We’ve been to Monument Valley many times, taken some very nice photos, even doing well in a contest or two. Never was there great atmospheric conditions. Either there was no clouds, too many clouds, or even a sandstorm, but nothing spectacular to complement the monuments. This time the photo gods were looking fondly upon us….
Peek-a-boo Carnival
Peekaboo Canyon – A Carnival-Like Experience We decided on another outing with our new friend “G”. This one was sold to us as a visit to a slot canyon, but it was more like an outing to the carnival. It’s just a short 30 minute drive outside of Kanab to the canyon entrance, but there…
The Final Wave
Our first visit to the wave started about 8 years ago when Jeff saw a photo and said, “I want to shoot that!” It was then up to me to research what it was, where it was and how to get there. Answers: “The Wave”, Northern Arizona, 44 miles outside of the nearest town, with…
I Failed at Camping 101
I may have failed at camping 101 but I did not fail at photography. I haven’t camped since college, a time when young men do stupid things. That’s not to say old men don’t do stupid things. We do. But volunteering for camping in the frigid cold at my advanced age is beyond stupid. Why…
Singing the Blues
I am just back from two weeks in the Eastern Sierras of California. The mountains were beautiful, but the photography was quite different than I thought it would be. We talk about photography being, “all about the light”. On this trip, there were four light related challenges that impacted how I approached my photography. First,…
In Search of Methuselah
Many people, when they hear the name Methuselah, think of the Biblical figure that lived for 969 years. Others such as dendrochronlogists, paleoclimatologists, arborcultrists, or tree lovers would point to a specific Great Basin Bristlecone Pine that resides in the White Mountains in the eastern Sierras. Whichever camp you belong, Methuselah, the tree, is the oldest…
Breathless
Little Valley Lakes Trail along Rock Creek Canyon is one of the best if not the best rated hike for the eastern Sierras in Mono county. It is a glacier carved valley filled with wildflowers, marshes, and lakes surrounded by 13,000 foot granite peaks. What better place to spend a morning hiking? Perfect, right? There…
Call of the Tufa
I heard the call of the Tufa. After our first visit to Mono Lake, about three years ago, I have wanted to return. I think most anywhere I photograph I have the desire to return. Can I get a better photo? Will the weather be more accommodating? Will there be less photographers to get in…
Ancient Tree People
I made some friends today, the gnarly, weather-beaten, and resilient ancient bristlecone pine trees. They live in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest outside of Bishop, CA, within the Eastern Sierras. Ever since seeing a photo of one of these trees, it has been high on our photo shoot list. After arriving it was easy to…
Striking out in the heat?
Summer has arrived in the desert and it is HOT. Temperatures hover near 110 degrees during the day and drop to a chilly 90 just before dawn. On Sundays the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden opens at 6am for members, a perfect opportunity to get outside before the heat of the day and remind myself of…
