After taking a class on manual shooting I decided that I wanted a full-frame sensor camera.  I started researching my options and decided to go with the Sony a7 line.  The results weren’t automatically good, and I'm still figuring out focal lengths, composition and other techniques.  But I do know that I love snow, I love winter, that’s why I moved to Colorado.

My first “trip” with a camera was to Wyoming, to visit one of my closest friends April. At the time she was living near Jackson Hole and this was one of their most epic snows in many, many years. Needles to say I felt compelled to shoot a lot of really awful images, but it did cement in my the desire to shoot winter scenery and to appreciate the embrace of the cold and confusing world that winter offers.

This fence row, unknown at that time, would form a strong impression on me as winter and fence posts often show as important subjects and settings in my images.

New Years Day, 2017  

This was the first picture of the year, and arguably, or ironically, one of my favorites.  I was visiting my close friend Lisa in southwestern Colorado, and we decided to finally venture out after a very long, lazy day.  The lake was steely cold, and the storm clouds overhead only blew the faintest breeze on the lake's surface.  This one capture. in the break from the water's ripples, created a near perfect mirror for the tumultuous sky beating above.

This was my first piece in a show, and it did win 1st Place for the photography. I couldn't have been happier or prouder, and simply was completely surprised.

This is a lone grove of Aspens, sitting in a low saddle at the top of the plateau overlooking the Colorado River.  Arguably this wasn't the composition I was looking for.  I wanted a flatter scene, one with more snow, and fewer distractions. We'd been driving north, towards Steamboat, when a quick turn onto the old State Road brought us high on a hill, and this scene appeared.  

The high clouds of the day cast a harsh light which ultimately created the separation in the scene I had originally been looking for.  So, if was a matter of frame the grove and finding the effective settings on the camera that would complete the composition.  

It was a harried day to be sure, the later start lead to some frustration, but this was a calmness in the day that was desperately needed.  Unfortunately the tensions of the day carried through the next 36 hours, and even though there were breaks and some other, still beautiful images captured, that frantic pace of the day mimicked the frantic pace of a new relationship, and ultimately it was the casualty of the of all the tension, all the harshness.

 16" x 24" aluminum print.  This is the full image, final piece is cropped to highlight the Aspens

There’s a lot to unpack with this image, and yet there isn’t.

January, 2017

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

February, 2017

The Elk River near Clark Colorado is quickly becoming one of my favorite places. This was my first real attempt at a long-exposure image, that was to me successful. This image was a bit of a turning point for me, it reminded me that capturing an image does take patience. You have to be invested all the way if you really want to capture something special. Yes, some images are just "instant," timing is in fact everything. But this took more than timing and I am really satisfied with the results.

March, 2017

I've been driving past this intersection for 30 years.  This was my first experience with the Rocky Mountains when I moved to Colorado in 1988.  It was desolate, vast, and beautiful.  My friends Cheryl and Jeff wondered why I didn't sleep as the little Jeep Cherokee hurdled across the empty space on our to ski, but I couldn't, I was fascinated by the sprawling frozen landscape outside that thin piece of glass.  

Little did I know that 30 years later I'd be sitting on the side of the road, a stretch of highway I know quite well, taking pictures in a breathtaking sunset, ready to step out into my life's next adventure.

February, 2017

There are multiple names for multiple peaks, rivers, creeks and passes throughout the west and particularly in Colorado.  While one Mt. Evans makes a dramatic backdrop for the urban skyline, this one is nestled high in the central rockies between the historic mining claims of Leadville, Placer, Alma and Fairplay. Modernity of course can not be held at bay and 21st century lineman have added their mark to the high country, anticipating a future that we surly bring more people to these locations.

Light cirrus clouds, timed with the low angle winter light allowed the Mosquito Range to jump out. The light was able to find the right places, and the subtlety of a black and white image softened the whole scene.

Happy to print this on 13X19 paper for the Forest Service office out of Fairplay, Colorado. Thank you to Kristen for reaching out.

My older brother introduced me to Broadway musicals while we were making a cross country journey.  This was significant for many reasons, the greatest being a deeper understanding and connection to my brother, and it would set the course for my life.  We were driving to Colorado which would become my home and new life.

I've been working on balancing patience and persistence while my photography unfolds.  This shot was about both; being at the right place, at the right time, and having the sense to genuinely appreciate both.

The Continental Divide dominates Fraser County.  You enter from the south, climbing over Berthoud Pass.  The Divide, to the east, is full of dramatic chutes and colliers, all dotted with dense Spruce and Ponderosa.  The recent snows added white, with changing weather provided clouds and light and adding the intensity.

Originally shot in January, 2017, I decided to reshoot this composition to see if my technique had improved with a year of experience.  I do feel this is a better image, and I was much more thoughtful about the technical side of the image.  And, I was fortunate enough to capture it in roughly the same light; high clouds  and a high early afternoon sun created a flat, bright light, knocking out most of the shadows, but allowing intense contrast.  

My best model, the Elk River, Clark Colorado

10 degree temperatures, a river flowing under a still, and heavy blanket of ice and snow.  High, and violent clouds playing in the morning light.  The Elk is a favorite of mine.  This image is far more than I could have imaged from this morning.

There is a stretch of the Yampa River that bends ever so much as it flows east out of Steamboat Springs, that a perfect framing of Mt. Werner is produced.  I've shared an image of this composition already, and even though that original composition is good, I know a better one exists.  So, whenever I am in Steamboat, I head over to this setting to try to capture "the" shot.  

Every time that I am there, I have peer down stream, wonder what "that" composition might reveal.  On this particular evening, I found this; Golden and brown light, a long-exposure which cast a molten light on the river.  

I can't decide if my time lapses are documenting my still landscapes,  or if my still landscapes are documenting my time lapses.  Either way I enjoy have two cameras and I enjoy the technical challenges of composing different scenes from the same settings.  

This was one of those moments where watching the river and clouds flow, while the sun was rising, really didn't need to end.  I'd been up for three hours at this point hoping to capture the Milky Way. But these clouds that were creating such a beautiful sunrise had already thwarted the night sky.  

At least the tree looks peaceful contemplating it's reflection.

The deceiving party about this image is that it was early February, and it was 9 degrees out; and, it was absolutely gorgeous.  I can't get enough of the Elk River.

An iconic scene above the town of Crested Butte, in the heart of Colorado's Rockies.  I have only spent time in Crested Butte during the summer and fall, either riding through on the motorcycle or out catching the Aspens turning color.  It is a beautiful little town, in an isolated valley.  It is truly one of those places I wished I had more memories of, and something I would loved to have found when I first moved to Colorado.

Crested Butte offers so many, many sites and vistas, and winter adds a layer to the beauty that already feels limitless.

This Forest Road leads out along the East River into the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness to the north and east of town. After a short hike out along this path, the road back in rewards the walk with this view.

It would be a cliche, but this is actually the name of this ghost town, and yes it is a sunset. It is a faint remnant of the ranching heritage that used to dominate Routte County, and under a blazing winter sky, it’s easy to see the appeal of these wide open spaces.

A familiar and dominant feature north and east of Steamboat Springs, loosely framed by the fence line and covered in snow, the cloudy sky offered a rich, diffused light, highlighting the details in the wire, post and snow.

High, diffuse light, reflecting off of snow…

Lonesome, fragile fence line, mocked by time…

Simpler beauty than most.

It would be a cliche, but this is actually the name of this ghost town, and yes it is a sunset. It is a faint remnant of the ranching heritage that used to dominate Routte County, and under a blazing winter sky, it’s easy to see the appeal of these wide open spaces.

January, especially the end of it, holds anniversaries for many of my life’s transitions. I always hope to embrace these transitions, and grow from the experience they’ve offered me. This one is no exception.

January, especially the end of it, holds anniversaries for many of my life’s transitions. I always hope to embrace these transitions, and grow from the experience they’ve offered me. This one is no exception.

January, especially the end of it, holds anniversaries for many of my life’s transitions. I always hope to embrace these transitions, and grow from the experience they’ve offered me. This one is no exception.

My skiing days seem like a distant memory anymore. Waking early with Andrew and Tanner, piling in the truck and heading out into the dark to make our way for a few precious hours in the snow. We never took the time to stop for this site, that is a choice I will always think about.

I posted a summer scene of this composition not too long ago. That was a sunset image, this is with the very first light of the day.

This is a vertical panorama. The camera is kept in the same horizontal frame, but the shots are taken at low, middle and high positions, elevating the camera after each shot by about 1/3 of the frame. The end product is a much large file, so a lot more detail is evident, and an elongated perspective is created.

We’d camp overnight, under a cold blanket of stars. Wake early enough for cinnamon rolls in the oven, and scraping the frost off of the windows. Some memories are deeper than others.

To the east of Loveland Pass you can hike a ridge that takes you to Cupid and Grizzly Peaks, before descending a saddle and climbing again to Grey’s and Torrey’s, two of Colorado’s 14er’s. My good friend James and I completed this route a little over six years ago. It was a beautiful morning, windy, but not cold, as most late summer mornings are.

Waiting for the sun to finally break the ridge and capture a muted sunstar I watched a few different groups make the winter trek up this ridge. It seemed like a good way to spend the morning.

I’ve taken a few images of this mountain range, locate between Frisco and Kremmling, but I’ve never been able to explore it. The northern end is cut through by the Colorado River, while the southern end reaches to I-70 before being cut off. Easily covering 300 square miles, it is mainly accessible by foot, and this is only in the summer. Winter’s fury takes its toll, but a beautiful fury it is.

At one time, you were allowed to sleep in the parking lots for the different ski areas. Arapahoe Basin was the last ski area to ban that activity. We’d spend the night in the department of transportation lot, as it was still on National Forest land, so overnight camping was permitted. It’s an incredible sight, the number of people crowding the slopes today. I miss skiing, but I miss the camaraderie with my Andrew and Tanner more.

This happens to be a long exposure, but not that long, only 5 seconds, but the clouds were moving faster than usual this morning.

Lonely pine standing down winter, at the foot of Mt. Evans.

One of my favorite subjects, the little Elk River near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The past two years I’ve been able to photograph open water, but this year’s accumulation of snow isn’t about to give way just yet. I just this with the drone, it is a 4 image vertical panorama, as the Mavic Air cannot rotate it’s camera to get a vertical image.

Steamboat Springs’ iconic More Barn, at the end of the day, the glow finally revealed itself.

I definitely premeditated this shot…

Easy to be distracted by the bigger, more beautiful object. Letting our sight work over the scene, we can reveal the other beauties.

Hiking in on snowcat trails, taking in the quiet and calm of the freshly fallen snow of Buffalo Pass. Mt. Werner stands as a somber edifice over the Yampa Valley. Not always viewed from this angle, and in this dress, it is still a beautiful sight.

Viewed from Squaw Pass Road, in the setting February sun.

The closest 14’er to downtown Denver, Mt. Evans also provides a paved route all the way to the top. Though I’ve climbed it, on a few occasions, I’ve never driven or ridden it. That will change this summer.

While waiting for the night sky, I was able to capture some drone footage and take in another beautiful and brilliant Colorado sunset. This one took place on top of Valley of the Sun, near Alma, Colorado.

While waiting for the night sky, I was able to capture some drone footage and take in another beautiful and brilliant Colorado sunset. This one took place on top of Valley of the Sun, near Alma, Colorado.

While waiting for the night sky, I was able to capture some drone footage and take in another beautiful and brilliant Colorado sunset. This one took place on top of Valley of the Sun, near Alma, Colorado.

Why it get’s its name…

Our sunrises do light up… Mt. Guyot stands as a sentinel of South Park. With Georgia Pass on its east flank, the rises steadily on its left shoulder, a sheer and straight climb. I still need to summit it, I want to know its views.

Seeing through the inversion, as the sun is rising. Longer lines than normal, greater distortion than imaginable, but the light, full and floating; a life of its own.

The back road along the Arkansas Valley runs through the Colorado Corrections Facility farm. It also offers breathtaking views of the Sangre de Cristo mountains and the Collegiate Range. This is the scene looking south, into another spring storm in the Rocky Mountains.

An 11 image panorama, shot at 135mm and stitched together.

The dawn patrol arriving on Loveland Pass - January, 2020

There are always challenges inherent in panoramas; some are with the photographer and some are with the photographers lack of appreciation for their equipment. I like my longer lenses for panoramas, 85mm, 135mm, and now a 100-400mm lens. They can gather so much information and make the image explode with detail. But they take a lot of patience to wield accurately, and I’ll admit to my sloppiness and desire to rush through a scene as it is evolving to quickly and I just want to capture one more…

With panoramas this is problematic, and can result in disaster, especially when processing the image. This one survived, mostly. It’s more than 12 vertical images shot left to right, hand-held, with a 135mm lens, shot at it’s widest aperture of f/1.8. With this lens the detail is absolutely there, there is no distortion to speak of, but there is some vignetting that can potentially create dark bands within the frame. I had to work a lot to reduce those, but am overall very happy with the results. As always, there is so much more to learn.

As always, thank you for following along!

The Citadel, view from Loveland Pass.

Single frame taken from panoramic composition - February, 2020

ISO 50 | F/1.8 | 1/400 sec.

I have a hard time believing this winter has come and gone. No we are sitting in the precarious state of uncertainty. We’re all left wondering what this set of transitions and restrictions will bring…

I’d gone up early to capture the faint window of the early Milky Way, and not wanting to waste the trip stayed put while the first light started to grow on the eastern face of the Continental Divide. This composition is the result of 11 vertical images shot left to right, at 135mm. Images were edited and then stitched together in Lightroom. The original file is 50MB, making it ideal for a large panorama or triptych. There’s also color version, with the very sublet hues of a cold, winter dawn.

ISO 50 | F/1.8 | 1/400 sec.

February, 2020

The Citadel, view from Loveland Pass.

This one is a little difficult to look at. I pulled off the road and turned around, hoping the light would still be illuminating the grove. I was still there and so I shot two quick frames and got moving along again just to be sure that I got out of the way on this narrow stretch of road.

The problem was, I was really tired, more so than I’d been in a while. So, instead of making my way into town, I fell asleep behind the wheel. The fortunate part is I was going slow. The more fortunate part is the road was empty, and I veered right. The high, heavy snow bank stopped me after a full car length. This has been a sobering experience to say the least. I’m not sure what I’m going to do next. This was the most irresponsible thing I’ve ever done. Period.

11 image panorama of Pikes Peak and the Front Range under a vermillion glow at sunrise.

I’d intended just to shoot the Milky Way and capture another set of images for a star trail. I did both of those and as the sunrise began to glow it was so hard to ignore it.

It couldn’t have been any calmer… the last of the sun slipping behind the western horizon.

While the time lapse was running, I was off taking pictures with the other camera to the east, hoping to capture the sun emerging from behind the horizon. In my rush to reset for a second time lapse I got distracted by the scene that was being captured, so quickly switched lenses and pointed the camera north towards Boulder and the Flatirons. This is one of the images that resulted from that effor

another south park sunrise…

22 vertical images stitched together…

blue is the warmest color…

another south park sunrise…

1 vertical image…

blue is the warmest color…

Mt. Princeton - One the states more recognizable scenes. A winter morning, dressed in the early season snow, the alpine glow creates the mesmerizing light.

ISO 200 | F/4 | 1/50 sec.

Mt. Princeton - Winter 2020 Gallery - #1

Mt Princeton - One the states more recognizable scenes. A winter morning, dressed in the early season snow, the alpine glow creates the mesmerizing light.

ISO 100 | F/4 | 1/50 sec.

Mt Princeton - Winter 2020 Gallery - #2

Mt. Princeton - One the states more recognizable scenes. A winter morning, dressed in the early season snow, the alpine glow creates the mesmerizing light.

ISO 400 | F/4 | 1/50 sec.

Mt. Princeton - Winter 2020 Gallery - #3

I’ll write more on this topic later, but for now, Mt. Silverheels, greeting the day.

This composition is the result of 6 horizontal images shot bottom to top, at 135mm. Images were edited and then stitched together in Lightroom. The original file is 70MB, making it ideal for a large print.

ISO 100 | F/1.8 | 1/80 sec. - Sony FE 135 GM

December, 2020

No wonder they came searching for gold. The Sangre de Cristos viewed from the north. You can fill this scene in with so many different stories about the Spanish, the trappers, the missionaries, the miners and the wayward, but this is the land of the Ute tribes.

Each tribe seasonally migrated around their own mountain range, summers in the high country and winters in the warmer lower elevations.

I can’t even imagine that life, no matter how hard I try, I cannot fathom that pace compared to the breakneck speeds that the current culture approaches everything. The challenge is finding simplicity without extorting it. Im still not sure how that is done.

ISO 100 • F/1.8 • 1/500 sec.

135mm. 21 vertical images, edit and stitched into this panorama - creating a beautiful 130MB image. Perfect for a large panorama or triptych.

One of my favorite images of 2020, before we knew the craziness that would engulf us was taken from this spot in late February. That seems like so, so many years ago, but it is just 10 months.

It decided to revisit the day before the Solstice and gather in another round of morning light and bookend the year.

ISO 100 • F/1.8 • 1/500 sec.

135mm. 9 horizontal images, edit and stitched into this vertical panorama - creating a beautiful 60MB image. Perfect for a large wall print.

Making the most of the morning light - the detail on the granite face doesn’t normally show up, but with the intense morning light, the scene became a very different story.

ISO 100 • F/1.8 • 1/250 sec.

135mm. Single image.

One of my favorite images of 2020, before we knew the craziness that would engulf us was taken from this spot in late February. That seems like so, so many years ago, but it is just 10 months.

It decided to revisit the day before the Solstice and gather in another round of morning light and bookend the year.

ISO 100 • F/1.8 • 1/250 sec.

135mm. 27 vertical images, edit and stitched into this vertical panorama - creating a beautiful 115MB image. Perfect for a large panorama or triptych.

I think I’ve written about Father Dyer before - the preacher who delivered redemption and the mail, as well as life saving supplies to the miners and residents of the Mosquito Range? A pretty amazing character, to say the least. I need to look through my work, he deserves a proper blog post. In the meantime, this is his mountain, in the Mosquito Range.

This composition is the result of 9 horizontal images shot bottom to top, at 85mm. Images were edited and then stitched together in Lightroom. The original file is 50MB, making it ideal for a large print.

ISO 100 | F/1.4 | 1/320 sec. - Sony FE 85GM

December, 2020

A last sunrise for 2020 - looking southeast to Pikes Peak, with only the Spruce and the clouds joining the scene.

10 images stitched together for this 16x9 ration image - the original file is an impressive 65MB and would make an incredible large print.

ISO 100 | F/1.8 | 1/500 sec. @ 135mm

Silverheels was a dancehall girl, a lady of questionable character, and Patron Saint of the small-pox victims (allegedly) throughout the gold camps of the Mosquito Range. 

Regardless, there’s a beautiful mountain named in her memory. It towers over South Park, anchoring one shoulder of Hoosier Pass. In any light, it is mesmerizing, a sight of genuine beauty.

This composition is the result of 16 vertical images shot left to right, at 135mm. Images were edited and then stitched together in Lightroom. The original file is 65MB, making it ideal for a large print. This is a 16x9 format, but a 3x1 panorama is also available.

ISO 100 | F/1.8 | 1/80 sec. - Sony FE 135 GM

December, 2020

I think I’ve written about Father Dyer before - the preacher who delivered redemption and the mail, as well as life saving supplies to the miners and residents of the Mosquito Range? A pretty amazing character, to say the least. I need to look through my work, he deserves a proper blog post. In the meantime, this is his mountain, in the Mosquito Range.

This composition is the result of 15 vertical images shot left to right, at 85mm. Images were edited and then stitched together in Lightroom. The original file is 55MB, making it ideal for a large print. 16x9 format for a change of perspective.

ISO 100 | F/1.4 | 1/320 sec. - Sony FE 85GM

December, 2020

The epitome of winter - bare, stripped of superfluous beauty, standing in its most vulnerable state. The lone Aspen has deep roots, and is still a part of the larger whole even when seemingly estranged.

The complexity of a simple scene is measured by what; the tree, the shadows, the barren portion of the road, the layers in the confused sky? That’s the story we get to create, the one that reminds us that “fear is the heart of love.” And that having someone to follow into the dark is the greatest comfort will know, when we’re ready for our long slumber.

ISO 50 | F/1.8 | 1/8000 @135mm

An Aspen Slumbers

Mt. Princeton - One the states more recognizable scenes. A winter morning, dressed in the early season snow, the alpine glow creates the mesmerizing light.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/2000 sec. @200mm

Mt. Princeton - Winter 2020 Gallery - #4

The epitome of winter - bare, stripped of superfluous beauty, standing in its most vulnerable state. The lone Aspen has deep roots, and is still a part of the larger whole even when seemingly estranged.

The complexity of a simple scene is measured by what; the tree, the shadows, the barren portion of the road, the layers in the confused sky? That’s the story we get to create, the one that reminds us that “fear is the heart of love.” And that having someone to follow into the dark is the greatest comfort will know, when we’re ready for our long slumber.

ISO 50 | F/8 | 1/320 @135mm

An Aspen Slumbers B/W

This is a bit of an elusive image. The past few years of driving this route the “destination” was always in my mind. So streaming past this on the motorcycle or on a trip it never occurred to me to stop and take in the view. In 2018 I finally had the chance to “see this” and have wanted a winter image of it ever since.

First saw this view 31 years ago - It was me second summer in Colorado, and a road trip to take in some of the different sites seemed in order. I’m always surprised at how long I can hold my breath. 

ISO 100 • F/5.6 • 1/20 sec. ~ 200mm.

January, 2021

Gore Range - Monday Morning, 7 o'clock

One of those sights that I know a lot of other people look at, but I’m never sure how many actually get to see. A beautiful sunrise at the beginning of a treacherous week in America. Hoping it is only a darkness before a beautiful dawn - time will be the only way to tell.

Three of the last four years, this has been a scene to mark the passing of time - it still draws me in, it sill has a story to share.

ISO 50 | F/1.8 | 1/8000 sec. ~ 135mm

Details at 250mm on the 200-600mm lens.

This composition is the result of 16 horizontal images shot bottom to top, at 250mm. Images were edited and then stitched together in Lightroom. The original file is 65MB, making it ideal for a large print. This is a 2x3 format, but a 3x1 panorama is also available.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/80 sec. - Sony FE 200-600G @250mm

January, 2021

The first light of the day on the Gore Range.

Aspens, Spruce, snow - I can’t think of much more to make a winter composition.

High peaks, deep snow, a serene winter dawn.

Details of the Wet Mountain Valley and Cerstone Mountain, at 400mm on the 200-600mm lens.

This composition is the result of 8 horizontal images shot bottom to top, at 400mm. Images were edited and then stitched together in Lightroom. The original file is 65MB, making it ideal for a large print. This is a 2x3 format, but a 3x1 panorama is also available.

ISO 100 | F/9.0 | 1/800 sec. - Sony FE 200-600G @400mm

January, 2021

Finding new compositions sometimes means going to new places, and other times it means just looking at a familiar place differently. Returning to the Wet Mountain Valley with a camera has offered the latter opportunity - and has given some beautiful images already.

ISO 50 | F/2.8 | 1/5000 sec. FE 135GM

January, 2021

Three of the last four years, this has been a scene to mark the passing of time - it still draws me in, it sill has a story to share. A seven image vertical panorama, shot in early February, with the scene still missing real snow.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/2000 sec. @ 200mm

It took too many shots to get this composition - that’s what learning is for, moving past he happy accident and into intentional beauty.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/5000 sec. - 200mm

I missed the Elk River in 2020, but I think a lot of sacrifices were made last winter.

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/6 sec. - Sony a7riii - FE 16-35GM

Elk River - Winter Study I - 2021

I missed the Elk River in 2020, but I think a lot of sacrifices were made last winter. Square crop of 6 image vertical panorama.

ISO 100 | F/9 | 1/6 sec. - Sony a7riii - FE 16-35GM

Elk River - Winter Study II - 2021

I missed the Elk River in 2020, but I think a lot of sacrifices were made last winter.

ISO 100 | F/9 | .40 sec. - Sony a7riii - FE 16-35GM

Elk River - Winter Study III - 2021

I missed the Yampa Valley in 2020, but I think a lot of sacrifices were made last winter. The snow this year has been problematic, but a recent storm gave the valley a fresh coating that it desperately needed.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/4000 sec. - Sony a7riii - FE 200-600G

Mystic - Winter Study II - 2021

I missed the Yampa Valley in 2020, but I think a lot of sacrifices were made last winter. The snow this year has been problematic, but a recent storm gave the valley a fresh coating that it desperately needed.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/2000 sec. - Sony a7riii - FE 200-600G

Mystic - Winter Study I - 2021

I missed the Yampa Valley in 2020, but I think a lot of sacrifices were made last winter. The snow this year has been problematic, but a recent storm gave the valley a fresh coating that it desperately needed.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/2000 sec. - Sony a7iii - FE 200-600G

Mystic - Winter Study III - 2021

I missed the Yampa Valley in 2020, but I think a lot of sacrifices were made last winter. The snow this year has been problematic, but a recent storm gave the valley a fresh coating that it desperately needed. The Sleeping Giant continued to slumber under this new blanket of snow.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/2000 sec. - Sony a7iii - FE 200-600G - 23 Image Panorama

Mystic - Winter Study IV - 2021

I missed the Yampa Valley in 2020, but I think a lot of sacrifices were made last winter. The snow this year has been problematic, but a recent storm gave the valley a fresh coating that it desperately needed. This loan tree in the shadow of the Sleeping Giant surveys the new landscape under the blanket of snow.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/2000 sec. - Sony a7iii - FE 200-600G

Mystic - Winter Study V - 2021

I missed the Yampa Valley in 2020, but I think a lot of sacrifices were made last winter. The snow this year has been problematic, but a recent storm gave the valley a fresh coating that it desperately needed.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/2000 sec. - Sony a7iii - FE 200-600G

Mystic - Winter Study VI - 2021

I missed the Elk River in 2020, but I think a lot of sacrifices were made last winter. The snow this year has been problematic, but a recent storm gave the valley a fresh coating that it desperately needed. But open water underneath the blanket of snow is the tell that spring isn’t far away.

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/6 sec. - Sony a7riii - FE 16-35GM

Elk River - Winter Study IV - 2021

I missed the Yampa Valley in 2020, but I think a lot of sacrifices were made last winter. The tree looks peaceful contemplating its reflection, as the snow blows in and out.

ISO 1600 | F/11 | 1/2000 sec. - Sony a7iii - FE 24GM

Yampa River - Winter Study VII - 2021

Knowing I might not be able to get out the upcoming weeks I decided to head back to Steamboat a second Saturday in a row to seek out more winter compositions. Watching the sky catch fire after a nearly frozen night chasing the stars was a welcome sight over the Yampa River.

ISO 800 | F/4.5 | 1/5 sec. - Sony a7iii - FE 20G -

Yampa Sunrise - Steamboat - March, 2021

Knowing I might not be able to get out the upcoming weeks I decided to head back to Steamboat a second Saturday in a row to seek out more winter compositions. The Sleeping Giant is an iconic sight, and shots can be created from many different locations. This 16x9 format panorama is the result of 20 vertical images.

ISO 100 | F/8 | 1/1600 sec. - Sony a7riii - FE 85GM - 20 image panorama

Sleeping Giant Panorama - Steamboat - March, 2021

Knowing I might not be able to get out the upcoming weeks I decided to head back to Steamboat a second Saturday in a row to seek out more winter compositions. The Sleeping Giant is an iconic sight, and waiting for the sun to set over the long fence line was a reward in and of itself.

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/160 sec. - Sony a7riv - FE 1635GM

Sleeping Giant Sunset - Steamboat - March, 2021

Knowing I might not be able to get out the upcoming weeks I decided to head back to Steamboat a second Saturday in a row to seek out more open water. While the original pockets were unchanged, walking further up and down the river revealed water that I didn’t see the previous trip. I decided to practice with square compositions, this being a series of four vertical images, stitched together to fill a one by one crop with a high megapixel image

ISO 100 | F/9 | .4 sec. - Sony a7riv - FE 16-35GM - 6-Stop ND Filter 4-image vertical panorama

Elk River - Winter Study VI - 2021

Knowing I might not be able to get out the upcoming weeks I decided to head back to Steamboat a second Saturday in a row to seek out more open water. While the original pockets were unchanged, walking further up and down the river revealed water that I didn’t see the previous trip, and some truly new compositions were created, like this multi-image vertical panorama.

ISO 100 | F/11 | .4 sec. - Sony a7riv - FE 16-35GM - 6-Stop ND Filter 5-image vertical panorama

Elk River - Winter Study VI - 2021

Knowing I might not be able to get out the upcoming weeks I decided to head back to Steamboat a second Saturday in a row to seek out more open water. While the original pockets were unchanged, walking further up and down the river revealed water that I didn’t see the previous trip. I decided to practice with square compositions, this being a series of four vertical images, stitched together to fill a one by one crop with a high megapixel image

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/6 sec. - Sony a7riv - FE 16-35GM - 6-Stop ND Filter 4-image vertical panorama

Elk River - Winter Study VII - 2021

One of the many relics found in the Yampa Valley, The More Barn symbolizes the changes that have transformed the region in the last 200 years. Much of the Valley is filled with farms, going back well over a century, those would have displaced the Northern Ute tribes who called this their home. It’s well documented that tribes found refuge in the many thermal springs that dot to area, as well as hunting grounds for elk and deer.

Ownership and context may have changed the meaning and names associated with this area. But the landscape remains - covered in a winter blanket, dormant, yet alive, a truly beautiful location not matter what season.

This single image was capture at 85mm - on a very cold March morning, the sun highlighting the snow crystals in the morning sky, and the shadows of the barn just beginning to light up.

ISO 100 | F/2.8 | 1/6000 sec. - Sony a7riv - FE 85GM

More Barn - Black & White - Steamboat - March, 2021

Knowing I might not be able to get out the upcoming weeks I decided to head back to Steamboat a second Saturday in a row to seek out more winter compositions. The Yampa Valley is a mostly east-west oriented valley, with the headwaters of the Yampa River pouring of the north-eastern flank of the Flat Tops Wilderness, and gently curving north then east to drain the surrounding forests and fields.

Much of the Valley is filled with farms, going back well over 100 years, those would have displaced the Northern Ute tribes who called this their home. Ownership and context may have changed the meaning and names associated with this area. But the landscape remains - covered in a winter blanket, dormant, ready to grow again in a few short weeks to the breadbasket of Northern Colorado that it is.

This single image was capture at 135mm - on a very cold March morning, the sun highlighting the snow crystals, and the lens blurring them into a magical light.

ISO 50 | F/1.8 | 1/6000 sec. - Sony a7riv - FE 135GM

Yampa Valley - Black & White - Steamboat - March, 2021

Knowing I might not be able to get out the upcoming weeks I decided to head back to Steamboat a second Saturday in a row to seek out more open water. While the original pockets were unchanged, walking further up and down the river revealed water that I didn’t see the previous trip. Slowing down just a bit allowed for some new compositions to be created, like this multi-image vertical panorama.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/6 sec. - Sony a7riv - FE 16-35GM - 6-Stop ND Filter 4-image vertical panorama

Elk River - Winter Study VIII - 2021

Knowing I might not be able to get out the upcoming weeks I decided to head back to Steamboat a second Saturday in a row to seek out more winter compositions. The Sleeping Giant is an iconic sight, and shots can be created from many different locations. This single image was capture at 24mm

ISO 100 | F/8 | 1/1600 sec. - Sony a7riii - FE 24GM -

Sleeping Giant - Black & White - Steamboat - March, 2021

Knowing I might not be able to get out the upcoming weeks I decided to head back to Steamboat a second Saturday in a row to seek out more open water. While the original pockets were unchanged, walking further up and down the river revealed water that I didn’t see the previous trip. Slowing down just a bit allowed for some new compositions to be created, like this multi-image vertical panorama.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/6 sec. - Sony a7riv - FE 16-35GM - 6-Stop ND Filter 4-image vertical panorama

Elk River - Winter Study IX - 2021

Knowing I might not be able to get out the upcoming weeks I decided to head back to Steamboat a second Saturday in a row to seek out more winter compositions. The slopes begin to glow in the evening light on Mt. Werner, Steamboat’s iconic peak. This single image was capture at 135mm

ISO 100 | F/1.8 | 1/1400 sec. - Sony a7riii - FE 135GM -

Mt. Werner - Alpenglow - Steamboat - March, 2021

What can ten years bring when it comes to weighing through grief - loneliness, abandonment, seclusion, resolution then redemption?

My older brother introduced me to Broadway musicals while we were making a cross country journey.  This was significant for many reasons, the greatest being a deeper understanding and connection to my brother, and it would set the course for my life.  We were driving to Colorado which would become my home and new life.

Having spent much of the previous pre-dawn hours planted over on that ridge shooting astrophotography, it was good to be up moving around hiking the east ridge to gain a vantage point of the streaming traffic below.

ISO 100 | F/8 | .6 sec. ~ 50mm

First saw this view 32 years ago - my second summer in Colorado, and a road trip to take in some of the different sites seemed in order.

This particularly Sunday morning, watch a foggy morning unfold, I was wondering if the light would break through - then it did, it absolutely did.

ISO 160 • F/5.6 • 1/200 sec. ~ 400mm.

February, 2022

Gore Range - Monday Morning, 7 o'clock

Four of the last five years, this has been a scene to mark the progress of time - the Aspens still draw me in, as the still have many stories to share.

There was more snow this year, much like in 2017, and I’m finding that later in the day give me a better chance to shoot in bright light while still find the high clouds in the sky.

One of these summers I’ll set up late and hopefully capture the thunderclouds at sunset, with that golden light pouring over the white bark.

ISO 100 | F/5.6 | 1/2500 sec. ~ 200mm

First saw this view 32 years ago - my second summer in Colorado, and a road trip to take in some of the different sites seemed in order.

This particularly Sunday morning, watch a foggy morning unfold, I was wondering if the light would break through - then it did, it absolutely did.

ISO 160 • F/5.6 • 1/200 sec. ~ 400mm.

February, 2022

Gore Range - Monday Morning, 7 o'clock