California's Sierra Nevada foothills, once home to the famous Gold Rush of the 1840's, shows off a different kind of gold as the sun sets behind the oaks and moss-covered granite.
These famous cabins sit atop a rocky outcrop overlooking the glassy lily pad filled waters of Mosquito Lakes high in Ebbett’s Pass at just over 8,000 feet.
A change of seasons plays out dramatically in the Sierra Nevada, as winter tries to push the fall aside.
When rain falls on the Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world becomes a galactic mirror. I will never forget the experience of stepping into the darkness with stars above and below, it was like being suspended in space, with hills on the horizon rippling like islands in the sky.
Mist settles over a Sierra lake and catches the final golden rays of sun on a cold winter day.
Yosemite's Vernal Falls casts a misty rainbow over the emerald waters of its lower pool.
In the Andes glacial mountains are revered as sentient gods. From their icy peaks flows the water upon which all life depends. This remote valley high in the Cordillera Blanca marks the sharp contrast between the cold barren realm of the mountain spirits and the lush bountiful valleys below.
We set up camp along the edge of the valley overlooking the fjord just past sunset. Soon the sky opened to a spectacular aurora display lasting most of the night.
Fog creeps up from the Central Valley into the Sierra Foothills, casting the fading sunlight in warm golden hues.
Half Dome catches the light of the rising full moon on a snowy December night.
A lone canoe glides across the turquoise waters of Moraine Lake in the Canadian Rockies.
A night at White Pines Lake when the Orionid meteor shower coincided with a Public Safety Power Shutoff. The silver lining to losing power for days: it allowed a glimpse into how our local night skies might have appeared centuries ago.
High in the Peruvian Andes along the pilgrimage route to an ancient temple, this small thatch-roofed shepherd's hut stands against the elements. A reminder of the resilience of humanity, and our determination to scratch out an existence anywhere we can.
Time spent in the wilderness connects us to the essential joys of life, and reminds us of our place in the universe.
A total lunar eclipse casts a blood red shade across the moon's surface above the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.
Comet Neowise and Venus dance in the skies above Utica Reservoir in the Sierra Nevada of California.
The arc of the Milky Way frames a lone pine above Bear Valley in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Bolivian elders greet the solstice sunrise on the Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat. The ceremony marks the Andean New Year, when winter peaks and the days begin to get longer and warmer in the Altiplano. The sun brought the end of the sub-zero temperatures on the salt flats that morning, warming the worshipers who had gathered there to welcome the sun back to the frigid plain.
Jupiter and Mars dance on either side of the Milky Way as the moon illuminates a glacial peak high in the Peruvian Andes.
A path winding through the woods. A golden light beckons you onward. What lies around the bend?
Rounding the southeastern limit of Iceland's famous Ring Road, the fog lifts to reveal massive fjords. Snow dusted peaks watch over quiet bays, as the road beckons you to explore around the next bend.
Yosemite's El Capitan rises out of the valley floor. The most striking piece of granite anywhere on Earth.
Perhaps we never stand alone. Perhaps the shadows we cast follow us, as we find our place among the darkness and the light. A self portrait on the Salar de Uyuni of Bolivia.
Mount Rundle glows in the late afternoon light. Banff National Park, Canadian Rockies.
In a remote corner of the Apurimac Canyon in Peru stands the last of the Inca rope bridges. Once a year communities from either side of the gorge come together to carry on the centuries old tradition of weaving a new bridge out of grass and reeds. The Inca constellation of the llama inspects their handiwork on the night before construction is completed.
Calaveras Big Trees State Park glows as orange leaves cover trails and bridges, and the dappled golden light of Autumn shines through the trees.
Valley of the Mountain Spirits
High in Peru's Cordillera Blanca this remote valley required a brutal climb along neglected paths, and several difficult river crossings. What awaited silenced us all. Some of the highest in Peru, these peaks have been venerated by local populations for millennia as sentient beings. We stood humbled in their presence.
The shadows of mountain peaks stand against the clear night sky as embers from a dying fire ward off the cold of a high Andean pass.
The still waters of Lake Alpine reflect a night sky of innumerable stars. We may occupy a small corner of the universe, but it's a beautiful corner.
The super pink moon, the largest of 2020, rises above the pines in the Sierra Foothills of California.
Comet Neowise streaks through the sky leaving its bright tails in its wake. Quite literally a once in a lifetime shot, this comet will wander the galaxy for 2300 years before it returns for another visit.
The Milky Way rises over the frigid waters of Lake Alpine high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.
The peach-colored granite of Yosemite National Park glows on a beautiful afternoon on the Mist Trail.
The absolute calm of the evening air over Yosemite’s Ten Lakes gave a sense of being suspended in time. Only the slow rotation of the Milky Way through the sky let on that the earth was still turning, and that soon the moon would rise to bathe the lake in a soft light until morning.
The comet Neowise streaks through the early morning sky above Utica Reservoir.
I captured this photo in the middle of what would turn out to be the largest and most destructive storm to hit our area in years, if not decades. The grief and suffering it caused were exceeded only by the dedication and goodwill of our community in coming together to overcome the challenge and see each other through. It is a reminder that even the worst storms break, and that the world remains a beautiful place. Dedicated to the memory of my Father, who rode out with the storm.
The coastal fog catches golden light in front of the second most famous bridge along the California shoreline.
On a clear night at Watson Lake the sky over the dells is dark enough for an interesting phenomenon to be seen. While light from the nearby town of Prescott Valley illuminates the shoreline, it fades to the north, setting the stage for airglow to dance around the Big Dipper.
