It’s once again time for a retrospective of the last year, and what a year it was! While I’m not one to look at January 1st as a hard deadline for life goals, it’s still a good time to reflect and see what progress has been made and where growth is needed. I can truly say that this year was a strong close to the decade, it felt like one of those years where everything clicked and the images show it. This was a result of getting out there to photograph as much as possible along with taking a fresh look at my local landscape and falling in love with it in a new way. There is always something worth photographing and changing my mindset on scenes I’ve seen countless times was a real eye opener and resulted in some of my favorite images this year as well as the start of a series that is still in its early phases. My estimate is that I’ve shot over 600 sheets of 4x5” film in 2019, a number that I’ve never even come close to in the past. Needless to say, it was a challenge to cull such a huge quantity down into the images you see here.
I want to thank every fan and patron out there sincerely for their contributions over the last year, what I do isn’t possible without you. From purchasing prints online and at art shows to supporting me through my ebooks, I can see clearly that there is a huge level of support from both art collectors and the film community. It’s amazing to see my prints going up in homes all over and I’m incredibly grateful for your patronage. For members of the film community I plan to continue producing more educational material to help everyone make the most out of their images.
Each year I continue to find the balance between art shows and photography during the most beautiful summer season in the Rockies. The balance is almost there, though every show season will always have its unique scheduling challenges. I was able to go backpacking several times in Colorado as well as extended trips in Wyoming and Montana, probably spending more time under the stars than I have in several years. On top of that I had over a month of autumn shooting from the Colorado Rockies to Appalachia resulting in many strong images. Starting off the new decade will be exciting! I already have two major trips planned in the next six months and will find time for many others throughout the year.
Without further ado, it’s time to move onto my favorite images of 2019 in no particular order. These aren't necessarily the most popular, but rather the ones I feel are my strongest and personal favorites. Which one do you like most? Leave a comment and let me know!
“Granite Park Sunset” - Late evening light on distant peaks with a field of glacier lily below. Glacier National Park, Montana. Prints Available
“Taughannock Fog” - After a day of rain, fog fills the valley surrounding the iconic Taughannock Falls. Finger Lakes, New York. Prints Available
“Buffalo Pass Aspen” - The last rays of evening light break through the canopy of an autumn aspen forest. Buffalo Pass, Colorado. Prints Available
“Frosty Solitude” - A quick morning blast of freezing fog coats a lone tree and the prairie in thick hoarfrost. Weld County, Colorado. Prints Available
“Homestead Sunset” - Abandoned home on the prairie under vibrant sunset skies. Weld County, Colorado. Prints Available
“Lone Pine in the Aspen” - A solitary pine stands out among golden autumn aspen. Kebler Pass, Colorado. Prints Available
“Shrine Ridge Paintbrush” - A brief clearing in the rain allows sunset light to pour in over a meadow of wildflowers. Colorado. Prints Available
“Sunflower Sunset” - Evening light makes a field of sunflowers glow brilliantly. Prints Available
“Desolation Reflections” - Soft morning light fills a mountain valley. Wyoming. Prints Available.
“The Edge of Skye” - Sunset over the cliffs at the west end of the Isle of Skye. Prints Available
“Sunflower Storm” - A massive supercell storm rotates over a field of late-season sunflowers. Prints Available
“Sunrise over the West Elks” - A special sunrise view over endless aspen forests and towering peaks. Colorado. Prints Available.
“Autumn Medley” - All the possible colors of autumn lie in the leaves of a small puddle. Finger Lakes, New York. Prints Available.
“Lone Maple in the Fog” - A single vibrant red maple among the foggy woods. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. Prints Available.
“Crystal Mill” - The iconic Colorado mill in afternoon autumn light. Prints Available
“Winter Red" - A red barn on a frosty winter morning. Prints Available