August in the Southwest, Colorado, Utah and Nevada

An exploration of the Southwestern U.S. provided some gorgeous areas to photograph the late Summer flowers, afternoon thundershowers, distant vistas, and imagery of a wide open landscape. The Rockies and San Juan Mountains of central and Southern Colorado, the desert buttes of Moab and Western Utah, time spent with friends and traveling back roads each provided the ingredients for a very memorable journey. Hope these images help to take you along.

Click on the individual images to enlarge them on your screen.

East Meets West,  Arizona

"Dear Native America", Cow Springs Arizona

West Side Daisy Pass, Crested Butte Colorado

East Side Daisy Pass, Crested Butte Colorado

Ouray, Colorado

Silverton, Colorado

Quintessential Crested Butte

A Glimpse of Fall at 12,000 ft.

Humphreys Silver Mine, Creede Colorado

Evening Light from the Back Porch, Wagon Wheel

Morning on the Lake at Wagon Wheel, Colorado

Aspens, Wagon Wheel

The Quiet Forest, Wagon Wheel

Paddling into the morning light.

I know I didn't take the photo, gone fishing.

The Ice House

Rowboat at the Ice House

Shadows on the Porch

Above the Slate River Drainage, Crested Butte

Slate River, Crested Butte

Early Morning Storm Clouds, Gunnison Colorado

Lichen, Hartman Rocks, Colorado

Light and Shadows, Hartman Rocks, Gunnison

Lightning Below the Milky Way, Moab Utah

Kane Creek Buttes, Moab Utah

Sunlight and Shade along Kane Creek, Moab

Climbing Anchor, Kane Creek Canyon

Storm Clouds Across Central Utah

Passing Storm, Utah

The Drought in California's Mojave Desert

Spring in the Eastern Sierra and Owens Valley

An unexpected late Spring snowfall at the end of April helped bring moisture to the Eastern Sierra and desert. While the high country was under two feet of new snow, the Owens Valley bloomed in full color. Well known views and special details were everywhere.

Abandoned bar, restaurant, store?  Inyokern

Single wides, all different colors, all in a row. Coso Junction

Sun-up on the ranch, Bishop

Late Spring snows in upper Rock Creek

Sunrise on Mt. Tom above Bishop and Round Valley. Yes this is the real color in the mornings.

A few Aspen blooms and Sugar Pine, Rock Creek.

Stars after sunset above the Whitney Range.

Sunrise on the Whitney Range from the Alabama Hills

Beavertail cactus blooming in the Alabama Hills

Mobius Arch, Alabama Hills

Window for the sun

The January Pacific Swell

The past two weeks have been highlighted by large surf along our coast. I went out to capture some of the spectacular scenes.

Leffingwell Landing, Moonstone Beach

Sun filters through low clouds producing a bronze light.

Outside at the San Simeon Campground

We used to know it as "The Pink House"

Another outer reef breaks at 10 feet plus.

One quarter mile out, a 15 foot swell breaks on an un-named reef

Two surfers get the place to themselves

Even the sky looked like it had lines, San Simeon.

Out with the old, in with the new (year)

A new year brings reflection on the past year and the possibilities of the future. Since I haven't posted in some time I decided to share photographs spanning the past four weeks. In a black-and-white mood, here is a strange compilation of recent imagery.
Happy, Healthy New Year, 2014

Clicking on each image will make it larger.

December 10th, San Simeon.
Using a slow shutter speed and some camera movement I tried to describe the spinning sensation that happens during the "Holidays". 

December 16, Templeton Feed and Grain.
During a late afternoon visit to the chiropractor to help alleviated the effects of the aforementioned spinning sensation, I focused on the lines of the granary next door.

December 17, Morro Bay Harbor.
While waiting for the Space-X capsule to be lifted, a tropically calm morning of clouds and windless glass continued our dry month.

December 17, Morro Bay Power Plant.
The iconic stacks of the plant, already under deconstruction. Lots of speculation on what will happen to the 60 year old  facility.

December 24, Palm Desert.
An aluminum cross stands above the Coachella Valley at the top of a short hike on Christmas Eve.

December 30, Smuggler's Beach, San Simeon.
A minute before this the bull kelp was in a straight line pointing at the rocks. A minute later it was perpendicular.

January 1, Hearst Eucalyptus Forest.
Exorcising the demons of the past year, the dark forest seemed like an appropriate place to walk out of.

January 1, William Randolph Hearst State Beach.
For years I have seen these old Hearst Pier pilings get exposed by low tides, but never this many. I stood there long after the sunset and everyone had left watching them rise out of the surf.