Another year in the books! It’s time for my annual post where I share some favorites from the last 12 months and look back on what the year was like. While it didn’t hold the level of adventure that 2022 did (it’s hard to top a road trip to Alaska!), I still got out for some backpacking trips in the mountains and time spent in the desert and prairie. Spring this year was wet and incredibly green on the Great Plains, which made for excellent photography before the mountains melted out. Once the passes were snow free, the summer brought on backpacking trips in both Colorado and Montana, with the highlight being a 5 day loop in Glacier National Park.
I also want to take this chance to sincerely thank everyone for their support over the last year, as well as the previous decade. It warms my heart to see you enjoying my prints on your walls, and finding inspiration from my ebooks and images. I really couldn’t do this without your help, and I never take that for granted. And let’s not forget those photographers who use my drum scanning service, it’s been a pleasure working on scanning projects with all of you!
What does the next year have in store? You can bet it’s more of the same. I continue to find inspiration on the open prairie, and already have locations picked out for future trips. And when it comes to mountain backpacking, I’m going to take a lesson from this year and keep the schedule more open so I can be flexible when it comes to wildfires and snowpack conditions. Without any further words, here is a selection of my personal favorites from 2023. Which one do you enjoy the most? What would you like to see more of in the future? Leave a comment and get the conversation started!
“Nebo Paintbrush” - Mount Nebo reflects in an unnamed lake, surrounded by lush marshes and wildflowers. Evening sun fills the valley with warm light. Weminuche Wilderness, Colorado - July 2023. E100 4x5, 75mm lens, 1/8th second at f22, 812 filter. Prints available.
“Ashton Homestead” - Endless hills of wheat surround an abandoned homestead, morning light showing off the golden hues of late summer wheat. Eastern Idaho - August 2023. Portra 160 4x5, 200mm lens, 1 second at f22, no filters. Prints available
“Hot Springs Canyon” - Evening sun illuminates a variety of desert plants above Hot Springs Canyon. Big Bend National Park, Texas - January 2023. Velvia 50 4x5, 125mm lens, 4 seconds at f32, no filters. Prints available.
“Snake Creek Homestead” - Late afternoon light on a homestead, spring green grasses covering the prairie. Northern Montana - May 2023. E100 4x5, 125mm lens, 1/8 second at f22, 812 filter. Prints available.
“Pocket Lake Sunset” - Sunset over Pocket Lake, a hidden gem surrounded by towering peaks. Glacier National Park, Montana - August 2023. Ektar 100 4x5, 75mm lens, 1 second at f32, no filters. Prints available.
“Danvers Storm” - A stormy sunset over a leaning grain elevator. Central Montana, May 2023. Portra 160 4x5, 300mm lens, 1 second at f32, no filters. Prints available.
“Chisos Sunset” - Sunset over the remains of a tree towering over the South Rim cliffs, from my first backpacking trip of the year. Big Bend National Park, Texas - January 2023. Portra 160 4x5, 200mm lens, 1/2 second at f22, no filters. Prints available.
“Wind Engine Wildflowers” - A prairie in bloom with beeweed under a spinning windmill. Pawnee National Grasslands, Colorado - June 2023. E100 4x5, 125mm lens, 1/4 second at f22, 812 filter. Prints available.
“Canyon Maples” - Autumn maples and fern deep in a desert canyon. I found some interesting and very secluded places to photograph autumn this year. Utah - October 2023. E100 4x5, 200mm lens, 12 seconds at f22, 812 filter. Prints available.
“Elevator Smoke Sunrise” - The sun rises through wildfire smoke over an old grain elevator. Teton County, Montana - August 2023. Portra 160 4x5, 500mm lens, 1/4 second at f32, no filters. Prints available.
“Bowman View” - A late summer sunset on the high peaks above Bowman Lake. Glacier National Park, Montana - August 2023. Ektar 100 4x5, 75mm lens, 1/4 second at f16, 2 stop soft GND filter. Prints available.
“Frosty Sunbeam” - Morning sun beams through frosty cottonwood trees. Weld County, Colorado - December 2023. Portra 160 4x5, 125mm lens, 1/8th second at f22, no filters. Prints available.
“Windmill Wildflower Dawn” - Purple flowers glow in morning light under a windmill. Pawnee National Grasslands, Colorado - June 2023. E100 4x5, 125mm lens, 1 second at f22, 812 filter. Prints available.
“Canyon Cottonwood Glow” - A towering autumn cottonwood glows in reflected canyon light. Utah - October 2023. Velvia 50 4x5, 200mm lens, 2 seconds at f22, no filters. Prints available.
Thank you for reading, and thanks again for all of your continued support. I wish you all the best for 2024!