Indiana, February 2021.
I made this image almost a year ago, back in Indiana, in my favorite spot to shoot at: the golf course.
Winter golf
in photographs
winter
Wawasee Tree
in photographs
Indiana, February 2021.
A beautiful tree by Lake Wawasee I walk by every day (when I'm in Indiana, that is).
Image of the Month, December 2021: "The fence of winter"
in journal
The Great Lakes are one of my favorite places to photograph during the winter. The conditions can be extreme, but that's what makes them so special. I lost count of how many times I froze at the shore taking photographs. What I do remember, though, is the feeling of gratitude afterwards. It is a very humble experience, to battle the elements. To discover how fragile we are.
This fence is almost the perfect metaphor for this feeling: we can try to put up gates, but there's no stopping nature. And that's just such a beautiful feeling.
two sizes
Remember: there are two sizes to choose from, 6x6 and 8x8 (inches). In both cases, the matt and frame are 12x12 (this means a bigger margin for the 6x6 print).
shipping included
Shipping is free to the US now. International shipping is a flat rate of $19.95.
artist contract
A new image will be released every month and offered at a reduced price during that time. After 30 days, it will be sold at full price. They will never be on sale at any time in the future, the rate during the first month will be the lowest, ever.
want to know more?
You can find more information about how I create my images and all the details about pricing on The Art and Craft behind my prints.
White pier
in photographs
Indiana, January 2021.
Another image from last winter, this one made from the balcony.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
in photographs
Indiana, January 2021.
Last year's Christmas was a white one in Indiana, when I made this image. This year's is a bit different, wet and much warmer. No matter the weather you have these days, I hope you all have a great time and take appreciation on what you've done this year.
Photography in Glacier National Park
in journal
The first stop of my "spring" 2021 road trip was Glacier National Park, in Montana. And I quote spring because what I've found so far (and not just in Glacier) is much colder and much wetter weather than I had anticipated -- not complaining, though, much better than heat!
So, I got to Glacier way too early in the season. Most roads were closed, and most trails were not accesible. Not that I was planning on doing a lot of hiking alone, grizzlies are not something I'd want to mess with.
I still got to see quite a bit of the park. In this video I show you footage from the East side of Glacier National Park, where I spent 3 days. And the images I made there, of course.
I hope you enjoy it.
Contact sheets from Michigan City
in journal
I've been taking many more images than I usually do lately. It's been so cold that I need to keep moving to stay warm, so I don't have as much time to think about the composition. I shoot every angle that looks interesting, and go through those shots later from a warm home.
Thing is, I delete a lot of pictures. I felt like it was a waste, so I created a few contact sheets that I share with you in this video.
More info about contact sheets:
It was just perfect
in journal
There's a light down the road. I pass by it almost every day, and most times I'll snap a picture of two. I've seen it in all conditions: sunny and clear, stormy and rainy, white and snowy. I thought I'd seen all this place had to offer... until a couple of days ago. It felt like I'd just walked into a movie. It didn't look real. It was so beautiful... just perfect.
A day in the snow
in journal
We got some more snow, so I went for a walk around town trying to make the most of it.
The images that don't exist yet
in journal
I'm keeping an eye on the weather forecast as I write this. Tonight, we are expecting a snowstorm that is supposed to bring a few inches of fresh snow. That's my hope, at least. I'll be ready to drive somewhere else if I don't wake up to a winter wonderland tomorrow.
It's on days like these, with the anticipation of what's to come, that sometimes I wonder about the images I'll have a chance to create tomorrow. Images of scenes that don't exist yet. Fleeting moments that will present themselves only for a brief moment in time, and that we photographers have the privilege to capture forever.
Isn't photography just great?
From the balcony
in journal
This image is a perfect example of what I talked about in "Images only you can make".
I made it from the balcony, on a beautifully white morning. This scene would have never worked if it wasn't for the snow: there's water, aquatic plants, cement, grass and so many other elements - too busy. But this morning, all of that had been erased by the snow.
There it stood the pier, alone. Something belonging to a very different, remote time. Almost out of place.
You don't have to go to faraway lands to find beauty. Just don't forget to look for it.
Catching up
in journal
Nothing lasts forever, and this trip wasn’t going to be an exception. I’m back in Indiana after 3 incredible months on the road, a time I spent trying to take it all in as much as I could. I don’t know when I’m going to have the chance to hit the road again, so I gave it all I had.
That means I pretty much put everything else on hold. Among other things, my exercise habits, this blog, and email.
I’m catching up now: I’ve started to exercise again, this post is the first of hopefully many to come here in the blog, and I’ve replied to a few emails that had been patiently waiting for a response for a while. I will be getting back to people on social networks soon, too. If you tried to contact me and I haven’t gotten back to you by the end of this week, please try again.
Being back is bittersweet: it’s great to be with family again, and having a routine makes me feel more energized and healthier. But I miss the road already, all the sunrises and sunsets I saw out west over those stunning landscapes.
As this part of my photography journey ends, the first snowstorms of the season here in the Midwest are already signaling the beginning of the next one. I can’t wait to take my cameras out once the white powder takes over these landscapes.
Nasty weather, happy photographer
in journal
I am on the road again! And what better way to start the trip than with an unexpected snowstorm at the beginning of September. I welcomed and embraced the snow, and tried to make good images at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
How to do El Camino de Santiago in winter
in journal
A few weeks ago, I decided to go on an adventure that will be hard to forget: I walked the last 130 miles (200km) of the Camino de Santiago. I followed the most famous route, the French Way. It was in late December and I got hit by 3 storms and got plenty of rain, wind and even snow and ice. Doing the Camino in winter comes with many more challenges than bad weather, though: you'll need more gear, many places will be closed, limited hours of daylight, fewer fellow pilgrims... but I believe it's the best time to do it. I wanted to share a few tips that might help those of you thinking about doing El Camino to decide whether you should do it in winter or wait for warmer months.
Read MoreEl Camino: a 130-mile solo winter adventure
in journal
Last week I went on an adventure that I won't be forgetting any time soon. I walked 130 miles in 6 days, fighting not only my body and mind but also the elements: 3 big storms hit the region and I got plenty of rain, wind, snow and ice.
I wanted to document this journey and the moview "El Camino" is the result. Definitely my most ambitious (and longest) movie to date.
If you are thinking about doing El Camino in winter, don't miss my post How to do El Camino de Santiago in winter.
One adventure's end is a new adventure's beginning
in journal
It feels like it was yesterday when I left for my fall trip. Back in Spain and still not entirely unpacked, it's time to grab my bags and hit the road yet again. This time, though, it's going to be a little bit different.
During the next 7 days I will be hiking between 15 and 18 miles a day, facing pouring rain and maybe even snow, as I follow the famous pilgrimage route to Santiago.
I'd never thought about doing the camino, and even less in winter, but something about it feels just right.
See you out there.
The mountains were calling
in journal
Hello from Arco, Italy,
Sadly, we had to leave Austria one week earlier than anticipated due to bad weather. Snow and ice prevented me from doing many of the things I wanted to do there, but it was those same conditions that gifted me with a magical day that made me miss the mountains.
I lived in Portland, OR, for 5 years. While the city might not get snow every winter (we got one big snowstorm in all of those years), the mountains around it are covered in white powder for several months a year. It's easy to find snow even during the summer, if you hike high enough. I absolutely loved it.
I find snow fascinating. I grew up in a place that barely gets any: flurries are scarce, seeing the snow stick on the ground is a once-in-a-lifetime-event. The nearby mountains do get snow but it's short-lived as the warmer temperatures melt it away rather quickly.
Innsbruck got pummeled with snow last Wednesday. The locals might have found it annoying for their commutes, but it was a gift for me: unable to reach the snowy mountains, they came to me.
Placed among giants, it was easy for me to reach high altitudes by simply walking from our place near downtown Innsbruck. I walked in the snow for hours, going as high on the mountain as I could. I knew it wasn't going to last (it's still November, after all) and I wanted to take it all in.
When I left the city behind and reached the forest, it was like being back in the mountains of Oregon. I was once again walking into magical scenes from a fairy tale.
I loved my time in Innsbruck, definitely on top of my list of places to go back to. Next time, hopefully, better prepared for the winter.
Winter photography: travel before the storm, photograph the storm
in journal
One of the most beautiful drives I’ve done.
Winter is my favorite season for photography. There's just one problem, though: the weather.
Over the years, I've gotten caught in several snowstorms (and even worse, ice storms) all over British Columbia, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, California, South Dakota and of course, in the Midwest.
The trip through Northern California was the scariest one, I lost control of the car twice due to ice. That was the last time I drove through a snowstorm, putting yourself in danger for an image is not worth it. How do we do it, then?
This day, I had to drive 40 miles on frozen dirt roads to get to the closest town.
Travel before the storm.
That's what I did in South Dakota: I drove more than 1,000 miles in between two big storms and once the second one hit, I was ready and on location.
Photograph the storm.
It was mid-April when the blizzard came. Temperatures dropped to single digits (F) and the storm dumped almost a foot of snow. There was no one else around and no way to get to the Badlands after they closed the highway.
Winter wonderland.
I got one of my favorite images ever that day, and I had a winter wonderland waiting for me the next morning. Best of all, I was able to drive in and out of the park safely.
That's my advice for winter photography: avoid the road on severe weather conditions, be on location beforehand. If that's not possible and you still insist on making the drive, please make sure that you and your car are ready for the worst conditions.
Winter is the best time for photography, but you have to be careful
in journal
In my opinion, winter is the best time of the year to make images. It comes with some risks, though.
While I do go on some hikes, most of the shooting during the cold months is done not too far from the car. I drive to a location and make a few exposures. Then I drive to the next spot. This is what I did last week during some intense cold and foggy weather.
I wasn't careful enough and several days of moving between a warm car and the freezing outdoors have taken their toll on me.
It's just a cold and I'll be out making new images soon. It just kills me to see that the fog is still with us and I can't stop thinking about the images I'm not making. All because I was careless.
Hikers caught in a snowstorm, Mt Hood, December 2016
in photographs
Camera and Lens: Sony A7II, 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens
Settings: 70mm, ISO 500, f/5.6, 1/80sec
I don't know what I was thinking that day. From Timberline Lodge, I started walking up, and up. It was cloudy, but otherwise a nice day.
When I was close to Palmer lift, at around 8,500ft, the weather started to change: the clouds I had been photographing a while ago reached all of us up there, and it was like being in the middle of a blizzard.
Luckily, it's easy to find your way back from there, and after just a few minutes walking the weather got back to calm.
But in the middle of all of that, I got this image of two hikers coming back down to safety.