Little House on the Prairie in Birmingham

Has anyone else been absolutely transfixed by the new Netflix Little House on the Prairie?

If my job as a photographer allows me anything, it's watching scenic happy shows in the background while I edit, and LHOTP has not disappointed. It does feel a bit more dramatic than its predecessor. Having grown up watching heart warming re-runs on TV land with "the cute dad," this feels a little more weighty. But I'm here for a western, scenic overviews, epic music, rugged lands.

When I was at Auburn, I babysat a girl who would fall asleep to the Little House books read on audio each night. I used to tell myself, one day I would listen to them all the way through. After embarking on this new Netflix adventure, I just might have to.

I have always been inspired by the American West and the vastness of untouched land. The few times I've been out west, I've been trasfixed by the grandeur. And this summer, I've gotten to see glimpses first hand as our beloved babysitter experiences it as a ranch hand, posting her adventures in Wyoming on socials. Seeing it all new through her eyes reminds me of how I used to chase those landscapes and try to capture them behind my tiny lens to lock it up and hold on to it forever.

Birmingham has it's own beauty and even it's own praries.

Often times, as I'm chasing the light and planning my locations, I scout out the perfect spots and build my own bank of photos in the process. Of course, I prefer a subject which is why one of my children, or our dog, Bear, often accompany me. But I there's something to be said for vast land.

Though I ofen use curated spaces for photo shoots, I'm thankful for the rugged, less tamed spots where we are able to traverse. Just last week, trying to chase another location, I got to walk up a stony path just moments from a main road to happen into a field and hear the birds sing, and see not a trace of a building or structure.

Here are a few of my favorites. It might surprise you, that yes, they're all from the Birmingham area.