Another Song, Another Mile... Ramblings on Photography-The Environment-Society-Life

This is a post that I’ve meant to write for a while, and though a lot of time has passed, and I’m still struggling to find the words, there are people that I feel I owe it to- especially the Gravert family, and John himself-to say more than I’ve been able to bring myself to so far...

Debuting a new feature on my blog this year, at the end of each month I'll take a look back at some of my favorite new images. I say favorite instead of best for a couple of reasons. One being the subjectivity of photography, as often shots that may appeal to one person don't necessarily do it for another, and I feel the favorite over best distinction better acknowledges this and invites personal interpretation...

Following is the final post in a three part series, originally written in the spring of 2012. You can find the first and second entries linked at the bottom of this page.

Still Working on the Railroad

Originally published- April 6, 2012

I’ve been off on a bit of a tangent lately with the Iowa Public Lands Legislation (still no vote on the bill or proposed amendment to strike the DNR portion) so today I’d like to return to the tangent I was on before this tangent, and possibly embark on another...

Following is the second post in a three part series, originally written in the spring of 2012. You can find the first and third entries linked at the bottom of this page.

Bridges of Cedar County...

Following is the first of a three part series I originally wrote in March of 2012, on a now dormant blog. It has sustained significant interest through the years so I wanted to repost it here, on on my current website, where I know it will be preserved and remain accessible for the long-term...

I'm sure the "So Far" in this title seems a bit optimistic seeing as how, at the time that I post this, 2022 only has about 36 hours to go- so let me explain. I've been dealing with a wide range of computer problems for the past couple of months and am currently without the ability to process new work...

I released the latest issue of my newsletter this past weekend after a several month hiatus- and took the opportunity to kind of explain to new readers what it's all about. My approach to this is probably different than a lot of photography newsletters you'll find...

Many years ago, a group of friends and I started an annual tradition centered around college football bowl season to see who could correctly pick the winner of the most bowl games. We bought a football and affectionally named it "The Paul Sesker Trophy" in honor of a beloved teacher and coach we'd had at Tipton High...

Following up on yesterday's post sharing a little bit more about each of the monthly photos chosen for my 2023 Iowa Nature Calendar (which can be seen HERE) I'll offer the same now for next year's United States edition...

With the release of my 2023 calendars, and as I've reviewed my portfolio choosing material for this years editions, I'm reminded once again of my love for photography- and particularly for it's ability to eternalize special moments in time...

For me, one of the great motivations of photography has always been in sharing. It started when I was a kid (long before social media) showing little three by five inch prints of scenery I’d photographed on family vacations to friends...

Well the summer of '22 keeps racing by and I'm still struggling to keep up- evidenced by my failure to meet that weekly goal with this blog series, and now punctuated by my reference of "Last Week" to scenes from nearly half a month ago...

While it was nice to spend a leisurely day hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park coming off of my festival in Boulder, my main focus during the few extra days I had to spend in Colorado was actually a little further west...

After a nice morning of hiking in the Bear Lake area of Rocky Mountain National Park, I ran back to Estes for groceries (which took way longer than planned) then continued on to the west side of the park via Trail Ridge Road...

As this busy summer keeps rolling on I've had to skip a few more weeks of this series, but hope to make up for it a little now by adding three posts this weekend from a recent trip to Colorado. Part 1 here will cover my morning in the popular Bear Lake area of Rocky Mountain National Park, and then we'll cross the divide and move west for Parts 2 and 3 tomorrow...

I'm posting the following copy of my latest newsletter (from July 25, 2022) for anyone who hasn't subscribed yet but would like to check it out. This is more or less what you can expect- new issues are released every few weeks, tops, and it's not meant to be spammy or a marketing gimmick...

Adding a new twist to my annual March Madness photo tournament this past spring, I gave participants the chance to help me select which images I would submit to the 2022 Iowa State Fair. The bracket was divided into themes to coincide with each of the four categories I planned to enter (Iowa Landscape, US Landscape, "The Open Road" Special Division, and Black & White Landscape) and people voted in head to head pairings to choose which photos would advance through those respective rounds until a champion was crowned in each...

Okay... so those of you who know me well will be absolutely shocked to hear this (might be pushing the legal limits of sarcasm there) but I've already fallen a little behind on this weekly photo series...

This weeks edition of "Last Week in Pictures" brings the conclusion of my short trip through the Tetons and Yellowstone (and back through the Tetons.) You can see the first set of photos HERE, and as I work through my edits I'm sure there will be more to come...

The following was written in late April. I held off on publishing it with the intent of writing an accompanying piece discussing this year’s State Fair entries- which I still intend to do- but time got away from me and it sort of got lost in the mix...

Alright, so I guess technically I'm a day or so late on this one (my goal is to create a collection of photos every week, and allow myself the following week to edit and post them) but regardless, here is the second installment of my "Pictures from Last Week" series...

Followers of my newsletter have probably heard it now almost as many times as I have. I vent about it more than I should. I know it's an honest question, but one I get asked at every show. Over and over and over again...

The latest round of votes are now all tallied and the divisional champions have been crowned as we head in to this weekend's Final Four. I've made a slight adjustment to the schedule- it's been a hard fought week and today has been...

The second round votes are all counted, and a sincere thanks again to everyone who has taken the time to share their views on the competing images. I definitely appreciate both the insight and the thought you've all put into your responses, and I'm eager to see where this next round leads, as many "crowd favorites" will now be meeting head to head...

The votes are counted and results are in, and it's time to move on to Round 2 of this year's March Madness tournament. Before we do, however, I want to express a sincere thank you to everyone who has taken part so far...

The results are in, with the images highlighted above advancing to Round 2.

A breakdown of opening round votes by platform (FB-Facebook, IG-Instagram, T- Twitter, E- Email) for the Iowa Landscapes Division are as follows...

The results are in, with the images highlighted above advancing to Round 2.

A breakdown of opening round votes by platform (FB-Facebook, IG-Instagram, T- Twitter, E- Email) for the U...

The results are in, with the images highlighted above advancing to Round 2.

A breakdown of opening round votes by platform (FB-Facebook, IG-Instagram, T- Twitter, E- Email) for the "Open Road" Division are as follows...

We're kicking off this year's March Madness Photo Showdown with 32 images, split into 4 divisions that coincide with entry categories at the Iowa State Fair. Your votes will help me to decide which of these photos to submit to this year's fair photo contest...

This category has of course long been near and dear to me, as one of my primary photo goals has always been to showcase the beauty of Iowa- in all it's seasons, features and forms. I do have a couple of ideas for specific locations that I'd like to attempt to photograph this spring if conditions line up well- so this is the one division where I am most likely to add options prior to this year's entry deadline- but for now these are my top contenders...

The official title for this category at the fair is "U.S. Places and Landscapes" -so it can include a wide variety of subject matter (including human made structures.) I have a mix here for consideration, with a few newer images photographed last year in Arkansas and Colorado, and the others taken in years prior...

Though I generally only print in black and white by request, I do enjoy experimenting in this format, and as far as awards at the state fair go this is the category where I've had the most success...

Each year, the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon has one special themed category- this year's being "The Open Road." Entries are open to personal interpretation (so it doesn't necessarily have to be a far-reaching stretch of highway...

On behalf of the Frank "Kinney" Holbrook Memorial Society, I'm excited to share that we will take part in a special Black history month presentation on Saturday, February 19 at Hope + Elim Church, 2500 University Avenue, Des Moines...

The following post originates from my October 22 newsletter, and ties in as a continuation of a review of my 2021 season, and my focus for the future. To view that newsletter, click HERE.

-I went out a couple days recently to photograph the fall color...

With a busy art show season coming to a close it’s time to turn some of my focus back to writing again, including renewed effort on this long neglected blog. While much of what I post here going forward will be photography or environmental themed, I do like to mix some more general life stuff in from time to time...

I always appreciate the moments in life that present opportunity for reflection, and find that returning to places where significant chapters of our stories have played out can provide great windows to recognize the influences of our past...

One of the biggest motivations in sharing my photography has always been in celebrating wonders found in the great outdoors, and the hope of opening eyes to the beauty that exists all around. I’ve always found deep reverence and connection in the natural world, and my photos are documentation of the special times I spend there...

I held a contest recently in which I matched a number of photos against each other and asked viewers to vote for which they liked best. Throughout the tournament, the most common reason people offered to explain the choice they’d made was “bright” or “unique” colors...

Well I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pulling for my sentimental favorites... especially as we got into the later rounds. So when "After the Storm" made it to the final it felt a bit like poetic justice in a way...

"MORAINE LAKE" vs "AFTER THE STORM"

The people have spoken, results are in and we've made it to the Championship round.

Out of the Canadian Rockies is "Moraine Lake" -the number one seed from the Mountains Division that sailed through the competition thanks to its dramatic sky and turquoise glacial water...

The Division champs have been crowned, and now we move on to see how each fairs against the favorites from other landscapes. Voting in these semi-final match-ups ("Moraine Lake" vs "Mesa Arch" and "After the Storm" vs "Macbride Rainbow") will run through noon central, Sunday, March 28...

Results are in on the Elite 8 round, and we've crowned the Divisional Champions. I was a bit surprised by the final point margins with many of these as I expected much closer contests...

Time to determine the Divisional Champions and see which photos move on to the Final Four. A few of these have sailed through the tournament without too much of a challenge, but we'll see how long that holds true as many crowd favorites are about to clash...

The votes are in and the Sweet 16 round is in the books. There were a couple of very close match-ups this time, but for the most part winner's are advancing after comfortable victories...

Rolling on through the March Madness tournament, and the match-ups are getting tougher. There were a few upsets in Round 2, and it's admittedly hard watching some of my favorites go down (you guys gave me a bit of a gut-punch taking "Make a Wish" out with that little known redwood scene; but that's the sentiment I talked about...

The results are in and Round 2 is officially in the books. There were definitely some close races and a few upsets in this one, with only a few blow outs. It will be interesting to see how these matches tighten and which photo is still standing in the end...

Welcome to Round 2 of the March Madness Photo Showdown. Below you will find the pairings for this round's Desert & Canyons Division match-ups. Click on the image titles listed below each graphic to view any given photo at full size...

Welcome to Round 2 of the March Madness Photo Showdown. Below you will find the pairings for this round's Prairie & Forests Division match-ups. Click on the image titles listed below each graphic to view any given photo at full size...

Welcome to Round 2 of the March Madness Photo Showdown. Below you will find the pairings for this round's Waters Division match-ups. Click on the image titles listed below each graphic to view any given photo at full size...

Welcome to Round 2 of the March Madness Photo Showdown. Below you will find the pairings for this round's Mountain Division match-ups. Click on the image titles listed below each graphic to view any given photo at full size...

Welcome to Round 2 of the March Madness Photo Showdown! Click on the divisions below to see second round pairings. You'll find a link at the bottom of each page if you'd like to submit your picks by email...

The final tally of first round votes for photos from the Desert & Canyon Division are as follows, with total number of votes across platforms determining which photo from each pairing will advance to Round 2...

The final tally of first round votes for photos from the Prairie & Forests Division are as follows, with total number of votes across platforms determining which photo from each pairing will advance to Round 2...

The final tally of first round votes for photos from the Waters Division are as follows, with total number of votes across platforms determining which photo from each pairing will advance to Round 2...

The final tally of first round votes for photos from the Mountain Division are as follows, with total number of votes across platforms determining which photo from each pairing will advance to Round 2...

The results are in and votes all counted from the first round of the 2021 March Madness Photo Showdown. Thank you so much to all who have participated in the contest so far...

Welcome to the opening round of my 2021 March Madness Photo Showdown. You can view each of the first round divisional match-ups by clicking the images below. Voting on this opening round runs through Monday night, March 15...

Welcome to the March Madness Photo Showdown, an elimination style tournament that pairs sixty four of my top nature and landscape photos in head to head competition, with viewers deciding which advance through the rounds...

Welcome to the March Madness Photo Showdown, an elimination style tournament that pairs sixty four of my top nature and landscape photos in head to head competition, with viewers deciding which advance through the rounds...

Welcome to the March Madness Photo Showdown, an elimination style tournament that pairs sixty four of my top nature and landscape photos in head to head competition, with viewers deciding which advance through the rounds...

Welcome to the March Madness Photo Showdown, an elimination style tournament that pairs sixty four of my top nature and landscape photos in head to head competition, with viewers deciding which advance through the rounds...

In editing the videos from my first hike to Amethyst Basin, I came across some clips I’d recorded which further discuss the motivation behind that hike and the direction I hoped my photography career would take...

Back in 2019 when the design process for this website was just underway, one of the features I most eagerly anticipated was having a well-functioning integrated blog. I’d tried to keep up a Wordpress site for years to share my writing and photos, but it was so frustrating to use and the free service I was on became overrun with annoying ads...

Excuse the play on words- us environmental types are experiencing some sudden onset bouts of giddiness right now...

I’m rarely late for a sunrise. Well, okay… photographically speaking. Sunsets are often a different story, when obligations of a day grow long and keep you distracted until suddenly that golden hour light sneaks into your periphery and demands that you drop everything and scramble for the show...

So I woke up this morning and thought, “You know… what this world really needs right now is another random guy sharing his thoughts on the internet…” After all, our country just watched as a sitting president and his cronies tried to usurp a foundational tenet of democracy, and saw our Capitol overrun by a deranged selfie-taking mob of enemies domestic...

Well… here we are. About to close another year, and regardless of how eager we may be to put 2020 behind us, it’s one that won’t soon be forgotten. It’s been a year of unprecedented challenges and lessons, with ample instances of both ugliness and beauty...

Capping off my 2021 Calendar previews with another perennial favorite- the U.S. edition. I've referred to this as my "All Over" calendar in years past, as I'm usually able to work an international scene into the mix...

2021 marks the seventh edition of my Iowa Nature Calendar, which is one of my favorite and most popular projects of the year. Highlighting Iowa's natural beauty has long been a primary goal of my photography, and it is an honor to be able to show my gorgeous home state as I see it and share these places that I know and love...

Following great popularity with last years release I'm happy to once again offer a calendar featuring my hometown of Tipton and the surrounding Cedar County countryside. The cover of this 2021 edition celebrates a classic summer scene with stars and lightning bugs on a rural summer night...

Where I come from, Veteran’s Day is a pretty big deal. American flags line the streets and the library square, storefronts display messages of gratitude, and service members are honored with an incredibly heartfelt assembly in the Tipton Middle School gym...

It came as no surprise.

Approaching one o’clock Eastern, hours after polls had closed on the 2020 election -and moments after Joe Biden addressed the media to express optimism but urge patience and the importance that all votes be counted, Donald Trump took to Twitter...

Well I guess it's official... welcome to my new website and blog! Both now are a very long time in the making and I just wanted to take this chance to offer a brief introduction of what you might expect to find here...