Ayrescape Photography and Portraits

09/07/2026

📍Hrafntinnusker Hut, Laugavegur Trail, Iceland

7.5 miles from Landmannalaugar into a landscape that looks like nowhere else on Earth. 🌋

This stretch of the Laugavegur trail cuts through rhyolite mountains streaked in color, past hissing fumaroles venting steam straight out of the ground, and across fields of loose obsidian glass underfoot. Every few hundred meters the terrain reinvents itself.

Along the way we passed a quiet memorial to a hiker who lost his life in a blizzard here. A sobering reminder that this landscape, as stunning as it is, doesn’t forgive complacency. Respect the mountain. Later in the trek, we would learn lessons of our own…

One of my favorite frames from the day was shot from the summit of Mt. Soðull, looking back over the Landmannalaugar valley where we’d started that morning. The whole route laid out below us.
Hrafntinnusker has a reputation for fog and overcast skies more often than not. We got lucky and had the mountain and surrounds on full display. we’re still not over it!

Shot on a Sony A7IV
24-70mm f2.8 GM
70-200mm f2.8 GM

09/03/2026

📍 Landmannalaugar, Iceland - Mile 0 of the Laugavegur Trail

Two nights in Reykjavik, then the highlands called!

We caught the highlands bus to Landmannalaugar and spent the night in the mountain hut at the foot of Laugahraun, a lava flow consisting of sharp obsidian from the 1477 eruption of the Torfajökull Volcano. Landmannalaugur was the beginning of our trek, the Laugavegur trail. 55 km of rhyolite peaks, black volcanic gravel, and geothermal steam stood between us and Þórsmörk. Tents dotted the valley floor below us as we began our climb. Somewhere past the weathered trail post pointing to Hrafntinnusker, the real hike would begin!

But we had one more night with a hot spring before we began walking 😉

Shot on a Sony A7IV
24-70mm G Master

DM me if you are interesting in purchasing a print!

09/03/2026

First panorama, first real payoff.

The Landmannalauger valley floor is almost too wide for one frame. Glacial meltwater weaving through volcanic gravel, and rhyloite peaks streaked with shades of green, orange, red, brown, and black. For the first time, I stitched a handful of frames together just to capture the scale of it!

Still learning the process, but this one felt worth the extra effort!

Shot on a Sony A7IV
24-70mm G Master

DM me if you are interested in buying prints!

08/31/2026

Two nights in Reykjavik before beginning our trek on the Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls trail. The calm before the climb. Wandered the city with my wife and camera. Caught Sólfar (Sun Voyager) catching the last light on the harbor, a little yellow lighthouse standing watch over the fjord, and Hallgrímskirkja glowing at dusk. Reykjavik was never the main event, but it earned its own spot in our trip. 🇮🇸

Shot on a Sony A7IV
24-70mm F2.8 GM
70-200mm F2.8 GM

07/22/2026

A little late sharing these, but some moments are worth the wait.

Back in May, I had the chance to photograph In The Stars Aerial aerial silks at Greene Street Market. Watching the aerialist move through the air with the church steeple rising behind made for a scene that felt both graceful and surreal.

I'm always drawn to those moments where artistry and a familiar place come together in an unexpected way. Thanks for trusting me to capture them.

Shot on a Sony Alpha 7 IV 📸
70-200mm F2.8 G Master

05/29/2026

Official debut of my professional photography portfolio 📸

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to photograph an up-and-coming author here in Huntsville, Alabama (.c.faulkner) What made this shoot even more memorable was the weather — it had been sunny most of the day, 1 hour before the shoot, out of nowhere, it started raining! But somehow the clouds opened up and gave us a perfect 2-hour window to work.

This session taught me so much about photography beyond just pressing the shutter button. I learned the importance of framing, composition, exposure, and focus points — especially the importance of locking focus on the eyes and using the rule of thirds to create stronger images. Thankfully, cloudy days make exposure a photographer’s best friend.

I also spent a lot of time learning Lightroom and discovering just how powerful it can be. Elizabeth wanted the photos to feel like fall… despite the fact that we shot them in the middle of spring. So I got creative with color grading: muted the greens, added a bit of saturation to the yellows and oranges, added contrast with an RGB S-curve, and experimented quite a bit along the way. Check out the black and white photo at the end! I also learned very quickly not to overdo reds unless you want your subject looking sunburned 😅 Thankfully, my loving wife (and assistant) helped save me from my color-blind editing adventures/embarrassments.

To finish the images, I softened harsh shadows in the skin tones, reduced texture and clarity slightly for a smoother look, added a touch of grain for film nostalgia, and finished everything with a subtle vignette to draw attention to the subject.

I still have a lot to learn, but this shoot made me excited for what’s ahead. Grateful for the opportunity, the experience, and everyone supporting me as I begin this journey. Also, please check out Elizabeth's work and website! She hopes to publish soon!

Taken on a Sony Alpha 7IV
24-70mm F 2.8 G Master
70-200mm F 2.8 G Master

04/28/2026

04/17/2026

The market under the steeple! A wonderful “pop-up market” to start up the season! Can’t wait for the full season to begin the first week of May.

Warm weather allowed our farmers to start selling their produce early! Come and see GSM every Thursday between now and October!

Shot on a Sony A7IV
24-70mm G-Master Lens

04/10/2026

Some places make the journey part of the story. 🤍 Another flashback to our trip to the Crown of the Continent last year! 🏔️👑

After miles of dirt and gravel roads, we finally made it to Bowman Lake, and it was worth every bump along the way. The water was so clear you could dip your paddle all the way in and still see the tip like glass beneath you.

We drifted across the lake on our little inflatable raft, surrounded by mountains and silence. Up in the corner sits Rainbow Mountain (no, not the “mountain” in Huntsville) with is layers of colorful granite that were carried by glaciers and deposited all the way down to the lake and valley below. Today you can see its vibrant stones along the shore!

Just us, the water, and a place that felt untouched. 🌲💙

Shot on a Canon EOS Rebel SL2
18-55mm lens

03/29/2026

No Kings Protest
Huntsville, AL
28 March 2026

Shot on a Sony A7IV
24-70mm f2.8 G Master