Now that I am back from an amazing trip through Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, I have sketches and paintings to finish... and thousands of photos to sort through! Although the weather was wonderful in Yellowstone, painting for hours in 50 degree weather made my hands numb, at which point I would put down my brushes and pick up my camera. Taking photographs was a great way of forcing myself to explore, as there was so much to see in the vast Western lands. For those who met me along my journey and asked about prints of my works in progress, send me an e-mail and I'll let you know when the paintings and prints are ready!

Wild animals are abundant in Yellowstone but shouldn't be taken for granted, those who are hurried will miss wonderful opportunities to observe this intricately woven ecosystem. Below are a few of my favorite photos from the trip, stop by my studio and I'll show you the full slide show, and my artwork from the trip!

*Note Oct. 17: People have asked what kind of fancy camera equipment I used on my trip, and the good news is, there is nothing fancy about it! My Canon SX100 IS works fine for me ($250, and it received only mediocre reviews), and unfortunately I didn't have my tripod... Here are my tips for good photography; a decent camera within reach, patience, composition, and plenty of charged batteries!!! When I paint on location it is rare that I am able to finish the entire piece while in front of the subject, so I use my photographs to remind myself of the subject's intricate details. Quite often the color present in real life is not reproduced by the camera, and that is where the challenge for me, the painter, begins - adding the colors and atmosphere that the camera could not capture.

Some people say luck plays a large part in taking good pictures, but as Thomas Jefferson once said, "I find that the harder I work, the luckier I am". Climbing out of my sleeping bag 2 hours before sunrise in 20 degree weather wasn't easy, nor was making it out to Yellowstone in the first place! I find joy in my adventures, and besides, as I have been heard saying "no one wants to hear stories about your time spent in front of the television, so get outside!"

Click here to view a short video of me painting works from this trip...

The following are photographs from my journey...

The Grand Tetons