Find Your Wild Place

Over the past several years, I have been fortunate to travel to wild places that I never imagined I would. I have floated down the Amazon River and hiked in the famed Galapagos Islands. I have photographed birds and reptiles in the rainforests of Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Honduras. I have stood under magnificent waterfalls in Iceland, climbed in the Highlands of Scotland, and sat amidst the grandeur of Yosemite National Park. I have walked in the remote wilderness of Alaska and withstood the heat of Death Valley. I have heard and seen the start of a new day from my tent on the Serengeti, walked along historic rivers in the heart of Yellowstone’s raw, primal lands, and watched sunrise kiss the Grand Tetons with first light. Happily, I have traveled far to experience some extraordinary and wild places. Most days, I can’t believe I have had such experiences. Every day, I am beyond grateful for every moment I have enjoyed in the distant wild. However, on Wednesday, I was vividly reminded that a vast, powerful, seductive, and beautiful wilderness is only 15 miles from my home. When visiting Plum Island, I quickly noticed the interesting light, fascinating sky, and raging surf. Thankfully, I had a camera with me. I have spent the majority of my life living near the ocean, but like many other things in life, we take for granted what we routinely see. It only took a few moments, standing in that light, under that sky, while watching those enormous waves, to feel the same feelings I get in the distant wild: pure admiration, wonder, and a sense of peacefulness. Faraway wilderness adventures are great, but we must remember that finding a sense of the wild and personal solitude is often closer than we think. Get outdoors and find your place.

Photograph What You Feel

Fuji XT5

Fuji 16-55mm f2.8II Lens

Plum Island Sea

Plum Island ICM

Plum Island Ocean View