Every year I like to look back at all of the Fine Art Photographs I have created and select a small handful of my personal favorites. Capturing a unique perspective and a powerful image often takes many failed attempts in order to finally get the shot you’ve been after. On other occasions, you get lucky and everything works out on the first attempt. Either way, the ending allure of beautiful locations with incredible scenery and atmospheric conditions are all the components in order to keep me out chasing the light. Each of the images below is available for sale as limited-edition museum quality fine art prints. Each image below has its very own story that you can enjoy.

Mid-afternoon light filtered through the clouds casting a vibrant glow on the lush vegetation of the island and onto the turquoise water, which accentuated the corals below. Where time has little relevance and a feeling of what the ancient Polynesians must have felt when first discovering this new land. With nothing changing here for hundreds of years, one could only imagine that this is what Bora Bora must have looked like before man’s touch! 

Lupines are my favorite flower by a landslide! My lupine radar always seems to be on, no matter where I am. I keenly think about them intuitively all year, which brings us to this moment. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity no doubt! This morning, a woman walking her dog remarked that she hadn’t seen them bloom in over 26 years of living here. Sometimes it is luck, sometimes it is friendship and sometimes it is intuition… No matter the reason, I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to share rare moments. I was obsessed with capturing this composition with a perfect reflection and last light off of the flowers but still barely kissing the pines across the bay. If you look closely, you will see the shadows of the tops of the pines from across the lake, creating an even more dynamic perspective on an already mind-blowing phenomenon! 

Tucked away from any trail or known pathway, this little gem of a fall is one I had to use my imagination to find. Nothing but a stream to follow and sometimes allowed me to explore long enough to seek out this incredible scene! I couldn’t believe it when I saw the deadfall framing over the falls draped with old growth moss and the lush, vibrant green ferns covering it! Just a magical and incredible setting that almost seemed like a set from a movie.

The powerful ground swells from the North Pacific Ocean were creating a beautiful symphony on the Kauai coast. As the swells moving in opposite directions collide, there was an energy exchange causing a dramatic back wave. With only a thousandth of a second to capture before returning to liquid state, never to be the same again.  

Some landscapes draw you in more than others. I find the more I travel and the deeper I connect with who and what I am, the more I seek out places where I find the most fulfillment. Sitting atop this desolate ridge, brought me back to a place where I was in remembrance of a time as a young boy, trying to contemplate the universe and truly how fast it was. The same young boy still lives within me today! As I sat there in the twilight, the glow from behind the mountain lit up the fuzzy cotton grass and completely took the show! The sky came alive and that boyhood wonderment came shining back into view as I marveled at the magic of the world in which we live. 

As rain and a powerful surf crashed into the shoreline, we sat waiting for the sun to rise from the horizon. As soon as you could see the first glimpse of light, the rain stopped and the water calmed creating a truly serene moment. 

You never feel quite as alive as you do at 13,000 ft. looking over the high country. This moment took my breath away, literally. The trail was a steady incline, and our heart rates began to rise quickly as our pace began to set in. The dark night was slowly beginning to give way to the rising crescent moon which lit the mountainside in the soft darkness nicely as we were able to make our way without the aid of light. After a couple hours, the light was already coming over the horizon as we made it up the mountain face and saw the lake below. We were running late from what I had originally planned for. Once we made it down to Ice Lake, the sun was already shining overhead. Although unplanned, I was pleased to capture the dappled sunlight on the mountains across this beautiful high alpine lake. The water was an incredible cobalt blue and there was very little wind, which revealed this perfect reflection!

There is something about the Pacific Northwest that simply exudes a sense of wanderlust from within every part of me. The Hoh Rainforest is truly a magical place. Around every bend revealing yet another gorgeous scene to soak in and allowing for moments of invigoration and spiritual awakening. With giant trees draped in a cloak of moss and lush, vibrant green ferns everywhere in sight, I composed this image with a happy heart. 

French Polynesia is near the pinnacle of tropical perfection in my opinion. These blacktip reef sharks were very curious and truly a joy to be around. I spent a few hours with them on several occasions, trying to capture that one shot that spoke to me. Fortunately, I was able to get the blacktip sharks effortlessly gliding through the shallow, turquoise ocean. I just love the movement of the water to the tops of the coconut palms swaying in the breeze. Literally, quite an indescribable moment and one I won’t soon forget!

I have always sought out to capture this incredible scene, however this shot had proven to be difficult due to fog rolling in and out of the canyon. This moment was quite remarkable to see when the razor-edged ridges appeared out of the clouds and the dramatic Napali Coast mountains backed by the blues of the Pacific Ocean came into view. The vegetation in the foreground draws your eyes into the incredible coastline, while the fog and rainbow evokes a dreamlike emotion. 

If you told me this was the Seychelles from the boulders to the water, I’d be inclined to believe you. However, the alpine and mountains really take it to another level and place! There are places in this world that invoke feelings within us that can hardly be described and must be experienced! On this particular day, the clouds billowed above with scattered lightning storms. The sun backlit these turquoise waters and everything was simply gorgeous! I couldn’t believe this was Northern California! 

I had spent many days, years actually, obsessing over getting this shot! As a matter of fact, I had made the eight-hour drive on multiple occasions trying to time their peak bloom correctly. Failures only seem to fuel my desires to capture artwork as I see it within my vision. With each failed attempt, I am more aware that I am drawing closer to the moment that I am able to finally see my objective clearer with a definitive fruition. With a soft cool breeze blowing, the clouds began to catch the light of the dawning summer day. Birds all around were busy singing in the new morning light and I was now standing in a composition that I had meticulously found. Poised at the ready during peak bloom, I captured this absolutely stunning scene of lupine in this awe-inspiring setting tucked away in a quiet place few have ever seen.  

The powerful ground swells of the North Pacific crashing together produce breathtaking back waves. There is a feeling of energy within the water, along with the rock formations in the scenery that makes for this absolutely incredible moment of energy and beauty. 

Steady trade winds gently refreshed the warm salty air, the ocean waves gently lapping up the shoreline and the cacophony of coconut palm fronds broke their silence waving in the breeze! Here, life moves at a different pace. This was the setting of my dreams, a place where I was swept away without a care. 

Nature shows us her every side, should we choose to seek her out and allow time to pass long enough to learn her secrets. This particular location is just such a place! Normally, there are a few small blooms about, one here and a few there scattered about the landscape each spring. However, this year was a different story altogether! With more lupine drifts than I had ever seen before in North Tahoe, the lupine covered everything in sight! With a beautiful sunrise casting a warm glow across the flowers and stunning lake, I was able to capture an image that may just be a once in a lifetime shot! 

After a vigorous hike up the San Juan Mountains, we were making our way back when I spotted a mountain range that grabbed my attention because of its odd shape, appearing to look just like a heart. I stopped my razor in its tracks and scrambled down the mountain to find a composition. I came to rest my eyes upon this perfect patch of columbine perfectly poised in just the right spot for me to set up for the shot! The warmth of the afternoon sun really draws your attention to the mountain in the distance as I composed this scene that you see before you here, deep within the Colorado backcountry! 

Swimming alongside these beautiful little angels of the sea truly makes one question everything one knows.  They swim alongside you with a gentle yet simple curiosity, a kind gaze that beckons you to desire a glimpse into their world. The sun was casting a glow into the Pacific Ocean highlighting this family of dolphins swimming together, quietly communicating and playing alongside one another. All of this was occurring so quickly that I allowed time to stand still and I truly forgot where I was for a few moments to even look above and see the majestic emerald cloaked cliffs of the Napali Coast!

Shooting this reef drop off over the ocean with the island of Bora Bora in a helicopter, truly gave perspective to this scene. How vital, vibrant and gorgeous our ocean truly is! This dazzling array of reef structure suspended above the sea floor displays the delicate and ornate nature of all of its intricacies and textures. This unique capture elicits the feeling of ancient French Polynesia with the lush, vibrant green vegetation on the islands before man’s touch. 

While springtime had me immersed in shooting high country wildflowers, I decided one afternoon to switch gears and explore a few of the incredible locations nearby. Scouting a bit more took me to this scene set in the incredible Lake Tahoe. On this particular day, the clouds billowed above with scattered lighting storms. The sun backlit these turquoise waters and everything was simply gorgeous! I couldn’t believe for a moment that this was a lake in the middle of a beautiful wilderness and not some far away tropical ocean! 

The incredible relief on these cliffs is simply breathtaking! Three thousand vertical feet of Hawaiian mountains on the Napali Coast created this beautiful abstract in nature. The points on the top peaks of the mountains draw your eyes to the trees below. This was a challenging shot due to the constant fog rolling in and out of the ridge ridge tops. After hours of waiting for the fog to subside enough to capture the peaks, I finally got the shot I was waiting for. 

Seldom do I draw energy from manmade compositions. I am more often compelled by nature, untouched. These overwater bungalows are different as they are such a quintessential part of Bora Bora that I could not pass up. I simply had to capture this beautiful gem, an almost dreamlike moment, a double rainbow.  Moments like these are so rare and ever fleeting, it makes me reflect on how precious life truly is and how blessed we are to be able to call this beautiful earth our home.

The lupines were blooming like nothing I had ever seen before in my life! The pillows of flowers ran down the shore all the way into the water and the fragrance filled my senses as I sat captivated by the scene before me. Everywhere I looked appeared to be a composition I wanted to capture; however, I had to focus myself as the light began to gently fade. I was able to capture a perspective I have yet to ever achieve with wildflowers until now… Submerged and in full bloom, after this I’m really not sure what could possibly be next.

The warm tropical air had fully invigorated our senses, coconut palms waved in gentle trade winds and the salty turquoise waters lapping along the shoreline. All of the vegetation in sight was a lush, vibrant green hue and full of life! We were able to find this tucked away gem where the coconut palms framed the distant bungalows and the pinnacles of the island of Bora Bora. Everything lined up perfectly for the shot, bringing with it all the elements that I felt captured the moment perfectly.

Three thousand vertical feet of lush, tropical Hawaiian lava rock on the Napali Coast created this beautiful artwork! Sculpted over time, the points on the top peaks of the mountains draw your eyes to the trees below. This was a challenging shot due to the constant fog rolling in and out of the ridge tops. After hours of waiting and coming back multiple times, waiting for the fog to subside enough to capture the peaks. Then, I finally got the shot I was waiting for!

After researching and thoroughly planning to reach this high alpine lake at sunrise, we embarked on our journey well before first light. Our chests were pounding and lungs were heaving, but the determination we had was pushing us to the top of this 13,000 ft. ridge and once we saw the basin below, we felt our second wind! We hurriedly made our way down and the colors from the morning light were so soft and gentle. Subtle, quiet, unassuming yet expressive, this is the type of light that you can go forever searching for. When you least expect it, it comes and smacks you with a blast of color that you’d never expect! I love when these moments surprise me and I am able to develop images such as these. 

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