Multnomah Falls

Like many photographers, I have wanted to take my own image of this waterfall for many years. I finally got my chance when we were in the area this summer. When we first passed the waterfall it was bright and sunny. The exact opposite of the weather I prefer for waterfall photography. Plus there were also a LOT of people around. The images I got at that time will remain on my hard drive only. We left for a while to travel down the Columbia River Gorge. While we were out the cloud cover started increasing and it began to look like it would rain so we headed back to the falls. When we arrived it had just started to lightly sprinkle. Amazing how people head for shelter the minute it starts to rain. The clouds and rain softened the lighting and allowed me to get the image I wanted. If you look online you will see plenty of images of this famous waterfall, but this is mine and I'm glad with a little patience and luck I got an image i can be proud of. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Last Light

Catching the last sunrays of the day on the beach in Oceanside, Oregon before the sun dipped beneath the marine layer (clouds) in the distance. If you ever find yourself in the Tillamook, Oregon area, an evening trip to this part of the coast is well worth it. There is a nice parking lot right above where I captured this moment, just be wary of Google Maps instructions to the parking lot as it will try to bring you in the wrong way on a very narrow road that is more of a neighborhood alleyway than a street. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Moon Rise

I missed the lunar eclipse last night, but after watching the last one from the Davis Mountains in west Texas I did not think the experience would be as nice. Plus I had to work on Tuesday which made it all the harder to want to get up early to go see the eclipse. This image is from early in the evening in May 2022 as the full moon was rising over the horizon to the east of Davis Mountains State Park. The moon went into eclipse a few hours later, but seeing it rising that evening was an experience unto itself. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Standing Tall

I had the opportunity last weekend to work with Ethan and his cousin Noah on a portrait session Ethan's mother had contacted me to assist her with. Ethan and Noah had recently relocated to Texas and Ethan's mother was looking to have some new images of her son in his new home state. Ethan had seen a sunset image I had captured at Doeskin Ranch in the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge that he liked and was interested in having a portrait session there. Luckily we got a break in the cold, windy weather we had been experiencing and had a chance to enjoy a nice late afternoon in one of the prettiest places in the Texas Hill Country. It was really nice to get out and enjoy a nice session with two great guys. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Colorado Sunrise

Sunrise on a smoky morning near Canon City. The smoke from the wildfires in the western US was pretty thick on the morning I took this as evidence in the red glow in the sky. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Foggy Falls

A foggy sunrise at Noccalula Falls in Gadsden, Alabama. The fall colors were waning and Christmas decorations were going up, as seen by the star on the fence above the cliff in the background, by the time we made this stop on our trip to the east coast this past fall. If you look closely you can see a rainbow the sun was creating in the fog by the brightly lit tree in the background. If you'd like to know more about the story of the statue in the foreground and the history of the falls, check out https://www.noccalulafallspark.com/about/. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Fire in the Sky

A storm was brewing over the Big Bend area the night we were in Marathon, Texas earlier this year. The lightning displays were quite impressive, although they pale in comparison to the Milky Way in this image. The night skies in west Texas are hard to beat, even with some light pollution from the rv park we were staying at. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Holiday Relections

Taking in the lights at the Million Bulb Walk at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens.

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)

Helen

Today we lay my stepmother to rest. It’s going to be tough in this age of Covid-19, CDC guidelines and social distancing. How do you not hug people and shake their hands at a funeral service? Guess we’re going to find out. I have known Helen most of my life, not just since my Dad and her married like most children of stepparents. My parents had game nights with them regularly when I was a boy. Helen was one of my mom’s best friends and her husband Sam was one of my dad’s best friends. When my mom and Sam passed away within months of each other in 1997, my dad was lost. Luckily he and Helen connected and had some of the best years of their lives until my dad passed away in 2007. We continued to be involved in Helen’s life as much as we were able to after dad’s passing. We made regular trips to my hometown to visit her, take her on outings and trips to far away places. I made this portrait of her on one such outing to one of my dad’s (and my) favorite spots in the Texas Hill Country. I never considered her just a stepmother and I she never treated me as just a stepson. I know she is in a much better place now and no longer suffering, but it is always tough saying goodbye. I love you Helen, you will be missed. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Coastal View

Looking down the coast in Big Sur. It's hard to believe we were enjoying views like this a year ago. Until we can enjoy them again in person, at least we can still do so virtually. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Wooded Glow

Getting back to nature to start the work week with a walk in the woods. Dreaming of being able to return to places like this once the shelter in place orders are lifted. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Pastel Joshua

Missing the pastel colors of Easter that are usually everywhere this time of year in the US. Thought I'd try to make up for the lack of pastel colored items by converting one of my images into a painting. My version of dying eggs without the eggs. Hope this brings a little pleasure to your day. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Time Portal

Looking into the past through a window at Mesa Verde National Park. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Chisos Sunrise

I woke up to this view when I was in Big Bend in 2013. Hard to beat enjoying a nice cup of joe with sunrise like this. Hope our future is bright and filled with many more great sunrises. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Frio Colors

I was saddened learning that my home state of Texas closed it's state parks on Tuesday for Covid-19, but understood completely in this trying time. This image is from one of my favorite state parks in the Texas Hill Country. I started going here as a child and continue to go as often as time allows as an adult. The river banks along the Frio RIver light up in the fall when the cypress turn. If your lucky enough to visit on weekdays you have the park almost to yourself to enjoy their beauty. Looking forward to visiting more of the Texas state park system once the parks are reopened to the public. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Mountain Stream

Reliving another beautiful view in Montana. This was on our last day in Glacier National Park on the banks of McDonald Creek. I love the crystal clear water of this creek. I can almost hear it flowing by now. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Kayak Alaska

Enjoying an afternoon kayaking on Clover Pass. One of the excursions we opted for on an Alaskan cruise we took a few years back. This was definitely one of the highlights of the trip, even if we didn't spot a whale while we were out. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Mountain Trail

The mountains are calling and I must go - John Muir Oh how I wish I could, but for now I will settle for this beautiful view. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com

Tied Down

Another of my images that makes me think of the current state of affairs in the world. Sometimes it may feel like you are alone with the waves crashing at your feet. Tied down to keep from being blown away in the storm. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Sideways World

Has anyone else been feeling like the world's been turned sideways on them? I was trying to be creative a year ago when I made this, but when I looked at it at the time I thought, meh. However, given the current situation in the world I think it's actually very appropriate. I do feel like the world has been turned sideways on it's axis. I'll be glad when we return to a state of normalcy. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)

Evening Bear

I needed a little escape to the mountains today. Evening on Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)