Landscape

The Window

Looking through The Window in Big Bend National Park, the desert floor can be seen for miles. The Window is located in the Chisos Mountains section of the park. Formed by water, this carved-out view perfectly frames the landscape. I felt as if I could reach out and touch the distant mountains, but reality set in and I realized I am one tiny speck in this huge park.

New Year Sunrise

Happy New Year! For the first sunrise of 2020, I was excited to be deep in the Everglades area in Big Cypress National Preserve with no service and no connection to the outside world. I was surrounded by the peacefulness of the swamp plus the sounds of the wildlife waking up. Cypress trees dripping with Spanish moss turned a beautiful golden color. The water was still except for the occasional great egret walking through. Experiencing the first light of the new year was a great way to start the year!

Sandy Evergreens

Standing in the cold, clear water of Lake Superior with rocks in between my toes, I'm mesmerized by the different landscapes before me: evergreen trees, white sandy beaches, and a body of water that looks just like the ocean. After spending three weeks in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I realized there is no shortage of beautiful scenery like this in the area. With hundreds of miles of coastline, the options are endless. The bonus of this particular photo was that I was camping just behind the trees, so I had this view every night for sunset. Twelvemile Beach, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Old Eastern White Pines

Wandering through Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary in Copper Harbor, Michigan, I feel so tiny among the giant white pines. I look up at the sun shining through the trees and imagine the 300-500 years these trees have endured. Some of these trees started growing the in the year 1500 and were saved from logging around the 1970's. I'm very thankful to be here and enjoying their beauty in 2019.

Brockway Mountain Sunset

Standing 726 ft. above lake level and 1,328 ft. above sea level, I watch the sun as it dips below the thick clouds and lights up the land and water. Brockway Mountain has unobstructed views of Lake Superior and the land surrounding Copper Harbor, Michigan. Thick forests, endless water views, miles of rocky beaches, and incredible sunrises/sunsets all make this area one-of-a-kind.

El Morro at Sunset

Among the landscape of New Mexico rises El Morro National Monuement. Humans used these rocks for centuries to live and stop during their travels using the pool of fresh sowmelt and rainwater. Thousands of petroglyphs and inscriptions from each group of travelers cover the rock. Standing here with my camera, I am just one of many travelers over the centuries witnessing the beauty and magic of the area.

Artist Palette

In an otherworldly landscape, Artist Palette in Death Valley National Park is full of colored minerals. Depending on the time of day, the intensity of colors change with the sunlight. I visited this spot multuple times during my stay in the park. Sometimes it was to take pictures, but most of the time it was to just sit and enjoy. I watched these rocks turn different colors from sunrise to sunset and during a rare rain storm.

Foggy Road in Australia

I went for a morning drive from Creswick to Grampians National Park in Victoria. Along the way I spotted wild emus and wild kangaroos. As the sun started to rise, the fog that hugged the roads began to illuminate.

Golden Devils Tower

Devils Tower at sunset, a truly unique and beautiful landscape. With nothing around for miles, the tower rises up out of nowhere. It takes on the same color as the ambient light changing from morning to day to night.

Spilling Water

Hanging out in knee deep water with waves crashing all around me, I watched the way the water spilled over the rocks. It was a powerful experience and great way to start the day in Moloaa Bay, Kauai.

Hawaiian Sunrise

After waking up to my alarm of very persistent roosters, I went for a sleepy walk down the road to Moloaa Bay in Kauai. With the waves wrapped around my legs, I watched the changing light from the beautiful sunrise.

Lines of Gold

Montana de Oro State Park is known for its rugged cliffs and stunning sunsets. Standing here at this spot, I was surrounded by water on three sides. It was deafening with the waves crashing around me. The power of the ocean could definitely be felt here!

New Mexico Yards

While exploring Taos, New Mexico, I was mesmerized by the changing colors of the landscape during sunset. What I loved most was the vastness, the brush, and the mountains in the distance.

The Calm Before the Storm

I was fortunate enough to watch Fourmile Lake go through two different thunderstorms from the safety of my tent. The lake was glass, then full of white caps, then back to glass. This picture was captured just before a nearby lightning strike which told me it was time to retreat to my tent for the storm.

Perfect Aruban Sunset in the Desert

Watching the sunset each night in the desert was an experience I'll never forget. Although the nearby ocean is a popular spot for watching the sunset, the cacti in the desert were what drew me in each night. Here I captured silhouettes of cacti against the bright sun setting in the west over the ocean.

Details of the Plains

The sun was setting behind the mountains in the west causing the colors of the eastern plains to come alive. Here I captured all kinds of golden hues with splashes of reds, greens, and oranges. I remember it being very quiet with only the wind blowing across the land.

Trail of Gold

Every fall in Colorado, the leaves turn bright yellow and the trails turn gold. As I was hiking through Kenosha Pass on this trail, I was hesitant to move forward as I didn't want to step on the beautiful yellow leaves. The trail was laid out before so golden and so inviting.

West Mitten Butte After the Sunset

I've never seen so many different colors in one landscape while visiting Monument Valley in Utah. The colors changed by the minutes with the every passing light. Here you can see the details of the rocks and how they react to the light.

West Mitten Butte Sunset

I've never seen so many different colors in one landscape while visiting Monument Valley in Utah. The colors changed by the minutes with the every passing light. Here you can see the details of the rocks and how they react to the light.

West Mitten Butte Sunrise

I've never seen so many different colors in one landscape while visiting Monument Valley in Utah. The colors changed by the minute with the every passing light. Here I captured West Mitten Butte's silhouette as the sun rose in the east.

Snowy Flatirons

Hiking the Flatirons in the middle of a snowstorm is an experience. I was one of the only people braving the weather. Everything was so quiet. It looked like I was inside a snow globe. Here I captured the Flatirons and the surrounding trees being buried by snow.

Oh Hey There Moose

As with most moose sightings, this guy took me by surprise as he was making his way through the trees. He did not care that I was nearby and too close for comfort. I quickly captured him against the vibrant yellows and greens before turning away and finding a different trail to hike.

Jagged Mountains

The mountains in Grand Teton National Park are picturesque with their jagged peaks shooting high in the sky. Here I captured the landscape changing colors with the setting sun before returning to my tent. The sky puts on a show every night in this beautiful park.

Full of Sunflowers

Nothing is more cheerful than a picture full of sunflowers. I arrived at this sunflower field east of Denver not knowing what to expect. I was amazed by the sheer number of sunflowers that lined the fields. They were all facing east waiting for the warm sun to rise.