For me this has been one of the most unique and memorable winters ever. In this photo essay I have chosen images taken on three different photoshoots that all tell a very different story. My hopes for this project are to represent what I’ve seen this winter in a unique and personal way.

The first five images were all taken during a hike just after one of Mt. Hood’s early snowfalls last November. I got incredibly lucky with the conditions on that day; seeing the atmosphere and the way the clouds interacted with the snow covered landscape was amazing. I feel like this day out was a sort of preview for the winter to come.

The next part of this essay was taken last week when the snow was coming down in Portland. The wind was so cold and it snowed sideways the whole time I was out. After a little while it got to a point where my fingers were so cold it felt like they were going to fall off! Overall it was a very rare experience to be out in this winter wonderland, especially when it is so unusually cold and frigid. If I wasn’t concerned about my camera gear and fingers freezing I could have easily stayed out all day!

The last three photos were actually taken about a week or so after the new year. I had recently come across a small area a few blocks away from where I live where I found uninterrupted views of Mt. Hood. So one day I decided to go shoot the sunset here and I was not disappointed. As I took photos of this incredible sight I was overcome with a strange feeling. Through my lens I could see this distant peak surrounded by sweeping forests; it felt like I was there. But as I pulled away from the lens and took my earbuds out, I was suddenly back in the city with cars zooming by and people out on their evening run. Somehow in that moment I felt a feeling of pure isolation and bliss, despite being in the middle of a lively city surrounded by people.