Land

Painted HIlls

These sandstone and clay badlands are colored by deeply embedded volcanic ash. They only cover about nine square miles, and it's a long drive to get there. But we enjoyed the silence of the morning as the hills showed off shades of orange, red and yellow.

Visions

Early morning clouds swirl in and out of the White River Valley, Mount Rainier National Park

Ridgelines Emerging

Mount Rainier National Park The silence of the morning; Song without words; Rhythm of the earth Attuned to my soul

Patterns in Snow and Ice

Southern Alps, New Zealand

Geometric Expression

Main Divide, Southern Alps, New Zealand Almost all New Zealand's highest peaks cluster along a 40 kilometer stretch of the Main Divide separating the Canterbury Plains from the Westland.

The Mountain Abides

Southern Alps, New Zealand

Seemingly Contented

On the shores of Lake Pukaki, approaching Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park.

Beginnings and Emdings

"And the sun and the moon sometimes argue over who will tuck me in at night. If you think I am having more fund than anyone on this planet, you are absolutely correct." --Hafez, 14th century Sufi poet and outspoken critic of hypocrisy

Like A River Does

Hooker River, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand A small portion of a rainbow lights up a dark corner near the mountain while the Hooker River draws patterns around the rocks in the foreground. Near the confluence with the Tasman River, there is plenty of glacial flour in the water to create this beautiful emerald color. There was dramatic lighting in the opposite direction from this photo. After working in that direction for awhile, I turned around and saw the sunbeams lighting the mountain side and headed in that direction. The rainbow was visible and there was some thought it might grow. But I wasn't after a rainbow shot. I wanted this photo to be about the two converging lines formed by the illuminated mountain and the rocks in the water.

Earthen Dream

Early morning light shines down on this dry creek bed in Badlands National Park.

Lost In Colors and Forms

Sunrise, White Pocket, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

Story Told in Stone, Sun and Sound

White Pocket, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument This hard-to-reach area is full of patterns, sounds, shadows, and ancient history. You can enter the area along a path originally carved by dinosaurs. The sandstone formations are the remnants of an ancient sand sea that stretched from modern day southern California to Wyoming.

The Storm Leaves In Peace

Aoraki appeared briefly after a day of rain and gale force winds. The storm departed with a glorious sunset, and at one point, the entire Hooker Valley was suffused with a golden glow. This pano is composed of 25 vertical shots. .

The Unplanned Effect

Ahwahnee Bridge and the Merced River, Yosemite Valley This beautiful three-arch stone bridge was built across the Merced River in 1928. We discovered it by accident one October evening on our fifth visit to Yosemite, when the fall colors were reflected in the river. It’s easy to find, but somehow had eluded us. An unplanned delight.

Moonlight on Aoraki

The moon lit up the entire Hooker Valley, even though it was only two thirds full.

Gold In The Valley

Aoraki and the Hooker Valley suffused with a golden glow. Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand

The Calm Neutrality of Nature

Mount Shuksan from Picture Lake in the Mount Baker Wilderness This is a popular spot for a photo, but I am amazed at how many people don't wait for the best light. Every sundown I've been here, most other folks have long disappeared.

Almost Like A Song

Saint Mary Lake with Fall Colors, from Two Dog Flats, Glacier National Park A day of brilliant fall color, with the reflective patterns of the lake mimicking the curves of the shoreline. Red Eagle Mountain looks on from beyond the far shore.

Rich In Beautiful Light

Clearing Snowstorm, Leidig Meadow, Yosemite Valley, November, 2012 Located just west of Yosemite Lodge At The Falls, the meadow is named for Isabella and George Leidig who owned a hotel here in the late 1800s. I was fortunate to be in the valley during an early November snowstorm while the fall colors were still on the trees. I had been walking and taking pictures in the falling snow for four hours when I found myself alone in the meadow. The snow finally stopped falling, the clouds began to break up, and the sun started to raise some mist in the valley. The cliffs at the base of Eagle Peak provide a dark background for the snowy foreground.

Leidig Meadow Revisited

Leidig Meadow, Yosemite Valley Whenever I visit the valley, I like to return to these trees and the cliffs in the background. It's not on the tourist map, but I find it highly evocative, and enjoy capturing the place in differing light and weather.

Tree Form

Leidig Meadow, Yosemite Valley

Cloud of Witness

Prussik Peak from Gnome Tarn, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Enchantment Lakes

Shadow Play

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Sunrise, Death Valley National Park Taken from a high ridgeline, this photo shows Star Dune being spotlighted by the morning sun. The mountains of the Amargosa Range in the background have only just started to pick up the sunlight, leaving the dunes surrounded by the shadows. These are one of five areas of dunes in the park.

Lone Larch

Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Enchantment Lakes Basin, Washington The Enchantment Lakes are a jewel of the Cascades, and this waterfall falls from one lake into Snow Creek. I love the way the larch seems to be watching over the scene.

Noiseless

Yosemite Falls I was hoping for snow but found gorgeous mists swirling around the valley. A hint of the sunset crept through and lightly lit the cliff. With few people around, it was a quiet and peaceful scene.

In Nature's Keeping

Peters Pool, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand

Song Without Words

Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park The mists opened as if the curtains were for the start of a grand performance.

Slowly Drawing to an End

Cooks Meadow, Yosemite Valley

The Fog Reveals

Merced River Canyon, California