Year in Review: 2012

What an amazing year 2012 has been! I've met some incredible people, seen some awe inspiring places and learned more than I ever could've imagined. I feel blessed to have had the amazing opportunities I've had this year: from the Tetons, to Zion, to Canada and everywhere in between. So many of you inspire me to be better, to keep creating and to keep exploring, and for that I am so grateful. Thank you. Here's a video to wrap up 2012 and bring in the new year. Enjoy.

And in case you missed some of the highlights of the year on the blog, check the links below:

Grand Teton National Park
Park City and Salt Lake
Zion National Park
Monument Valley
Salt Flats
Canyonlands National Park
Caineville, Utah
Goblin Valley
Humboldt Redwoods
Yosemite National Park
Cecret Lake
Mount Timpanogos
Bonneville Speed Week
Canada: Banff, Jasper and Glacier

Composite Result: Vermillion Lakes

Final composite of the two images below. Vermillion Lakes Under the Stars, Banff, Canada. 

Long night exposure of the stars and glow from the Town of Banff.

Last bit of light on Mt. Rundle. Blended with the night shot above to bring out detail in foreground grass and create the top image. 

I promised in one of my Canada posts that I would share the night composite I did at Vermillion Lakes in Banff. I'm still learning Photoshop, and trying to figure out how I will implement it into my own photographic vision. I'm a big believer in getting the image as you see it in camera at the moment of capture (which is why I like using filters), but there are times when the camera cannot capture your intended vision in camera. After seeing a blog post by Sean Bagshaw on the Photo Cascadia blog, and communicating with Sean about his own process, I knew I wanted to try this technique of blending images in Photoshop. It takes a lot of patience and will, both during the shooting process and the post process, but it pays off in the end. Even if this image isn't the best night composite ever, now I know how it is done and I will be able to create images I never thought I could. That's just it about this whole photography thing: There is always something to learn! 

Canada: Going Back Home

Self Portrait at Peyto Lake, Icefields Parkway, Canada

OK, OK, you're probably sick of hearing about my trip to Canada by now, but I promise, this will be my last Canada post for a while. 

The last bit of my trip was both depressing and exciting: Depressing because the freedom of my solo flight was coming to an end, and exciting because I was getting closer to meeting up with and being able to share my experiences with my best friend. I was at Peyto Lake hiking up above the tree line to catch the first bit of light on the mountains when it hit me, I was on the tail end of my trip and it was actually going to end. During the past few days I had lost track of time, living in a sort of virtual reality. My life consisted of sunrise, hike, nap, hike, sunset, edit, sleep, and it seemed I would be doing it forever.

Peyto Lake, Icefields Parkway, Canada

Remnants of Athabasca Glacier, Icefields Parkway, Canada

I made my way through the Icefields and into Jasper stopping at places like Athabasca Glacier and Athabasca Falls. The once amazing Athabasca Glacier is quickly receding and will be all but gone in the next few decades. All along the trail there are signs marking where the "toe" of the glacier sat in past years. It was startling to realize how far it has receded in just my lifetime.

Mountain Peaks Near the Athabasca Glacier, Icefields Parkway, Canada

Photographing the Athabasca Glacier, Icefields Parkway, Canada

Inuksuk Overlooking the Athabasca Glacier, Icefields Parkway, Canada

The Athabasca Glacier in 2000, Icefields Parkway, Canada

Elk in the Athabasca River, Jasper National Park, Canada

I sat at my campground picnic table, showered, sipping natural evergreen mint tea, listening to wild elk calls, and I couldn't help but think how lucky and blessed I was to be able to have such an awesome opportunity to come to the Canadian wilderness and experience such beauty. I thought back on my first day and how I was a bit unsettled as if I had just been dropped off in the middle of nowhere and had to find my way out...OK, maybe I was. My confidence grew as I orientated myself and became more and more focused on my photography. By the end of the trip I felt like I knew the ins and outs of the area: Where to sleep without being disturbed, what to keep an eye out for while hiking, and how the light would fall in certain locations. 

Athabasca Falls, Jasper National Park, Canada

Athabasca Falls Detail, Jasper National Park, Canada

The Highest Peak in the Canadian Rockies, Mt. Robson, British Columbia, Canada

After meeting up, my friend and I made our way back down past the border and into Glacier National Park. If we had known it was going to be so smoky we may have stayed longer in the Canadian parks. The pine beetle and fire laden trees just added to the apocalyptic scene. It took a bit of venturing off to find the beauty, but it was still there to be found. Glacier will definitely be on the list of places to come back, hopefully in better conditions, and fully enjoy the park's beauty.

Running Eagle Falls, Glacier National Park

Hidden Lake Nature Trail Sunrise, Glacier National Park

Hidden Lake Nature Trail Sunrise 2, Glacier National Park

McDonald Falls Detail, Glacier National Park

I couldn't have hoped for a better first time in Canada. It was a fantastic opportunity and I hope to have several more just like it. I've got a feeling I will be back in Canada sooner rather than later...

Canada: Lake Louise and into the Icefields

Lake Louise at Sunrise, Banff National Park, Canada

Lake Louise is one of the most famous locations in the Canadian Rockies. I don't think I have been to a sunrise location with so many people! Mesa Arch has some competition! Despite the amount of flash happy tourists, the scenery did not disappoint. I took a late morning hike up to Lake Agnes and really wished I had time to come back for some better lighting. Unfortunately, I had to keep going. 

Cracked Mud Near Mirror Lake, Banff National Park, Canada

Moraine Lake is possibly the second most famous location in the Canadian Rockies and for good reason. I was able to shoot both sunset and sunrise at Moraine Lake, surprisingly, with only a handful of people on either end. My plans of trying to make it to Consolation Lakes for sunset had been squashed by the "rule of 4" stating that a minimum of four hikers must stay within site of each other or be fined up to $5,000. The rule is in place because of the amount of bears in the region. I hung around the trail head waiting for three willing suckers, but most of those I tried to convince were put off by the mere possibility of bears and the fact that it would be dark on our return. I have to say, it took all of my self preservation not to take the chance and go anyway. Clouds were hanging around the peaks near Moraine Lake (which was right next to the trail head for Consolation Lakes) so I figured I'd play by the rules and stay at the more populated area for sunset. The possibility of a $5,000 fine didn't seem too appealing anyway. Moraine Lake is known as a sunrise spot, since the sun hits the peaks at first light, but with the clouds that night it turned out to be an excellent sunset spot as well. 

Sunset at Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Canada

Tower of Babel at Sunset, Banff National Park, Canada

Pine and Sky, Banff National Park, Canada

Sunrise at Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Canada

After a successful sunrise shoot at Moraine Lake, I headed into the Icefields which are between Banff and Jasper National Parks and consists of several (dying) glaciers. This point of the trip was perhaps my favorite. I had the most freedom and solitude here. There was a lot of time to explore and I was able to find some really cool spots. One spot in particular I ended up renaming, "My Lake". 

Layers of Mountains, Icefields Parkway, Canada

Taking a Moment to Read at "My Lake", Icefields Parkway, Canada

The Flow into Mistaya Canyon, Icefields Parkway, Canada

Mistaya Canyon, Icefields Parkway, Canada

I found a beat up, duct taped together, aluminum canoe at "My Lake" and used it as both an office and a prop. I came back for sunset and enjoyed one of my favorite light shows of the trip. Every direction offered incredible color and I was ecstatic and grateful to be in such a picturesque location with such amazing light.

"My Lake" at Sunset, Icefields Parkway, Canada

Canada: Lower Half of Banff

I have made it back from Canada, safe and sound. I had such an amazing time I feel that trying to describe my feelings about it only fall short. My journey has only made me want to return and expand my reach northward. I'm trying to figure out how to swing a trip this winter, but we'll see if it actually works out. I'm going to break my posts up into sections of the park(s), starting with the lower half of Banff National Park; from Johnson Lake to Castle Mountain and everything in between. 

Johnson Lake was my first stop and where I hung out most of my first day. The sunset was one of the bests of the trip. I mentioned in one of my previous posts that I had been running between a few spots to get the most out of this sunset, but that was the case for most of my days in Canada. It was a great starting point and really got me excited for what was to come.

Johnson Lake at Sunset, Banff National Park, Canada.

Kayakers on Johnson Lake, Banff National Park, Canada

Clouds over Mount Rundle, Banff National Park, Canada

On Sunday, I spent the entire day at Vermillion Lakes. It was nice and peaceful, but this was one of my longest days. I decided to stay out late and try for a night shot composite, which required standing in the same location from dusk until dark. I'm still working on the composite, but I will post it here when I finish (that is, of course, if it works out). The one thing I would strongly suggest for this location is some good hunting boots. There is no way I could have gotten the shots I did without my L.L. Bean hunting boots. This area is marshy and swampy, so if you're looking to shoot here, bring some boots that can get muddy and wet. 

This is also a great place for bird watching, which I was hoping to do during the day. I stalked a blue heron for a large part of the day without much success. It was camera shy to say the least and I was definitely wishing I had a 500 mm lens at that point. 

Mount Rundle at the Second and First Vermillion Lakes, Banff National Park, Canada

Second Vermillion Lake at Sunrise, Banff National Park, Canada

I spent the night at Two Jack Lake campground (which ended up being the last night before it closed for the winter) and took advantage of a nearby sunrise location. Cascade Mountain and Mount Rundle compete for attention in this part of the park and both are equally picturesque. The morning I was to photograph these two in Two Jack Lake I slept through my first alarm. Luckily, I got up, threw some pants and boots on and rushed out to get some of the first light on Cascade Mountain. I hadn't really scouted out the area, so I rushed to where it looked like I'd get views of Cascade Mountain. Most of the views were obscured by the trees and the bend of the shore, so I made the rash decision to wade out into the lake. I took my boots off, hiked up my pants and ended up waded in up to my waist. The views were better, but my motor skills were slowing down, so I figured I should get out of the freezing water and get my blood flowing again. 

Cascade Mountain at Two Jack Lake and Hillsdale Meadows in Fall, Banff National Park, Canada

My next adventure was heading through the Bow Valley Parkway to Castle Mountain and hitting the more unassuming spots along the way. One of my favorite parts of this stretch was the elk scarring on the trees. The dark parts of the trees are uniform throughout these forests. I was having a hard time conveying the uniformity and unique nature of the trees until I got closer and found the way the light was hitting the scars and the different designs in them created graphic images. I was really happy about the way they turned out.  

Elk scars, Banff National Park, Canada

Hillsdale Meadow in Fall, Banff National Park, Canada

Johnston Canyon Lower Waterfall, Banff National Park, Canada

Castle Mountain is a great area for some classic Canadian Rockies imagery. There is a gate near the bridge that allows you to access the river. It looks locked at first, but it's there to keep the animals off the highways. There were some other photographers on the north side of the bridge, but I wanted to have the bridge a part of my picture. I crossed underneath the bridge and quickly realized why most of the other photographers had stayed on that side. There was a part of the river that branched off and forced you to wade through to get to the other side. I figured I had waded through freezing water once today, what's it gonna hurt to do it again? I was glad I did because I was happy with the results, and I was able to enjoy the scenery all to myself.

Castle Mountain and Castle Mountain Bridge at Sunset, Banff National Park, Canada

Self Portrait on the Bow River, Banff National Park, Canada

Canada: Headed out of Banff

Few more Banff pics before I head through the Icefields. I have so much more to share, but I'm going to wait until I get back home before I start to really dig deep into editing. These places are so iconic and photographed so often I've been trying to make some unique photographs along with the iconic shots. Below are a some of my attempts to capture more unique imagery. Let me know what you think, and enjoy!

Canoes at Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Lookout for Lake Louis, Banff National Park, Canada

Canoe and Kayak dock at Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada

Two girls brave the cold wind at Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Canada.

Canada: Post Card

Mount Rundle reflected in Two Jack Lake in Banff National Park

Hello again from Canada! I've been pretty busy shooting away the last few days I've hardly put my camera down. It was a long night full of what I swear sounded like elks having epic battles, but I was able to get to Lake Louis to capture it's beauty before sunrise. More of that to come..

Canada: First Impressions

Self Portrait overlooking Johnson Lake in Banff National Park

My expectations of Canada have been met and exceeded on my first day. It is abundantly beautiful. I seem to have a difficult time deciding where to point my camera! I spent most of yesterday hanging around Johnson Lake in Banff National Park and was able to get some diverse imagery within a rather small area. It's amazing what you can find meandering through the different pathways in the dense forests around here. I found several locations I had scouted for sunset and in the last two hours I was running between all of them, chasing the light. I've been reading the recent article in Outdoor Photographer on Galen Rowell, and I find our philosophies to be fairly similar. I enjoy mastering the technicalities of a photograph and being able to conquer difficult lighting with my photographic knowledge, but there is something to Galen's most famous quote: "f/8 and be there." No photographic genius will ever be a "great" photographer if they don't get out and explore this world we live in. So much of photography is about the content in front of the lens. We can change our composition or settings a hundred times, but if the content is boring, it will most likely turn out to be a boring image. Personally, I got into photography because it seemed to go hand in hand with my philosophy on life. I want to be a part of it. Whatever it is. I enjoy documenting the adventure or event and telling the side of the story only I can tell. The key is to be there. It doesn't matter where. If you want to be a great photographer put yourself in the right place at the right time. Some people confuse this with luck. But there is so much more to it. Besides the planning and the watching and the research, the experience is what's going to set you apart. Being there is so much more than just being present. Being there is about experiencing it and living the adventure. If you live on the edge, your photographs will reflect that lifestyle. I am continually trying to better my photography, but I think this is one of the most important concepts to hold on to.
Johnson Lake had become my lake by the end of the night. Everyone had left to go have dinner in town just before the sky exploded with color. I felt so blessed to be able to witness such beauty and I continue to feel that everyday I am able to be in nature. It was an amazing night and I can't wait to continue my journey in Banff. Luckily, I found a quaint little cafe in town named McDonald's that provided wi-fi. I will hopefully be able to get a few more posts up while I'm on the road. In the mean time I hope you enjoy these teaser images of my first day in Banff National Park.

Johnson Lake in beautiful Banff National Park

Mushroom on the forest floor in Banff National Park

Johnson Lake Panorama

Alpenglow on the mountains near Johnson Lake in Banff National Park