Change is a certainty in life. Yet, we as humans tend to resist change as much as possible. Our resistance varies in intensity, but, as much as we resist, said changes occur. This concept holds true for nature as well.
Seasonal changes are always exciting. It’s the annual closing of one chapter and the beginning of another. With it brings new optimism and hope for humans and nature alike.
This is an image of South Boulder Creek as it flows through Eldorado Canyon outside of Boulder, CO. As my wife and I were walking around the canyon, this lone rock with remnants of winter caught my eye. The entrenched nature of the snow and ice drew me in and made me ponder. What I found so fascinating was how this small piece of winter had adapted in its last stand to remain significant. Through it, it seemed that although winter knew its chapter for the year was closing, it continued to adapt and fight to exist. I made several photos of this scene but decided to use a long exposure because I felt it really captured the story of the scene.
In terms of stubborn fervor, nature and man are not that dissimilar. Irrespective of the outcome, we all continue to fight to hold on to what we know and love.
Change is never easy. It is a battle of both mind and spirit. Yet in this battle that we as humans engage in, it is reassuring to know that the nature surrounding us is waging the same war.
This image is available for purchase here.
During my trip to Grand Teton National Park in the summer of 2009, I had several things on my checklist. A moose in a body of water was at the top of the list. It was the last day of our trip; my wife and I were heading out of the park for the evening. Disappointment had begun to set in.
Just then, to my exhilaration, my wife and I noticed something moving in a pond just off the roadside. We quickly pulled over and saw this young male moose snacking in the water. According to the GPS data, this part of the park was closest to the town, aptly named, Moose, Wyoming (I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried).
Moose are known to be nasty creatures and have little tolerance for humans. As the crowd observing him grew, what I found amazing, was how curious he was of his audience. He really could care less that we were there and he even seemed, at times, to play to the crowd. Add to this, the moose appeared to enjoy blowing bubbles in the water as he did this numerous times (I kid you not).
As a wildlife photographer, I could not ask for much more than that. I feel very fortunate to have come across this gorgeous animal and get to cross off the number one goal on my list. It really was a great trip.
This image is available for purchase here.
A trip I was on to Grand Teton National Park in the summer of 2009 was marred with rain and clouds. One afternoon, the rain stopped and the clouds broke just in time for the sunset.
I was fortunate enough to be on a hike around Jackson Lake at the time and the scene in this image revealed itself to me. What really drew my eye was the lone tree on the left hand side of the photograph. It was almost as though Mother Nature was trying to put it in a spotlight on it via the sunset.
This image was one of the best of my collection for 2009 and was used as the cover of my book, 2009 – A Year In Photography. The title, I hope, tells the story photographically, of what I saw and what I found special.
There are always moments of beauty regardless of the elements.
This image is available for purchase here.
Viewing wildlife in a national park is a given. Yet, it is rare to be this close to a grizzly bear.
This image is of a young male grizzly I encountered in Yellowstone National Park during the summer of 2009. This bear, and his brother, had nabbed the leg of a deer that met its fate by being brought down by a pack of coyotes. We learned this from a biologist who had been tracking these two bears the entire summer.
I was on a photo tour of the park at the time and the bear was, literally, on the other side of the road. Even more impressive was how unconcerned the bear, and his brother, were of people opposite the road to them.
Some tour members got out and photographed the bear from behind the bus. I decided to roll down the window, extend my tripod, and snap a couple of images my own way (that being, my body was about half way out of the window).
As you can see from the shot, it had been raining all morning. Even in its dampened state, this bear was one of the most spectacular things I have witnessed. The wildlife of the national parks has beauty irrespective of the conditions.
I am fortunate to have seen this event. Even if I was hanging half way out of a window…
This limited edition print is available for purchase here.
Chris Klapheke and staff over at Outdoor Photo Gear have posted another story I wrote for them. This article talks about how bad weather can sometimes yield fantastic results.
Be sure to check it out by clicking here.
If you are looking for some photo gear that is specifically tailored to outdoor photography, be sure to check out Outdoor Photo Gear. I would also strongly encourage to check out the work of the owner of Outdoor Photo Gear, Chris Klapheke and follow him on Twitter.