As the year 2015 comes to a close, I like to look back and see where my images have progressed and where I want them to go in the future. It's also a good time to reflect on how I've grown personally over the last twelve months. I would say 2015 was another great year! Sometimes after a year as amazing as 2014 it can be hard to compete but I still grew a lot this year, took some wonderful trips and had a great time. This year I continued working with the landscapes of nearby Rocky Mountain National Park, even going a tad out of my comfort zone to capture some of the popular icons that I often get requests for. I participate in three art shows a year in Estes Park, so it's finally time to have a Bear Lake image! That said, I still made sure to get to some of the secluded lakes in the park to capture my favorite image of the year from Two Rivers Lake. It's those kind of places that keep me loving the landscape and nature, where I can sit by the water for an hour or two after sunrise and not see another person even in the summer.
This summer and fall was insanely busy, and as a photographer in Colorado I see no change in this trend! Every time when June rolls around it's a constant mix of backpacking one week and art show the next. I kicked off the season with a solo backpacking trip into the Sangres, then shared some backcountry fun with trips to some of the most amazing places I've seen in the Raggeds and Rawah Wildernesses. I even made it up to the Oregon and Washington Coasts while traveling in the new exploration/art show van. All of these travels gave me inspiration for years and endless trip ideas for the future.
As far as a photography business goes, it was once again another year of great growth! I did more shows than ever and was able to invest in a much improved tent and booth setup. I really appreciate all of your support and business throughout the year! It wouldn't be possible without your continued support through purchases of fine art prints and online ebooks, words can't express how grateful I am. Look out 2016, I'll be doing even more shows and can't wait to share my new booth and latest images!
As the winter came on I decided to head to a place that had long been on my list and finally spent a week in Death Valley. I'm still working on the film for this trip but I'm definitely including one of those images in my top 15! Speaking of that, it's time for the images! Many of these are personal favorites due to the memories of the trip, and some are ones that I think are my strongest images of the year. Which one is your favorite?! Leave a comment and let me know!
“Snowy Range Sunrise” – Taken from my secret pond in the backcountry of the Snowy Range. Prints available.
“Aspen in the Fog” – A ghostly aspen forest under a thick veil of fog. This was like nothing I had ever seen before, the forest was so incredibly peaceful and quiet as the evening light continued to fade. Prints available.
“Fall Storms over Bear Lake” – I waited through every kind of precipitation – rain, hail, sleet and snow – to watch the morning light glow through the aspens above Bear Lake. Prints available.
“Pawnee Buttes Wildflowers” – My favorite place on the Colorado plains was carpeted in purple flowers that I had never seen in such numbers. Every year the plains take on a different character which is why I go out here as often as possible. Prints available.
“Logan Run Falls” – A secluded waterfall tucked away in a quiet corner of Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains. Prints available.
“Windmill, Two Track, Storm” – I biked about 50 miles from home to spend the night on the Pawnee Grasslands, a bit of a May tradition for me. Late in the afternoon the skies turned threatening and I had to seek shelter, but not before capturing this image during the calm before the storm. Prints available.
“Glowing Windstorm” – Howling winds blow snow around the sides of flattop mountain. One of my favorite places to go on a morning when most people would rather be in a warm bed. Prints available.
“Clearing Winter Storm at Dream Lake” – I plowed through a fresh snow to make it to Dream Lake for sunrise, watching the clearing storm and fog dance with the light for two hours before the peaks finally showed up. All this time I had the whole place to myself, such a wonderful morning. Prints available.
“John Deere Combine” – A combine stands between rows of corn during a harvest sunset. This one is a personal achievement for me because this was the first sheet of E6 process slide film that I developed at home. Prints available.
“Last Light on the Racetrack” – The mystical racetrack playa, where sailing stones move about on their own. Prints available.
“Alpenglow at Two Rivers Lake” – A wild combination of glowing peaks, puffy clouds and the setting moon made for my favorite morning of photography this entire year. Prints available!
“Canon Beach Sunset” – Sunset silhouettes over Haystack Butte and the other nearby seastacks. Prints available.
“Redwoods II” – Morning light spill through the towering redwood forest. Prints available.
“Aspen and Rock Spires” – Light and shadow play among the rock spires and aspen forest.
“Oh-Be-Joyful Valley” – Lupine in bloom below the magical peaks of this amazing remote valley. Prints available.
If you would like any of these images on you walls as prints, please contact me by email or by calling me at (970)412-0679
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