jantrabuephotography.com

   I crave beauty in my life. Majestic mountain ranges, landscapes with varied textures and colors, and wildlife bigger than life- all of these elements- soften the blows of the disappointments in life, and causes me to be still and know that there is a God- a light to guide me along life’s pathway, and a love to anchor and nurture me.  Standing in the presence of a 400 pound grizzly bear or a 7 foot tall moose startles me out of my head into the present moment…this single, magical moment in time.  I am reminded that it’s a big world out there and I am only a tiny spec in it. Stepping out onto the trail and out of my head forces me to reevaluate my life and pledge a new commitment that,  like the grizzly and the moose,

I will  live life large.

I am challenged to be more present, listen with more heart, to be a witness to beauty all around me, to value others, and capture and share the beauty and awe of this big ole world we live in. I hope you enjoy these photographs as much as I enjoyed taking them, and that, like the towering mountains, the giant moose, bison, elk, and the powerful grizzlies, …you too will choose to live life large.

       This trip was especially challenging for me. Days began before sunrise and ended well beyond sunset. As a person who requires 8 hours of sleep, the lack of sleep took  its toll on me.  My days were filled with hunting, shooting, and learning, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The wildlife seemed scarce and just when my faith was waning, a herd of beautiful pronghorn could be sighted grazing contentedly atop  a hill. I had never seen pronghorn before and they were colorful and beautiful! Honestly, they just don’t know how beautiful they are! They certainly livened up any field they were found in. It was fun to watch their curious heads pop up from their grazing and eyeball me as though to ask, “what are you doing here?” Of course the answer always was, “To photograph you until I tire of it then to stretch out and take it all in.” Photographing the pronghorns was one of the highlights of this trip for me. They were acclimated to people and so they were not skittish, and there was no need for me to be quick. They were kind enough to give me the luxury of taking my time, figuring out my settings, setting up the composition I wanted, and time to observe them. I was hoping to capture a shot of one running full speed across the field laid out in front of me. Pronghorns are the second fastest mammal in the world, second to the cheetah! They are an impressive mammal indeed! Though I did capture one running, he didn’t run full force, as he was busy rounding up his herd, darting this way and that, like a well trained border collie.