We were in dense woods when we saw him: a black bear about 100 feet ahead. I did what you’re supposed to do when you encounter a bear. I reached for my camera.
We spent two nights at The View Hotel in Monument Valley, where every room looks out toward the Mittens and Merrick Butte. From the balcony, the same landscape transformed hour by hour, from darkness to dawn, gold to blue. It was a reminder that in photography, the subject may stay the same, but the light never does.
I often head into a landscape with a clear vision of the image I want to make. When the light is changing, it’s easy to get locked in on capturing that moment. But it’s just as important to stop and look around, and behind you, because you never know what you might be missing.
An intact ecosystem with bison, wolves, bears, moose, and more. Hydrothermal features that include nearly half of the world’s active geysers. Geologic wonders like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Any one of these would justify a visit. Yellowstone has them all.
From August 11–15, 2023, my father, a friend, and I spent five days backpacking in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, combining on- and off-trail travel through the iconic Cirque of the Towers and the quieter Desolation Valley.
I used to think photos like this were pure luck. Being in the right place at the right time matters, but luck only works if you’ve done everything else to be ready for it.
Like parenting in general, hiking with kids can be extremely rewarding or frustrating, and it will probably be a bit of both. I partnered with The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey on a piece for NJ Family magazine on hiking with kids.
A full-circle moment that brings me great joy: one of my dawn photos of the Hudson River between Storm King and Bull Hill, taken from the Washburn Trail, will be featured on the back cover of the new East Hudson Trails map set.
With tripods no longer allowed, Upper Antelope Canyon becomes both a photographer’s dream and nightmare, a dark, crowded slot canyon that has to be tackled handheld and on the move.
One photo is of me and my dad on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. It's a photo of triumph, but it's a deception. The other photo is of me and my dad with the people without whom we certainly wouldn't have made it.