Photo Blog- "Find your Latitude..."

Sometimes a place can surprise you. I grew up in Texas. Lets just say, spending my youth in the suburbs of a big city like Houston didn't exactly ignite my love for nature. My daily routine was mostly spent in an average neighborhood with more strip malls and sidewalks than hiking trails or scenic vistas. On top of that, the nearest mountain had to be a thousand miles away I am guessing. So when I was 18, I went to college in California and fell in love with all the variety that Nature had to offer there. Fast forward 25...

Have you ever done something that was a bit out of your comfort zone? I find that I feel most alive when I am pushing boundaries, learning something new and seeing new sights! This trip to the high sierras pushed me in every way.

"Moments that take your breath away"... As a photographer, this is what I live for. I recently was so fortunate to get to travel to the south of France and join a small group of photographers on a weekend filled with awe inspiring and breathtaking beauty. I was immediately enamored with their powerful beauty and playful curiosity. This ancient breed of horses are semi wild but cared for by the guardians (cowboys) who dedicate their lives to these amazing creatures. It was so special to observe the relationships between the horses and also the bonds with the guardians. After galloping...

This pod of dolphins approached me while I was photographing turtles. They approached me at first with caution. They seemed to be content keeping their distance, so I continued to stay with the turtles. The group's second approach was quite different. They seemed much less concerned and far more curious. The encounter lasted over 20 minutes and in the end I left feeling like a welcomed visitor of the pod. I admire how much love these beautiful creatures share with each other and how fortunate I was to get the chance to experience and photograph it. -Steve Munch

In February of 2015, a major winter storm had just passed through, leaving behind clear skies and rare snow on our local mountains and foothills. I headed off one morning, hopeful to get a shot of Ventura Harbor with the snowcapped mountains in the background. Unable to find the harbor shot I wanted among the docks and moored boats, I walked to the harbor entrance where thundering, 25 foot plus waves were imploding on the breakwater, sending geysers of spray and foam high into the sky. I wanted to document this power and beauty, but still something was missing. I...

We call him Mr. Lucky, and with good reason, for the odds are stacked astronomically against him. Each hatchling that bursts from the sand has less than a one percent chance of reaching maturity. A thousand eggs are laid so that one will survive. Yet each hatchling bursts forth as if it is the chosen one. There is always a chance. The miracle doesn’t end at the water’s edge. Plunging into the surf, the hatchling, no bigger than a child’s hand, remains undaunted: having never seen the ocean before, the turtle swims an unerring course, first through crashing surf and...