These are a series of photos take over a couple days while wandering through both Redwood National Parks in Northern California. Taken with a friend that we met on the road and who then road tripped with us for the next few days. Love road trip friendships!

Picture 1

The Founders go a Finding: There we are, three of the four original creators of the NaturalNatures movement. The one taking the picture is a friend that we met on the road. She needed a ride because the spring of 2017 made her initial bike journey plan impassable. It was our lucky day because we made a great friend and great photographer.

Picture 2

Through the Eyes of a Tree: No, we are not shooting from inside a cave, we are shooting from inside of the massive fallen log of a redwood. These trees don’t stop producing life when they die, instead their very trunks become fertile ground for growing and they craft a whole new small ecosystem.

Picture 3

Peeking in to See Who Is Home: This old stump of a redwood has provided a source for life growing on the outside, with how big it is inside you think someone would have made it home, but after checking it out looks like there’s a vacancy. Would you live inside the stump of a redwood?

Picture 4

Three Halves Zen: It might be hard to tell, but we are each reaching out with one arm in the classic meditative position. Also difficult to believe is how much of a struggle it was to climb up this long, that is why the daredevil was the one at the top.

Picture 5

Reaching for the Light Beyond: Sometimes the best way to reach that peace that we are supposed to find at the end of the tunnel when we die, is to really connect with the Earth while you are still alive. She knows life better than us, so she can guide us to that source of life and light.

Picture 6

The Yeti Hears the Approach of Humans While Entering Its Den: In the old redwood forest things get awfully quiet, so just the snapping of a twig underneath one’s foot can sound like a gunshot. It is these old growth forests that need to be watched over and cared for, there is something sacred about that noble silence.

Picture 7

The March to the Edge of Somewhere: There is nothing quite like putting one’s bare feet on a fallen log, and it gets even better when that fallen log belongs to a redwood. Then its even better when you find that fallen redwood log in fern valley (I like to call it fern gully because it makes me think of the 90’s animated movie).

Picture 8

Through the Tunnel of Love: Now we are talking capital “L” Love here. What we feel and experience when we let ourselves get a little dirty as we get closer to mother earth and each other. It is in these moments that, even while the rain is falling, we’ll find the sun.

Picture 9

Men Standing with Giants: It is the world around us that is made up of giants that have proven their worth to live and die over hundreds upon hundreds of years. We owe these giants, these trees, ultimate respect for the air we breathe and the homes we live in. Take a moment and hug a tree today and tell it thank you, the tree deserves it.

Picture 10

A Rare Capture of the Beautiful Redwoods Nymph: When wandering through the woods you are always likely to encounter life of all varieties, even in the rain. In fact the rain is when the nymphs get out there to take their showers and enjoy that beautiful thing called water.

Picture 11

Watching the Water Flow Below: Water, trees, greenery, warn pebbles that the brook babbles over. These are the elements of paradise. Paradise is not a big warm home that has a secure three feet separating you from the world outside, but rather being in the world outside far from any crafted amenities.

Picture 12

The First Step Through the Canyon of the Tree: We did this shoot during a very wet spring day in the redwoods, but there is nothing that can really dampen the spirits when you are getting so close to nature. We ended up hanging out inside this tree for a few minutes chatting. Nothing like a good tree chat.