My first trip out of the United States brought me to Iceland, the Land of Fire and Ice. It has always caught my attention when I came across images of it’s beautiful and desolate landscapes and massive waterfalls, so when I saw the opportunity to join a Photography Workshop ran by one of the top Landscape Photographers that I look up to, William Patino, I knew I couldn’t pass it up.

The 10 days spent there we were pummeled with tough weather and overcast skies, but it made the challenge of finding the best shots that much more fun looking for compositions. But all of that patience paid off on the final night, when we were finally graced with something I had been dreaming of seeing for years, the Northern Lights! To say this trip has left a lasting impression on me would be a massive understatement. Since then I have been dreaming up and planning out trips all across this planet with hopes of seeing it all.

When I went to Norway, it was my first trip that I went on that I was completely on my own. Being in a very far away and remote location by yourself may sound scary to some, but it was here that I truly found myself and my calling for adventure. The Lofoten Islands was unlike anything I have ever seen, almost as if I was on another planet.

Nothing can prepare you for the beauty that this country offers, it was almost to easy to photograph out here, I found myself pulling over on the road on numerous occasions just to take in the sights. From the moment I stepped off my plane under the Northern Lights, to walking on the beaches all by myself, Norway has left me speechless and longing for more. Its a place I wont soon forget and I cant wait to get back out there.

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to venture up to Oregon, but I finally made the decision to make a roadtrip up to Portland to take in all the sights this beautiful state has to offer. Theres so many beautiful places and hikes that it was hard to narrow down what I was going to be able to fit into my itinerary. Needless to say, I’ve actually strongly considered moving to Oregon after my visit, it’s a place I can see myself enjoying for the rest of my life.

California is one of the most diverse states there is, from hundreds of miles of beautiful coastlines on the West and towering peaks and amazing hiking on the East, this state is like a playground for Landscape Photographers. Here’s a collection of some of my favorite photos from my home state.

My parents met while my Dad was stationed at a military base in Germany and my Mom was on vacation visiting family, so this country has always been regarded as a special place and has definitely been on the top of my list for a country I need to visit. From the rich history and beautiful landscapes all throughout the country, it was easy to fall in love with the place, and just knowing that my parents explored some of the same cities I visited just made it that much more special.

I’d say my favorite part of Germany was seeing and exploring the Castles, mainly because I hadn’t really seen one before, but also because of the history and the work that went into building these massive structures. I can definitely see how some of the locations I visited were most likely inspiration for some of the Fairy Tales I grew up reading, its just a magical country no matter which city you visit.

When I planned my road trip through Europe, I made it a point that I definitely had to pass through Switzerland. From the pictures I’ve seen online, nothing could prepare me for how beautiful and grand this country is. From the lush greens and beautiful blue lakes underneath massive mountain peaks, Switzerland felt like a dream the whole time I was there. Its a place I wont soon forget and I’m already thinking about future destinations out there.

When you think of Italy, you think of the unique city of Venice or the rolling hills of Tuscany, and probably the coliseums in Rome. These are all great destinations to visit that I wish to see someday, but when I envision Italy I think about the incredible Mountain range of the Dolomites. Just the scale of this place blew me away, from wide open fields of grass that stretched for miles leading up to rock spires that towered into the skies, it was like seeing something out of a movie or video game. I feel like it’s a lesser known area to visit, but probably one of the most beautiful in all of Italy. If you ever need to be humbled by the beauty this planet has to offer, look no further than the Dolomites of Northern Italy.

Although my stay in Austria was pretty much less than a day since we were just passing through on our way back to Germany to get to Oktoberfest, I made it a point to see the small little lake town of Hallstatt. When you’re walking through the streets of this historic town, it’s almost like you’re transported back in time. And if you’re okay with losing a bit of sleep, I’d highly recommend exploring the city at night, that’s when all the tourists are sleeping and it almost feels like you have the town to yourself. Wish I could’ve had a couple more days to see everything, but I know I’ll be back again.

I would've never thought when I saw this place about 5 years ago on one of my favorite photographers (Chris Burkard) website that I'd ever be exploring this island and seeing these views with my own eyes, and this was a couple years before I even started doing landscape photography. But here I am, it's pretty awesome where my passion for photography has taken me.

After it sinking in that I was finally in the Faroe Islands, I had to get to work! Right after I landed and got my rental car, I started my adventure to that very same waterfall that I had seen on Chris Burkards website from many years ago. And damn was it amazing to have pretty much the whole part of the island to myself. Well, except for all the sheep that were roaming around freely which outnumber the people there by about 5 to 1.

The moody weather that I had come to expect from the photos I've seen here definitely did not disappoint. You never knew what the weather would be like any given hour, from raining sideways with 50mph winds or some of the most beautiful and peaceful morning sunrises, it was an awesome and challenging experience that I’ll never forget. The stories behind these photos are almost better than the photos themselves.