Favorites

2017 Solar Eclipse Sequence

As I was snapping away with my big telephoto in a nearby city park, a crowd had formed around the projected image I'd set up with a spotting scope and a white board. It was so fun to see people documenting their experience on their phones as they photographed themselves and each other. I took my fair share of shots as people handed me their phones. At one point, I was taking photos of people, while they were taking pictures of other people standing next to my eclipse display. Sharing this rare event with others turned out to be an unexpected and wonderful added experience!

Yellow on Black

Yellow coneflowers line the banks as day breaks on the ridge above.

Tempe Town Lake Fireworks

July 4, 2015

Morning Glow

Morning light on the San Francisco Peaks in northern Arizona.

Crested Saguaro

A gorgeous genetic mutation of the saguaro cactus. This beauty was on a hillside affording me an eye-level view.

Green on Black

Sedges along the banks of the Black River were a beautiful complement to the silky flow of the water.

West Fork Sunrise

This was the second sunrise over the West Fork of Oak Creek. The first one had made a brief appearance, and then promptly ducked behind the clouds on the horizon. This one was way more impressive and the light in the canyon itself was much better.

Sunrise and Moonset over Marble Canyon

A full moon sets as the sun rises over Marble Canyon south of the Vermillion Cliffs. This area in the Marble Canyon Wilderness is one of my favorite photographic locations of all time. I spent a couple days here in May 2013 shooting the different times of day. Clouds moved in during the night and produced this stunning sunrise as the full moon sets in the west. A group of river rafters was on the small beach in the bottom of the bend in the photo. I could see their campfires and headlamps the night before. They were all snug in their sleeping bags as this gorgeous location got an amazing start. Extreme magnification of this photo reveals their campsite with four rafts tied up to the shore as well as their tents.

Fall on the Salt River at the Bulldog Cliffs

Even though it was almost Christmas, Fall colors were just peaking along the Salt River at the Bulldog Cliffs. This iconic scene is just below the Saguaro Lake Dam.

Kelly Pocket God Light

Morning light shines through the fog of the ponderosa forest off Forest Service Road 237 south of Kachina Village.

Oak Creek Waterfall

Fall breathes its last gasp of color along Oak Creek near Sedona, Arizona. I had been in the red rock country all day, but the light was not cooperating. So, I moved up into the canyon where the soft light and moody clouds complemented the colors of the creek.

East Fork of the Black River

This was the best panorama of the first of two consecutive Fall trips to the same area along the East Fork. It was the best conditions weather-wise with a lot of monsoon inspired rains.

Mogollon Monsoon Magic

A massive monsoon storm moves away from the Mogollon Rim near Payson, Arizona. I sat in my camp and watched this impressive storm well into the evening being entertained by frequent lightning.

Apache Lake Sunset

A brilliant sunset burns bright over Apache Lake at the Burnt Corral Campground.

First Peek

A new day begins as the sun peeks over the horizon as seen from the top of the Chiricahua Mountains in southeast Arizona.

Cut-leaved Coneflowers

These flowers along the East Fork of the Black River were in their peak in September.

Marble Canyon Sunrise

This spot in the Marble Canyon Wilderness gets very little love from other photographers, as far as I know. Most head north to the wildly more popular Wave and Coyote Buttes area. This shot taken in July 2011, was an absolutely, mind-blowingly, beautiful location. I didn't see another soul the two days I spent here.

Moonset over Marble Canyon

The setting full moon illuminates Marble Canyon south of the Vermillion Cliffs. I shot the rising moon the night before, and it was quite the sight to behold. But wind made my shots very noisy from the high ISO necessary to get a fast shutter speed and not have camera shake in the shots. This next morning was calm and breeze-free with only the hooting of a nearby great-horned owl to break the silence.

Apache Lake Hillside Morning Light

The morning light on this hillside above Apache Lake was absolutely gorgeous.

Four Peaks Snow

This shot from February 2011 shows snow on Four Peaks. While snow in the desert is rare, this sight on Four Peaks is usually at least a once-a-year occurrence.

West Fork Subway Panorama

Towering Coconino sandstone cliffs narrow in the Subway on the West Fork of Oak Creek trail. This is the end of the improved trail 3.2 miles from the parking lot in Oak Creek Canyon. From here on, it's wading in the creek. The water in was absolutely freezing and painfully cold as I waded from dry spot to dry spot. The upside was an absence of other hikers and photographers giving me sole access to the area. I had a ball photographing as red maple leaves slowly floated by in this sublime canyon.

Mogollon Rim Monsoon

Monsoon clouds move along this portion of the Mogollon Rim. A minute before this shot was taken, a cloud had condensed below the rim and moved through this shot. I'd never been a witness to anything like it before. Being completely encompassed by the fast moving cloud was quite the experience.

Tall House, Wupatki National Monument

Wupatki National Monument is part of many settlement sites in a park north of Flagstaff, Arizona. Settled by the Ancient Pueblo People around 500 A.D. This structure called the Tall House has over 100 rooms with two large kiva stuctures nearby.