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.

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.

A Walk in the Woods - Whistler, B.C.

In the temperate rainforests of coastal British Columbia you can be sure to find plenty of scenic trails with well-worn boardwalks traversing the rugged terrain. This particular trail is a long time favourite of mine near the village of Whistler. Each time I visit this location it has become a bit of bitter sweet for me. As I make my way home at the end of my annual coastal road trip, this marks the end of the temperate rainforest and the realization I soon will be leaving my paradise. I have been fortunate to walk away with a variety of photographs I am proud of at least.

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.

The King - Kofa Wildlife Refuge, Arizona

Once a gold mine in the late 1800's, now a wildlife refuge, Kofa lives up to its name; King of Arizona. Located in the middle of the desert outside of Yuma, the remote location of this refuge naturally limits crowds. To get into the refuge one must navigating a long and horribly rough dirt road into the park. Running a tight schedule, I only had 12 hours to visit the refuge, which gave me one sunset and one sunrise to photograph. When I planned out this trip I knew I would be racing the clock to pick up my wife and daughter in the morning at the Palm Springs Airport to start our family vacation. What I didn’t plan was how bad the road in and out of the refuge actually was. Knowing that my car is quite literally my lifeline while in the desert it served as a level of discomfort full knowing I still had an hour-long drive over jagged rocks and sand to get back to the highway while on a time crunch. During the drive I questioned if it was such a wise decision to beat up my car so far away from home, and if the potential risk I was facing was worth it. I almost turned back a few times on the drive. When I arrived at the camping area I was fortunate enough to have the entire place to myself. It’s an eerie feeling when you are so far removed from civilization in the searing desert heat with no one to help if needed. However, once I made it into the area I wanted to visit, my concerns seemed to wash away as the sheer beauty of the desert landscape captivated me. Kofa is a photographer’s paradise. The endless compositions from sunrise to sunset truly make this a magnificent place to visit. Looking back, I am grateful that I made the choice to push on and will definitely be back again in the future. In the end I made it out safely and went on to pick the girls up at the airport for some quality time together as a family.

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.

Blacktail - Bumblebee, Arizona

I found this little fella right next to my foot while photographing some cactus in the Southern Arizona Desert. It's amazing how camouflage rattlesnakes are, and its equally amazing how docile they can be as well. This snake never even buzzed its tail or showed any aggression towards me. I am thankful for that, since I was wearing shorts and flip-flops (perhaps I will reconsider my clothing choices next time).

Morning at the Rock - Terrebonne, Oregon

Towering above the high desert plains of Central Oregon, Smith Rock State Park takes a commanding presence over the surrounding terrain. A photograph just can’t justify how epic the cliffs are as the Crooked River snakes its way through the basalt and tuff rock formations.

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.

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.

First Light - Kananaskis, Alberta

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

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.

Emerald Fireweed - Emerald lake, British Columbia

Fireweed Blooms around the open slopes of Emeral Lake near Field, British Columbia.

Morning at Moraine - Banff National Park, Alberta

Having spent the night camping near Lake Louise, I woke up bright and early and thought I might go photograph the sunrise at Moraine Lake. As a lover of solitude, I don't generally venture up to this area, I find the crowds can get a bit overwhelming for me. I checked my weather app, and the sunrise was set for 6:10 am. As I turned onto the road heading up to the lake the clock on the truck read 5:30 am. Perfect. Not having seen a soul driving up to the car park, I thought I may have just beat the crowds and would be one of the first up top to pick out my spot. Upon my arrival to the parking lot I couldn't believe my eyes; the parking lot was completely full, and staff were struggling to jam people into every nook and cranny available. Like a brick to the forehead, it hit me. I just realized I went up to Moraine Lake...the most photographed place in Canada on the Saturday of August long weekend. Yep... Nailed it. Despite the chaos, I was thankful to be quickly ushered by the staff to a premium parking space right at the front of the lot so I decided to stay and give it a shot. I was surprised to find everyone rushed up to the top of what’s known as the "Rockpile" for the classic shot, and yet nobody seemed to take any of the side trails a little lower down. I found a little chunk of real estate on the south side where my daughter and I were able to enjoy the sunrise together. Surprisingly, with the high volume of traffic that moves through this area, I was quite amazed to see how clean it was. I could barely find a single piece of trash anywhere. In a world where so many of the iconic landscapes have been trashed by tourists, it was a breath of fresh air to see there are still places that have managed to keep the impact to a minimum.

A Hound's Tooth - Purcell Mountains, British Columbia

Within a four-hour drive of my house, the Purcell region is by far the most impressive mountain range that I am aware of. Getting here is an adventure in itself. There is only one way in, via a long pothole filled dirt road that will rattle out your fillings (or in my case the hardware in my bones) and will make you question your efforts. For those that make the trek, this magnificent view is the reward at the end. For majority of visitors, this vista is only the beginning of their journey. The primary objective for many of the people visiting this park is for the world class climbing opportunities among the many spires. For others, the hiking is first class, offering access to pristine alpine lakes, or glaciers. For the outdoor enthusiast, this park is a wilderness paradise.

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.

Nature's Fireworks - Terrebonne, Oregon

With a thunderstorm fast approaching during my visit to Smith Rock State Park, I scrambled around to capture the constantly changing light before needing to head for cover. As each thunderous crash of lightning progressed to what seemed to feel a little close for comfort, I rushed for shelter back at the truck. As I scrambled my way with an armload of camera gear on one side, and my daughter in the other, I witnessed the sky start to explode with vibrant colours as the setting sun dropped below the clouds in the distance. With only a couple minutes to capture this, I quickly re-composed my shot and frantically snapped away before I had no choice but to get out. Within seconds of loading the in truck, Torrential rain came down, followed by a blast of hail. Either the stars were aligned, or the weather gods liked me that day. Either way, I'll take it.

End of Times - Sedona, Arizona

The yellow flowers of the alien looking agave plant certainly contrast the landscape. Once this plant flowers, it will die and eventually topple over.

Okanagan Granite - Vernon, British Columbia

I have always found the Okanagan Valley in the interior of British Columbia to be strikingly beautiful. However, every attempt I have made to photograph this unique landscape has resulted in a struggle to walk away with any images that I am truly happy with. It wasn't until I spent a week in Vernon while attending a course for work, that I began to find all sorts of "off the beaten path" areas I have missed during all my previous trips to this region. Lining Okanagan Lake, the sandpaper-like granite slabs have a tendency to reflect a warm glow revealing their textured surface well after the sun has fallen below the horizon. This is truly a photographer's paradise. This experience has served as a reminder to break away from the routine I tend find myself in of continuously photographing what's obvious, and try focus more attention on what makes an area unique.

Proving Ground - Banff National Park, Alberta

Fall is a great time to visit Banff National Park. The air is cool and crisp, crowds have thinned out, and the golden larches ignite the mountain slopes. The elk rut also kicks off during the fall season. From mid September to mid October, in an attempt to win the hearts of the females in the herd, bull elk square off to prove their dominance. Locking antlers and using brute force they take turns forcing one another into submission.

Carmanah - Vancouver Island, B.C.

Deep in the network of logging roads on Vancouver Island is a small grove of giant ancient trees in a protected area called Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park. Accessing this park is not for the faint of heart. Several hours of extremely rough active forestry roads are the only way in. Once in the park you are rewarded with some of the islands oldest and largest trees. This image is just a typical view along the main trail through the park.

Heceta Beach - Heceta Head Lighthouse, Oregon

Only accessible at low tide, this small cave is one of many at Heceta Beach on the Oregon Coast. I found it interesting how the waves during high tide would force the smaller stones to collect in the bowl shaped rock.

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.