All American Commute

This Smithsonian Magazine Editor's Choice is one of my favorite exposure of all time. This is a 30 second shot taken prior to sunrise looking over the Memorial Bridge as rush hour traffic hurries across. I particularly like the "heartbeat" of the photography, a jogger's chestlight that appears on the right hand side of the image. NOTE: A one half stop soft GND filter was used to slightly darken the above the horion portion of this photograph. Contrast was also slightly adjusted.

Dawn of Creation

Photo taken from boat at dawn as lava flows in to the Pacific off the coast of Hawaii. From this vantage point you are close enough to feel the heat and smell the sulfur fumes from the active flow as you bob up and down 50 ft from shore. NOTE: No major edits were made to this photo.

Red Dawn

I was treated to a Red Dawn with particularly amazing clouds at dawn overlooking the Rio Grande Gorge just west of Taos, NM. NOTE: A 1.5 stop GND filter was applied to achieve the observed ballance between the above and below the horizon light levels.

Blastoff at Shiprock

A long exposure, 5 minute, photograph of Shiprock taken at astronomical dawn as a set of whispy clouds flow over the formation. The light source for this photograph was the light of the full moon. Note: A one stop GND filter was applied to the below the horizon portion of this photograph to achieve the desired light balance above and below the horizon.

Reflective Wave

Early morning light hits the upper portion of a wave formation as it is reflected in a temporary pool of water. NOTE: A two stop soft GND filter was used to darken the portion of the photo where directed sunlight hits the sandstone.

Classic Wave

A mid-day photograph taken inside the Wave formation in the Coyote Buttes North wilderness area. NOTE: No major edits were made to this photograph, contrast was adjusted.

Curves

The forever changing curves and lines of the White Sands National Monument's dunes are breathtaking. I partiuclarly enjoy the contrasting curves between the top of the dune and the rutted bottom of the dune bed. NOTE: A one half stop soft GND filter was used to darken the above the horizon portion of the photograph.

Sunrays

I couldn't have asked for better light on this particular evening. In addition to that, while dust is usually bad for visibility, in this case it created two effects that I absolutely find amazing. First, the sunrays. They are absolutely endless and amazing. Second is the seemingly endless supply of peaks that fade into the dusty distance of gold as the viewer peers down the Grand Canyon. This photograph was taken from near Desert View Point on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. NOTE: I exposed for the clouds with a 2 stop Hard GND Filter at the time of exposure and later lightened the under the horizon portion of the photograph by one half stop. This replicates the view as seen that evening and is necessary to more closely recreate the dynamic range that one could have seen with the human eye at the time.

Follow the Light

This photograph was taken in the first entrance chamber of Antelope Canyon North. No, I didn't throw dust in the air to create this affect. NOTE: No major edits were made to the photo in post.

Battleship Moon

I wish I could say I planned this shot, but I was actually on my way to Plateau Point with another view in mind at the time. We departed the South Rim around 3 int he morning, and as dawn approached I could see the waning moon trying to sneak below the horizon of the south rim. This forced me to increase my pace. Then, just as the first rays of dawn hit the south rim I was able to make this exposure that encompasses battleship rock, the moon, and three distincly different layers of strata as I looked up toward the south rim of the Grand Canyon. NOTE: I slightly increased contrast on this photo, but otherwise no major edits were made.

Left Fork Cascade

This 2 second exposure was taken before direct light entered the canyon. Prior to this point on the hike the bed of the river looked somewhat unremarkable, but then we hit this portion of the ascent and were blown away by the waterfalls and vertical navajo sandstone rock formations. NOTE: A one stop soft GND filter was applied to the top portion of this photograph and contrast was adjusted slightly.

Subway Icon

This 8 second exposure highlights an iconic view of "The Subway" formation inside Zion National Park. This photograph was taken a couple hours after sunrise, before direct sunlight entered the formation. NOTE: Highlights in the upper third of the photograph were slightly burned, but solely to reclaim the detail that the naked eye could see that morning as optimum exposure was set to the lower part of the formation.

Candyland

This 13 second post sunset, dusk exposure highlights how swiftly the colors of the sandstone shift in the twilight hours in the White Pocket. I enjoyed watching teh whole area turn pink prior to the night's dark setting in. NOTE: A one half stop soft GND filter was used to darken the above the horizon portion of this photograph and more acurately reflect the scene as seen with the human eye that evening.

Vermillion Polaris

This is one of my favorite exposures of all time (at this point in time). It is a 863 second wide angle shot of my favorite formation in White Pocket. The formation is lit by a waning moon as astronomical dawn arrives. The world turns and seems to be in line with the flow of the White Pocket, the only time this formations of this area seem to make sense. NOTE: The entire exposure was lightened by one stop as the original exposure was underexposed.