2023 – The Year in Pictures. Here is a selection of favorite images released in the past year. These are not necessarily my best or most popular, but each represents a special moment in time in which the beauty of this amazing world revealed itself before my lens.
Please share and enjoy! I’d love to know your thoughts and if any images resonated with you or conjured up good memories. You can click on any image for a large high quality view, to learn more about it or purchase a fine art print.
I look forward to seeing your favorite images, and most of all I wish everyone a healthy and Happy New Year!
-Russ
Punch Bowl Falls, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, OregonGranite boulders at Jumbo Rocks, Joshua Tree National Park, CaliforniaIcebergs on glacial meltwater, Jasper National Park, CanadaClearing winter storm over Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, CaliforniaWildflowers at sunrise, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, OregonBackpacker on the Bishop Pass Trail, John Muir Wilderness, CaliforniaGiant Sequoia in the Congress Grove, Sequoia National Park, CaliforniaKalalau Beach, Napali Coast Wilderness State Park, Kauai, HawaiiWildflowers in the Temblor Range, Carrizo Plain National Monument, CaliforniaMilky Way over Sierra Nevada Mountains, John Muir Wilderness, CaliforniaForest abstract, Yosemite National Park, CaliforniaFairy Falls, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon USA
Fresh snow on fall aspens, Inyo National Forest, California
The Art of Seeing. The digital age has opened up a whole new world of creative possibilities for the landscape photographer. From HDR (High Dynamic Range) and stitched panoramas to focus stacking and exposure blending a myriad of options exist. And filters have always been invaluable in controlling and shaping the light just as much in the digital realm as in the days of film.
Yet with all of the tools available it’s easy to lose creative focus in an attempt to include a popular technique or push a filter to its limits. As with the constant temptation to buy the latest camera or software it’s important to remember that the gear or the technique isn’t what makes an image shine, but the vision. That’s the essence of creative photography and yet so often misplaced amid the vast array of today’s technical possibilities.
No matter what the future may bring our most important tool as outdoor photographers will always be our mind’s eye. The equipment in our bag or on our desktop is just a means of helping the viewer connect with what we felt emotionally when we preserved that moment in time.
Sunset over the Sierra foothills from Moro Rock, Sequoia National Park, California
Welcome Summer Solstice! June 21st is the longest day of the year, and the official start of summer in the northern hemisphere.
Historically Midsummer’s Eve has been a celebration of the solstice dating back to ancient times. It was believed that mid-summer flowering plants had amazing healing powers when picked on this night, and huge bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirits thought to roam the earth when the sun turned southward again.
The word solstice comes from the Latin solstitium from sol (sun) and stitium (to stop), because it appears as if the sun stops its course at this point. The sun doesn’t rise precisely in the east during the event, but rises to the north of east and sets to the north of west creating a longer arc in the sky. The solstice occurs when the sun’s zenith is at its furthest point from the equator. During the event it reaches its northernmost point and the Earth’s North Pole tilts directly towards the sun, at about 23.5 degrees. It’s a good thing too, because without this small offset we would have no seasons!
This year the solstice occurs at 7:57 AM (PDT – Pacific Daylight Time), and with nearly 15 hours of light it’s the perfect time to explore the great outdoors, have ample time for photography, and maybe even wrap up the day with a barbecue or a bit of stargazing.
