The Guardian

Early one brisk morning this fall I gathered my jacket and gloves, pulled on my warm beanie, slung my tripod and camera over my shoulder and headed out to meet my new friends for our on location photography workshop. Our wonderful instructor and his wife brought us to this amazing location on the north side of the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff. This was the site of a 1996 forest fire, one of our worst fire seasons in the area in recent history. Immediately I saw this spectacular crazy tree and was completely mesmerized by it. I spent almost all my time photographing him as the sun rose higher showering his branches and the surrounding meadow in golden light and long shadows. It seemed I kept waiting for his arms to move, he entranced me. Try as I might to turn and photograph something else, he drew me back. I kept thinking about the Ents in Lord of the Rings, the trees that came alive when danger was near to guard and protect the forest. Knowing the burn history here it felt as if he was standing guard, not allowing the fire to pass, even sacrificing himself to save the beautiful forest behind him. Through the tragedy new life appears once again in the grasses and shrubs, the ground is now fertile, a cleansing, what was old has been made new. The scars are evident and it will be a long time before the trees return but healing and renewal have begun… so beautiful and full of hope.

Custom Framed Original 24×36 $4,885

Canvas Giclee-Gallery Wrapped 24×36 $550

Canvas Giclee-Standard 24×36 $510

Canvas Giclee-Gallery Wrapped 20×30 $410

Canvas Giclee-Standard 20×30 $375

Canvas Giclee-Gallery Wrapped 16×24 $290

Canvas Giclee-Standard 16×24 $260