Monthly Favorites 2025

Runner up: Grand Canyon AZ

Another year already? I’m cogitating the paradox of a year full of interesting things flying by at the speed of aging.  In any case, here’s the excruciating annual tradition of choosing (generally) one image per month that’s a favorite or represents a treasured experience.

Detail, Oak Creek AZ

January

I know I should start out with a bang, but I didn’t shoot much this month.  There was family travel and a couple of not-too-productive local trips.  One weekend we driveway-camped at a friend’s weekend property on Oak Creek near Cornville.  I made this image with my phone while doing a photo walk creekside. I love the dance of light, the warmth, and the movement in it.

Campsite. Harquahala Mountains AZ

February

This is more memory than art.  One of my favorite places to camp when I need to clear my head is the Harquahala Mountains, just over an hour from home.   I’ve never seen another camper out there.  That’s a big plus for me.  On this February morning I put up the drone and was taken by the geometry of the sahuaro shadows and creosote growing in the little washes. The shapes of the background mountains and the two-track feel good, too.

Death Valley CA

March

This month I got my mojo back.  I grabbed a last-minute opening in a Death Valley photo workshop with Jerry Dodrill and Todd Pickering and embraced a return to working in some places I’ve visited and shot quite a bit over the years.  The instruction and the company of my peers knocked some enthusiasm and awe back into my thick skull. It was tough to pick one, but here it is, a high-key sensuous abstract at Mesquite Dunes.

Mojave Trails National Monument CA

April

Back to the Mojave, this time with the family.  Marco and I orchestrated this one.  After sunrise I radioed to let him know I had finished shooting the early light and set up the telephoto lens.  He let the girl out of the van. Once Gypsy saw me, she ran almost a mile toward me (what’s more of a joy than unconditional dog love?) and I photographed her as if she were wildlife.  I love the curve, as well as her eye contact and joy. I made this one into a refrigerator magnet.

Saguaro Bloom, Aguila AZ

May

2025 was the worst year for desert annual blooms in my 35 years in Arizona.  The Sahuaros, though, went nuts.  This is a drone image near Highway 71 near Aguila.  I love the sky and the abandoned bird’s nest as well.  In truth, I want another chance, because my favorite image from this day, a top-down shot of a blooming sahuaro, was out of focus.  I learned that the drone camera can’t focus that close, but there’s no playback on my controller, so the moment was over before I learned that lesson.  Stay tuned – I’ll try again from slightly higher.

Spring in the Kaibab Forest AZ

June

June is early spring at 9000 feet in the North Kaibab Forest, just north of Grand Canyon.  This image, from one of my deeply loved spots there, shows aspens from just beginning to show leaf buds to that early stage of bright exuberant green which makes me glad to be alive.  This is one of many areas torched by the Dragon Bravo Fire just a month later.  

Upper Provo River UT

July

Provo River Gorge, another favorite spot, along the Upper Provo River. This is another example of a spectacular place that I might not have discovered if not for a fishing location tip from one of Marco’s buddies.

White Mountains AZ

August

I was camped with the family on one of the many tributaries of the Black River in Eastern Arizona, finishing a zoom meeting when I looked up and saw this light.  It was changing fast and I knew I’d miss it if I took the time to dig out the mirrorless camera. I survived a run down the hill in my crocs (don’t judge) to this spot on the creek which I’d scouted earlier. I might have been yelling some colorful things as well.

Fishlake National Forest AZ

September

The Fishlake National Forest was absolutely staggering last fall.  I had a hard time choosing one image from two nights camping there.  I know, this one is a little over-chaotic, but I couldn’t resist that light.  I ran up a hill littered with deadfall to get here, and if I’m honest I’ll admit I tripped on the way up.  I have no regrets.

Caddo Lake, LA

October

Back to Caddo Lake Texas for the third time. I had envisioned a high-key image like this of a cypress tree in the bayou and was thrilled to find it.  It’s in Louisiana.  Two of us were driving in from the airport in Shreveport and made a stop at Williamson Park.  I’m so glad to have shot this, because there wasn’t another opportunity and the color on this tree is better than most of what we saw that week (most of the trees had already dropped leaves), I just put a print of this image on my living room wall.

Post-storm view from Tunnel View, Yosemite National Park CA

November

My first trip to Yosemite.  This image also went up on my wall recently. We had lots of rain and not so much sunlight.  Some photographers call those “black and white” conditions.  This vista from Tunnel View has been shot as much as any in the park, but I love it for the ground fog and tonal gradation, if not for its originality. 

Gold Butte National Monument NV

December

December is tough, because I’m choosing between images I’ve just made.  I edit better if they can percolate a bit. I’ve recently returned from a family jaunt through Gold Butte National Monument (NV) and Grand Canyon – Parashant National Monument (AZ).  This is from hikes around a favorite spot at Gold Butte on a day when I was captivated by the light on the many wind erosion arches.

Blessings in the new year.  Thanks for your support in 2025.  I look forward with enthusiasm to sharing the surprises of 2026 and beyond.

Route May Include Unpaved Roads

Sunset from Twin Point, GCPNM

I’ll dedicate this post to my friend Danny Messersmith, who loved to bounce around on these remote roads and was generous with his advice when my own obsession was developing.  He also was the first of many to warn me about Kelly Point in Grand Canyon – Parashant National Monument (GCPNM).

Danny Messersmith 1947-2022

 “Adventure is just another name for trouble” ~ Louis L’Amour

I suppose I have your attention now, but you might be disappointed to know that there were no disasters.  A really good storyteller would make some up, but sadly I’ll limit myself to the usual benign exaggerations.

I’m fascinated by maps, and especially those with large expanses I’ve never explored.  As for GCPNM, I’d only nicked its Eastern edge when traveling to Toroweap Overlook, which is part of Grand Canyon National Park. The Monument comprises more than a million acres, so I thought I’d better get started.  Though I love traveling alone, I was glad my husband and dog could be talked into this adventure.  This one might have been a bit much on my own.

I went to all sorts of sources for advice and road information, with mixed results.  The best resource turned out to be a ranger named Jim in the St. George Utah BLM Field Office. He had lots of practical advice, especially about road conditions, and after a long conversation (during which he also warned us about Kelly Point, where one “x” resides on my map) he was kind enough to call back with “one more thing,” which resulted in the “x” on the map above the Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness.  Later we heard stories about a short wheelbase jeep high centering on that segment.  So, we were advised to make the big circle north.  Like bowling, that’s something worth doing once in a lifetime, but only once. Next time, I’ll leave Gold Butte, circle up to St. George on the highway, and drop into the central area of the Monument from there. 

There are large expanses of GCPNM, including that big loop to the north, which are not inspiring to me photographically.  To make matters more challenging, over ¾ of the Monument is included in grazing leases, and so there are a lot of unattractive cattle-ravaged places to traverse to get to the magic. But that’s just the price we paid for remarkable solitude.  We saw 2 other vehicles during the first five days, and we were always deeply alone at our camps. There’s a whole discussion about BLM grazing leases which I’ll defer to another time.  It’s complicated, but mostly it’s ugly.  

Mud Wash area, Gold Butte National Monument NV

We started at Gold Butte National Monument, a place we’ve gotten attached to in the last few years.  We needed to meet with someone who was also camping there, and we thought it might be fun to approach Parashant from there, crossing from Nevada to Arizona. 

Mud Wash area, Gold Butte National Monument NV

The red rocks of Gold Butte were lovely, and I made a small series of images of wind-erosion caves, mostly because there were footprints all over the dunes themselves because there had been no wind for weeks, ironically.

Pakoon Springs, GCPNM

Water in the desert is always of interest.  We stopped at Pakoon Springs where the cottonwood and willow trees had turned an appealing yellow and made for an interesting aerial image. Typical of isolated places, Pakoon has a colorful history, including an alligator and ostriches.

Hidden Canyon just before dawn

So, about that north detour loop - at first it was just dull and slow, but as we turned southward, it got uglier. We probably should have done a little road modification to protect our 144-inch-wheelbase Sprinter, but there was no permanent damage. We covered 65 miles in about 6 hours that day and made an unexpected camp in a surprisingly lovely area called Hidden Canyon. We’d planned to make it to another destination but were tired enough to be deeply grateful for this camp.  I didn’t see much photographic potential but it was attractive from the drone.  Once we left Hidden Canyon, we appreciated driving on a more normal bad road – it’s all relative.

Mount Dellenbaugh from the forest below

Happy hikers at the summit of Mount Dellenbaugh

We had a nice hike up Mount Dellenbaugh, with 360-degree views of the Monument.  The trail is about six miles and gains about 900 vertical feet from a small pine forest to the summit. Twin Point is in the midground and you can just make out Mt. Charleston in the background, 104 miles away. From the NPS website,

Mt. Dellenbaugh is part of the history of the Grand Canyon and its first exploration by John Wesley Powell in 1869. Powell named this peak for Frederick Dellenbaugh, an artist who joined Powell's second expedition in 1870-71. However, it is most known for being the mountain that William Dunn and the Howland brothers climbed after deserting Powell's first expedition. After the three had climbed out of the Grand Canyon they needed a vantage point to get their bearings... They disappeared in the vicinity and stories from the time point to several possible culprits, but ultimately their murders were never solved.

Sunrise from Twin Point, GCPNM

Next, we enjoyed two nights camped in different spots on Twin Point.  Twin is just east of Kelly Point, smaller, and much more easily reached.  Ranger Jim warned that the juniper trees lining the road made for a tight passage, but some time in the last year hundreds of trees and branches have been removed and there are just a few tight spots left in the road.  Marco negotiated those just fine.

Juniper backlighted at Twin Point, GCPNM

I loved the chance to enjoy a new-to-me Grand Canyon viewpoint and to orient myself to landmarks like Diamond Peak and the Skywalk at Grand Canyon West.  We were pleased to be far enough away that the helicopter noise from the latter was almost not discernable.

More backlight, GCPNM

I enjoyed an afternoon photo walk out there. In addition to photos, I love this exercise in mindfulness which helps me notice things I might otherwise walk right past.  I toddled around with just my iPhone attached to a grip which makes the phone feel more like a camera. Less equipment gives me a sense of freedom.

Alstrom Point, Glen Canyon NRA, 2017.  One dog ago.

Family Portrait at Twin Point

Gypsy had mixed feelings about this place, paved as it is with typical North Rim “carnivorous limestone.”  It’s tough on her paws.  We appreciated her sitting still for this re-creation of a shot at Alstrom point with Luna in 2017.

Oak Grove Cabin, GCPNM

There were some quirky places, artifacts of the long history of this place.  One example is the ruins of Oak Grove Cabin, also known as Thayne Cabin. Originally inhabited in 1879, the area was used for dairy, ranching, and a sawmill.

Virgin River Canyon, Arizona

We cut the trip short by a day because of a big incoming rainstorm and stayed in the Virgin River Gorge at the northwest corner of Arizona. This place is spectacular, and almost impossible to shoot well except with a drone.  The highway 15 corridor through the canyon is flanked by wilderness (no-fly) areas, so the options for drone flights are limited.  Still, I had a good time and would love to shoot there again in better light. 

GCPNM is undoubtedly the most isolated overlanding destinations I’ve explored.  It’s likely one of the most remote in the country with over 1200 miles of rough dirt roads.  The drive from St. George to Twin Point is about five slow hours.  My disclaimer – to attempt this you need (at a minimum) a full-sized spare or two, tire repair capability and a compressor, extra fuel for your vehicle, communication other than your cell phone and preferably a way to follow weather patterns (we travel with an In-reach and Starlink), much more food and water than you think you need, redundant maps, first aid, warm clothes, and a modicum of good sense and experience.

I’m already planning my next trip.

As always, there’s more on the website, in the Winter 2025-26 Gallery

Yosemite

View from Glacier Point, sunset. Yosemite National Park.

There’s quite a bit I can say about my first trip to Yosemite.  First off, this place could be described as the historical center of landscape photography in the American West.  I thought a workshop would be a good plan for my first trip, and when the opportunity to do it through the Ansel Adams Gallery inside the park AND to do it with Jerry Dodrill (search his name in this blog – he comes up a lot), this seemed to be the time.

I was just back from Caddo Lake and had some adventures with air travel on that trip, so I was willing – happy even – with the plan to drive the 11 hours over two days, each way. 

El Capitan reflected, Yosemite National Park.

There’s an odd thing that happens with perception when you’re looking up 3,000 stark, steep feet.  I couldn’t wrap my head around it (except when there were climbers on the walls for scale) and found the experience disorienting. 

Grand Canyon Light, by Charles Pabst.

I can draw parallels with a “big ditch” that I’m more familiar with, the Grand Canyon.  I’m fact, I stumbled on this lovely painting which seems to draw the comparison by steepening the walls of Grand Canyon and adding in an unmistakable Half-Dome shape on the right.  But that’s just the point.  Grand Canyon’s walls are not nearly as starkly vertical as Yosemite’s.  Though perspective is tough to gain there, I don’t find the attempt dizzying as I did in Yosemite.

Incidentally, I contacted Mr. Pabst, asking whether I'd correctly guessed his intention.  I've not yet had an answer.

Late autumn dancers, Cook's Meadow. Yosemite National Park.

During the drive, I resolved to work on some of the iconic, much-photographed views (because who can resist?) but also to be mindful of the intimate landscapes and small details. There were plenty, and those shots are much easier to do well in gloomy light, of which we had a lot.

Tunnel View in low fog, Yosemite National Park.

Another classic strategy for dealing with flat light photographically is to present the images in black and white, like this classic composition from Tunnel View.

Cascade Falls, Yosemite National Park.

Likewise, this image from a day we were positively pummeled by rain.  These conditions present an opportunity for a running dialog of my inner voices.  Working in that kind of weather is not so pleasant.  Jerry reminded us of a bit of wisdom from his mentor Galen Rowell along these lines – that kind of weather is exactly what we should be out shooting in.  I’ll go a step further and say that’s where the magic happens. Grumpy magic.

Lower Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park.

After the rainiest day and night, I awoke in my cabin at Yosemite Valley Lodge to a sound I can only describe as roll-off trash dumpsters being pushed off and landing below the cliff.  It was Yosemite Falls.  I pulled on rain gear and took a walk up to the observation bridge. I had a striking experience of the power of nature and felt acutely tiny and vulnerable.  I’m sorry I only had my phone camera, but I was so glad I was there, being pummeled by the wind and spray.

A little welcome sunshine, Cook's Meadow. Yosemite National Park.

Speaking of the gallery, our group had the honor, one rainy day, to see a number of original Ansel Adams prints and to hear history from Curator Evan Russel and Assistant Curator Michael Wise. There were some surprises along the way, including stories from another workshop participant about his own grandfather’s relationship with Ansel Adams.  He brought images and correspondence for all of us to explore.  This part of the experience was a delightful Adams immersion, which reminded me of the “In the Footsteps of Georgia O’Keeffe” trip masterfully curated by Colleen Miniuk. 

Three Brothers Reflected in the Merced River, Yosemite National Park.

Like a surfer waiting for the perfect wave, I hope to be back and maybe have a chance to see the light we were waiting for.

Thanks for standing out in the rain with me.

More images are in the Autumn 2025 Gallery on the website. 

How’s Your Butt?

Paddling out from the rental house into the fog, Pine Island Pond Texas

Kayak seats, like bicycle seats, are notoriously uncomfortable and become more so with time perched on their sadistic surfaces.  Coincidentally, the rented car we picked up at Shreveport Louisiana was almost as bad.  My friend had the brilliant idea that we should see what might help us with the car, and with the kayaks we’d be dropping into the next day.  We went to Walmart, in the automotive department.  After a very dignified session testing the little cushions by sitting on the floor, we dropped $35 each without regrets.

We met two more friends, and made a trip to Walmart in Marshall  Texas so that they could pick up matching pads for the car, the boats, and (if I’m honest) for the dining room chairs in our lovely rental house on the lake. Some of us amused ourselves by repeatedly inquiring as to the comfort of each other’s derrieres. Old lady humor at its best.

Majestic Bald Cypress in Monotone, Pine Island Pond, Texas

So we were back to Caddo Lake, where we had paddled and photographed together twice before.  This time, in a brilliant stroke which I can’t claim credit for, we were in a rented house. This place was spectacular, right on an alcove off the bayou called, idyllically, Pine Island Pond.  It was as much of an upgrade from the previous accommodations as the Walmart cushions were.  Among other things, we could roll right out of bed, into our tall muck boots, and into the kayaks (with seat cushions, of course).  No hoisting the boats into the pickup and strapping them down, no driving in the predawn gloom. 

The dock at our rental

Pine Island Pond itself is one of the more lovely areas I’ve seen around the lake and offered access to a network of paddling trails (conveniently marked to prevent disorientation) which are spectacular as well.

We planned the trip nearly a year ago, and unfortunately, we couldn’t know that it would be a poor year for fall color, despite making our best guess at ideal timing.  There was a cold snap a few weeks before, which triggered the color change early. Most of the trees had already done their thing.

I compensated for the lack of color in several ways.

Great Blue Heron

 First, with wildlife. This is not my specialty, so I concentrated on the large, obvious birds like great blue herons, egrets, and cormorants, and on the occasional pod of turtles sunning on logs.

A little spooky

Then there were some foggy mornings, when spooky compositions held my interest. Even bare trees decorated with Spanish moss (which, it turns out, is neither) were of interest in the mist. Black and White images worked well, too

Leaf Detail, Caddo Lake State Park, Texas

Smooth Beggerticks, Carter Lake Texas

Photographing details is another option when fall color isn’t spectacular.  There are lovely flowering aquatic plants - the white (Floating Heart), purple (Water Hyacinth), and yellow (Smooth Beggarticks) flowers make great subjects but are, unfortunately, invasive species. One day it was very windy, so we shot on land at the state park.

Grace and color, Williamson Park, Louisiana

Finally, when there’s a lone tree which still shows color, I’d happily shoot that.

Incidentally, we dedicated an afternoon to looking for a large alligator.  We’d been tipped off about where he hung out, and that some turtles liked to climb onto his tail to sun themselves.  We really wanted those images, from a distance of course, but we had no luck.

And my keester is just fine, thank you for asking.

As always, there’s more in the Autumn 2025 Gallery on the website.

I Call It Camping

Yellows and Oranges, Fishlake National Forest, Utah

But that’s a bit of a stretch, really.  I’ve done the other kind, sleeping on the ground, maybe in a tent, or sleeping in the back of an SUV.  It was one of the latter trips that got me thinking of alternatives.  The overnight temperature was around 15F, and I spent the night in a sleeping bag, in all the clothes I could find, wrapped in my emergency tarp. By morning there was a layer of ice from my frozen breath on the tarp. I decided I was too old to keep doing that.

After that precious experience, in 2013, we bought a slide-in truck camper made for off-pavement use, called a Four Wheel Camper. We used the heck out of that camper on our Toyota Tundra for eight years.  Since then, we’re in a Sprinter Van which suits our needs a little better but serves the same purpose.

A Story, Fishlake National Forest, Utah

I’ve stolen an idea from a fellow overlander who says that his camping rig is the best piece of photographic equipment he’s even had.  The van allows me to be comfortable and therefore to spend more time in the forests.  There’s heat, a fridge, comfy bed, and solar panels & batteries for charging and running the necessary electronics.  Overlanding puts me out where I want to be, without a lot of driving around in the dark before sunrise or after sunset.  I have the chance to do leisurely, solitary walkabouts and make photogenic discoveries.   I’m more creative when less rushed, and I enjoy the experience so much more. There’s never enough time to explore.

We’re just back from 12 days chasing fall color.  This trip has become an annual tradition.  This year we covered lots of ground in Utah and clipped the corner of Colorado on the way home.

Last gasp of summer after the rain, Kaibab National Forest Arizona

Our first night was in the North Kaibab Forest, mostly to break the trip up.  My plan is to save myself the emotional experience of seeing the Dragon Bravo burn scar until next season. It rained and I sloshed around and got wet a couple of times.

Wind, Fishlake National Forest, Utah

The Southern part of Fishlake National Forest was extraordinary this year.  We laid over for two nights, enjoying the one-two punch of peak timing and the best showing I’ve ever seen there.  Even the clouds were beautiful. I was giddy.

Fishlake National Forest, Utah

These days were perfect, too, for aerial shots of the blazing yellow forest.

First light, Wasatch National Forest, Utah

From there we bit the bullet and made the long drive nearly to the Wyoming border, spending a couple of nights beside the East Fork of the Bear River. The cold weather and our weekday arrival ensured solitude, and I’m told the fishing was good. I treasure layover days, with time to download photos, wash my hair, and attend to camp chores and emails.  Yes, we use Starlink.  If at some point there’s a viable alternative we’ll move, but connectivity is a big part of what makes these longer trips possible.

Fishlake National Forest, Utah

Then we headed to Teasdale Utah and spent a few days in luxury in a rental with shower and laundry facilities.  From there we did day trips to the Northern Fishlake Forest and Dixie National Forest on the slopes of Boulder Mountain.

Speaking of luxury, we had a glorious meal at Hell’s Backbone Grill in the town of Boulder one night.  If you’re ever in the neighborhood (close to the middle of nowhere), don’t miss it.  Reservations are a good idea.

Teasdale, Utah

I’ll assert that there are three ways to do good landscape photography.  The first is careful planning of every detail.  Second, putting myself in a beautiful place at what seems like the right time and seeing what I can find.  The third is just dumb luck.  This image was a that – stumbled upon on the way to somewhere more planned. I love tree tunnels and give bonus points for vivid color and backlight.

San Juan National Forest, Colorado

Finally, we driveway-camped at a gracious friend’s place in Cortez Colorado and had quite a time leaf-peeping in the San Juan National Forest. 

Did I mention that there's never enough time to explore?

I’m grateful for “camping” adventures and the chance to share them.

More images are in the Fall 2025 Gallery on the website.