Dancing with the earth, the ocean exploded with the finesse, beauty, lines and curves of a Prima Ballerina moving through the air during a sold out finale of a Broadway show. It was a visual feast and auditory celebration as monster swells crashed against the rugged Pacific Shoreline, giving waves a physical appearance like I've never seen before. Mother Nature and its power and beauty were on full display during this January King Tide along the Pacific Ocean. Have you ever experienced a King Tide? This was my first. And it was EPIC. It was by accident that I was even there. But, sometimes life just works out that way. I planned my trip many months ago and scheduled to drive into the mountains. But, a big storm and heavy snow stopped me from going, but in return, gave us an Ocean that was ready to showcase its strength and beauty. So, I changed my plans and drove a few hours West to the coast. The driftwood shoreline was packed with tripods trying to get a peek at the beauty, as I was rubbing elbows and lenses with IG legends like @nickpagephotography, @heatonthomas and @adamgibbsphoto and probably many more that I was unaware were even there. And we were all geeking out when this monster swell moved in and danced upon the scene. The sunlight had just popped through the thick dark clouds a few minutes earlier, which turned this magical wave into a glorious finale of grace, beauty and strength.

When the temperatures drop and the October crisp air takes hold within the Portland area, the most famous Japanese Maple, in perhaps the entire US, takes center stage. Its shapely leaves morph into a dome of gorgeous autumn colors, as its dark branches, covered in vibrant green moss, twist in every direction possible, creating an almost unimaginable contrast of colors, curves and and lines. And as those colors begin to change and the crowds arrive to the Portland’s Japanese Gardens, I bring you a set of images of that amazing tree from a few autumns ago. This time with an accompanying full pano to see the entire visual beauty that this particular tree offers during the peak of its autumn color. This is captured with my Canon 16-35mm 2.8L III lens, racked out to 16mm and I’m holding and hovering my Canon 5D Mark IV just above the mossy ground and pointing it almost completely straight up. Shot at f/10 to keep both depth and sharpness throughout, this version of the 16-35L lens is beautiful from center to edge, as the corners are almost perfect compared to the previous versions.

I love light. And getting the opportunity to chase light along the Oregon Coast is just straight up magical. However, sometimes it never shows. Sometimes it tries to breakthrough the clouds, but never fully makes it and you only get a small whiff of soft light. And then sometimes it explodes onto the scene like the entrance of a NFL team entering the stadium before the start of the Super Bowl. And like the fireworks, smoke and confetti of the big game, when that light hits, the celebration begins and my breathe becomes shallow and quick. My heart begins to race and I can feel the tingle of life from my ears through my body and all the way down to my toes. And on this morning, that’s exactly what happened. It was a typical Oregon morning … Cloudy with a side of drizzle. Some rain come and left and came again. Then it happened. A small crack appeared in the distance. It grew and expanded and when the light first hit, I still had on my 10-stop filter on my lens to create long exposures to help give all the motion to the ocean and create interest to the sea on this overcast morning. And instead of taking it off, I quickly adjusted my settings and fired off a 13-second exposure of the scene that was blowing up in front of me. And lucky for me, my new buddy Doug from (who I just met that morning) was standing strong on the cliffside, staying safe and motionless while capturing his own moment of this magical light.

As autumn officially begins today, I want to share one of my favorite places on earth, during one of my favorite seasons. I grew up only a few minute drive to the spectacular Multnomah Falls and I visited often when I lived in Portland. I have wonderful memories on that magical bridge, spending time with my family and friends, soaking up the negative ions that envelop you as the mist of the falls dampen your clothing, while lifting your mind, body and spirit. I always make a trip out to this special spot when I return to the PNW to catch up with my loved ones. Also, I want to say thank you for all who reached out with their positive words and inspirational feedback over the past several months when I was taking a break from IG. All is fine, I just needed some time away. And I've been slowly working on catching up over the past week and I look forward to continuing our conversations. .

You have to be willing to get wet to see this magical spot along the Central Oregon Coast. If you time correctly with the proper tide, you get the opportunity to soak up the beauty the ocean's waves coming up through a collapsed section of the rock shelf. And as the wave recedes, the magic is on full display, as the water gets sucked back down through the void, creating an amazing site to see.

On this morning on the waters edge of Trillium Lake, I set up in front of a couple of larger boulders to help give some interest to the foreground and welcome the viewer into the scene. I'd been photographing the reflection of the mountain since before the sun first rose, when two folks arrived to put in their canoe for their morning adventure. So, instead of packing up my tripod and gear, I waited it out and as they launched into the water, I snapped away, capturing them breaking the glass reflection on the lake with some calming ripples. As a side note, this capture is another reminder to me to always work together with the people who are with you on your photograph outings, as this lake and/or any location is not yours just because you get there first. I greeted these two as they unloaded their gear and even though I knew they were going to break the perfectly glass-like water, I was okay with it as I had been photographing the scene for quite a while at that point. But, then they apologies and I could tell that they felt sort of bad that they were going to create ripples within the water and my shot. I responded with, "Not a problem, go have fun” … However, I worked with them and then asked them if they could do me a favor. If they could start off by rowing directly at Mt Hood … They did, and it helped finish off this image and gave me a strong mid-ground element that balances well with the reflection of the mountain.

Hiking within the clouds is extremely peaceful. Especially when you’re within an alpine forest on a mountain side. The cold, moist foggy air calms your soul and relaxes your mind, letting your eyes fall upon scene after scene of groves of trees beautifully cloaked within the clouds. The trees seemed to speak to my heart on this afternoon, so I listened. And spent several hours enjoying and photographing the moment. And I was ready when I came upon this moment, one that seemed to jump out to me like a scene from mysterious cloud castle within a magical adventure movie. I sometimes still find myself revisiting this single moment and getting lost within the clouds all over again.

There’s a reason why somethings are just classic. Like an old pair of blue jeans. A black dress. Your favorite tee-shirt. Or in this case, the Myrtle Falls viewpoint with Mt. Rainier in the distance. It’s just flat out beautiful and 100% worth the stop. And it sort of reminds me of a song my little kids are singing right now … “Make new friends, but keep the old ones. Because one is Silver and the other is Gold.” That translates to me as don’t throw away and miss these beautiful classic views in nature, just to try find new ones because that’s what you think the algorithm and your followers want on your social media pages. Don’t be that person that thinks they're too good for the classic views. Just stop and soak up these beautiful spots in nature and don’t throw away your gold because you only want to chase the potential of new silver. The other side of this gold coin, is that It’s fairly easy to hike up a paved path to the viewpoint, so there’s most likely going to be a big crowd when you’re on the trail and when you’re soaking up this spectacular view. But, just do it and then continue on over that little bridge that you see in this scene and the crowds thin out and you can enjoy one amazing view of Mt. Rainier after another. Here’s to always searching for new friends … But, always remembering to keep your old ones.

I fell in love with Spray Falls the second I saw it. Its massive cascading falls is a pure pleasure to watch and study. It creates a lovely methodical and pleasing sound that seems to lull you into peaceful and calm mindset. And as you enjoy those elements, it's almost as if you can feel and absorb the energy that its creating through the floating mist that’s swirling around you.

Waking before dawn along the Oregon Coast for sunrise is always special. The sand under your feet is fresh, as the tide has washed away all the footprints from the previous day under the cover of night. And it's always a great morning when your eyes and mind get the opportunity to stare into the mesmerizing sights and sounds of the Pacific Ocean's waves crashing upon the rugged shoreline, while your body soaks up the wet, sea-salt air as it breezes through you and delicately leaves its salt residue upon your soul. Many of you know (either as Oregonian's or people who have visited), scene’s like this one, on any morning, might mean the absent of the sun and its light; as the lush, green state of Oregon and its coastline has many overcast mornings. So, when you wake and find that the clouds are parting and the brightness of the sun’s rays will be beaming its gorgeous tones upon the rock croppings of Bandon’s pristine beach line, you're giddy like a child. You smile at the rocks. You skip in the sand. You talk to the waves. And hope that something, anything can hear and share this beautiful moment in time with you. And although there wasn’t a physical person along the shore on this morning, I felt like the souls who have gone before me where near as I was squatting within in the wetness of the beautiful textures of the sand ripples left behind by that overnight tide.

Yosemite Falls is one of most amazing natural phenomenons of the entire park and arguably one of the coolest things to see and photograph in any National Park. And when you take it in on a clear night with a full moon, it turns the scene into an epic type moment, as Yosemite Falls anchors the majestic landscape below and my stack of long exposures creates star trails that zoom around the North Star, which hangs almost perfectly above the massive granite walls of this beautiful waterfall. Nature is always magical. And if you’re lucky, there are small pockets of time, moments in your life, where you get the opportunity to peek through the vail of nature and into the inner most realm of its beauty and stand within something that transcends your mind, body and soul into a magical, mythical world that mostly seems to be from a dream. But, then your eyes see the images popping up on the back of your camera viewfinder and it snaps you back into reality and makes your body buzz with excitement.

The tranquility washes over you as you descend down into the small crevice between the deserts red rocks. You feel as if you’re mentally and emotionally transitioning through a wave of time. But not an ocean wave, but an earth wave that only could be seen in its completion if viewed for thousands, if not tens of thousands of years in hyperspeed. They are one in the same if you let yourself see it. It’s like an outer body type experience, as if you had an opportunity to freeze time and stand calmly within the exact moment of a powerful ocean wave, where you could visually come out of your own existence and exam the intricacies of the shapes, lines and colors that seem so impossible to exist together, yet do so with such perfection.

Half Dome is one of my all-time favorite natural landmarks in all of the National Parks. I love seeing it, I love looking at it, I love photographing it. It's just pure amazing in my book. On this sunset, I had scouted this spot months before and knew that I would spend at least one evening on this trip on the banks of the Merced river looking up at Half Dome during the golden hour, sunset and twilight. I loved how the slow meandering river lended itself to a beautiful reflection, while still giving motion to the scene.

We arrived at Racetrack Playa by rented 4x4 after being shaken, rocked and jostled for 27 miles on one of the worst rutted, rocky, back country roads I’ve ever experienced ... It took us roughly 3 hours to get there. When we arrived, I took the first few hours to search for my ‘favorite’ rocks and compositions. And I loved this ‘sailing rock’ and its wonderful trail along the Racetrack Playa. The rock had some very interesting features, but the most important reason was because I knew where the Milky Way was going to rise and be in the night sky and the trail from the rock would lead the viewers eyes towards the background of the scene and then up into the sky and Milky Way … And then back again to the rock. Most folks might think its crazy to stand in the middle of no way on a dark, moonless night, photographing a rock. But, for me, I checked off a long time bucket list location. And I enjoyed every second … even the bumpy drive.

One of my most anticipated day on my recent Southwest trip was the hike up the Narrows of Zion National Park. And it was everything I had built it up to be. The hike was amazing from start to finish and something I would recommend to everyone who loves hiking and seeing beauty within nature. I can’t wait to visit again. During the entire hike through the Narrows, I used my 6-stop Circular Polarized filter to help cut through the glare of the water and push my exposures to 8/15/30 seconds, giving the Virgin River a beautiful glassy motion to it. The 30-second exposure was for the flowing water, the 8-second for the brightest, glow of the scene and the 15-second images were for the midtowns of the image. However, I was standing in 1-3 feet of flowing water, so the tripod sturdiness was key, along with finding proper locations within the water was critical. In this image, I used a medium sized boulder (seen in the bottom left foreground) and the side wall of the Narrows to sturdy my tripod.

I was thrilled to see this hiker pop out from behind the large dune and walk straight across the vastness of nothingness. I was also a little luck, as my tripod and camera were already sort of in position, as I was photographing a very similar composition moments before of the gorgeous lines and contrast of the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. I quickly readjusted my composition and began photographing the personal walking across the sand. And although I love how the scene looks without a person within it, I feel the lonesome hiker gives perspective and size of this massive area, while continuing to build on the feeling of being alone within the layers of the harsh and unforgiving desert.

I had given up. I had gone back to bed. I had woken in the early hours and the storm was still raging and the rain was pelting down on our RV. I quickly looked outside and I decided that the morning was a wash and went back to sleep. That was until one of my best buddies, who we were traveling with on this trip, knocked on the window of the RV and said, "you better get out here, NOW." I jumped up, grabbed my gear which was already sitting by the door and jumped out of our Motel on wheels to have this beautiful rainbow smack me right in the face. I literally ran across the southwest desert to quickly find a composition with Mitchell Butte within the scene and was able to snap off a few frames. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you make your luck and sometimes you just need a good friend to have your back.

There's a reason you don’t see many Maroon Bells winter scenes at sunrise very often. It’s because it’s not easy to get to and photograph. This is not your everyday hike or walk from some parking lot of a national park. It’s a grueling 6-mile hike up a snow packed road that at times makes you think twice about why you ever decided to do it in the first place. We fat tire biked and hikes for several hours in the deep snow and finally got to the spot. Well, at least we knew it was the spot, but Maroon Bells was totally socked in with no visibility of the iconic pyramid shaped mountain peaks. It was looking bad and colossal waste of time and effort. And finally after waiting for about 3 hours or so in waist deep snow and in the frigid temperatures, I decided it was a wrap and time to pack up and leave. I was disappointed. But, then it happened. After packing up my gear, I notice it. A small crack in the clouds behind me. It was small, but that little amount of sun hitting the trees made me feel it could possibly clear. So, I pulled my gear back out of my pack and stayed a little longer. And I’m glad I did, as those patience eventually paid off when that cracked turned into a clearing and the famous Maroon Bells showed its face. Add in the fact that some folks snowshoeing came back to see the clearing peaks and I was able to get an adventure type scene that I was more than thrilled to capture.

Dream Lake is truly a dream location to see and photograph. If you’ve never been, just go … However, if you plan on taking in the scene during the winter/snow months, understand your ‘dream' will include many layers of clothing and temperatures and windchill that can be in single digits with 20-30 MPH winds coming down the mountains and into your face … Those where my ‘dream' conditions during this gorgeous and chilly alpine glow sunrise. I was the first one at the area on this morning, as my buddy and I arrived when the stars where still dominating the sky overhead. And before snapping any of those nighttime beauties, I made sure to set up my location for sunrise, to ensure I had the exact location within the boulders that I wanted. After the blue hour began and the stars were disappearing and more people started arriving to the area, I moved to my spot on the ice and hunkered down on the frozen water for a while. And since I wanted the lower angle with the ice and boulders as my foreground, helping lead you into the scene and then back to the mountains in the distance, I needed to basically lay on the ice during the entire time. Would I have changed anything on this morning? Heck no, because when the pink alpine glow began its show on the mountains, the cold seamed to just disappear.

It was a fun and exciting time getting to Turret Arch at sunrise on this morning. I had been photographing the Milky Way and the stars under Delicate Arch in the early morning and after twilight arrived and we began losing the stars and I quickly packed up my gear and semi-sprinted down the red rocks to the RV. I quickly drove over (within the speed limit) to the windows area of the park and then hiked quickly up and through North Window Arch, scrambled up some rocks on the other side to one of the most incredible locations to watch a sunrise in Arches N.P. (if you’re not afraid of heights) … through North Window with a view of Turret Arch. The sun was only a few minutes from rising, I’d made it. I quickly set up my gear and made sure nothing fell, as it was a couple of stories down the rocks and no camera or lens (or photographer) would survive that fall. As the sun burst onto the arches, I captured a few frames of the scene and then twisted on my 10-stop ND filter and started capturing some long exposures. I ended on 95-second exposures, which turned the fast moving clouds above into a blurry goodness. I was able to snap off a few frames at that length of exposure before the light of the sun changed and wasn’t as dramatic.

One of my favorite sights and indications that spring has sprung is when the Saucer Magnolia Tree begins blooming their fantastic goblet-shaped, delicate pink and white blooms. They peak in early spring and only showcase that beauty for a few days, but what a spectacular few days they are. This scene was captured with a combo of persistence and luck. I made sure to keep a close watch on these two mature Magnolia trees, by visiting the location everyday, around golden hour when their blooms were peaking. And getting a little lucky with some lovely soft colors in the sky. Add in one of the more unique and recently renovated structures in Maryland (The Pagoda) and you get a scene that feels old world and from a different country … But, instead it’s from the US and creates a wonderful anticipation of the beautiful spring colors that are only a days from being a reality. .

An autumn walk on a winding path and daydreaming up at the colors overhead, while reminiscing on days gone by and excitedly thinking about new adventures to come. Fall is such an emotional season, as it gives a breathe of fresh air to your spirit and the earth around you, while reminding you that summers warmth has departed and winters grip is not far away. You soak up the moment of glory while the color showcases its beauty. You walk through the crunch of the fallen leaves, while listening to the wrestling of the ones still clinging to its limbs above, as the color dances and flows within the breeze.

It’s always a magical experience for the mind and body when enjoying a sunflower field in full bloom. There seem to be an endless number of happy faces looking at you with encouragement and beauty. Add in the warmth of summer evening and its glorious colors and it almost seems to wash away the worries of the relentless stress involved with living through this pandemic. I hope all is well with everyone out there and today I bring you some bright, warm happiness to get you through your day and night.

It was an amazing winter wonderland. It had been extremely cold for several weeks in a row during this particular winter and we were lucky enough to be off on our annual trip to the western part of Maryland to relax with our great friends. We took a break from sitting in front of the fire to get some exercise and we took a small hike to see how the falls looked within the freezing temperatures. And it was awesome. We were all completely amazed when we first saw it. Massive frozen chunks everywhere with the water still flowing through the iced-over window of the falls. It was a scene directly out of Narnia, but we were in it. You could also walk over the river, as it was completely frozen over. However, the water was still flowing under the solid chunks of ice, so I didn’t spend much time on that section, but instead nestled up to the bottom the falls with the view almost straight up into the frozen wonderland.

Most of the year, I’m day-dreaming and planning my next big trip across the country (and world) to see and photograph mother nature and this incredible planet that we get the pleasure of living on. However, when the air cools and the autumn colors begin arriving throughout these lands, my excitement towards this region becomes once again filled with anticipation and joy to go out on an adventure close to my home and see what mother nature has in store for us this time around. One of the top spots around the Mid-Atlantic is Shenandoah National Park. So, when a small crack of an opportunity arose in my schedule, I forced my way into it. And I took the several hour drive to Front Royal, VA and the gateway to Skyline Drive, one of the most picturesque drives you can experience anywhere along the Eastern Seaboard. For some reason I decided on this trip, I was open to anything. I just figured why the heck not. And since my eyes were open to anything, it wasn’t long before I turned one of the many curves along Skyline Drive and saw this beautiful section of the road, which was completely covered with tree branches overhead, like an autumn leaf tunnel. Wow, I thought … That’s pretty. So, why the heck not. I pulled over in a designated spot along the side of the road, jumped out of my car with my camera and tripod and just ran around for awhile finding images, as I played within the autumn leaves.

As winters relentless hold on mother nature succumbs to the early signs of spring, we see the monochromatic slumbering world around us begin to awaken with small splashes of color sprouting from the thawed grounds and flowering branches overhead. As we gallop into brighter and warmer days which lie ahead, lets us give our mind, body and spirit an opportunity to absorb those vibrant colors. Breathe in those sweet, succulent smells. Feel the warmth from the afternoon sun. Hear the glorious sounds of song birds. Taste the new life that grows beneath our feet. Springs awakens. Let us awaken with it. After searching for and finding a cherry blossom window, I set up my tripod for a multiple exposure focal blend, to ensure crispness throughout the scene. And after several failed attempts and then waiting for awhile for no wind and movement with the blossoms, I was finally able to capture a focal stack set of images. The result gives us a depth of sharpness from the cherry blossoms in the foreground to the Washington Monument in the distance.

Autumn in the Mid-Atlantic is spectacular. So when temperatures begin to drop, it means it’s time to take the drive out to Shenandoah NP to soak up the blanket of golden yellows, fire engine reds and burnt oranges that explode on the scene within the Appalachian Mountain range. It doesn’t really get much better than an afternoon drive within the sea of autumn colors, as you soak up the warm rays of the sun and breathe in the crisp mountain air.

I envisioned this image for about a year or so prior to capturing it. I stumbled across this view in the park near my home during the winter before, but it was at the end of the season and there was little snow and it didn’t look right. I then waited and waited … and waited some more. And after the next winter arrived, it brought many snow days, but not enough of the white stuff that I was looking for … So, I waited some more … When the big snow storm finally hit, I woke the next morning with several feet of snow on the ground and I quickly put on my winter gear, grabbed my camera and walked to this tree. I found this scene softly laid out in front of me and it was worth every second of the wait. In winter, I love the starkness, the contrast, the minimalistic, simplicity of life and beauty that mother nature showcases during this time of year, if your eyes are open to see it. Every time I view this scene, it instantly takes me back to that quiet, calm morning with the sounds of nothingness surrounding me. That memory and this view has a great calming effect on me.