While scouting the rural area near my home, I discovered this beautiful patch of wild Black-eyed Susan. I returned the next day at dawn, anticipating the potential for a beautiful sunrise, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Just off one the backroads near my home in Macoupin County, I shot this wonderful scene. Smoke from western fires filters the sky allowing me to shoot long after sunrise. Ground fog clings to a field of mid-season soybeans in low-lying bottoms.

This is a favorite spot of mine. I love it’s eastern exposure, fence line and seasonal changes. Dawning Anticipation, which I shot in 2016, was photographed about 30 yards from where I’m standing. Photographers always talk about filtered light and use a variety of techniques to achieve their goals. For weeks, wild fires in the west have raged out-of-control. Smoke from the fires have made its way across the country, creating a haze in the early morning sky. This acts as a filter against harsh sunlight and creates warm hues of morning color.

I found this composition while photographing a nearby fence line. Wild goldenrod grows in the foreground and midground of a hillside surrounded by trees. I love how the elements come together in a painterly way.

It’s summer, which means farmers harvest hay to sell or feed. The hillside above the fields below would have been filled with bales of recently cut hay. However, I was too late and all the bales had been picked up. Fortunately, one was left behind and I was able to come up with one simple composition.

For me, Winter offers fewer photographic opportunities. On this foggy, January day, I was able to capture three shots: January Fog, Heart of Winter and Winter Color. The compositions were simplified by snow and dense fog, revealing the lines and shapes typically hidden throughout the year. There’s a general sense of peace and calm in an otherwise cold and overcast day. All three images are similar, making them great for grouping.

For me, Winter offers fewer photographic opportunities. On this foggy, January day, I was able to capture three shots: January Fog, Heart of Winter and Winter Color. The compositions were simplified by snow and dense fog, revealing the lines and shapes typically hidden throughout the year. There’s a general sense of peace and calm in an otherwise cold and overcast day. All three images are similar, making them great for grouping.

While shooting nearby, I passed this dirt road that separates a field of corn and beans. The road winds into the distant trees, pulling you deeper into the scene, just as the sun filters through the last of the morning fog.

I found this composition between stops to the laundromat. I usually don’t like midday photos but couldn’t pass up this small outcropping of trees against the ominous sky. The sun popped out from behind illuminating the field and tree.

I’ve photographed this tree many times at different angles. I always wanted a shot of fog shrouding the tree and pasture, finally getting an opportunity in mid-July when ground fog rolled in and out of the lower parts of pasture.

Sunrise is a magical time of day; the early light spills across the landscape revealing the best of Mother Nature. This shot is truly one of my favorites; the combination of cool fog and warm sunrise tones, embrace each other in a moment of quiet reflection, that fuels the spirit. - Limited Edition print.