Turnpike Exit 15X – New Jersey’s Egretpalooza
You wouldn’t expect one of New Jersey’s largest wildlife spectacles to exist between Newark and Manhattan, beside the Turnpike and one of the busiest rail corridors in the country. But just before sunset, hundreds, sometimes nearly a thousand, egrets stream into a small grove of trees around a pond in Secaucus.
Five Days in Titcomb Basin
A friend and I spent five days backpacking in the Wind River Range in August 2024. Within hours we’d encountered moose, been closely watched by a great gray owl, and taken shelter from hail and high winds. By the time we reached Titcomb Basin and Indian Basin, it was already clear this would be a trip shaped as much by wildlife and weather as by the landscape itself.
Not a Valley of Death, but a Valley of Red Ochre
As we drove past the boundary of Death Valley National Park, we stopped at the familiar park sign. Beneath the name is a quieter line: “Homeland of the Timbisha Shoshone.”
Between mama bear and her cubs
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.
A Room with a View
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.
Look behind you
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.
Yellowstone Wildlife & Natural Wonders
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.
Five Days in The Winds
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.
Spearfishing and Lessons on Wildlife Photography
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.
10 Tips for Hiking With Kids
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.
