Ever since I took my first road trip to Moab, Utah twenty+ years ago, I was hooked. Arriving late at night, we set camp and woke up on the banks of the Green River. As the sun rose, giving light to the surrounding cliffs, I was in awe of the magnitude of beauty before my eyes. I could hardly believe it. Could this place be real?
This began decades of repeat trips with friends and family, discovering new places we had no idea existed. This was well before social media and the wide-spread availability of information online. The sense of adventure was thrilling and left me craving for the next trip, and the next.
As I went to design school, my visual senses developed as I learned fundamental principles of design, color theory, composition, perspective, and so much more. Then one semester I took a photography course that changed my life. For years I wanted to capture the beauty of the landscape that I was venturing out to but lacked the means to do so. Photography changed that in a significant way. I was instantly obsessed with it and so began my continuous journey of learning, studying, practicing, failing, and improving.
The more I’m out capturing the natural world, the more I see human-caused destruction, and it’s alarming. As a landscape photographer, it's essential not only to share imagery with the world but to also share values for conservation and stewardship so that future generations can enjoy the pristine beauty that we enjoy.
While I believe that the camera doesn’t make the photographer and that equipment is essentially tools of the trade, I do prefer certain tools to work with. I receive many inquirers about the gear I’m using, so here’s a list of what I use the most.
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