Landscape nominee

Deep in the heart of the Uinta Mountains in Northeastern Utah, U.S.A. is a large red-rock massif named "Red Castle". A long, 10 mile backpacking trip into the Uintas takes you from wide open rangeland at the border of Utah and Wyoming to jagged peaks, alpine lakes and pine forests. I had been researching some of the most interesting places to photograph in the Uintas and Red Castle seemed to be a favorite location for hikers and photographers alike!

After a long, beautifully clear day of exploring the Red Castle area I finally decided on this tiny alpine lake as a foreground. With a 16mm lens, the incredible Red Castle summit (and reflection) just barely fit into the scene! I set up my camera and tripod then waited patiently for the sun to set. I was given the show of a lifetime as the deep-red alpenglow lit the face of Red Castle. The perfectly still evening air kept the water calm and the near-perfect reflection created an incredible foreground.

Growing up in the Southern Arizona desert sparked my love of wilderness and landscape photography. I learned very early on how great it felt to wander alone through a forest, scramble across a rocky ridge or watch in awe as the clouds exploded with color during an amazing sunset. I desperately wanted to share these experiences with others and photography quickly became my method of communication. Discovering new ways to tell my wilderness story has been the driving force behind thousands of miles on the trail and countless hours of photography.

I've won many awards in my local community including Best of Show and several first place prizes in state and county fairs. Learning to tell the story of the wilderness in a way that inspires others to enjoy and protect our beautiful planet is my ultimate goal. I hope one day to use my photography to help protect and conserve wilderness areas around the world.