Today I purchased a years membership to Garvan Gardens in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  Since I'm more serious about my photography now, I thought this would be an ideal situation.  They have year-round photo opportunities!

  On my way to Mountain View to speak at a men's retreat, I decided to stop in Heber Springs for some photos.  There are a few waterfalls there and we've had plenty of rain.  

I've learned that landscape photography puts you into some interesting situations.  If you really want a certain shot, you have to be willing to look a little crazy!  I've been wanting a sunrise shot over Lake Hamilton for awhile but wasn't quite sure where to go.  I used my favorite website, SunCalc, to see where the sunrise was coming from this time of year.  I guessed that the boat dock for the Clarion Hotel would be ideal so I headed that way when I noticed the great cloud formations in the sky this morning.  People really underestimate the time and effort that goes into planning landscape...

In Hot Springs, we are blessed to have some wonderful, caring people.  One local man, Dr. Kevin Hale, has built such a reputation in our community.  He lives just down the street from me and was gracious enough to allow me to take pictures on his property recently.  The land is gorgeous and I couldn't wait to get some photos of the mist rising from one of the ponds in the golden glow of a sunrise!

I often take Fridays off from my "real job" and enjoy some photography time.  I was hoping to find some fall colors before it was too late.  Oh, and this was my first time shooting since I got my Nikon D600 back from repair!  :D

I had a little time this afternoon to visit a place known for some incredible rapids: Cossatot Falls.  This isn't really a waterfall as much as just some crazy big rapids.  The word "Cossatot" apparently is a rough French translation to "Skull Crusher."  Expert kayakers like to brave these rapids... crazy!  Imagine all these rocks with roaring waters over them!

My brother and I decided to hike near Forked Mountain in search of a couple of waterfalls.  This mountain is simply amazing!  The photo doesn't do it justice.  It's a lone hill that towers over all the other surroundings.  At the top are some incredible bluffs.

Is it an unwritten rule that every photographer must have a website for their gallery and blog?  I've decided to follow the trend and create my own.  On the blog I'll be sharing what I hope will be inspirational photos and writings for you.  This picture was my first attempt at capturing a sunrise.  The sun had not yet peaked over the horizon which gave me some beautiful colors to work with.  I love how the horizon is vibrant with orange and red yet the rest of the sky is still a deep blue.  You can even spot some stars in the top right of the photo.    My favorite part of this photo...