Kalaloch Beach 4 at sunset, Olympic National Park Washington #65138
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2019 Photo Highlights

2019 Photo Highlights

Once again it’s that time of year to look back on the accomplishments of the past twelve months. Like every year, 2019 had its share of highlights and disappointments. In terms of new images and trips 2019 was one of the best years in recent memory. Firstly, the new year began by breaking in a much needed new camera and lens system. Secondly I was able to finally make a long planned and awaited tripto the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho and Wind River Range of Wyoming. This year was so successful I had a tough job to whittle the selection down to just eleven images. I hope you enjoy them all!

Kalaloch Beach 4 Olympic National Park 2019 Photo HighlightsKalaloch Beach #4 Olympic National Park #65138  Purchase

1. Kalaloch Beach #4 Olympic National Park. Made in May during an annual pilgrimage to the Washington Coast with my wife, Coleen. Photographers usually bypass Kalaloch Beach for the classic compositions of sea stacks at nearby Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park. While not as dramatic as Ruby, Kalaloch has long stretches of beautiful sandy beach and some wonderful tidepools to explore.

Squaretop Mountain Wind River Range WyomingSquaretop Mountain Wind River Range Wyoming #67138  Purchase

2. Squaretop Mountain Wind River Range Wyoming. My last destination in the Wind River Range was along the Green River near Squaretop Mountain. This is probably one of the most recognizable views in the Winds. This view is just a few yards from my tent. Getting an early start on Labor Day weekend gave me first pick on campsites, certainly one of the best sites along the river.

Little Redfish Lake Sawtooth Mountains Idaho 2019 Photo HighlightsLittle Redfish Lake, Sawtooth Mountains Idaho #66227  Purchase

3. Little Redfish Lake, Sawtooth Mountains Idaho. After nearly two weeks of backpacking into the Sawtooths I was treated to one more morning of great light. Right alongside a road and a major campground, Little Redfish Lake is one of the easier spots in the Sawtooths to get to for dramatic views. It’s also a lucky spot for me, on my last visit to this viewpoint I also had some spectacular light.

Sawtooth Lake Sawtooth Mountains Idaho 2019 Photo HighlightsSawtooth Lake Idaho #65958  Purchase

4. Sawtooth Lake, Sawtooth Mountains Idaho. This was my first stop on a six week photo tour of the Northern Rockies. Sawtooth Lake is one of the more popular backcountry destinations in the area, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a relatively short and easy hike to a classic view of Mount Regan. This one was made from the south side of the lake just after sunrise with an ultra wide angle lens.

Grand Teton National ParkClearing storm over Grand Teton  #67405  Purchase

5. Clearing Storm over Grand Teton. This one was made during a two week stay in Grand Teton National Park back in September. As part of my Rocky Mountains photo tour I originally planned to stay only 3-4 days in Grand Teton. However a series of interesting weather patterns convinced me to extend my stay. This one was made at sunrise, after a storm dusted the higher peaks with fresh snow.

Oxbow Bend sunset Grand Teton National ParkOxbow Bend Sunset, Grand Teton National Park #67566  Purchase

6. Oxbow Bend Sunrise, Grand Teton National Park. This is probably the most popular scene for photographers in the park. Because of the crowds of photographers, unless you arrive a few hours before sunset or sunrise you may not be able to set up in a choice spot. After spending nearly two weeks in the park I finally got the light I was after. This evening was one of those rare times when the light just kept getting better and better. Even nearly an hour after sunset there was still a nice glow in the sky.

Milky Way over Upper Titcomb Basin Wind River Range WyomingMilkyWay over Titcomb Basin Wind River Range Wyoming #66743  Purchase

7. MilkyWay over Titcomb Basin Wind River Range Wyoming. The main destination for me in the Winds, Titcomb Basin and Island Lake are a magnet for backpackers and climbers. There is so much to see and photograph in this area that I allotted nine days to take it all in. One of my first attempts at night photography, I set this one up next to my tent while camping in upper Titcomb Basin. A few wispy clouds were also present to accentuate the scene.

Mammoth Hot Springs Yellowstone National ParkMammoth Hot Springs Yellowstone National Park #68021  Purchase

8. Mammoth Hot Springs Yellowstone National Park. In the northwestern corner of the park, Mammoth Hot Springs can be a rather frustrating feature to photograph. Springs can be dry one year and resurface in another place the next year. On a previous visit this spring on the upper terrace was bone dry and gray. On this visit not only was it was flowing, but I had a few mornings and evenings of nice light to photograph them in.

Mammoth Hot Springs Yellowstone National ParkMammoth Hot Springs Yellowstone National Park #68060  Purchase

9. Mammoth Hot Springs Yellowstone National Park. One of the things that makes Yellowstone’s geothermal features so interesting is the variety of colorful thermophilic bacteria that lives in them. Here, in the lower terrace of Mammoth Hot Springs, a tree has been encased in travertine created by the bacteria and minerals brought up with the hot water.

Great Fountain Geyser Yellowstone National ParkGreat Fountain Geyser Yellowstone National Park #67744  Purchase

10. Great Fountain Geyser Yellowstone National Park. As part of my Rockies photo tour Yellowstone, like Grand Teton, was originally planned as a brief stop on the way to Beartooth Pass. However, since I was already on the road for many weeks and the weather was taking an ominous turn my plans shifted. Therefore the Yellowstone segment lasted over a week. This image was made while waiting for the geyser to erupt, which it didn’t do until well after sunset.

Firehole River Yellowstone National ParkFirehole River Yellowstone National Park #67865  Purchase

11. Firehole River Yellowstone National Park. I came across this scene just as a thick layer of morning fog was burning off. One of the keys to an enjoyable visit to Yellowstone is checking out its geothermal features very early in the morning or late in the day. On this instance there were only three or four cars in the parking lot. A few hours later even the overflow parking was full.

I hope you enjoyed viewing Photo Highlights 2019, please feel free to vote or comment on your favorite photos in the comments section, I’d love to hear from you. Please check out my New Additions gallery to see more images made in 2019.

Also, if you enjoyed these images please share this post with friends family and coworkers. Finally, all of the photos are available as fine art prints, just click on any to see purchasing options. I hope all of you have a new year filled with peace, prosperity, and joy!

2019 Photo Highlights

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Photo Highlights 2018

Photo Highlights 2018: Another year coming to a close, and what a year it was! Like every year there were plenty of ups and downs, but 2018 really packed them in. Most of 2018 was dominated by family related obligations, which for extended periods kept me from working on my business. However, at one point those same obligations opened up a unique opportunity for me to travel to new photography destinations. Some of the photos in this post were a result of that opportunity.

Every December when I put together these yearly photo highlights I’m somewhat uncertain of which images to include. On one hand I want to share my most creatively and technically successful photos. But on the other hand I also want to share photos of memorable moments, which may not hold any appeal to others. Fortunately many of the following images represent both viewpoints. In fact nearly all of them hold a very deep emotional bond to me, and they will always stand out as powerful memories to a year filled with turning points.

Please feel free to vote or comment on your favorite photos in the comments section, I’d love to hear from you. Also, if you enjoyed these images please share this post with friends family and coworkers. Finally, all of the photos are available as fine art prints and commercial licensing, just click on any to see purchasing options. I hope all of you have a new year filled with peace, prosperity, and joy!

Photo Highlights 2018

Skagit Valley Daffodil Fields, Washington Photo Highlights 2018Skagit Valley  #61987b  Purchase

#1) Skagit Valley Daffodill Fields. Unable to get out for winter photography this year I was looking forward to a short trip down to the Skagit Valley for the annual daffodil and tulip blooms. This morning offered a brief burst of light and color in an otherwise grey sky.

Tarn, Yellow Aster Butte Basin, North Cascades Photo Highlights 2018Yellow Aster Butte Basin, North Cascades  #62789  Purchase

#2)  Tarn in Yellow Aster Butte Basin, Mount Baker Wilderness, North Cascades.  This is one of the more popular hiking destinations in the North Cascades. Less than two hours from my home, I like to return here every few years, for both photography and just getting away. On this trip I enjoyed watching and photographing this group clouds change shapes at sunset.

Mount Sir Donald Selkirk Mountains Photo Highlights 2018Mount Sir Donald, British Columbia  #62836  Purchase

#3) Mount Sir Donald, seen from Abbott Ridge, Glacier National Park British Columbia. This photo marks the beginning of a lengthy trip that took me to a variety of destinations in the Midwest, and beyond. Glacier National Park, in British Columbia’s Selkirk Mountains, has some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the province. The park also has some of the most steepest and challenging hiking trails around. The hike up to this viewpoint gained 3400′ in about 3.5 miles, a real thigh burner!

Hocking Hills State Park Ohio Photo Highlights 2018Upper Falls Old man’s Cave, Ohio #63229  Purchase

#4) Upper Falls, Old Man’s Cave, Hocking Hills State Park Ohio. Further along on the same trip I spent a sweltering August week in Chicago on family related business. When finished I started the main photo tour in earnest. Hocking Hills State Park is a great location I  found out about via a rest stop visitor’s guide a few years ago. This region in eastern Ohio is marked by picturesque rolling hills. Hocking Hills State Park contains a few sandstone gorges filled with pretty waterfalls and overhangs. Unfortunately the steamy humidity followed me here from Chicago and continued tormenting me for most of the trip.


Lindy Point Overlook West Virginia Photo Highlights 2018Lindy Point West Virginia #63427  Purchase

#5) Sunset at Lindy Point, Blackwater Falls State Park, West Virginia. This was my first visit to the central ranges of the Appalachian Mountains. Unlike mountains out west the Appalachians rarely offer sweeping views above tree line. Here in Blackwater Falls State Park, Lindy Point offers a rare panoramic view of the mountains and valleys. Having the area mostly to myself, I spent the entire afternoon and evening watching and photographing the fascinating changes in clouds and light. And yes, it was still horribly hot and humid!

Lake Superior Au Sable Point Michigan Photo Highlights 2018Lake Superior Michigan  #63866  Purchase

#6) Windy Sunset over Lake Superior at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Michigan was another new destination on this trip. I had been looking forward to photographing many of it’s locations on the Great Lakes and Upper Peninsula for years. While photographing at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore the wind really whipped up at sunset. I took advantage of the conditions to try some minimalist compositions and slow shutter speeds. I’ll soon be working on a separate post featuring more images from Lake Superior in this style. You can see several more right now in the New Images 2018 gallery.

Elliot Falls Pictured Rocks Michigan Photo Highlights 2018Pictured Rocks National lakeshore  #63933b  Purchase

#7) Elliot Falls, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Michigan. This fun little waterfall was on my must see list when visiting Pictured Rocks. The waterfall itself isn’t very big or exciting, but together with spilling directly into Lake Superior over colorful layers of sandstone really makes it stand out. Just before sunset those layers took on a nice warm glow that added another nice dimension to the scene.

Badlands National Park South Dakota Photo Highlights 2018Badlands National Park  #64277  Purchase

#8) White River valley Overlook, Badlands National Park South Dakota. On the way home on Interstate 90 after a long tour I couldn’t pass up making a brief stop in Badlands National Park. I always enjoy visiting this fascinating terrain, plus I was thrilled to be out west again and out of the Midwest humidity. This is another one of those locations that you can visit over and over and always see something new in different seasons and lighting conditions.

Liberty Bell Mountain North Cascades Photo Highlights 2018Liberty Bell Mountain North Cascades  #64469  Purchase

#9) Liberty Bell Mountain at Washington Pass on a frosty fall morning. The photographic year ended early for me in 2018, but on a very high note. I was swamped with work after returning from nearly seven weeks on the road. Between catching up on business, photo editing, and home projects, I had little time to get out again. But I couldn’t pass up a good stretch of fall weather at the beginning of October. I headed up the North Cascades Highway to some of my favorite spots, Washington Pass and Rainy Pass. After a fresh snowfall this scene at Washington Pass took on an interesting mood as a bit of fog rolled in over the pass. I’ve photographed this area for over thirty years and this is one of my favorite images so far.

Liberty Bell Mountain North Cascades Photo Highlights 2018Liberty Bell Mountain, North Cascades  #64568  Purchase

#10) Liberty Bell Mountain from Washington Pass Overlook. My final image is a companion to #9, made about an hour later. After photographing from the meadows in the previous image I almost packed it in and left, since I felt the light had played itself out for the morning. However, I had a hunch to stop by the paved overlook trail to see what may be happening there. I’m glad I did, the light was still and warm with nice wispy clouds in a blue sky. This is a classic Northwest view photographed millions of times, but it never gets old for me. Driving out from Chicago in a beat up old car when I was 19, this was my first view of the North Cascades. I fell in love with these mountains right then and there, and I always feel blessed I can call them home!

See the entire selection of 2018 Photo Highlights in my New Additions Gallery

Sawtooth mountains Idaho
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New Website

Hello, and welcome to my new website! I’m Alan Crowe and I believe you will find this site simple, clean, functional, and easy to navigate, with a high degree of usability. I also hope you will find many images that will inspire you to place my photography in your home or office!

Some of you out there may recognize many of my photos from social media, such as Facebook or Instagram. Or you may have seen them on my other website, Alan Majchrowicz Photography. To clarify, Alan Crowe and Alan Majchrowicz are the same person.  Alan Crowe is a somewhat distilled version of my name. I just removed the first and last syllables and added an e to the middle syllable. In case you are wondering, Majchrowicz is pronounced muh-CROW–vitch.

Sawtooth mountains Idaho

New Features

Since this new site focuses solely on fine art prints I want to make a clear distinction between the two. My other website still exists under the same name and will continue to offer photography for commercial stock licensing, along with fine art prints.

On this new website there are several features which aim to improve the user experience. First is a more streamlined method of purchasing prints. All photos are no more than a click away from purchasing. There is now a Lightbox feature where you can add photos selected for later review and purchase. A new page called In-Situ helps you envision what my images look like in several different interior scenarios. Another new features is the FAQ page. Here you can find on one page answers to common questions, such as shipping and print materials. Bringing the site together is a clean uncluttered look with photos organized into galleries with distinct categories.

Take a few minutes to browse through my new website, and feel free to contact me if you see anything that isn’t functioning properly or needs correction.