I admit I’m spoiled with them, based on my location on a cliff overlooking the waters of Puget Sound in Washington State, USA. From this due-west observation point, nature spins a never-ending sequence of sunsets. Some are soft and dim, being filtered through thick clouds that offer a cold shimmer to the water. Other times the overhead sky blasts forth beams of fiery red and orange, turning the foothills of the Olympic Mountains into craggy silhouettes.

And then there are those jaw-dropping instances like the sunset I captured here. In this case, the smoke from a nearby forest fire converged into a thick sepia band that settled just above the horizon. I brought my camera gear out to the edge of the cliff, selecting my telephoto lens to enhance the size of the sun. 

As the sun dipped into the band of smoke, all indicators pointed to what should turn out to be an interesting show. But this is what’s so exciting about sunsets: you never know precisely what you’re going to get. In this case, the sun’s appearance dropping below the smoke layer revealed a mystical landscape, one where mountain peaks were saturated in blood-red light shafts. The intense glow also provided the perfect backdrop to separate the line of trees in the foreground from the more distant mountains.

While I can say this is one of my most unusual sunset photos, experience tells me there are so many more that await. I simply need to pay attention and head out to the back yard when nature beckons.

About this Artwork

Entitled, Gifts from the Sun, this photograph demonstrates the glorious sunsets I’m fortunate to capture right from my back yard overlooking Puget Sound.

The work is available as a limited-edition framed print. Its accompanying narrative is etched into a black acrylic plaque, designed to be hung next to the print, as shown in the following illustration.

Click the image below to visit this piece’s detail page where you can read its narrative, check availability and pricing, and more.

Click to visit this artwork’s detail page in my portfolio.

I was on the last leg of this photographic journey, having spent 2 weeks roaming Arizona and Utah’s iconic national parks and capturing photos I’d only dreamed of for decades. 

But the universe wasn’t done with me. Taking some byways through northeast Oregon on my way back to Washington, I drove over a hill and came across this scene of golden wheat blowing in the wind from an oncoming summer storm. 

Totally unexpected. Not at all on my agenda. And yet, here I was, on a dusty county road with farmland all around me, the scent of grain, a shockingly cold breeze heralding the rain… 

I stood there, transfixed. This, I realized, is what makes me happy: discovering the unexpected. Capturing singular landscapes that evoke deeper meanings.

That trip—and this photo—convinced me to let go of some of my worries, to leave the soul-killing job behind, and to follow my bliss. 

Best thing I’ve ever done.

About this Artwork

Entitled, Field of Life, this photograph of endless wheat fields under an oncoming storm outside Henderson, OR, USA, is a reflection of the cathartic moment when I realized that landscape photography was my calling.

The work is available as a limited-edition framed print. Its accompanying narrative is etched into a black acrylic plaque, designed to be hung next to the print, as shown in the following illustration.

Click the image below to visit this piece’s detail page where you can read its narrative, check availability and pricing, and more.

Click to visit this artwork’s detail page in my portfolio.

First, there’s something wistful I always find in an empty bench. Perhaps it’s interpreted from that emptiness which represents a missing loved one so well. Benches frequently are crafted in memory of someone, leaving behind a physicality of both seat and plaque to help remind the world of the person who once was.

Another factor is this scene of deterioration, where both stump and bench are crumbling as they slowly submit to the ravages of weather and time. 

I already had the bones of this photograph’s narrative in mind when I returned a few years later… only to discover that it was all gone: the bench had been removed, and nothing remained of the stump except a mound of bark. I can’t imagine anything more symbolic and relatable: our desperate need to keep things static, to prevent the changes that are so integral to life: aging, physical changes, and ultimately death. 

But my intent when creating this artwork wasn’t to focus solely on loss or futility. Take another look at the photograph. Isn’t the setting beautiful? There’s a quiet solemnity in the air, a diffuse light that lingers. It’s a place of power and beauty. 

That’s the message I want to convey: it’s a bittersweet experience that keeps alive the cherished moments of someone we’ve lost.

All we need to do is remember.

About this Artwork

Entitled, Sit and Abide, this photograph of a decaying bench and stump in Olympic National Park, USA, is a story about remembering a beloved family member who has passed.

The work is available as a limited-edition framed print. Its accompanying narrative is etched into a black acrylic plaque, designed to be hung next to the print, as shown in the following illustration.

Click the image below to visit this piece’s detail page where you can read its narrative, check availability and pricing, and more.

Click to visit this artwork’s detail page in my portfolio.

I’d been planning this trip for over a year, with an image in my head of how I wanted to capture the annular (ring) eclipse that would pass directly over Chaco Canyon (and other parts of the country) on October 14, 2023. The challenges were many: just getting campsite reservations was difficult, given how many people also wanted to be in this locale for the solar eclipse. But after days at the computer trying to grab available sites, long hours poring over maps to determine optimal travel routes (and alternate “Plan B”s), and a careful review of requisite photo gear, I set out on this grand voyage in my motorhome on October 2.

Although the solar eclipse in Chaco Canyon was the pinnacle event, it wasn’t my sole interest. As I researched the route to take, many other photo destinations popped into view: Lake Powell, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Mono Lake, Valley of Fire, and others.

Now that I’m back from this trip, I’m happy to report that the main objective—photographing the eclipse through the window of the ruins of Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon—was a success, as you can see by the main image on this page. You can also get more details on the image, read its associate narrative, and check on availability and pricing on its detail page as illustrated at the end of this blog.

But this trip was much more than the eclipse. So many other photographic opportunities presented themselves, giving me a wide spectrum of subjects to capture. And while several of these photos were planned shots just as the eclipse was, I think I felt more rewarded by discovering the unexpected situations that resulted in good photos.

I think that’s my single biggest mantra from this major undertaking: while some projects simply cannot be achieved without good planning (like determining exactly where to photograph the eclipse), it’s equally important to keep your creative eye open to all possibilities. Some of the best photos you capture might be from completely unexpected moments and places. And that’s what keeps my interest in this art form constantly renewed. Balancing your planned shoots while also allowing yourself the freedom to try new compositions as they arise makes every photographic venture something new.

About this Artwork

Entitled, Anasazi Eclipse, this unique capture of an annular (ring) solar eclipse through the window of an Anasazi ruin is available in both limited edition print and animated video formats.

Click the images below to learn more about the different editions available for this artwork.

Print edition

Click to visit this artwork’s detail page in my portfolio.

Animated video edition

Click to visit this artwork’s detail page in my portfolio.

For those who might not be familiar with this camera, it’s a mirrorless digital camera with a sensor that Fujifilm advertises as “medium format”. I have a bit of an issue with that, as the sensor doesn’t quite reach the size of a traditional 6×4.5, let alone 6×7 or 6×9 systems that originally defined the realm of medium format.

Still, with an image sensor spanning 43.8 x 32.9mm, its scale far surpasses that of any full-frame camera from the big players (i.e., Nikon, Canon, Sony). And for me, coming from a Nikon DSLR within the DX family (meaning not even full-frame), the leap I made in image quality and color fidelity from where I was with that smaller sensor to what the GFX system offers has floored me.

Don’t get me wrong: I might be a bit of a gadget geek, but this isn’t a story about how picking up a professional piece of equipment will magically solve all your artistic challenges; far from it. An experienced photographer with an artistic eye and a basic camera will always surpass the quality that a novice might produce with a high-end system.

For me, this transition has been long in the making. After decades of using consumer cameras, I reached a point where I could commit not just funds to purchase such an expensive setup, but also allocate much more time to work with this advanced camera as a component of improving my overall skill set.

Here’s a little secret related to that: anyone who tells you that your photography will instantly improve if ONLY you buy a more expensive camera is a fool–or is trying to make you into one. Sure, the equipment can make a big difference, but only if you know what you’re doing and can take full advantage of what the camera can offer.

And that’s where I am today–I’ve made the commitment of time and money. Now it’s up to me to stay the course and continue working to make the best, most immersive images I can. Stay tuned to watch that process unfold.

Without delving too far into my past, suffice it to say that photography has been with me for as long as I can remember.

However, my launching this web site is something new. It reflects a key milestone—a sea change, if you will—representing a shift in my approach to photography as a profession instead of a hobby.

So what should you expect to find here in this Stories page? In addition to news and updates concerning my photographic work, I’ll be adding some creative nonfiction writings (that’s the “musings” part) that relate to a specific image or collection of photographs. You can think of these entries as an integrated component of my art, where the description sets the framework and provides context to the imagery. Combined, I hope they offer you even more viewing/reading pleasure.

And with that, welcome! I hope you’ll enjoy my work.