Happy new year from Upper Antelope Canyon in Page, Az! Wishing you all a happy and productive year!

I was here the night before when it was perfectly clear skies but I assumed the weather would be the same the next day. So I went to sleep and did not film. Now seeing the cloudy skies in front of me, I started kicking myself for not seizing the opportunity when it was there. Now it is gone.

But I continued to film, not knowing what to expect. Perhaps it’ll get worse and I won’t be able to see anything at all. Or perhaps it may clear up over the course of the night. Either way, I am here. And I came all this way, 300 miles from Los Angeles and dragging 60 lbs of gear across a road closed to snow to be right where I am. With all my equipment set up and the camera shooting away, I went to sleep.

I woke up in the middle of the night, around 2:30am, to a light drizzle. This was followed by a bright flash in the sky. I quickly jumped out of my sleeping bag, thinking that a thunder storm may be approaching. At over 11,000 ft on top of the White Mountains, it was not quite the safest place to be during an approaching storm. There was no shelter and my car was a 20 minute hike away. Luckily, as I saw several additional flashes of lightning, I could see that the storm was some distance away, in the Eastern Sierra Range.

Mother nature can be unpredictable as it was that night. But I have found that if you are patient and wait it out, oftentimes you get rewarded with something great, something beyond your expectations. That night I was just hoping that the sky would clear up. And I stayed knowing that I may come out with nothing. But in the end I captured something even better, an electrical storm brewing 40 miles away.

Like mother nature, the path my life has taken has been unpredictable, and at times very unpleasant. But in the midst of whatever challenges life threw my way, I knew it was important to continue to do what I love and strive to be the person I want to become. Had I run away or give up on myself when life got tough, I wouldn’t be where I am now nor be the person that I am.

So before running away or giving up, whether it is about love, work or something else, consider the silver lining of the challenge facing you. You never know what reward awaits you if you can stick it out.

Here’s to life and mother nature’s unpredictability.

Shot in Joshua Tree National Park, this is the view of the galactic core of our galaxy. It’s an amazing view best seen in late Spring, Summer and early fall in the northern hemisphere. Head away from the light pollution of urban areas to a place that has a clear view of the east and south. You’ll see the galactic core rise out of the east to the south. Best seen during a new moon when there is no light interference from moon light.

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Called Hazdistazí, or “spiral rock arches” by the Navajo, Lower Antelope Canyon was formed through erosion by flash floods. Above is a view of the inside of the slot canyon. The water carves into the sandstone walls smoothing the rocks into beautiful flowing shapes and lines.

This photo is available for sale as a digital download or as a print. See our products page for more info.

California Wildflowers have been blooming for the past month. Pictured here are some Lupines or Blue Bonnets taken in the mountains of Los Olivos, north of Santa Barbara.

A total lunar eclipse is a rare event — the last one occurred back in 2008. Even rarer is one that takes place on the Winter Solstice when the Earth is tilted furthest from the sun. The last one happened in 1638, over three and a half centuries ago, and another won’t happen on the winter solstice until 2092.

I had been planning for this event for a while but due to unrelenting rain in Southern California, a rare event in itself, I had to seek clear skies elsewhere. And the closest place happened to be Tucson, Arizona. With rain and more clouds heading that way, I took my chances, packed the bags and drove 8 hours and almost 500 miles. With me on the trip was a 9.5″ telescope on loan from Shuan Monson. Thanks to him, I had a close-up and personal look at the moon, as you can see here.

This particular photo was taken about 1 minute after Total Eclipse, when the Earth’s shadow completely covers the moon. The moon turns red from leftover light passing through the Earth’s atmosphere.

[View with PicLens]

To see the Milky Way, the ideal time is summer during or around a new moon so that the moon light doesn’t drown it out. Head to a place far away from the pollution of city lights. To photograph the galactic core, I suggest making sure you don’t have a city positioned to the south of your location. Your long exposure will pick up the light from the city.

Taken with a Canon 5D Mk II with the Canon EF 16-35mm 2.8 lens. Settings: f 2.8, 20 second exposure, 6400 iso.

In the video below, you’ll notice a meteor burning up and leaving a cloud of smoke at around the 00:32 second mark.

[View with PicLens]

Can’t see the video? Try this link: http://vimeo.com/14173983

This is a photo of Yosemite Valley taken from Tunnel View in the early morning after a previous day of rain. This is why I love this magical place.

An absolutely gorgeous morning in Yosemite after a previous day of rain. View from Valley View of El Capitan with the Merced River in the foreground. More photos to come!