"Kingdom of Winter" - Image Spotlight Release

So maybe this isn’t an official first time release, as if you met me in Minneapolis, MN or Stowe, VT this past September/October then you have seen it. And also, it has been up on the website gallery since October as well. But, seeing as how I have never highlighted the release to all of you and you may have not seen it yet, I felt it was due to spotlight this as well as six other images that were shown for the first time this past Fall.

You will notice the presentation of the photograph below as slightly different. The frame around it is an actual picture I have taken of one of my framed pieces (obviously hollowed out so I can drop whatever image I want in). I’ve been stewing over ways to spice up, if you will, or separate the look of an actual photograph in my portfolio as opposed to just my iPhone pics when I share them. I also thought this would be nice as it shows off an example of my custom framework as well! ;-) I hope you enjoy the presentation and the depth I think it helps to create.

One more thing before getting into it - I hope over the next week or so to be able to begin getting photographs up for direct sale on the website. This has been a back and forth debate I have had for several years as to keep it intimate or be able sell with the click of a button (and all the possible benefits and headaches that could go along with that lol!). I want to at least give it a try for a bit and see how things go… So hopefully in the not too distant future, when I release an image, and/or any others in the collection, you can go to the purchasing page and order if you like without necessarily having to contact me. I still have some kinks to work out, but I’ve got my thinking cap on.

Alright, the first of 7 “new” release spotlights I currently have on stock comes from one of my favorite places on Earth (actually all seven come from my two favorite places on Earth so far;-)), the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont - a “Kingdom of Winter”…

From my journal entries January 30th, 2019 and February 9th, 2020 - Alderbrook Cottage, A Tiny House in the Woods…

“These past few days have been something out of a pure Winter dream, void of time and space. I don’t think my words can or will really ever be able to comprehend it. Chalk it up to being just part of the New England charm.

Anna and I arrived in Vermont Saturday evening the 26th of January after making my artwork delivery to a wonderful couple in Medford, Massachusetts. We found Kingdom Taproom for dinner and local brews in St. Johnsbury before getting settled at the Inn by the River in Hardwick, VT. A lovely little inn in a quaint little town, the likes I am convinced only New England can produce. On the morning of the 27th we dined on Jasper Benedicts at the Village Restaurant, reveling in our eggs benedict smothered in world-class Jasper Hill cheese while snow came falling down in this beautiful, charming town. After picking up some supplies, and a few drives back and forth on the road looking for our parking, we arrived here at 3pm.

Facing a ridge rolling with Spruce, Fir, and Birch and crossing a footbridge over the stream and up the rocky, snow covered steps into the forest, our tiny home cabin awaited… The fact that it snowed all afternoon and evening upon our arrival only added to the quintessential Vermontness of our adventure!

These three days have been everything one could want Winter in Vermont to be… Snow, fresh powder sticking to the evergreens and hardwoods. Cold, crisp clean air, single digits to negatives in crystal clear blue skies and dark rich star filled nights. Sitting by the wood stove, cozy and warm, snuggling with my love, eating world-class cheeses, drinking world-class beers, cooking meats, grilled sandwiches and beef stew all upon the wood fire stove top. Relaxing, playing Scrabble and drinking coffee and tea while eating maple cookies and reading, re-connecting…

The wonders of Winter are alive and well in this place more than any other I have ever witnessed. The silence and pure clean air are a testimony to this snowy kingdom and the true majesty of the season. And being able to share this with Anna, whom I just admired breathing in the brisk glory outside the cabin window only adds warmth to the heartiness of my soul.

Snow, falling down again. Sparkling diamond-dusted snowflakes adding inches to the feet already piled up upon the ground down there somewhere. Hiking, rather trudging, through knee-high, waist-high snow depending how deep I might fall in with each step, I explored the forest of this ridge amongst blissful quiet, peace, and solitude. It makes me feel like a kid again, buried this deep in snow and calm and quiet amongst this wooded Winter haven.

It all seems like a dream, yet I am acutely aware that I am living it - this snow draped dream, one of magic in the Kingdom of Winter.”

All my best until next time,

Brandon

“Kingdom of Winter” - Brandon Kline

Frame View

“Kingdom of Winter” - Brandon Kline

Plain View

The Spring of Genius

“Let us love Winter, for it is the Spring of genius.” - Pietro Aretino

Ever since I first read this quote on a box of Celestial Seasonings tea, I have reveled in how clever I find the thought of it. And if you do ponder it, one might find how true it is. I do, anyways - for it is both the end and the true beginning of Nature’s cycle. The life and health of many living things depend on good precipitation and snowpack as well as a long cold dormancy to rest and be able to spring back into a life filled with abundancy when the time comes. I have found that for myself, it is the time when I allow myself to rest without guilt and also the time when I can reset, rejuvenate my thoughts and creative ideas. And of course, hopefully get out and play in that beautiful snow a bit! (Which is also a great way to keep one in shape - think “Summer bodies are made in the Winter” - there really is no better way to prepare for extremes and physical challenges like getting out in the Winter playground!). And so, in this sense, my Winter is a chance to form the genius that bursts me back into life come Spring.

That being said, among the many thoughts of “genius” I have this Winter is the idea of fulfilling a goal I have had for several years - to accomplish backpacking in every calendar month of the year. I spent a few years accumulating the gear I felt necessary to be able to at least begin to overnight in the Winter, most of it taking advantage of end of season sales. Then last year(2021), I felt the time had come to give it a go. We ended up having several ample snowstorms hit my neck of the woods from late January through late February and I took full advantage getting out twice in February and once in early March. As I sit here still today, it went very well and I LOVED it! It brings me back to the joy of being a kid again on an adventure filled snow day :-) It also left me with only January and December yet to achieve backpacking in.

On Christmas morning, one of the gifts Anna, my fiancé (yes that is new news in my life that I will elaborate on in a later post!) had for me was a book by Norwegian writer, Torbjørn Ekelund titled A Year in the Woods. In a nutshell, he goes on one self-described “micro-adventure” each month of the year. That does it, I thought - “this is going to be the year that I make that happen as well! I hope for some months to have either multiple outings and/or an extended adventure, but at the very least I can get out for one night each calendar month of 2022.” I hope, or should I say one of my many hopes during this experience will be to gain a closer understanding of both the dramatic and the subtle shifts in Nature as the days, weeks and months go by. I expect it to broaden what I glimpsed in 2018 while hiking the same trail during every calendar month of that year. So far, I am 2 for 2, having just returned from an outing the past two days. But I will share more on February later. I want to start at the beginning and highlight my January adventure now. Please enjoy, excerpted from the pages of my journal…

January 27th and 28th - Loyalsock State Forest

“Sipping my coffee in the grand snowy silence at my ridgeline campsite above Ketchum Run. Last night was cold and dark, perhaps and most probably the coldest night I have spent in the woods, quite fitting for January! I stayed relatively cozy though bundled up in my sleeping bags (yes bags!), a candle in the snow for ambience, and for dinner some warm and comforting chicken and dumplings washed down with a fine porter and some sips of bourbon.

I awoke today pleasantly surprised by a light dusting of snow on my tent and snow gently falling through the Hemlock forest around me! I guess that Nor’Easter pushed a little further West after all :-) I have just been quietly sitting here in the snow, just being in this Winter forest, so silent, frozen and at peace…

Shelter for a night and a day - January 2022

Hiking in yesterday, I learned within minutes, and with joy as there is much more snow up here in the mountains than in the valley at home, this was going to be a snow shoe adventure, not a micro-spike hike. And so an immediate pause was in order to re-equip. ‘Ok, now we’re having fun’ I thought as I meandered my way through the snow-draped, frozen forest. All stream crossings were tentative but successful steps across the snow laden ice that all but completely deafened that sound of the water flow underneath, only barely exposed in small gaps here and there. In fact, the quiet - aside from the crunch and sloosh of my snow shoes and sound of my breath - was all that could be heard.

And so it was that ever so peacefully I decided roughly 2.5-3 miles in that a certain patch of towering Hemlocks on a ridge resting above several frozen features of water flow clutched to the cliffs along Ketchum Run was going to be my home for the night.

Well into nightfall as I sat cozy in my camp chair and sleeping bags, I noticed the faint twinkling of stars in the forecasted cloudy night sky. The speckling in the Hemlock canopy openings was a welcome surprise but no doubt allowed the temperatures to plummet a bit more into the teens than expected. But it also accentuated the dark of night. Cold and Dark - January - yes, perfection!

So quiet, I just let my mind drift into the oblivion of night. Every now and then a faint hoot or howl would break the silence - owls, coyotes perhaps. Such beautiful darkness. Eventually the cold would let me know it was time to get bundled up inside the tent.

When I woke this morning, peering at the weird shadows on top of the tent, a little tap of my finger would reveal with giddy delight that it had snowed! In fact, it was snowing!!! And it would continue throughout the day. And even better, it was so delicate, a dry, powdery snow (thanks to the cold) that I can just sit here in the open air of the forest, wrapped in my bags enjoying it without getting or feeling wet.

My cozy little nook off of Loyalsock Trail - January 2022

And so there I sat indeed with my biscuits and gravy with sausage crumbles and hot coffee, breathing in every breath of that clean, pure, piney air for as long as I could until I knew it was time I must move. I applauded myself for realizing this was a moment to be savored for as long as possible, to forego other hiking possibilities this day and just be in this moment - the calm silence, the falling of the fresh snow, the smell of the pine, the barred owl calling ‘who cooks for you? who cooks for you all?!’

Forest view at my campsite - January 2022

Everything cloaked in new snow.

Once I was able to pull myself to my feet, get packed and get moving, I enjoyed more moments frozen in time. Frozen waterfalls that is. I knew this is what I wanted to photograph - a scene I actually came first to know last March and now presented again, but more dramatically on this excursion. Along the cliffside rising above this stretch of Ketchum Run is an ice blue frozen cascade, and this time heavily draped in snow - a scene of pure Winter majesty.

Freshly dusted forest and a frozen over waterfall under there! - January 2022

Frozen wall and fresh snow along Ketchum Run - January 2022

After capturing my moment in time I would more diligently get to the snow shoeing out, and just in proper time as the temperatures would plummet well into single digits and sub-zero windchills come nightfall. And now I was a bit wet from sweat and the constant grazing of my enormous pack against the hanging boughs of Hemlocks dropping their snow down over me and slowly but surely adding weight to my beast of a satchel. I do not have the proper gear yet for sub-zero’s!

Alas, I safely got out of the chill and back to warmth, a great January adventure under toe!”

All my best until next time,

Brandon

P.S. - Since I never posted any, here’s a few extra gems from my time out there last Winter!…

Alan Seeger Natural Area - February 2021

Frozen Fir forest - February 2021

Encased in ice - February 2021

Proof of Life!

Hi there everyone - friends for whom it has been quite some time (over a year in fact) since you’ve heard from me and a warm welcome to you newcomers I had the pleasure of meeting back out there in real life this past September/October. I hope this finds everyone staying healthy and doing well…

I can thankfully say on my end that things, relatively speaking anyway, are good. Although, whoops I went and let a whole year go by without writing anything here for you all and that makes me sad. I think, probably like many of you, I have just been trying my best to stay safe, smart and happy. And despite actually having lots of pretty cool news and good things to share over the past several months, I have remained very inward about it all, and keeping to my close circle of loved ones.

To say I have a lot in my back log of pictures and stories and life updates is an understatement… but I do!

And so this little message is (as titled and probably mostly for my own sanity sake of initiating contact once again and achieving the goals I have set for myself) to verify proof I’m still out here and wanting to get back to sharing the grand beauty of nature with you all.

My sincerest wishes that this January is kicking your 2022 off to a positive start. The next post I have planned will be a bit more exciting, but for today please accept my invitation to follow along on what surely promises to be a bumpy ride, but one chocked full of epic adventure and little slices of heaven…

P.S. - Please feel free to share your own proof of life, reach out with any questions or comments, and/or just say hi anytime!

My very best,

Brandon

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” - Gandalf (J.R.R. Tolkien) from Lord of the Rings

I suppose it would be redundant to say “wow, what times are these?!” And although I agree it is important to keep informed, I also feel it is important to take a step back and re-channel. Something I’ve enjoyed since the holidays and inadvertently realized last night how good of an impact it is having on me is catching up on some adventure/inspirational documentary films. Shamefully to say, until the past couple nights I had yet to watch “The Dawn Wall” and “Free Solo.” If these aren’t ringing a bell, they are both about climbing and I highly recommend looking them up! And if you are with me on these, all I can say is - well, I can’t even find the words right now!!! I find it funny/interesting that although climbing is not something I personally have ever gotten into or even tried (I have a heights thing, lol, which actually I have come leaps and bounds towards conquering the past decade thanks to many of the situations I have put myself in!), I find films about climbing to be some of the most compelling and inspirational… and crazy at times, lol!

A couple nights ago, I honestly was choked up with tears of elation and awe-inspiring awesomeness at the end of “The Dawn Wall.” And then last night while watching “Free Solo” it hit me that, as I was writhing in my seat and practically unable to watch 😂 from the mind-blowing cinematography, just how good viewing these was for me. I could feel the adrenaline of inspiration flowing through me and I have been geeking out just thinking about getting back out there!

I guess the point I am trying to make is - that when things are going rough and we find ourselves bogged down and overwhelmed, a little distraction in the direction of something we love can really help us regain our focus.

On that note, and in the spirit of pursuing our passion, I’d like to share two recent acquisitions I am personally stoked about - guess who has a brand new backpack to break in thanks to Osprey’s awesome “All Mighty Guarantee!” Though I am very sad to see my pack of the past 7 and a half years and soooo many mind-blowing adventures go, I am at the same time so excited to break in a new satchel! And with the advances of the new model, carrying hefty loads is supposed to be even a bit more comfortable🤞😁 Not to mention, my fallen pack will live on in reincarnation somewhere as Osprey recycles every part they possibly can of backpacks they deem unable to bring back to a “fully functional state.”

And you may not realize this, but (for you old school camera geeks like me out there) every image I have presented to you since I began using a 4x5 large-format view camera has been taken using what is considered a “normal” lens in this size - which is 150mm. (Think 45-50mm in 35mm format or 90mm in medium-format focal lengths). If you’ve spoken to me at all about how I “see” things, you know I am all about the big picture! Not only do I dream of working in 8x10 large format someday, but I would equally love to own a Linhof 617 Technorama panoramic camera! But, although I must digress from these thoughts for the time being… I did just find myself at an incredible price and in awesome shape, a beautiful looking Super Angulon 90mm wide-angle lens for the 4x5 format… AND again for you camera geeks like me, it’s a Copal Multi-Coated f5.6 stopping all the way down to f64!!! Do I really have to tell you I can’t wait to start sizing things up with this puppy?!!😁

So between the new pack, a new lens, and snowshoes that still properly need broken in, like I said in my last post - come on SNOW in the Northeast!!!!!!!!!❄️

With my best regards,

Brandon

Happy New Year!

I was just looking over my New Years post from last year and, as I sigh, I don’t think I am alone when I say that 2020 has left us with much to be desired. As a fellow artist recently said to me - “I am not going to pretend to know anyone else’s struggles” - but I will say that we are all together in that we have all been impacted in our own unique ways.

For me, I was coming off an utterly amazing year in 2019 and brimming with hope and confidence of what the New Year would have in store!… Needless to say, it was a very different year. But it was not all bad, some of it quite good and rewarding in fact! And I sit here ultimately thankful for what I do have.

And I’m still crazy enough to look to the future with optimism! I think we need a little of that. Although I can’t say when for sure or what “normal” might be once we emerge from this, but I hold hope that we will figure it out. Who knows, maybe we will have learned a thing or two as well???

For my part, my goals looking forward remain quite similar. Though I definitely need to “get creative” to figure some logistics out, I intend to work at both the creative and personal facets of my life in the best manner possible given the situation. Isn’t that all one can do? And whatever the timeline ends up being for this or that, so be it, as long as I keep pushing onward, cherishing time with loved ones and living.

In these Winter months ahead, one priority is to keep communication and share the positivity of Nature’s beauty with you all on a more consistent basis. I sincerely hope I am able to procure the means that I need to once again be able to work on my photographs, as I think I have mentioned before - my back log of film that I am absolutely stoked about is piling up!!!

And let’s not forget the really fun part of it all - getting out there!!! So come on SNOW in the Northeast!!!!!!!!!❄️ In regards to that notion, there are a few things I’m pretty stoked about, but that is for another post…

So, there you have it. Those are my thoughts for these Winter months and I am going to bite my tongue on any speculation of Spring/Summer and beyond. We shall see where we are in time… but in the meantime, please enjoy a few iPhone pics of moments “out there” in Winter’s past from one of my favorite places on Earth, Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Just maybe one or two of these is representative of actual photographs I exposed😉

My absolute best wishes for everyone to have a safe, healthy, wonderful, Happy New Year!

Brandon

Merry Christmas/Winter Solstice Tidings

I just want to take a moment to wish you all my very best. Although our gatherings may not be great in size this season, I hope they are immeasurably merry in spirit. I have recently been reminded of just how precious life is. May we celebrate the simple things that can easily, but never should be taken for granted this holiday.

In reference to my post last week about getting out to break in my new snowshoes - I unfortunately was unable to get out for a hike in the fresh powder. I did get to do lots of shoveling though, haha! I was out yesterday for a couple miles but the snowshoes weren’t as necessary as just having my microspikes with trail and snow conditions trampled and crusty at this point. The fresh mountain air felt great though and it was nice to get out with snow on the ground in honor of the Winter Solstice and Holiday Season.

With Warmest Wishes and Gratitude, please enjoy this handful of festive pics and have yourself a Merry little Christmas! 🎄❄️🎅

Brandon

Scene from Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom last Winter. Talk about “Over the River and Through the Woods…”😍

Back yard in the midst of Winter Storm Gail last week!

Dawn breaks the morning after. 😊

“She’s a beaut Clark!” 😂

😁

The Jolly Ole Soul hard at work! (Compliments of my grandfather😊)

Magic in the air… Ho Ho Ho!!!

“In The Heart of Autumn”/New Image Release

Over the past 5 or 6 years (excluding this one sadly) I have had the pleasure of spending the early part of Autumn in New England, most notably Vermont. The first time I made the trip up there in early October, it was love at first sight. Everything I had heard about the foliage did not only not disappoint, but it blew my mind! Yes, because of Mother Nature, some years are better than others and timing is something you can never guarantee, but even on a “bad” year, in my experience the color there is unrivaled. And I can also say that at least two of the years I’ve been present for have been exceptionally insane ones!

The mountains and forests of Vermont are home to the largest concentration of Sugar and Red Maples of any state in the country. Mix that with a heavy dose of Birch and Evergreens and you have a recipe for an endless sea of red and orange contrasting in absolute brilliance against the dark pines and firs with pops of bright yellow!

Yes, I know that (at least strictly speaking of New England) one could argue New Hampshire’s White Mountains or Maine’s dense, remote forests are equally or more stunning. I think it all comes down to what captures your heart for whatever reason really. For me, I have said for years that if the great Northeast is the embodiment of Autumn, then Vermont is the heart of it.

One of my first experiences hiking in Vermont was a grueling 12 mile day from Gifford Woods State Park to this wonderful window overlook and back all along the Appalachian/Long Trail. It truly made me appreciate the ruggedness of New England trails I had heard so much about. And no, I did not know this was my destination. It is just where I got to before sunset and then turned around trekking back by headlamp to my cozy campsite and warming fire at Gifford Woods. Since then, I have visited this spot several times… Sunset is an incredible time to stand here, especially if there are storm clouds breaking and shafts of light are bursting highlights below. Yes, I have experienced this twice here and unfortunately for different multiple tragic 😂 reasons each time have not been able to come away with a good photograph. Perhaps someday…

However, one time on a backpack in this region, I had made camp about a mile or so down in the forest from this location and awoke before dawn to hike up and see what sunrise might be like. Due to the location of sunrise this time of year and mountain placement, the sun’s rays don’t hit the valley below until about 9am, roughly an hour and half or so after the sun breaks the horizon. So, although you don’t get that beautiful golden first light, you still do have a pretty awesome, softly lit scene in front of your face worthy of a few sheets of film.

And what I really love in this composition is how the early light smatters the foreground birches framing a skeleton, if you will, around the heart of the valley and all those fiery maples below. I don’t even mind the fir tree right in the middle. It is after all a major player of Vermont’s forest. No place I’d rather be come early October, here in the heart of Autumn.

“In The Heart of Autumn” - Brandon Kline

“Tranquil State of Being”/New Image Release

Few places on Earth can boast a mixed Northern Hardwoods/Coniferous Forest on Granite Mountains meeting by the edge of the Sea. In the far Northeast of the United States, one such place exists - Acadia National Park, Maine.

In the handful of times I have visited this place, perhaps the one thing that truly never leaves me is the smell of the Sea mingled with the scent of Fir. The fragrance inundates your senses with such pure Earthly air. If you have experienced this sensation, you know what I’m talking about. If not, all I can say is it practically forces you to succumb, willingly mind you, to the whim of Nature.

Acadia is also famous for it’s sunrises. Most notably from Cadillac Mountain, where one can be the first (along with a few hundred other people) to witness the first rays of the rising sun to touch the US. I do highly recommend this experience. But I also have made it a point to find other, quieter places to take in the dawning of a new day. On this particular morning, awaking from my hammock in the wee hours on the “Quiet Side” of Acadia, I enjoyed an utterly peaceful hike along Ship Harbor Trail all to myself…

As the darkness slowly gives in to soft blue light and your headlamp is no longer required, you see the mist and the fog lifting off the cliffs and sea. The ocean calmly lapping the rocky shores. From the canopy of forest, a burning red sun breaches the Atlantic. Moments later the glowing orb’s rays turn sea to gold and glisten trees with speckled light, softened by the misty atmosphere. Salty breezes blow in and dance with the sweetly dank aroma of the surrounding fir. Back and forth, salt and sweet, ocean lapping - such a tranquil state of being.

“Tranquil State of Being” - Brandon Kline

Holidays Update…

Seasons’ Greetings everyone! Well if you live in the Northeast, we are getting pummeled by our first major Nor’Easter in years and boy is it awesome!!! It is perfect powder, light and fluffy and oh so beautiful! We are to wake up tomorrow (when you’ll be reading this) to anywhere between 1 to 2 feet! It sure is getting me in the spirit of the season, in fact I feel like a kid today! I can’t remember this much snow before Christmas since those days it seems here in Pennsylvania.

I hope you all are finding brightness in any ways you can during this very different Holiday Season. Given the state of things and working on figuring out my own situation, I haven’t had much of an opportunity to focus on trying to promote anything for the Holidays this season. Honestly, I am really just beginning to get in that mood. Which, truthfully, isn’t that odd for me actually. I’m not, and have never been, one to jump the gun on anything. I really enjoy celebrating things as they come in time. It is typically the 2nd week of December, well after Thanksgiving, that I turn my gaze towards the thoughts of Christmas and Winter. But, despite being late to the party, I tend to linger with the Holiday Spirit well into the New Year! (Like the end of January😂)

That being said, it hit me last night - as I’ve been stressing and trying to come up with some way to promote Holiday cheer this year - why don’t I make it easy on you, and myself in turn I think haha…

Anytime between now and January 10th, if you contact me about something, anything, that has been or is on your mind that you’d like to adorn your walls with, I will work with you to provide a happy outcome for the both of us. Whether it be a loose print, matted, or completely custom framed, any size, multiple pieces, whatever, I will do the best that I can working between my normal price for said item(s) and your budget to give you a gift from Nature that I hope you will love for the rest of your life and pass on to future generations.

Just give me a good ‘ole fashioned phone call at (814) 441-8238 or email me directly through the website here or at brandonkline725@gmail.com and we can take it from there😊

Also, over the next week I have 2 NEW IMAGE RELEASES to share… And with all this snow, I’ll be looking to break in my brand new snowshoes after some shoveling tomorrow morning! So with any luck, maybe I’ll have some cool iPhone pics to share in celebration of the Winter Solstice next week!😉

P.S. - below this festive pic, find a little postcard promoting the Central PA Festival of the Arts’ Virtual Holiday Event. Yes, I realize the 3 week event ends in 2 days, but perhaps if you feel like checking out the list of participating artists maybe you’ll find some last minute inspiration or a spark for the future and consider supporting the Arts!

My very best always,

Brandon

View from our backyard earlier this evening😁😍

The Hand that is Dealt…

Well, it has been some time, and I apologize for that. I did not think that when I last posted on January 11th, that November 2nd would be my next post. Nor, for that matter, that the state of the world would be what it is and has been during most of this year.

I want to say a couple things first, just to be clear… this is NOT a political post. I wanted to make sure no one is mislead on that and it was/is important to me that I wrote and posted this before the election (though I do hope everyone goes out to vote!) and results so that no one would be mislead about the title “The hand that is dealt” I have chosen. Sadly, I have been sitting on this title saved in my blog lineup since early March. Take it how you will in your own circumstances but “The hand that is dealt” for this instance means that I make no excuses for “success” or “failure” given the times we are in.

I really have only two “idols” if you will in my genre. Ansel Adams, whom I’m sure most of you have heard of, and Rodney Lough, Jr., probably not the same household name but in my opinion, the modern day Ansel Adams and someone whose work you should look at! Both of these men set the example for the standard of the quality of work I strive for. Both also come from very different time periods and world circumstances. Ansel rose to prominence during The Great Depression and is widely considered the father of the American Landscape tradition, photographically speaking. Rodney, on the other hand made a name for himself out on the art festival circuit in the late 80’s and early 90’s and has become perhaps the most currently renowned and financially successful artist in this field that I can think of. I have even had the pleasure of meeting the man, on my first cross country road trip in 2015. I got to meet my modern day hero and biggest inspiration and he did not disappoint! He and his wife are so kind and welcoming and gave me a complete studio tour followed by me just hanging out with him in his office editing room for about two hours talking all things life, hiking/camping/backpacking, and nature. Amazing.

The point to all this being, unfortunately, the art festival circuit (from what I am told anyways) is “not what it used to be” in relation to the grandeur’s of “success” some have seen during better economical times. But, none of that really matters. All we can do is play the hand we have been dealt and it is in this thought that I always come back to Ansel. I, nor hardly any of us, have ANY idea what it must have been like during The Great Depression. And to think of this man rising to such greatness during such times just really speaks strongly to me about what IS possible. I am in no way trying to make any comparisons of myself to these men, it is simply that these are the only professional influences that I pay any mind to really and so their stories resonate with me.

So I am here to tell you that despite being quiet for a while and the fact that there haven’t hardly been any art festivals to be able to be held this year (I and many of my friends had total cancellations) and we don’t know when things will resume on an even somewhat “normal” level, that I am in no way giving up! I am still playing my hand, it has just been on a bit of a pause. Many of you whom I have had in depth conversations with have heard me say that I fill in the gaps with landscape work. Well, this year has pretty much been all landscape work, which honestly I am thankful for. I know this year has been so tough on so many levels, so to have the opportunity to have a “backup” to go to for consistent income and for that to also be something that keeps me outside and that I enjoy doing AND it also be with a good friend, has been a blessing!

I felt it was important to let all of you know that has been what I’ve been up to. My dreams are still the same. I have simply been biding my time and making money that I can hopefully use wisely for the future of my artwork! I also wanted to say that I sincerely hope you all are doing as well as can possibly be during these times and please feel free to reach out and say hi, I would love to know that you are well!

And lastly, just so you know, things are not at a complete standstill. I am still capable of producing any work which has been available if anyone has any inquiries. I have quite a load of new work that I am chomping at the bit to be able to produce, but as some of my resources have also been affected, I haven’t had too much opportunity to do so. However, it has also accelerated my desire to procure more of my own “in house” capabilities which I hope to acquire soon and be able to have a very productive Winter!🤞😁

Speaking of which, looking ahead to later November and into December, I have just gotten word that the Central PA Festival of the Arts organizers are providing us with an on-line platform of promotion running through November 27th-December 18th. And also I have just submitted some work and thoughts to a Penn State student organization trying to promote awareness of art and mental health with an Instagram tag of @arts.for.health in which my highlight should be posting later this month. So please feel free to pass the words along to any interested and again, as always (and preferably!😉) feel free to contact me directly about anything!

Again, my apologies for taking so long to reach out to everyone, I realize I have a bad habit of becoming silent for too long at times and then it becomes more difficult for me to figure out what I want to say or how to go about jumping back into it. But, as the landscaping season continues to wind down, I intend for my voice to become more active and to get back to sharing what I do… (And don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten my promise to finish up a couple stories I left hanging!) In the meantime, in the spirit of a Halloween post I made last year, enjoy a few spooky tree/forest pics from some adventures I was able to have recently🎃

My very best,

Brandon

Full Moon Fun

As I mentioned in my post you would have received on Friday January 10th at 11:00am EST, (Which, if you missed it, you’ll wanna go back and be sure to check it out as it contains a New Image Release!😉) I was out for my first hike of 2020 on Thursday. And the mysterious beauty of the rising Full Moon was so spectacular! I just have to share my short journal excerpt and a few pics with you…

January 9th -

“I was out for my first hike of the New Year today. And what a breath of fresh air it was! My first hike out in the mountains with gear since late October this past year, too long.

A minor snowfall, first of the year, this past Tuesday the 7th dusted our area in Central Pennsylvania with about an inch. Enough to whiten the countryside and mountain slopes with clinging beauty!

The air this evening was crisp, just below freezing and it felt invigorating heaving in and out of my lungs as I climbed up Spruce Gap! There wasn’t a soul about, except for myself, and the quiet stillness reminded me swiftly of the peaceful charm of Winter. The Full Wolf/Cold Moon was glowing in all her mysterious wonder as I descended the mountain, filled with the magic in the air.”

“Sweet Serenity”/Official New Image Release

Well, I was just out for my first hike of the New Year this past late afternoon/early evening, and I thought what better way to kick off my “Tales from the Trail” Blog in 2020 than with a new image release!

I have a confession to make - I’ve been holding this one, and a few others for that matter😉, for public spectacle until the new year. As I mentioned in my New Year’s Eve post, I currently have 6 new images I’ll be unveiling throughout this Winter. So, to kick it off, I am proud to present “Sweet Serenity”…

This little slice of Winter bliss dates back to March 2017. If you recall, Winter Storm Stella, a Nor’Easter that pummeled much of, well the Northeast. Some of you may know, while others may not - but since I embarked on the journey to whole heartedly chase my artistic dreams in July of 2016, I have also filled in the seasonal gaps by doing Landscape work. Not only does this allow me to continue to “play” outside, but I find the physicality of it, much like backpacking, to be extremely satisfying. Why do I mention this? Well, this Winter of 2017 was when I became involved in this “side work” by helping with snow removal with a local Landscaping company. I love being out in the storms and feeling a part of it all, pushing ones limits and reaping the rewards. However, it can be frustrating when I would love to just be “out there” hiking and enjoying but not wanting to give up the income.

Fortunately, working on a sub-contract basis, I can say yeah or nay certain times if I really want. On this occasion, as Stella was hitting our area in the wee hours of the night and continuing through the next day, I decided I was “unavailable” until noon to give myself a little time doing what I love in the midst of a Winter Storm, rather than simply enjoying the aftermath. This aloted me a few hours of peaceful bliss hiking, rather trudging, through about a foot of snow in an area known as Shingletown Gap in the Tussey Mountain region where I had lived.
I have always found this little neck of the woods, resplendent with Hemlock and Rhododendron tunnels surrounding a babbling brook, to be a Winter haven. I could try and write a million more words describing the scene, but I think you can perfectly see how sweetly serene is the calm and quiet of this snow falling down in the forest. And there is nothing else, there needs be nothing else in this moment of peace.

I would shortly after, go on to help my comrades for roughly 24 hours of snow removal and drifting/ice cleanup for the next 3 days. But all the while, I had this scene of “Sweet Serenity” drifting through my mind.

“Sweet Serenity” - Brandon Kline

A Look Back and Looking Forward…

Well folks, can you believe that 2019 is coming to a close?! And not only are we preparing to embark on a new year but a new decade as well!

As the Yuletide Holiday Season wanes, this is a time when often I find myself in a reflective, relaxed state. During these early days of Winter, I cherish the moments and memories that have passed as I build strength and excitement of what the New Year will bring!

At a brief glance, 2019 was packed with days of fulfillment, wild adventures, challenges and love. I honestly could not ask for much more within my means. And if I had to sum up this past decade in a statement, I can honestly say that throughout all the trials and tumbles, I have never stopped climbing the mountain of my dreams. And my vantage point now - despite having quite an ascent and many more obstacles to go I am sure - is a thing of remarkable beauty, filled with awe-inspiring optimism!

So, looking to the near future of 2020 - I have a couple stories to finish sharing with you which encompass my favorite memories of 2019. And as of right now, I have at least 6 official new image releases to share! As well as whatever untold stories this Winter has in store…

And just a reminder, if you haven’t taken advantage yet and there is a piece (or more!) you’ve had in mind, there is still a week left to treat yourself! - www.brandonklinewnp.com/for-the-holidays

Wishing you all a safe, successful, adventurous and wonderful Happy New Year!!! I look forward to seeing you down the trail in 2020😉

Winter Solstice Greetings and a Merry Christmas to All!

Seasons greetings everyone! And a belated Happy Winter Solstice… I hope you all enjoy the warm, cozy comforts of MidWinter to add merry cheer to your Holidays!

I would also like to take a moment to thank each and everyone of you for your appreciation and support! It truly means the world to me. I wouldn’t be where I am without you! I have learned and grown so much on this journey of being an artist and I do not take for granted one moment how important you all are to this process. This 4th year out on the circuit has been by far my brightest one and with any luck, I can’t wait to build on that this coming year!

So thank you so very much for brightening my Holiday Spirit and all my days. Wishing a Very Merry Christmas to you all and to all a Goodnight!🎄❄️🎅

Warm Holiday Wishes

Yuletide Greetings everyone! I hope this finds you all enjoying a lovely Holiday Season this far. I can’t believe Christmas and all celebrations of the MidWinter are upon us. Always a busy time of year, but also a wonderful, festive, and reflective time! I’ve always found such great pleasure and peace during the Holidays by simply enjoying some quiet moments at the end of the day sitting by nothing but tree light in the dark.

And in the Spirit of this Season, I would like to show my thanks and appreciation to all of you by presenting you the opportunity to bring the beauty and peace of Nature into your home for those quiet, reflective, inspirational moments.

For the next 3 weeks, from now through the first weekend of the New Year (January 4th/5th), I am offering the following options for any Photograph(s), Artist Proof and/or Limited Edition, in my collection available in Loose Print, Matted, and/or completely Custom Framed -

1) Print Sizes 8x10 and 11x14 - buy one get one FREE!

2) Print Size 16x20 up through 40x50 - buy one regular price get another of equal or smaller size 50% off! (Or get a free 8x10 or 11x14)

3) Only have the want or need for one piece? - take 30% off regular price!

4) Want your Artwork completely Custom Framed? - take 20% off regular price!

So check out the website - here are a few direct links to make life easy…

Portfolio - www.brandonklinewnp.com/gallery

Prices and Print/Matting info - www.brandonklinewnp.com/ordering-guide

Framing info (bottom of page under Archival Quality and Framing) - www.brandonklinewnp.com/about

…and give me a call at (814) 441-8238 or shoot me an eMail at brandonkline725@gmail.com and let me know what I can help you with!

And one more thing… you can also place your order for the 2020 Nature’s Grandeur Calendar! I have a few upgrades to this years’ model and am excited for the final product! If all goes well, I hope to be able to ship any orders I receive this week by the weeks end. And with any luck may be just in time for Christmas. But they will also be available into the New Year. This year’s calendar is priced at $22.00 (flat rate, shipping included).

You’ll be hearing from me a good bit between now and Christmas and into the New Year with lots up my sleeve🎅😉 And I look forward to perhaps hearing from some of you as well with anything I may be able to assist you with! In the meantime, wishing you all the very best this Festive Season!

“Just Be Here” (part 3 of 4)

I sincerely hope everyone has just enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving Holiday with family, friends, and loved ones! I am sorry to not have wished you all a wonderful feast prior, I found myself quite busy helping a fellow landscaper finish a project before the holiday and then fell a bit ill unfortunately. But, alas I did have a nice visit with my family and have been able to rest and reset!

And no time to waste, as the great MidWinter festivities are a mere few weeks away! Speaking of, I will announce a Holiday surprise or two early next week, and yes, I am making Calendars again! I am currently in the works of it and plan to have it complete by the weekend of the 14/15th so that orders can get out it time for Christmas! Official announcement and ability to pre-order coming next week as well…

In the meantime, I still have MUCH I have promised you! Allow me first to complete my epic tale “Just Be Here” relayed directly from my journal entries of my time out West this past Summer. If you find yourself needing to refresh your memory or if you are a newcomer to the blog - parts 1 and 2 were posted September 20th and 30th respectively if you wish to scroll back through to find them. I last left you with my time in the Tetons and Yellowstone and now to a place I am most thankful for…

Glacier National Park, MT

August 20th -

“Quiet along the Cut Bank… Out for a leisurely late afternoon/early evening hike on the Pitamakan Pass Trail and taking a nice sit down enjoying the peace and solitude along the North Fork of the Cut Bank Creek right now.

I drove through these beloved gates of Glacier Sunday morning the 18th. Finding myself in the Two Medicine region of the Park for the first time, I am so pleasantly surprised at how lushly green it is here! I feel many pictures I have seen have depicted a more barren (albeit still incredible) landscape in this part of the Park, but not so in the least!

I backpacked out to Upper Two Medicine Lake Sunday evening, reveling in the glorious play of the setting sunlight upon the mountainsides. Most excitingly, I encountered my first Moose!!! And my what a big bull he is! Startled by a grunt and thinking I was about to have my first Grizzly encounter, I looked up in to the forest to see this magnificent animal checking me out. What an experience!

And if that were not enough, that evening while conversing with the group at camp (being lead by a Glacier Guides man whom I had met at Bowman Lake in 2o16 (what are the chances?!), and consisting of a wonderful couple, Alex and Katie, whom I hit it off with), the big guy decided to come join us for a twilight drink at the lake and chomping of the brush, giving us quite a show for at least a half hour or so! Even in the dark, by headlamp, one could gauge the enormosity of his head just by seeing the distance between his eyes, ahhh Glacier!

That night I sat at the lakeshore getting lost in the bounty of stars and spiritly spires of the cragged mountains, like ghosts glowing white in the rising moonlight. These moments are what magic truly is.

The next morning I lazily relaxed before hiking out, enjoying the blue-green sparkle of the lake and the morning light on the mountains. I waded into the lake to refresh for a while and cleanse the Spirit, feeling the Mountains blowing in the Wind...

Wouldn’t you know it, while hiking out, another Moose! This time a female, not 20 feet away munching on the brush without a care of me in the world I don’t think. I would say she was almost as hugely impressive as the male - minus the rack and a little bulk perhaps.

Last night I built a fire at Red Eagle Campground on Blackfeet Indian Reservation ground just East of Two Medicine and relaxed into the star rich night under the Milky Way.

An early start this morning to see what other backcountry plans I could ensure gave me such a graceful sunrise moment on Two Medicine Lake as the pink glow illuminated the mountains through the valley I had just hiked. And after a lazy kind of day overall, here I sit enjoying this peace and quiet along the Cut Bank.

I think it’s time to go build a fire and converse with some of Glacier’s Spirits. A long day lies ahead…”

August 21st - “Wow… that about sums it up. This morning began at 3:30am, making coffee by moonlight at my Cut Bank campsite and driving over to Many Glacier. I began hiking by the soft glow of pre-dawn through the forest along the shores of Swiftcurrent and Josephine Lakes. Very early on, a movement in the forest and a couple sets of eyes met my headlamp - Bear, deer?? Not so sure to be honest?!!

Although I began hiking about an hour later than I had hoped, it proved not to matter in terms of the photograph that was in my head. As the sun angle now in later August takes a while to rise up over the mountains to where it lights the scene - late July I think would be ideal for the Sun breaking the horizon in the valley between and basking what lies before me in fresh golden glow.

Nonetheless, the colors, mood and light upon these lakes, forests, and granite peaks I witnessed this morning on the roughly 3 miles in were nothing short of spellbinding.

And here I have sat, so peaceful and serene, soaking in the fortune and glory of this blessed life!”

“By the Babbling Brook”

First I want to say thank you so much for the incredible response to the “On a Crisp Autumn Morning” post I made last week! I find it so wonderful how sometimes when I share a photograph that, albeit special to me, isn’t necessarily something I think will be as special to you all as some other moments I think will be. It is a true testament to how uniquely different we all are.

That being said, although I had really been hoping to share part 3 of my “Just Be Here” story this week, I have simply not had the proper time to get my journal entries and pictures in order to do so… but I do promise soon!

In the meantime, let me take you peacefully into the weekend with this image I very seldomly highlight but holds a special place in my heart…

It is, after all, the first photograph I exposed during my first ever Autumn backpacking experience (and only second backpack period) from a place that I so dearly love, Shenandoah National Park, VA.

It was late October 2012. My brother had just introduced me to backpacking about 6 months prior that previous April and asked me to plan an Autumn adventure for the two of us. Having driven through Shenandoah for the first time and being my very first ever National Park experience while en route for that April excursion with him, and having a strong desire to begin visiting National Parks, I chose a 4 day immersion into Autumn in Shenandoah…

In the long run, it ended up being not only an incredible test of my endurance and will, but also one of the most eye opening, soul quenching and serenely peaceful experiences that has driven me to further love, explore and adventure in our National Park system ever since!

This photograph I composed early in the new dawning day after the first night out. I hiked back maybe 1/2 mile from where we made camp having loved this particular area along the flowing creek on the hike in the previous day. This image isn’t about mind-boggling color. It is, however, a brilliant representation of what an Autumn forest in Federally Designated Wilderness is like…

As you trek downward from almost 4,000 feet to 1,800 feet, the mountains change from Oaks to Hickory, Beech, Poplar, and Red and Striped Maple in every shade of Autumn back to still Summer green at the lower. Somewhere in the middle, the tall trees of the wood are bare at this point in the season, yet smaller trees still blaze with fire while the forest floor is a bountiful carpet of delicious smelling leaves and gurgling downward with you is the ever so soothingly peaceful sound of the babbling brook while a gentle breeze blows and Fall leaves float down.

Need I say more?

“On a Crisp Autumn Morning”

Brrr! The deep plunge in temps is inspiring me to share this, as many of us will have woken up to a crisp autumn morning indeed!

This photograph is one of my early favorites from when I had recently transitioned from 35mm to medium format film. I essentially stalked this Sugar Maple over the duration of about 2 weeks, patiently waiting for the moment of perfection…

I had known about this beauty from frequent visits to a place that used to be just a hop, skip and a jump from where I lived - Whipple Dam State Park. On one early October afternoon, I went to investigate the color of the young Autumn in this forest and found that this maple had just begun to catch what I call “the fire.” It was green still, all but the tip of the central most branch in the image which was burning orange and I thought to myself - “I am going to keep an eye on you.”

Every 3 or 4 days over the next couple of weeks I went to check on the progression of things. Fortunately, we were having a lovely Fall that year. Color was evolving at a nice pace without disturbances and the maples in particular were glowing amidst the oaks, beeches, and pines. After several investigations, one late afternoon I stood admiring the scene, and knowing we were to have our first real frost that night said - “tomorrow morning is it!”

And so, on the morning of October 17th, 2012 I brewed my coffee pre-dawn, bundled up, drove over the mountain to the park and awaited the rising sun. It was such a peaceful morning and I recall truly reveling in my surroundings as I sipped my coffee, contemplating my life at that time and the beauty of this Autumn forest - the mist rising off the lake as dawn grew brighter, the thawing frosted leaves on the ground, and this fiery Sugar Maple standing proud in the midst of it all. And after I snapped the shutter a few times, I sat some more just breathing it all in - the look, feel, and smell of Autumn all around on this crisp, bountiful morning!

Albeit you most likely will not find the same vibrant color in mid-November as you would in mid-October (depending on your geographic location anyway), I urge you to get out and take a deep breath of some brisk morning mountain air sometime soon. The low light this time of year is beautiful, and you never know what you may find that speaks to you or the wonders it may do for your soul!

“On a Crisp Autumn Morning” - Brandon Kline

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