Better Late Than Never

Following a solid but brief cold snap after Thanksgiving, winter looked bleak here in Southwest Colorado. A weather forecaster that all the locals follow because the weather apps rarely accurately foretell what happens around here was confident we would see a strong snow season but that it would arrive later than usual. He was not wrong.

An old twisted juniper tree on the side of the hill covered in fresh snowfall.

Better Late Than Never

As grateful as I am for this snowstorm, I'd like to focus momentarily on being thankful that you are here reading this. For several years, I have shared my passion for photographing the beauty of my surroundings on social media. And frankly, it was wearing me thin. The amount of time I had to spend composing and posting to all the various platforms, trying to find what worked best for each in their quirky way, was becoming too much. More than that, I wanted a central hub to share my work. A place where I had autonomy and ownership. Most importantly, a place where I am not distracted scrolling through short videos aimed at capturing my already short attention span, hot takes on things that ultimately do not matter, and whatever the latest cancel culture focus is on.

So, welcome to my new website. I aim to write more than ever before and share my photography, myself, and the beauty around me regularly here. I have been putting this off for a while now. And like this recent storm, putting this out there now feels better late than never.

Layers of pine and fir trees along the trail fade into the distance through the snowfall.

Intentions

I'm not clear on how everything will proceed from here. I am exploring possibilities for expressing myself here in new ways. I've long been keeping my thoughts bottled up for one reason or another. But I am done with that. Damn the torpedoes. I am moving full-steam ahead and bringing those of you who are interested along for the ride. It is time to live intentionally. To create intentionally. To build new habits by jumping in to the lifestyle I want and creating systems to reinforce my intentions every single day.

Snow clinging to a pine branch evokes the shape of a fantastical beast.

Getting Out There

Getting myself out into the world, both in figurative and literal terms, is the goal. I've always struggled with marketing myself, and it is time to change that. I want to share the beauty surrounding me through the strange, quirky little window I see it through. At least with those who want to see it. And I want to quit hesitating to take that walk, hike up the hill in the snow, or head out on the cross-country skis. With my camera. And without. Making new connections, feeling alive, and making the most of every day here. I know I'm not alone in these feelings. The modern world is like a weight pushing down on our chest, often stunting our ability to get out there.

The snow builds upon itself freely, creating something even though it will likely fall over or melt eventually.

It's all in the details

I've always been a detail-oriented person, usually to my detriment. But it is who I am, and I embrace it. I try now not to let my overthinking about said details cripple me in a sort of analysis paralysis. Still, even in my photography, I try to focus on the small things many overlook.

Sometimes we overlook the tiny details as outside forces attempt to obscure them from our awareness.

Thank you

I'm excited to be sharing this with you, and I hope if you made it this far, you at least enjoyed these images and words a little. If you did, stay tuned as I share the thoughts and photos I collect during my walks, hikes, and other excursions. Here is to making the most of every day.

A ponderosa pine standing tall through the snowstorm.