Sharing the Experience

Feb 2012 - "Ice Age"

2012-02-02T15:48:00.001-05:00

Occasionally life unfolds a bit like a fairytale. Other times more like a nightmare. This unforgettable day was something of a fairytale, wrapped in a nightmare, with a great big bow of luck on top.

Patagonia: It was Day 8 of our April 2011 photo tour.

We were on the trail and, in every way, ready to be off the trail. We were to conclude our trek at Glacier Grey where the boat captain would arrive to ferry us across the lake, to our van driver, then on to our swanky hotel along the Carribean-blue waters of Lago Pehoe.

Though the trail was laced with joys and epic experiences of all kinds, the group was desperately ready for that hotel, a slow dinner, and maybe a fine glass of local Chilean wine.

Few moments in that final mile involved thoughts of the beautiful glacier in front of us. In fact, the only words from my ever-optimistic mouth were “you can do it” and “we’re almost to the boat.” The boat ride out of the park couldn’t possibly arrive at a more perfect time in our journey. The group was ready for it.

“Are you Paul Hassell,” said a tall Chilean man upon our arrival at the small outpost along Lago Grey.

“Yes,” I replied hesitantly.

Please note that having your name summoned upon arrival to a distant wilderness destination in a foreign country is, well… not comforting.

The man motioned me away from my group. The news he shared with me in private was met by denial. All nightmares should be met by denial. A fierce, fiery denial.

“The boat is not coming.”

Apparently the gusts of wind that day were in excess of 140Km/hr. Understandably that keeps captains off the water for safety. I was unaware that not being picked up was even a possibility. Well, now I knew.

Breaking the news to my group was going to be interesting.

I took a moment to myself along the lake while the group broke into their packed lunches. This is where the fairytale stuff happened.

I kneeled to the ground, desperate for denial to pass, wisdom to well up within me, and a good sound decision to be made. God knew. He really knew. And in the moment, I kid you not, a rainbow was drawn from top to bottom across the sky and touched down to the lake where I knelt. It was bizarre. And incredibly comforting. So, in that unspoken way God spoke to me the words, “I’ve got it.”

I grabbed a grabbable-sized chunk of iceberg from the water's edge, marched back to the lodge, set it on the counter, and broke the news to everyone. It was a bit like when my old university would tell a senior student the week of graduation (which they were famous for) that they actually needed one more class to graduate. It was a hard few moments. We'd be staying here for the night.

The quality of light that unfolded later that evening at the base of the lake was something I’d never even dreamed we’d get to see. We were supposed to be at a different lake, without a glacier, on the other side of the park by now.

Because our plans had radically changed, we had the entire afternoon to sit and watch the light break in and out of stormy clouds out over this massive expanse of glacier.

This was the beautiful bow of good luck on top. Hands down, the light display we saw that afternoon was a photographic highlight of the entire trip.

Pillows of cloud hovered low over giant mountain summits. A mile-long glacier breaks off into fragments where freshly sculpted black rock cut steeply down to the lake. Back-lit blue icebergs, within our reach, floated taller than a two-story house. Light pierced through it all and gave it luminance.

Light pierced through it all.

(this continues the series "Stories Behind the Image" appearing each month on this blog in correspondence with the monthly image in your 2012 PHP wall calendar).

Jan 2012 - "Grandfather Cloud"

2012-01-06T16:25:00.010-05:00

We were in route to Yosemite National Park from Bishop, CA. We'd just left the Mountain Light photography gallery of the late adventure photography mentor I never met. His name was Galen Rowell.

Beholding his images as fine art on the walls of his small-town CA gallery was something I'd hoped to do since first reading his adventure photo articles in National Geographic as a boy. Our visit was, in a word, transformative.

My friend Nora (now my wife) and I had a particularly profound experience there in the presence of his art and the dialogue that followed. With a burning passion for all things wild and the inspiring art of photography alive in our hearts, it was no surprise when this scene unfolded before us on our drive north to Yosemite.

A solitary swirling cloud was struck by the suns last light in an expanse of blue sky. It hovered, and spiraled horizontally over the contour of the mountain. It changed shape and form by the second. The thoughts provoked by that night's spectacle were the inspiration for page 32-33 of Pilgrim Walk in the Woods entitled "Clouds."

"Despite all our talk about the sun rising and setting, it never moves. It never changes. By contrast, we humans move, shift, and realign constantly. We resemble clouds.

Clouds are the tool that God uses to reveal new facets of the sun. [You may choose to read—Son]. Clouds reveal the sun's many textures, shapes, and colors, and without clouds, sunsets are unremarkable. Notice how the darkest storm clouds transform when sunlight strikes them. They reveal explosions of color and light. We celebrate sunsets for their stunning beauty, yet our appreciation and knowledge of the sun's character draw strength from unglamorous helpers—clouds.

The abundance and texture of the clouds around us deepen our fascination with the sun. Look for them. Wait upon the sunlight to spread their paints across the deep azure."

~ from Pilgrim Walk in the Woods by Susanne Hassell and Paul Hassell

Great men die in the Fall

2011-11-08T13:14:00.008-05:00

Bob Epperson’s life ended today.

I took a long walk by the river this morning when I heard the news. Yellow leaves glistened in sunshine through fog at the tips of tall flowing trees above me. I began to grieve. I remembered the last 13 years of life since I met Bob, and I thought about the timing of things.

The river decided to speak a bit—or the trees; I’m not sure.

Great men are connected to the land, I thought. Like trees, they dig deep into the soil of their home. They root themselves in the community of their beloved families. They cherish their wives.

Great men go down shining with color.

Great men know winter is not the end. Without fear they shed the year’s growth in a glorious display, brighter than a rainbow, and settle down to rest. They don’t fret the cold that will soon grip them.

Great men know spring will come. New life is certain.

Great men have faith in Jesus.

Each year of their lives builds upon the next. Annually, the tree-rings of memories compile, one after the other. They bare the stories of each compounding year in their countenance. They shine with joy.

You must sit with these men for a while to get far enough into the trunk to hear the early stories. But they’re all there. They wouldn’t be the men they are without them. They live as naturally as a tree grows. They live from the fullness of their collection of experiences.

I heard about Bob and Gloria Epperson when I was 12 years old. The men at Thompson Photo Products spoke of them each time I dropped off my film or picked up my 4x6 prints of the Tennessee River near my home. At the encouragement of Charles Garvey, a pro photographer and Troop 6 scouting dad, I hunted them down at a local camera club meeting. The rest is a long history of smiles.

Bob was always celebrating he and Gloria’s decades of adventures—his big bear stories, big canyon stories, trophy horse stories, and Alaskan hunting stories. He was always living from the present acknowledgment of the overwhelming blessings all around him. You always felt this when you were with Bob. His life was a quiet but steady encouragement for me to live the same way.

Bob was always in awe of nature’s miracles. Whether in the far corners of our country’s national parks, or his gorgeous backyard above the Tennessee River, he photographed the wild scenery painted out before him. He noticed these sights were miracles. Every single one of them. This is rare today.

This spring, racket-ball sized hail fell from the sky. Some hailstones were spiked with razor-sharp barbs. Bob and Gloria’s windows were shattered. Their roof was torn up. Even their birdhouses were demolished. I think this actually bothered Bob more than the damage to his own house.

Bob collected the hailstones and stored them in his freezer in a silver pot. They filled his open hand, jittering back and forth. He insisted they were even bigger—that they’d dehydrated a bit. Our eyes were wide together with awe. We’d never seen anything like it in all our lives.

The day after Nora and I got engaged, we drove over the river to see Bob and Gloria. We hugged and celebrated a bit, then sat with them to hear stories of their early romance. We could’ve stayed for hours more.

It is with sadness and celebration today that I remember the one wild life of my dear friend and first mentor in the art of nature photography. I remember with steadfast hope that our friend’s journey has only just begun. That heaven is no longer a place beyond the mountains, but a living reality for a living Bob Epperson.

Great men die in the fall.

Bob Epperson was a great man.

Switzerland!

2011-11-01T14:07:00.001-04:00

Wildlife Photographer of the Year - Awards Ceremony

2011-10-20T21:58:00.004-04:00

Some highlights from last night's awards ceremony in London at the Natural History Museum. 1) Nora and I view the skeleton of Bruce Chatwin's (author of "In Patagonia") famed Melodon. This giant prehistoric cave-dwelling sloth is the mascot of our beloved city Puerto Natales in southern Chile.
2) A huge congratulations is due to Daniel Beltra for his winning image, "Still Life in Oil." It's sure to be an icon for the environmental impact and true price of oil.
3) Being among the world's most gifted wildlife photographers--a group of professionals who roll in the mud and stalk animals for a living--and wearing suits.

Fall Color Report - Great Smoky Mountains

2011-10-13T21:55:00.000-04:00

October 13, 2011 - Peak color from approx 3,500-5,000 ft.
Rainy conditions today provided wonderful windows into the ridges and valleys of America's oldest mountains. Nothing can show off Appalachia's autumn color like a clearing storm.

Panning the Horizon - handheld!

2011-10-03T15:35:00.000-04:00

Exposures: 1/2 sec @ f/16

Balance: Earth, land, and sky

2011-09-30T13:34:00.002-04:00

Where do stormy clouds meet mountains, mountains meet lakes, and waters meet beach?... Alaskan wilderness. Notice the lines in this image. There is a line of movement along the edge of the darkest storm cloud. There is a similar line on the furthest reaches of the water where it meets the beach. These mirrored movements provide balance in the image and allow the viewers eye to move within the scene for awhile.

Alaska Brown Bears - Shake it down!

2011-09-21T14:56:00.002-04:00

Alaska Brown Bear - Free Wallpaper for your desktop!

2011-09-19T11:20:00.007-04:00

Enjoy this free gift. Click on the image below, then right click and select "save image as" to your desktop. Enjoy!

Alaska Brown Bears - Get down!

2011-09-16T17:08:00.001-04:00

Tired of your typical images? Get down as low to the ground as possible for a new perspective. If you're on one of my tours, I'll be there to help you get up again : )

Alaska Brown Bears - Mother and Cubs

2011-09-13T18:04:00.000-04:00

Alaska Brown Bears - The Crew!

2011-09-12T15:49:00.001-04:00

Allan, Josh, Teresina, Milton, and Paul

Alaska - Land of the Brown Bear

2011-09-09T16:07:00.000-04:00

BEARS!

2011-09-07T15:40:00.000-04:00

Heading home from ALASKA.

Amazing encounters to share!

Speaking in London: Wild Photos Conference 2011

2011-07-25T13:41:00.006-04:00

Pretty honored to speak alongside the most elite group of Wildlife Photographers in the world! Click on the image for a list of the speakers. I'm on Saturday, Oct 23rd.

How do I photograph fireworks?

2011-07-02T17:26:00.006-04:00

Scout it out before dark!

Pick your vantage point purposefully. Think of your foreground.
- Local buildings or landmarks. Sunsphere! (call a Knoxvillean, and they will explain).
- Try silhouettes of people (Be careful here. Slow shutter speeds means blurry people. Well, unless they're glued to a lawn chair. Likely on the 4th of July actually. God bless America!)
- Reflective surfaces such as water, car hoods, glass, etc.
- Be careful about wind direction (choose cross wind or up wind but NOT downwind or the smoke will be a problem)

Keep it Steady!

Use a tripod and remote/mirror lock-up if you can.

Shoot Manually!

Set camera to "M"

Start with:
- ISO 100
- Aperture = f/11
- Shutter Speed = Bulb (leave it open approx 4 seconds to start)

Check your results and adjust accordingly.
- Look at your histogram and check for "blinkies"
- Use white balance to suit local lighting if including a lit foreground element.
- Daylight white balance may work best for fireworks-only shots
- Don’t use flash unless you intend to light a subject very close to the camera.
- Manual focus set to infinity
- Choose your focal length for composition – wide for strong foreground, telephoto for close up detail of the bursts.

Experiment!

If there isn’t wind, your first shots will be the best (smoke builds and detracts from later shots). If there is, position yourself upwind where the smoke will blow away from your vantage point.

If the sky still has sunset color, adjust your exposure accordingly (meter off the sky, time your shutter releases carefully).

Take tons of pictures. It's digital. Folks, here's some simple math... Digital = FREE!

Most importantly, have fun and enjoy your friends and family!

Alaska Adventure Photo Tour is FULL!

2011-06-16T18:36:00.004-04:00

We're all aboard for a great adventure to Katmai National Park this September. It's really going to be an adventure to remember for Josh, Allan, Milton, and Teresina. Here are some images of what we'll see where we camp, where we fly, and where we encounter the Griz!

Photo Tip: Show Depth in the Landscape

2011-05-31T11:23:00.006-04:00

In Fitz Roy last month, I placed my camera on this colorful lichen-covered rock and set my aperture to f/22. Aperture, also referred to as f-stop, controls how much of your scene will be in focus from near to far. This setting of f/22 allows nearly everything in the landscape to come into focus. Try setting your camera up this way in the Av mode (Canon) or A mode (Nikon) and shooting landscapes while having one prominent foreground element close to the camera.

Photo Class at 4 Market Square - Success!

2011-05-16T11:12:00.003-04:00

Some feedback...

"Genuine, enthusiastic, casual, personal... LOVED IT!" ~ K-Kin

"Loved your enthusiasm and your hands-on approach when we were outside taking pictures!" ~ Cindy

"I really appreciate the way you share your extensive knowledge in a very understandable way!" ~ Claire.

Well, I suppose I'm batting a thousand on exclamation points so far. Thanks for a great class Beth, Susie, Carolyn, Cindy, K-Kin, Claire, Angie, Tammy, Denise, Katie, and Saimah.

PATAGONIA - exploring Fitz Roy

2011-05-05T20:20:00.000-04:00

Before the Photo Tour, we spent 15 days north of Chile's Torres del Paine across the border into Argentina. This park is know for its mountain range named Fitz Roy. The following is a fun collection of videos showing our adventurous time there. Sometimes it gets a bit windy and cold when you hike up high early in the morning. Worth it!

What goes on behind the camera of still photographer Paul Hassell?

Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina.

Here's some video from the journey. My fiance Nora, our friend Lance, and I trekked all over the town of El Chaltén and up and down the trails of Argentina's finest national park.

We met the right people and found all the right places to lead a 5-day extension tour to this crown-jewel national park following next year's Patagonia Photo Tour in Torres del Paine, Chile. Stay posted for that. But don't worry; we won't throw you out there in the high elevations before sunrise. Brrrrrrrr..

Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Lenses: 16-35mm f/2.8 - 50mm f/1.4 - 70-200mm f/2.8
Backpack: Tilopa Backcountry by F-Stop Gear

music by Balmorhea

PATAGONIA - Photo Tour: heading home

2011-04-10T08:18:00.001-04:00

We've left it all in Patagonia. The group is exhausted and full. Full of adventure, full of stories, and ready to share it all with our loved ones back home.

PATAGONIA - Photo Tour: guanacos

2011-04-09T08:17:00.001-04:00

On our private transfer out of the park today, I had our driver get us into some great locations to shoot the iconic guanacos of Patagonia. They're kind of like llamas. We were given impeccable light and epic scenery to shoot around them.

PATAGONIA - Photo Tour: surreal

2011-04-08T11:15:00.001-04:00

Sometimes sunrise colors just feel like a dream. This morning was that way over Paine Grande. Quite a start to the day. Looking forward to a big day shooting Glacier Grey.

PATAGONIA - Photo Tour: pehoe blue

2011-04-07T20:12:00.002-04:00

After our 7 mile trek in the drizzly wetness past the French Valley, we were greeted by carribean sunshine along the edge of the ever-gorgeous Lago Pehoe. We're all excited to play around and relax here at the Paine Grande lodge much of the day tomorrow.

PATAGONIA - Photo Tour: sunrise rainbow

2011-04-06T23:11:00.001-04:00

Just before heading down to the main lodge for breakfast, this rainbow exploded into view over our cabins through the wet and dreary morning sky.

PATAGONIA - Photo Tour: fox

2011-04-05T20:09:00.001-04:00

During our siesta today here at the quaint cabins of Los Cuernos, this cute fox decided to come visit us. Great shots by everyone!

PATAGONIA - Photo Tour: los cuernos

2011-04-04T20:07:00.003-04:00

Today, we trekked 7 miles from our swanky hotel at Las Torres to the cabins beneath Los Cuernos. Stellar walk. Gorgeous scenery along the way.

PATAGONIA - Photo Tour: on the trail

2011-04-03T23:44:00.000-04:00

On our first morning in Torres del Paine, we're given a surprise blast of color in the sky. We leave our hot coffee and dart outside to behold our first sunrise inside the park. The day was full of gorgeous sunshine but very high winds as well. We slowed our pace a bit due to the weather and didn't push it up to the towers (Las Torres). Larry made the jont up there and brought back images of fresh-fallen powder all around. A round of Yerba Mate was in order along the trek home to the hotel this afternoon.

PATAGONIA - Photo Tour: getting there

2011-04-02T23:13:00.003-04:00

to Torres del Paine. The trip has started with a bang. All sorts of gifts along the road from Punta Arenas, Chile to the park... flamingoes, nandus, gaunacos, guachos, a rainbow. We made a stop for helado (ice cream) simply because that's what we do. We're excited to see what the weather will bring us when we take to the trail tomorrow after a slow night unwinding at the gorgeous Hotel Las Torres.

PATAGONIA - Testing F-Stop Tilopa BC camera pack

2011-03-30T11:06:00.001-04:00

Greetings from Argentine Patagonia!

I'm using the Tilopa Backcountry pack down here and loving it. If you're going to be joining me for the Photo Tour in Torres del Paine, you may enjoy seeing specifically how I pack the bag. This is the setup I use when I'm trekking but staying in refugios or lodges at night like we will do on the Photo Tour. My backpacking setup (tent, sleeping bag, food, etc) is significantly more bulky.

The convenience and easy access to the camera is unsurpassed. It's held up to rain, snow, heat, and cold so far. The bag also fits great. I've enjoyed trail running with it down here in the high Andes.

According to your needs, F-Stop offers an array of different size packs and 3 Internal Camera Unit sizes (S, M, L) to custom outfit your gear securely within the pack. Get one at FStopGear.com.

PATAGONIA - Cerro Torre

2011-03-28T12:03:00.001-04:00

My first ever sighting of Cerro Torre this morning!

Let me explain the significance.

It takes 48 hrs, 2 plane flights, and 2 bus rides to get here to El Chalten, Argentina. I've visited twice in the past 2 years. After a cumulative 12 days of waiting over the course of these visits, this gnarly mountain has remained mysteriously shrouded in cloud. My anticipation was growing the way it did as a toddler when I'd search all afternoon for four-leaf clovers in the yard. It felt like weeks were passing, of course.

Today, this Dr. Suess-story-book shaped mountain burst forth into view. It was a perfectly clear, blue bird sky. GIFT!

PATAGONIA - Fitz Roy

2011-03-26T20:05:00.008-04:00

(photo by my amazing girlfriend Nora Hutchison)

A pocket alarm pulses pain into my ear within my sleeping bag. Rolling over, I hear the violent roar of foliage in the trees outside our flapping tent walls. Gale-force winds discourage me right back to sleep. My

body wishes to stay put. But dynamic light might exist at the mountaintop in a couple hours. And as I've begun to say in these moments, "You don't know if you don't go."

I consult my tent-mate Lance. He replies with an audible smirk in the cold dark tent,

"Bro... It's your J--O--B."

He continues, “I thought your job was cool last night... but man, it really sucks this morning.”

“Seriously Lance, say something inspirational for crying out loud. I mean, what would Abraham Lincoln say right now?”

“Abe Lincoln would definitely not go outside in this sh-t!”

I laugh and lay my head back down. I try to snooze it off. But the call to Light is too strong. I emerge from the tent and thrash my way back up the mountain in the dark for a second morning. Though I was nearly carried off several times by wind like a kite at the beach, I arrive safely at the alpine lake. These are some of the miracles I saw.

I love my J--O--B.

PATAGONIA - Fitz Roy

2011-03-25T21:04:00.005-04:00

Wake at 4:27am. Begin the slow slog up the mountain. Arrive at base of Fitz Roy 90 minutes later. Hunker down and wait in the dark behind a rock as storm passes. Witness first light strike Cerro Fitz Roy through blankets of fresh snow.

Your life will be rearranged… in an instant.

This was my day at the office Wednesday.

PATAGONIA - by Full Moonlight

2011-03-20T10:11:00.005-04:00

Moonlit mountains over El Chalten, Argentina!
The full moon was closer to earth Saturday night than it's been in 19 years.

The weather in Patagonia is notoriously foul, but the sky cleared all night upon our arrival.

I can't describe the gratitude within me to have witnessed this event, in this location, under these conditions.

I am a blessed man.

As the mountain was fully revealed around 1am, a car passed by on the main road in town. The driver's headlights painted the weathered tree in my foreground with just the right amount of light.

Can we say, "GIFT!"

(138 sec @ f/14, ISO 400 - 70-200mm lens @ 85mm)

Rattlesnake Ridge - Appalachia

2011-03-15T19:14:00.003-04:00

This is a promo piece I shot and edited for our friends in Kentucky last year.

There may not be a family in America who loves their neighbors quite like Hilton and Barbara Duncan. Join them in the hills and hollers of rural Kentucky. Take a glimpse into the movement of love that has begun to change lives and revive hope in Appalachia. Welcome to ICM!

NANPA Presentation on Social Media

2011-03-11T18:45:00.009-05:00

Who's using Social Media in the nature photo community?

Video shot and edited on the fly last night in McAllen, TX.

Showed this to open my presentation. Here's some instant feedback from 4 folks...

"Wasn't sure anybody could convince me to do social media as part of my business, but you did!"

"Motivating! I'm going to try it... 65 and still willing to experiment."

"TREMENDOUS PASSION--CUP IS ALWAYS FULL"

"Don't Stop!"

Thanks NANPA for the opportunity to share the passion for Adventure and Light. Fun times.

Sike! More winter in GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS

2011-03-06T13:32:00.005-05:00

You just thought spring had come. Winter will have the last laugh. I was honored to be in the higher elevations of the Smokies this morning when an unexpected snow began to fall. Nearly six inches accumulated as the morning continued. The rivers were full and wild. The pine branches hung heavy with white. After my sunny Smokies day 36 hours ago shooting emerging jonquils, this weather was quite a shock. You just never know what nature will bring. Enjoy!

Spring is coming!

2011-03-04T15:27:00.002-05:00

Taken this morning in Cades Cove. Join us for Spring Workshop in April!

About.Me - New free bio page

2011-03-02T13:14:00.000-05:00

Gorgeous layout to display photo and bio with social media links HERE.
Great for SEO!

Living for a Living: Paul Hassell's Light Business

2011-03-01T14:26:00.000-05:00

My gifting, as I understand it. An article I wrote for the blog of author Austin L. Church.

WILD-erness!

2011-02-22T16:40:00.005-05:00

Take it all in! Welcome the storm. Climb a tree, and feel the wind in your hands.

Get Creative this Winter!

2011-02-21T15:15:00.000-05:00

A short article I wrote for the blog of the NANPA Summit in McAllen, TX. I'll speak at the conference on March 11, 2011. See some of you there.
Read the article; then get outside!

Elements of Art

2011-02-01T13:30:00.003-05:00

Line-Value-Space-Shape-Texture-Value-Color-Form (http://bit.ly/abBgvx). Take a minute and see how these elements are at work in your photographic art.

Teton Valley at Sunrise

2011-01-28T16:01:00.005-05:00

First light exploded in my periphery as I kicked crunchy-snow steps up 12,300ft Teewinot Mtn in the dark. I anchored my camera against the wall of rock with my body and made this image. Enjoy! - Grand Teton National Park.

This image is a new release!

Audio is Key!

2011-01-12T13:58:00.002-05:00

The future of Ethiopia is looking up!

2010-12-31T19:26:00.002-05:00

I hope you enjoy one of my most enriching projects in 2010 that I shot for the Tigrai Development Association. Peace and Salem!

Never Stop Exploring!

2010-12-28T15:26:00.001-05:00

Get psyched for 2011. Wahoo!

2011, here we come!

2010-12-24T09:39:00.002-05:00

Six encouraging hours of dreaming with those who love me resulted in this. Lovers of Light, get psyched for what's coming your way in the months and years ahead. A special thanks to Daniel Allen for all his wisdom in the process.

Dominican Republic - deep water soloing

2010-12-06T12:03:00.002-05:00

Climbing some super sweet cliffs here in the DR! (photo by Scott Steele)

Dominican Republic - Bienvenidos!

2010-12-03T10:44:00.002-05:00

Sunset over Santo Domingo.

Spiritual Field Guide - PILGRIM WALK

2010-11-08T15:29:00.005-05:00

Here's a sneak peak into the book my mother Susanne and I have been working on for a couple years. Stay tuned for info on pre-ordering. First books to arrive in December (in time for Christmas)!

How sharp is Canon's 85mm f/1.2L II USM lens?

2010-11-01T15:47:00.007-04:00

My accidental self portrait in the eye of this Ethiopian girl should sufficiently answer the question. (click image for larger view)

Hawaii: Lava and Sea

2010-09-28T09:57:00.004-04:00

Possibly the heaviest event I've ever witnessed in nature. It will be awhile before I have words to describe the magnitude of what occurred last night. (exposures: 0.05-1.0 sec @f/4-f/9, ISO 250-800)

Hawaii: Black Sand Beach

2010-09-27T17:44:00.002-04:00

Woke this morning to a sunrise over graphite-black sand. Black sand beaches are a unique geological occurrence along the Big Island's volcanic southern coast. Looking closer into the surf, I noticed several flippers and heads bobbing beneath the whitewash. A few moments later, I threw on the snorkel mask, and I was out swimming among a dozen endangered green sea turtles.

Hawaii: Trek to the Wettest Place on Earth

2010-09-26T14:28:00.000-04:00

Sunrise near the top of the "wettest place on earth." We trekked all the way up to the summit ridge in the dark using headlamps and some sketchy ropes. The view over distant mountain ranges was stunning. On the way down, I ate an entire rainforest full of grape-apples for sustenance. So sweet!

Hawaii: Farming in Paradise

2010-09-25T05:39:00.006-04:00

Fields of Hawaii's widespread crop, Taro. Its root is harvested and made into all sorts of foods including Taro burgers that can be purchased here at McDonalds. (click images for larger view).

Hawaii: by Moonlight

2010-09-23T17:40:00.001-04:00

Just one moon ago, we were at the bottom of the Grand Canyon along the CO River.

Last night, I was out on the beaches of Kauai, HI as the full moon rose again. I really can't say enough about my newfound passion for this natural light source. Before these last two moons, I had never even studied this possibility. The opportunities are endless, but last night I chose to observe and photograph a freshwater creek flowing into the Pacific beneath the moon's light. The intricate sand patterns and slivers of light were gorgeous. (exposures: approx... 30 sec @ f/8, ISO 160)

Hawaii: Surfin' USA

2010-09-23T09:25:00.003-04:00

The morning commute...

Hawaii: Kauai Sunsets

2010-09-22T23:31:00.000-04:00

Hawaii: Crashing Waves and Secret Caves

2010-09-21T23:14:00.007-04:00

Woke before sunrise to sit before these thunderous waves of the remote Napali Coast (exposure: 1/6 sec @ f/32).

Tonight, a local led us into a secret cave with a wade-through-the-water-only entrance. Here's who we found napping inside. Sacred. Speechless. Unforgettable. (exposure: 15 sec @ f/22, two ext 580ex II flashes and a personal headlamp for lightly painting the interior of the cave).

Hawaii: ALOHA!

2010-09-20T23:44:00.004-04:00

Just after landing in Kauai tonight, the sky basically caught fire over Hanalei Bay.

I'm extremely thankful to be here for the first time. It's going to be a fabulous adventure.

I'll be shooting portraits Wednesday and a wedding Friday here on Kauai. Then, I'll be off to the Big Island to shoot the volcanoes. Hoping for some lava flow into the sea. Stay tuned.

California: Big Sur - dream comes true!

2010-09-02T23:56:00.007-04:00

I've literally dreamed of this night happening someday. It just happened.

As sunset approached along the Cali coast tonight, a sea of clouds moved in across the surface of the deep. Major Genesis Chapter 1 action was underway.

It was like we were in an airplane looking down over the cloud layer. Though invisible to the eye, the violent surf crashed on and on beneath the clouds. As the ocean sang its unending song and the sun set to a florescent band of amber and orange, I was an emotional reck. Light like this changes me from the inside.

I consider it the highest honor to share this experience with you.

California: Big Sur

2010-09-02T09:04:00.000-04:00

This morning two dolphins played in the surf just down the steep cliff from us.

California: Giant Sequoias

2010-09-01T22:10:00.000-04:00

Pre-dawn light painting in the forest of giants.

California: High Sierra

2010-09-01T21:14:00.000-04:00

14,000 ft mountains feathered in the distance. Mt Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48, is just beyond view.

California: El Capitan

2010-08-31T16:05:00.002-04:00

Made a fantastic memory today free climbing the finest rock I've ever touched--the infamous El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Perhaps we'll return one day with gear and climb the whole wall. Hmmm.

California: Yosemite - Half Dome summit hike

2010-08-30T22:23:00.001-04:00

California: Yosemite Valley

2010-08-29T23:38:00.003-04:00

Bridalveil Falls and Half Dome at sunset.

California: Lake Tahoe

2010-08-28T14:32:00.003-04:00

Southwest: Grand Canyon by Moonlight

2010-08-26T14:58:00.001-04:00

Easily the most exciting images I've ever made. We hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon on a full moon night. Here are a sample of the images I made by moonlight. I painted in the foreground subjects such as the cactus with my flashlight. More to come!

Southwest: North Rim of Grand Canyon

2010-08-23T16:22:00.005-04:00

This morning, just 4 hours before making this image at Point Imperial, I saw a mountain lion dart from the road into the woods. It was at 2am near the north rim of the Grand Canyon. I keep asking my three friends who also saw it if it was all a dream. I'll not forget that moment the rest of my life--the way it glided into the woods in a flash with its gorgeous tail trailing behind in perfect balance, the way my heart pounded, the way my eyes tear up even now as I think upon it.

Southwest: Utah Sky

2010-08-22T23:00:00.004-04:00

Southwest: Sedona

2010-08-21T23:45:00.001-04:00

Southwest: Paria Wilderness - Slot Canyon

2010-08-20T18:21:00.002-04:00

Mecca for a light chaser like me.

I've never witnessed a place where light dances the way it does here.

Southwest: Bryce Canyon

2010-08-19T11:26:00.002-04:00

Southwest: The Narrows Video!

2010-08-18T09:41:00.002-04:00

Join us on a 16 mile hike/swim down the Virgin River in Zion National Park.

Song: Dirty Guv'nahs "Baby We Were Young"

Southwest: The Narrows

2010-08-17T23:24:00.011-04:00

We had a fantastic experience trekking through Zion National Park's crown-jewel trail. The Narrows a 16 mile stretch of the Virgin River that creates a stunning slot canyon. The reflected light from the canyon walls into the riverbed is enough to make any photographer go bananas, and the trail is basically the river itself.

In places the water reached well up to our chest. At times it was best just to swim. Truly a grand adventure. Gotta trust those dry bags! This was my first slot canyon, and it won't be the last.

Southwest: Sunrise in Zion

2010-08-16T09:34:00.006-04:00

Zion National Park.

Painted these moon lilies with my headlamp before first light.

Southwest: Loud Vegas - Hoover Dam

2010-08-15T11:55:00.005-04:00

Eager to be within the quiet canyon walls of Zion National Park tomorrow.

Ethiopia: Coming Your Way

2010-08-13T12:45:00.000-04:00

Ethiopia: for Salem

2010-08-05T23:34:00.002-04:00

Addis Ababa - I visited Salem each morning for 17 days. Loving thousands was overwhelming, so I just loved one. With her permission and dignity, I recorded the world from her perspective. Watch them.

My interactions with Salem changed me. Bending to her level, greeting her, rubbing her back, her kissing my hands, my whispering in her ear that's she's beautiful, and her leprous eyes glowing once she believed it. These are moments I'll never forget.

This is meant to pull questions from within you, not answer them. I assure you I do not have your answers. I do ask that you consider her film in the light of what good may have come rather than despair, and see what happens.

Ethiopia: The Whole Picture

2010-06-27T06:39:00.003-04:00

You remember their 1984 famine, parched land, and distended bellies. But have you seen the fields of waving teff, the tropical forests, or the joy of heaven in the eyes of the children?

This is a collection of video clips I shot during four separate photo assignments all across Ethiopia during the month of May, 2010.

From mini-bus to bajoj and rocky northern deserts to southern tropical mountains... come see Ethiopia the Beautiful.

Canon 5D Mark II
Kessler Pocket Dolly
Music: Ethiopian Millienium Collection

Ethiopia: Radical Hospitality

2010-05-24T22:31:00.000-04:00

Davis Parker's family hosted a bright Ethiopian high school student named Fasil at their home in Huntsville, AL last year. Fasil was part of the Cherokee Exchange Program.

This afternoon, Davis and I visit Fasil's home in Addis Ababa. His extraordinarily gracious mother lavishes us with every known delicacy.

She sprinkles the floor with grasses. The air fills with incense. Our stomachs fill to the brim with delicious injera and meat dishes. The traditional coffee ceremony commences.

Ethiopia: HIV + and Beautiful

2010-05-23T23:17:00.003-04:00

Ethiopia: Axum to Mekele

2010-05-22T19:36:00.000-04:00

Ethiopia: Zehafta's Story - Abundance

2010-05-21T20:38:00.000-04:00

Ethiopia: Zehafta's Story - Portrait

2010-05-20T20:27:00.000-04:00

Ethiopia: Zehafta's Story - Village Life

2010-05-19T20:07:00.004-04:00

Ethiopia: Zehafta's Story - Clean Water

2010-05-18T19:14:00.002-04:00

Ethiopia: Zehafta's Story - en route

2010-05-17T20:43:00.003-04:00

Ethiopia: Zehafta's Story - Welcome Home

2010-05-16T21:50:00.003-04:00

I have mountains of photos to share with you from this day of laughter, tears, exhaustion, dust, and joy.

Ethiopia: Epic Story Tomorrow!

2010-05-14T16:02:00.006-04:00

Meet Zahafta.

She is a student at the Mekele Institute of Technology (MIT) in northern Ethiopia.

She tested first out of 900 students on a recent placement test.

She travelled to the USA last year for a year-long exchange program.

She raised enough money to build the first well a remote Ethiopian village had ever known. This village now has drinking water that is clean and free of disease. It's a 250km drive north from Mekele near a city called Axum (site that a priest supposedly watches over the secretly located Ark of the Covenant), down a dirt road, then a substantial hike from the end of that road.

This village is her village!

She says they have yet to encounter any "faringies" (white people). And tomorrow JP and I will travel north with her to visit. I may be the most blessed man on planet earth.

Ethiopia: Song

2010-05-09T23:40:00.002-04:00

Here are the beautiful children I was with today. I put this together for you to see their faces and hear their song. They love this Ethiopian anthem.

In compiling this tonight I was overcome with the simple reality that each of us has a name to proclaim, a song to sing, and a prayer to pray. Here is theirs.

Ethiopia: Leadership Training

2010-05-08T21:12:00.000-04:00

Ethiopia: Smiles

2010-05-07T15:16:00.006-04:00

Ethiopia: En Route

2010-05-06T18:30:00.001-04:00

Airlines may be in survival mode these days charging for checked luggage, meals, even peanuts; but on Ethiopian Airlines one service is still free—children screaming. Yes, the screaming was VERY free last night.

I strongly considered joining in on the screaming actually. My second thought—and I grew rather fond of this one during the night—was to follow the "white lights that lead to red lights which indicate the exit," then bale out somewhere over the Mediterranean Sea. When you gotta scream you gotta scream.

It's sure to be a great month. Stay posted.

Ethiopia: Packing to Leave

2010-05-05T05:46:00.001-04:00

Packing cameras, tripods, audio/video gear, and an extra shirt to leave for Ethiopia the next morning, May 5th.

Timelapse: 305 images over 2 1/2 hrs
Music: "Wade through the Night" by Matt Wertz

As I Depart for Ethiopia

2010-05-02T15:00:00.012-04:00

This month I hope to tell stories that restore what has been stolen.

Adichie explains, "Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity,"

"Show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what they become." What has Ethiopia become to you? What story have you heard?

Undebatably, there has been a single Ethiopian story shared louder than the rest. I yearn to remain epochs away from the long painful history of well-intended aid that too-often bends toward heist of human dignity. Perhaps I'll be given the gift of sharing with you another story—a story reaching beyond distended bellies and buzzing flies on fecal-splattered faces as barefoot children walk dry clay streets. Perhaps I'll share a story of hope that's come so close you can touch it.

This month of May, these are the things I hope for. Will you please join me in Ethiopia?

The Simple Things

2010-04-23T20:19:00.002-04:00

Made earlier today while scouting wildflowers for tomorrow's workshop.

On a sunny afternoon, when others put their cameras down and take a siesta, have you looked for the miracles in the shadows?

Enjoy these reflections of bright Spring green in a shaded portion of Laurel Creek at high noon. (84 images taken over 3 minutes in rapidly changing light are played together as a timelapse).