Sky

Grinell Point

Many Glacier Lake, Glacier National Park

Nocturne No. 1

Milky Way over Rocky Cape National Park, Tasmania I light-painted the rocky shore, while the long exposure picked up the astonishing Milky Way. Worth getting up at 2:30am for this show on our last night in Tassy.

Chisos Mountain Sunset

Big Bend National Park

Softest Night

Estero Bay from Point Ybel, Sanibel Island, Florida

Grassy Water

North Everglades, Florida The sunrise paints the morning at the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. The title I've given this photo is the Seminole name for what is now called the Everglades.

Untrammeled Grace

Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park What could be more spectacular than Half Dome spotlighted by the sun like this? Late afternoon can be a glorious time at Glacier Point. In this case, the hours before sunset were more spectacular than the sunset itself. Sitting up here contemplating the spectacle, I imagine John Muir showing this place off to Teddy Roosevelt. It was that visit up here in 1903 that convinced Roosevelt to place Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove into the national park.

Door Of Reality

Afternoon storms moving into the desert bring the promise of wildflowers. Indianhead Peak, seen here from Little Surprise Canyon, seems to bask in the last afternoon sunlight.

The Disposition of Rocks

Sunrise, The Friendly Beaches, Freycinet National Park, Tasmania, Australia Freycinet is one of my favorite places, and this early morning I had the beach all to myself. A long exposure blurred the waves a bit and captured the wonderful range of hues I was seeing in the foreground.

The Mountain, the Stars, and the City

Mount Baker The mountain is Mount Baker seen from the Kulshan Ridge. What looks like the remains of the day isn't. It's the glow of Seattle lights 84 miles to the south. Mount Baker is one of the snowiest places on earth; even in late July you have to cross a deep snowfield to get this view.

End of Day

Puget Sound Taken from a small shoreline park on the southeast shore of Bainbridge Island. I went there to photograph Seattle, and just ran across this serene view of a sail boat returning to Eagle Harbor.

Sun Fire

Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park Sunset at Glacier Point is a graceful experience with or without a camera. This evening, it seemed the clouds were spouting out of the top of Half Dome.

The Goodness Of The Sky

Sunset, Rich Passage, Bainbridge Island We enjoyed how the cloud formations changed whistle we watched the sun set beyond the Olympic Mountains. Fort Ward was created in 1905 to protect the nearby naval shipyard

The Mountain From Another Angle

Mount Rainier Flying out of SeaTac, the mountain sometimes peaks out above the clouds, but I loved the way the higher clouds softened the light this morning.

Primeval Beauty

Rich Passage, Bainbridge Island, Washington Driving home one late afternoon, I noticed the clouds were gathering in interesting ways. So I grabbed a camera and headed to Fort Ward Park. I found some rocks I liked and this brilliantly backlit piece of water plant. Rich Passage was named in honor of the botanist for the Wilkes Expedition of 1838-1842.

Sanibel Sunrise

Sanibel Island, Florida

Grace Of Mountain Light

Late Afternoon, Gore Range, Rocky Mountain National Park The clouds and lighting were so dramatic when I arrived at this high elevation overlook. I had to work fast to get the pictures; the light didn't last long.

A Crystal Sky

Gore Range, Rocky Mountain National Park Another view of the dramatic lighting at this overlook.

Wandering Cloud

Near Mono Lake I liked the look of this little cloud meandering around above the storm clouds further in the distance. The scene made me think of the lines from the Wordsworth poem: "I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills,"

Atmosphere of Unexpected Splendor

Above the North Cascades. Taken from seat 6A

View From A Window Seat

North Cascades, Washington I've flown over this view many times, but couldn't remember seeing such a misty, moody view before.

The Sum Of The Parts

Clouds And Mist, North Cascades

Enlivened By The Clouds

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California This park is known for its wildflower displays. This field sported an extensive display of desert sunflower. The looming storm added drama to the scene. At over 600,000 acres, the park is huge. Many wildflowers are found off the main roads, and it is fun to explore and see what you can discover. There are more photos of the park in the landscape portfolio.

Bright, Shining Grace

Bainbridge Island, Washington Capturing the dramatic lighting of this photo wasn't a piece of luck. It was the result of a habit of putting myself whenever possible in a location where a scene like this might occur. The sailboat is moving toward Eagle Harbor.

In Harmony With The Weather

Snow storm at Bryce Canyon, Utah We watched these clouds swirl around and eventually come together to drop a few inches of snow in the late morning.

Softness And Light

Rockaway Beach, Bainbridge Island, Washington Taken from above Rockaway Beach. I liked the gentle feeling of this early morning view of the ferry heading to Seattle.

Luceat Lux

Sunrise, Badlands National Park, South Dakota Taken from Big Badlands Overlook in the eastern part of the park.

Arch in the Sky

Pacific Rim National Park, Vancouver Island, British Columbia An unusual arched cloud formation at sunset over Long Beach. This is a great place to photograph the reflections of the sky in the water, as the beach stays shallow for some distance, creating a mirror of sea water. Long Beach is the longest of several beaches in Pacific Rim National Park. The panorama was assembled from 28 separate exposures.

First Hours

Straits of Juan De Fuca, from Port Angeles, Washington This sunrise greeted us before we headed to the ferry to cross the Straits. Taken from Port Angeles, Washington, with Mount Baker in the background.

Moon Rising

Near Tioga Pass, Yosemite National Park We were descending from the pass toward Mono Lake. The White Mountains are in the distance, across the valley.

Gentle Arrival Of The Day

Vancouver Island, British Columbia Taken from the Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet, this is one of my favorite views of Barkley Sound and the Broken Group Islands. There is a buoy offshore that has the most evocative bell, especially in the fog.

A Greeting From The Sun

Ucluelet, Vancouver Island, British Columbia Another view on another morning of the Barkley Sound and Broken Group Islands.

Straits of Juan De Fuca

Port Angeles, Washington The sun hovers over Mount Baker in the distance.

Energy, Power, Grace

Wild Horse Wind Farm, Kittitas County, Washington These machines seem so graceful to me. Up close, they swoosh with a sense of great but calm power.

Moon, Clouds and Ancient Trees

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, California The bristlecones are some of my favorite trees on the planet. One of these trees up here in the White Mountains is over 5,000 years old--the oldest living thing on the planet. I have renewed my acquaintance with these trees several times, and am always awed by their adaptability and patience, growing above 10,000 feet where not much else can grow.

Sublimity and Beauty

Sunset in the White Mountains, California Descending from a visit to the bristlecone pines, I waited at this spot for the sun, moon and clouds to line up. I think they came together nicely.

Clouds Over the Broken Group Islands

Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Homeward Bound

Maui, Hawaii A fishing boat quietly chugged by as the day calmed to this beautiful sunset. Taken from the shore at Wailea.

Range Of LIght

Sunset over the eastern Sierra, from the White Mountains John Muir thought the Sierra should be called the Range Of LIght. It's a name that fits.

I Stood Transfixed

The Hazards from Coles Bay, Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania I liked the alternating band of foreground rocks, mid-ground water, background mountains, and of course the sky. For another view of this location, see the "Landscape" portfolio.

A Brilliant Start

Eagle Harbor, Bainbridge Island, Washington The sun turns an ordinary commute into a moment of grace and beauty.

Storm Over Sydney Harbour

Sydney, Australia I followed this storm around the harbour for the longest time. It kept drifting away and then coming back. When I took this photo, the sunlight was starting to stream through over the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, just visible in the shadows.

Soft Sky

Murden Cove, Bainbridge Island, Washington The afternoon light was intriguing, and I was surprised it produced as much color as this. The cove was named in 1856 for someone who lived on the beach here.

Calm

Maui, Hawaii Calm winds on a warm afternoon turn the view toward Lanai and Kaho'olawe into a restful natural painting.

Low Tide

Schooner Cove, Pacific Rim National Park, British Columbia Schooner Cove is one of my favorite beaches in the park, and low tide is one of the best times to be there. The trail to the beach is a beautiful walk through the forest, and passes by a 600 year old Sitka spruce.

Joy and Wonder

Sunrise, Sanibel Island, Florida The sea grape leaves in the foreground were glowing even before the sun rose. I also liked the gentle color of the sky.

The Wise Keep Silent

Sunrise on Bainbridge Island, Washington

House of the Sun

Haleakala National Park, Hawaii

Grandeur and Intrigue

Mount Rainier National Park High cirrus clouds formed in the late afternoon on what had been a clear day on the mountain. The ice in the clouds lined up to form these halos. The lower one never did fully surround the sun, but it put on its own show nevertheless. I've never before seen a halo so bright and dramatic.