LANDSCAPES

ROLLING PRAIRIE LANDSCAPE. I love the look of agricultural, rolling prairie landscapes, especially when old buildings are involved. Although this photo is reminiscent of the well-known Palouse area in Washington State, this photo was actually taken on the Canadian prairies.

SUNSET REFLECTION OVER HUDSON BAY. Northern landscapes are among my personal favorites. This photo was made over a very small pool hidden among the rocks overlooking Hudson Bay in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. By choosing a wide-angle lens and picking just the right point of view, I was able to create an interesting shape in the dark foreground that also mirrored the quiet sunset. I love the resulting "reflective" mood!

PRAIRIE THUNDERSTORM. Prairie skies were recently named one of the "Seven Wonders of Canada" and rightfully so. Nothing compares with the drama of an approaching thunderstorm that threatens to drop heavy rain, or hail, or possibly even turn into a tornado. It is awesome to watch and to photograph.

SUNSET OVER BIRD COVE. Hudson Bay in a rare moment of stillness reflects the sunset perfectly. People who have seen this print often assume it to be a watercolour, but even photography can be art! I love the tranquility and quiet strength of the rocks which seem almost "soft" in the context of the still water sunset.

AFTER 911. I made this image while shooting for a book on Lake of the Woods for Heartland Publishing. I still had the southern part of the lake to photograph (the part that is in Minnesota) when the terrible tragedy of 9/11 happened. I waited for a few days before heading out and came across this quiet, and somewhat somber scene at the time, near a small fishing camp. I felt both serenity and sadness as I took this photo knowing that the USA and the world had changed forever.

SILA RIVER FALLS, NUNAVUT. The Sila River flows into Wager Bay, an offshoot of Hudson Bay, in Canada's North. A series of four gorgeous waterfalls increasing in height and volume as you move upstream were well worth the many hour hike to photograph them.

FIELD AND FOG. Fall is a season of "mellow fruitfulness" that is enhanced by the presence of fog. The vibrant colours are gone, the crops are in except for the bales, and a still expectancy is on the land. The quiet waiting is one of the aspects of Fall that make it special to me.

LIGHTNING LANDSCAPE. Lightning is one of my favorite subjects on the prairies where I live, but I proceed with caution! The power of the storm is enhanced by the strong bolt of lightning, echoed in the distance by another, and by the relatively peaceful scene below that contrasts with the dynamic clouds.

FRESH SNOW ON SPRUCE FOREST.

VALLEY OF FIRE SANDSTONE FORMATION. Unique caverns abound in places like Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. The American Southwest has been over-photographed, yet it's appeal remains as strong as ever.

LIGHTNING STORM OVER LAKE ERIE. I was packing up with my friends after a day of shooting birds at Point Pelee National Park in Ontario, Canada, because a thunderstorm was approaching. Just before leaving, I asked my friends to wait a minute while I ran down to the beach to capture a few hand-held images of the dramtic clouds over Lake Erie. As I looked through the viewfinder I simply concentrated on keeping the horizon straight, and waited for a small wave to roll in to complement the curve of the beach. It wasn't till later, when I downloaded my images, that I realized one of my 6 shots had a perfect lightning bolt in it. Sometimes you have to be lucky to be good!

DRAKE'S BEACH AT POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE. It was a cold winter morning when I visited Drake's Beach, but, as usual, when the light is great and the scene spectacular, the cold is forgotten in the excitement of the moment.

GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE, COLORADO. It was extremely windy and cold when I climbed up the Great Sand Dunes of Colorado one February day. It seemed I took two steps forward and one back as I worked my way up the huge dunes trying to keep the wind at my back. Only the increasingly spectacular view kept me going.

COTTONGRASS LANDSCAPE, ICELAND. Much of Iceland's landscape is volcanic and barren, but in the older mountains lush mosses and grasses grow profusely.

VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, HAWAII. Watching the hot lava flows of Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii was an awesome experience. The constantly changing, landscape-altering power of hot lava can only be appreciated while standing there at night and feeling the heat.

TREE SHADOW ON SNOWDRIFT. I love going out after a blizzard to photograph the pristine drifts and sensuous shapes that were created by the storm. The shadow of the tree on the fresh snow only enhances the beauty of the scene.

SUNRISE FOG. The advantage of sleeping in my vehicle is that I can wake up at a beautiful spot and start taking pictures without getting out of bed! Sunrise fog is a favorite of mine and you can see why here.

HOARFROST ALONG COUNTRY ROAD. The beauty of hoarfrost is self-explanatory. Everything it touches takes on the essence of magic, and turns the ordinary into the extraordinary.

FRASER TOWERS & LA SAL MOUNTAINS, MOAB, UTAH. The light was just perfect in the late afternoon to capture the famous Fisher Towers offset by the La Sal Mountains in the distance. Of course, a reflection never hurt a photograph either!