Sandhill Cranes return in late afternoon at Bosque del Apache wi Baby Onesie

Sandhill cranes return to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife refuge

After spending decades under fluorescent lights in cubicles, offices and semiconductor clean rooms, I escaped. Throughout those years, at every opportunity, I fled to the mountains or to the ocean so that I could feel the sun on my face, breathe fresh air and bask in the glories of nature. I climbed mountains and dove on reefs, always overburdened with too much camera equipment. In those days, photography was my anchor to sanity and humanity, giving me a sense of control that I could not maintain over my technical work. Good, bad, or ugly, my images were my own, free from committee-imposed mediocrity. Now, I am fortunate to be able travel the American West, sometimes backpacking to obscure locations, other times driving in comfort,...