HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEXAS!

185 years ago today Texas declared it's independence from Mexico. The Alamo is probably the best known location of one of the battles for Texas' independence, but was not the location the Declaration of Independence was signed. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Desert Morning

I never thought a year ago that this sunrise at White Tank Mountain in Arizona would be the last trip of the year. It is still hard to believe all that has happened over the last 12 months. But things are looking up in 2021. I survived cancer and things are looking good on that front. We received the first of our COVID vaccinations last week which gives me hope we'll be able to travel some in 2021 once we are fully inoculated. With any luck, I'm looking forward to photographing more scenes like this over the next 12 months. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Manatee Heaven

If there is a heaven for manatee I imagine it would look something like this. It is hard for me to believe this is how we started 2020 at Blue Spring State Park in Florida. This was the 3rd image I made that morning as a manatee was breaking the surface on the chllly morning that had mist coming off the much warmer water than the frigid air temperature we were enduring above the water. This was on our bucket list of things we wanted to see and the timing of the cold front that had come in the day before could not have been better. This was by far the best morning we had for seeing manatee at the park due to the colder temperatures having the manatee seek the warmer waters of the park's springs. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Aspens Peak

I sometimes wish things were more black and white, but instead life seems to be filled with varying shades of gray. Sometimes those shades of gray portray a scene better than color can. To me, that is the case with this image I made on an early morning in Utah as the aspen trees were peaking in their fall colors. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Colorful Colorado

A scene along the San Juan Parkway as the fall colors were peaking. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Autumn Reflections

Scenes like this help ease the pain and frustration that has been 2020. I made this image a few years ago on a trip to east Texas and have been wanting to go back ever since. I don't think it's in the cards this year as I am still in recovery mode from battling cancer and the pandemic is not showing any signs of slowing down as it is beginning to cool off. Hopefully 2021 will be a better year and adventures to the great outdoors will be in the cards for us once again. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Mountain Sunrise

Digging into the archives since cancer treatment recovery and COVID-19 are still keeping us at home. I saw a photograph the other day that reminded me of the view we had from one of the HomeAways we stayed in a few years ago in northern Georgia. I do not think I'd ever get tired of waking up to views like this. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Sandy Footprints

Thinking about the beach this morning. Really could use some salt air to recuperate. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Forest Giants

I was sorry to learn that Big Basin State Park is a total loss due to the wildfires that started a few days ago in California. I am glad we were able to visit the park last year on a rainy day in November and see it before it was destroyed. If you have never had the pleasure of walking in a redwood forest it is hard to imagine how truly massive the trees are. Having my wife and her sister's pup in this image provides that perspective of the trees immense size. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Border Sunset

Sunset on the Texas-Mexico border in Big Bend. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Coastal Blooms

Afternoon on the Pacific Coast Highway in the Big Sur area of California. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Mule Ear Sunrise

Morning in the magical land of Big Bend National Park in west Texas. It's a bit of a drive to get down to the Mule Ears area from the Chisos Basin where we were camped, but so worth it to be greeted with the sunrise we had that morning. All the colors of the desert against the glow of the pre dawn sun was breathtaking. A sight I long to relive when things get back to normal and I am past my fight with cancer. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Gunnison Fall

Most photographs I have seen of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison show images of the canyon looking down to the water. The canyon is impressive and I can understand the focus for those images, heck I've taken quite a few with that vantage point as well. But sometimes I like to focus on different aspects of popular destinations. We got up early one morning to catch the canyon before the walls were illuminated. I found this clump of trees hanging to the edge of the canyon as the first morning rays of sun hit them. The rest of the canyon was still cast in shadow at this point providing a nice contrast with the illuminated trees just beginning to show their fall colors. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Garden Angel

Can't everyone use a little garden angel once in a while. This one was in a friend's garden in Santa Cruz, CA that we visited last year. Looking forward to more travels in the future once we have a vaccine. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Virtual Fourth

Since most, if not all, 4th of July celebrations are cancelled this year due to the current pandemic, I thought I'd celebrate with a photo from my hometown's celebration last year. This is representative of small town celebrations across the country where many of the town's residents come out to see the show. Where you can get close enough to the action where you see the pyrotechnics from the ground up and know that the people running the show have to know what they are doing in order to put this on. I'll miss the fireworks this year, but hopefully with any luck a vaccine will be found before next year's holiday and we can resume celebrating America. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Big Bend in Bloom

My mom would have been 78 the day I took this image. Unfortunately she never got to experience the beauty of Big Bend National Park, but growing up on the border I'm sure she would have enjoyed seeing the purple sage in bloom like this on her birthday. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Colorful Frio

Late fall afternoon on the Frio River in the Texas Hill Country. One of my favorite spots to watch the day flow by. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

El Capitan

This is one of those images that has laid dormant on my hard drive for a while. If you've ever driven to Guadalupe Mountains National Park from the south, this is the imposing view you are greeted with as you get close to the park. Imagine seeing this same view from a stagecoach like you would have in the 1850s when the Butterfield Overland Mail Co. went through this same area and the drivers used El Capitan to navigate by. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Happy Anniversary

My photo stream has seen a serious lack of wedding images this year with all the spring weddings being put on hold til at least the fall in most cases. So I'm celebrating an anniversary instead with this image of Melinda and Chris on their wedding day last year at the Southwest School of Art in San Antonio. Bringing back happy memories from a time not long ago and looking forward to seeing more of these looks of love in the year to come. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Hike Anyone?

Celebrating the reopening of Texas State Parks for day-use. One of my favorite images from CCC overlook at Davis Mountains State Park in west Texas. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Artists Palette

The fantastic colors of Artists Palette in the late afternoon. Who knew there could be this many colors in the landscape alone. Definitely a sight to see if you ever make the trip to Death Valley. It was 118 degrees on this particular afternoon. Be sure to take lots of water. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Missing Spring

It almost feels like spring has passed us by this year. Bluebonnet season is almost done and warmer temps are on the horizon. Digging through the archives for images of springs past to fill the bluebonnet void. This bunch was spotted along the Brushy Creek Regional Trail a few years ago at sunset. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Bayou Fall

An afternoon paddle on Bayou Bartholomew in Arkansas. There are not many things as peaceful as paddling through a forest of cypress trees on a sunny afternoon in autumn. The bugs are down from the heat of the summer and we had the bayou to ourselves. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Cascading Falls

St Mary's Falls in Glacier National Park. It's worth it to take the ranger led walk to this location if you have the time. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)