Tucked away on the southern border of Arizona and Mexico, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is one of the least visited units of the National Park system. Yet this relatively small park has a wealth of subject matter for great photography.

It’s named for the stately succulents that are prominent south of the border, but can only found in this remote section of the United States. While not as iconic (or photographed) as the more prevalent saguaro, the organ pipe cactus has a graceful profile that photographs well against the expansive southwest skies and it’s rocky habitat.

Spring is an excellent time to visit with vibrant wildflower displays including poppy and brittlebush, and the occasional lightning storm that can provide a dramatic evening of entertainment and image making.

Although a bit of a change from my usual subject matter, a recent trip to France found me wandering the back streets of old Lyon where the sights and sounds of this vibrant city were a visual feast.

The cobblestone streets of Vieux Lyon (the city’s oldest district) date back to ancient times when it was known as Lugdunum, the capitol of Gaul – the Roman Empire in France. Later, during World War II and the Nazi occupation, it was the center of the French Resistance as well as the headquarters of the infamous Klaus Barbie and the Gestapo.

Today it’s a wonderful mix of modern shops and cafes with a rich colorful history, and the sights and sounds of this old world destination certainly justify its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mount Shuksan from Picture Lake, North Cascades National Park, Washington

In the perennial search for sure-fire ways to create compelling landscape photography it’s easy to overlook one of the simplest elements in the equation. Sometimes you just have to wait.

You’ve done your location research, you are proficient in the features and functions of your equipment, and you’ve selected a lens and composition that accurately expresses your vision. Now all you need is the light. When it’s a sunrise or sunset you’re after, it’s easy to calculate the time you need to arrive at your location and programs like The Photographers Ephemeris (www.photoephemeris.com) are an excellent resource. But weather is the great unknown that even meteorologists can’t predict with 100 percent accuracy.

The image above was made at one of the most popular and well-known locations in the US, and when I arrived I was surrounded by the anticipated number of photographers. But the mountain had been covered in clouds most of the morning and showed little promise of making an appearance. It was a long wait, and everyone else decided it was more time than they were willing to invest.

This was the only image I made that day as the weather rapidly deteriorated, but when the clouds parted for that brief moment my patience and preparation was rewarded. It doesn’t always work out this way, but as the saying goes - ”you’ll always miss 100 percent of the shots you never take”.

The southwest desert of the Colorado Plateau is one of the most sought-after locations for landscape photographers in North America and rightly so. With a higher concentration of jaw dropping parks than anywhere else in the US, you could spend the rest of your life here and still not see all of its wonders.

But winter brings a special element as the first snows blanket the red rock country giving its prominent features a fairytale look. This image made at Bryce Canyon National Park highlights its famous spires, called “hoodoos,” which are formed when ice and rainwater wear away the weak limestone that makes up the colorful Claron Formation. High on the Grand Staircase at an elevation of over 8,000 feet the air is especially cold and dry, and the park’s azure skies can often provide visibility up to 100 miles.

So if you’re thinking about a southwest road trip, consider the quieter winter months. With much fewer crowds and unique photo opportunities, you’ll be glad you did – just don’t forget the spare batteries and the cold weather gear.

(click image for larger view & details)

Rime ice on pine tree, San Bernardino National Forest, California

Dawn light on Mount Whitney from the Alabama Hills, Sequoia National Park, California

Crescent moon and dawn light over the Big Sur coast, California

Fall color and fresh snow at Lake Sabrina, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

Sunset at Soberanes Point, Garrapata State Park, Big Sur, California

Barrel cactus in bloom, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California

 Backcountry skier in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

Peninsular Bighorn Sheep, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California

The Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

Rime ice on pine cones and branches, San Bernardino National Forest, California

As 2011 comes to a close I’d like to take this opportunity to say thanks to everyone who has supported my work during the past year. From the clients who have been with me for years, to the new friends from around the world who have connected through social networks, I appreciate our relationship and I hope you all have a very happy holiday season.

Thoreau’s famous words apply as much to successful landscape photography as life itself. Often when we first approach a classic scene we’re inclined to capture as much of it as possible in hopes that nothing is left out. Many times a wide angle view is the best perspective for those grand vistas, but it still must be carefully composed in order to guide the viewer’s eye through the frame. The problems arise when there is too much information and the image becomes cluttered and confusing. It’s time to go long and distill the elements down to their essence.

As with taking on too much in our lives and missing the forest for the trees, sometimes we need to simplify the scene to make it stronger. By carefully cropping out distracting elements and focusing on light and form we can create images with much more visual impact that connect with our audience on a higher level.

It always amazes me how fast the seasons seem to change this time of year. Feels like summer was just here and already fall is giving way to winter. By most accounts it was an unusual year for fall color with mother nature not quiet sure what she wanted to do in many parts of the country.  The Sierra Nevada provided another bounty for us in the west although not quite as dramatic as last year. I hope everyone got out to enjoy the colors in your local woods and maybe preserved a few visions of your own from this most colorful season.

As another Thanksgiving approaches I’m reminded of how much we have to be grateful for. In this often crazy world, nature provides a constant source of inspiration and renewal (photographically and in life), and is often as close as our own backyard. I’m looking forward to gathering with friends and family in the days ahead - then exploring the great, white wonderland of winter as soon as the snow starts to fall. Have a safe and fun holiday weekend everyone.

Hiker looking down on the colorful Cedar Breaks Amphitheater, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah

There’s a popular climb at Joshua Tree called “Figures on a Landscape” that got me thinking about the connection between man and the environment. Not so much from an environmental standpoint (this could fill numerous posts), but photographically speaking. The climb is not long by Yosemite standards, but the lack of apparent holds on the colorful granite creates the illusion of climbers on a much larger stone palette.

Landscape photography can often portray the natural world in abstract even with the best intentions of  preserving its true form. It’s the nature of the beast – and that’s fine when you’re creating intentional abstracts or scale is irrelevant. Perspective control lenses and software can correct bending horizons and converging trees to create a more accurate representation if necessary, but there isn’t much else in nature that subscribes to our architectural way of thinking.

Now don’t get me wrong – that’s a good thing! Nature should be wild and chaotic and unpredictable, and in most cases that’s exactly what we’re hoping to capture. But there are times when this can also lead to confusion with our audience. When you’re trying to convey a sense of scale such as the immensity of the Grand Canyon or the vastness of the night sky the simple inclusion of a person in the frame can give your image an instant focal point and more importantly, a sense of perspective.

Fall color and fresh snow, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California (click to view larger)

Making great images of fall color obviously starts with the seasonal changing of the leaves. Where and how this happens is dependent upon elevation and temperature and no two years are ever the same. The higher mountains of the west begin in mid-September, eastern hardwoods in October, and the lower red-rock country of the southwest in early November. Once you’ve settled on a destination and found that great grove of trees the next step is to consider the light.

It might seem like the vibrant reds or yellows before you would be faithfully reproduced by your sensor no matter what time of day, but understanding the quality of the light can go along way towards guaranteeing your success. Using backlight or sidelight when the sun is low on the horizon and illuminates the leaves from behind creates a wonderful warm glow, especially when set against a dark background. Softlight is another great light source (illustrated above) that occurs when the sky is overcast and acts like a giant studio softbox. Under these conditions, it doesn’t matter what time of day you’re shooting as the shadows are eliminated and the uniform light both reduces the contrast while intensifying the colors.

So when the scene presents itself, consider the light and don’t be too quick to trip the shutter. A slight change in position or a little patience could make the difference between a good image and a great one.