| "Welcome to Canada," Ken shouted to me
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| | an honorable mention. After that, I
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| over the roar of the rain and thunder. A
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| | decided I was ready for the next
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| constant downpour kept the photography
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| | level.Then I started to have second
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| workshop indoors. We slipped out during a
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| | thoughts. I didn't know anything about
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| break in the clouds, but as soon as we
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| | mountain country, and whenever I
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| set up our tripods, a thunderstorm swept
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| | mentioned my plan to anyone, the response
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| in out of nowhere and sent us scurrying
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| | was "You better watch out for the bears."
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| back down the mountain trail to our cars.
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| | I was tempted to back out. But, I had
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| Since I signed on for this tour of the
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| | come too far to quit.So, I leafed through
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| Canadian Rockies, everything had gone
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| | the advertising section of Outdoor
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| right.It rained sporadically for the
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| | Photographer magazine. I found a
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| first two days of the workshop and we
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| | photography workshop in Yoho and Banff
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| were all a little down. So, Ken Pugh, our
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| | national parks on the border of British
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| photography instructor and guide, used
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| | Columbia and Alberta in the Canadian
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| the down time to teach us some nature
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| | Rockies. I called the number in the ad
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| photography techniques and camouflage
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| | and signed up for my adventure.I flew to
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| tactics. Those sessions helped me a lot
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| | Calgary and caught a bus to reach the
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| since I was a novice nature
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| | designated meeting place. As the bus
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| photographer.When the clouds cleared
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| | wound through the mountains, I was
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| again, we ventured out, and this time the
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| | awestruck. It was the first time I had
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| weather held. I believe Ken chased away
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| | seen mountains in person. They loomed
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| the bad weather with his sunny rendition
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| | over everything like emissaries from
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| of Willie Nelson's "Nothin but Blue
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| | heaven, offering enlightenment to anyone
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| Skies," which he sang constantly since
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| | willing to climb their lofty heights.
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| the first day of the tour.The days
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| | There was no way a photograph could ever
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| afterwards were a moody mix of sunshine,
| |
| | capture their glory.A few hours later I
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| clouds and drizzle. The colors of the
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| | reached my destination, a combination
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| surrounding scenery were intensified from
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| | restaurant, gas station and motel located
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| the rain and overcast skies. When the sun
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| | at the foot of a mountain range with no
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| popped out from behind the clouds, the
| |
| | other sign of civilization in sight. When
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| light was soft and delicate. It was a
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| | I walked into the restaurant, it seemed
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| great time to photograph the majestic
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| | everything stopped and all eyes were on
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| mountains and forests.My adventure in the
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| | me. I paused near the doorway, scanning
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| Canadian Rockies started years earlier,
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| | the room for anyone with a camera.Then, I
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| on my grandparents' farm in Michigan,
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| | heard someone call my name. I turned and
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| where my sisters and I spent our summer
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| | saw a burly looking guy, wearing a denim
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| vacations. It was there that I developed
| |
| | jacket and sporting a thick black beard.
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| an appreciation for nature. As a
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| | He was waving me over to a table where
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| teenager, I caught the photography bug,
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| | six or seven people were gathered. I
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| and a few years later, I started
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| | walked over and he stuck out his hand and
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| photographing nature.Whenever I got the
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| | said, "Hi, I'm Ken." I guessed he
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| chance, I'd photograph the scenery in the
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| | recognized me because I was the only
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| city parks of my neighborhood. After a
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| | black person on the tour. It was either
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| while, those manicured landscapes bored
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| | that or my gear.Except for me, everyone
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| me; I dreamed of photographing mountains
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| | on the tour was Canadian. One guy was
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| and deserts, the places I saw in
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| | from Nova Scotia. I had just a vague idea
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| photography magazines. But, I let that
| |
| | of where that was. Listening to the
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| dream die away. I decided that since I
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| | voices around me, I realized I was the
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| lived in Chicago, pursuing a career as a
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| | one with an accent. I had made it to the
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| nature photographer didn't make much
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| | edge of the world.After a hard day of
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| sense.But dreams are hard to kill, they
| |
| | trekking through the Canadian wilderness,
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| wait for the right moment to rise and
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| | we gathered for diner and talked long
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| haunt you again. In my case, that moment
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| | into the evening. During those times, we
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| came about seven years later. I was at a
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| | got to know one another, and I learned
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| time in my life when I wanted to do
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| | more about Canada than I ever wanted to
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| something adventurous. I thought about
| |
| | know. But, those conversations broadened
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| trying nature photography, but I couldn't
| |
| | my perspective of the world, and I
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| see how to make it happen.Then I came
| |
| | learned about myself. It was a great
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| across a copy of "Mountain Light," a
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| | experience hanging out with everyone.A
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| coffee-table book of nature photography
| |
| | few weeks after I returned home, I
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| by the late Galen Rowell. Rowell's work
| |
| | received letters from two members of the
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| featured the exotic light and perspective
| |
| | group where they expressed how much they
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| of images taken at the edges of the
| |
| | enjoyed my company.So I had reached my
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| world, high up in the mountains.But, what
| |
| | goal and photographed the mountains. For
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| caught my attention was that he was an
| |
| | awhile, I searched for a way to turn my
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| ex-car mechanic and self--taught
| |
| | passion into a part-time business. I did
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| photographer. Rowell, who was also a
| |
| | some shooting on vacations, and mounted a
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| world--class rock climber, started taking
| |
| | few exhibitions of my work. The highlight
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| pictures to share his adventures. He took
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| | of my career was when the Museum of
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| chances to realize his vision, and today
| |
| | Science and Industry in Chicago selected
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| his images are world--renowned for their
| |
| | one of my photographs for its annual art
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| magical qualities.Rowell's story and work
| |
| | show.The recognition was great, but I
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| inspired me. So I dusted off my camera
| |
| | managed to sell only a few photographs,
|
| and set an audacious goal. I decided to
| |
| | which was disappointing. Gradually, I
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| visit some of the landscapes Rowell had
| |
| | came to realize that when you follow a
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| photographed.I took a small first step. I
| |
| | dream, money might not be the best
|
| went to the bookstore and bought a couple
| |
| | measure your success. I see now that
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| of books on nature photography. I studied
| |
| | genuine success corresponds to personal
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| John Shaw's, "Complete Guide to Nature
| |
| | growth.And in that department, I've been
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| Photography Field Techniques." Once I
| |
| | a rousing success. I've seen some of the
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| learned the basics, I set out to get some
| |
| | beauty of the North American continent.
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| practice.The problem was I lived in
| |
| | I've met and connected with people from
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| Chicago, a place not known for its
| |
| | far away places, and learned we're all
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| natural beauty. The closest natural
| |
| | more or less the same. Above all, I've
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| wilderness to Chicago is the Indiana
| |
| | learned that "the bears" weren't lurking
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| Dunes. So, that's where I went.The trips
| |
| | in the forest waiting to get me, and I
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| were worth the effort. I entered one of
| |
| | had nothing fear. The adventure has been
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| the photographs I took at the Dunes into
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| | "Nothing but Blue Skies.
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| a local photography club contest and won
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| |
|
