Abiquiu Morning- I took this image on a beautiful morning back in September. It was the morning before a workshop I was leading. My wife still warm in bed back at the Abiquiu Inn. I was alone up on this mesa. The New Mexico sunrise, so vivid, so spectacular, allowing me to take in all of its colors and splendor. I was extremely thankful. I hope everyone had as beautiful a Thanksgiving as I did, but for all those that didn't have a warm and loving family around them, for those that were cold and left hungry, and for those who are missing loved ones with hearts that are broken, a prayer goes out to them.
The Wind, Mountain and Sun- White Sands National Monument- There are days when White Sands transforms into a magical place. There is no where else like it in the world. As the sun sets over the San Andres Mountain Range, it reflects off of each and every gypsum grain that is suspended in the wind. The white sands reflect whatever color is in the sky. Nikon D850 70-200mm Nikkor F/4
The Reign of Light- Hanging out up in the Organ Mountains, hoping the sun would shine through the clouds at the last minute. It did. The light through the thin clouds transformed the desert. The warm glow cast upon this turpentine bush in early November had to be photographed.
Bloom Where You're Planted- I miss my grandson. I miss my family, my friends, all of my loved ones. I am way more fortunate than most. I have a beautiful wife and a wonderful place to hike out my back door to stay fit. As I sat on a rock with this profusely blooming hedgehog in front of my camera, for a moment I was able to forget. As the last light of the day touched the claret cup blooms and the white drifting clouds turned orange and pink, fading to blue and lavender, I was completely in the moment. Only beauty around me. I was able to forget. I'm hoping that my photography will sometimes help others, if only just for a moment, to forget. Remember, there is still beauty out there. If we can just get through this, not only with our lives, but to come out better than we were, better human beings. I think we all need a real hug.
I Dream in Color - Utah Last October while leading a Muench Workshop, we found this tree and the clients were able to photograph it. I took a cell phone snapshot of it and dreamed about the day I could go back and take this image. It's something you dream about at night. It haunts you, and you hope the light will be good when you return. Sometimes it takes countless times returning until the light happens, and it's very rare that on the first try you get nice light. Well, while scouting for an upcoming workshop in August, I returned to this tree. I could not have asked for better light. It was a wonderful evening and the light was better than anything I could have imagined. I slept very well in camp that night.
Fall in the Desert Peaks- On a quiet morning hike in Dripping Springs, there was not a breeze. The pre dawn light was warm and made the fall colors glow. The Mexican Buckeye tree and the large oak driftwood fascinated me. The Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument is full of hidden gifts and treasures.
Spring Symphony- With the stay at home order, I haven't been traveling, but I've been on a mission. The claret cup hedgehogs were in full bloom over the last couple of weeks. I spent nearly every night walking out my back door with my gear on my back in search of hedgehogs. The first week of this was very productive. I had nice skies, no winds, and I found some beautiful blooming cactus. The second week wasn't as productive. Harsh light, dust and high winds added a little frustration to my obsession. Now, onto this particular image. I have been trying to photograph this set of hedgehogs for the past couple of years. The first year, the bloom wasn't good. Last year, every time I tried to shoot it, the light didn't cooperate. This group of cactus seem to bloom later than others. Finally, I thought I might have one more chance. The sky was looking good and there was a storm coming in from the North. I set my camera up and waited. All the evenings spent out there, waiting for good light, I had always envisioned this image being a horizontal photo (landscape mode). But then the storm grew. It began to rain on the mountains. As the sun fell to the western horizon, it began to light up the mountain and a double rainbow appeared. The bright light was just a little harsh on the cactus. I just needed a small cloud to cover the sun for my foreground. As the rain began to fall and a very cooperative cloud covered the sun, I began shooting like a madman. The problem was, I wasn't capturing the rainbows because I was shooting horizontal. I focus stacked my foreground, then I began raising my camera. I would take a photograph, raise the camera again. It was hectic there for a moment, cleaning the front element of my lens between every photograph because of the rain. Once I captured the scene, I was able to stop and just enjoy the moment with my wife and dog. We stared at the wonderment in front of us. We stayed long after sunset, watching the light change. On the walk back home, I wondered if I had captured the scene the way I wanted. Once on the computer, I put the panorama together and smiled. All of those years of waiting was so worth it. What an incredible Earth Day celebration we had in our back yard. For the most part, the claret cup hedgehogs are spent. I will miss the splashes of red across the desert floor. I already miss them.
Organ Mountain Prickly Pear- I'm pretty excited this morning. I woke up to find congratulations in my messages. I have not entered any serious contests in years. This year a friend talked me into entering the International Landscape Photographer of the Year contest. It is the pinnacle of landscape awards. The best of the best from around the world apply every year. This photograph was chosen as one of the best 101 photos taken and it made the book. What an honor. I am very humbled.
The Tree that Held up the Sky - Gila Wilderness, New Mexico. I apologize about the long story. I wrote this for my grandson. I can't have a photograph of this tree without telling the story. For Sage: A young mouse set out on his own. He was excited about the big world that was out there and the journey that lay ahead. He hoped to find a home he could call his own. He didn’t know where it would be, what it would look like, or how far away it was, but he thought he would know it when he saw it. He walked for days, hiding under tall grass, scurrying from bush to bush so that no hawk or coyote would see him. It was nearly dark when he saw an old and dying tree in the distance. It may offer a place to rest for the night. When he reached the tree, he scampered over a few stones and climbed up a limb that was laying on the ground. He looked up at the tree. It was old, broken, and almost dead. It wasn’t much to look at. He could see the tree was hollowed at the base and it would keep him safe and dry. He slowly made his way towards it, hoping there was no one inside. As he cautiously peered in, he could see a perfect place to settle in for the night. He went to work and cleaned out some old spider webs and made his bedding out of grass and moss. Content with his find, he ventured back out onto the branch. Night had fallen. He lay down on the branch and stared up into the sky. Billions of stars shown through the branches of the tree. “What a fine place for a tree to set it’s roots in the ground”, he said aloud. “A fine place indeed”, said the tree. Surprised that the tree responded, the mouse stood on his hind legs and looked up at the tree and said, “I did not know that trees could speak”. “I have lived here for over 400 years”, the tree responded. “I have only lived a few months”, said the mouse, as he lay back down to rest. “You must have some fine stories.” “Yes, there is a lot to tell”, said the tree. “ I can remember my sapling years like it was yesterday”. “I would love to hear more about that”, said the mouse. The tree continued, “life was hard at first. I struggled to grow. Years went by and there was very little rain or snow. Finally the rains did come and slowly I began to grow. In a few years I was as tall as a deer. I had strengthened my young limbs and I was shaped about as perfect as a tree could be. One cold frosty morning I found myself with elk all around me. I was enjoying watching and listening to them. There was chasing and running about, even some fighting and jostling. I was really enjoying the company and I was quite entertained, when suddenly one of the frustrated young males began staring at me. Then he poked me with his antlers. Soon the young bull was thrashing his head about, his antlers breaking off my branches and tearing at my bark. I was too small and could not fight back. Year after year I would dread when the days would get shorter and the nights would get cold. The elk would always return. I didn’t want the confrontation, but every year they left me tattered and torn. Finally, one cold morning the elk returned. I had grown large. Large and strong enough, they would no longer bother me. Finally my days of fighting elk were over. They left me with scars and wounds that would heal, but I was no longer a perfectly shaped tree. I would like to think that they gave me my character”. The mouse said he had yet to see an elk. He had seen only ants, worms, and a snake that wanted to eat him. The tree went on. “I have seen every animal that lives in my world. I have had bees make honey inside of me. So many different birds singing many beautiful songs while sitting on my branches. The Whippoorwill’s early morning song is my favorite. There have been hot summer days where many animals have taken their rest in my shade. I remember a fine coyote. He was proud and had a very nice family. He loved to lay under my limbs. He said my shade was the best he had laid in. I once had twin bear cubs climbing and playing on me. They would wrestle and fall, and climb right back up again. I enjoyed their company. Later in my life the elk quit coming, and so did the wolves. It seems lately there are more elk now than when I was really young. I’m not sure where they went to or why they came back, but I’m glad they are here. The wolves have been gone for many years, but lately I’ve heard their cries, and I even saw one take rest at another tree nearby. The mouse asked the tree “while I am resting from my journey, may I hide inside of you when the coyotes, wolves and bears come to visit?” “I would not mind at all and you would be my secret” said the tree. The mouse asked “this branch is a fine place to lay and stare up at the stars, but why is it laying here? Why is it not still a part of you?” “It wasn’t that long ago”, said the tree. “It was a storm like I’d never seen. The wind blew so hard, my limbs swayed like they never had before. The sky grew dark and it began to rain. I had seen many storms before and I have seen fire come from the sky. This time the fire raced from the sky and like no sound I have ever heard, it struck me and my limb crashed to the ground. The fire burned inside of me for quite some time until the rain put it out. I haven’t been the same since that storm. I began to lose my needles and now I have no feeling in the limbs on my right side”. “I’m so sorry that happened to you. I’ll bet you were beautiful to look at in your day”, said the mouse. The tree replied, “even though I’m old and broken, I recall a human walking up to me. He could not take his eyes off of me. He left, but before the sun would set, he returned with another. I could hear him tell her, “have you ever seen a tree so beautiful, so much character?” He began to walk around me, staring at me. He had a camera and began to take photographs as the sun set in the western sky. They didn’t leave. They ate dinner at my base and shared it with their dog. Soon the stars appeared and he set up lights to shine on me. It was strange to have light at night and to have the attention. He then took more photographs of me at night. It was a very nice evening. A few high thin clouds without a whisper of a breeze. They stayed for hours and I heard him say, “I don’t want to leave”, and the woman said, “I feel the same. Can you imagine the stories it can tell? What a magnificent tree! It looks like the tree is holding up the sky”. As the mouse listened to the story, he could see that the human was right. The tree was holding up the sky. What an important tree, he thought. “Now I can see how beautiful you really are. I would love to settle here for as long as you’ll have me”. “I would be honored to shelter you and share your company” said the tree. The mouse lived out the rest of his days, never venturing far from the tree. The tree would always protect him from the rain and snow, from the hawks and owls, and from the bobcats and coyotes. He would spend his nights laying on his back, staring up at the stars and listening to story after story; as the tree held up the sky.
Lightning on the Butte - Utah One of the perks of leading a photography workshop is you get to go scout beforehand. Last year I co-lead the Muench Workshops Wild Utah. We found this amazing tree up on top of a Butte. Not only was the tree a wonderful composition, but there were other incredible compositions as well. Everyone from the workshop got to take some very nice images from this location. On my return this year, I was with Muench Workshops' geologist, Karl Mueller who was here to help me scout and add some insight into the amazing geology that was all around us. My main objective was to photograph this one tree. I could see the light happening and the lightning above this butte, so instead of moving my camera and losing the tree composition I was set up on, I set up my backup camera and let the intervalometer run. I was elated when I later looked at the back of the camera and found this photograph. I was also very happy with my tree composition which I will post at a later date. I can't wait to get back here with Lisa LaPointe and lead this workshop in August.
Night Bloom This image was taken back in April when the hedgehogs were blooming. This was during the Lyrid meteor shower. The claret cup blossoms are one of the very few types of hedgehogs that stay open at night. I used three lights to light up the scene. I focus stacked the image, turned off my lights, and turned the intervalometer of my camera on and just let it run so I could try to catch a meteor. I will admit to leaving my camera out in the desert and letting it run while I went home to sleep. I came back at sunrise to retrieve it. The battery was dead, but my card was full. I will admit I struggled in lighting up this scene. Getting the contrast right is so difficult on a foreground that is so close to the camera. I only captured three meteors during the night, and this one was the best one.
White Sands Moonrise- It was a beautiful evening for a hike at White Sands. Giggsy, Kiki and I slowly made our way through the dunes looking for compositions. There was not a whisper of wind. High wispy clouds filled the sky and I knew the sunset would be beautiful. I wasn't there for the sunset though. I was there for the full moon rise. With no wind and the golden cottonwood trees, my plan was to capture a long exposure scene with a cottonwood tree. I've had this particular tree on my GPS for over two years now. I had never photographed it except with my phone to give me a reference. This night was the tree's turn. I figured out where the moon would rise and as an added bonus I could see Mars was going to be in the photograph as well. I set up my tripod, composed my photograph, and set a few lights around to illuminate the tree. Once this was done, (this is the part I love the most about photography), being in nature, just taking it all in. As Giggsy enjoyed laying in the cool sand, Kiki read a book, occasionally looking up at the changing light. I watched the cloud movement as the stars began to appear. As darkness fell to the west, light began to appear over the Sacramento Mountains. I turned on my lights, waited for that perfect moment, and without a hint of a breeze, took my photograph. It makes me smile when high thin clouds magnify the planets and stars. As calm and relaxing as the evening was, that was about to change. We had twenty minutes to hike back to our vehicle and make it out of the park by 8:00 p.m. Almost jogging through the sand with all the weight of my gear on my back, it was a good workout. We drove through the exit gate at 7:58 p.m. I was a little upset because we could have stayed in that spot for another two minutes...
Seeking West -Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument- The monument is so diverse. This mountainside has the most beautiful, colorful rocks with gnarly old junipers having made their way between the rock crevices. One of my favorite locations close to home where I can immerse myself into the landscape.
The Tree That Danced At Sunrise- As I landed in Grand Junction Colorado, to say I was excited was an understatement. Not only would I be teaching photography in the wilds of Utah for over a week, but on this particular evening and the next day, I would be hanging out and shooting in the Colorado National Monument with Marc Muench. Once we had our bags, the suburban rented, and we were checked into the hotel, we headed out to scout locations for sunset. The winding road leading up to the top of the Monument was breathtaking. We pulled over at an overlook and Marc suggested we hike along the rim of a deep canyon. Not far into the hike, these amazing trees came into view. I know Marc knew this particular tree well and had photographed it before. I suspect he knew I would love it. We continuted scouting. It was still early in the afternoon. I couldn't get this tree out of my mind. I knew it would make a better sunrise photograph and Marc agreed. He said, "we'll just have to come back in the morning so you can shoot that tree". We began to talk about plans for the night. There was a bluff down below in the canyon and Marc wanted to try to light it up with the Milky Way as a backdrop. I'll be honest, in my head I was thinking that it was a pretty good hike in there. By the time we set up the lights, take our image, break everything back down and hike out, we wouldn't be in bed until 1:30 a.m. All I could think about was photographing this tree at sunrise and how we would wake up at 4:30 a.m. to be able to get there and get it all composed before the sun broke the horizon. His enthusiasm was contagious, and yes, it's how I pretty much live my life as well, but we would be doing this for the next week. I also wanted to make sure I had plenty of rest so that I would be at my best for all of the participants. Later that evening we were hiking up a canyon in the dark. The canyon walls began to narrow. Soon we were boxed in and without ropes we weren't going any farther. It didn't matter, this was an amazing location. We began setting up lights and taking our photographs. I was having so much fun shooting with Marc. He was as excited as I was at what we were capturing. The canyon walls lit by our lights and the sky full of stars looked great on the back of our cameras. How could a third generation photographer, someone who was practically born with a camera in his hands, remain so enthusiastic after a lifetime of this wonderful thing that we call photography? We were throwing ideas back and forth off each other, loving what we were capturing. It was a memorable night of shooting. Sleep came easy and it was very short lived. The morning found us once again driving up the road to the top of the Monument. Hiking through the dark, the sky looked promising. We found the tree and I set up my camera. Marc headed further East along the canyon rim to photograph a different tree that was also pretty darn picturesque. As the sky began to lighten I was worried the sun wasn't going to shine through the clouds. I was still in a beautiful spot, and even if it didn't happen, it's always o.k, but sure enough, for only about 10 seconds, the sun poked through a hole in the clouds and I was ready. I got my image and was very content. The rest of the week was filled with the same. Marc's enthusiasm never waned. We woke well before sunrise, we shot stars well into the morning, and all the participants were rewarded with some amazing photography. The ten hours of sleep I had when I arrived home was well deserved. I can't wait until next year.
Chisos Agave- Kiki, good friend Rory Hayostek, and I spent some quality time in and around Big Bend National Park, scouting for an upcoming workshop Muench Workshops that will be announced soon. I will be co-leading this workshop with fellow Muench Pro, Sivani Babu. She has intimate knowledge of and has spent a lot of time in the area. To say I'm excited about hanging out with Sivani and leading a photography workshop in this amazing environment is an understatement. On this particular morning, Rory and I woke well before the sun. We took photographs of the Galactic Center of the Milky Way that had been in the Southern Hemisphere for a few months. It was great to see it again. We then drove up a little further into the Park where we were well above a cloud inversion. Rory stayed down low, but I had to have something in my foreground. I ran to the top of this butte in hopes of a subject. No better subject than these beautiful Harvard Agaves that are so iconic to this park. The sun rose above the clouds and lit up the peaks, while also lighting up the cloud inversion. What a morning, what a place. For those interested, I took this photograph with a Nikon D850, Nikkor 14 to 24mm lens F 2.8 at F13 at 17mm. It all stayed steady with a #reallyrightstuff tripod.
The Grande Bouquet
Poppies at Blue Hour- I took this image a little over two weeks ago. The poppies had begun to wane. Now they are all but gone. It was a wonderful year for these delicate yellow flowers. To photographers, Mexican poppies are like gold. It is understandable why we are so drawn to them. For future blooms, it is my hope that we will take better care not to destroy these fragile treasures in our quest to capture them. A poppy must live out its life cycle to be able to reproduce and germinate. When they are stepped on, laid on, run through, or taken, they won't reproduce. When it seems there are literally millions of them, one says to themself, "what will it hurt?". When you multiply that by ten, or in some instances, hundreds of people, it can be devastating. I will step off of my soapbox now and ask if you are a photographer, to look into joining Nature First Photography. #naturefirst_org
Silence is Golden- In such a time of uncertainty and upheaval, it is always uplifting to surround oneself in beauty. I never take this for granted. In New Mexico we are not required yet to stay at home. When and if that happens, I will comply. Until then I will camp in the middle of nowhere, taking the food I need, keeping my distance, and finding hope and comfort in the wild places.
