When I first saw a photograph of the Italian Dolomites in autumn, I was in disbelief. I thought it was an egregious example of Photoshop fakery. "Pine trees are evergreen, they don't change colors in fall!" I said. Safe to say, I was ignorant. While this region of the Alps does have pine trees (which are indeed evergreen), it also has another conifer called the European Larch, which is deciduous. As soon as I learned this, the Dolomite region shot to the top of my list of places to visit. I must say, it didn't disappoint. There is something surreal about seeing the beautiful gold colors of autumn, but in the shape of a tree that my brain will always associate with evergreen. Of course, the stunning mountainous backdrops literally everywhere didn't hurt either. When combined, the vistas etch images in your memory that are sure to last a lifetime.

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 4279x3465). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

Purchase "Golden Larches under Mighty Dolomites" Fine Art Print:

The post Golden Larches under Mighty Dolomites appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

The buttresses on their trunks have always been my favorite trait of Bald Cypress trees. But they are so common in the Everglades that it is easy for their wonder to fade. When I passed this scene, it was the yellow bloom of the bladderwort that caught my eye, not the cypress trunk. But neither are what made me consider this scene beautiful enough to photograph. It was both, together, that struck me. The way the blooms appeared in the shade of the tree, almost cradled by the arms of the buttress. It's such a small scene, inconsequential, yet intimate and powerful all the same.

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 5067x3378). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

Purchase "Black Forest - Foggy Forest along Black Mountain Trail" Fine Art Print:

The post Bladderwort and Buttresses – Florida Everglades Swamp Scene appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

This is the kind of scene that if it were in the Appalachian Mountains, it would not be the same. (Or so I imagine.) Every waterfall I know on the East Coast that looks like this is overrun with tourists. Kids just can't seem to help themselves from sliding down the rocks and busting their bums. But here at Golden Cascade, deep in California's Santa Cruz Mountains, I was practically by myself. But maybe it's not an East Coast vs West Coast thing. Could be the fact that it's a six mile, semi-strenuous hike to get here. Could also be that for several months out of the year, these mountains don't get much rain, and this waterfall wouldn't be "slide-able." In fact, maybe it would never really be slideable, because there's not much of a pool at the bottom. But something tells me that they'd have built a road anyways, and at the very least it'd be a tourist trap.

Purchase "Golden Cascade Falls in Afternoon Sunshine" Fine Art Print:

The post Golden Cascade Falls in Afternoon Sunshine appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

This is a photograph I had wanted in my portfolio for a long time. The forest vistas from Russian Ridge, which include views of redwood other evergreen forests in Big Basin and Portola State Parks, are at the same time intimate and stunning - a combination which is hard to capture. After attempting in many types of light and conditions, I feel I have finally captured this enigma. This is taken shortly after sunrise with the landscape compressed by a 480mm focal length, and the thin wispy fog adding just enough interest.

Purchase "Sleepy Morning - California Evergreen Forest" Fine Art Print:

The post Sleepy Morning – Evergreen Forest in Coastal California appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

Most of the time, Sunsets are usually judged by their explosiveness and drama. Towering clouds, for instance, or bright rays, a full spectrum of vivid colors... those are the things that usually make a memorable sunset. However, that type of sunset can be hard to come by in California. The atmosphere there is much drier than in my previous homes, which means fewer cumulus clouds, and very empty skies. But they can also be very beautiful in their own way. They draw your attention more towards the shape of the land. And in California, the land can take some pretty cool shapes. This panorama I took from Windy Hill Open Space is a prime example. The blanket of fog above the Pacific Ocean turned the sky above into a totally blank slate. When the sun dipped under the horizon, the sky turned a more uniform shade of orange than I think I've ever seen before (in a sky). This drew my eye away from the sky and towards the beautiful curves of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The gentle slopes of the hills have an almost sensual beauty about them. In fact, even the power line pylons, which I usually consider a huge distraction, seemed helpful by adding another unique shape into the scene.

Purchase "Orange and Black - Sunset from Windy Hill California" Fine Art Print:

The post Orange and Black – Sunset from Windy Hill California appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

I arrived in Park City relatively late, so decided to postpone my photography until the next morning. When I awoke and began hiking, I was delighted to see some snow still on the mountains. This being my first stay in the Rocky Mountains of Utah during the summer, I had not known what to expect. I only learned later that night that most of the snow had actually been gone for a week or so already, and that it was only just replenished by a storm that night. The clouds lingered longer than the snow, and gave me some great conditions all day. Here they helped me by marbling the sunlight, and giving this strand of aspen trees some of their fabled glow.

Purchase "Aspen Trees In Early Summer Storm" Fine Art Print:

The post Aspen Trees In Early Summer Storm appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

This is a very simple photograph, with a very bland composition, but I like it nonetheless. I love how the fog is dense enough to give the cloud forest a really heavenly feeling. But what I like most is the way this photograph shows how valuable real estate is in these tropical jungles. It's not just a place on the ground that plants are looking for, it's far past that. Every plant branch also becomes real estate for other plants to live. There are mosses and bromeliads clinging to every branch, trying to get as much sunlight as possible. This phenomenon is even more exaggerated in the flatter, wetter, traditional tropical rain forests of the lowlands, but it's often difficult to portray it in photographs. Here, the fog provides contrast between the different layers of the flora, helping to isolate the epiphytic plants on the branches.

Purchase "Within the Costa Rican Cloud Forest" Fine Art Print:

The post Within the Costa Rican Cloud Forest appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

The Costa Rican cloud forest is a remarkable type of landscape. In the dense jungles of the lowland, it is often hard to get a perspective of the jungle that is not from within the jungle. However, in the cloud forests, there are enough mountains and hills to allow for more distant vantage points. From inside the forest, it is easy to remember that they are vibrant and diverse and fascinating, but it is easy to forget how majestic they are. In the cloud forests, one gets a chance to see the forest, not just the trees.

Purchase "Cloud Forest Sunset - Costa Rica" Fine Art Print:

The post Cloud Forest Sunset – Costa Rica appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

My time on Mount Constitution, and the San Juan Islands in general, was far too brief. Everyone told us that ascending Mount Constitution and taking in the view was a necessary part of our stay. But they also cautioned us that the view can be shrouded in clouds, so plan ahead and stay flexible. Flexibility was something we didn't have, since there was a lot we were trying to cram into our short stay on Orcas Island, such as sailing, kayaking, hiking, and dinner at the Red Rabbit Farm (an amazing experience). As such, we only made it to the top of Mount Constitution as an afterthought. When our sail ended and the sky was still clear, up we went. It was already late afternoon, so we didn't have long due to constraining dinner plans. Even so, on way back down, I couldn't resist stopping at a quaint roadside patch of forest that drew my eye. The lowering sunlight filtered beautifully through the trees, highlighting the forest's moss and saplings. I was only here for probably ten minutes and didn't expect to get a keeper, but the scene was so perfect that even my rushed mindset couldn't hold it back.

Purchase "Constitutional Light - Mount Constitution on Orcas Island" Fine Art Print:

The post Constitutional Light – Mount Constitution on Orcas Island appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

Whittemore Gulch Trail is one of the more difficult hikes in Purisima Creek Redwoods. But also one of the most rewarding. There are steep ascents, but they repay you with stunning vistas over redwood forests, the Santa Cruz Mountains, and the Pacific Ocean. This view would indeed include the ocean on a fogless day, but those are rare in summer. Even though the fog is common, I still hope for it when hiking in this area, because it gives the photographs that distinctly California feel. And towards dusk, when it creeps further inland, I love how the gold sea of fog turns mountains into islands.

Purchase "Whittemore Gulch At Dusk - Purisima Creek Redwoods" Fine Art Print:

The post Whittemore Gulch At Dusk – Purisima Creek Redwoods appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.