The Best Summer of My Life
by Blake Swingle
Although it seems that this pandemic has adversely impacted nearly every aspect of our daily lives, the summer of 2020 has been the best summer of my life! It began with a seven day road trip to Utah and culminated with a unique experience in Montana, with Alex Strohl.
Growing up in Buckeye Country, I’ve always had a desire to see more of our beautiful nation, “from sea to shining sea,” and at 20 years old, my adventures are just beginning.
The Utah road trip was a group of four, packing in as much as possible in 7-days, to include the grueling drive through Kansas, both out and back. I’m not dissing Kansas, but that stretch of corn fields is endless! Due to restrictions imposed by COVID, pre-planning was essential, and we enjoyed visits to three national parks: Arches, Bryce and Zion.
Since none of us, all from Columbus, had previously visited the area, we were those proverbial wide-eyed kids in a candy store, amazed by the sheer beauty that unfolded each day. Arches was certainly all that, and so much more! The sensational desert colors of the majestic sandstone arches and monoliths far surpass the limits of a camera lens - truly a sight to be viewed in person! Sunrise at Double Arch was spectacular, the juxtaposition of light and dark was unlike any other I’ve seen, as the vibrant colors of the sunrise bounced off the well-worn rock faces while simultaneously creating incredible shadows.
After the four hour drive to Bryce we were anxious to just get out and explore, initially planning to walk the rim trail, but we were so mesmerized by the canyon that we decided to descend first. Surreal is the best way to describe the feeling of encapsulation by the hoodoos when looking upward from the canyon floor, randomly shaped and beautiful, like something from another planet.
Zion’s greatest joy was the simple pleasure of cooking dinner in the back of the Taco, while soaking in the golden sunset. It was an idyllic time to just stop, and enjoy the show unfolding before our eyes, as the sun gave way to a crystal clear star-lit sky!
About three weeks after returning from Utah, I was given an opportunity to be mentored by Alex Stohl, in Whitefish, Montana. In attendance were six other photographers, varying in age and experience, who created a synergistic group of guys eager to learn and share.
Glacier National Park has always been a bucket list park to visit and the Montana Rocky Mountains did not disappoint. Even the drive through the park was exhilarating, a winding two-lane road offered phenomenal vistas, and ample opportunities to plummet to our deaths! We found Alex to be open and genuine in sharing his expertise. In addition to his one-on-one personal advice, we appreciated his encouragement to keep making work. Continue to share work, and whether or not your work is perfect (realizing we are our own worst critics), keep it up, whatever form your work takes.
Growing up in Ohio, the western United States is so interesting, so foreign to me and I love it! The people, the landscape, the wildlife, just about everything is different. And when the time is right, I hope to move west. Summer 2020 will be one to remember and has provided me with new friendships, new experiences, and stories to tell for years to come.
