Epic journeys through the rugged wilderness, capturing glaciers, mountains, and untamed landscapes of Alaska.
Birds are some of the best models I have found. They are definitely smarter than we know, you can see it in their eyes. Crows are especially smart, solving puzzles and learning patterns, with the potential to speak better than a parrot. And even trickier to photograph.
The nature of birds is often a flock, and similarly my collection of bird photos continues to grow! I love being able to increase the saturation on some to show off some of the colors hiding in their black feathers. These are some beautiful birds that you can enjoy all seasons, even when the rest have flown south.
Growing up my great grandfather was a landscaper, and in the garden at his house were absolutely huge rose bushes he meticulously cared for and shaped, along the walkway had different colors of snap dragons and and oh the number of California poppies! On his old property where I lived for a few years, the entire edge was lined deep with many different kinds of daffodils he planted, the driveway framed by huge manicured rhododendron bushes more than 6 ft tall.
Despite him being a rather quiet man, I like to believe he planted all of those flowers for my great grandmother, trying to fill her days with color and beauty with just a little hard work. I am sure my grandmother, who taught me, learned from him, to always stop and smell the roses…
The place I was raised and called home, nestled between the Absaroka and Gallatin Mountain ranges is a little slice of beauty called Paradise Valley. Just down the road from Yellowstone National Park’s northern entrance at the Roosevelt Arch. The powerful Yellowstone river’s green waters, and the purple mountains painted in sunset make for some amazing sights to see. With more cows than people, this area is truly still the wild west; complete with ranchers on horseback and rolling tumble weeds …
The nearly relentless wind sweeping dust devils, blowing in the afternoon thunderstorms that are gone almost as quickly as they arrived. The entire earth shining as the sun peeks back through the fluffy clouds, rainbows arching from the emerald green pine trees on the peaks to the golden grazing fields, while the smell of sagebrush and petrichor floats on the breeze, it is truly an amazing sight, that is difficult to reflect in a few photographs.
Fish are some amazing creatures, their habitat makes them extra tricky to photograph, but it also lends to some amazing visual effects! I love capturing the reflections that are often like optical illusions, beams of light passing through the ripples. The often colorful models are easy to add grain and turn them into a photo painting with increased saturation and highlights.