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.

As this image was buried for a while, I'm writing this caption almost ten years after I took this photograph. And yet, the magic of this moment is still crystal clear in my mind. My friend and I went to Glacier National Park in mid summer, so there wasn't exactly much snow around. In fact, snow wasn't even on our mind at all. As we drove up Going-to-the-Sun Road, we were awestruck by the panoramic beauty that surrounded us. But then when we got to the top and rounded a bend to take us into Logan Pass, we seemed to go back in time... but only by about three months. Instead of being in the throes of summer, it was more like late winter or early spring. There was lots of snow cover, and spring wildflowers trying to burst through everywhere. Adding to the magic was the fact that wild mountain goats and Dall sheep were all over the place, presumably congregating into the little remaining snowpack. Hiking on the snow was also great fun for us Florida boys... with several comedic wipe-outs along the trek.

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 4168x2912). 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 "Logan Pass in Summer - Glacier National Park, Montana" Fine Art Print:

The post Logan Pass in Summer – Glacier National Park, Montana appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

Any visit to Provence, France, should include the town of Roussillon. It is similar to all the other small towns -- historical, quaint, and clustered around the top of a hill. But there is one big difference. Instead of being made from standard gray stone, like the others, Roussillon is made of red clay. It gives it an entirely different vibe. You forget that you are in Provence, almost feeling more like the Middle East in places. The beautiful walk to the top of the town also cannot be neglected. Once you get there, and survey the stunning panoramas, it feels like Provence again. Wildflowers, green fields, and gentle rolling hills in all directions.

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 4607x3071). 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 "Provence Panorama From Atop Roussillon" Fine Art Print:

The post Provence Panorama From Atop Roussillon – Spring in France appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

I took this photograph on a 2013 trip to North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, near Oroville, California. The trip the year before was so perfect that some friends and I decided to try to make it an annual trek. However, this year was far drier. As a result, the many stunning waterfalls, including Phantom Falls (the park's primary attraction) had almost completely dried up. But the trip wasn't a total loss - the wildflowers were a bit better this year. A dry year usually means an early bloom, so I was surprised to see more flowers than the previous year. But so many other factors influence the bloom, predicting based on only one variable is futile. It was primarily the California Poppies which stood out as the "best in show" flowers, and I was looking for a nice composition the whole time. Near the very end of the trip, when the sunlight was fading and turning gold, I found this bunch of poppies, which looked as if they had been purposefully planted among the basalt rubble. They seemed so perfectly manicured that I couldn't help but feature them.

Purchase "Late Poppies on North Table Mountain" Fine Art Print:

The post Late Poppies on North Table Mountain appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

My first visit to Calero County Park was quite the journey of discovery, for me. I was just driving south of San Jose, California, looking for a landscape to photograph. When I passed by Calero and saw the mustard flowers blooming against the hilly backdrop, I immediately knew where my journey had brought me. I thought wildflower season was over, but the mustard here lingered longer than the poppies I'm used to. Although non-native (and invasive), it was still quite beautiful the way it blended with the rolling golden hillsides. It was the first of many trips to come.

Purchase "Fields of Elysium - Calero County Park" Fine Art Print:

The post Fields of Elysium – Calero County Park appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

The Stanislaus River begins its journey high up in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. By the time it reaches the scene of this photograph, which is near Knight's Ferry, it has already finished most of its descent. Higher up, it is a mecca for whitewater rafters. Now it meanders more gently through what remains of the Sierra foothills, and then eventually joins up with the San Joaquin River. You can still see many rafters and kayakers drifting past, but clearly relaxing after having finished the hard work. In spring, the banks of this river burst to life. The wildflower bloom in these spring meadows is nothing short of stunning. I wandered these hills for hours, and there was no end in sight to the expanse of flowers. This photograph is dominated mainly by golden California poppies, with a dash of lupine thrown in.

Purchase "Spring Meadows on the Stanislaus River" Fine Art Print:

The post Spring Meadows on the Stanislaus River appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

Believe it or not, you can find this beautiful scene of a dense aspen grove and blooming wildflowers only a few hours outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico. If you never make it out of southern New Mexico, it's easy to believe the entire state is desert. However, just a bit to the north it becomes remarkably lush. The area pictured here is near the Valles Caldera National Preserve, an ancient volcanic landscape. Unlike the desert to the south, the volcanic soil here is quite fertile, and the landscape refreshingly green. Valles Caldera is a place I recommend to anyone visiting New Mexico. It's unlike any place I've ever been. In addition to being an ancient active volcano, there is still volcanic activity bubbling under the surface. In fact, it's classified as a "super-volcano" -- along with Yellowstone, one of only two in the USA. However, unlike Yellowstone, the shape of the volcano is still evident. A massive ridge from a previous explosion surrounds the entire park (the "caldera" which gives the park its name).

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 4272x3388). 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 "Aspen Grove and Wildflower Meadow near Valles Caldera" Fine Art Print:

The post Aspen Grove and Wildflower Meadow near Valles Caldera appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

This is a photograph from Knight's Ferry Recreation Area in the stunning 2014 spring wildflower bloom. Knight's Ferry is a small historic town on the shores of the Stanislaus River, about a two hour drive due east of San Francisco. The recreation area has trails that follow the shores of the Stanislaus upstream, in the Goodwin Canyon direction. What an area! This was my first time exploring the Stanislaus, and I must say, the beauty absolutely stunned me. The dominant flowers during my visit were poppies and lupine, with many others sprinkled in to lesser degrees. The river and the high canyons that surround it, completely draped in wildflowers, was one of the most memorable places I've ever been.

Purchase "Poppies On The Stanislaus River" Fine Art Print:

The post California Poppies On The Stanislaus River appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

Half Moon Bay, California, is always pretty. But for a few brief weeks per year, and not every year, it explodes with the color of a thousand different wildflowers. It is a magical sight, and turns a lovely place into a lovelier one. This photograph is specifically of Pillar Point Harbor, a bit removed from most of the bustle of Half Moon Bay. I haven't been anywhere else where such a dense and varied wildflower display occurs right on the beach. It's quite the sight to see.

Purchase "Half Moon Bay Wildflowers in Spring" Fine Art Print:

The post Half Moon Bay Wildflowers in Spring appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.

Pictured in this photograph is an especially exquisite California wild mustard bloom in Calero County Park, just a few minutes south of San Jose. Though quite an iconic flower of California, the wild mustard is not native. In fact it is considered quite invasive. But boy, it sure is beautiful. It seems to bloom a bit later than the other spring-time wildflowers, which is a welcomed difference. Although I hate invasive plants, I do love how it interacts with the hues of summer. In scenes like this, the afternoon sun lights up the whole landscape in different shades of gold, and the mustard adds some color to the otherwise uniformly brown hillsides of summer.

Purchase "California Wild Mustard in Summer - Calero County Park" Fine Art Print:

The post California Wild Mustard in Summer – Calero County Park appeared first on Matt Tilghman Photography.