After a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the great American west, photographers Patricia Worley and Larry Lyons have returned home to showcase the stunning images they captured of the beautiful western nature.
Lyons and Worley spent much of the past year traveling to the many state and national parks in the western part of the United States to enhance their portfolio of photos they have been building upon for years.
Worley and Lyons have a similar deep passion for photography and travel.
They first met through the South Jersey Camera Club while going on a six-week photography trip to South Africa where they served as photographers documenting the wildlife on the preserve where they stayed.
They began exhibiting their work from Africa where they joined forces as field trip coordinators for the club and tried to take workshops and photography trips together whenever they could.
“There are many benefits to working with another person,” Worley said. “Photography takes a lot of pre-planning. Having someone else to share in the research of where to go and how to shoot it makes the entire process much easier. We are constantly learning from each other when it comes to equipment and processing of the images.”
Safety is also an important issue to the duo as they enjoy shooting in the Pine Barrens at night where it is best to have a buddy with you.
It is also nice to have a partner when setting up and breaking down different exhibits among South Jersey that can take hours and be physically demanding.
The newest display they will be setting up in Medford will be the “Great American West” exhibit they put together during their most recent trip.
“This exhibit is all about sharing the experience so that the public has the opportunity to either connect with nature or perhaps reconnect with their own experiences from visiting the American West. It is a ride that one never forgets,” Lyons said.
The group decided to take the trip on coincidental terms.
“I was going out west with my husband and some friends,” Worley said. “Whenever I travel with my family, I am always looking for an opportunity to extend my trip to dedicate to just taking photographs. In this case, there was a two-week photography excursion that coincided with the trip to Utah.”
This excursion was to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons after already having visited Arizona, Utah and Wyoming over her five-week vacation.
Lyons got wind of this trip and was looking to go on an adventure of his own, so he joined Worley in visiting Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. He also decided to drive out and stop at the Badlands and various other locations along the way.
After the two-week stint in Wyoming, Lyons continued to California visiting additional national parks and then meeting up with family. In total, He traveled more than 11,000 miles over eight weeks.
“The uniqueness and the grandeur of each park that I visited was just overwhelming. The vast landscapes and unique topographies, the geological make-ups and the very distinct ecosystems that support a diversity of wildlife and plant species seemed almost endless. It is absolutely captivating from sunrise to sunset and even under the stars,” Lyons said.
Worley could not say enough about the wildlife, while she admitted to being frightened to the point that she was shaking when being approached by some of the wild bears.
“My favorite part was just watching the animals. In the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, we would set out to various locations, but inevitably we would come across incredible wildlife. We would just sit for hours watching bison graze or a lone elk in the rain at dusk call to his mate.”
These trips take lots of preparation to make the time spent on the voyage as successful as possible.
In preparation of the trip west, they studied how to shoot night photography.
“My goal was to get incredible sky images. As a result, I have a wonderful collection of Milky Way shots and night scenes,” Worley said. “I believe I accomplished everything I set out to do.”
“This trip was all about ‘connecting with nature’ and the Great American West. It was all about being outdoors and utilizing all of the photographic skills and techniques that I have developed to capture the beauty of the American West. It was a photographic expedition that was overdue,” Lyons said.
Now that the duo has covered Africa and the American West, it has already started planning its next move.
Lyons is in the Amazon in Peru and will be away for four weeks while Worley has two trips scheduled this fall. She will be going to Italy for two weeks in October and then to Cuba for a week in November. She also went to Chile, Bolivia and Peru with her daughter last November.
“Travel photography can get very addictive!” Worley said.
They set out to educate the viewer about nature and the culture of the places they visit.
“This exhibit is no different. I believe that the images we showcase introduce the viewer to our national parks and the beauty that exists in our own country. It also serves as a nice memory for those who have explored the great American West,” Worley said.
The exhibit has more than 55 photos on display of starry skies, waterfalls, wildlife and breath-taking panoramas of the many diverse landscapes found in the United States.
The exhibit will be on display at the Hansen Warner Gallery located at 6 S. Main St. in Medford until Dec. 31. Worley and Lyons will be in attendance on Friday, Oct. 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. for those interested in meeting the photographers while enjoying some snacks and refreshments.
For more information on the artists or other upcoming exhibits, visit www.TwilightBluePhotography.com for Worley or www.EnviroQuest.me for Lyons’ work.
