A cross-country photography trip is a thrilling opportunity to immerse yourself in nature's beauty and create stunning images.

Often times, we find ourselves anxious over things that we really don’t have any control over. What we can do is control our own reactions, though.

I recently did a photoshoot for a hard rock band based out of Fayetteville, Ark named Scorned. Scorned delivers high octane hard rock and metal that is heavily influenced by bands such as Metallica and Megadeth. Originally founded by lead guitarist, Jay Biggs, back in 2001. The band took a break for a few years while Jay served in the United States Army with tours in Iraq.

I see the beauty in decay, within bones and skulls, and monuments for lives who have passed on and I like to translate what I see into photographs.

Knowing that there are alligators everywhere, venomous snakes, and even the invasive Burmese Python swimming in the same water you are hiking through, you trudge forward towards the big splash you heard. Your imagination is going wild as the primordial-like vegetation closes in around you.

If we were to treat our rivers and streams as we do the uncountable species of plants and animals around the world then wild, free flowing water systems would be protected by the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately, we live in a culture that does not recognize them for how important that they really are. Rivers are the lifeblood of the entire planet. If we lose our river systems, then the rest of the planet will ultimately die…

Around almost every bend through the canyon there was another series of rapids. We hit Big Drop One and Big Drop Two as the river tried to pull us into her depths. Finally, as we fought our way through the giant waves of Big Drop Three, the river took a victim….