Ralph Daub's Photos

12/17/2025

I’ve spent time thinking about the seasons of life and where I want to go next. Everything in nature has its time for growth and its time for rest. I’ve realized it’s time for a change in mine.

I wanted to share some bittersweet news.

This will be the last year I print my own museum quality, fine-art photography in my home studio. It was a difficult decision, but I’ve decided to step aside from the administrative side of things to focus on other areas of life, and let my creativity flourish again. I’m dissolving my LLC and returning to my roots as a sole proprietor. This allows me to focus on the art itself and spend less time on paperwork.

The photography isn’t going anywhere. 📸

In 2026, prints will still be available on my site. They will be produced by two high-quality fine art labs in Portland that I trust completely. This means I will need to make price adjustments in 2026, since those prints will no longer be made in-house.

By stepping away from the daily studio operations, I’m making space for the things that fuel my heart. I’m planning more hikes, more climbs, and candid wonders of nature. I'll still share photos occasionally.

More than anything, I want to say thank you. I truly could not have done this without your support over the past 7 years. Whether you’ve bought a print, shared a post, or just paused on a photo for a moment to appreciate a photo, it all mattered more than you probably realize 🙏 🫶.

Because I may take a break from making calendars next year, I wanted to give you one last nudge for the current ones. If you live in Portland, I can still get it to you before Christmas. Everywhere else, I can get it to you before the end of the year. If one has been on your list, this is the sign 📆

Thank you again for being a part of this journey! I wish you a calm end to the year and a peaceful start to the next. 💚

12/10/2025

Time is a strange thing.

I quietly turned 42 last week and realized it has been over a year since my last photography post here. I did not plan a break. I just looked up one day and the camera was collecting dust, the boots were by the door, and months had gone by.

In that time, it was not just photography that slipped. I camped once. I barely hiked. I have not climbed in about two years. I took about half as many photos in 2025 as I normally do. Looking back, that all feels pretty foreign.

There were reasons, or at least guesses.
• A long, grinding stretch at my previous day job that slowly turned into burnout over a couple of years.
• The pressure of trying to make the landscape photography side business work, and coming to terms with reality.
• A couple of close calls in the outdoors that left more of a mark on my nervous system than I wanted to admit.
• Aging, perhaps, learning the impact of hormones and, feeling my energy dip.

At the same time, life handed me a lot of beauty.
• I got engaged to the love of my life in Brazil this year.
• We shared time with our parents in Germany in 2024.
• An exciting new role at a startup that has me learning every day! Traveling to London and Malta as a result.

While one part of me felt tired and withdrawn, another part felt deeply blessed and humbled by it all. 🙏

Introspection led to reflection. Eventually I admitted to myself I needed a break. I made the hard choice to take a small step back from the time-consuming business side of photography: Facebook marketing, home printing, framing, the self imposed release schedules.

I'm taking the space to allow life and creativity to bloom and flourish.

There was last decision sitting on my mind for months. Should I make 2026 calendars or not? I'm happy to say, 2026 calendars are still a go!

"Ralph Daub Photography" calendars became a yearly ritual for many of you, and for me, and I'm grateful to honor that tradition one more time.

Last month I finished the design and the print lab is working on them. They're expected to arrive this week. If you already pre-ordered, thank you for your patience!

Going forward, I will keep taking photos, just with less pressure. Prints will still be available on my site, in fewer sizes, but I will no longer print them at home. I will be leaning on a couple of excellent local labs in Portland and Vancouver who do beautiful fine-art work. That shift means print prices will go up, but it also means consistent quality and a bit more sanity on my end.

So... how do you pick a photo to break a year long silence?

I chose this one from last year in Hood River. Looking west as the sun drops behind Phlox Point near Hamilton Mountain, lighting up the Columbia River Gorge. This alignment only happens about once a year. On this evening the air was calm, the river felt like a sheet of slow moving glass, and the light bled from orange to deep blue while the ridges on both sides of the river settled into shadow.

I do not know exactly what comes next. For now, my focus is on my partner, my new job, and most importantly, my own health.

If you have ever liked a post, left a comment, or welcomed one of my prints or calendars into your home, please know that I am deeply grateful. You have encouraged me more than you probably realize. Thank you, truly. 🙏

📍 Location: Columbia River Gorge from Hood River, Oregon

12/12/2024

Coyote and the cows! (skip to 0:30 seconds)

In the beginning of the month my partner and I went to Southern Oregon to relax at Summer Lake Hotsprings.

On a detour we saw a coyote among the cows, so we stopped for a few moments and I pulled out the big-boy lend. Enjoy! 😊

11/20/2024

👉 I would love to hear your thoughts!

❓ Which of these photos catches MOST your attention, and you'd be most likely to put it up on a wall?

❓ Which of these catches LEAST your attention?

I'm thinking of putting together a new collection of 3 or 4 images around a theme, and I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts. 😁

Thank you all, much love! 🙏🙌

11/12/2024

Soothe your senses. I’m gifting these stunning prints for ✨FREE✨ but only for the next few days!

Want one for your wall?
👉 https://ralphdaub.com/alpine-starlights-offer

Studies show that surrounding yourself with calming, beautiful imagery helps reduce stress and create a happier, more soothing atmosphere.

Each print is a breathtaking glimpse into the vast, infinite universe we’re all part of—a little window to the stars. 🌌

Grab your free print here:
👉 https://ralphdaub.com/alpine-starlights-offer

11/01/2024

I'm planning on doing something in the near future and I'd love to hear which of these two photos folks like more. :D

10/24/2024

⚠️ ☄ COMET ALERT ☄⚠️ Tonight and tomorrow are likely your last best chances to spot Comet C/2023 with the naked eye!

The comet is moving further from Earth and shrinking as it heads deeper into space.

I captured a photo of the comet from Mount Rainier two days ago, and while it’s still visible, it’s getting smaller.

Look West/Southwest about 2 hours after sunset, until around 9:30 PM, when it dips below the horizon.

10/18/2024

This is not Photoshopped! ⚠️

This was the full moon yesterday, with my partner riding her mountain bike down Coyote Wall 💛

I thought of making this photo nearly a year ago.

6 months ago I had the full plan. I knew:
📸 Where I would be with my camera.
🔬 The exact camera lens I needed
🚵🏼‍♀️ Where my partner would be with her bike
⏳The exact time the moon would be rising above the cliffside (6:36pm)

So then, we just waited for the day.

3 days ago, the weather forecast called for heavy clouds and rain - so I thought the plan was busted. In a last minute turn of events, the forecast changed to clear skies!

I drove her to the top of Coyote Wall and then drove to my camera setup spot, 0.75miles away from her. We stayed in touch over speakerphone.

This is just one of over 100 photos I caught in the 2 minutes time we had, before the moon went over her head.

This was photographed with an:

Olympus OM-D E-M1 mk3
Olympus 300mm f4 + 1.4TC = 420mm (840mm full frame equivalent)
Settings: f8, SS1/50, ISO200

Enjoy!

10/15/2024

10/14/2024

Gotta catch them all! ☄

I caught C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) in action over Smith Rock, beautifully aligned with Mount Washington! ☄️✨

I've been planning this shot for a few weeks now and I'm so excited I caught it despite the smoke looming on the horizon!

In the excitement, driving over to Smith Rock, I almost had a massive blunder. I realized a few minutes into the drive I'd left my tripods at home!!

These photos were taken with two different cameras, both Olympus, EM-1 mk2 and mk3.

One camera had a 40-150mm f2.8 that I used to capture the wider view.

Another camera had a massive 300mm f4 zoom (equivalent to 600mm full frame) on a Move-Shoot-Move Nomad tracker so I could capture a 60-second super detailed exposure of the comet. It's gorgeous!!! ✨

What Makes It Special?
🚀 Rare Encounter: This might be the comet’s first venture into the inner solar system, a spectacle that won’t repeat for 80,000 years.
🌠 Worth the Hype: If it stays bright, it could rival other famous comets like Hale-Bopp and NEOWISE.
🌎 Global View: Initially, the best views were from the Southern Hemisphere, but now it’s the Northern Hemisphere’s turn to enjoy the show.

Pro Tips for Spotting the Comet

🌑 Escape the Light: Find a dark spot away from city lights to see it clearly.
🔎 Use a Star App: Apps like Stellarium or SkySafari will help you locate it.
📱 Bring Binoculars: While visible to the naked eye, binoculars will help you catch the finer details, especially the tail.
🕶️ Dark-Adapt Your Eyes: It takes about 20-30 minutes for your vision to fully adjust to darkness.
📸 Capture the Moment: Use long exposure settings to photograph its stunning tail.

Get out there and see it for yourself!

With each passing night, C/2023 A3 will appear a bit higher above the horizon in the western sky after sunset—but don’t wait too long, it’ll dim as it heads back toward the outer solar system.

If you capture a photo, share your photo in the comments—I’d love to see your take on this cosmic traveler! 🚀

If you read it this far, be sure to check out my 2025 calendars with 350+ Fun holidays!! 🙌😁