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.

Star Struck - Heceta Beach, Oregon

Clinging to the rocks patiently waiting for the tide to come in, this little starfish is just one of the many wonderful creatures to discover in the tidal zone of the Pacific Coast.

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.

Engadine Blues - Kananaskis, Alberta

Luck seems to have eluded me this year. Leaving my house, the forecast said it was supposed to be only -3 degrees in the Banff area. With the Chinook winds blowing, heading out to the mountains for an early morning sunrise photo shoot seemed like a good idea. As I approached the Spray Valley just outside Canmore I had to constantly keep turning up the heat in my truck as I climbed up the hill to the valley. By the time I got to Mount Egandine Lodge, the temperature was well below -20 degrees and oh boy was it ever cold. after poking my tripod through the waist deep snow to set up for a shot, one of the latches on the lower section of the leg got stuck between some rocks that was under the snow. Nearly frostbitten, after 15 minutes of fiddling around, I finally got it out and thankfully I was able to at least capture this photo before having to run back to my truck to warm up.

Canadian Gold - Bugaboo Provincial Park, British Columbia

As a lover of solitude, Bugaboo Provincial Park is my kind of place. I discovered this remote park a few years back and now I dream of returning year after year. I’m not sure what it is, but there is something so refreshing for me every time I make a trip out here. It’s my happy place I guess.

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).

Tidal Zone

Every year my daughter and I go on a road trip together. This year, we spent several days exploring the Oregon Coast. Looking back on the trip, one of my fondest memories I had with her was exploring the rocky outcrops along the beaches during low tide. We spent several hours each day running from the waves, and flipping rocks looking for crabs and starfish together. Seeing that glow on her face every time we found a sea critter has burned into my memory forever. It is amazing to see the excitement in a child when they discover something new.

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.

Spire-weed - Bugaboos Provincial Park, British Columbia

The immense raw beauty of British Columbia's bugaboos region is nothing short of incredible. For a few weeks each year at the peak of the summer, the wildflowers bloom throughout the valley. The fireweed as seen in this photo is unquestionably the most impressive.

First Light - Kananaskis, Alberta

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

Lightning Crashes - Terrebonne, Oregon

In the summer of 2019, I spent a few days exploring the high desert of Oregon and almost as if you could set your watch to it, in the late afternoon some of the worst storms I have experienced in recent years would crash down over me without warning. While scurrying around seeking shelter amongst the sagebrush covered landscape, I couldn’t help but be amazed how the heck this place doesn’t go up in flames after each of the daily thunderstorms I was subjected to. Everything is so freaking dry its basically a box of matches out here. Thankfully to my delight, Mother Nature has struck a balance and somehow prevented this amazing ecosystem from being scorched. This is a testament to how resilient desert landscapes really are.

Headwaters - Banff National Park, Alberta

A few kilometers downstream of this location is Bow Lake, which is considered the headwaters of the mighty Bow River. It’s hard to believe such a tiny insignificant stream is responsible for creating a world-renowned trout fishery, and is a life source for majority of people living in Southern Alberta.

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.