A 3-light-year-long pillar, bathed in the glow of light from hot, massive stars to the top of the image. Scorching radiation and fast winds (streams of charged particles) from these stars are sculpting the pillar and causing new stars to form within it. Streamers of gas and dust can be seen flowing off the top of the structure.

Nestled inside this dense structure are fledgling stars. They cannot be seen in this image because they are hidden by a wall of gas and dust. Although the stars themselves are invisible, one of them is providing evidence of its existence. Thin puffs of material can be seen traveling to the left and to the right of a dark notch in the center of the pillar. The matter is part of a jet produced by a young star. Farther away, on the left, the jet is visible as a grouping of small, wispy clouds. A few small clouds are visible at a similar distance on the right side of the jet. Astronomers estimate that the jet is moving at speeds of up to 850,000 miles an hour. The jet's total length is about 10 light-years.

Composed of gas and dust, the pillar resides in a tempestuous stellar nursery called the Carina Nebula, located 7,500 light-years away in the southern constellation Carina.

Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team

I was pleased with the clarity of this shot despite the fact that it was taken through the window of a moving helicopter. The white line you see on the sides of the lake is the original water line. Lake Mead is currently down 91 feet.

Circular polarizing Filter.

Canon EOS 70D, Tokina AT-X Pro 11-16mm f/2.8 DX.

White Sands is a photographer's dream. There are so many different shapes and shadows to use and it's fun trying to find the right layering and yucca plants to make a compelling image. The dark shadows two hours or so before sunset help define the dunes against all the white sand.

Nikon D800E.

Last month I joined my brother and my 70 year old mother for a fishing trip in Alaska. I went focused on being a photographer, and ended up being focused on being a fisherman. I did manage to get some shots off, mostly with my Phantom 4 Pro. Its so exciting to get a perspective that I can't see in front of me. This was taken at Harlequin Lake.

Adobe Lightroom CC.

Painted from scratch in Adobe Photoshop CS6. Think of a garden of... violets :D

On Wednesday I spent 14 hours and drove around 700 miles chasing storms through Kansas and Oklahoma. The "cap" prevented many of the storms from producing much, but we ended the night with a breathtaking sunset that lasted over an hour! What a sight! This is a photo I took near Enid, Oklahoma while we were enjoying the show.

Adobe Lightroom CC, Adobe Photoshop CC.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

Photo Settings: 11mm, f/4, 1/50 second, ISO 100.

Credit: NASA,ESA, M. Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team

At 2502 metres above sea level, Säntis is the highest mountain in the Alpstein massif of northeastern Switzerland. Säntis is among the most prominent summits in the Alps and the most prominent summit in Europe with an observation deck on the top. The panorama from the summit is spectacular. Six countries can be seen if the weather allows: Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France, and Italy.

Adobe Lightroom CC.

It is a huge valley at 1000 meters off the ground.

Adobe Lightroom 5.3.

Nikon D800E, Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED.

Photo Settings: 24mm, f/9, 1/320 second, ISO 100.

Map: 37.7281, -119.5731

Jökulsárlón is the most famoust glacier lagoon of southeast Iceland.

Floating ice, stagnant water and a blue overview. Very popular with tourists and photographers, and if you have time... make a journey to the lagoon.

This shot was taken in September 2014 at the edge of the lagoon.

Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Photoshop CS6, B+W 110 MRC ND.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon EF 24-70mm f2.8L II USM.

Photo Settings: 24mm, f/6, 30 seconds, ISO 100.

Map: 64.0716, -16.2230