huge canopy over Japanese garden creating a perfect balance of shade and sun for comfort.

some picture-perfect stalks of Imperial Fritillaria (lutea maxima) just waiting for someone like me to come by and capture them on film.

The minerals in the lake water cause it to be abnormally blue and clear. I can see straight to the bottom where lie many fallen trees that seem not to decay or dirty the water. As I hiked around these lakes, I really enjoyed the wavy branches that overhung the water like this one. The colours and shapes complemented each other quite well.

rapids along the McKenzie River in Willamette National Forest

no photographers were harmed in the capturing of this photo (although we are in need of a new photo-assistant ;-)

JiuZhaiGou Valley

This beautiful moment was captured on Navajo's land in Arizona. With permission from the Native Americans, I visited their sacred and amazing canyons. It's a bit windy topside so there is a constant shower of sand pouring in. In just a few minutes, piles of this ultra-fine sand begin to build up on our shoulders, pockets, and equipment making the day-long adventure quite memorable. When the sun is at its highest, it illuminates some of these sand showers to appear as magnificent beams of light.