Never Stop Exploring

September 28th, 2012

For the past eight days I have been in Jackson, Wyoming shooting landscapes and fall color, as well as leading a photo tour of Grand Teton National Park. Everyday I was up at 4am and often didn’t get to bed until after 11pm. Exhausted at the end of the trip I drove five hours south to Salt Lake City (where i am penning this post) to catch a flight back home. After arriving in Salt Lake, I was completely exhausted. My body was telling me to relax  but my drive to create beautiful images was forcing me to put aside my utter exhaustion and head for the mountains of the Wasatch in search of autumn landscapes.

The clouds were building in dramatic form as I drove east from Salt Lake towards Mount Timpanagos and the Alpine Loop. This area is famous for it’s stunning autumn color and rugged Rocky Mountain landscapes, and I really wanted to capture the breathtaking beauty of the region. Problem was I only had a few hours to do so!

With a positive attitude and thirst for exploring and experiencing the area, I drove the crooked and winding route of the Alpine Loop, stoping every so often to shoot amazing aspen stands and scout for possible views at sunset across the mountains. As sunset approached, the clouds above the Timpanagos and the mountains surrounding began to erupt in thunderstorms with the occasional sprinkle of rain showering down on me and lightning strikes crashing the horizon. As I drove around looking for places to park along the road, I found a location looking southwest that filled the frame with an amazing view of the mountains and surrounding hillsides of fall color. I sat on the scene for over an hour watching the light and refining my composition as the clouds swirled and erupted in color.

The image above is the result of the never ending drive to always experience the power and beauty of nature and more importantly continue to challenge myself to find ways to capture and interpret her beauty. The moral of this post is to never give in, continue to inspire yourself and others and to never stop exploring!


Joseph Rossbach

Joseph Rossbach has been photographing the landscape for over fifteen years. Joe’s photographs and articles have appeared in a number of books, calendars and magazines including Outdoor Photographer, The Nature Conservancy, Digital Photo, Photo Techniques, Popular Photography, Blue Ridge Country, Mountain Connections and many more. Joe is also a staff course instructor for Nature Photographers Magazine, and writes a regular blog column for Outdoor Photographer Magazine online edition. Joe is also a co-author and contributing photographer two print books, The Ultimate Guide to Digital Nature Photography (Mountain Trail Press) and 50 Amazing Things You Must See and Do in the Greater D.C. Area, The Ultimate Adventure Guide. Joe continues to travel extensively producing new and exciting images of the natural world as well as leading several photography workshops and photo tours each year.

6 comments on “Never Stop Exploring

  1. Absolutely beautiful shot! And I love the sentiment behind it! I always push myself even when I think I should stop just to make sure I don’t miss that one shot!

  2. Leslie Stockton says:

    You are so gifted and blessed to be able to see and take one moment in time for us to see. ..and to dream!! thank you for that :)

  3. Gabor Ruff says:

    Fantastic colors! Nice shot.

  4. Clint Losee says:

    Amazing image! I live just a short drive from the Alpine Loop and you’ve captured an amazing view of it. The possibilities along that drive are never-ending. I’m thinking I need to make another drive up there this weekend. Again, amazing image and story behind it.

  5. Lynn Rogers says:

    Just beautiful, Joe. Great post. Thank you!

  6. Joseph,

    I just want you to know how much your drive and determination inspire me. Your images amaze me, and I’m always transported to the amazing locations and conditions that you show me through your work. I am a budding photographer, with what I believe to be a bright future, and you are a guide along my path. Thank you so much for sharing your gift. I appreciate the path you have blazed, and look forward to whatever may inspire you next.

    Sincerely,
    Benjamin Williamson

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