The Sweet Life, I am blessed to live it.  I love art making, I love to travel, and I often travel solo.  It allows me to concentrate on art and photography without thinking about other peoples' needs.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the company of my friends, my sweetheart and family, but I'm clear when I need solo time.  Today started off as one of those days.  I woke up slowly in my camper (as it was freezing, with a starry sky, last night).  I made breakfast on the picnic table (yes, it's November), Coffee, bacon and eggs, and then I was off to practice my oil painting skills.  I'm new to oils and am having a blast.  Painting compliments my passion for photography.  I can paint when the light is not seductive.

I am inspired by the work of my teacher, Michelle Chrisman, and strive to be as good as she is someday.

In fact, I painted this oil while standing near her at Ghost Ranch, where I took a one week class from Michelle. These days, while on the road, I prefer knowing where I will spend the night.  Usually in a designated campground or on BLM land (we call it boon docking/dry camping).  I like a safety net on the road, and enjoy nightly company and daily solo time to chase the light. It is often helpful when hiking to have a friend nearby for scale, but rarely do we hike at the same pace.  

Travel, Art and Photography in our National Parks

It's rare to have time alone in our National Parks, I find locations off the beaten path. My style of photography is to scout images with my iPhone and return to the location with my more sophisticated gear to capture the subject at just the right time and light.  I am also in the habit of waiting out crowds and other photographers. I wait for the best light and for other visitors to leave the frame.  Our National Parks host millions of visitors a year, and yet, there are opportunities for solitude and time to concentrate.  Setting up a tripod is a magnet for other folks to gather, so I tend to find my images by hiking away from the standard viewpoints.

Sunset along the North Rim, Grand CanyonI spent the night at a nearby cabin, and was thrilled with the "right place, right time" for this image.

Toroweap Point and a glimpse of the Colorado River.Attracted to the swirls of the yucca, I made a rare vertical of this scene. The burly 30 mile drive to this location included one flat tire, and no spare for the drive out!

The Patriarchs-Clearing Storm While in Zion, the luxury of using the shuttle to get to locations is awesome. And by photographing during clearing storms, I rarely encounter other visitors.

What do you do to enjoy our National Parks, despite the crowds?