Stay Safe Out there

Looking north from my balcony, La Paloma Resort, Tucson AZ

I’m just back from the NANPA (North American Nature Photography) Summit in Tucson. These are  transcendent meetings, and I always come home inspired and with ideas and hope.

I especially enjoyed a panel discussion about woman photographers featuring Brenda Tharp, Sarah Marino, Brie Stockwell, and Amy Gulick. The topics were varied and fascinating, as you would imagine.  I was especially sparked by the topic of women camping alone.

Agave on the grounds, La Paloma Resort, Tucson AZ

I’ve given this issue lots of thought and so I found myself nodding vigorously as these accomplished women addressed the question.  Amy even used my favorite expression for that little voice ignored at our peril, the “spidey sense.”  I’ve only changed plans once in that situation but stand ready to do it again as needed.  I was parked in my truck camper and a couple of guys drove up in a pickup asking whether I was camping there that night. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck.  I find it’s not what is said but how it is said. I answered, “I’m not sure,” and thought “nope.”  I found another place, of course.

Camping and photographing by myself has its risks but for me, and apparently for these four, the reward justifies all that.  I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Resident Great Horned Owl, La Paloma Resort, Tucson AZ

Interestingly, people who start the safety conversation with me are almost always women.  Men seem to understand it more naturally.  The women who express concern generally ask about dangerous animals first.  I tell them that I’m not too concerned about animals.  As long as they’re not rabid and I’m sensible, they keep their distance.  The only unpleasant animal encounter I can remember is feral burros which woke me at 2:00 AM vigorously head-butting my camper.  I don't appreciate their charms.

The real risk, at least theoretically, is from humans. People who want to make trouble, though, are vanishingly unlikely to be seeking it in the nether regions where I camp.

Gila Woodpecker, La Paloma Resort, Tucson AZ

There are strategies to reduce risk, of course.  I travel with a big, alert dog. She’s a Malinois so she’s essentially a cop. Her barking alone would likely make a bad guy choose someone else to harass.  There are other good safety precautions like letting someone know where you are and when, carrying a communication device like In-Reach to use when there’s no phone signal, and satellite internet in camp.

I have a few more subtle and creative strategies as well.  I carry a pair of size 14 men’s boots (a gift from a patient years ago) which I’ll sometimes leave outside.  I also feel safer setting up two folding chairs in camp rather than one.

Another resident, La Paloma Resort, Tucson AZ

Another common discussion is about firearms.  The decision to carry a gun is a complex one.  I’ll just say that target practice is not sufficient preparation for a situation when you might point a weapon at an intruder.  We need to be willing to do “shoot – don’t shoot” training to minimize the risk of hurting an innocent, including ourselves.

Life requires finesse, and it would be dull indeed without calculated risks.

I hope to see you out there, safely.

Lazy

Desert View Watchtower (Grand Canyon) at sunset last week

A confession.

What you miss if you don't go out in the weather.  Grand Canyon

I’m in a constant battle with discipline.  Jerry Dodrill, a mentor and one of the least lazy people I know, says if you don’t want to be out there (because the weather is unpleasant for example)  it’s probably time to be out there.  I paraphrased, but that’s the gist.  The first time I heard this from him, I looked for exceptions in my head.  I didn’t want this to be true.  I’ve since admitted that he’s correct.

Nature photography, like most things worth doing well, requires effort.

Mid-day at Grand Canyon last week. Zone-tailed hawk

As I was thinking this might be an interesting topic for a post, driving home from a couple of nights at the Grand Canyon, what should come on the radio but Todd Rundgren’s Bang the Drum All Day.  You know, “I don’t want to work…” Yeah. Perhaps he fought a similar battle.

Focus-stacked telephoto image, Death Valley

For example, at a Death Valley workshop last March with Jerry Dodrill and Todd Pickering, we spent lots of time out on the dunes, sometimes shooting at long focal lengths.  I’ll boil down the technicalities and say that it’s difficult and sometime impossible to get the entire image in focus with a telephoto lens.  Most of us were working on a technique to get around this called focus stacking.  I realized that, when working on my own, I can sometimes be lazy about this very thing and end up with soft focus on the horizon of my image.  Hope, as they say, is not a plan. A side point here is that it’s nearly impossible to be lazy in a workshop. Peer pressure and enthusiasm. That’s another advantage of getting out there with teachers and peers.

 

One of those mid-day details, Grand Canyon

Sometimes when I’m camping, I really want that midday nap.  The snooze is especially tough to resist in summer when sunrise comes very early.  I do love a camping nap.  That said, there can be some great opportunities to shoot details and macro images mid-day.  There’s a tough balance to strike, especially for people like me who don’t do well with sleep deprivation.

Gotta walk to find things.  Buffington Pockets, Nevada

Another example is the dirt road which, like most of them, deteriorates as I go. How much further am I willing to drive to explore the new spot?  If I make camp here, how far am I willing to walk in the dark to catch sunrise? How early will I set the alarm?

Maybe I’m too hard on myself, assuming that the relaxing times are somehow less valuable than the challenging ones.  Maybe I should just enjoy the peanut butter filled pretzels a read a book sometimes.

I find myself wondering how much effort is enough. I may never know.

Life as Art

Osprey above Willow Springs Reservoir

I’ve been reading Guy Tal’s latest book, Be Extraordinary. His books are dense and philosophical, so I generally read just a chapter or two at a time and let things soak in.  During last week’s trip to Arizona’s Mogollon Rim, I read a line which has resonated since.

“Make your life your best work of art,” he writes, among musings on a variety of aspects of art.  His words feel like nothing less than a unifying theory of life.

The view above our campsite, Canyon Creek area AZ

I’m in a place to contemplate the profound these days, having lost a friend in a car accident and just learned that another friend is under the care of Hospice. As I age, I know more and older people and there’s more loss. There is no antidote to bereavement, but a life lived well is the best we’ve got.

My husband and I say that we try to live without regrets, balancing time with friends and family, in the wilderness, and finding ways to help.  We’ve been making it up as we go along and that’s been working well since I’ve stopped caring so much about what others think.  All this is a work in progress.

Don’t get me wrong, I still waste time with things like games on my phone and binging Netflix. Maybe that’s part of the balance.

Tal’s philosophical musing resonated through my recent photographic adventures.

Canyon Creek AZ

Last week’s trip was unusual. Rather than a planned excursion, it was an exploration of a new place. I was mostly just walking around seeing what I could find and going where my husband wanted to fish. I stumbled on this section of Canyon Creek and played with it for some time.

I’m also working on underwater fish shots with a GoPro (though I suspect I’ll upgrade the equipment eventually).  There’s quite a learning curve here, so I feel a little vulnerable showing this shot.  Better work is coming, I hope.

Doing photography is life’s art for me whether I’m striving to communicate emotion or promote conservation; support nonprofits or enjoy time alone or with loved ones.

Yesterday I was the photographer for a community clean-up near home. No great art emerged from this project, but the work helps with community connection and supports the sponsoring church.

With friends at Taliesin West

Many of you know I’m a contributor to Arizona Highways Magazine.  Last week I was honored to attend a celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the publication.  I’m privileged to have made a small contribution to this exemplary publication.  The party was held at sunset on the patio of Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Winter Home and school in Scottsdale.  It was so fitting that the light was spectacular in honor of a publication known for photography.

I was in the company of many friends, some of whom I’m in touch with regularly and others with whom I joyously reconnected after many years.  I also met some folks from the magazine with whom I’ve only connected by email.

This is fun – I won this large, mounted print of the 100^th anniversary (April 2025) magazine cover in a raffle.  The image was made by the legendary David Muench, who was in attendance and was kind enough to sign the print.

I’m still thinking about life as art.  I don’t imagine I’ll ever stop.

A Little Diversion

Flagellum in the Dunes, Mojave Desert, California

We had a Spring weather preview a couple of weeks ago and kind of jumped the gun on our planning, intending to head to the Rim Country Lakes to camp last week.  Then the weather turned in the other direction with snow and high temperatures there in the 30s.

We decided instead on one more trip to California’s Mojave Desert.

Afton Canyon, Mojave Desert, California

The first night was windy, so we tucked into Afton Canyon, an odd little campground in the Mojave Trails National Monument.  A site runs $3 with Marco’s Senior Federal Pass (I’m not quite there yet). 

Afton Canyon Trestle, Mojave Desert, California

Why odd?  It’s a common starting and ending point for a drive of the Mojave Road, a historic unpaved route mostly through the Mojave National Preserve.  The Mojave River flows through Afton Canyon as well.  It does have many charms, but doesn’t quite meet its moniker, “Grand Canyon of the Mojave.”  Some campers there are troubled by train noise.  Because I’ve lived in several places near the tracks the frequent freighters coming through Afton don’t even wake me up.  Besides, I appreciate the trains and trestles for their photogenicity.

We stumbled on a burned-out truck during our travels, and I enjoyed geeking out on the patterns formed in several layers of scorched automotive paint.  I wondered about the story here and I wonder still.

Soft light on the dunes, Mojave Desert, California

The next night we scooted over to our favorite dunes in the Mojave, which we don’t name in hopes of keeping them pristine.  This won’t make everyone happy, but if you know me and want to go, you can ask.

Sunrise, Mojave Desert, California

There’s been a good deal of dune photography this year.  The last trip was a workshop with Jerry Dodrill and Todd Pickering.  Since then, with their encouragement, I’ve been shooting long focal-length images (which are impossible to make sharp with a single image) with focus stacking.  This technique requires shooting multiple images of the same scene, focused at different depths.  The images are combined, using the sharpest part of each.  Generally, this is done with specialized software but can be done manually in Photoshop.  I use Helicon Focus, and there are others.

Dune Detail, Mojave Desert, California

The photography was good, and the solitude was sublime.

Watching Gypsy the Wonder Dog’s joy was perhaps the best part.  It was certainly worth slogging up the dunes with the big wildlife lens.

There’s more on the website in the Spring 2025 Gallery. So far, it’s stocked with two trips through the Mojave.

Badlands, Sand and Salt

Setting sun and wind, Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park

I’m no stranger to Death Valley National Park.  I’d thought I wouldn’t join another workshop there, and that I was only interested in photographing less popular backcountry locations by myself now.  Then a last-minute spot became available on a Visionary Wild workshop with Jerry Dodrill and Todd Pickering.  On impulse I signed on to this front-country, stay-in-a hotel-room adventure.

Closed road, Mojave National Preserve

Sunrise in the Joshua Trees, Mojave National Preserve

I drove out in the van and spent some time in the Mojave National Preserve before the group convened.  Sadly, my favorite place to camp there had been designated wilderness.  No motor vehicles are allowed.  I was less than thrilled to see the turn-off blocked.  There are lots of other options, though, and I settled in at mid-elevation among the Joshua trees and in a nice quiet spot with no traffic.

Workshops keep a more robust pace than I do traveling alone.  Landscape photographers are always up and out in the dark, and this trip was no exception.  On my own, though, I generally get some work done and grab a nap during mid-day.  Instead, the group enjoyed the 4-plus-hour image review sessions.  These were excellent and were time well spent, despite missed naps. I have pages of notes on everything from technical photo processing tips to quotes from Galen Rowell. I also don’t do the long restaurant dinners after sunset shoots when traveling on my own.  After 6-hour sleep nights all week, I was ready for a recharge despite feeling deeply inspired.

Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park

There were variations on familiar locations, like hiking into the badlands a bit at Zabriskie Point for a less common vantage point and to allow us to use the dry wash as a leading line.  It didn’t hurt that the light was spectacular as well.

Snowy Telescope Peak and pink sky reflected, Death Valley National Park

This location in Badwater Basin also blessed us with uncommon sunrise color as we tromped around in the crunchy (but surprisingly durable) salt deposits.

Pastels after sunset, Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park

I love shooting sand dunes but have avoided the accessible (and therefore popular) Mesquite Dunes for quite a while.  Because we were staying at Stovepipe Wells, adjacent to the dunes, we did three shoots there. We had the mixed blessing of wind.  Though there was grit in my teeth and ears, the wind wiped away footprints and created some cool atmospheric effects with backlight.

Ominous clouds over Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park

Storm clouds also did a good job spicing up the dune shots one afternoon.

HDR image from inside a slot canyon in the Funeral Mountains, Death Valley National Park

There seem to be endless side canyons in the mountain ranges throughout the park.  I’ve just scratched the surface with twenty or so canyon hikes, and there are always more on my list.  The guys took us to this little gem in the Funeral Mountains.

Mud Crack Detail along Badwater Road, Death Valley National Park

Sometimes inspiration is available in unlikely places.  This is a detail of a roadside display of mud cracks.  It takes a particular kind of person to appreciate this sort of scene and I’m that kind.

Dune Detail, Death Valley National Park

Details are important to storytelling, and easily found in this magic place if you’re looking for them.

Virga and salt polygons, West Side Road, Death Valley National Park

Dunes and snow, Death Valley National Park

The Mojave Desert lends itself well to dramatic black and white presentations.  These are a couple of favorites from this trip.

Velvet Turtleback, Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Death Valley National Park

I’m sure that, in the planning of this trip, Jerry and Todd were hoping for flowers.  Winter and Spring have been painfully dry in the desert southwest this year, and we didn’t see much.  In fact, this Velvet Turtleback (Psathyrotes ramosissima) was about all I saw.  I celebrated this small victory.

The workshop wrapped at about 3:00 on day five.  At that point, I settled the van in a quiet spot and grabbed that long-delayed nap, then contemplated locations for desert photography next season.

There’s much more in the Spring 2025 Gallery on the website.

Mentors, Influencers, and Informal Teachers

Bisti Badlands at sunset, Photo by Kerrick James

I’ve been thinking recently about how, without formal photography education, I’ve continued to learn and stay current.  I’ve had the great fortune to work and study with a variety of photographers in venues as diverse as in-person workshops and on-line trainings.  These relationships offer the ultimate in custom, often one-on-one learning experiences, and often lead to life-long friendships.

I’d like to share a few words about some of those relationships.  I’ll pair my thoughts with images inspired, one way of another, by the teachers.

I’ve left a few significant examples out because the circumstances of the interactions are best not shared.  There’s always something to be learned, even if by mis-example.

 

High-key Portrait from Marrakech

Do you remember Lynda.com?  It was an online learning platform for diverse topics.  I started taking courses from Chris Orwig (at the time he was teaching at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara) on Adobe software around 2008.  I think I started with CS3. He had a terrific way of clarifying Lightroom and Photoshop and sometimes included some thoughts on portraiture.  He’s known for high-key portraits, especially in the local surfing community, and I admire his style very much.

 

Emerald Cave, AZ, Named by Kerrick James.  This is his composition, but I couldn't resist

I can’t overstate what a terrific mentor I have in Kerrick James.  He’s one of the few photographers I know who can make a living in travel and lifestyle photography and is a go-to photographer and writer for a number of major publications.  I’ve travelled with him, as a guide and socially, and he helped me get involved with local publications and with the nonprofit Through Each Other’s Eyes, which we both work with today.  Among other things, Kerrick has taught me about adventure, bravery, and packing big experiences into short trips.

Rock Creek Arch (which, sadly, collapsed last year), Lake Powell

I've had the pleasure of Gary Ladd's company and wisdom in a number of places, but mostly on Lake Powell.  I'm thinking there have been five houseboat trips into this place which is as familiar to him as his backyard, largely because that's what it is.  Gary is soft-spoken, until he has one too many yoo-hoos and gets delightfully silly.  He leads quietly by example and is unequalled in finding just the right spot at the right time.

Kee Etsicitty, Navajo Nation Fair

Mostly, I know LeRoy DeJolie from workshops with the (sadly defunct) Arizona Highways Photoscapes. LeRoy is Navajo, and most of his work comes out of the stunningly beautiful Navajo lands.  Under his guidance, I’ve explored Monument Valley, Canyon De Chelly, and the Navajo Nation Fair, to name a few.  Serendipity and spontaneity seen to ride on LeRoy’s shoulders.  For example, at the Navajo Nation Fair he introduced himself and a part of the group to a Code Talker.  The late Mr. Etsicitty spent some time with us, explaining how the Navajo Language was used as code in World War II and giving us a chance to make portraits of him.  I’ve told this story in more detail before.

 

Colorado Autumn.  Jerry encouraged me up a treacherous slope to figure out this shot

It's tough to know where to start talking about Jerry Dodrill.  We met by chance in a workshop he taught for the exemplary outfit, Visionary Wild.  My relationship with Jerry, Like that with Kerrick, has delightfully blurred the line between client and friend.  Lucky me. From the depths of the Grand Canyon to his home turf in Central California, I’ve had a consistently great experience with Jerry.  He’s Joyous, energetic, and encourages me to push myself.  Jerry manages to be rigorous and playful at the same time. I’m looking forward to some time in California’s Mojave Desert with Jerry next week.

 

Arizona Highways Magazine is an increasingly rare publication in its support of photographers.  It is a pleasure and a privilege to work for them, and I couldn’t begin to list the relationships that have come from that.  For example, Jeff Kida, Photo Editor, and Pete Ensenberger (who previously held that title) have been generous teachers.  Pete does portfolio reviews with me that are terrific opportunities to learn from his extensive experience. Jeff has a wide range of experience and knowledge – I come home from our lunches with list of things to learn more about and with inspiration.  Priceless.

 

Cowboy Portrait, Composed on my own using Scott's wisdom

Scott Baxter is famous for his spectacular platinum-palladium prints, particularly of ranching life in Arizona.  I’ve done a couple of cowboy-themed workshops with him and have been consistently impressed with his uncompromising style.  He emphasizes the importance of knowing your subject and is a master of the portrait. He likes to give his pointers and let students apply them on our own. I’ve learned so much from him.

 

Great Smoky Mountain autumn.  I took this one out on my own after a week of group work

Colleen Miniuk is tough to sum up in a paragraph.  She brings enthusiasm and play to her teaching and at the same time a penchant for teaching scientific aspects of creativity and visual language. She has a knack for bringing people together, especially groups of women.

 

High-key composite inspired by Lisa

Most recently, I’ve worked with Lisa Langell, a particularly creative and energetic artist who has taught me about thinking outside the box.  I’ve enjoyed learning from her about photography of cowboy culture and hummingbirds. 

Well, that’s a lot, more folks than I expected to come up with when I first thought about this post. Each relationship feels like a blessing.

Thanks for riding along.