“To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Though autumn doesn't officially begin for another few weeks, the waning days of August mark the end of summer in northern latitudes.

There will still be warm days - perhaps even a mini heatwave or two - but the dog days are most assuredly behind us. The angle of the sun has shifted. Sunrises come later now, and sunsets happen earlier.

Change is in the air.

For those who revere summer, flipping the calendar from August to September is bittersweet. When I was a kid, nothing could compare to the summer months. I looked forward to the season with great anticipation and was sorry when it ended. School was fine, but I liked summer vacation more.

I no longer feel that way. No doubt the fact that baking in the heat long ago lost its luster has something to do with it. Much more importantly, though, photography has been the driving force behind my change of attitude.

Aside from the distressing way time seems to be marching ahead with increasing speed, I find myself looking forward to the myriad changes which can be found in nature during the course of the year. Each season is beautiful in its own way. Each has unique characteristics. I enjoy them all. (This does not mean I find shoveling snow to be a pleasurable task. I haven't completely taken leave of my senses.)

Of course, these transformations don't only occur from season to season. It's remarkable how the landscape can fluctuate in a short period of time, just as Emerson said. Nothing is ever exactly the same from one week to the next, one day to the next, even one hour to the next.

Change is always in the air, even if subtly.

Photographers have a front row seat to this phenomenon. There truly is always something new to see and - potentially - to capture with the camera. A steady stream of fresh, unfamiliar destinations is not a prerequisite to making interesting pictures.

To notice these details, the only requirement is attentive eyes.

Put yourself in the right frame of mind and you might be surprised how many things you'll observe.

Meanwhile, as summer prepares to make its exit, appreciate the sights, sounds and experiences the season has gifted to you - not just this year but throughout your photographic journey.

These are a few of my own summer souvenirs:

A jewel on the waterfront, this is the lovely formal garden at Prescott Park in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Wildflowers in Stratham, New Hampshire

The first photograph I made after having relocated to Idaho from New Hampshire, storms retreating from the Teton Valley on a summer evening

Visually dramatic heavy weather moving into Jackson Hole

This tidal pool is perhaps my favorite location along the New Hampshire coast

Monsoonal activity at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon

In Local News

Much-needed rain finally arrived this week as monsoonal moisture moved into the region. More than an inch has fallen at my house. Hallelujah!

Teton Country has fortunately remained largely unscathed by wildfires thus far, though a few have broken out recently. Two large fires are burning currently south and east of Grand Teton National Park in the Bridger-Teton National Forest (the Dollar Lake fire and Willow Creek fire). Also a few dozen acres are burning in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest near the Idaho-Wyoming state line.

The rain yesterday and today won't be enough to put out the larger fires, but it will slow them down.

None of these are expected to grow into mega-conflagrations, and the smaller ones are projected to be contained soon.