“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

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