Tom Horton

At "Early Morning, Tunxi Ancient Street" in Huangshan, China, the warm light of early morning illuminates red lanterns against the cold, gray stone. I added a touch of blur to the scene to preserve the softness of the light. #china #huangshan #tunxi #anhui #oldtown #ancient #street #lantern

"Wave Monochrome No. 1" -- The idea of rendering the brilliant red rocks of the US Southwest in black and white might seem misguided, at first, but the finely detailed layers at the Coyote Buttes of Arizona seem to be saying "think again." #thewave #coyotebuttes #arizona #redrock #southwest #mono

"Golden Hour, Lewis River" -- As afternoon eases into evening and the sun slides low, expect more drama from scenes as the light warms and softens the landscape. The golden hour, as photographers call it, has rescued many an ordinary landscape. #yellowstone #river #water #nationalpark #sky #golden

‪‪
"First Light on Fall Creek" -- In the Swan Valley of eastern Idaho, Fall Creek plunges directly, assertively, into the Snake River. In early Spring at full flow, dawn light illuminates it perfectly. #idaho #waterfall #fallcreek #snakeriver #swanvalley #sunrise #dawn

"Mont Blanc Massif" (4809 m) is the high point of a region of rugged peaks, pinnacles and ridges covering the intersection of France, Italy and Switzerland. Despite this, the summit of Mont Blanc itself is so broad a small plane once landed there #montblanc #alps #france #mountain #switzerland #peak

"Morning in Bled" gives you postcard scenes of the lakes and forests of the Julian Alps. The small, happy nation of Slovenia exceeds expectations for beauty, hospitality, friendliness and gastronomy. It is also a thriving center of sports and athletics. #slovenia #bled #julianalps #europe #adventure

The "Redwood Forest" is one of the most difficult nature subjects I've photographed. The dense trees themselves often suffocate the still, atmospheric, cathedral-like ambience. Finding just the right composition space requires a lot of wandering. #california #redwood #forest #humboldt #nationalpark

This "Golden Corrridor" is in the great mosque on Nashq-e-Jahan Square in Isfahan, Iran. This edifice has two names -- Imam (or Iman Khomeini) or Shah Mosque. It is know as a masterpiece of Persian design, and is a UN World Heritage site. #iran #isfahan #mosque #shah #imam #unworldheritage

I don't see the resemblance, but "Lizard Head" is a dramatic peak near Telluride, CO, that is changing shape yearly as the soft, fractured sedimentary rock flakes away, making it a dangerous challenge for climbers. I recommend a prompt visit, while it still stands. #colorado #telluride #lizardhead

"Jaipur Temple" -- Now and then, wandering works out. I was walking down a chaotic street in India, glanced through a doorway and a group of women in multicolored saris were framed by a temple portal. A man sat on the steps and the scene was gone forever. #india #temple #portal #jaipur #women #frame

"Fisherman, Zhujiajiao" - As this fisherman floated downstream, I had to follow on the opposite shore, climbing fences, jumping ditches and avoiding mayhem until the background was perfect. I may have stepped on a chicken. Grace comes at a price. #china #shanghai #water #fisherman #net #boat

"Bagan Before Sunrise" -- There are over 3,000 temples within a 10 km x 10 km area in the old city of Bagan, Myanmar. Between 900 and 1300 years old, none are in ruins. They are maintained as active Buddhist worship sites by locals and distant benefactors. #myanmar #bagan #temple #city #sky #ancient

"Dawn at Old Faithful" -- Notice the compete absence of people at this famous geyser. So many classic lanscapes are totally different at sunrise and sunset, and people tucked in their beds never witness this beauty. Set an alarm. Get out early. #wyoming #yellowstone #oldfaithful #geyser #dawn #misty

"Tianmen Mountain Road" -- You've seen that crazy giant hole in a Chinese mountain that daredevil wingsuit flyers dive through at blinding speeds? This is the road leading up to it, which is no less an achievement than the aerial stunts. #china #tianmen #mountain #dayong #hunan #highway #switchback

"Desert Paisley" is my name for this San Juan River rincon. Rincon is from Spanish/Arabic, a word meaning corner or nook, such as this cutoff meander near Lime Ridge. From a drone high above, it resembles a paisley design one might seen in a fabric. #utah #sanjuanriver #rincon #mexicanhat #limeridge

"Zion.alt" -- Look south from the Zion NP entrance to see Eagle Crags, a rugged and beautiful formation lost in the shadow of the famous park. It features a nice hike and a hidden, accessible BLM campground. Check it out. #utah #zion #nationalpark #eaglecrags #springdale #blm #sunrise #dronephoto

"Mont Blanc Massif" -- This singular European peak is the high point of many nearby summits -- hence the word "massif" describes the whole area. This unusual view of the Mont Blanc massif was seen from 80 km away at Crans Montana, Switzerland. #france #mtblanc #switzerland #massif #panorama #italy

"Sunrise, Lake Bled" -- This perfect European postcard scene is in one of Europe's tiniest countries, Slovenia. The Church of St. Martin holds forth its perfection on a Lake Bled island, in a quintessential alpine town at the gateway to the Julian Alps. #slovenia #bled #lakebled #island #stmartin

"Lauterbrunnen from Wengen" -- There is no more dramatic scene anywhere than the Lauterbrunnen valley and village in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland. The 300-meter Staubbach waterfall on the edge of town only adds to the fantastic scene. #switzerland #lauterbrunnren #staubbach #bern #interlaken

"Blue Hour on the Bund" -- The colonial waterfront in Shanghai takes on captivating colors as twilight fades and the world along the Huangpu River becomes blue and gold, a beautiful and somewhat surreal time artists have termed the "blue hour." #china #shanghaI #bluehour #bund #waterfront #river

The "Medicine Wheel" is an ancient Native American structure in the Bighorn Mountains of northern Wyoming, and seems to have an astronomical function. It seemed appropriate to photograph it at night, underneath our Milky Way galaxy. #wyoming #medicinewheel #bighornrange #crownation #nativeamerican

The "Sunset Side of the Tetons" -- the Teton Valley of Driggs, Idaho -- long had a distinct downscale vibe that locals sought out for its affordability. But that is rapidly disappearing as the valley is taken over by millionaire celebrities and hobby ranchers. #idaho #tetonvalley #driggs #celebrity

"Sunset, Chesler Park" -- Done with crowds at the parks around Moab, Utah? Head south to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. After a long, lonely drive you'll find quiet and beautiful hikes, such as this trek to Chesler Park. #utah #moab #canyonlands #nationalpark #chesler #needles

So many mosques in Cairo, from every Islamic dynasty. The Ottoman era "Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha" dominates the sprawling city in the gritty afternoon air. Its form reminds us of the great mosques of Istanbul, the Ottoman capital. #egypt #cairo #mosque #muhammadalipasha #alipasha #ottoman

Millions play in the shadow of the LaSal Mountains near Moab, Utah. However, the east side of this range, the "Gateway Canyons," Colorado, is lonely but spectacular, with dramatic redrock clefts and lush riverscapes. Give them a visit. #colorado #gateway #canyon #redrock #lasalmountains #river

"Moonrise at Titan Tower" -- At 902 feet, Titan Tower of the Fisher Towers group near Moab, Utah, is the world's tallest sandstone tower. This photo of the rising moon is NOT a composite or Photoshop job. A little planning, and one frame only. #utah #moab #fishertowers #titantower #sandstone #moon

These strange formations at New Mexico's De-Na-Zin Wilderness can probably be explained by a geologist somewhere, but I prefer to call them the "Egg Garden," and to endure a cold nighttime trek to bring them to you, sunny side up. #newmexico #denazin #wilderness #blm #bistibadlands #oddrocks #navajo

"Red Gate" -- A pre-dawn rural scene in El Dorado, California, demonstrates our attraction to the color distortions that happen when the sun disappears. With normal colors muted and distorted, an otherwise dismissable red gate pops out. #california #eldorado #rural #dawn #fog #panorama #redgate

"A Bolder Boulder" -- This study in light and texture was captured in a view camera with Ektachrome 4x5 film, then scanned to a 900mb tiff file. No surprise that reproducing it on a laptop social media app hides its extraordinary detail. #utah #wasatch #cottonwoods #boulder #viewcamera #iktachrome

Even though it's the park's most popular sight, very few see "Sunset at Artist Point, Yellowstone" because they quit early and go off to dinner. The most extraordinary scenes happen at dawn and dusk. Stay with the golden light. You can eat some other time. #wyoming #yellowstone #sunset #artistpoint