there are many more in my library that I wanted to include. Please feel free to browse the galleries and portfolios on this website to see more. And don’t forget that all of my photos are available as fine art prints and for commercial licensing. Thanks for looking and I truly hope you have a happy and prosperous 2015!