These few composition tips are easy to conceptualize and implemement, and can transform an "okay" image into a great one. You might notice that I do not call them "rules". I adjust and tweak these approaches often, sometimes with great results. There is so much more to all of these topics. This

Moving to the Pacific Northwest from Florida, I knew I might feel some seasonal emotional heaviness as the grey days, winter rains and cold temps drag on into spring. I expected some feelings cabin fever and some loss of motivation to make art. But wow! This year our winter will just NOT let go

Winter brings more than just snow to northern (U.S.) regions. Fog is also an incredible result of moisture in the air and cooler temperatures. I love summer! Warm, no… HOT weather, sunshine, swimming and leaves on the trees is the best. And when the temps start cooling enough to condense m

Columbia River Gorge during an early-winter freeze Tips for Staying Warm and Safe This Winter While we might find ourselves hiking or snowshoeing to find winter subjects and scenes, when we find them we often stand still for quite some time while we create images. This can lead to being cold and

After a long winter, and a long nine years of dying starfish, it is nice to again see a very colorful seashore. I finally was inspired to go to the Oregon Coast and get in the water for a snorkel. Heavy winds, heavy rain, cold - this year it was difficult for me to motivate and drive to the coast

Outside is incredible! Whether one is walking through their neighborhood enjoying flowers in front of houses, witnessing the coyote that lives in the empty lot, hearing a Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) sing its funny squeaky-toy-like tones; or if you are able to explore State Parks, National

Our World’s oceans need us to walk to the edge of land and dip our toes in salty water, if only to share one beloved, yet desperate message with us - “we are important!” Sunrise over Jetty Lagoon, Oregon Drying Cormorant, Florida

“Take only pictures, leave only footprints”. For over 20 years, I have been ‘taking’ pictures of the “natural world”. I understand that what I am about to say is as curmudgeonly as disliking parades or as grumpy as hating sunflowers or balloons. It was not until this past year that I realized t

Going 'home' is so vital right now, we all want to be among the people we love. All of us, every human on earth has had to change plans and alter our lives due to COVID. Weddings have been cancelled or missed, graduations were altered and visits to family were cancelled. My wife, Abby, and I are

A community of like-minded visionaries whom respect and revere the natural, outside world is a beautiful thing and can work in concert to inspire. I have started this endeavor, with three words always in my mind - Imagine, Share, Inspire. These three words are my guiding light, my check to make s

Here in the Pacific Northwest, winter held on deep into spring. When the weather changed, it did so quickly - from 40 degree daytime highs to 88. This has finally triggered the wildflowers and flowers found at various farms. I purchased a season pass to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Oregon.

Access to nature can change a life. Access to art can change a life. Not everyone has access to those things. I feel it is a responsibility of nature photographers and artists to share their vision’s of the natural world with everyone, regardless of that person’s access to experiencing nature on

When we think of snow, we think of white, fluffy, snowflakes blanketing the landscape or of it burying our passenger car. The thing I want to focus on is the “white” characteristic of snow. Even if you live in Fiji and have never seen snow in person, you might still know that it is white. Wh

This year (2022) in the Pacific Northwest, we had summer temperatures and clear skies up until, well, last night, late October. This type of irregular climate does not allow for trees to change their leaves from summer greens to autumn red, oranges and yellows, as they typically might. Our color d

The 7 Principles of Leave No Trace (https://lnt.org/) 1. Plan ahead and prepare 2. Travel & camp on durable surfaces 3. Dispose of waste properly 4. Leave what you find 5. Minimize campfire impacts 6. Respect wildlife 7. Be considerate of others This is not written to shame. We are all forever

Sunrise after I warmed and my boots dried It is hard to self-actualize and transcend when you cannot feel your toes. I wanted to motivate and rally to photograph at sunset, but cold wet feet and patience worn thin from post-holing for 6 miles was enough to keep me in my camp chair. My wife

Despite our use of tripods, of image-stabilizing lenses, our choosing only the best weather and photographic situations, we STILL manage to create a great image that is less than tack sharp. The truth is, we are humans and we are imperfect. We are shaky, we breathe hard (at times), our hearts be

Look ahead at the tides and wind and plan your paddle to see the sand dollar beds in Netarts Bay. They are awesome! The Eccentric Sand Dollar (Dendraster excentricus) is an echinoderm, like sea stars and sea urchins. They typically enjoy warmer waters with higher salinity, but the slow moving, s

I am guilty of not pursuing and understanding the newest trends and technology in photography, to my detriment. I was being left behind. recently I was able to trade in some older gear, and was fortunate enough to be able to update my underwater camera and housing. WOW! I was doing my image-mak