Happy Halloween!

Howdy folks, just a quickie to wish everyone a Spooktacular Halloween!!!

And now that I’m getting settled back home, over the next few weeks you can expect that I will finally finish my story from the West back in August, officially release a few new images, tell a story of Autumn in New England, and highlight a few more of my favorite Autumn photographs from my collection. November is, after all, STILL AN AUTUMN MONTH!🍁🍂🌰

Until next time, enjoy a few of my favorite spooky, gnarly old tree scenes from Vermont and Massachusetts this October to go along with your tricks and treats and ghosts and goblins!🧟‍♂️🕷🕸🧛🏻‍♂️🦇👻🎃🎃🎃

“Autumn’s Divine Glory”

Hello folks and welcome several newcomers! It’s been a few weeks and yes I am still in the middle of telling my story from out West back in August! I assure you that will be completed soon! I’m just getting back from an Autumn adventure up in New England the past few weeks and will have another story to tell🍁😁 But, for right now, I didn’t want this image highlight to wait any longer, as scenes like this are fully consuming my mind of late…

I have been blessed to gaze upon and revel in such Autumnal beauty throughout my life so far. One of my inspirations in life, Rodney Lough, Jr., once said “to view a leaf turned color at the height of Autumn is purely divine.” The more I think about this quote over the years, the more I couldn’t agree more. It just fills me with such pure joy!

From my journal on October 6th, 2016 from where I made camp off of the Long Trail hiking up Mt. Mansfield in Vermont. I came upon these beckoning Sugar Maples late in the day and made camp right here to catch the dawn’s light setting them on fire -

“Earlier today I smelled Fall distinctly for the first time this season. Halfway up this mountain, on the Long Trail, the delicious smell of Autumn leaves in the crisp air! Mixed with the strong scent of pine and fir and the Earthy aroma of damp soil in the coolness of shade towards sunset, the smell evoked the spirit of the season!

Within this forest of Maple, Birch, and Evergreen, I sit with my eyes and thoughts fixed upon the stars and the silhouetted giant trees. Leaves tumble down upon me in the breeze as I drift amongst the stars.

I await the morning light to cast it’s glow upon these mountains, ablaze with Autumn fire like I have only ever imagined…

I awoke this morning to a magnificent pre-dawn glow, accentuating the orange glow of the maples with it’s pinkish-purple hue. The first rays of light to touch these beauties were purely divine. Highlighted Birch bark and fiery Sugar Maple leaves contrast against the shadow of the Green Mountains. What a majestic scene in this golden light!

The heavy smell of fir mingles with the unmistakable scent of Autumn. The leaves, the cool air, the dampness in this refreshing light. It is so peaceful as birds softly chatter and it lulls me back to a dreamy state…

Autumn’s glory, so fleeting and so precious.”

“Autumn’s Divine Glory” - Brandon Kline

Ahhh Vermont…

Pretty stoked to be able to say I’m in Manchester, VT! There is a chill and a smell of leaves, the smell of Fall in the crisp air and the Maples are catching blaze!

This is a shout out to anyone in New England or coming this way in the next few weeks. I’m here in Vermont at the Manchester Fall Festival this weekend, the Stowe Foliage Festival next weekend(Columbus Day Weekend), and Roseland Cottage Festival in Woodstock, Connecticut the weekend after that.
My beautiful girlfriend, Anna will be joining me as well and you can bet we’ll be reveling in everything Autumn in between!😉 Come say hi and enjoy Fall at its finest if you have the opportunity!

“Just Be Here” (part 2 of 4)

“The grand lift of the Tetons is… a primal gesture of the Earth beneath a greater sky.” - Ansel Adams

Back in the Grand Tetons National Park…
August 14th - “I caught sunrise this morning at Snake River Overlook, where Ansel Adams once stood for his moody, iconic shot. Although the sky was crystal clear, the first rays of the new day sun basking the Tetons in pinkish golden glow was nothing short of spectacular! As mist looms off the Snake River amongst the forest below and silence pierces the air, I stand in the presence of grandeur.”

Yellowstone National Park…

August 16th - “I seem to have successfully re-forged my first Yellowstone backpacking visit back in 2015. By this I mean that what was done so hap-hazardously back then, I have re-traced very similar steps around Fairy Falls in the Midway Geyser Basin and in the Lamar Valley while backpacking these past few days. A little more experience, knowledge, and no shortage of good fortune have given me quite an adventure!

I camped off of the Fairy Falls trail two nights ago, enjoying a splendid hike past Grand Prismatic Spring and through young forest growth. Wispy and somewhat enchanting in appearance falling above the meadow wildflowers, I feel Fairy Falls is aptly named. That night I enjoyed the stars in the deafening quiet of the forest, so quiet in fact that it took me some time to hear past the ringing in my ears.

Enjoying camp till early afternoon the next day, I took a mid-day hike out to Imperial Geyser. As it caught my eye enough to warrant setting up my camera, after a couple exposures in dark overcast skies and rumbling thunder the storm was upon me, pelting me with sideways rain! No sooner packing up and trying to keep myself and my gear dry, the most fortuitous break in the sky happened! Clouds parted into big puffy cumuli and rays of sun basked the green hillsides and highlighted the blue, steaming water of the geyser. I raced to set back up and got two more exposures of the drama and thunder kept rumbling and the geyser blew!

I felt quite triumphant, having been hoping to witness a geyser moment worthy of capturing on film. So off I went back out the trail. Halfway back another storm let loose which began to break as I neared views of Grand Prismatic. What a remarkable moment of Nature I was treated to! Sun bathed the Grand Prismatic’s Blue steam bellowing up, highlighted the contrasting stormy skies, and a full magnificent double rainbow appeared, perfectly framing the scene!

Reveling only these miraculous moments I bore witness to, I made my way Northeast to the Lamar Valley. More storms erupted and more moments of magical light adorned my way - I note several places along the way which would be incredible sunrise/sunset viewing platforms of spectacular mountain vistas!

I arrived much later than one would like to my trailhead into the Lamar Valley, but as good fortune would have it I hiked safely here - halfway in the dark by headlamp, noticing a bison carcass not far off the trail and as thunder and lightning rode my heels! But I made it, and probably drier than had I hiked earlier through the torrential monsoons that were occurring moments before I began! As luck would have it, I was treated to a beautiful sunset glow across the valley amidst stormy skies and a safe, peaceful journey to camp.

And upon settling here, the skies were clearing, stars twinkling, and the full moon rose above me, here in the valley of the wolves. It’s glow the most mystical, enchanting silver-blue lighting the landscape around me, purifying me with pure magic in the night. These are moments one will not soon forget!

Waking at dawn this morning, I laid in my hammock watching the pale glow of sunrise slowly cutting through the blanket of mist until I felt the light was going to be quite something on the scene. I meandered down to Cache Creek, which I had also admired by moonglow and mist last night.

Taking off my shoes and socks, slowly and carefully I crossed the chilling stream, feeling quite alive! And behold the image before me of the layers of rock, creek, trees, hills, and valley! Green bathed in gold morning light upon Soda Butte with wispy cloud mist lingering atop the hills and brilliant blue skies! What peace and tranquility can be afforded those who weather the storm! I enjoyed this gaze for quite some time, imagining herds of bison, packs of wolves, a grizzly sal with cubs cresting those hills and how truly special it is to be blessed with Nature such as this!

I have since enjoyed a peaceful morning/early afternoon of hammock time, breakfast and coffee, reading and writing in this awesome campsite! As if I didn’t know before, but I am gaining the appreciation one gets by time spent in the backcountry for how truly spectacular this place is, Yellowstone. Time to hike on and see if perhaps the bison are out grazing in the sunny meadows after last evenings drenching… which seemed to affect them not, haha!

August 20th - catching you on my hike out of the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone - “my hike out was a pure Summer daydream. The sun-soaked meadow, blue skies, and white puffy cumuli painted Mother Nature in such perfect Summer splendor! And yes, the bison were grazing in plenty. On my hike, the main herd was down the valley from me a distance but a few stragglers ventured to pass pretty close by me. And on the drive out of the Northeast section towards Tower-Roosevelt, they were abundant to say the least! Herd after herd as you looked left and right throughout Lamar! Grazing, frolicking, running and rolling around in the dirt, such a scene for the memory!

Shortly before getting back to the trailhead, I had stopped for one more photograph. Where the lush grasses and marshy water had caught my eye the evening before, in the face of Druid Peak rising high above in this valley of the wolves!”

“Torches Ablaze”

A belated Happy Autumn Equinox to everyone! I just wanted to take a minute to pay homage to the passing of the torch from Summer to Autumn and then will be getting back to part 2 of my story in progress tomorrow.
This image is from my home state of Pennsylvania, Ricketts Glen State Park to be precise. Known for its waterfalls, Ricketts also has a lot of other natural beauty to offer as you can see! I learned early on in my visits to this Park that Fall color comes quickly on the mountain tops in this Northeastern region of the state. I recommend visiting late September/early October for the higher elevations around this neck of the woods if leaf peeping is what you come for. Color does work it’s way down the glens and mountainsides through October but up top the Sugar and Red Maples of Red Rock Mountain blaze like beacons to let us know one of Mother Nature’s grandest shows of the year is upon us!
On this particular late September evening from several years ago, the conditions were incredible as the fiery maples glowed like “Torches Ablaze” in the last golden light of sundown! I can still feel the crisp air and the smell of Autumn standing there. I camped in the Park that night and after a prolonged pink sunset glow along with waxing crescent moon, coyotes shrieked and wailed in the distance. Such sights and sounds of the season, and it’s only September still I thought…

Alongside sharing the rest of my Summer adventure with you I also have a few new image releases and Autumn favorites to highlight as we enter this spectacular season. Until next time, “Torches Ablaze”!

“Torches Ablaze” - Brandon Kline

“Just Be Here”(part 1 of 4)

Being as any adventure of epic proportions should be difficult to sum up quickly and easily, I am breaking down a mere several of the highlights and writings I would like to share from my recent month long journey into 4 installments. Here begins the kick off…

I embarked on the morning of Sunday, July 28th from Mifflinville, PA waiving goodbye and blowing kisses to my wonderful girlfriend and our dogs… over that first week, my daily landings were -

Night 1) my dear friends’ Alison and Jarrod’s house in Bloomington, IN

Night 2) Clinton State Park, KS

Night 3) Roosevelt National Forest near Boulder, CO

Night 4) Shoshone National Forest, WY

and on Thursday August 1st I landed in at another dear friends, by the name of Jessie, in Bozeman, MT. The week on the road was long, covering roughly 500 miles and 8-9 driving hours a day, but enlightening, as any good road trip should be! Alongside the beauty and diversity of this beautiful country, I had a few fun surprises and chance encounters as well to add to the beauty of the human element of the story.

The first week was mainly focused on the art festivals, having done the Sweet Pea Festival in Bozeman and then the Sun Valley Festival in Idaho, the first two weekends of the trip. Both were successful ventures filled with amazing people, incredible conversations and one of the most heart warming sale moments I have experienced to date! I don’t want to name names, but I will hint that it took place in Bozeman and had to do with Glacier National Park😉

The Sun Valley Festival actually came as some surprise, receiving a phone call from the wait list on the Monday morning after Sweet Pea! So the week in between I only had a few days to play with and decided to spend a night and day in Grand Teton National Park before making my way over to Ketchum/Sun Valley.

Having driven through the Tetons before but it being the National Park I had visited and NOT hiked/camped in was a big to-do for me on this adventure! I was able to make good on that, a couple times actually as you will see from my next installment! But until then, here are a couple journal excerpts and iPhone pics(these are NOT finished photographs, though some may be scenes that I did expose film of😉) from a mind-blowing 24 hours in the Tetons and then an adventure day I gave myself in the Sawtooth National Forest the Monday following Sun Valley (it is after all, right there!)

August 7th - “At last, taking an actual hike in the Grand Tetons, and it is nothing short of breathtaking! Following the Lupine Meadows Trail to the junction of Surprise Lake Trail upward and over to the Valley Trail and on to Bradley Lake, I hiked through lush forest and open meadow, what looked like perfect Grizzly terrain, full of Indian Paintbrush, Asters, and what look like Blue Bells and Iris. I have come to rest at this stunning scene of the Tetons towering before me as if rising out of the lake itself!”

That evening as I hiked out, a storm came rolling through the mountains and provided one of the most mind-blowing sunsets I have ever witnessed… unfortunately it was one of those moments where I knew I had not the time to set up the view camera, compose a photograph and capture it before the moment was gone, so i just enjoyed it and boy am I glad I did!😍

August 12th - “As the light goes down in the backcountry, just be here, find yourself in this moment of silence amidst giants. Only the caw and wing flap of the birds pierce the pure silence up here in the moonlit twilight of the Sawtooth’s.”…

“To Last a Lifetime”

As I am working on compiling a breakdown of images and journal entries to share from my adventure out West, I wanted to take a moment to highlight this photograph from my collection, as it’s been on my mind a lot lately. It does, after all come from right around this time of year…

“It was myself, my brother and our father, in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the first time and the first time my brother and I got our Dad out backpacking!  It was truly unique experiencing these beautiful Appalachian Mountains on this grand of a scale and just how bio-diverse these ancient Smokies really are!  

Despite being one of the wettest and dampest adventures overall that I have experienced, and thusly being a bit of a damper for our father, it was nonetheless an amazing experience traversing through different climate zones and such a variety of forest types. From mixed deciduous hardwoods, through rhododendron tunnels (which we dubbed “the enchanted emerald forest”), and up to huge Hemlock realms we hiked. 

This image is, to me, a beautiful representation to sum up our adventure.  The photograph was taken right beside our camping location on a mid-September's late afternoon.  To my companions chagrin (haha!), the fog really made the atmosphere for me, creeping through this dense forest of towering Hemlocks and Red Maples.  As I was setting up my camera, my brother was asking me where exactly I was going to hang my hammock...  “Oh, you mean using that dead tree there?” he asked.  “Ahh I’m sure it’s fine” I responded.  Eeeeerrrrrrrr, BOOM!  About 30 feet to my right, a tree fell over...  No one hurt, laughs all around, and needless to say I reconsidered my sleeping placement.  

We soon got a fire going to warm the spirit and later were serenaded to sleep by the chattering katydids and crickets in a thundering echo like I have never heard before... It all still rings so loud in my mind. Much like the ancients dwelling here, memories were made "to last a lifetime."

“To Last a Lifetime” - Brandon Kline

Re-Post - “Getting Lost” inspirational promotion…

Putting this out there again in case you missed it the first time, 4 days left!

Good afternoon all! When I made my successful complete cross-country road trip after leaving my restaurant profession of 17 years to pursue my artwork back in the Summer of 2016, I spent 10 days in Glacier National Park, MT. It was only supposed to be 5 according to how I had roughly planned out my time. Well, if you’ve met me, you probably know my love for Glacier and although this was my 3rd time there and I had places I hadn’t seen yet, I still could not bring myself to leave for well an extra 5 days essentially…

A couple of days before heading up to Glacier, I was hanging out with a good friend in Bozeman, MT and she was telling me about the “Get Lost” slogan that has come to be a trademark, if you will, of Montana. My first day in Glacier that August I ended up doing a 6.7 mile backpack gaining almost 3,000 feet in elevation from the Lake McDonald area up to the backcountry camping near Sperry Chalet. I arrived up there after dark and all I could make out was the ghostly silhouette of the mountains cutting a knife-edge along the night sky. That night also just happened to be the peak of the Perseid meteor shower and I was treated to some of the most brilliant shooting stars streaking through the Milky Way that I have ever been blessed to see.

I awoke in the morning to be greeted by several Mountains Goats and this majestic mountain view rising before me, peaks lost in the passing clouds and an air so silent you could hear its every breath. I wrote in my journal that morning that “if you were searching for me, I would be out here in this wilderness, getting lost yet never so found.”

And so I did for the next week and a half until I moved on, only to “get lost” some more as my journey continued. Now, 3 years later, I have just returned from my first trip out West and “getting lost” in Glacier National Park and a few other remarkable places since then. I thank my lucky stars and do not take for granted how blessed I am to have witnessed the beauty I have laid eyes upon. And through my photographs and words, I hope I do some justice to Nature’s magnificence as I share it with you.

All this being said, I have been inspired to offer this Custom Framed 1st Artist Proof 16x20 Print of “Getting Lost” at a limited time special price to the first person to contact me about wishing to give it a good home :-) The details and dimensions are listed below the picture. My normal asking price for this piece as is is $850.00. I am offering it right now at 30% off for $595.00!

And because I want to give everyone an opportunity to take advantage of this inspired offer, I have two other options currently as well -

1) The piece pictured below “Getting Lost” is currently framed as it is pictured. However, I am offering it as a customer choice for you to be able to enjoy where you like to “get lost.” Meaning you can pick your favorite 20x24 photograph from my collection for me to put in this frame(or leave it as is if “Rocky Mountain Daydream” suits you). One disclaimer, the frame has a few bumps and bruises from festival travel for a few years. Honestly I personally don’t feel it is anything worth taking it “off the shelves” so to speak, rather adding a little extra character. And I would be happy to provide a couple close up pictures to anyone who wants. My normal asking price for a piece this size as is(specs below picture) is $1,100.00. My offer right now is $800.00!

2) And if you are not in the market for a big framed piece currently, you can enjoy this offer on loose and/or matted prints -

8x10 and 11x14 prints - buy one get one

16x20, 20x24, 24x30, 32x40, 40x50 prints - 30% off

Normal prices -

8x10 - $45

11x14 - $75

16x20 - $175

20x24 - $250

24x30 - $350

32x40 - $650

40x50 - $850

(Tax and Shipping, if necessary, will also apply)

Lastly, the offer runs (in the spirit of the rapidly approaching Autumn and Halloween season) from today through next Friday the 13th which coincidentally is the Full Moon as well! Please contact me with any and all questions and remember, the framed offers go to the first person to confirm! Anyone wanting to discuss custom framing on any of the print purchases is also most certainly welcome and I’ll see what I can work out for you in this “Getting Lost” spirit!😉

The clock is ticking… 🌕🐺😁

“Getting Lost” - 16x20 print, 24x30 black mat and museum glass, custom curly maple frame 30x36 outer dimensions - Brandon Kline

“Rocky Mountain Daydream” or Your Choice! - 20x24 print, 30x36 mat and museum glass, custom curly maple frame 36x42 outer dimensions - Brandon Kline

“Getting Lost” inspirational promotion…

Good afternoon all! When I made my successful complete cross-country road trip after leaving my restaurant profession of 17 years to pursue my artwork back in the Summer of 2016, I spent 10 days in Glacier National Park, MT. It was only supposed to be 5 according to how I had roughly planned out my time. Well, if you’ve met me, you probably know my love for Glacier and although this was my 3rd time there and I had places I hadn’t seen yet, I still could not bring myself to leave for well an extra 5 days essentially…

A couple of days before heading up to Glacier, I was hanging out with a good friend in Bozeman, MT and she was telling me about the “Get Lost” slogan that has come to be a trademark, if you will, of Montana. My first day in Glacier that August I ended up doing a 6.7 mile backpack gaining almost 3,000 feet in elevation from the Lake McDonald area up to the backcountry camping near Sperry Chalet. I arrived up there after dark and all I could make out was the ghostly silhouette of the mountains cutting a knife-edge along the night sky. That night also just happened to be the peak of the Perseid meteor shower and I was treated to some of the most brilliant shooting stars streaking through the Milky Way that I have ever been blessed to see.

I awoke in the morning to be greeted by several Mountains Goats and this majestic mountain view rising before me, peaks lost in the passing clouds and an air so silent you could hear its every breath. I wrote in my journal that morning that “if you were searching for me, I would be out here in this wilderness, getting lost yet never so found.”

And so I did for the next week and a half until I moved on, only to “get lost” some more as my journey continued. Now, 3 years later, I have just returned from my first trip out West and “getting lost” in Glacier National Park and a few other remarkable places since then. I thank my lucky stars and do not take for granted how blessed I am to have witnessed the beauty I have laid eyes upon. And through my photographs and words, I hope I do some justice to Nature’s magnificence as I share it with you.

All this being said, I have been inspired to offer this Custom Framed 1st Artist Proof 16x20 Print of “Getting Lost” at a limited time special price to the first person to contact me about wishing to give it a good home :-) The details and dimensions are listed below the picture. My normal asking price for this piece as is is $850.00. I am offering it right now at 30% off for $595.00!

And because I want to give everyone an opportunity to take advantage of this inspired offer, I have two other options currently as well -

1) The piece pictured below “Getting Lost” is currently framed as it is pictured. However, I am offering it as a customer choice for you to be able to enjoy where you like to “get lost.” Meaning you can pick your favorite 20x24 photograph from my collection for me to put in this frame(or leave it as is if “Rocky Mountain Daydream” suits you). One disclaimer, the frame has a few bumps and bruises from festival travel for a few years. Honestly I personally don’t feel it is anything worth taking it “off the shelves” so to speak, rather adding a little extra character. And I would be happy to provide a couple close up pictures to anyone who wants. My normal asking price for a piece this size as is(specs below picture) is $1,100.00. My offer right now is $800.00!

2) And if you are not in the market for a big framed piece currently, you can enjoy this offer on loose and/or matted prints -

8x10 and 11x14 prints - buy one get one

16x20, 20x24, 24x30, 32x40, 40x50 prints - 30% off

Normal prices -

8x10 - $45

11x14 - $75

16x20 - $175

20x24 - $250

24x30 - $350

32x40 - $650

40x50 - $850

(Tax and Shipping, if necessary, will also apply)

Lastly, the offer runs (in the spirit of the rapidly approaching Autumn and Halloween season) from today through next Friday the 13th which coincidentally is the Full Moon as well! Please contact me with any and all questions and remember, the framed offers go to the first person to confirm! Anyone wanting to discuss custom framing on any of the print purchases is also most certainly welcome and I’ll see what I can work out for you in this “Getting Lost” spirit!😉

The clock is ticking… 🌕🐺😁

“Getting Lost” - 16x20 print, 24x30 black mat and museum glass, custom curly maple frame 30x36 outer dimensions - Brandon Kline

“Rocky Mountain Daydream” or Your Choice! - 20x24 print, 30x36 mat and museum glass, custom curly maple frame 36x42 outer dimensions - Brandon Kline

“Life from Death”/New Image Release

Greetings folks and welcome many newcomers from my adventure this past month! I’m just recently getting back home from an amazing trip out West during the month of August and I’m settling back in and catching up on life a bit…

First and foremost, here is that “official new image release” I mentioned several weeks ago! Apologies, but posting proved to be quite difficult from many of the places I found myself😉 So, although this is not brand new to many of you who have seen me recently and has already made its way into a handful of homes😁 , it’s time the rest of you get a peek at “Life from Death”, photographed deep in the backcountry of Glacier National Park in August 2016.

While I am still working out the finished story to accompany this image, let me just hint how the title not only plays off of the lushly growing wildflower meadows which are a result of the wildfire burn that once occurred here, but also the experience I was having during this 10 day stint in Glacier. On many occurrences I remember thinking to myself, what a fine line that separates life from death can be, and how ultimately the inherent beauty can outweigh the inherent danger of a situation…

I am going to leave you to chew on that for now, while I contemplate what else I wish to include behind this photograph.

As for the adventure I just had - keep your eyes on your emails over the next few weeks folks! Very soon following this post, you are going to be receiving information about a “promotion”, if you will, I have been inspired to offer during this time. And I have been writing a lot, not to mention exposing a pretty fair amount of film, which I am pretty excited to share glimpses of with you!😉

“Life from Death” - Brandon Kline

Howdy from Bozeman folks!

I’ve kept this a bit quiet because I wasn’t completely sure whether or not I was going to go for it, but I am happy to say I am back at the Sweet Pea Festival in Bozeman, MT! This was the second festival I ever did back in August of 2016 and I’ve been itching to come back ever since.

Look for another official new image release next week and some hints as to what my whereabouts might be for a bit. In the meantime, have a great weekend everyone and enjoy some scenes from the road this past week and a peek at Sweet Pea setup! Any guesses where I may have been??😉

Old Friends and New Beginnings…

Hey friends, I just wanted to take a quick moment out of my Birthday (yes it is today!🦁🌞😁) to share a little Festival follow up from the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts a couple weeks ago. It ended up being a nicely successful weekend and I thought I’d share with you a few pieces that have found new homes…

I had a few old friends from my bartending days visit me and decide to liven up their homes with nature’s beauty by purchasing “Time Is What You Make of It” (11x14 Print, 16x20 black mat and custom curly maple frame) and the newly released “Thunderous Wonders” (16x20 Print, 24x30 brown suede matting and custom curly maple frame)!

And I also said goodbye to what has been my biggest crowd pleaser and subsequently highest print seller thus far for roughly 3 years now, the very first Artist Proof Print of “Dream Big”! (20x24 Print, 30x36 black mat and custom curly maple frame) What do you think, time to make another??!

I am so happy to see these pieces go to happy, loving homes! And thank you to everyone for your support as always! Stay tuned, more big dreams in the works…😉

My best,

Brandon

“Thunderous Wonders”/New Image Release!

Hey folks, and welcome many newcomers that just signed up this past weekend! I just wanted to take a moment to share this new image release (which you have seen if you visited my booth last weekend😁) with you…

Whew, it is getting hot here in the Northeast (and much of the country I gather) this weekend! So I thought in light of that, hopefully this wonderful waterfall can help mentally cool you down!

I photographed this scene in late May 2018 right here in Pennsylvania’s own Ricketts Glen State Park! If you’ve never been, you should😉 Boasting 22 named waterfalls, you can see 21 of them on about a 3.5-4 mile circuit hike that takes you across, down, and back up two glens and includes some of Pennsylvania’s finest natural beauty. Designated a National Natural Landmark in 1968, Ricketts Glen is well worth your visit… and waterfalls are just a part of the wonder here - many more miles of mountain trails, lakes, and Old Growth Hemlock Forest await!

I have spent many a day in Ricketts Glen in all Seasons over the past several years and I have never seen it like I did on this occasion! Adequate snow melt and the wettest Winter/Spring on record had this Park booming in high flood!!! The day itself was a dream to be a part of - clearing heavy storms, mist and fog created an ethereal forest dripping and teeming with life, oozing it in every inch. I could feel it in each breath, succumbed to the deafening gush of these “Thunderous Wonders” all around me! To say I was stoked on Nature this day is putting it mildly!😉😁

“Thunderous Wonders” - Brandon Kline

Showtime!

Well, I told you yesterday I had big things in the works… and here they are unveiled for the first time, 2 brand new image releases!

“Thundering Wonders” from Ricketts Glen State Park here in PA, 24x30 print framed in a 32x40 (39x47 outer dimensions) curly maple frame.

“Life from Death” from Glacier National Park, MT, 30x38 print framed in a 40x50 (48x58 outer dimensions) curly maple frame.

A little drizzly today but it seems to have cut the humidity and looking like a beautiful forecast for the weekend! I’m booth A-67 on Allen St. between Nittany Ave. and Fairmount Ave. Hours are 10am-8pm today, Friday and Saturday, and 11am-4pm on Sunday. I hope to see any of you who can make it to say hi and peruse and enjoy the artwork!😁

Central PA Festival of the Arts Time!

Hello everyone! Just want to let you all know that if you find yourself in the Central PA area this weekend, you should come visit me at the Festival of the Arts! I’m in the same location as the past 3 years, Booth A-67, located on Allen St. between Nittany Ave. and Fairmount Ave. It kicks off tomorrow morning at 10am! I’ve got a few new surprises this year… Big things have been in the works, literally!😉

Happy Summer Solstice!/“Basking in the Glow”

         Hello friends! It’s been quite some time since my last post, since Earth Day back in April actually, wow... suffice it to say that life has been pretty crazy busy, but rest assured that I still have plenty to share and update and many things in the works!😉 

         Speaking of which, I need to get back at it, but I just wanted to take a few minutes to hopefully brighten everyone’s day and let you know in the coming weeks, there will be much happening! In the meantime, wishing everyone an awesome Summer Solstice, time to bask in the glow of the long days of plenty... 

          “I have backpacked, camped, and hiked throughout Shenandoah National Park at least a dozen times over the past 3 years.  Living in Pennsylvania, it has become my "backyard" National Park, if you will. Growing up in and around the Appalachian Mountains my entire life, I'll never forget that first experience of entering the gates of Shenandoah on Skyline Drive and how, all of a sudden, everything just looked and felt different.  I think it's a testament to just how pristine our National Parks are! And to this day, it never ceases to amaze me, that feeling I get as soon as I enter Shenandoah, that suddenly, things are just truer, just better.  It may not have the scale of some Western National Parks, but at close to 200,000 acres of mountainous forests and with forty percent of that beingfederally designated Wilderness, believe me, this place is pure Mother Nature! I learn something new, and have countless wildlife experiences every time I am here.  This image is one of many I have captured in my Shenandoah adventures, and represents just a slice of the splendor which awaits!  Photographed in early June 2014, I decided to hike down to see Lewis Falls for the first time as the sun was setting before heading to set up camp for the night.  It was breathtaking...  Thesetting sun was angled right into the hollowed out ridge line basking the falls and cliffside in its glow! Perched high on the facing overlook cliff, I set up and fired off a few exposures just before the sun was down and the light had passed. What an exhilarating moment I remember it being on that warm June evening! I sat and enjoyed twilight a bit before hiking back up the mile and a half and then off to find my camp spot by the light of my headlamp.  All the while, thinking what a day it had been.”

“Basking in the Glow” 

Happy Earth Day/“Innocence”

         I hope everyone has enjoyed a lovely Easter weekend with friends, family, loved ones and/or doing something they love! And a Happy Earth Day, and not to mention that Easter Sunday was also John Muir’s Birthday (April 21st) AND Saturday began National Parks Week which runs through Sunday April 28th, wow what a time of the season!  

         As you read this, I myself will be doing something that has become kind of a Spring rite of passage for myself to honor National Parks Week and Earth day. I will be backpacking for a couple days in Shenandoah National Park! :-)  I am giving up Easter with family and missing my beautiful girlfriend, Anna, unfortunately this year. But as life has been a whirlwind for weeks now, I felt very strongly about getting out and re-connecting with Nature for a few days. And I think timing is going to be incredible this year as weather has really been coordinating with Mother Nature to produce a gorgeous steady progression of Spring blossoms here in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic!

         I will have more on my Shenandoah adventure and what it means to me when I return. But for now, i will leave you to appreciate perhaps my favorite Spring photograph to date, “Innocence”. This is not from Shenandoah, but rather from another ritual I have every Spring which is visiting my Dad and the wonderful woods along the ridge where he lives. They are abundant with Redbuds, Dogwoods and Cherry Blossoms, making Spring bloom time prime time😁 

         The year I photographed this image, things were happening unusually early in the season, the Redbuds were popping late March into early April, about 2-4 weeks ahead of a more normal blooming period. But I happened to be there on such a perfect day. And in the glorious sunlight of mid-morning I stood staring up and around at a sea of pink and purple popping out amongst the dots of bright green and a crystal clear blue sky that I can only describe as heavenly. How innocent it all looks is what I remember thinking to myself. So fresh and pure and new. Bright eyed and bushy tailed, a true symbol of the rejuvenation of spirit this season brings!

“Innocence”   -   Brandon Kline

“May Your Spirit Be the Guide”

          It was early May in 2012 and upon my return home from a life changing backpacking adventure with my brother in South Carolina, I found myself reflecting on many things...

         As much as I was becoming obsessed with nature photography, I had never really before been out for much more than day hikes or leisurely strolls close to home. And now, I had just driven through the entirety of Shenandoah National Park twice, a bit of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and camped out for two nights backpacking on the Foothills Trail, SC - all over the course of one week!

         With one evening left before going back to work, I decided to drive out to Poe Paddy State Park about an hour from my house to see if this Dogwood (that is barely even prominent the way this evening turned out) might still be flowering.

         You see, the evening before I set out on that South Carolina adventure, I had come to this very spot. Spring blooms had come extremely early this year after a mild Winter and a warmer than average March and April. By mid-late April most areas were predominately green. The exception being higher elevation mountain settings such as this which were still in the budding and blooming stage late April/early May.

         Then out of nowhere came a freak late April snowstorm dumping roughly six inches on all that fresh green! Albeit beautiful but disconcerting with all those delicate blooms! It melted considerably fast though with warming temps the next day and the remaining blossoms had survived. Unfortunately that first evening I was here, I had lost the light to attempt a good photograph.  So it had been stirring in me, wondering if I might still have a chance of this Dogwood being in bloom a week later...

         Miraculously, it was!  A precarious hop, skip, and a jump across some rocks put me out on the Big Poe Creek in great position.  Balancing on a rock, trying not lose my gear or myself in the water, this ethereal fog began creeping in and consuming the mountains at sunset. I snapped the shutter.  And in this moment of awe at Mother Nature's unpredictable beauty, I rationalized all the events in my life over the past 9 months - that made me question so many things about happiness, passion, and how we move forward - which led me to this adventure and to this moment of clarity.  I listened to my heart and let my spirit guide me and I've been doing my best to do so ever since.

“May Your Spirit Be the Guide”   -   Brandon Kline

“Rise and Shine”

         It’s officially Springtime, belated Vernal Equinox greetings! Though for many of us there could still be some downright cold and blustery conditions for a few weeks yet, there is no denying the turn of the tides. More day than night, inevitable warmer temperatures will creep in and nature will rejuvenate itself!

         Rejuvenate has long been one of my favorite words to describe the Spring season. I feel it perfectly encompasses the excitement and energy of the growing strength of the Sun, the milder air, and the buds and blooms that will begin to abound in just a matter of time!

         It is truly delightful witnessing this re-birth and feeling the rejuvenation of spirit along with Mother Nature. As with all cycles of the Seasons, I try my best to be present in and appreciate this miraculous return of life as fleeting is the fragile beauty of these flowers and before our eyes the forests will be lush and green again. I am starting to witness very subtle signs in the region I live - birds are returning and becoming ever more vocal and tiny buds are growing on the early bloomers. Yes, a matter of time before the first flowers emerge and signal it is time to “Rise and Shine”!

“Rise and Shine” - Brandon Kline

A Farewell to Winter

         Hard to believe the first official day of Spring is only 3 days away! Although I know a lot of folks out West and Midwest had some crazy Winter weather last week, we here in Pennsylvania got a taste of the warmer days ahead with mid-high 60’s late last week. My girlfriend and I built a fire and grilled on it Friday evening. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel pretty good and get me a bit excited for the next Season!               

         One of the things I love most about living in this part of the country is that we have 4 definitive Seasons and I love living in each one. Even if I’m a bit nostalgic for one as it passes, I am ready to revel in the next one once we get into it!

         So, before I go all out Spring, here are a handful of some of my favorite hiking moments from February and the first half of March to honor these last couple days of official Winter...