Colorado Fly Fishing Photographer

Fly Fishing the Big Thompson River

If you’re a fly fisherman living in or visiting the Denver/Boulder area, then you’re a happy person. The diverse river access within 30 minutes to a couple hours is incredible. A couple weeks ago I was out shooting on a stunning section of the Big Thompson River outside of Loveland, Colorado with a couple guides from Front Range Anglers - John Brown and Charlie Schaefer. Both really solid guys and extremely talented/knowledgable about everything fly fishing. If you’re in need of a guide, give their shop a call. They’ll take good care of you.

The day we went out was their day off, so they were checking out a particular section of the Big Thompson to see how it was fishing, to know whether or not it was worth bringing clients there. As things turned out, the river was fishing great! John and Charlie both got into a lot of trout, with a handful of them around or above 20 inches. Some really beautiful specimens. Even the “smaller” trout they netted would be a big win for most people. Any day on a river is fun, but it’s always extra special when you get a mix of weather, fall color, and the fish are hungry. We did some hiking up and down the stretch which presented a lot of different water with some incredible backdrops that made for great photography, but there was a lot of learning to be had too, just by watching them fish. They were both euro nymphing the entire time, using one fly - a mop or an egg. It’s amazing what you can soak in if you just sit and watch. I’ve only been back in Colorado a few months now and still have to pinch myself every time I’m on a river. I love it here so much.

Click HERE to check out more of my fly fishing photography and contact me directly to inquire about prints - rob@robhammerphotography.com

Colorado Fly Fishing Photography

Fly fishing guides on the Big Thompson River

Fly Fishing in fall color in Colorado

Fall fly fishing in Colorado

Fly fishing the Big Thompson River

Rainbow trout jumping out of the river

Netting a Rainbow Trout on the Big Thompson River

John Brown of Front Range Anglers having a laugh during a day on the river

Fly fishing guides from Front Range Anglers

Looking for trout on the Big Thompson River

Tree roots growing out of a rock

Charlie Schaefer netting a trout on the Big Thompson River outside Loveland, Colorado

A beautiful Rainbow Trout

Fall colors in the river in Colorado

Hardy fly rod and reel

One handed

Netting a large Rainbow Trout

A fly fisherman smiles while holding a trophy Rainbow trout
Fly fisherman on the Big Thompson River in Colorado - Black and White Photography

Big Thompson River Fly Fishing

Setting the hook

A proper bend in the rod

Won’t forget this one

Charlie Schaefer - Front Range Anglers

The big ones put up a good fight

Textbook Rainbow Trout

Moving up river

Fly Fishing the Big Thompson River surrounded by fall color in Colorado

Duck Decoy Carver - Zach Benson

Famous Duck Decoy Carver

The world of waterfowl hunting is a niche that gets ever smaller when you start looking at world class duck decoy carvers. Like any fine art, the elites are in narrow company. Zach Benson is in that group. He began carving in college out of not being able to afford a decoy spread to hunt over. Years later he is known the world over for his one of a kind works of art. The process starts by harvesting cedar trees from his own property. That wood is then milled and laid to dry in his barn. After about a year it’s ready to use, at which point he hand carves each bird, then lays layer upon layer of oil paint.

WHAT MAKES A WORLD CLASS DUCK DECOY?

Early on Benson competed in shows like the Clayton Decoy Show and the Oregon Waterfowl festival. Both of which were great learning experiences, but he quickly learned that they came with too many rules. Art of any kind is subjective, but awards weren’t necesarily given to the best decoy, rather to the one that followed the rules. It did leave any room for creativity. The “winners” were birds that checked every box. So competing didn’t last long for Benson. He wanted to create art, not cookie cutter ducks. Now, the look he is so famously known for is an angry duck in an uncommon position. His ducks have attitude. They are one of a kind. So you’ll still see him year after year at the Clayton Decoy Show in Ohio, but not on the competition floor. Like a lot of other carvers, he shows newwork out of his hotel room - where people are encouraged to walk around room to room with a beer in hand. Aside from that, you have to follow Zach on Instagram, where he is very low key, sharing new work in his stories. And if you wait to long on purchasing his latest piece, it will already be gone.

Check out the article below which was published in the most recent issue of Wildfowl Magazine. You can also learn more about him from the VIDEO we made a short while back with Benelli.

Photograph of the best duck decoy carver

Famous duck decoy carver Zach Benson

Mammoth, California Photographs

Photography Gallery - Mammoth, California

Wall Art - Prints

The town and resort of Mammoth had was hit with a record breaking snow storm recently. Not sure what the final tally was, but it had to be well over 100 inches in the span of a week or so, transforming it into a winter wonderland. Emily and I took a trip up there just for fun. The resort was a shitshow and avalanche danger in the backcountry was far too high, so we didn’t even snowboard. Instead we just enjoyed the vibe of being in that much snow. It’s an incredible sight that brings out the best and worst in people. Some can’t help but be giddy, while others lose any amount of common sense they ever had. The first morning we walked out of our airbnb to a shovelfest in the parking lot. It was chaos. From one end of the lot to the other was nothing but people digging out their vehicles. Most of which were Tesla’s and BMW’s that had no business being there to begin with.

That day we rented cross country skis and literally toured around the empty sidewalks, which felt more like tunnels through a maze because the snow on each side was so high. Not my favorite activity, but it was a blast that day. Grateful to witness nature like that. What a time to be alive.

Contact me directly for inquiries about wall art of Mammoth Lakes, California. Prints available in multiple sizes.

The Sierra Nevada Resort in Mammoth Lakes, California after a huge snowstorm

Sierra Nevada Resort in Mammoth Lakes, California

Schat's Bakery in Mammoth Lakes, California covered in snow after a massive snow storm

Schat’s Bakery - Mammoth, California

A massive winter snow storm in Mammoth Lakes, California

Photograph of a record breaking snow storm in Mammoth Lakes, CA

A snowboarder walks down the street after a massive winter snow storm in Mammoth Lakes, California

Streets covered in snow after a record storm in Mammoth Lakes, CA

A basketball hoop completely covered in snow after a record breaking winter storm in Mammoth Lakes, California

Winter in Mammoth, CA

A car completely covered in snow after a massive winter storm in Mammoth Lakes, California

Photograph of a car covered in snow after a storm in Mammoth Lakes, CA

Schat's Bakery and other local businesses covered in snow after a massive winter storm in Mammoth Lakes, California

Snow storm in Sierra Nevada Mountains in California

A-Frame Liquor store covered in snow after a record breaking winter storm in Mammoth Lakes, California

Liquor Store - Mammoth, California

Buildings covered in snow after a record breaking winter storm in Mammoth Lakes, California

Photograph of a Mammoth California restaurant covered in snow

Mammoth Liquor Store covered in snow after a record breaking storm in Mammoth Lakes, California

Photograph of Mammoth Liquor covered in snow after a record breaking storm

Al Swanson - Master Wood Worker

American Woodworker and Craftsman

Al Swanson - Helena, Montana

It’s been such a pleasure working with and getting to know Al Swanson. If you’re in the fly fishing world, and don’t know who he is, take some time to learn about his work. It’s exceptional. And the way we came to know each other makes this even better. I’m honored to share his story with words and photos in the latest issue of the Drake Magazine. Here is the unedited version of that story:



Losing a parent is never easy, and really there’s only one acceptable way for it to happen - old age. Al Swanson lost both of his to cancer by the time he was 44. Seven years later he himself was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the right tonsil. A baneful hand to be dealt even for the most optimistic of people. Yet optimism is all you get from Al. He’s never the victim. If any of his dialogue on life’s recent catastrophe ever deviates from the positive, you can only go as far as putting it into the “matter of fact” category. 


Swanson grew up on a farm in Portland, Maine in his fathers workshop surrounded by hardwood trees where they would make necessities out of necessity. In his early 20’s dad bought a sawmill which helped fuel the creative fire, but his sights were set on golf course management. He eventually found employment on a course yet couldn’t resist spending most hours building with wood (not part of the job description). Later a family friend took Al under his woodworking wing, at which point it became obvious he had found his calling, and the stage was set. 1995 was the year things took shape in a tuna can of an apartment where he turned the 10x12 bedroom into his first workshop making side tables, checker, and charcuterie boards. Not huge money makers, but each one a learning lesson that would afford a new tool for the quiver and unhappy neighbors.


1996 found him 2,100 miles west in Montana doing odd and ends carpentry for a private client where Big Sky Country genuinely flowed into his yet cancerless body. As romantic as the country was, a year or so passed and he realized “home is back there” - speaking of the east where most of his family and friends still lived. 98’ brought him again back to Helena for a visit with his sister. Almost immediately after that trip “I packed up every tool I owned and drove out there with all sorts of piss and vinegar to help me figure it out. I can make a mark out there. Nobody is doing what I’m doing in Montana.” Turns out that piss and vinegar did the trick. The work improved exceedingly over time and began getting noticed, with each piece sold leading to bigger projects and higher paying clients. His road was also paved with plenty of discouragement as every worthwhile venture is. Nevertheless by 2006 he had a showroom/gallery space in downtown Helena highlighting his striking one of a kind furniture as well as paintings by other local artists he personally invited in. Business was boomin’. Al’s work was being shipped to customers all over the world. 

Back east Al had done some traditional ocean fishing for striped bass and such. In Montana “everyone was fly fishing”. He was taken with the sport, as well as the magnetic beauty of the storied rivers, and thus learned to cast. Al was in. All in. One day he noticed his guide friends picking up rich out of towners from the hotel to go fishing and wondered “How could I give them a little piece of Montana to take home?” From that the idea was eventually born for the now patented and coveted Al Swanson exotic wood fly boxes and rod holders inlaid with sophisticated fly/fish patterns made from crushed stone, metals, Abalone, and Mother of Pearl.  Although it took quite some time and even more headaches to actually get the ball rolling. The products that now make up 60% of his business were ultimately sent afloat by a chance encounter in 2014 with a customer Al almost turned away when he asked him to fix a mangled net found at the Brimfield Antique Fly Market in the Berkshires (Massachusetts). The shop was so busy keeping up with custom furniture orders that fly fishing products weren’t even a thought. Yet he couldn’t say no to the stranger passionately pleading for the net he hoped could be a special gift for his son. “Do you know who that is?” an employee asked Al afterward. Enter Perk Perkins - CEO of a little fly fishing company called Orvis. “Lucky for me Al is an artist, so he gets tempted by unique things'' -says Simon Perkins (the son and current president of Orvis) of the beautiful rebuilt net he went on to use 100 days a year for 8 years of guiding on the Smith, Blackfoot, and Missouri Rivers. Where he “beat the hell” out of the net as a walking staff, crow bar for dislodging his drift boat from rocks, and netting incalculable numbers of fish. Ironic considering the initial reaction to his fathers gift was “I can’t use this. It’s too nice”. Saying yes to the net ignited an organic relationship between Al and a company that shared a high commitment to quality and a synergy of beliefs. At that point Swanson and Simon weren’t close friends, but Helena is a small community, so they ran into each other at the Blackfoot Brewery, poker games, concerts, and of course, the river. So later on when Al approached Simon with the first rendition of the fly box, it was a no brainer. “We loved everything Al stood for. His art and attention to detail, the story telling nature of the work, love of fly fishing, and his understanding that the sport connects you to the land” said Simon. Of course with model names like “The Blackfoot” and “The Missouri” they told stories specific to the Montana fisheries that Orvis naturally wanted to share. Perkins said “My dad loved giving unique gifts, which translated to the company’s cultural desire to curate unique products for our customers.”  In 2016 Orvis ordered 500 boxes from Swanson to be featured in their holiday gift catalog. Swanson Studios had neither the inventory or knowledge to fulfill such an order, but he figured it out and that relationship is still alive today. 

January 2019 life started getting weird during his son Gabriel’s hockey trip to Canada when a nagging sore throat came on that just wouldn’t quit. Back in Helena he had a biopsy done which came up negative, “but I didn’t believe it” Al said. His suspicions were confirmed after another biopsy at a facility in Missoula showed an isolated tumor in the right tonsil. Filled with ominous thoughts of his parents fate it was imperative he quickly make one of two choices: do the operation to remove the cancer or deal with the hell storm of chemotherapy and radiation. He chose option one and in April of that same year a Davinci Robot removed all the poison from his body. Or so he thought. “One year to the button a familiar pain came back that totally freaked me out”. Sure enough, a PET Scan showed a plethora of microscopic tumors that could only be cured by option number 2. The first go round wasn’t so bad, but now he was dealing with treatments to the head and neck that cause some of the worst pain a human can endure. “All the things you take for granted like talking, eating, drinking, and breathing are excruciating. They cut the living shit out of me and turned my brain into mashed potatoes.” This all occurred during the first major COVID shutdown, so not only did Al have to drive himself to the hospital, he wasn’t allowed to have any visitors. Alone is bad company when you’re falling down a black hole. Eating was no longer a matter of need, it was a matter of can’t. The pain was too much, so he went from his fighting weight of 201 down to 151 in ten days. Every waking hour was spent  wondering if he had any kind of future, while also facing the reality of not being able to single handedly run a business or take care of his 13 year old son while a glacial mountain of hospital bills piled up. “If I don’t work, there’s no money”. Month after agonizing month passed of eating through an IV, steroids, opiates, vomiting, radiation burning his body from the inside out and “not knowing what tomorrow is going to bring until it comes. Then you wake up and realize all it’s brought is pain”. That was his immediate and unavoidable truth. It’s also where optimism comes into play. “I decided I wasn’t going to sit there and let it beat me. I was going to surround myself with awesome people, and awesome people showed up.” The first ray of sunshine came in the form of a cardboard box delivered to his doorstep. On it was a hand drawn smiley face and inside was a white canvas rod tube personally autographed by Simon and his entire team. Along with positive vibes that tube also housed a brand new Helios. Not long after his dear friend Mary Hibbard came to the rescue. She had the idea to start a fundraiser for Al and said “we’re doing it and you don’t have a choice”. Swanson has never been the type to want help so this became added discomfort to his every day. Turns out though, when you spend 25 years selflessly giving to your community, that same community jumps at the chance to give back. Mary did the thing right. They shut down the streets for a band, auctioneer, food, and over 1,000 people showed up that collectively raised over 70k for Al.

This is where I come in. A photographer and writer on a trip with my wife and dog. Mojo and I drove from San Diego. She flew. After a morning skunk session on the Spokane River we popped in a Coeur d’ Alene art gallery. The kind women working there looked at my “Mission Bay Fly Fishing” hat and asked if I was a fly fisherman. Not wanting to be hassled into buying one of their arresting Mel McCudden paintings I said “yes, but I’m not very good”, and kept moving. She followed and inquired if I ever heard of Al Swanson. I hadn’t, but that was where the conversation took a turn and led to me drooling over images of Al’s rod holders on the computer behind their front desk. Before she could talk me into pulling my credit card out, I left  with two thoughts - it would be an honor to own some of his work that seemed more fit for a museum than the river, but also that it would be fun to shoot a story on Al in action at his workshop, wherever that might be. After a few days in Idaho we drove on to northern Montana and Glacier National Park. Fall was in its prime. Everywhere you looked nature was putting on a show. Colors. Wildlife. Rainbows. Sunshine one minute and snow the next. Needless to say we didn’t want to leave when the time came. Nevertheless, our reluctant trek started down to Bozeman where Emily was scheduled for her return flight home. After 3 or 4 hours of driving through Montana’s majesty all 3 of us needed to stretch our legs and eat some lunch. So we pulled off The 15 into the next town that just happened to be Helena. Aimlessly walking by several quaint storefronts my eyes looked up just long enough to notice a large poster with the headline  “Al Swanson - Charcuterie for a Cause” - aka the $70,000 event. It was all too much to ignore, so I sent Al an email. A week later we spoke on the phone for about an hour when he candidly shared his transmigration of the past few years. Before knowing the destruction he’d been through I just wanted to document him at work to be able to show others his art. After our talk it was obvious that more good could be done by sharing his story with the fly fishing community. 3 weeks later I was on a flight to Helena. December 1, 2021 we met at a local bar, came up with a plan over whisky to shoot the next day at his shop, and the following on the river. That next morning arrived quickly with a text from Al “not sure what’s wrong with me, but I think I need to go to the hospital”. My responses were unmatched. Not knowing what to do I went to the shop where his one full time employee and CNC master Patrick Sever was already at it along with Jeff Miller- a long time friend and former employee who dropped his life in Arizona to fly up and help keep the shop moving (for free) in Al’s absence.  Al and Jeff met in the early 2000’s when Jeff was living in Helena. ”He came to town and I had never seen anything like his work. What he was doing is unsurpassed”. They had a few conversations at the gallery over the next couple years, but it wasn’t until Jeff’s wife bought him a workshop with Al that their relationship really took hold. Miller was retired by that point and had lots of extra time to spend on his love of woodworking. So he started helping Swanson out with deliveries and the less crucial furniture tasks until his skills were up to par. “Al is a wonderfully talented guy and generous to a fault. For an artist of his caliber, he’s incredibly open with his knowledge” says Miller. He also stressed how much Al cares about the final product. “If it’s not right, it’s not going out the door”. A few hours later he confirmed that Al was in the hospital but that was about all he knew. I spent some time making images at the shop, which from the outside, is quite inconspicuous. Any passerby would have no idea that world class wooden art is continuously made and shipped from something so nondescript.  After a bit of shooting I left not knowing what was ahead for Al who was scheduled to have another test in 2 weeks to determine if the cancer had come back. A month went by until I heard from him again. “That was the sickest I’ve ever been” he said of the day we were supposed to shoot at his place. He had a copious amount of healing still to do. 

Late January 2022 I was headed back up to Montana for another story not far from Helena and text Al to see if he was strong enough for some action on the river. “It’s full on winter here. Windy as hell and freezing cold………whatever, I can handle it”. Couple days later we met in front of his house at 6am where I jumped in his truck on the way to the Missouri River and asked “How are you?” “It’s been a journey!” he said with that same positive and matter of fact inflection. There was almost a hint of humor in there too. Things were changing for the better. Sunrise wasn’t for almost two hours so all we had was conversation about what happened since our brief visit in December, including the debauchery leading to his hospitalization that morning. A battery of medication that didn’t play well together including a daily steroid (Prednisone) mouth rinse to help with the open lesions and ulcers prescribed by an outside doctor unbeknownst to his inhouse team. After taking it for months he was told to stop, but it’s not a drug you can quit Cold Turkey. His body reacted, losing total function in his legs and arms while laying in bed, barely summoning the strength to text his son for help. It was a fluke that his son was home at all that day. Al regained consciousness inside a CT Scan where it was determined he had acute adrenal failure, then admitted to the hospital for an extended stay. Al’s insides were once again shattered but he had dodged another bullet. Luckily the problem was promptly addressed and he was set on the course of healing. If not, there’s zero doubt that would be the end of his story.  

For a Montana winter it was a pretty balmy day at 30 degrees. Yet plenty cold enough for the feeling in my hands to go away after just a few minutes of shooting. Al didn’t complain though. He just slipped fluidly into the near freezing river and began casting with the grace of someone half his age whose body didn’t spend the last three years in purgatory. He hadn’t seen a river in months, let alone stand in one. Science just wouldn’t allow it. Yet there he was, back home in a sense, finally doing something he loves in the very same place Lewis and Clark once stood in 1805. And as long as we’re name dropping I’ll do it for Al because he won’t. On top of being an Orvis staple he’s also made custom boxes and tubes for people like Jimmy Kimmel, Michael Keaton, and Tucker Carlson. Today, at least as of our latest phone conversation,  he’s really turned the corner and is riding the wave. Despite frequent doctor check-ups, daily pain, weaning off opiates, and having 5+ years left before the radiation fully leaves his body, optimism is at an all time peak after the latest PET Scan showed the cancer had been eradicated. Still knowing full well that part of the future isn’t in his control,  he presses on, consumed by his desire to create. “I can attribute most of my mental healing to my craft. Don’t know what I’d do without it.” Even when you factor in the merciless misery he’s faced over the last 3 years, not being in his shop could be the worst part for him. Now that he’s finally able to be Al Swanson again, I asked if he has plans for new products. To which he ensures there is plenty in store, for both furniture and fly fishing. “I’ve also got a 16 year old son that I want to see grow up”. His friends all tell him he should write a book because, as they say, “he’s been to hell and back”.   


Alaska Fly Fishing Photography

Alaska Fly Fishing - Drake Magazine

Fly Fishing Photography - Adventure - Culture

Another post about personal projects…….

If you’re a fly fisherman then you know The Drake for it’s exceptional photography and writing. So I’m very proud to say that this article you see from the latest issue contains not just my photographs but my words as well. A first for me. Beyond that I’m also grateful that the article is about my friend Zach Benson - an Alaskan fly fishing guide, hunter, duck decoy artist, father, and New York State Trooper. It would be hard to find something more satisfying than hanging out with a friend in Alaska and turning that experience into something like a magazine article, ad campaign, image license, etc. As my career goes on though, this type of thing has become a huge focus. Using my passion/skill as a means to help people I care about. People that deserve it. People as passionate about their craft as I am about mine. For many years I got paid to photograph famous athletes, which is really cool as a young photographer looking to make a name for himself. Then as time goes on you realize it’s all bullshit. And most of the time clients want to create boring images that will do nothing but sell a boring product. That’s not to say there aren’t some really great brands out there that are fun to shoot with. For the most part though, nobody wants to take any chances. They want to play it safe. I don’t know what the Drake’s circulation is? Minuscule when compared to that of a company with reach like the Nike’s of the world. Still though, I’d rather shoot this stuff 8 days a week. And just for the record, The Drake didn’t hire me to shoot this story on Zach. It was a self assigned project that I pitched to them and they bit. No pun intended.

Long live the personal project.

Click here to see more of my fly fishing photography

American Road Trip

As has become standard, the miles are piling up this season even with it be an extremely dry winter around the western states. Really unfortunate for the ski industry. I’m sure Vail is doing ok though!!??

Seems repetitive to say that this “last” road trip was great, memorable, productive, etc. etc. etc., but reporting otherwise would be a lie. Time on the road really is a special adventure that should never be taken for granted, nor should it ever be rushed. Grateful not just for the time spent in Montana, but also for the two stories I worked on and will be sharing more of soon. After Montana it was south to Colorado for a hut trip in the Gore Range which was truly unforgettable. The longer I snowboard the less desire and patience I have to ride at a resort. Being in the backcountry is always rewarding, but being in a hut with good friends miles and miles away from everything else is in a whole different category.

Images coming soon.

Duck Hunting Photography

Waterfowl Hunting - Photography

It’s strange the way timing works in the world. We were working on the Carved in the Chapel documentary with my buddy Zach Benson for a few years and when it was finally set to be released on December 22nd, we happened to be together for a hunt on one of the Finger Lakes near Geneva, New York. Grateful for that.

It has to be about more than the hunt. Same goes for everything I do, but this is a hunting post, so we’ll stick to that. If your only reason for hunting is to kill an animal, then you don’t deserve to be out there. Sure that’s part of it, but there’s so much more than that. You have to like the journey and the effort. The Suffer Fest. I personally love all the other aspects surrounding a hunt just as much as the hunt itself. The anticipation. Getting there. Waking up early and not knowing if you’ll even be lucky enough to see a duck, let alone get one close enough where you have the opportunity to shoot it. If the kill were guaranteed, all the fun would be gone. There are a million things I could add to this list, like camaraderie, but we’ll leave it there for now.

Good times that day. Looking forward to the next one.

Benelli - Carved in the Chapel

Duck Hunting Documentary - Benelli

Waterfowl Culture - Photography

It’s a real honor to end 2021/begin 2022 with the introduction of this project that’s been a long time coming. Story telling is something I’ve become very passionate about but it becomes even more fun when you are able to tell the story of someone that’s just as passionate about what they do. And then the cherry on top comes when that person and all the people you’re working with are your friends. I’m very grateful for everything about this project and to be able to tell Zach Benson’s story. He’s a wildly talented guy that’s overflowing with enthusiasm for waterfowl hunting as well as the one of a kind duck decoys that he creates from scratch.

This was one of the first times that I chose to step away from the camera for the most part. Instead taking on the producer role and had a lot of fun with working with a team to create something we are all proud of. All of the beautiful visuals you see were shot by Jordan Valente. We really had a blast making this thing. Loved every second of it. The early mornings. Late nights. Days standing nipple deep in 50 degree water. Laughs. Good food. Whisky. Laughs. All of it.

Please enjoy this 14 minute documentary and feel free to share it with anyone you know that might appreciate Zach’s story. And you can follow along with him on Instagram @benson_decoys or on his website www.zach-benson.com

You can also view more of Jordan Valente’s work at www.amilewest.com Another part of the team was Stephen Werk who did a lot of the editing along with Jordan. He’s got a beautiful documentary of his own out called Sons of Mezcal.

Benelli - Carved in the Chapel

Fly Fishing - Crested Butte, CO

Taylor River Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing Photography - Colorado

Sometimes you think the sun is going to help with the cold and on certain days is does. For all the rest of the days, it’s easiest to just accept the fact that you won’t feel your hands again until you get back to the truck. At which point you’ll need to put a koozie around your beer just so they don’t get any worse. Thankfully this wasn’t one of those. It’s only the middle of October but that doesn’t matter. If you spend time in the mountains then you know an early summer morning can feel oddly similar to winter. It’s got to be part of that whole love/hate thing.

It’s safe to assume that most western fly fisherman, in the beginning at least, are only concentrated on the rainbow trout. It’s put up on a pedestal. The trophy. The goal. Won’t deny having those same feelings, but that’s all changed over time, as everything does. Now, in my opinion, brown trout are king. Their colors and markings are really special.Now, In the name of transparency this isn’t my fish, but my friend caught it while I was shooting. Which means I was sort of catching it vicariously through him. That’s the only way I’ve found to calm the urge to set the camera down and replace it with a fly rod. It’s a vicious cycle that I’m trying to be at peace with. On the scale of problems, it’s a good one to have. Snowboarding is the only thing I do that absolutely won’t involve a camera unless it’s the one on my phone. Fly fishing on the other hand is a constant battle.

Good times on the Taylor River that day.

Click here to see more of my Fly Fishing photography

Fly Fishing Photography

Alaska Fly Fishing

It’s a shame that I’m not better with words to accurately describe the experience of fly fishing in Alaska. Never done it down in South America, so I can’t compare, but nevertheless Alaska is on a whole different level than most places you’ll ever experience. A lot of the reason for that is the remote locations you go to fish that are only accessible by float plane. The plane rides alone are worth the price of admission, but they also let you know just how isolated you are from the rest of the world. I love Alaska. More to come from this trip soon…

Click here to see more of my fly fishing photography

Colorado Fly Fishing Photographer

11 Mile Canyon Fly Fishing - Colorado

Nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains not far from Lake George, Colorado - 11 Mile Canyon is a breathtaking destination that attracts fly fishing aficionados with its crystal-clear waters, stunning scenery, and abundant fish species that offer an unforgettable experience for anglers.

Colorado is known for its breathtaking mountain ranges, lush forests, and serene lakes. The backcountry canyon section of the South Platte River offers a unique opportunity to escape the crowds of fisherman, immerse yourself in nature, and find solitude on the water. Fly fishing in these remote areas not only allows you to connect with the environment but also gives you access to wild, untouched fisheries teeming with life.

Click here to see more of my fly fishing images

Fly Fishing the Owens River

Owens River Fly Fishing

Mammoth Lakes, California - Winter

Some time over the past couple months has been spent archiving my library of images which is a hell of a process. Sorta seems like moving houses in that you have no idea how many stuff you’ve accumulated over the years until it’s necessary to move it. Archiving my library is daunting but necessary. Should have been doing it all along. A lesson I’ve learned during this process is how easy it is to forget about images once they sit on hard drives for a certain period of time. Life goes on. You get busy. Commercial shooting and other paying projects get put on the front burner. So now I’m faced with having to archive 10+ years of imagery onto a separate site that will allow the images to be licensed instead of collecting dust on a shelf. That aside, it brings a lot of joy to see images from trips past that I haven’t looked at since they happened. Also brings the thought of travel to the forefront and what COVID has done to the possibility of doing it at all. Internationally at least.

The images you see here are from a camping trip last year to Lone Pine, CA in the Alabama Hills. On the way out we hit the Owens River briefly to see if there were any trout hanging out in a particular section we’d never been to. Turns out, there weren’t……

Click HERE for an archive of fly fishing imagery which will is still a work in progress and always will be as my library continues to grow.

San Diego Magazine -Hiking and Biking

San Diego Hiking Trails

Fun assignment a month or two back for San Diego Magazine shooting the cover/feature for their Hiking and Biking issue which seems to be a recurring thing for me. It’s been a great way to get out into parts of San Diego that I’ve never seen before. The cover “model” was Karlene Chavis - Chief Meteorologist for CBS 8. She a big hiker and was awesome to shoot/talk with during the couple hours we were out on the trail. It never gets old interacting with the real person that you don’t get to see/know on TV. I’m not at all implying that she is fake while doing the news, but there is only so much a person can do during their live broadcast. And when someone is on television, the public develops a persona for them and they are expected to always act a certain way. So whenever you’re able to see a newscaster, athlete, celebrity, etc. as just normal, not someone putting on a facade, it’s quite refreshing.

Click here to see more of my adventure photography

San Diego Magazine - Best hiking trails in San Diego

San Diego Magazine - Best hiking trails in San Diego

Gun Dog Magazine

Duck Hunting Photography

Zach Benson - Duck Decoy Carver

Seems like personal projects are a constant topic here, but it doesn’t matter because it’s something I’m very passionate about and want people to hear. For photographers, there is nothing more valuable than the personal project. Nothing. I love shooting for certain commercial clients, but put just as much if not more time into personal projects. What you see here is a piece I’m honored to post because it involves time spent with people I care about. I’ve known Zach Benson since elementary school where we were close friends. He’s an extremely skilled hunter and an even better artist. Nick Yetto is my cousin, but also happens to be a brilliant writer. The three of us grew up in the same town and went to the same schools. Then life, as it tends to do, sent us all in different directions. Fast forward to last year around this time, I was fortunate to spend 4 amazing days with Zach documenting his hunts, the creation of his beautiful decoys, ate lots of good food, had lots of laughs, and drank plenty of booze. Then I teamed up with Nick to write a piece that would tell Zach’s story along with my images. To be clear, my intention first and foremost, was to hang out with Zach while also having fun with the camera. Being in these situations I find it impossible not to document what’s happening. I also appreciate his lifestyle and enormous talent as an artist. A person that others with shared interests should know about. And I feel a responsibility as a photographer to help others learn about him.

Back to the personal project. It’s important as photographers that we don’t feel as though we need permission to do what we love. We don’t need to sit around waiting or begging for a dream client to hire us. That’s nonsense. Photographers should go out on their own and create exactly what it is they feel drawn to. Worry about everything else later. Just go out and have fun with the camera. Then, if it turns out the way it’s supposed to, the work will find a home. But you can’t worry about the home in the beginning. Just shoot for yourself and you’ll find that the images will turn out better. I’m really honored toothat the good times had with Zach and Nick wound up in Gun Dog Magazine because his story will be read by those that appreciate him the most. It also feels good to do these things with people I care about in our own way and on our own terms. Nobody hired me to do this or told me how to do it. This collaboration is something that continues between Nick and I. Something I’m also grateful for because it brings me closer to my cousin, who I’ve been apart from for so long. We currently have another piece (unrelated to duck hunting) due to come out at the beginning of 2021, and he also wrote the intro for my soon to be released Hoops book.

You can follow Zach on Instagram @benson_decoys

Click here to check out Nick Yetto’s novel Sommelier of Deformity

ROAD TRIP

After 5+ months of Stay at Home it seems like I’m more than making up for the downtime with plenty of miles on the road. Very thankful for it. After last months trip up to Wyoming, I just completed a ride out Colorado - a place very special to me where I hope to one day have a second home. If the route you see on the map looks weird, that’s because it is. As usual, I started in Southern California and went up to Mammoth for a couple of days camping with Emily and Mojo. Then drove back down to LA for a two day commercial shoot with GNC, and left directly from there for Colorado. Most of the time there was spend in the Steamboat area for some backpacking and fly fishing. More from all this to come.

Click here to see images from previous road trips.

Road Trip Photography

California Highway 395

Goes without saying that road trips are one of my favorite things to do on the planet. It’s not often though, that I’m in the passenger seat and able to make images during the ride. Such was the case a few weeks ago on a trip to Bishop/Mammoth for some fly fishing (also a favorite).

There’s a stupid but true thing that people love to say in the mountains - “if you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes”. Wish they had to dish out a dollar every time they said it. We encountered some typical mountain weather during out couple days there. Really hot during the day, then cold and stormy as hell at night. Not ideal when camping, but great for images. Love the tones in a lot of these shots.

Click here to see some of my ADVENTURE images.

FLY FISHING PHOTOGRAPHER

Winter Fly Fishing - Photography

The only thing greater than fly fishing is fly fishing with two feet of fresh powder. This was a hell of day that was originally supposed to start with backcountry snowboarding. That is until a slide shutdown I70. It happens. What are you gonna do. We tried taking every backroad available, but they were all shutdown. This is why, no matter the season, you keep your fly fishing gear in the truck too.

To see more from this series click HERE.

Click here to purchase one of my fly fishing prints.

Fly Fishing Photographer

Eastern Sierra Fly Fishing

When my obsession with fly fishing first started it was just a warm weather thing. A fun pastime to do on a sunny day while camping or backpacking. Fast forward X amount of years and I still have trouble figuring out what the best season is for it. I’m currently leaning toward winter, but it’s still up for debate. Furthermore, my appreciation for the Eastern Sierra grows immensely each time I visit. It’s a massive playground that is always showing you new places to play as you get deeper into it.

Click here for more fly fishing/adventure images.

Fly Fishing The Colorado River - Photography

Colorado River Fly Fishing

Bunch of random images from a fly fishing trip on the Colorado River. Great times out there. Can’t wait to get back. It’s no secret that fly fishing is a relaxing sport, but it still not lost on me the effect a river can have on your brain. No matter how much time you spend out there, where it’s 30 minutes or 3 days, you’re a different person afterwards.

Click here to see more of my fly fishing/adventure images.

Road Trip

Have been all over the place lately and thus slacking on the blog. Most recently wrapped up a road trip out to Colorado and back. Had a great meeting in Santa Fe. Spent some QT with friends for Thanksgiving. And managed to spend a lot of time out on the river. The last day was really the icing on the cake though. We went out split boarding in the morning and then by the afternoon we were fly fishing. Colorado is the best. Will be posting images from this trip soon.

Click here to see some of my fly fishing images.

Map1119.jpg