South Falls

Arriving at Silver Falls State Park early that morning, I was met with a consistent downpour which meant I was all alone to stroll through the multiple waterfalls within this small park. The first falls I came across was South Falls which stood 177ft tall, with the trail leading you in behind the falling water. Silver Falls State Park, OR

North Bubble Hill Runs

A late(r) start to the morning than I had planned meant I had to run up the trail to the North Bubble summit in time to greet the sunrise over Jordan Pond and Acadia National Park. After a few minutes to catch my breath and settle into my composition, the sky lit up, casting amazing colours over the pond, and pink granite rocks. Acadia National Park, ME

Cobblestone Bridge

While roaming the Carriage Roads in Acadia National Park, we ran across a local who pointed us towards the Cobblestone Bridge. It was built by creating an arched form with cobblestones being mortared into place on top. Once the arch was set, the form was removed, creating the only bridge in Acadia made from cobblestone. We followed a makeshift trail along Jordan Stream, arriving at the bridge standing tall over the scattered rock formations and quickly found this composition using the bridge to frame the lush vegetation in the forest. Acadia National Park, ME

Multnomah Falls

First car in the parking lot at the Multnomah Falls Lodge that morning and was able to photograph these falls and the pedestrian bridge in total peace. Shortly after, I ran into another photographer who i'd met earlier in the week and we trekked the Multnomah-Wahkeena hike for the remainder of the morning. I was happy to hear that despite the massive wildfires in the area this past summer, that the rangers were able to save the lodge and limit the damage to this beautiful area. Columbia River Gorge, OR

Jessup Trail

A bit of artistic license taken while processing this photo of the Jessup Trail boardwalk in Acadia National Park. The low-lying foliage, birch groves, and 400+m of boardwalk made for a short and quiet hike that afternoon. Acadia National Park, ME

Wiesendanger Falls

An early morning start on the Multnomah-Wahkeena hike meant I was the first to arrive in the parking lot shortly after sunrise. The goal was to start the 5mi hike ASAP in order to shoot all 8 waterfalls before the sun would start to cast harsh light on the scenes. A fellow photographer Michael Hellen, who I had met a few nights earlier at Rowena Crest, coincidentally also had the same game plan. We kicked off the hike and began capturing images. As we arrived at Wiesendanger Falls, our luck ended, but not before the sun cast some amazing light rays just off to the side. Columbia River Gorge, OR

The Tranquil Maple

This Japanese maple tree in full bloom had the most vibrant canopy i’d ever seen, especially with all the lush greens i’d worked with so far throughout Oregon. Deceiving in size, I had walked past this a number of times in search of the “big maple”, only to realize the actual tree is maybe 5’ tall. Sticking my lens in underneath this tree yielded an amazing perspective of twisting branches, colourful leaves, and lush green moss and quickly became one of my fondest memories of this trip. Portland, OR

Fairy Falls

I'm speechless after hearing about the fires in the Columbia River Gorge due to the carelessness of a few teenagers and some fireworks. I had the pleasure of visiting this lush trail back in May during the spring thaw, and the vegetation and waterfalls had an incredible effect on me. My thoughts are with the residents, and I hope that the damage will be limited and the Gorge will bounce back to its former glory. Columbia River Gorge, OR

Jordan Pond

Jordan Pond is a fresh water source located in the heart of Acadia National Park, flanked by Penobscot Mtn on the left, Pemetic Mtn on the right, and the two Bubbles (North & South) at the end of the lake. On this particular night, we had planned to shoot the coastline, only to be reminded of how much the tides can enhance or destroy the composition you'd scouted earlier in the day. Not to waste the amazing colour behind us, we rushed around the Park Loop Road over to Jordan Pond to the backup shot I had in mind. With only minutes to spare, we were set up and shooting just as the sky exploded with colour. A fortunate end to what could've been a ruined opportunity! Acadia National Park, ME

Sun Setting on Rowena Crest

When your main shot doesn't work out, you turn around and shoot PNW wildflowers in early-May! I arrived at this location to shoot some iconic twisty roads and light trails after the sun set behind me. To my luck, a rockslide had occurred on the twisty road just past the entrance to the parking lot, preventing my shot. Trying not to waste the opportunity, I frolicked over the fields searching for a backlit composition, which you see here. Hood River, OR

A Warped Crevasse

Digging through some old files from my trip to Antelope Canyon last August, and came across this. If you haven’t visited these Canyons before, the crowds are insane, and while a designated photo tour gets you an element of crowd control, looking up is another way to get some amazing shapes and textures without people. This particular shot was taken in between the “official” shoots and really struck me for its swirling/textured sandstone and monochrome colour. Antelope Canyon, AZ

Panther Creek Falls

The first stop after landing in Portland was to head North into Washington State and seek out this amazing waterfall. After navigating through some winding logging roads complete with downed trees and descending down the hillside holding on to a raggedy piece of paracord, I arrived at the bottom of this first set of falls along Panther Creek. The noise in this location was incredible, and the unrelenting mist soaked through all my gear and required frequent wiping of the lens and filters. I thought the rest of the trip would be hard-pressed to compete with such an amazing first exposure to Columbia River Gorge and the Pacific Northwest, but this area continued to surprise me over and over with lush green landscapes and wispy waterfalls throughout the rest of my trip. Columbia River Gorge, WA

Latourell Falls

A quick roadside stop in between sunrise and my first hike, I threw the car into the parking lot of Latourell Falls and quickly ran up to the viewpoint to capture this image. Some of the best images are the ones that aren't planned and you need to seize the opportunity and react quickly to get the shots you want. This was one of those cases where minimal effort (and a little luck) paid off! Columbia River Gorge, OR

Lower Oneonta Falls

Captured deep within Oneonta Gorge, and travelling through 5*C chest-deep water for most of the hike led me to one of the most spectacular dead-ends I could ever ask for! This location was the reason I chose to visit Oregon this past spring, and it (along with the numerous other areas I visited) did not disappoint! The water temps and 7am start meant I had this entire place to myself for most of the morning, and despite the thunderous roar of the cascading water within the walls of the Gorge, it was eerily peaceful and calm. Columbia River Gorge, OR

Canyon Overlook

An early (and dark) hike up to this vantage point with fellow photographer Joe (of Joe Tennant Photography) provided an amazing opportunity to be surrounded by the towering peaks within Zion National Park, while the headlights and tail lights navigated the switchback roads in the canyon below. Zion National Park, UT

Kanarra Creek Falls

It’s not very often that you can experience such an iconic place by yourself, and be able to take-in it’s grandeur and sheer awesomeness without being disturbed by other visitors. This was one of those cases, where I was the first one at the trailhead, and had this amazing waterfall all to myself for nearly an hour. Although the roar of the falls dominated the canyon, there was a peaceful emptiness to it that I absorbed while photographing the scene in front of me. I left with this photograph, some amazing memories, and smile on my face knowing that I may never experience that place the same way again. Kanarraville, UT

Alone in December

This was a second composition from my hike into Meech Lake last December following a fresh snowfall. The mild temperatures had me down to a long-sleeve t-shirt during the shoot, and also meant that parts of the lake remained open; offering deep blues throughout the scene. This was another 4-row/36 shot pano to capture this image. Gatineau, QC

Stranded Rowboat

One of the first real outings i've had since getting back from our summer travels; I ventured out to Meech Lake in Gatineau Park at the tail-end of a massive snowfall. Arriving around 9am, I was surprised to see that I'd be making the first tracks into the location. With this spot all to myself, I keyed in on the lone rowboat must have broke free of its mooring further up the lake and drifted towards this small run-off area before getting hung-up in the shallow waters. This ended up being a 4-row/32-shot panoramic image that was able to capture the incredible detail of the freshly-fallen snow on the trees around me. Gatineau, QC

Sandstone Swells

My first real shot at abstract photography occurred while looking up in Antelope Canyon. The mesmerizing patterns and flows of texture etched into the sandstone walls, combined with the unique and ever-changing colours reminded me waves crashing in a pool. It also served as a good reminder that the best shots aren’t always in front of you, and widening your views on things can present some amazing opportunities. Page, AZ

Horseshoe Bend

The bend is an amazing geological feature located just South of Page, AZ where the Colorado River meanders around the horseshoe-shaped canyon. An easy hike in, and no ropes or barriers to prevent you from making the 1000+ ft descent, gave me an excellent opportunity to set up multiple cameras on the very edge, resulting in this panoramic image. Page, AZ

Hourglass

Moving through the canyons in Antelope were like running sprints. The crowds and number of tours moving through the narrow passageways only presents you with a limited amount of time to capture some of the more unique features. The sand falling over the ledge highlighted the need to slow down and appreciate exactly where you are standing, and reflect on how our time on this earth is running out, one grain at a time. Page, AZ

Spirit

I was lucky enough to experience two light ray events while in Upper Antelope Canyon that day. The first was a thin pencil-like beam that barely illuminated the small area we were in, and then this one on our way out in this epic cathedral. Our guide threw sand into the air to help pronounce the light, with my shutter capturing this ghost-like pattern rising up through the canyon. It is hard to put into words how amazing this area is, and to be able to capture the light, colour, and texture of these canyons was definitely something I won’t forget. Page, AZ