Adventure

Falling for the Cascades

October 06, 2023 in Travel Stories

I was in North Cascades National Park in Washington late August. The one morning I wanted to hike the Cascade Pass trail which is about a 7mi hike total, nothing too crazy. I left at 4:30am from the campground and made it to start my hike at 5am and made my way towards the vantage point. I had my camera bag/accessories, water, forgot the bear spray, and there was just enough light so I left the flashlights. Turns out the bear spray wasn’t my worry.

The hike was pretty easy as I am accustomed to higher elevations in the Rocky Mountain Range. It went from around 4,300ft to 6,100ft. I was stoked as I didn’t have to take a single break or water.

I made it to the top vantage point of the hike shortly after sunrise around 7ish and watched the morning light spill through the pass and illuminating the mountains. After some time of hanging out I decided to head up another steep trail that took me off the main trail 200-300ft higher to a more open vantage point of the one mountain.

After some looking around I found my self on the edge of the mountain at 6300ft-ish with soaking shoes and clothing from the morning dew. I was walking my way around this boulder (for a photograph) that sat on the edge above some plants that seemed to been wet for days. Half-way through passing along the boulder I turned to look at the view, after a few seconds of realizing the shot would work, I immediately lost my balance, slipped and fell.

At first I had my back/backpack to the mountains edge sliding down along the soaked plants. I was able to roll over so I was sliding down on my right arm and eventually move my arms up above me. I then kept my hands open until I felt like I could grab onto one or many of the plants. Thankfully the two plants that caught me held on. I was able to then use the plants to climb back up the mountain. I’m not quite sure how far I got but I had to climb up a decent bit and it was about 5ish seconds.

I made it back to a safe section and sat down on a boulder and took in the view.

Walking up to the mountain I was trying to get a different angle on.

Images from the Hike

Sitting on the rock after I fell. Looking down at the “slip-and-slide” of a mountain side.

Glad I made it down the safe way from this hike and was able to have images I captured I’m super proud of and yes my camera is okay!

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Story Behind the Image 6: Medicine Bow Milky Way

March 30, 2023 in Story Behind the Image

This story is one for the books, truly, as I’ll also be adding this image to my book when I can finally get it complete. Taken within the Snowy Mountain Range in Eastern Wyoming, Medicine Bow peak stands tall at 12,018ft. The goal was to capture this stunning “wave-structured” peak in the Wyoming wilderness with the Milky Way galaxy shooting out of the top whilst showcasing the many alpine lakes below.

It took me two attempts to get the shot I had in mind. First attempt was quite wild while the second was more relaxed and much comfortable. The total hike was 4mi round trip with about 1,000ft of elevation gain. And of course this shot had to be done at night to get the milky way in prime viewing.

The first attempt (Image 1): After some research to get to the trail I had to get onto and the amount I’d be hiking, I arrived around 11pm and made my way to the trail. After adventuring on the trail for about .25mi my flashlights died. Yes, both my flashlights were useless surrounding in miles of wilderness that I was most likely alone in to only try and avoid the Mountain Lions, Moose, Elk, Cows and Bears! So after contemplating about moving forward for a few minutes, as I still had 1.5mi left of my hike to the get to the view, I decided to go ahead and use my phone flashlight as the only light which garnered me about 10ft of view distance. Using my ears and keeping my head on a swivel for stalking Mountain Lions and plenty of switchbacks. I made it to the spot, and although beautiful, there was one problem. I was late, the Milky Way had already made its way behind Medicine Bow and was tilting out of frame, and if you have noticed in my photography, I love symmetry and balance. So after taking a few photos I decided it was no longer worth it and trekked back down the 2mi and thankfully got back to my car without encountering any wildlife, that I know of. So that takes me to attempt two.

Attempt 2 (2nd and 3rd images): Two nights passed of clouds and I decided it was time to try again and see if I could accomplish the shot I wanted. This time I left a little earlier. At around 9pm I made it to the trailhead and started the 2mi hike. With new batteries in the flashlights and carrying my good ole 40lbs photography bag I made my way up the 1,000ft climb. This time it was a little darker out as the Moon hadn’t risen above the horizon yet. So after taking time to navigate and understand where I was I set up shop. After a little bit of trial and error with focus, I got what I had gone there for. The Milky Way, standing up tall, over Medicine Bow, with the alpine lakes below. This shot was super rewarding not only because of failing the first night but because my plan was exact. I was able to have plenty of time to get different views and different compositions below the stars. Definitely my favorite Milky Way shot from 2022 and I can’t wait to see what I can capture this coming year.

Attempt 1: The Milky Way can be seen behind Medicine Bow Peak with some crazy hues in the sky as well. And the ridgeline of mountains that reach out to the peak as well.

Attempt 2 Image 1: The Milky Way exactly where I had envisioned and even created a stunning reflection in the water of the lakes below. The long exposure brought out just enough detail in the mountains for this compelling shot.

Attempt 2 Image 2: A little rotation in the Milky Way but that’s better than it being straight up for this image. It had some balance to the alright right heavy frame and balanced nicely along the Alpine Lakes.

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Thank you for reading and plenty more blogs to come!

Superior Shredding

February 15, 2021

Lake Superior - 6 degrees, 12mph wind, Cloudy

"It would be awesome to see someone surfing out on those waves." What I said to my self when I arrived to Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula (The U.P.) of Michigan. It was 10am in the morning and I was going to go on a hike through the woods and to explore the coastline. I sat in my car enjoying the scenery when I saw a car pull in to the parking lot with surfboard on top. I saw a man get out with headphones on and he started to walk along the lake and enjoying the view as well. I gave him some time and then grabbed my camera and walked toward him fast, but not too fast, so I didn't look weird but also so I didn't miss the chance to talk to him. He turned around and saw me coming his way and took off his headphones.

I introduced myself and found out his name was John. I asked John if he was looking to surf and if I could photograph him. He explained how he was going to come surf later around 3pm when the swell would be stronger, along with that it would be his last time to surf with the winter weather. So we exchanged phone numbers and I went on my hike and John went to a meeting he had at work. 3pm came around and John showed up with his surfboard and people were amazed he was about to get in and surf. Then after he was ready we proceeded to a point he used before to enter the water.

John then paddled out to where the waves were breaking and waited until a good one came and took off. It was crazy to see because he explained earlier how he had been a big surfer than stopped for 9 years and then got back into it about a year ago. This passion for surfing could be seen in his eyes and I felt honored to be able to capture him that cold Saturday.

The first ride was a success, but John didn’t make it as far as he would have liked. So he kept catching waves (which I chased him up and down the shore capturing imagery) until he made it to the beach and was able to restart again and walked back to the launching point. John explained to me how the ice blocks in the water were hard to avoid especially if he hit one he’d fall right off the board. Then the second ride came along and the wave decided it was its turn to ride John. After John recovered he was able to catch a few more waves until he made it back to shore. After surfing a few more times and the sun going down, John got out of the water and said he was done for the day.

John was wearing a 5mm Wetsuit, 7mm Gloves, and 5mm Booties. He surfed for 2 hours in the lake that the swell was called "The Zoo" because there used to be an old zoo near the lake. I was amazed at John’s endurance and motivation to continue surfing until it became dark. John then stopped surfing and got out of the water and we talked a little longer and he than sprinted into a bathroom by the parking lot to warm up. I then carried on my way and traveled to my next location.

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Story Behind the Image: 6

August 11, 2020

This image was something I had thought about before. Never thinking about ever having the opportunity to take this photograph though. The idea came back when I was catching up with a friend when he started sharing about his flight experience in a Cessna C170B. Of course this conversation sparked my interest and I had to ask for a trip around downtown Pittsburgh. So then we started planning, he created a flight plan and I started researching angles I could possibly get from 3,000ft within the sky. This photograph however was the main one I wanted to capture throughout the whole flight. So when we went past Point State Park and the rest of downtown, the plane roll was a perfect spot to be able to capture the wing and the city within one frame from the window. The reflection on the wing was completely unexpected but brought another amazing detail to this frame.

I went about taking this photograph as how I would any take any photograph, figure out exposure, make any more adjustments and make sure I’m getting clear photographs through any possible obstacles such as the window I shot through for this frame. Once I have all of that figured out I just buckled down and started photographing as much as I could as we were moving pretty quickly around the downtown area. Being comfortable while taking photographs is not a must but it sure helps, with my fear of heights it took me some time to get over being suspended in air with mild turbulence, but after 20min or so I was comfortable with the discomfort and was able to capture some of my personal favorite images and perspectives I’ve been able to capture of downtown Pittsburgh.

I hope you enjoyed this blog and I look forward to sharing another photographic story, of course ask any questions you may think of and I’ll be sure to get back to you! Thank you for taking the time to read about this Pittsburgh aerial photograph!

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The Water of Death Valley

April 13, 2020

If the desert is mentioned you'd probably think of a barren wasteland that has nothing around it but rattlesnakes, sand, and the sun. Death Valley National Park’s name even offers and feeds to this generalization of deserts around the globe. But truthfully there is still life that flourishes in these harsher environments even though it’s not as saturated as other ecosystems. The 3.4-million-acre park has much to offer from its many oasis, sand dunes, mountains, and even having the lowest point in North America, with its lowest point reaching -282ft.

This park has many valleys, but those valleys aren’t just flat desert they offered a wide variety of places to enjoy. Of course, for there to be a valley there are mountain ranges that surround these valleys, the most famous in the park being the Panamint Range. Throughout my visit at this park I tried to see as much as possible and capture the many things that water brings life to in the valley of death.

Death Valley was also important at the beginning as it was prosperous mining region for many decades. It graced the likes of many pioneers who wanted to get rich off the many minerals. There are 61 known geological formations within the park and there are still 20 formations that have not been added to the collection. There are also 3 different formations that have unofficial names. The many different rock types brought people to Death Valley in the beginning and keep bringing people back.

That’s not the only thing that brings people to Death Valley either, there are plenty of other things to enjoy such as sand dunes, salt flats, ghost-towns, different plants and animals, and the amazing stars. Only the plants and the salt flats are pictured below, so you’ll have to wait for further blog posts or visit for yourself to see the rest

Death Valley National Park deserves to be preserved because of these many things and the unique landscape it encompasses. In these photographs I hope I can give you a feel of what it feels like to be in these remote locations and observing the beauty unfold. The many sunrises, sunsets, stars, etc. are amazing sights within themselves but are more spectacular than those that are inhibited by chemicals in the air of cities and the light pollution blocking the stars. These natural spaces offer way more than people realize how they help you understand yourself and the world around you more as well.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog post and enjoy these photographs. I hope you’ll make the trip to Death Valley to enjoy its unique beauty.

At the bottom is a video that explains these ideas more!

Erosion flowing down the mountain can be seen throughout the different ridges and then the valley floor below.

A clump of salt being formed on the surface after evaporating

Human tire-track destruction on the desert floor over mud-cracks.

Water run-off with desert plants in the shadows.

Water erosion through the desert floor creating empty banks.

Panamint Mountain Range during sunrise. Snow melt creates erosion on the mountain-sides.

Salt flats happen from rainfall that evaporates too quickly (from the desert sun) before the next rainfall and creates this layer on top of the ground.

Mud-cracks from hot desert sun and little to no rainfall.

A fully grown desert plant basking in the desert rays.

Water run-off from the rugged mountains and colorful rocks.

Erosion in this spectacular area a couple miles North of the Panamint Range.

More erosion in front of the Panamint Range

Thank you for reading my post about the water in Death Valley National Park!

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The Elements to the "Dreamscapes"

July 31, 2019

A couple months ago I shared a blog post about a photoshop project I did of “Dreamscapes”. These dreamscapes helped me see a different way in Photoshop. (I know my way around photoshop, have just never composited images to this extreme). When first starting this project I was just thinking about doing one of them, but that quickly turned into four more projects for a total of five. This group of composites took about 50 hours working in Photoshop. It really shows how powerful these programs are to be able to complete compositions with different photographs. In this series there are photographs featured from all over the world forming to create one. I hope you enjoy and your imagination grows!

Desert Sails - This was the first one I made, it included sand dunes, the milky way, and a sailboat. This creation was to fill it all with Irony. Sailing on sand, and Stars during Sunset. I mainly masked and then did some color correction to fit the… — Desert Sails - This was the first one I made, it included sand dunes, the milky way, and a sailboat. This creation was to fill it all with Irony. Sailing on sand, and Stars during Sunset. I mainly masked and then did some color correction to fit the mood and scenery.

Used the Milky Way. Masked out the umbrella and clouds.

Cropped this shot vertically and used it as the base.

Masked out the boat. Photoshopped the people off the boat. Masked to use the sun.

Lake House Moonrise - This image was created to bring the idea of a walk in pool. This image has the moody grass fading into a lake that is from Montana.

Used the mountains and beautiful sunset light.

Bridge to the Lights - This image was created to incorporate Northern Lights I was able to capture in Iceland. Then to have them placed about a gorgeous bridge that is in New York.

Northern Lights used for the sky. Masking and Layer Effects.

Used the S-Curve river and the pine trees to add depth.

Yosemite Dream - I wanted this to be a dream in Yosemite National Park. Having the Hot Air Balloons brings me the dream of the valley. If one day they released Hot Air Balloons I’ll be there. California made me think of hot so I added the ice to add… — Yosemite Dream - I wanted this to be a dream in Yosemite National Park. Having the Hot Air Balloons brings me the dream of the valley. If one day they released Hot Air Balloons I’ll be there. California made me think of hot so I added the ice to add the Irony.

Looking to San Francisco - This image I wanted to incorporate my enjoyment of the city of San Francisco. And also add in the amazing landscape features to compliment it.

Used the sunrise to lighten up San Francisco.

Used this image for the gorgeous bridge.

San Francisco Aerial image as the Base Layer.

Thank you for reading!

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Iceland

May 25, 2019

January I finally had my breaking point with wanting to go see Iceland. I finally booked my plane ticket to force myself to make it to my dream destination. February came along and it was time to travel to Iceland. Originally I wasn’t going to go to Iceland as a Solo-Trip. I scheduled it so quickly, I didn’t have any extra time to organize any travel buddies. So I landed in Iceland early morning and ventured to my rental car. Was able to get the rental car reasonably fast and off I was towards Reykjavik. The point of this trip was to discover a new destination, see the culture, landscape, and to hopefully have a chance at capturing the Northern Lights. To get around the country I rolled around in a Nissan SUV. While living in the car, I had to listen to the roaring Iceland wind at night. About 4 days into my 7 day trip there were 180km/h winds that prevented me from driving for half the day. I also got to explore a cave that was used in a scene of Game of Thrones. Along with meeting a lot of pleasant travelers on the way exploring the country too. The Ring-Road brought a lot of unexpected landscapes, I absolutely was stopping the car every 5 minutes to capture something completely different than the last 5 minutes. Well, here are my photos from my crazy cross-country Iceland trip.

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Photoshop "Dreamscapes"

April 24, 2019

Photoshop has been a love and hate relationship for me since I jumped into the program. Sometimes it does what I want to do and sometimes I wonder how wrong could it actually get. This beautiful program has made so many things easier to do and broadened the road for more creative pieces. The multi-use program has been helpful to me in many different situations and shoots. From photoshopping small details out to compositing images like this, or repairing a subject. Photoshops many great uses have benefited and broadened art.

These images below were all crafted with images I took personally. They are from many different locations such as Yosemite National Park, Iceland, Grand Teton National Park, etc. These locations are all special to me, along with the beautifulness each spot holds. In total I spent about 40 hours creating this group of work.

New York City

January 12, 2019

I had never experienced New York City on a sunny day in any of the times I’ve been there. So I made it one of my goals this year to capture the city in all of it’s glory in early Fall and finally capture a sunny day. I was able to accomplish this goal out of the weather giving me all the luck. Can’t wait to go back and capture more in New York, New York.

The trip started out with what looked to be a busted sunset. But I lucked out and was able to capture this beautiful red sunset from the Top of the Rock. The next day was a cloudy morning. So I went to the Oculus to capture the beautiful white architecture throughout the train station. After that the clouds cleared up and I was able to capture a beautiful sunset. Then on the last day I was able to capture a gorgeous Golden Hour after a cloudy Sunrise in DUMBO. After I went to Grand Central Station to finally capture the classic shot of the amazing golden Terminal. Then I ventured to Central Park to photograph the beginning fall colors around the Bow Bridge.

Let me know what you think about these photos in the comments or any questions you have about my travels!

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Upstate New York

December 27, 2018

At the end of the summer I decided to sleep and travel through central New York to North Western New York. Some of the most beautiful locations on the east coast are contained in this area. The locations I went to are Letchworth State Park, Chimney Bluffs State Park, and had a little fun of exploring in Rochester. While on this trip I wanted to sleep in my car so I found places to sleep each of the nights I was traveling. Many hours of driving and hard-work here are some of the images!

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