Jewel of the Rockies - Banff national Park, Alberta

While not my usual stomping grounds when it comes to landscape photography, I couldn’t resist photographing Moraine Lake in Banff with a blanket fresh snow. There is only a short window each year to capture this before the road is closed for winter and the lake freezes over. With how beautiful this place is, I can completely understand why busloads of tourists flock here and why this is the most photographed location in Canada.

Locals Only - Kananskis, Alberta

In regards to tourism in Alberta, Banff, and Jasper National Parks take the cake and for good reason. There are countless pristine lakes and glacier covered mountains, with guided tours and all of the comforts one could ever imagine. With all of the hustle and bustle in the national parks, it is surprising that Kananskis, which borders Banff, sees only a fraction of the traffic of the National Parks, most of which are locals. Kananaskis shares many of the traits of the big parks. Tucked out of the way, this waterfall is only a short hike from the road. Gems like this are what make Kananaskis my favourite park to visit in Alberta.

The Keeper's Cape - Newport, Oregon

Built in 1872, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse is Oregon's tallest lighthouse with the tower at 93 feet with the light fueled by whale oil. For the keeper, it was a full time job keeping the wick burning. The lighthouse has since been converted to a 1000-watt globe, removing the need of a permanent keeper. The lighthouse has now been listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Redemption - Kananaskis, Alberta

I have lost count how many times I have tried to photograph this location. For nearly two years luck was never on my side. Each time I set aside some time to stop here the clouds would completely cover Mount Kidd in the background. I don’t know why, but without fail if I drove ten minutes down the road it would be sunny and clear every time. I knew this photo would never be my best work, but for me there was something satisfying about finally capturing the photo I wanted with the added benefit of some smoke in the air from wild fires across B.C. to diffuse the direct sunlight.

Standing Ground II - Somewhere in Montana

While travelling the back roads of Montana I drove up on a cow standing there just blocking the road. He refused to give me room to pass so I had to get out of the car and coax him into the pasture. He was reluctant to budge in the slightest. Eventually he did head off, but it wasn’t without a certain amount of attitude. We locked eyes in a staring contest long enough for me to take several images to form a panorama with such an amazing background.

Through the Mist - Kananaskis, Alberta

Originally I was planning on stopping by this little pond for an early morning landscape shoot but upon arrival the morning mist over the water was so thick I couldn’t even see across to the other side. The shot I had in mind was not going to work out since the mountain backdrop was lost in the fog. As I was about to leave I noticed a faint little speck in the middle of the pond moving ever so slowly. I sat back and watched as a common loon inched its way closer toward me. It would continuously dive beneath the surface leaving only a trail of bubbles on the water revealing where it had swam. Nearly every dive it would come up with a small fish in its beak. It is actually quite impressive how effective these birds are at fishing. Not realizing my presence, it spent the better part of twenty minutes fishing right in front of me within a matter of feet. I sat tight against the shrubbery along the bank and took the occasional photo, but mostly just enjoyed the fresh morning air of the mountains while immersed in nature. Sometimes when a plan doesn’t work out, we are blessed with something better. Spending the morning watching this loon in its natural environment was far greater than the plan I originally had.

Double Drop - Alberta, Canada

It is safe to say, Alberta boasts some incredible scenery. Located near the town of Nordegg, Crescent Falls is one of Alberta's lesser known places to visit, but is sure to impress anyone.

Early Bird - Airdrie, Alberta

For several years now I have noticed while driving to work a heron occupies the same spot on Nose Creek each morning. The efficiency of these birds is astounding. In fifteen minutes it captured three small fish for breakfast.

Fortified - Banff National Park, Alberta

A frost covered soldier stands on guard protecting Castle Mountain in Banff National Park. Overlooking the Bow River, this iconic mountain has become a popular destination in the park for adventure seekers and tourists looking to hike up to the lake tucked behind the peaks. In the photography world this mountain has become a benchmark of anyone who visits Banff.

Pacific Glory - Cannon Beach, Oregon

The Oregon coast is a landscape photographer's dream. Endless sandy beaches littered with sea stacks and non-stop moody weather. The hardest thing to find along the coast is a decent sunset. Because of the dense fog that forms across the ocean, sunsets are rarely dramatic and are rather lackluster. I was lucky enough to get enough evening colour before a storm rolled in to take a couple shots while visiting Cannon Beach.

First Light - Kananaskis, Alberta

The first light of the day is cast upon Mt. Lyautey on Upper Kananaskis Lake.

Terrebonne Twins - Terrebonne, Oregon

In the middle of the high desert of Oregon, the sagebrush covered bluffs overlook the Crooked River as it winds through Smith Rock State Park.

Log Climb - Kanarraville, Utah

This image was taken near a small town called Kanarraville in Utah. To reach the canyon, you follow the creek up a small grade toward the mountain range just on the outskirts of town. Once you reach the canyon, you can follow it along for quite a distance with a series of waterfalls to climb up along the way. This is the first, and most impressive waterfall. The hike is through the creek for the entire distance, which was quite refreshing under the Utah sun.

Homegrown - Airdrie, Alberta

I took a quick minute before heading to work as the sun was just rising above the horizon to photograph the crops growing at a farm near my house in Airdrie, Alberta. The sky was filled with smoke from forest fires to the west, which gave the sun a beautiful amber glow.

Focused - Spray Lakes, Alberta

This photo is the result of countless hours of research and scouting in the Rockies over several years. As a photographer this is probably my favorite image because it represents how hard work and persistence pays off. On this day, I set out specifically to look for and photograph wild lynx in Alberta. To understand what was involved in this photograph, you must first appreciate the fact that most people will never even see a lynx in the wild, let alone have a chance to photograph them. Spotting tracks in the snow is the first part. To do this I drive up and down high altitude mountain roads and scan the ditches for any animal tracks. If they are fresh I stop and investigate. Majority of the time it is only tracks from a hare or coyote that I see. I continue on this until I can make a positive ID on lynx. Once I located a set, I set up my camera gear and snowshoes and start following them. They have a tendency to take the most difficult routes through a forest and zigzag back and forth through the trees. This is a test of patience and fitness to navigate the unforgiving terrain. I spent 7 hours following two sets through some miserable conditions on this day. After experiencing sheer exhaustion, I finally threw in the towel and had no choice but to start heading back to my car. As I made my way through the waypoints I marked on my GPS I noticed the tracks circled around me and were now heading in the same direction that I was. Just before making it back to my car I spotted my first glimpse of a cat. It was only a quick second. Simultaneously behind me the mother was sitting and studying me. I tried to take a few photos but my camera did not turn on. It turned out the battery came loose and prevented me from getting the shot. Devastated, I quickly fixed the camera and was presented with one last opportunity to get the shot. It seemed that by now the lynx and her kitten realized that I was not a threat and allowed me into their world. I spent the next 20 minutes or so jut mere feet away as they went about their hunting. This was truly a rewarding and humbling experience, one I am surely never going to forget.

Two Owls - Calgary, Alberta

Two great horned owls intently watch me as they huddle into the hollow of a fallen tree. There are actually two babies, however momma is standing in front of the second one. The father always stayed in a tree nearby and kept a watchful eye on any visitors.

Carved Away - Bandon, Oregon

Along the coastal bluffs around Bandon Oregon, there is an assortment of caverns that have been carved out by the constant pounding of tidal waves. With the sun below the horizon, the textured rocks glow in the last light of the day.

Proxy Falls - McKenzie Pass, Oregon

It's incredible to think that the location of this scene is less than an hour and a half drive from the dry high desert. At only a mile or so long, the hike traverses and old lava flow before descending down to the waterfall. Photographing this place was surprisingly harder than I expected. With the thick foggy canopy blocking out most of the sunlight, I had to run long shutter speeds to get a proper exposure, and with the constant blasts of mist, it made it next to impossible to get a clean shot in. I quickly learned the mist came in waves, so eventually I was able to time it right and get a few good shots in.

Barnacle Beach - Cannon Beach, Oregon

Low tide reveals the barnacle crusted rocks on the coastal beaches of Oregon.

Canada Lynx - Spray Lakes, Alberta

This photo is the result of countless hours of research and scouting in the Rockies over several years. As a photographer this is probably my favorite image because it represents how hard work and persistence pays off. On this day, I set out specifically to look for and photograph wild lynx in Alberta. To understand what was involved in this photograph, you must first appreciate the fact that most people will never even see a lynx in the wild, let alone have a chance to photograph them. Spotting tracks in the snow is the first part. To do this I drive up and down high altitude mountain roads and scan the ditches for any animal tracks. If they are fresh I stop and investigate. Majority of the time it is only tracks from a hare or coyote that I see. I continue on this until I can make a positive ID on lynx. Once I located a set, I set up my camera gear and snowshoes and start following them. They have a tendency to take the most difficult routes through a forest and zigzag back and forth through the trees. This is a test of patience and fitness to navigate the unforgiving terrain. I spent 7 hours following two sets through some miserable conditions on this day. After experiencing sheer exhaustion, I finally threw in the towel and had no choice but to start heading back to my car. As I made my way through the waypoints I marked on my GPS I noticed the tracks circled around me and were now heading in the same direction that I was. Just before making it back to my car I spotted my first glimpse of a cat. It was only a quick second. Simultaneously behind me the mother was sitting and studying me. I tried to take a few photos but my camera did not turn on. It turned out the battery came loose and prevented me from getting the shot. Devastated, I quickly fixed the camera and was presented with one last opportunity to get the shot. It seemed that by now the lynx and her kitten realized that I was not a threat and allowed me into their world. I spent the next 20 minutes or so jut mere feet away as they went about their hunting. This was truly a rewarding and humbling experience, one I am surely never going to forget.

Central Spire - Bugaboos, B.C.

Relatively unknown to most tourists, Bugaboos Provincial Park is a hidden gem for outdoor enthusiasts that want to get away from the crowds. Towering granite spires unique to this area attract climbers, while isolated alpine lakes attract only the hardiest of hikers. After driving a long rough dirt road to get into the park, the trees open up and show off the impressive central spire with glacial ice cascading down each side.

Open Season - Point Reyes National Seashore, California

A young buck scans the open meadow on the lookout for predators in California's Point Reyes National Seashore.

Stare Down - Millarville, Alberta

Every evening emerging from deep in the forest canopy, Great Gray Owls such as this one come out to open meadows to hunt for meadow voles. During the twenty or so minutes I observed this owl, it had already caught and consumed three voles. It had no reservations with my presence.

Loonie - Kananaskis, Alberta

The biggest struggle I have with nature photography is getting out to my location prior to sunrise. Like most people my biological clock tells me to stay in bed. On this day, I did exactly that. I was angry that I was still a half hour away from the place I intended to photograph as the sun was rising. Lucky for me I saw a dot in the middle of a pond beside the road as I flew by in a hurry to catch the last bit of the sunrise. Intrigued, I turned around to find a loon swimming around in the dense fog. For nearly a half hour I was able to sit back and enjoy watching this majestic bird dive under the surface to catch some fish. Sometimes sleeping pays off. This experience far surpassed the experience I would have had rushing around to get a landscape photo.