Landscape

Big Cypress Boardwalk

Because of the wet environment, boardwalks make up the majority of the pathways in Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida. For the first light of the new year in 2020, I enjoyed photographing this boardwalk as it wraps around the cypress trees like a maze. The greenery and Spanish moss lit up in the sunlight and a beautiful yellow glow was cast all around from the sunrise. Numerous birds could be heard in the background splashing around in the water.

Bradley Key Sunset

Standing on a rocky, swampy, and beautiful beach on the very southern tip of Everglades National Park in Florida, I watched as the sun set behind Bradley Key in the distance. This area of the park is very beautiful with its mixture of different environments from wet, freshwater swamps to a big, open, ocean. Where the two waters mix, it can look pretty murky, but the combination of wildlife and plantlife make this area so unique and fun to learn about.

Pink Snake River Overlook

Soaking in the scenery from Snake River Overlook in Grand Teton National Park, I wrap my coat around my body and wait for the sun to rise. I stare at all of the details before me like the framing pine trees, the winding river, and the snow capped mountains. Grand Teton mountain sits high in the sky with its jagged edges and stunning beauty. This spot was made famous by Ansel Adams in 1942 so naturally my mind wanders and I start thinking about what this spot was like back then. There are a few other photographers around me and I wonder what they are thinking too. Before long, my attention is back to the scenery before me because the magic is too strong to ignore.

Milky Way Mountains

Deep in the backcountry of Big Bend Naitonal Park, I watched the center of the Milky Way rise over the Chisos Mountains. The beautiful details of the Carina-Sagittarius Arm can be seen as it reaches high into the sky. Jupiter and Satarn sit just above the mountains. Some details of the Milky Way make their appearance like the Lagoon Nebula. Back on earth, miles of black desert stretched around me. I felt like a tiny spec with my camera standing on the ground so far away. In order to recreate what I was seeing and feeling, I took two photos and layered them together for this final image.

From Sunset to Stars

Marathon, Texas boasts some of the darkest skies in the country plus some of the most vibrant sunsets. I spend every evening watching the sunset and star gazing so I had an idea to capture my two favorite things about Marathon and blend them together into one picture. Deep orange covers the sky with the mountains as a perfect silhouette. A lone windmill works hard in the distance. And the night sky travels up into deep space where millions of stars twinkle. The Beehive Cluster can be seen in the middle of the dark sky. This picture shows exactly why I love Marathon so much.

The Big Dipper

Ever since I was a little girl, gazing upon the Big Dipper in the night sky has always been magical. Part of the Ursa Major constellation, these are some of the first stars I look for when star gazing. It brings a sense of comfort and familiarity to me. These good memories inspired me to take this photo and recreate what I see and feel. I enhanced the seven bright stars that make up the Big Dipper in order to bring the magic to life. Happy star gazing!

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.

Auriga Constellation

When I star gaze, I find myself drawn to some of the darker parts of the night sky. Whether I am using binoculars or the naked eye, I can see faint fuzzy areas that draw me in and make me want to look deeper. This is where it can get really fun with a camera because with long exposures, I'm able to bring out lots and lots of stars that we can't always see. The inspiration for this picture came from learning that there are three star clusters in the Auriga constellation. Making a pentagon shape, five stars can be spotted as the outline. Within the pentagon are three star clusters known as M35, M37, and M38. And as a bonus, I captured M35 in the upper left section of the photo. I love knowing that even in the darkest parts of the sky, millions and millions of stars are there waiting for me to discover.

Super Pink Moon

One of the reasons why I love Marathon, Texas so much is because of its beautiful unobstructed views in every direction. I woke up early to watch the once in a year event known as the Super Pink Moon of April 2020. After I made my way over the railroad tracks and through some tall grass, I was greeted with this view overlooking a ranch. Birds sang as the sun rose and the super pink moon set over the mountains. The clouds mixed in with the moon were fun to watch because it allowed me to see movement and just how fast the moon was setting.

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.

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.

Walking the 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 Blue Hour

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.