Kevin Palmer

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  • My goal was to get an overview of the Teton Valley with the highest peaks lighting up at sunset. But despite the forecast for clear and sunny skies, I was dismayed when I got to the top and saw that the Tetons were hidden from view and the clouds were not going to lift. So I turned my attention to the west instead, looking towards Stouts Mountain and the Swan Valley. At first the light was flat there too, but then a gap in the clouds slowly began to open up. Sunbeams danced across the ridges and the light became better and better. Finally the sun came out for just a moment, and a pillar appeared above it caused by ice crystals suspended in the air. It wasn't the shot I had planned, but this short-lived sunset view was worth all the effort to snowshoe up this mountain.
    Big Hole Mountain Sunset
  • This was my first time seeing a fallstreak (or hole punch) cloud. It had a tail that it made it look like a sting ray. It appeared for a short time above the bluffs at Crystal Cove State Park.
    Crystal Cove Fallstreak
  • I stood on top of a peak in the Big Hole Mountains of Idaho after snowshoeing up. At first I was disappointed by all the clouds hiding the Tetons from view and making the light flat (the forecast called for sunny and clear). But then the clouds began to break up in the west and golden sunbeams (also known as crepuscular rays) danced across the ridges.
    Light Breaking Forth
  • The trees at the top of this peak in the Big Hole Mountains of Idaho were permanently pointed eastward, against the prevailing winds.
    Winter Stillness
  • The Teton Mountains tower in the distance while rafters make their way down the Snake River.
    Snake River Rafters
  • After seeing only about 1 hour of clear skies over 5 nights, I was determined to catch a good aurora display on my last night in Iceland. The southern coast was showing the best weather forecast. So that is where I went, camping in the shadow of the glacier-capped Eyjafjallajökull volcano which was lit up by the moonlight. This is the same volcano that erupted 7 years ago with the giant ash cloud causing the biggest disruption to air travel since WWII. As soon as it got dark the northern lights came out and stayed the entire night. Compared to lower latitudes, the aurora up here is brighter and moves and changes so much faster. It will often appear anywhere in the sky, not just limited to the north.
    Aurora Gap
  • After seeing only about 1 hour of clear skies over 5 nights, I was determined to catch a good aurora display on my last night in Iceland. The southern coast was showing the best weather forecast. So that is where I went, camping in the shadow of the glacier-capped Eyjafjallajökull volcano which was lit up by the moonlight. This is the same volcano that erupted 7 years ago with the giant ash cloud causing the biggest disruption to air travel since WWII. As soon as it got dark the northern lights came out and stayed the entire night. Compared to lower latitudes, the aurora up here is brighter and moves and changes so much faster. It will often appear anywhere in the sky, not just limited to the north. The aurora transformed into all kinds of interesting shapes, to me this shot looked like a surfing brontosaurus.
    Surfing Brontosaurus
  • At 1AM the aurora spread out and filled almost the entire sky above southern Iceland, while the moon illuminated the landscape.
    Green Skies at Night
  • I couldn’t let NEOWISE leave without trying to capture it over Devils Tower. But this wasn’t the shot I had in mind. The forecast called for mostly clear skies after earlier severe weather exited. But sometimes what actually happens is so much better than what I can imagine. This supercell popped up to the west around 10PM and the anvil quickly blocked out the comet. But then just as the storm was showing its best mothership structure during a close encounter with the tower, a hole in the clouds opened up. It was perfectly placed to reveal the comet once again for just a few minutes. It’s a good thing that most of the lightning was intracloud. If bolts of lightning were jumping out they would have been too bright to expose for the comet. Every single flash highlighted or backlit a different part of the storm. While the lightning continued for most of the night, I was glad the large hail stayed away. I didn’t want to test the hailproofness of my tent.
    A Hole in the Clouds
  • I came to Laguna Beach to photograph the milky way. But the marine layer had other plans and only a few stars were visible in between clouds.
    Hole in the Sky
  • Early in the morning the northern horizon glowed green. This was caused by a geomagnetic storm from a recurring coronal hole on the sun. A coronal hole is an opening in the outer atmosphere of the sun that allows the high-speed solar wind to escape, which triggers the aurora when it impacts Earth’s magnetic field. Since the sun rotates on it’s axis every 27 days, this can be predicted in advance. I saw the aurora from this coronal hole in September, but last month it was too cloudy. I was determined to see it again this weekend even if it meant staying up all night dodging clouds (aurora hunting is an addiction). The infrared satellite showed a gap in the clouds moving in at 2AM, so I made some coffee and found a dark spot on the Wyoming/Montana state line to watch and wait. It wasn’t the best display I've seen, but I’ll take what I can get during solar minimum, and the meteor was a nice bonus.
    Parkman Pond Aurora - 54
  • Early in the morning the northern horizon glowed green. This was caused by a geomagnetic storm from a recurring coronal hole on the sun. A coronal hole is an opening in the outer atmosphere of the sun that allows the high-speed solar wind to escape, which triggers the aurora when it impacts Earth’s magnetic field. Since the sun rotates on it’s axis every 27 days, this can be predicted in advance. I saw the aurora from this coronal hole in September, but last month it was too cloudy. I was determined to see it again this weekend even if it meant staying up all night dodging clouds (aurora hunting is an addiction). The infrared satellite showed a gap in the clouds moving in at 2AM, so I made some coffee and found a dark spot on the Wyoming/Montana state line to watch and wait. It wasn’t the best display I've seen, but I’ll take what I can get during solar minimum, and the meteor was a nice bonus.
    Parkman Pond Aurora - 32
  • In the dry climate west of Kaycee, it does not stay this green for very long. But I love the contrast of the greenery with the red rock formations. I came across these 6 horses at the Hole in the Wall Ranch while driving by. They were on the other side of the field but trotted over to greet me as soon as I walked up to the fence. This area has a history of horse thievery. At the end of the 1800's this was the hideout of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang, which included Butch Cassidy and many other outlaws. They would lay up here after robbing trains or rustling cattle. This rugged country was easily defended with only one way in from the east. While there were shootouts, in 50 years no lawmen were ever able to capture any gang members here.
    The Gang's All Here
  • February started off with a geomagnetic storm on a mild winter night. At 1AM the northern sky briefly glowed green as seen from St Xavier, Montana. The Bighorn River provided a reflection; the current is fast enough here that it doesn't freeze over. I scouted out this location in the fall and knew it would be a great spot to camp out and wait for the aurora when the opportunity presented itself. A giant hole in the sun’s outer atmosphere (the corona) allowed the solar wind to escape and head towards Earth. Coronal holes rotate around the solar disk every 27 days, so they can be predicted in advance. When the high speed solar wind (up to 600 km/second) hits Earth’s magnetic field, charged particles wrap around the poles and the auroral oval expands towards the equator. This leads to the aurora being visible from mid-latitudes. But the exact timing, local weather, and other factors dictate where it can actually be seen.
    Bighorn River Aurora
  • Deep within a canyon in the southern foothills of the Bighorn Mountains is found the Outlaw Cave. This area is rich with Wild West history and legends. Only a few miles away is Hole In the Wall, where Butch Cassidy and his gang used to retreat after robbing trains and hustling cattle. There is evidence that at least some outlaws used this cave for shelter, as well as Native Americans before that. The cave is only the size of a large room, barely high enough to stand up in. But it is well hidden from the canyon rim, and the proximity to the river allows for great fishing - the leftover fish bones in the fire ring were proof of that. It took 2 visits before I was able to locate the cave, which is at the end of a steep trail that traverses cliffs above rushing rapids. The land here is just as wild today as it was in the 1800’s.
    Looking Out of Outlaw Cave
  • Over Labor Day weekend the Earth's magnetic field was battered by a solar wind stream from a coronal hole on the sun, which reached speeds of up to 800km a second. This led to the aurora dipping down to lower latitudes and I was able to catch it 4 nights in a row. I'm always in search of new north-facing viewpoints for picture opportunities. This night I spent at the top of the Judith Mountains in central Montana. Montana always has a better shot at seeing the aurora and being at a high elevation helped even more. The views reached far and wide out over the plains with more mountain ranges than I could count. As it got dark flashes of lightning were visible 250 miles away in Saskatchewan which I didn't even know was possible. The aurora danced all night long, preceded by a fiery sunset and followed by a stormy sunrise. It couldn't have been a more colorful stay on this mountaintop.
    Pillars Rising Above
  • After hitting the trail at sunrise I made it to the top of Laramie Peak shortly before 9AM and setup my gear. The true summit is littered with towers and communication equipment, so instead I pointed my camera at this subpeak to the south. The weather was perfect and the thick smoke from Montana wildfires that I was worried about stayed to the north. At 10:23 the partial eclipse began, visible only through a solar filter. Anticipation started to build as more of the sun became blocked out. After over 50% of the sun was covered the light became slightly dimmer but it was only noticeable if you've been watching the whole time. The temperature dropped by over 20°F and jackets came out. At 90% the sky became a dark blue and the landscape took on a smoky appearance. At this point the light began to change by the second. The moon moves from west to east, and the shadow approaches at 1700mph from that direction. At 11:45 the last piece of sun disappeared. Some of my favorite effects of totality were the parts I couldn't capture. Cirrus clouds in the west glowed orange like at sunset. It was similar to twilight but instead of the glow appearing in only one direction, it encircled the entire horizon. Venus came out first, then the other planets and brighter stars. It's a very strange feeling looking at the sun in what's normally the brightest part of the day and instead seeing a black hole. The ~100 people around me marveled at one of the most beautiful spectacles in nature. But just like that it was all over. The full disc of the sun returned at 1:11PM.
    Fleeting Moment
  • After trekking for 10 miles into the wilderness of Abisko National Park in Swedish Lapland, I was relieved to reach my destination. The last couple miles were the toughest, crossing a frozen lake fully exposed to the wind. My face was getting numb and the last of my water was now a block of ice. After warming up a bit I went back out to capture the mountain Kieron glowing in the evening sunlight. High peaks surround this scenic valley in the Scandinavian Mountains. The vegetation at the edge of tree line mostly consists of short birches, with everything else buried under a meter of snow. This was the first segment of the Kungsleden, a popular 270 mile long hiking and skiing trail. Ski season doesn’t start until the 2nd half of winter, the first half is much too dark. Mountain cabins are spaced about a day’s journey apart. They lack electricity or running water. But chopping firewood and collecting water from a hole cut in the ice keeps guests busy. The facilities included a small store, caretaker’s cabin, bunkhouse, and of course a sauna.
    Birches and Kieron
  • The Tetons glow in the light of sunrise on a frosty morning while the Snake River flows quietly below. It is this exact view that I used to create my logo/watermark. One of the reasons the Tetons are so majestic is because this range has no foothills. The mountains rise abruptly 7,000 feet above the valley floor in only about 3 miles. On long winter nights cold air tends to slide down the steep slopes and becomes trapped under an inversion layer in the Jackson Hole Valley. With the Tetons to the west, Absarokas to the north, and the Gros Ventre mountains to the east, the air has nowhere to go. This leads to some seriously cold temperatures. In the last month alone it has reached -20°F or colder on 7 mornings. In 1933 the temperature here dropped to a bone-chilling -66°F, making it among the coldest temperatures ever measured in the US outside of Alaska.
    Winter Teton Sunrise
  • The Tetons glow in the light of sunrise on a frosty morning while the Snake River flows quietly below. It is this exact view that I used to create my logo/watermark that I put in the corner of every picture I upload. One of the reasons the Tetons are so majestic is because this range has no foothills. The mountains rise abruptly 7,000 feet above the valley floor in only about 3 miles. On long winter nights cold air tends to slide down the steep slopes and becomes trapped under an inversion layer in the Jackson Hole Valley. With the Tetons to the west, Absarokas to the north, and the Gros Ventre mountains to the east, the air has nowhere to go. This leads to some seriously cold temperatures. In the last month alone it has reached -20°F or colder on 7 mornings. In 1933 the temperature here dropped to a bone-chilling -66°F, making it among the coldest temperatures ever measured in the US outside of Alaska.
    South, Middle, and Grand Teton B&W
  • After climbing a couple thousand feet I reached the summit of Darton Peak. A cold wind swept across the barren boulder field. It did not feel like August. The moon which had helped illuminate my route in the dark was overtaken by the light of the coming day. Lost Twin Lakes where I had started at 3:30AM now looked small far below. In the western sky, a vivid pink band of light known as the Belt of Venus could be seen. Below this is the curved (not flat) shadow of the Earth projected out onto the atmosphere. The shadow gets lower and lower until the sun finally crests the horizon. The rays are the shadow of clouds found on the opposite side of the sky. The Belt of Venus is visible on any clear morning or evening, but there’s perhaps no better place to see it than on a mountaintop. Despite the breathtaking view, it was a miserable morning. A bout of altitude sickness caused a pounding headache and made me lose my breakfast. And just when I started to feel better on the way out I stepped in a hidden hole and sprained my ankle. Next time I climb a 12,000' mountain I'll have to take it a lot slower.
    Rays of Pink
  • In the far northwest corner of Finland is the tiny village of Kilpisjärvi. This is the only part of the country that touches the Scandinavian Mountains, and it's near Finland's highest point. The elevation and close proximity to the Arctic Ocean makes this the snowiest place in the country, and the snow here had a different quality than any other I've seen. It was so light and fluffy it could be blown off the windshield with my breath, and footprints in the deep snow pack left behind aqua-blue holes. I climbed halfway up one of the mountains, Saana, to obtain this view as the sun struggled to emerge. On the other side of the frozen lake is Sweden, with Norway to the right. This far above the Arctic Circle, trees can not grow above 600m. After this I tried climbing higher, but the route became icy, and visibility was nearing whiteout  so I was forced to turn back.
    View From Saana
  • The sandstone bluffs at Medicine Rocks State Park are filled with holes and arches. I especially liked this rock formation since it was easy to climb inside and get lots of different perspectives.
    Windows to the Prairie
  • This 7600' summit has no name and there is no trail leading here. It wasn't a long climb. But it did involve descending into a valley and fording a cold river, before scrambling straight up a steep slope. Enough snow has melted that I was able to avoid most of it. At the summit this was the view that awaited me looking east. Holes in the cloud cover let through small patches of sunlight. The light beams are an optical phenomena known as anticrepuscular rays. The shafts of light are actually parallel, but appear to converge at the antisolar point, which is 180° opposite the sun. The rays only seem to converge because of a perspective effect, similar to railroad tracks in the distance.
    Anticrepuscular Rays
  • At the end of a peninsula northwest of Reykjavik is a volcano called Snæfellsjökull, which translates to "snow mountain glacier." Without a guide or a 4x4 vehicle this glacier is not easy to reach. But I couldn't visit Iceland without finding some ice, so I headed up the road on foot instead to see how close I could get. Clouds swirled around the dome-shaped peak all day, offering only brief glimpses of the summit pillar. After passing the moss covered slopes I reached the top of a cinder cone at 800 meters, and slid to the bottom. With hands bloody from the sharp lava rocks, I made it to the foot of the glacier. The ice crunched beneath my feet as I slowly took a few steps and stopped at this crevasse. I don't know how deep it was, but didn't want to find out. Snæfellsjökull is one of the most famous sites in Iceland, in part because of the Jules Verne book, "Journey to the Center of the Earth." In the fictional book written in 1864, the passage to the center of the Earth begins here. With numerous caves found in the area and even holes that drop straight into the ocean, it's not hard to imagine how he got that idea.
    Snæfellsjökull Crevasse
  • At the end of a peninsula northwest of Reykjavik is a volcano called Snæfellsjökull, which translates to "snow mountain glacier." Without a guide or a 4x4 vehicle this glacier is not easy to reach. But I couldn't visit Iceland without finding some ice, so I headed up the road on foot instead to see how close I could get. Clouds swirled around the dome-shaped peak all day, offering only brief glimpses of the summit pillar. After passing the moss covered slopes I reached the top of a cinder cone at 800 meters, and slid to the bottom. With hands bloody from the sharp lava rocks, I made it to the foot of the glacier. The ice crunched beneath my feet as I slowly took a few steps and stopped at this crevasse. I don't know how deep it was, but didn't want to find out. Snæfellsjökull is one of the most famous sites in Iceland, in part because of the Jules Verne book, "Journey to the Center of the Earth." In the fictional book written in 1864, the passage to the center of the Earth begins here. With numerous caves found in the area and even holes that drop straight into the ocean, it's not hard to imagine how he got that idea.
    Blue Rift