Our Passion      

As most of us are aware, we all live on a very dynamic planet. Our planet is always changing, sometimes very slowly, sometimes rapidly, right beneath our feet. Geology is the study of the Earth and of the forces that change it. By studying sedimentary layers, the Earth tells us its story of times long past.

Plate tectonics is responsible for most of the changes that occur on our planet. The crust of the Earth moves over the semi-liquid mantle below it. Some places are constructive plate boundaries (the plates spreading apart) and others are destructive plate boundaries (the plates subducting or colliding).

Faults are places where parts of the crust slip, grind and thrust together. These events also produce earthquakes. When faults thrust over each other they deform the land and produce hills and mountains. Weather comes in and shapes the land, even further, through erosion. Water cuts through mountains, forms canyons, exposes rock and moves the land to the sea. Beautiful alpine vistas are left for us to enjoy.

Volcanoes are another rapid change that deforms the land. Volcanoes have violent and destructive beginnings and are very dangerous to surrounding life. Lava flows burn forests, kill wildlife and change the land forever.  When the eruptions are over, however, the forests return, wildlife reinhabits and the land becomes fertile like never before. New and unique geologic features, left after the eruptions, lend a beauty to the land that is difficult to describe with words. Geysers spewing boiling water, terraces from deposited minerals, bubbling mud pots and colorful algae encrusted hot springs are just a few features from places such as Yellowstone Park. Crystal clear springs and lakes, cinder cones and ryolitic lava flows (obsidian volcanic glass)  form in places such as the Cascade mountain range of Central Oregon.

These landscapes and their natural beauty, the diverse wildlife that inhabits these areas and the unique features they contain are potentially in jeopardy. With an ever increasing human population and the pollution our species creates, changing weather patterns and the threat of global warming  our world is changing drastically. We are listing more endangered species every year. Urban sprawl is causing deforestation. The day will also arrive when human encroachment will overtake our most beautiful places and even the volcanoes, with their inherent dangers, will not remain undeveloped and picturesque.

We of JellyStone Photography feel it is important to capture and preserve images of these beautiful areas of our world. We include archival mounting with our printed images for their longevity. We embrace the opportunity to preserve images of natural beauty for today and for our future genertations.