Temple of Light and Stone - Canyonlands National Park - Utah.com - I love Utah National Parks - Moab, Utah - 2014

The foreground light is from the sunrise at Mesa Arch creating a well of light that would fall forever.  My heart and soul went into the creation of this photo and I hope it touches you the way it did me. 

Something of the Marvelous - Cossatot Falls State Park - Fall 2014

Another great adventure under my belt, 3 mile hike through a boulder field, busted lens, bruised leg, and a hard hike out at dark, are  just a few of the things it took to get this photo today.  The sun lit the mountain for 10 min and then was gone.  The rocks you see before you are at least 15 ft tall as is the one I climbed down on to get this photo.  If you look back to the right in the shot you will see a steep cliff, yep hiked there to but at near dark, and back in the dark.  I hope to return here sometime soon and watch the eagles fish this pool at sunrise, but until then I will dream of this amazing spot in the Ouachitas.

Photographing Golf Courses in Mexico - El Mangler Golf Course - Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

This photo was taken in stealth mode, there is no one allowed on this Jack Nicklaus designed golf course unless you are playing golf.  One of the main reasons is the 15 ft crocodile that crawls from hole to hole plus there is a swamp that you have to walk right by, oops I didn't  plan so well.  After checking out 17 holes on foot I found this beautiful reflection and sunset on hole 18 then walked back to the resort which took 45 min.  :)

Trying to fill the shoes of Ansel Adams, my hero.

I think arrogance is sometimes easily confused with passion and the willingness to be the best, no short cuts just consumed in the love of this great craft and going to whatever links to make the best photo.  I don't think about anything when I'm behind the camera almost to the point that I forget to revel in the beauty that we get to create, and I admit safety for myself is rarely given to much of a thought but at some point it almost turns into second nature just like breathing, and the thrill of the chase of what's around the next bend takes hold and I'm off again. To where?  No one place or subject in particular, just forward into the next exciting adventure.

Australian Trips into the Wild

I've been to Australia twice and both times was a trip to remember, the first time I was left out in the ocean off of Heron Island for over four hours, lets see when they offer the life jacket the answer is yes, I did get to swim with 10 manta rays in that period, funny thing is I read an article the other day that said a dozen manta rays will generally follow 2 to 3  large hammerhead sharks. yikes   While swimming in Shark Bay on Heron Island they said there was no sharks, wrong, when there fins stuck a foot out of the water I decided time to get out.  The second trip to Australia was even more fun second day just out of Melbourne hiking on a beautiful mountain trail I got real cozy with a taipan p.s don't throw rocks at that snake they will chase you.  Then I took a plane and went to Cairns and headed into the jungle and stayed in a tree house.  Sounds like fun, but did you know thats where the big crocs actually live, now add a flat bottom boat and go fishing in the Dantree River, lets see if the crocs don't get you the box jelly fish will when you get to the ocean.  Now most people would have went home, but I love a challenge so for the last part of our trip we booked a sail boat for eight days, upon arriving at the airport which was flooded and high winds and lighting which had canceled most boating trips, but not ours, we had a New Zealend Captain to train us for the first day.  So off into the lighting and wind sails up into the fog we go, I guarentee you will learn or die. lol  We sailed all day learning the ends and outs of sailing, that night the charts came out and in the morning she was gone.  Did I mention no GPS oh well that kind of stuff will make one soft.  So after some brief discussion with my dear wife and using terms like we are going to freaken die. :)  Off we go and sail we did, but as luck would have it more fun was on its way.  Lets start with fishing, did you know if you catch a fish, and it stings you

 it could be poisonus, ok so after the first sting that is over.  We encountered many wonderful things along the way, but nothing like the 6th day into the trip when my wife was cooking dinner one evening, and I said I'm going to go take the dingy into shore and take some pics, sounded like a great idea wading out into the tide pools chasing blue speckeled sting rays about 50 ft out in the middle of the tide pools, when out of the corner of my eye appeared this very large white snake coming at me quick, no time to run but react, as it started striking over and over, finally it turned to leave and as I was backing away with about 15 ft between us here it came again this time I ran to shore and grabbed a piece of drift wood to fight, but it turned and swam away.  I went back to the boat and opened the manual, did you know that the worse encounter of sea snake is between Whitsunday Island and Thailand, and we were as far north as we could go in the Whitsundays, also that they would chase you twice and just for good note they kill very quick something like 6 or 8 seconds.  Upon contacting the Australian Zoo they informed me that this was a beak sea snake and I was very lucky. Now ask me would I go back?  I sure would because the people are amazing and the wildlife and nature are some of the best to experience.  A truly beautiful and amazing place, but if you want crazy watch out for that lady Captain from New Zealend, they are on a whole nother level. :)