Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

High Dune, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

A couple enjoys the sunset from High Dune at Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado. There was a second couple at the top as well, and they both left shortly after I arrived so they could make it back without lights. I had a headlamp, flashlight, and extra batteries, so I spent about 15 minutes at the top alone, watching the sunset colors evolve and subside.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Bachelor Party, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

Several bull elk jostle for position to try to win favor with several cow elk above treeline in Rocky Mountain National Park.

The scene was chaos as the females tried to stay together while the males tried to separate them and chase each other away. Near the highest point in the road at an elevation of approximately 12,000 feet, the air was thin and we were all gasping for breath as the drama played out. The stalemate continued as the group disappeared over the ridge, into the sunset.

This is dawn at Bear Lake. Rocky Mountain National Park, This was the most red sunrise that I've ever seen. The camera didn't capture the darkness of the shade of red on the mountains.

Snake River Overlook? Not Quite...

Snake River III, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

This is one of themost dangerous places I've shot from. I don't recommend it. I felt like I should have had a helmet and ropes to get to and out of this spot, but the sunrise was progressing and I had to crawl down to the small standing spot to get the shot. I could figure out how to get out when that time came.

Before climbing out I planned for a major wipeout and put everything in my regular pockets into zippered pockets in case I took the very steep 200 foot tumble into the trees below. I seriously considered making an "if I don't call back in 15 minutes, send a helicopter or ambulence to this location" call on my cell phone!

It's on an exposed 50 degree slope of loose round river stones on top of loose crumbly, dusty dirt. It's what ski areas would classify as a double black diamond ski slope, and I'd definitley feel safer on it in the winter with skis on (5 feet of razor sharp metal edge would hold a lot better than my worn out sneakers). The problem with falling on a hard surface is that there's nothing to stlow or stop your fall, and within 2 or 3 rotations you can start to "tomahawk" where you tumble head over heels and only your head and feet hit the surface. With virtualy no friction you accelerate rapidly. Until you hit something.

Now two days later, my calves are still cramping from balancing on that extremely uneven and unstable slope for over an hour.

If you try to reach this spot, have sturdy boots that can kick footholds into the hill (where possible) and have your hands free for holding on for dear life. Don't assume that i'm exxaggerating on that last part, and don't say that I didn't warn you!

Grand Teton Sunset Reflection

Oxbow Bend Sunset, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park.

Yellowstone: Third Time's a Charm?

Lamar Valley Sunset, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

This was my third trip to Yellowstone to explore photographic opportunities there. On this trip I intentionally sought out different locations and vantage points, and I'm really pleased with the results. I'll try to get them uploaded soon!

Clypsidra Geyser at Dawn
Grand Prismatic Spring.

On My Next Trip!

Angel Lake, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

This is Angel Lake, a nice place to take a break from driving across Nevada. It's in the Ruby Mountains about 10 miles from the town of Wells, where I turn north towards Idaho when I'm on my way to Wyoming or Montana.

Yes, I Do Weddings!

Patrick & Xiaolan's Wedding, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

Part of the enjoyment I get from photography is the wealth of problem-solving opportunities you are presented with as light changes during the day. At a wedding you have those opportunites galore: sunlight, shade, diffuse window light, incandescent, flash, and a mixture of any two or three of those. Each problem is a creative opportunity, exactly the kind of environment that I enjoy shooting in.

Obviously my background with landscape and travel photos makes me particularly well suited to cover outdoor and destination weddings, but I have all the tools I need for indoor services, rehearsals and receptions as well. Whether your wedding is in San Francisco or Spain, consdider the creativity and wide range of skills that I can bring to your wedding photography.

What's Next

In September and October I'll revisit incredible mountain, desert and canyon landscapes in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and California.

Here's my current best estimate for my schedule:

Sep 14 Reno Air Races
Sep 15-18 Grand Teton Nat'l Park Fall Colors
(Sep 14-16 Full moon rise/set shots)
Sep 20-21 Rocky Mouontain National Park
Sep 22 Great Sand Dunes National Park
Sep 23-26 Colorado Fall Colors: Maroon Bells, Dallas Divide, etc
Sep 27-29: Arches/Canyonlands National Parks, UT
Sep 29-30 Goblin Valley, Zebra, Spooky, Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyons
Oct 1-3 Bryce, Zion, Valley of Fire State Park, NV
Oct 4-5 Alabama Hills, Bristlecone Pines,
Oct 5-9 Calif. Eastern Sierra Fall Colors

I'll try to upload photos and notes as I go!

Animal Ark in Reno

Animal Ark, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

Animal Ark is an animal rescue and retirements center near Reno Nevada. Their birds of prey show is particularly good, but they also have a selection of felines plus wolves, bears, and so on.
Call ahead to make sure that you make it in tme for the bird show. It's held shortly after their opening time of 10am while the air is cooler and denser, facilitating the flight of the raptors.

It's an excellent place to go after an event such as the Great Reno Balloon Race (the weekend after Labor Day), and it's very close to the Reno Air Races on the following weekend as well.

Great Reno Balloon Race

Ballooner Eclipse, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

The Great Reno Balloon Race is an annual event held on the weekend following Labor Day. This is the second year I've attended the event and I'm sure that I'll return many times in the future.

Burning Man 2008

Black Rock City, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

Black Rock City is a temporary city of about 50,000 people who converge on the Black Rock Desert in Nevada for the Burning Man event.


The central circle that holds most of the art, including the man to be burned at the center, is 1.5 miles in diameter, an area of nearly 5 square miles. The art continues out onto the surface of the dry lakebed of Lake Lahontan for several more square miles.

I walked about 6 to 12 miles per day to see everything that I could see, but I probably saw less than 5% of what was there. Next time I'll bring a bike!

Homesteads in Grand Teton National Park

Mormon Row Sunrise, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

One of the barns along Mormon Row Road in Grand Teton National Park.

Sunset at Oxbow Bend

Oxbow Sunset, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

The lighting is different but no less dramatic at sunset at The Oxbow in Grand Teton National Park.

Dawn at Oxbow Bend

Oxbow Bend Sunrise, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

No two sunrises or sunsets are the same at this classic location in Grand Teton National Park.

On to Grand Teton National Park

Beaver Pond Reflection, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

This was taken shortly after sunrise at the beaver pond at Schwabacher's Landing.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

Mid-day is the best time to get light in the canyon, but you should use a polarizing filter to cut glare and improve color from the rocks.

Sunset at Midway Geyser Basin

Alien World, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

The Grand Prismatic Spring is one of my favorite shooting location in Yellowstone, and sunset is an excellent time to be there. The horizon is even lower to the West than to the East, so you're more likely to get some nice color at sunset.

Old Faithful Geyser Basin

Morning Glory Pool, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

I wanted to reach the Morning Glory Pool around mid-day, so I arrived at old Faithful mid-morning. Old Faithful was scheduled to erupt at 10:54, so I stayed for that.

As I was waiting, the Beehive Geyser erupted nearby as well with a 200' stream of water.








Old Faithful.

Dawn at the Midway Geyser Basin, Yellowstone

Yellowstone Moonset, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

WIth people staying home due to high gas prices and to watch the Olmpics, I was able to phone in a reservation for the Madison Campground on the afternoon of my arrival. My goal was to be near the geyser basins near Old Faithful.

I decided to spend my first sunrise at Midway Geyser Basin, but along eh way I couldn't help but stop to catch the full moon setting over the fog created by the steam from the geyser basins.

Midway Geyser Basin is tucked between two small hills, so my stop on the way there was productive while the sun climbed high enough to reach the basin. It will be weeks before I get through all of my Yellowstone photos, but a lot of the better ones will come from Midway Geyser Basin.

Two Medicine

Two Medicine, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

This was somewhat of a "checklist stop" to see what this place was like on my way out of Galcier as i moved towards Yellowstone, but it's definitely a place that I'll have to revisit.

The sun was already setting as I left the East Entrance of Glacier National Park at St. Mary, but a few short miles downt he road I caught the full moon rising over some dead trees. I arrived in two Medicine witht he mountians slightly backlit, with the full moon's light on their southeastern faces.

Many Glacier

Swiftcurrent Lake, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

The Many Glacier Hotel is on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake, an excellent place to catch sunrise in Glacier National Park.

Going to the Sun Road

Untitled, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

Having visited Logan Pass a couple of days before, I decided to go back and catch more sights on the Going to the Sun Road.

Sunrift Gorge is only steps off of the Going to the Sun Road.

Logan Pass, Glacier National Park

Going to the Sun Road, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

After my grizzly bear encouunter, I decided to continue up the road to Logan Pass.

Charged by a Grizzly Bear!

Wild Goose Island Dawn, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

I took this shot shortly after being charged by a grizzly bear, maybe 75 yards downhill from this popular overlook in Glacier National Park.

Intending to return to the shore of Lake St. Mary a second morning, I startled a grizzly bear about 40 feet in front of me. He bolted way at high speed, crashing through brush as he went. Standing still and making noise for a while, figuring that he had probably wandered off after the encounter, I suddenly noticed him staring at me looking very agitated, in about the same point that he had bolted from! This highly aggressive behavior is in sharp contrast with what I've experienced with black bears (apparently even our bears in California are laid back). This massive grizzly was clearly very pissed off, spitting and making a loud huffing noise and making short but powerful lunges into the bush in front of him, clawing at it with his giant paws.

He probably thought as I moved downhill swiftly towards him that I was charging him, and although his "fight or flight" instinct initially told him to run, he had clearly chosen to come back for some "fight" once I started making noise and he figured out what I was.

I figured the bear could close the distance between us in 3 seconds or less. I could either retreat inmmediately or turn on my camera on (unfortunately with a wide angle lens on), get it out of 10 second timer mode, and capture a few frames (possibly the last of my life). Choices are rarely so easy. I assured the bear that yes, it was his huckleberry bush, backing up. I don't remember actually getting back up the hill, but I know that I was careful not to run, and an instant later I was most of the way back up. I warned the half dozen photographers at the top of the hill that they had an agitated bear 50 yards downhill.

When I reached the Logan Pass ranger station I filed a bear encounter report. Several rangers told me over the next 24 hours that I was very lucky not to get attacked. I read a book "Bear Attacks" the following morning and the huffing noise is the second most common thing grizzlies do right before they attack. Growling is reported by slightly more survivors of grizzly attacks. Loud vocal noises by people are interpreted as highly aggressive behavior and can trigger an attack. My yelling up to the other photographers at the top of the hill to warn them about the bear and my whistling loudly may have been what brought him back (interpreted as a challenge). If I had happened upon a female and cubs (like the ones I saw this morning), there's a high probability that I would have been instantly charged and the females are much less likely to end a charge as a "bluff" attack.

Always wear bear bells in grizzly country!

I don't think this was the grizzly bear that charged me this morning... it was a second one only 1/2 mile down the road. He crossed the road in front of me and I had a couple of seconds to shoot this right out the window of my car.

Lake St. Mary Sunrise

Lake St. Mary Sunrise, originally uploaded by Jeff Sullivan.

Sunrise at Lake St. Mary, Glacier National Park.

A small pond adjacent to Lake St. Mary in Glacier National Park.





Wild Goose Island overlook at Lake St. Mary, Glacier National Park.