Landscape Format (No Cityscapes)
I'd never heard of Scripps Pier until I met someone who'd seen a Peter Lik photo of this iconic La Jolla location and wanted a photo. I didn't have one at the moment he made the request, but coincidentally, I had a trip planned to San Diego and Catalina Island for the following month. I decided I ought to go there and give it a shot. It turned out to be even more beautiful than I had hoped. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
I'd never heard of Piney Lake, even though I grew up in Colorado, until I appeared at an art show in Avon, and had several people recommend I go there to take some photos. So I did just that. Having now seen and photographed it myself, I can fully understand the recommendations! What a great semi-secret spot! Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48, 80x54, 90x60.
I usually try to find free places to camp as I travel around the country to go to art shows. I'd picked Rice Lake, Iowa out, because I'd read it was a nice place to camp, and it was right along my route. I had no idea if it would be worth photographing, but when I arrived, I realized that if the sunset was good, I could probably get a nice shot. Sometimes a little luck is all you need, and I certainly received my fair share on the evening I took this photo. The clouds were beautiful, and the water was very still – a perfect combination for a good sunset photo. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
Temperance River State Park, on the North Shore of Lake Superior, is a small but beautiful park along Lake Superior's north shore. Perhaps the highlight of the park is Temperance River Falls. I photographed these falls, but was surprised to see that my preferred photos were taken a couple hundred feet downstream, where the river enters Lake Superior. This photo, to me, epitomizes the subtle beauty of Lake Superior's North Shore. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
Horseshoe Bay, which lies about 20 miles southwest of the Canadian border on Minnesota 61, looks much like any number of small bays along the north shore of Lake Superior. The waves were small when I visited in the summer of 2021, but the water was not nearly still enough for me to get a mirror-like reflection. Lacking this option, I put a neutral density filter (basically sunglasses for a lens) on my camera, which allowed me to take a “long exposure” of the scene, which gives the water the somewhat “ghostly” look that can be seen in this photo. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48, 80x54, 90x60.
A mere 3.5 miles from the Canadian Border along Minnesota 61, which runs along Lake Superior's beautiful North Shore, lies Wayswaugoing Bay Overlook, a small pull off that one could easily drive by without giving it a second thought. But when I visited, I was trying to take things slow, and enjoy all the sights I could. Fortunately, I found myself at this viewpoint shortly before sunset, on a day with some of the best clouds I could have hoped for, the stop proved to be a good one. It's a beautiful area, in general, and one of the most accessible places I know of that leaves one feeling a sense of solitude that is increasingly difficult to find in the modern world. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48, 80x54, 90x60.
I've shot a decent number of photos in Wisconsin, but prior to 2021, they were all in either Door County, or Milwaukee. I decided to branch out and see a bit more of what this state has to offer in the summer of 2021. In my research, I came across some photos of Willow Falls, in far west Wisconsin, and figured it was worth a visit. Suffice to say, I was extraordinarily happy with my choice, as these waterfalls are quite beautiful. I took this photo with the sun setting behind me, which made taking a long-exposure easy, and the orange sky to the west added a bit of saturation to the orange rocks that surround the falls. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48, 80x54, 90x60.
I've shot a decent number of photos in Wisconsin, but prior to 2021, they were all in either Door County, or Milwaukee. I decided to branch out and see a bit more of what this state has to offer in the summer of 2021. Pewit's Nest is a bit of a secret spot in central Wisconsin that deserves more attention. It's easily accessible and unique. I'm glad I was here in the middle of summer, when the water was flowing, and warm enough for me to wade out into it, although that wasn't necessary in order to get this photo. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48, 80x54, 90x60.
I had some art shows in the Midwest in the summer of 2021, and decided to use some of my free time to see what kind of nature there was to enjoy. I did some research of beautiful parks in the area, and decided I'd check out Matthiessen State Park, which lies about 50 miles southwest of Chicago. There are a lot of nice, well-maintained hiking trails, and a lot of waterfalls to be enjoyed. It is a popular park, so getting a photo without a ton of people in frame proved to be difficult. I spent far more time sitting and waiting for a clear shot than I did hiking. But this shot of Cascade Falls made all that waiting worthwhile. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48, 80x54, 90x60.
I was traveling through the Midwest in the summer of 2021, and decided to do some exploring. A little bit of research led me to Clifty Falls State Park, on the banks of the Ohio River, roughly halfway between Louisville and Cincinnati, but on the Indiana side. The weather wasn't particularly great when I visited, so none of my landscapes turned out particularly interesting, but on my way out of the park, I saw this young cardinal, and spent a few minutes photographing him before he flew away. If you look closely, you'll notice he does not yet have his full adult coat of feathers. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle A): 10x8, 14x11, 20x16, 24x20, 30x24.
I was traveling through the Midwest in the summer of 2021, and decided to do some exploring. A little bit of research led me to Cataract Falls State Recreation Area, about an hour southwest of Indianapolis. It's a small park, but there are a number of nice hiking trails, and two (perhaps more) beautiful waterfalls, Upper and Lower Cataract Falls. Upper Cataract Falls, shown here, is right off the road, and features a beautiful, red covered bridge. Cars are too big and heavy, now, for many of these old covered bridges, but it has now been incorporated into the park as part of a hiking trail. If one goes across the bridge (right to left in this photo) and continues downstream, doing a bit of bushwhacking along the way, a spectacular view of the falls, complete with the bridge, makes itself apparent. I timed my arrival here to coincide with sunset, and while this photo probably would be beautiful at any time of day, the subtle orange in the sky above the bridge really completes the picture. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48, 80x54, 90x60.
I love Shenandoah National Park. Whenever I find myself in the area, I try to get there for a day or two. I was attending some art shows in the greater DC area in the spring of 2021, and when the show ended, I headed to Shenandoah for a few days of hiking and photography. One of the lowest-energy ways to enjoy the park is to simply drive along the Skyline Drive, which runs for 105 miles along the length of Shenandoah, and has 75 overlooks. I'm sure this road can be unbearably busy in the wrong seasons, but on this visit, I felt like I had the park to myself, and was all alone on one of the overlooks (don't ask which one!) when I got this nicely-framed sunset photo. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40.
Lakeland, Florida has some type of special connection to swans. There are swan logos on everything in and around town, and actual swans can be found in and around many of the lakes that form the namesake of the town. Here's one I was able to photograph from an art show I participated in during the spring of 2021. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle A): 10x8, 14x11, 20x16, 24x20, 30x24, 40x30, 50x40.
Great blue herons can be found throughout the United States, and can grow up to four and a half feet tall, with a wingspan of well over six feet. I was lucky enough to come across this guy (or girl - they're virtually indistinguishable) in Lakeland, Florida, where they live in close proximity to humans, and are therefore much better subjects for photography – they don't fly away as soon as you get a hundred yards away! Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
This is a wood duck that I photographed in the spring of 2021. Many years prior to my having taken this photo, I took a picture of a mandarin duck in South Korea. Both these species of duck are simply beautiful, but I think the mandarin edges out the wood duck. However, I've had numerous people come into my booth, see my mandarin duck photo, and ask if it is a wood duck. As soon as I learned of the existence of wood ducks, it became a minor goal of mine to find and photograph one. An opportunity to do just that presented itself at an art show in Lakeland, Florida, where there are tons of water-loving birds and ducks that have become conditioned to people being in close proximity, and are therefore much easier to photograph than similar birds one may find in a less populated area. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40.
I'm a sucker for butterfly exhibits, so when I was driving through Gainesville, Florida, and saw a billboard for the University of Florida's “Butterfly Rainforest,” I made sure to stop by. I was unable to use a tripod (or even a monopod), so photography proved more difficult than I'd hoped, but I still managed to get a few great shots, including this one of these two tree nymphs, who are native to Southeast Asia, but can also be found in Northern Australia and Southern Taiwan. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle A): 10x8, 14x11, 20x16, 24x20, 30x24, 40x30.
I'm a sucker for butterfly exhibits, so when I was driving through Gainesville, Florida, and saw a billboard for the University of Florida's “Butterfly Rainforest,” I made sure to stop by. I was unable to use a tripod (or even a monopod), so photography proved more difficult than I'd hoped, but I still managed to get a few great shots, including this one of these two tree nymphs, who are native to Southeast Asia, but can also be found in Northern Australia and Southern Taiwan. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle A): 10x8, 14x11, 20x16, 24x20, 30x24, 40x30, 50x40.
I'm a sucker for butterfly exhibits, so when I was driving through Gainesville, Florida, and saw a billboard for the University of Florida's “Butterfly Rainforest,” I made sure to stop by. As I've seen at other butterfly exhibits, the living creatures on display aren't strictly limited to butterflies. There were plenty of birds to be found, too, including this gold breasted waxbill (also called an orange breasted waxbill), which is a species typically found in the grassland and savannas south of the Sahara. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30.
I visited a friend in the spring of 2021 and failed to get the single photograph I had in mind (the iconic lighthouse), but I did play around a bit, and got what I consider to be a nice, peaceful photograph of the sun setting behind a live oak tree. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48, 80x54, 90x60.
Ospreys can be found all across North America, but I photographed this particular one on Big Pine Island, Florida. I was out for a stroll in a park on the island, and came across four or five nests in less than an hour. Thanks to the ban on DDT, osprey numbers have rebounded significantly, and they are now among the most easily spotted raptors across the US. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30.
It seems that something like half of the photographers I run into while in Florida tend to show photos of deserted beaches, and egrets with mating-season plumage. I'd wanted to photograph some of these beautiful birds for a few years, and I finally got around to it in the winter of 2021. The best place (for photography, anyway) that I was able to find to photograph these beautiful birds was at the Venice Rookery, in southwest Florida. Great egrets were aggressively hunted in the late nineteenth century to make adornments for ladies hats, but have since then staged a recovery. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40.
Courthouse Mountain, in the Cimarron Range, just east of Ridgway, Colorado, isn't super famous, but it is, in my opinion, one of the prettiest peaks in the State. Lying in the Grand Mesa / Uncompaghre / Gunnison National Forest, there is a great deal of dispersed camping in the region, so I found a spot to park my van for the night that afforded me this view only a few steps from where I camped. Not a bad view to fall asleep (or wake up!) to. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48, 80x54, 90x60.
I did a lot of camping in 2020, since there were no art shows, and being outside and away from people didn't pose any COVID risks. In late September, I was near Ridgway, in southwest Colorado, with the goal of shooting the changing leaves. I love photographing aspen groves just before they reach their “peak” color. The mix of green and yellow is quite beautiful. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40.
Great Sand Dunes National Park, in south central Colorado, is a fun spot to visit. Well, it usually is. I was there in early September, 2020, when winds like none I'd experienced before in Colorado came through. I was camping in the National Park Campground, and had intended to continue my camping trip for the next week or so, but greatly-reduced visibility caused by the worst wildfires in state history, combined with the just-mentioned winds caused me to re-think my plans, and ultimately cancel the last week of my planned trip. I took this photo on my way out of the park, and heard later that day that the Parks Service had to close the campground and kick everyone out because of the dangers associated with the insane wind. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30.
