Category: Badlands

A Break in the Badlands

Badlands, Camping, Canoeing
Tuesday, July 2nd, 2019

Our tent on the banks of the Red Deer River.

After a full spring of leading canoe trips, photography, and classes, I got to take a break with Anna. We headed out to the Red Deer River and had the most relaxing canoe trip of our lives. We took three days to do a stretch of river that could have been done in one long day. To fill the days we wandered in and out of the badlands, mooed at the cows we drifted by, and tested out the packraft I built this past winter (found two slow leaks that I think I have patched now). Next week I’m off guiding again which will fill up most of the rest of the summer.

Just a quick note about prints: I know some of you have been looking for more northern lights prints. Tix on the Square sold out a while ago but they will have a new supply in a couple days!

Canoeing the Milk River

Badlands, Camping, Canoeing
Friday, January 4th, 2019

Milk River near Poverty Rock

The Milk River near Poverty Rock with the Sweetgrass Hills in the background.

The Milk River is in the extreme south of Alberta – it flows from the US and back into the US. But there is a spectacular stretch in Alberta that’s definitely worth canoeing. This is a shallow river where you want to be really skilled at dodging rocks though. And there are a few big rapids although you might not expect them given the leisurely flow of much of the trip.

Just Anna and I went on this trip in early summer – it was a chance to spend time together before I left for the arctic.

No posts for a while again as I’m off on another few weeks of trips.

Milk River

We started off from the town of Milk River with a couple of beautiful warm days.

Milk River

Hoodoos started showing up as we got close to Writing on Stone Provincial Park.

Milk River

The soft prairie landscapes were so peaceful.

Milk River

We did get a solid day of rain as we left Writing on Stone Provincial Park – still beautiful but cold.

Milk River

The rain cleared up for our final campsite and left us with quite a sunset.

Milk River

Still a few showers here and there.

Milk River

The variety of rock formations is fascinating.

Milk River

Sunset and sage brush.

Milk River

We scared this guy on our final day as he was having a drink in the river.

Come Visit At Folkfest

Badlands, Galleries and Shows, Photo of the Day
Thursday, August 10th, 2017

If you are lucky enough to be going to Edmonton Folk Fest this year, you should come say hi at my booth! I have lots of new prints, new styles of jewelry, and some new postcards I’m trying out. The market is open Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Chipmunk visiting me in Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park
210mm, f4, 1/400 of a second

A Land Filled with Meaning

Badlands, Landscape, Prairie
Tuesday, July 19th, 2016

Bright Colors in the Belly Buttes

Being in the Belly Buttes was an interesting experience. They are on land owned by the Blood Tribe in southern Alberta, and I had to get special permission to hike here. On the one hand I felt at home – it felt open and free and the chance of running into random people was small. The only trails were deer and cow trails. On the other hand, I definitely felt I was travelling on someone else’s land, through someone else’s past, which holds a significance that I can only begin to understand. I wonder if this isn’t a feeling that should be more familiar to me – the sense of past and future people living with and on the land, the sense of the land meaning more than just a place to hike.

Dinosaur Provincial Park Covered in Snow

Badlands, Landscape, Photo of the Day, Winter
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

Dinosaur Provincial Park is a great place to check out, especially in winter. I went there in the middle of December a couple years ago. After a cold night sleeping in my car, a friendly snowplow driver cleared the way for me. I got there before sunrise and the whole area had just been covered in a fresh dusting of snow the night before. I was the only person there, although there were new cat tracks everywhere. It was a great day! Then on the way home my transmission blew. There’s always something…

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Normally I’m not a fan of weird crops and panos. Too often the composition becomes more about the crop than the contents interacting with the frame. Sometimes it’s just that too wide of a lens was used and a boring foreground and sky have to be cropped out. But every once in a while an image benefits from a different crop.

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Yeah, this is supposed to be pic of the day, but sometimes I just can’t resist the allure of multiple pictures.