Wanders & Wonders

White Sands – Our Newest National Park

Posted on December 21, 2019December 21, 2019 by Greg Vaughn

As of December 20, 2019, White Sands National Monument is now White Sands National Park. This outstanding natural feature in the Chihuahuan Desert of New Mexico is certainly deserving of National Park status. The new designation comes with additional...Read More

Testing Topaz DeNoise AI and Sharpen AI

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Greg Vaughn

The photographers, programming wizards, and coding geeks over at Topaz Labs have developed some impressive photography software in the past couple of years. Previously, I mostly used Topaz apps and plugins for adding special effects or unusual looks to my...Read More

My Top 10 Nature Photos of 2019

Posted on December 18, 2019 by Greg Vaughn

Another year's orbit around the sun is almost complete. And like last year and the year before, this one seemed to go far too fast. But it was a wonderful year – a year full of wonders and a...Read More

Photo Workshops Update

Posted on December 11, 2019December 17, 2019 by Greg Vaughn

As 2019 ends, I'm wrapping up my eighth year of leading nature and landscape photography workshops and looking forward to a great schedule in 2020. All but one of my 2019 photo workshops sold out, and already four out of...Read More

What I’m packing for my next photo trip.

Posted on November 21, 2019May 9, 2025 by Greg Vaughn

This is sort of like the "What's in the bag?" posts that are common on many photographers' blogs, but instead of listing all of my gear in this post I want to talk about what I'm taking for a specific...Read More

Cape Spear, Newfoundland

Posted on June 27, 2019December 17, 2019 by Greg Vaughn

Cape Spear Lighthouse, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. Four days ago I was hiking and photographing in the Oregon Cascades when I unexpectedly got into cell phone range and picked up a message asking if I could go to Newfoundland to...Read More

Rocks and Ravens in Baja’s Cataviña Desert

Posted on June 18, 2019December 17, 2019 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_15168" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] Rock formation and ravens in the Cataviña desert boulder field, Baja California, Mexico.[/caption] On my road trips driving the length of Mexico's Baja peninsula, I always stop in an area of granite boulders in the Cataviña...Read More

Happy Birthday, Yellowstone National Park!

Posted on March 1, 2019December 17, 2019 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_15155" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.[/caption] Our first National Park was created on March 1, 1872, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act....Read More

Redwoods and Rhododendrons Photo Workshop

Posted on February 17, 2019December 17, 2019 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_15150" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Redwood trees in the Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Redwoods National and State Parks, California.[/caption] Arriving at the trailhead parking area while it was still dark, I hoped for fog in the forest when I got to...Read More

Balsamroot at Rowena Crest in the Columbia River Gorge

Posted on February 15, 2019December 17, 2019 by Greg Vaughn

[caption id="attachment_15145" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Balsamroot at Rowena Crest overlooking the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon.[/caption] On a plateau formed by lava flows eons ago, the Nature Conservancy’s Tom McCall Preserve at Rowena sits several hundred feet above the Columbia River....Read More