This past April, May, and June offered a vibrant window for photography. In April Bhutan was brimming with cultural activity. Traditional festivals featuring masked and the famous black-hat dancers were taking place in colorfully curtained monastery courtyards. While it was too misty to see the high Himalayas at this time of year, the fog wafted through evergreen forests in the early mornings.
Later in May we photographed terraced rice paddies in northern Vietnam; it was a landscape rich in color and design. It was also an area great for abstract photography; a humid atmosphere combined with layer upon layer of paint and decaying posters creates wondrous photographic opportunities if you allow your imagination to run wild.
Between workshops I was able to fly off to Hawaii to witness Episode 25 of the Kilauea eruption—check out the video if you missed it! In June I conducted two workshops: a very wet experience in southern Oregon and then headed off to the wide open spaces of Wyoming. It was too sunny in Grand Teton National Park, but we were able to make it work, photographing stunning scenics at the margins of the day.
Whether you seek vibrant culture, sacred landscapes, or pristine wilderness, these months form a golden arc of opportunity for photographers across these four vivid, varied locations!
Back in October while leading a pair of tours in New Zealand, I spent some time with landscape photographer and educator Richard Young discussing landscape photography and finding captivating abstract images in nature.
I think one of the most unique things about about our tours is having the point of view that there are interesting shots all around us – it’s just a matter of identifying the elements of design, and the right way to frame them. We took some time to visit Richard’s studio and print out several images on an Epson P900, and the results were stunning!
Check out the video for some excellent tips from Richard. I contribute a few things myself. I’ll be heading back to New Zealand in late April of 2026, the perfect time to photograph the changing leaves in what is their fall season—reserve your spot now and save a little cash with early bird pricing.
If you were enticed by the prints, several of these images are available for purchase. Father’s day is coming up!
Though many of my upcoming U.S. workshops are sold out, there are still spaces available on plenty of other fantastic photography retreats and workshops to join me on! Kicking off in August, I’ll be hosting a Creative Sessions workshop in the Seattle area that starts with an evening of wine, bites and a presentation at my home in West Seattle and ends with an informative critique covering the subjects from our lectures and field sessions. Jump on that one now and save a bit, as it’s on sale through Memorial Day Weekend!
After that, only one space remains for our annual adventure to Katmai, Alaska to photograph bears, and two spots remain for our California Coast retreat where we will capture the landscape at large as well as abstracts and the wildlife that inhabits the sea shore.
When autumn rolls around and the leaves begin to change, It’s a fantastic time to photograph on the West Coast. Workshops in Colorado, the Olympic Peninsula, and Sedona round out what should be an incredible year. Finally, if you’re already looking for something in 2026 I’ll be returning to Astoria to teach and capture abstract images in the oldest U.S. city on the pacific coast.
I hope to see you in one or multiple workshops this year and next!
Among the many topics I cover in my Pathways to Creativity web series, one that I’ve been most passionate about in recent years is the idea of discovering the abstract images in places that otherwise might go unnoticed. These images may not get the ‘likes’ on a travel blog or Instagram account that the the typical vistas might, yet they are infinitely more valuable in training your eye to recognize when the elements of design are coming together to create something metaphoric and unique. They also make interesting conversation pieces when taken entirely out of the context from which they were captured.
At the end of April I’ll be leading a workshop on the Olympic peninsula in the Lake Quinault area with the primary focus of finding Abstract inspirations in nature. If you’ve already signed up or are thinking about signing up for that trip, check out the free full Pathways episode on embracing the abstract and you’ll be ahead of the game when we get out into the field!
