It’s always fun at the end of a year to look back and see where my travels have taken me. He’s a few good memories from 2016.

I started out 2016 with a chilly wander to the north. This is Grouse Creek in the Cabinet Mountains.

In April I explored the Owyhee Desert in search of wildflowers. I found these lupine under a matching sky.

Reflections of a sunset sky on the Centennial Marsh in May.

After an all day spring rain at Stanley Lake, the light broke through just at sunset on a June evening.

I love these old log fences in the Stanley Valley, this one surrounded by Camas lilies.

During my first destination photo workshop in the Teton Valley at the end of June, we were treated to this amazing sunrise over the Teton River.

On a September afternoon, I talked my visiting kids into accompanying me on a journey up Sundance Mountain overlooking Priest Lake.

I love the feel of this image. It represents to me the many miles I’ve driven exploring roads just like this.

This image reminds me to find a different perspective. I took a cow trail way out into a field to find this view of the Lost River Range.

I waited for the light to touch the ridge in the center of this image in the White Knob Mountains.

From a local trip in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest. I love when the cottonwoods reflect gold in the waters.

This was a lesson in patience. It was raining and I shot quickly and retreated to my vehicle. As I started driving away the rainbow appeared, prompting me to shoot it again. Really I should have just given it 10 or 15 minutes. You never know…

I traveled from Alpine, WY in the pitch dark of a foggy early morning, up the Snake River Canyon to arrive here well before sunrise. It didn’t seem the mountains would appear and many photographers gave up and left. Another lesson in patience.

From a fun trip to the Eastern Sierra Nevadas with a friend. We flew into Las Vegas and drove west then north to Reno, seeing the sights all along the way. This was just after sunset in the Alabama Hills at Lone Pine, CA.

A local winter scenic on Wolf Lodge Creek. I always love getting out after a fresh snowfall.

A touch of lavender in the sky at sunrise. The Coeur d’Alene River at Rose Lake just this week.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and many beautiful scenes in 2017!

Plans were hatched, research was done, and reservations were made…. I’ve selected three stunning locations throughout Idaho to hold some great photo workshops. Registrations are now underway for two of the three offerings.

Spring in the Teton Valley

Take in the beauty of Idaho’s Teton Valley. Learn photography against the backdrop of some of America’s most majestic mountains. This is proving to be a popular choice and is almost full. Act fast if you want in on this one!

Next up is Autumn in the Sawtooths.

Explore the stunning landscapes of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area while improving your photography skills. We are waiting on approval of the required permit for the SNRA but you may join the wait list for first notification of when registration opens.

Last but not Least…

Priest Lake and the Selkirk Mountains

Fiery Red huckleberry bushes, golden tamaracks, waterfalls and sunrises overlooking the lake just out our front door. Maybe we did save the best for last…

Registration is now open. Reserve your spot for just a $35.00 deposit.

Visit my website to learn more.

Greetings from a sweltering North Idaho! It’s a good time to stay inside and work on indoor projects, one of which is this summer update.

I’ve continued working on my Idaho State Parks artist residency, with recent visits to Priest Lake State Park, where I witnessed an amazing sunset and discovered a “new to me” waterfall.

At Winchester Lake State Park I found this quaint little rowboat and enjoyed the fragrance of a park full of wild roses.

At Ponderosa State Park, I took in the view over Payette Lake from the scenic drive and enjoyed the evening reflections in the North Fork of the Payette.

You can browse my State Parks Gallery here to see the whole collection.

As part of my residency, I’m super excited to be leading a photography workshop on July 11th at Old Mission State Park, where the students will photograph the Cataldo Mission and the Historic skills Fair before we head up the Coeur d’Alene River and visit areas like Fern Falls and The Settlers Grove of Ancient Cedars. I’ll be teaching how to show motion in water photography and choosing a good shutter speed for various types of action photography. The class is filling fast, but if you’re interested you can read more and register here.

I’ve got several new products in the works.  All of my images are now available on 3 sizes and many colors of tote bags.

Here’s an example of one with some cool new photography letters I had my graphic designer put together for me featuring scenes from throughout Idaho. You can browse and shop here:

This year I have produced a 2016 calendar just for my hometown of Coeur d’Alene in addition to my Idaho calendar. It is available at several retailers around town, including Angel Gallery, Sunflower, Marketplace gifts and Hastings and via my website.

Next up…A trip to Eastern Idaho. enjoy your summer and keep cool!

There’s exciting things happening here at Idaho Scenics!

I’m thrilled and honored to be named the new Idaho State Parks Artist in Residence for the 2015 season.  What does that mean? Well, when I camp I’ll actually have outhouse facilities. 🙂
But seriously, this is a new, mutually beneficial partnership that has many facets. I will visit as many Idaho State Parks as I can this year and dedicate those times to create some great art pieces. As the year progresses I will have specially designated work for sale at my summer art shows and via an online gallery, of which 25% of the sales will go directly to the state parks. You can view and purchase from the growing gallery here.

The parks and affiliate, Friends of Idaho State Parks will be promoting me and will sponsor a show of my finished work at the end of the season, so stay tuned for that.

I’ve also been asked to teach some photo workshops in the State Parks a little later this year. Follow my Facebook page for upcoming news.

I launched a Kickstarter project today. Please take a look and choose a great reward. I appreciate your support.

In between these projects, kids coming to visit and gearing up for the spring shooting season, I’ve steadily been working towards being ready for my first show of the year. Look for my booth at Lewiston’s Art Under the Elms April 24-26th.

One final thing worth mentioning…  The 2016 calendar will be here from the printer next week, which will conclude my advance purchase sale. Don’t miss your chance to score a calendar for the crazy low price of $9.00 + s/h.
It is available here.
Thanks for reading, for following my work and for support my crazy endeavors. Happy Spring!

Well, I opened this account 2 years ago… it’s probably about time I make my first post. What better day to than this last day of 2014 to show off some of my favorite images from 2014. I can’t say these are truly my best images.  Most of them were selected because of the experience making them and personal connection I feel to them.

In January, I threw common sense to the wind and headed south in a snowstorm and bitterly cold temperatures to find some snow. Near Cascade Idaho, I sat in the pitch dark of morning, with the car thermometer reading -11 degrees outside, and wondered if I was crazy. It was on this morning as I explored after it was light, that I found this wintery scene.

The lupine of Steptoe Butte continue to taunt me as they sway in the wind every time I go, never-the-less, I enjoyed sitting here amongst the flowers with my dog waiting for sunset. One day I will time it right for a nice calm evening. A few day later, and after some significant rain, I got up in the dark and tried Steptoe Butte again. With plenty of time to spare I traveled some side roads until I determined it was time get to the butte for sunrise about 5 miles away. My GPS found a route towards the mountain, which ended up being nothing more than a farmers access road. My new mud tires really paid for themselves that day and I made this spot on the hill just as the sun found that gap in the clouds for a brief minute then was gone. Dawn on the Lochsa after spending the a peaceful night in my Jeep listening to the water rush by… On the same trip and after another night in the Jeep, I arouse in the dark and made my way by headlamp to the outlet of Meadow Lake, high in the Lemhi Range. After visiting with the camp host the night before and hearing of mountain lions being spotted just above this spot, I was a little spooked. The sky didn’t really do what I wanted, but I was proud of myself for being there just the same. The next 4 are from my home turf in North Idaho. The Kaniksu National Forest which has really captured my heart over the last couple of years. This is a view over the south end of Lake Pend Oreille on a nice summer afternoon. This view of the same forest later in autumn after hunting season, was after driving in the dark for 2 hours through mud bogs and what felt like small ponds on a less than ideal mountain road, only to have there be nothing happen at sunrise. It wasn’t until on the way back that the sun found this small gap in the clouds and I saw something that inspired me to shoot. I never saw another soul out there and I was glad to make it out of the forest that day. This is a much photographed bridge on the St. Joe River, but the first time I caught it with autumn color. From a nice day trip up the river and over the mountains. I didn’t time this one well. My first attempt on the 4×4 road that accesses Sundance Mountain above Preist Lake. I’ve wanted to go here for so long. My first attempt in a 2 wheel drive truck, I took the wrong road which was a good thing because the truck never would have made it. I returned with better directions this fall in my Jeep, but underestimated the time it would take to navigate the road up there. I was still a good ways from the top when I had to stop to shoot sunset. Technically this image is lacking, but I liked the warm sun on the huckleberry bushes and purposely let the sky blow out. To add just a little more motivation to shoot this quick, there was a large animal grunting in the trees about 100 yards below me. I’ve wanted to go to Colorado for years and after I had to cancel last fall, nothing was stopping me this year. This is my image of the Famous Maroon Bells, that crosses one item off my bucket list. Being a solitary shooter, it was interesting to be there with 50 other photographers. I’m sure there are better shots of this, but this one is mine. While waiting for morning light on the previous image, and dancing around in the cold, I noticed the great peaks of Sievers Mountain immediately behind me. This shot makes me happy because I didn’t notice anyone else giving it any attention. I have too many from Colorado to show here including some favorites of the glorious aspen. I don’t like driving at night, but when I have a trip planned, there’s no sleeping anyways. After climbing into bed at 8pm one night I decided I might as well be driving, so I was on the road by 9 and drove all night to make Island Park by sunrise. This shot represents that little bit of crazy more than anything, and the call of the open road. The Tetons and the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River. After touring through Southeastern Idaho and a night in the Caribou Mountains, I made it to my main destination at the City of Rocks. I found myself a great vantage point high in the park and with the wind howling at about 45mph, spent the night with the Jeep rocking in the breeze. A quick trip to Boise in December, found some of the only snow in the state at McCall. This is Lake Fork Creek decked out in silver and one of my new winter favorites. And by popular vote…..Last Sunday morning I took a little drive in Eastern Washington and photographed barns in the Chewelah area. This was a totally easy shot, in which all I did was get out of the vehicle, so imagine my surprise that it has been hugely popular on social media. I’ve included it here because it is my most “shared and liked” image to date. Go figure. 🙂 If you see something you can’t live without, I’d be honored if you chose to make a purchase. Please visit Idaho Scenics to see more.

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