Some years back, I began doing backpack day trips with my son, Levi. We ventured to a lot of places. Some with Ed, some with Elise, and some just He and I.

We have visited a number of places to hike. Would you like to know where? This isn’t an all exclusive list, but it covers a number of them.

Great Smoky Mountains

Pisgah National Forest

Nantahalia National Forest

The Rockies

Joshua Tree

Death Valley

Mojave National Preserve

Zion

Bryce

Grand Canyon

Sequoia

Kings Canyon

Sedona

Arches

Canyonlands

Among other places!

Upon taking some of these adventures, I have realized a real love for the national park system as well as photography in the above environments.

Of particular love are the times we have been in the dark sky areas, and I have been able to photograph the Milky Way under the stars. Many of the national parks are considered dark sky parks, some more so than others.

As a Christian man, I deal with a lot every day. Like most of you, who struggle with various life challenges, I too struggle.

Whenever I am in the middle of the wilderness, particularly very, very early in the morning, or in the middle of the night, the quiet is wonderful.

Nothing is better, to me, than getting out there, under the stars, in silence, to just listen.

God, of course, being such an artist, rarely ceases to surprise me with a stroke of his hand.

What’s amazing to me, and I have seen it often, is watching how the skies, the sun, the stars, can change in a matter of mere minutes.

Often times, it is over just as quickly as it began. Sometimes, the view is only for a matter of 5 minutes, maybe 10.

And THIS is part of the reason that you may want to consider joining me for one of the photography classes and workshops that I want to offer beginning in the fall of this year.

Being that I have been to so many places, so many times, to photograph, I am well in tune where to be and when to be there. So, it’s like a personal tour guide, that happens to also teach you and help you with your camera!

How great is that for you? I think…really great.

And in the light of this entire massive public hysteria and panic over the virus that is being promoted by our governments, more importantly by the “media”, and feared by our churches, it will do you well to perhaps give yourself permission to go for it and sign up! I’d love to have you join us. As it stands, I am still planning to hold the photography workshops and classes in Death Valley and Joshua Tree this coming fall, 2020.