The evocative image behind the words in my last Grace's Purpose teaser is from landscape and nature photographer, Greg Russell. I discovered the image through Greg's blog post Citizen of the West. Although I'm not a resident of the west, his words resonated with me as to the qualities I've attempted to draw for the main characters in my Spirited Hearts stories. When I inquired about using his photo for Grace's Purpose he said... Incidentally, this image was made about 5 miles south of Cheyenne, just north of the Colorado state line.  No snow that day, but the wind was blowing some lovely dark clouds around (it seems the wind always starts the moment you cross the state line into Wyoming), but the sun was still shining on the prairie, so it made for an interesting juxtaposition of light. 

If I hadn't known before, I knew then that his image was perfect for my purposes. Again, thank you Greg for allowing me to backdrop my humble words against your stunning photography.

Greg captures all facets of the western landscape from plains to mountains, deserts and beyond. Treat yourself and browse his photos at Aspenglow Images. All photos are for sale as fine art prints in a range of sizes. In addition, Greg will license his photos for use in your project for a reasonable fee. Students are allowed to use his images for free in reports as long as he is given credit.

Not content with capturing beauty through the lens, Greg has co-authored An Honest Silence: A Celebration of Wilderness with two fellow photographers. From Greg himself... An Honest Silence is a mix of photography and short, intimate essays by each of the authors.  All three authors come from different backgrounds and hold different points of view, but what the book ultimately shows is that wilderness is a common thread in everyone’s life.

​Whether you're a student, author, reader or appreciator of stunning western landscape, I urge you to visit Alpenglow Images and be transported into the wonder and beauty that is our western United States. High Plains Storm, December 2003 #GracesPurpose #SpiritedHearts #GregRussell #AspenglowImages #RubyMerritt #WesternLandscape