Majestic Mountains
Read More
Looking out over the desert floor in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona, I was in love with the seemingly endless forest of desert plants and cacti. Ocotillo, teddy-bear cholla, prickly pear, and saguaro were just a few of the plants I spotted. Also incredible was watching the Ajo Mountains turn a beautiful, deep, red-purple color as the sun set. I watched the shadows creep slowly up the valley and eventually onto the mountains.
Splashes of orange paint the sky and purple shadows deepen the mountains in Joshua Tree National Park during sunset. After spending the entire day outside hiking in the harsh, bright sun, I especially loved this sunset scenery because I was witnessing the land changing colors, softening its features, and magic energy spilling out everywhere.
Deep in the backcountry of Big Bend National 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 Saturn 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 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.
Standing under a big, bright full moon one early morning in Stanley, Idaho, I take in the beauty of the Sawtooth Mountains before me. Their jagged peaks shoot high into the sky while the field and fence beckon for me to sit back and enjoy the view. It was an hour before sunrise, so blue hour was still showing off its beautiful early morning colors. Coyotes were beginning to howl behind me as the land got brighter with the rising sun. Soon the sun would fully be up and the day would begin, but for now I had this brief moment in time all to myself to just sit and be.
Nevada sunrise views from 10,000 feet! While visiting Great Basin National Park, this view blew me away the first time I saw it. I knew I had to witness sunrise from this spot. So one morning, I woke up early and drove from the desert floor all the way up to this spot in the mountains. As the sun began to rise in the horizon, everything below me started to illuminate and come to life. The aspen trees closest to me began to turn extra golden and the details of the desert floor in the distance came into view. My favorite part, though, was the layers of mountains in the distance. I couldn't believe I was looking over such beautiful scenery in the state of Nevada.
This is a moment when I saw bright, orange rain for the first time. Camping on some elevated rocks in Mojave National Preserve in California, I was greeted with this incredible sunset. Rich purples, pinks, and blues...color was everywhere. But by far the neatest part was watching the rain turn bright orange in the setting sun. Streaks of orange fell from the sky like cascading fire.
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. This photo is also related to "Snake River First Light" and "Snake River Golden Hour" in my gallery.
Every sunrise I watch has dramatic lighting that splashes over the landscape at different moments. Although I love each of these moments, one of my favorites is when the sunlight first hits the landscape at its highest point. Here, the sunlight hits Grand Teton at an elevation of 13,776 feet. These moments of brief sunlight only last a few minutes as the sun quickly rises and warmth floods the valley. Taken from the Snake River Overlook in Grand Teton National Park, this photo is also related to "Pink Snake River" and "Snake River Golden Hour" in my gallery.
Warmth from the sunrise has flooded the valley! Watching the sunrise from Snake River Overlook in Grand Teton National Park, I got to witness blue hour, the first light, and then finally golden hour. Golden Hour, as shown in this picture, is the hour after sunrise when the yellow sunlight begins to fully light the scenery and the shadows take on different shapes and shades. The Teton Range shows off all of its glory as the Snake River waits for its turn in the sunlight. This photo is also related to "Pink Snake River" and "Snake River First Light" in my gallery.
Snowy Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak
It's not everyday I get to witness snow at Garden of the Gods. Given the mild winters of Colorado and the warm sunshine, snow melts very quickly. Here as the sun was rising higher in the sky, Garden of the Gods shows off with a dusting of snow as it sits under Pikes Peak. My favorite part of this late morning sunrise was watching the vibrance of the red rocks get brighter and more colorful with the increasing sunlight.
Everything about this scenery makes me happy! A bright blue Wyoming sky, a stunning Teton Range backdrop, and a beautiful mess of colorful wildflowers entwined with each other. I was biking along the Jenny Lake Pathway on a warm summer day when these flowers caught my attention. I loved how everything was so vibrant. It perfectly sums up that beautiful day!
While backcountry camping in Colorado, I was lucky enough to watch Fourmile Lake go through two different incredible thunderstorms from the (kind of) safety of my tent. Watching how the scenery before me reacted to the thunderstorms is something I'll never forget. From the deep, loud thunder echoing through the mountains to the thick rain and hail covering the landscape, I can still hear and smell all of the commotion. I took this picture just before the first storm while the lake was still smooth glass and showing a reflection of the incoming storm.