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…
Arizona Wild Flowers
It takes a special formula of rain in the fall followed by more rain in mid-winter to deliver wild flowers in the spring. Given that Arizona is a desert, rain is not that common. We can go many, many months without so much as a drop. For us to have enough rain at the right time…
Around the Bend
I visited Bend, Oregon last week, predominantly to visit my daughter, Rachel. Ever since she moved to Bend, she had been “asking” for a visitor. As you know fathers have a tough time saying no to their daughters. Hence, the visit. We ate at a couple of excellent restaurants for dinner. First, Joolz, a Mediterranean…
Return to Valley of Fire
Valley of Fire is a state park in Nevada. The nearest town is Overton which is not known for much other than we stayed one evening. This sounds so inglorious. So, why am I writing about it? During last year’s visit, I took 60 photos at Valley of Fire, all of them horrible. Maybe it…
Mud Flats
A year ago, just prior to our visit to Death Valley, I saw a photo by a prominent landscape photographer that inspired me. It was a photo of interesting mud flats with mountains in the background. These mud flats had fascinating geometrical shapes, knitted together in a mosaic that resembled a complex jigsaw puzzle. I…
