While I often talk about traveling to over sixty countries throughout my lifetime, I’ve also been fortunate to visit forty-six of the fifty states in the U.S. North and South Dakota, Alabama, and Mississippi are the only states I’ve yet to explore.
In 1753, Louis-Charles Fougeret de Monbron wrote, “The Universe is a sort of book, whose first page one has read when one has seen only one’s own country.” Whether we travel across the U.S., around the world, or simply explore our own backyards, people, places, and things have the power to evoke our senses, emotions, and imagination.
Back in photography school in 1978, I had the privilege of learning from a frequent guest lecturer, Jay Maisel. His portfolio included iconic subjects like Marilyn Monroe and Miles Davis, and he often spoke about the art of capturing light, color, and gesture in everyday life. To this day, two of Jay’s insights have stayed with me:
“You can’t take great photographs if you don’t have your camera with you.”
“The best photographs are right behind you.”
Jay was right.
Today’s photograph was taken in Twin Falls, Idaho. The Snake River cascades over Shoshone Falls as it winds its way westward to the Columbia River. Over the years, we’ve made countless drives between Salt Lake City and Oregon, often passing through Idaho. Yet, despite all those trips, we never stopped in Twin Falls—until this one time.
Fortunately, I had followed Jay’s advice. With my camera in hand, I paused, turned around, and captured this stunning image of Shoshone Falls.
Nowadays, almost all of us carry a camera in our pocket—the ubiquitous mobile device. So take a moment. Stop, turn around, and discover something amazing waiting just behind you