Why don’t you just fly!!??

That… is a question i get A LOT…. And i mean a lot…. When people find out on my photography trips and sessions that I drive for all of them, they are shocked. Yes, I know.. I get there quicker, possibly have more time in the area and so on.. BUT.. here is why… and it isn’t a short , simple answer…. Let me explain..

Yes, I have flown.. and to be honest I’m not a huge fan of it.. as a photographer with a lot of equipment , very, very expensive equipment. It can be an absolute nerve wracking, complete hassle. Yes, I know about carry on and such , and have done it.. many times.

Yes, I know there are so many amazing locations to shoot that I just can not drive too.. Yup.. there are places that I have dreamed of shooting and someday still might.. With that said… is there a place where I am just dying to go too.. the place that I just have to get that shot.. nope..

To me, there are a lot of photographers , especially in this age of social media that has glamorized traveling to exotic locations as sort of a status symbol. The “ look where I went to shoot… that makes me a legit photographer now” way of thinking. You can see certain locations becoming the fad for photographers.. two that come to mind.. Iceland and Faroe Islands.. it is the “in thing” to do as a photographer.. not to say it is a bad thing.. it is not, and hell I would even love to see them… but they are not even close to the top of my list.

To me… on my travels or “shoots” , the image is the very last piece of the puzzle for me.. The experience and the travel, the adventure is first. And driving is the ultimate part of that to me.. can it be boring, can it be tiring … oh god yes.. ( looking at you Nebraska) , as well.. some of my best images has come from seeing something on the drive and just pulling over to shoot..

People .. I have met some of the most interesting people on my road trips. Had some of the most interesting conversation’s on road tips. I have met people and spent the day or two days with and had an amazing time.. but knew when we parted, I would never, ever see them again. As well, I have made some very dear life long friends along the way.

Experiences…. Road trip experience’s are something you will never , ever have flying or being in a airport.. Roadside attractions, gas stations, roadside food stands, small diners, laundromats.. all can be so very cool and interesting. I have had so many amazing experiences .. a couple that come to mind. Driving through Colorado.. stop for gas on the Southern Ute Reservation.. out stretching my legs.. I see, just like a movie, an old grey haired Native American man sitting on a bench whittling on a piece of wood. I sit next to him, strike up a conversation.. that turned into the next four hours listening to stories of the tribe, the way things used to be, what the area used to be like.. all so amazing.

Another, driving through the Navajo Nation reservation. I see a sign that says “ Dinosaur Foot Print”. Also seeing some porta-potties.. had to stop. When I asked what the deal here was.. I was told it is a tour of a fossil bed.. an hour tour , bones, foot prints, Dino poop.. yes poop, it was amazing.. When I asked the Native American man what I owed , he says what ever you would like to donate.. $50.00 i handed him. We chatted a bit , he asked what i was out doing in the area . Told him I was a photographer and was out shooting landscape and wildlife images. Told him I was in the area hoping to get some elk shots. He says that a group of them were actually camping up on the mountain that night to elk hunt the next day. Would I like to camp with them and maybe get some shots.. HELL YES! So I spent the night up on a mountain , with a group of Navajo people, eating Navajo tacos next to the fire, laughing and talking.. made friends that i still talk to and visit today.

Those are the things I crave.. the experience .. If I get an amazing image Im happy.. but behind each one of my images are memories, stories, experiences.. something you will never have on a plane, in an airport, worrying about luggage , rental cars, wait lines, TSA, deadlines, flight times… nope.. none of that is for me..

Is there anything wrong with the international travel, nope.. I hope anyone that craves that get to do it as much as they can. For me.. there is so much to photograph, so many like minded and interesting people to meet in this amazing big old country we call home.. so… see ya on the road!

Perspective..

Perspective..

As I get older I think a lot about perspective.. not just in my photography, but life .  In photography I am learning to try and look at all things in different perspectives, lower, higher, crop in, focus on the little things.. maybe even more abstract views of grander views.

But in life…  I have spent years… maybe even most of my life looking at things in the big perspective , the future . Where can i shoot next?  Scanning potential opportunities to visit, shoot.. always looking for that next grand vista, epic sky.. always chasing..  in photography, in life, at work, in my business.. always a big , grand perspective..   It is always  “ someday I’m going there”, “ someday i will get that shot”,  “someday I will make more money”, …. Always … “ someday”….

Then one day  recently I woke up and realized, there will always be and also never be a “ someday”. …   I realized that in life there are only  First Times and Last Times..    There are two “ First Times” in life… some are absolutely amazing… the others are absolutely incredibly painful.  The  “ Last Times” are agonizingly painful… and always too late when you have them.

There are first times you meet an amazing person, see a place you dreamed of, have an amazing feeling of love, first time you hear that amazing song, first time you see your favorite movie or band, first time you soak your feet in a mountain stream, first time you see an epic mountain sunrise or sunset … so many amazing first times…

Then come the last times… and those .. are so, so painful.   There will be a last time you sit on a sofa and cuddle with your kid as you watch cartoons. Last time you played with your favorite toy, last time you hung out with friends ,  last time you go watch your kids play little league, last time you sit on a porch and talk to your grandpa, last time you take a walk in the woods with your dad, last time you hug your mom, last time you tell someone special in your life you love them…. And you never …. Ever … know it’s the last time… until… it’s the last time and its too late..

This year, i felt this strong pull, urge to surprise my mom for Mother’s Day. To be honest , I haven’t been with my mom on mother’s day for years.. always called , always sent flowers.. but this year i just felt i needed to go.  She didn’t know i was coming , i surprised her and spent most of the week there. The day I left, she hugged me.. held onto me and cried. She never did that before..  I held her tight.. told her everything was ok… then I cried all the way back home.  That was the last time I hugged my mom, got to tell her in person i love her,  truth be told… i could have stayed one more day… but i wanted to get the drive out of the way, things to get done at home, images to deliver to clients.. i was not being in the present , but once again looking ahead at the big picture..  I hate myself everyday for the moment.. every day..

Then comes the second type of First Time…  First time you realize your kids are no longer kids and are gone, first time you sit on that porch and your grandpa isn’t next to you, first time you walk in the woods now alone, first time a Mother’s Day comes and she isn’t there to call, first time you pick up the phone to call that someone you always have and now you can’t..  every single thing you do is now… the first time , since they have been gone… it is like your whole life resets..

In the span of the last 10 years… and we all know that sounds like a long time.. but isn’t.. I’ve lost 3 uncles, an aunt, my best friend and now my mom… I’ve lost almost my whole family… so i have experienced the first and last times over and over..

My advice.. Take Perspective in your life… don’t look for life’s wide angle, the “someday” .. the “ one day i will”….  Zoom in and be present .. look at what is in front of you.. what is now.. cherish every single moment , don’t take anything for granted, if you can squeeze in more time in the moment.. no matter if it may seem like an inconvenience to you… do it… those things you think you have to get done, or are piling up.. can wait.. dealing with something that didn’t get done is nothing compared to dealing with a….  Last Time…

Shooting through personal tragedy.

Losing my mother was by far the most devastating experience I have ever endured. It felt as if the sun had suddenly vanished from my life, leaving behind a void that could never be filled. The pain was immeasurable, suffocating me with a sense of abandonment and grief. The mere thought of her warm embrace, her gentle laughter, and her words of wisdom brought tears to my eyes. My mother was my pillar of support, my confidante, and my guiding light. Her absence felt like a deep abyss that swallowed my heart and left me grasping for solace. Though time may heal wounds, the void of losing my mother will forever remain a part of my being, a constant reminder of her irreplaceable love and the immeasurable impact she had on my life.

The loss of my mother has shattered me, impacting every part of my life, including photography. Without her, I struggle to find joy and inspiration behind the lens. Grief overwhelms me, clouding my creativity. Yet, I know she would want me to persist. In her memory, I will continue, battling the pain with each click. I honor her by seeking solace through my images , that she loved so much.

Losing a loved one is undoubtedly one of the most devastating experiences in life. As a photographer, the art of capturing moments holds a special place in my heart, and during this time of immense grief after losing my mother, I find solace in the world I can create through my lens. Photography has always been a means for me to express emotions and tell stories, and now, it becomes an even more vital outlet for my healing process. Through photographs, I can capture moments that remind me of her, freeze them in time, and cherish them forever. Each click of the shutter serves as a tribute to her memory, allowing me to keep her spirit alive as I navigate this journey of grief. In continuing with photography, I find solace, healing, and a way to honor my mother's legacy.

After losing my mother, her absence created a void that could never be filled. Yet, amidst the sorrow, I found solace in the embracing arms of photography. In every photograph I create, I feel her spirit reverberating through my lens. Her presence lingers in the soft rays of golden sunlight, in the gentle caress of a dew-kissed flower, and in the vibrant hues of a majestic sunset. Every click of the camera shutter allows me to capture her essence, freezing fleeting moments forever. Through my photography , I am reminded that although she may no longer be physically beside me, her love and soul live on, magnificently woven into every photograph I create.

I love you Mom…….

How does nature, or your photography make you feel?

When you go out to shoot, or maybe even a hike… how does being out in nature make you feel? I don’t mean physically, like getting a good workout or refreshed by getting away from everything. I mean, spiritual, emotional.. After many, many years of being in our National Parks, massive amounts of time on the road.. this is a question I have asked myself for years.

Also, for years.. my answer to myself has been very confusing. I know I have had a feeling… but could never put my finger on what it was. I also know that the feeling seemed to grow on every trip.. it got deeper. I could feel it. Sometimes , while at certain locations , certain valley’s, mountain ranges, lakes… it was almost overwhelming. So I would question myself on what it was i was feeling. Trying to narrow it down, what is this feeling? I tried giving it a name, figure out a single feeling… was it sadness? Was it happiness? Was it loneliness? ….. I found out it wasn’t a single solitary feeling…

It was all of them.. most of it was feeling small, insignificant, sad, happy, lonely, lucky, and more… all wrapped together.. and none of it in a bad way. When sitting in front of a mountain range I feel small, nothing in my life matters, or has ever mattered to them. They are millions of years old and will be there millions more. I am not even a speck of time to them. I get sad.. sometimes extremely sad knowing that one day will be my last day ever seeing a sight like that again. I get happy and feel lucky that I am there in the moment. I get lonely knowing I’m there , looking at this, feeling this all by myself..even if someone is with me.. I feel lonely knowing we all are, in the big scheme , alone on this ride..

It is a very humbling , emotional, spiritual feeling.. I have sat in a spot on a cliff edge, or an overlook, along a river or stream for hours. Taking in those feelings, having inner conversations, and i think it is a feeling everyone needs and should have. I look forward to each and every time I get the chance to have those feelings….. How does it all make you feel?

Health and Landscape Photography.

This is something that, from the people that know, ask me a lot of questions. See, i am an insulin dependent diabetic. So, I get asked how do you handle this while hiking, camping and shooting. It can be done, very manageable , but also very hard.. and at times scary.

You have to plan.. and often times plan for the worst. It can be challenging. Unused insulin needs to be kept cold, supplies must be packed along. Insulin pens, needles, meds that go with the insulin, a container to pack out your used needles. All, of which take up space and add weight. Then you need to not only worry, but plan on the common the side effect of taking insulin, and that is rapid lows.. or quickly falling blood sugar. Dizziness, cold sweats, confusion, failing eye sight, feeling of passing out, shakes… all of which could happen miles away from help, often times in bear country. That leads to another issue… bringing along proper snacks, glucose shots or tablets … all to help you combat these lows… all of which again, takes up weight and space… and bears can smell. In these areas a bear bin is a must for these.

Often times when I know I’m going to be a a longer hike or shooting location, with talking to my doctor , I will lower my dosage of insulin. To help lessen the chance of these lows happening. But, always consult your doctor first. Changing blood sugar can be a very frustrating thing.. exhaustion, irritation, dizziness, confusion, shaking, blind spots in your eyes, can be a very very scary thing in the woods or mountains.. and if you are like me.. always alone.. can be even scarier.. To be totally honest, and I don’t heed my own advice.. if you are an insulin defendant diabetic.. I DO NOT recommend you go alone.. I have had this condition all my life and feel i can manage in these situations, though i have had some very scary instances over the years… and honestly as i grow older.. they do get more frequent .

Some things I do, when traveling, hiking and shooting alone.. I always when possible try to let someone know where I am going , when i plan to return. I adjust insulin and med levels to try and combat possible lows.. I have a Garmin InReach Mini 2 that will allow me to send for help by satellite in case of a dire emergency.. I carry my snacks, meds, insulin, emergency glucose in a good bear bin. Most importantly i listen to my body.. what warnings it is sending me. Have a level head and no self ego… know when you are pushing it too hard.

To be honest, the absolute hardest part of the whole thing is.. Realizing.. and it sucks… but there are and will be things you just can’t do like a “normal” person would be able too. No matter what someone tells you your capable of, unfortunately your body set limits on you.. It is up to you to make the best of the situation , be sensible , be smart, be cautious , and just be all the YOU you can be….

Ever been in a creative funk?

How do you deal with a creative funk?

As we all definitely know, this past year had been like no other. From dealing with sickness, lock downs, isolation, restrictions. As a landscape photographer , this affected us greatly. Personally all my travel plans were of coarse, all out the window. All plans for travel back to Wyoming, a planned shoot in Utah, a possible shoot down the Oregon/California coast, all gone. So, like everyone else I just had to deal with it. Honestly the lock down did give me time to go through old hard drives , re-vamp my website, dig deeper into creating my store front ( with some big announcements coming soon!) . Even found myself re-editing some past images to get a different mood, feel, and look than what my previous state of mind may have been, when originally creating the image.

But soon enough that was not enough. I was getting the itch to shoot, to travel. Being based in the Midwest , now Indiana .. there just isn’t a lot to shoot here. Topped with the lockdown, I found myself getting further and further in a funk. Mentally , physically and creatively . Now to be fair, there probably are things here close to me that I could shoot. But, I find it hard for me to force myself , well… I don’t know if force is the right word… but that’s what I am going to roll with, but I feel I have to force myself to find a new niche to shoot in.. minimalist? Local wild life? Product? … I even decided , well trying to decide.. to start doing some portrait work. My love, my passion is grand landscapes. My love is the mountains, the deserts, waterfalls, streams and rivers. The things that northern Indiana has nothing close too.

The area of Indiana that I am residing in is flat, the landscape laid flat by the same glacier that created the Great Lakes. I often joke that folks from here gather and stand at amazement when a hill is discovered. Me being originally from Iowa, in the Mississippi River valley, was used to the hills, cliffs, valleys, that line that big old river. Here…. Nothing close.. I have found a couple small waterfalls, an old mill/barn, I do travel to Lake Michigan and shoot sunsets at the lighthouses there.. and I do enjoy that. But, I also find myself being not as creative shooting the same scene over and over… BUT… with that said…. I could shoot the same area of Teton, or Yellowstone over and over with no problems and feel creative with every shot… yeah.. yeah.. I know, I’m weird ..

Then I found myself in the dilemma of do I consider my work “ essential”… during the worst of the lockdown, you could travel for work. Photography is not my main income, but it is certainly part of it, an important part. Do I risk the travel for my “work”? If I do, are the places here, or out west even open to shoot? In most cases… no… So here I sat, found myself not being physical, not challenged mentally or physically. Older, weaker, tired, heavier, creatively drained…

I did turn to You Tube and watched videos over and over from photographers that gave inspiration, taught me some new things. Photographers like Thomas Heaton, Adam Gibbs, Gavin Hardcastle, Nick Page, Ben Horne… really got me wanting more and more to start shooting. And, also listening to them talk about their own creative funk during this time, really inspired me. But, while being motivated to shoot… I was and am so sick of shooting the same things here, even searching for new places to shoot, looking up different parks, wetlands… looking at images online of the areas.. just left me… MEH…

So, now things are opening.. I’m starting to get excited at the thought of travel, of camping, car camping, hikes, meeting up with friends and fellow photogs, looking forward to the open road. Now, I just need to plan my travels , with trying to avoid crowds , traffic jams in the parks… We all know the millions that visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone in the peak tourist season.. So that trip looks like an autumn trip when kids are back in school.. So where do I go this summer? Idaho, Utah? I’m leaning towards Canyonlands.. or the west coast… I don’t know…. All I know is… I need to go..

So…. How are you / did you handle the lockdown and how did it affect your work, health , creative mind… how did you get out of it , if it was negative on you? Did you change up your game and shoot a new style, new subjects? How did a style change up work for you? Was it as enjoyable? Did it fulfill your creativity?

Would love to hear other opinions on this!

Happy shooting all!

Geo-Tagging…. My opinion…

Being on Instagram a lot with my work, this is something that is coming up more and more. I do get asked a lot why I don’t put the exact locations on my images when I tag them. This is something that even I have been on both sides of the fence on. But, after a lot of thinking , self reflection.. I decided I was not going to do it .. for a few reasons.

First, after witnessing it myself, first hand… damage to the environment. I have seen more an more places tagged.. and now these places are over run with people. Area’s that previously were almost deserted are now full of people, trash, and sometimes even graffiti, damage.. its heart breaking. I do find myself getting angry at the fact people , and a good majority of them have absolutely no respect for the land or wildlife. I actually used to tell myself that it is a very small percentage of people that does not have the respect or common sense to respect and preserve the areas we visit and photograph. After almost 30 plus years in this photography game.. I am now convinced it is the opposite. There are very few of us with that respect and common sense.

I spend a huge amount of time in National Parks, and it seems it gets worse every year, and yes, the crowds are worse every year. I believe it was 2019 ( sometime before the pandemic) this issue really hit home with me . I was in Yellowstone and decided to go shoot a favorite spot of mine in the park.. I had found a dead tree with some amazing character to it, that overlooked an amazing valley. I had shot this tree many times.. and every single time.. I was alone. The tree was there , undisturbed for many years. Once I started posting it, I kept getting questions on where it was and where in the park. So, I started tagging it. The last time I went to this spot, there it was.. names carved in it, a well worn path going up to the tree.. trash, littered around it. I was disgusted.. now, do I think it was all because I tagged it.. no.. not at all.. I don’t have that amount of followers and I don’t have that kind of influence. BUT, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat responsible. And it stuck with me.. so from that day I decided to stop tagging exact spots.

Another issue that has come up in this day of tagging is… no one finds anything original anymore. Every photographer has the same exact image.. no one discovers anything new anymore. Ever been to Mesa Arch?? What a nightmare.. Everyone wants the image they scrolled past on IG.. so they look for the tagged spot, put it in GPS and there they are… same spot. Same composition. Same time of day. All creativity is gone..

What happened to stopping and just hiking in the backcountry and see what you could find. Hiking for miles just hoping to find a spot you have never seen an image of before? Honestly , some of my best images came out of me being lost… well… I’m a man, so I’ve never been “lost”… just a little confused for a few hours… or days….

I believe this time of social media has stolen our sense of adventure, creativity, personality, and art… its all duplication now.. no individuality… so if you see me with a tag that is made up, the total wrong location, or if I tag every image as Mesa Arch… this is why..

What is your opinion?

My Image is going to be on T-shirts!

Recently I was chosen to be the in the final four images, out of thousands, for a contest called #52WEEKSOFNATURE by a company called Hippy Tree, www.hippytree.com, I was in the week #44 contest with a image I took at Grand Teton National Park. The voting took place over a four day period and you could vote via the website. I have to say it was pretty exciting and fun. I had a fun time messaging with the other three photographers all that weekend. With tremendous support from friends, co-workers, and my social media followers, my image came out of the gate with over 50% of the vote and never looked back! My winning image is now printed on t-shirts and sold worldwide! Go to www.hippytree.com and click on the 52WEEKSOFNATURE link at the top and look for the week #44 T-shirt.. and that’s me! Also on this site you can find my interview I did with Hippy Tree… Was such a fun experience.

The image is actually one of my favorite images I’ve taken. This was October in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming . It had been raining very hard for almost two days , so shooting was pretty much out the window. So and friend and I spent two days watching Netflix, or shopping in Jackson Hole. Looking at the forecast, it looked clear of rain the next day so we headed out to see if we could catch a good sunrise. Well, the rain may have been gone, but heavy cloud cover remained. We head lamped in to our spot, waited for a bit of light and tried to find a composition. After an hour or so of trying different comps, I finally settled on this one. I loved the depth, autumn colors mixed with some of the remining greens. The small angled pine tree in the foreground I just loved, add in the fallen logs from beavers as some foreground

interest.. and boom.. had my comp.

Then, I waited… The clouds were very dramatic, just what we were waiting for. But.. they completely covered the peaks. So we waited. Made coffee in the jet boil, ate some oatmeal. Had one Elk, a Moose pass through near us.. had a severe pucker moment when my friend swore a bear was stalking in on us. Turned out to be a beaver dragging a sapling. Finally , with the help of some winds.. The peaks showed them magnificent selves.. Camera already set up on the tripod hours before.. Turned her on.. 24-70 2.8 at 50mm, f7.1, 1/250sec … 2 second timer, hands off the camera.. and boom shot made. The original image is a much wider image. I cropped it to a 5x4 crop. I love the cropped version.

Was such a great hike, shoot and great time with my friends… and now its on t-shirts!!! So visit www.hippytree.com to read the interview and snag one of these shirts!!

Why do I do this???

Why do I do this...

 I get that question a lot. “ Brian , why do you take pictures, or travel to places to take pictures ?”   To be honest, I am not sure if I can answer that. I mean , I know the answer... I just don’t know if I can find the right words to properly explain it. 

 I have always been into cameras.   Even as kid I carried around a camera. I remember the first one I carried way back when was a Kodak Disc Camera.  Mainly took shots of my buddies and I doing crazy stuff on our bikes.  It was hard back then doing photography as a hobby.  This was film days, and as a kid I just didn’t have the income to do it much. You definitely couldn’t practice much to learn.  It was way too expensive.  

 Fast forward some years , i had talked to a guy that had an SLR. When he showed it to me, how you could change lenses, seeing that shutter fly up and down as he pressed the shutter button. I was hooked.  I had to have one. I saved and saved and got my first canon SLR.  I practiced as much as i could financially. Learned as much as i could from whomever i could. 

It was around then i got into shooting nature, landscapes and wildlife.  I loved being outside, chasing light, colors and perspectives.  Growing up in Muscatine Iowa, right on the Mississippi River, it was perfect.  I spent all the time i could along that river getting shots.  Trying to catch every sunrise and sunset.   Then it happened...  i got hooked on national parks. Something about them, the mountains, valleys, rivers, streams, waterfalls... just mesmerized me. 

This is where it gets hard to explain why i do what i do.   Honestly unless your a landscape/wildlife photographer.. you may not understand this.  It’s the feeling you get being out in the mountains.  The best i can describe it is “ small”.    You don’t matter. Your problems don’t matter.  You realize that the mountains have been there long before you, they will be there long after you.  You realize that all your stress, problems , issues are all man made .  We make the stress, the earth and the mountains are just “there”.. they roll on, no matter what you are going through.  I’m not important, I don’t matter... the mountains do not know my name, they will not remember me. 

The pull they have on me is unexplainable.  I’m in awe when i am there, there is a longing, a hole in my soul when i am not.  As a photographer i look deeper into the mountains.  I look for different perspectives.  Not those normal views of everyday snapshots.  I look for light. I look for shadows. I live for sunrise’s and sunsets.  

Each one of my photos tells a story. Mostly they tell me a story,  or re-tells a story to me.  I remember what went into getting each shot. It could have been a long hike, a climb, camping out a few days. So many things.  There is something about getting up before  anyone is up. Grabbing your pack and gear, heading out long before the sun comes up.  Knowing that out there in the dark is an amazing vista, mountain range, waterfall.  Waiting for the suns light to dance over the earth and bring it all to life, and your the only one there to capture it... that’s a feeling only a photographer will understand.  I will never get tired of that.  

 So,  why do i do this??    It’s in my soul... I have too...