Here are a few images from the American West that I processed over the winter...


"Mount Moran and Mergansers"

I captured this image on an evening last spring in Grand Teton National Park. I wasn't treated to dramatic skies during my time in the park, but this image evokes a feeling of serenity, with the Mergansers paddling on the calm waters of Oxbow Bend as the last light of day slowly slips away.

 "Chapel and Cathedral Group"

Like many people, I find a certain appeal in rustic structures from an earlier era, especially those exuding beauty for their simplicity.

I captured this photograph of the Chapel of the Transfiguration last May in Grand Teton National Park. This chapel, built in 1925, actually predates the park it now resides within by four years and was constructed by local ranchers to serve guests and employees of the dude ranches north of Jackson, Wyoming. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the chapel continues to be utilized for weddings and some services.

 "Chapel of the Transfiguration"

This is the interior of the chapel. While inside, I felt a deep sense of serenity that was enhanced by the silence within and the rustic nature of the exposed log interior. Behind the altar, a picture window, seldom a part of churches and chapels, frames a magnificent view of the Cathedral Group of the Tetons, which is viewable through the window from near the front of the chapel.

 "Tetons and John Moulton Barn"

This photograph is also from last spring in Grand Teton National Park. This barn, once part of the John Moulton estate, is one of a few remaining structures that was built during the early 1900s along a string of homesteads known as Mormon Row. John's brother, Thomas A. Moulton, also built a homestead in this location, less than a half-mile south of this barn.

I rarely make black & white photographs. However, this scene, I thought, made good use of the format.

 "Mexican Hat"

This one was captured back in 2010 on my first trip to the American Southwest. This natural rock formation. located in southern Utah, is called "Mexican Hat" for a reason that should be visually evident. There is also a small village nearby that is named after this unique geologic formation.

This week, I will embark on a new photographic expedition to the American Southwest and Oregon. You can follow along on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/NorthShoreImages) where I will regularly post images and updates from my iPhone.