Pacific Northwest-based photographer mainly focused on nature-related work. Founding team member of the collective known as Photo Cascadia. I run a number of workshops and tours each year along with occasional writing.
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January Newsletter - 2025 Rewind, New Photos, and Maine Coast Workshop
Published 12 days ago • 6 min read
"Canyon Flames"
It's a little later than usual for me to get out my rewind blog post for the prior year yet I carved out time to make it happen. Even today in late January it feels like the year is still just getting started being only 6% through, despite being well past wishing folks Happy New Year.
It was nice to slow down during the holidays and enjoy time with family and friends. I hope all of you were able to as well. I am likely in the minority not dreading the darkness coming early and refusing to let it's grip well into the morning. Change of seasons, daylight, weather, and temperature, they are aspects I like personally and for photography. Except maybe those morning alarms going off well before the crow of the rooster near summer solstice. It can make for long days, if I decide to rise early. This is another reason why I am happy to have branched out years ago into being open to the philosophy of "there is no bad light." This provides many more opportunities that I missed out on in my early years chasing mostly the vibrant skies at the bookends of the day. While I will never tire of watching the sky light up all around, it's something I can often enjoy these days with or without my main a camera in hand.
Speaking of light that works during the brighter parts of the day, the photo above is a perfect example. This was created after 10 am in a canyon. Locations like canyons often look best with bounce light pouring in which tends to flow the strongest from late morning to mid afternoon. It was from our last field session of a six day Grand Staircase-Escalante workshop, also my last workshop of the year. Everyone was happily engaged with our magical surroundings, and true adventurers, as we hiked in and out of muddy pools of water along the way.
In the photo you can see distinct color variations. I could have adjusted in processing to have a more uniform look yet part of what makes this scene is this range of colors and tones (and other elements). A tip in processing is to pay attention to color shifts when adjusting elements of contrast and brightness through tools such as luminosity. In this case those changes resulted in subtle color shifts I didn't want which called for a few selective color adjustments to get it back how I envisioned.
In this newsletter:
2027 Maine Coast Workshop
2025 Rewind Post
Photo Cascadia 2025 Year In Photos
New Work Gallery Updated
Print Giveaway Drawing
2025 Rewind Journal Post
You probably see plenty of photographers doing this same thing. I sometimes wonder if I will keep doing it yet I realize that every time I take a moment to reflect on where I have been, what I have done, who I have traveled with, and more over the last year, it's a good personal activity even if not a single person reads it. If you have an interest feel free to check it out.
As you might be able to tell already from my website, fall of 2027 is shaping up for some great opportunities to experience and photograph a wide variety of places. This is the latest one and likely the last for fall 2027 outside of any weekend workshops I offer. I am in the planning stages with my friend and resident Maine expert, Ben Williamson, to co-lead a Coastal Main workshop in mid to late October 2027. Few people know Maine like Ben when it comes to where and when to photograph, spending time roaming the state in all seasons. This workshop will include time in Acadia National Park yet the majority of the time will be spent in equally beautiful places along the coast covering all that is Maine from the lobster boats and lighthouses to the rugged shore and views.
Right now I am gathering interest level based on preliminary trip info with the option to add your name to the early notification waitlist from my website should you be interested in potentially signing up.
I wiped out the older images from my New Work gallery and updated with more recent work I processed. A good eclectic mix from natures wonders to wondering what the heck nature did to it.
Most of the spots are taken for 2026, with waitlists always available, yet there are some openings for those looking to add a photography trip to the calendar.
I received nice feedback from those that entered the first print giveaway for an 8x12 print. Congrats to Mark Teitelbaum on winning "Floating Gold" last newsletter. If you were reluctant to enter because you expected hundreds of entries, don't be. The entries totaled in the double digits, odds are good.
For many of us in the West we are seeing well below average snowfall. In fact it's dismal on near by Mt Hood with a 40 year low for this time of year at ~33% of average for water equivalent snowpack with no storms forecasted through the end of January. It is true that February and March can pack a punch dropping decent snow. At this point it will take multiple big storms. So for this print giveaway the winner can pick any print that shows in thesearch results when typing "snow" on my website. Hopefully this sends some good juju to get more snow in the mountains.
Process To Enter:
Send an email to adrian@adrianklein.com with the subject line Snow Dance
Approximately a week after I send a newsletter, I will draw to determine the winner and reach out to finalize details
Thank you to Erin Babnik for taking the time to put this quick recap together including some of our favorites and BTS shots that aren't posted anywhere else. And yes I am not afraid to look goofy at times which is clear in this video. If you can't laugh at yourself... you know the rest!
What I am reading, watching, or listening to that I feel others might find of interest.
PhotoPack Profrom Michael Rung - As someone that has always been a list person and lives by having a GTD system, I appreciate tools that help keep our lives organized and minimize what we might forget. Michael's photo packing app fits the niche for photographers. Available for Apple, coming soon for Android.
Protecting Beauty and Solaceby Eric Bennett - A good short read on the reminders of leaving "empty" space without development and recreational vehicles serves a greater purpose. We all can likely think of a place we connected with that used to be more restricted from potentially damaging use or development, Eric shares his personal experience with such a place.
How Nature Heals UsHidden Brain podcast - Likely not a new topic for anyone reading this. Yet I am regularly interested in it giving what I do and how I occasionally need to remind myself to get out of the office for nature time. Covering many studies (some I had not heard before) on the importance of nature for all of us. Even in the off chance you aren't enjoying nature in the moment, you are reaping benefits. A take away: though real nature is better, faux nature is good for us when it's all we can get.
Shell Gameby Evan Ratliff - Humorous, engaging, and a little concerning can describe this podcast series on AI. This isn't a podcast where each episode is completely independent from others. I would start at the beginning of season 1. We can see how far AI agents have come to replacing people, and how far they still have to go. Maybe we can be in two places at the same time. Sort of.
Ripleydirected by Steven Zaillian - The cinemaphotography is wonderful. Going black and white for a colorful country like Italy really adds to the whole story including the harder to watch darker parts. I find the filming a work of art. Every scene feels like thought was given to each composition. While the story line is similar to The Talented Mr Ripley, it's intentionally a much different feel.
If you enjoy this newsletter, I would appreciate it if you share it with your family or friends. As always, thank you for your time and support!
Pacific Northwest-based photographer mainly focused on nature-related work. Founding team member of the collective known as Photo Cascadia. I run a number of workshops and tours each year along with occasional writing.
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