Ryan Vizzions

I'm Back

(photo: Sunrise this morning in Grand Tetons National Park)

The last few weeks I have been transitioning habits and approaches to life in a healthy way. I will get into that more in depth in a in a later post, but for now, I want to update with where I am at currently. 

The other day while photographing the Black Hills of South Dakota, the leaves began to change from lush green to a crispy yellow. Fall has began its subtle yet quick transitions here in the American west, and ...

Visual Diary: August 11 & 12th.

Video Diary: 10-10-2022

Eleven Mile State Park, Co

Exclusive Patreon Instagram Account

*instructions at bottom of post*

I understand for many people having to jump through hoops and check Patreon to keep up with my work may be a hassle. I also recognize many people who support my Patreon often follow my work on Instagram and/or other social media. I have combined both of these applications to better streamline my work to everyone as easily as possible.

Using an exclusive Instagram account both allows easier access to my work for many, while at the same time allowin...

PHOTOS: The McMichael / Bryan Trial: Justice for Ahmaud Arbery

By this point, I feel everyone knows that basis of what took place in February of 2020 in Brunswick, GA. On that day, 3 men chased down an unarmed Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, as he was jogging through a majority white neighborhood. His killing flew underneath the radar, covered up for the most part by local officials, until a video of his death surfaced, leading to national outrage and eventually the murder conviction of 3 men, Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael, and William "Roddy"...

PHOTOS: FALL Foliage 2021 (Vermont / New Hampshire) - 21 photos

2021-10-20 20:47:56 +0000 UTC View Post

Vermont - Red Barn (A bucket list moment)

(First off, I would like to preface that when viewing these (and all)  Patreon images, it is highly recommended that one views this photographs on a computer and not a cellphone. To get the high resolution view of the images in all their glory, it's recommended to view them as large as possible. Cellphones do not do these photographs justice. Even the compression within Patreon will not give you the full quality of these 50+MB images, but it will be better.)

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 &n...

Location: Bass Harbor Lighthouse (Acadia NP / Mount Desert Island)

(image: First light over Bass Harbor Lighthouse as morning fog drapes the sea)

History: Congress appropriated $5,000 for the construction of the Bass Harbor Head Light after it was determined that “sufficient need” existed to have a lighthouse near the entrance to Bass Harbor. This was followed by the addition of a fog bell and tower in 1876. However, this was replaced by a substantially larger 4,000 pound (1,800 kg) bell in 1898 when it was installed within the tower. Originally, t...

Update: September 28th, 2021

One of many reasons I made my way Northeast from the West, besides smoke haze and running circles, was to reset how I approach my work. That includes how I was interact with Patreon. The first year, while getting my feet wet behind the wheel, it was hard to keep up to date with daily sharing. Much of the west has large patches of nature where reception does not exist. The east is a different situation in many aspects.

Moving forward, I intend to share daily or bi-daily upda...

Molly Brook Farm: West Danville, Vermont

My mind is a little scattered at the moment after learning of the passing of a dear friend this morning. I intended this to be a more in depth update about my experience, but my mind is all over the place. Regardless, here is a short recount of my time the last few days, documenting an organic farm in Vermont. Below are some of my favorite images from my time there, along with a link to find out more information about the farm for those interested. -RV

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Since 1835, Molly ...

Year 2: A New Approach

You've probably been wondering why I haven't been updating here on Patreon lately, and to be honest, I don't have much of an excuse. I recently made it from the far west to the North East. I will be giving a much more in depth explanation as to why and how I ended up this way, but while I have a few minutes of wifi, I wanted to share some images taken since my last update. Coming to the east coast is a new beginning in many ways, including how I approach both my work, but also my interaction ...

Update: July 16th, 2021

It has been a hectic few weeks since my last update, but I feel I say that nearly every update. Yesterday, I sat down and did some statistics on my trip thus far. In the 10 months I have been on the road, I have sat stiill for a total of 1.75 months. Between building out my second van in Flagstaff, Arizona after totalling my first one, and spending 3 weeks in Washington DC during the time of the inaugeration, I have been on the move for a solid 8 of those 10 months, moving nearly every day to...

PHOTOGRAPHY DAILY PODCAST

I recently sat down  (via zoom) with Photography Daily, a UK podcast focused on photographers. Feel free to visit the link above and check out the podcast. 

A shocking reality of the climate crisis.

We have reached a point in the van life saga that has nearly resorted to not much more than survival. Never did I imagine when first setting off on this adventure the actual impact of climate change, and how that would impact day-to-day life. With first setting sail in September of last year, I embarked in reasonably comfortable levels. Sure, the weather got colder, and the winter was downright freezing at times, but nothing prepared me for what is approaching.

Summer

I am current...

Journal and Photo update - June 4th

           This past week I read an article that explained in depth how we humans tend to sleep with only half our brains resting at a time when sleeping in a new environment for the first time, and how it impacts our health. Survival mode. This really got me thinking about how this relates to my journey. Very rarely do I spend more than 1 night in any given location before getting back on the path in search of the next image. The shell, ...

Heceta Head Lighthouse - Oregon (5/29)

“It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart, and head.”

-Henri Cartier-Bresson

It’s not every day an image you envision in your mind comes to fruition. More often than not, when the moment arises, it falls short in one aspect or another. Yesterday, however, Lady Luck aligned.

I just spent the last 3 days in the coastal town of North Bend. Perched up in a lazy harbor parking lot, I thought it was best to slow ...

Photo Dump #1

Whew weeeeeee. Sorry for the massive delay with updating. I've been having anxiety about updating here bc I really didn't know how to address all the backlogged photographs I wanted to share. After 3 hours of writing and erasing essays on what has been happening lately, I decided the best way to catch up to speed and move forward on this account was to address the issue of photographs sitting and waiting to be shared.

     So, with that said, over the next few d...

HIDDEN GEMS: The Lost Coast (California)

The California coastline is hands down one of the most sought after road trip in the United States. Taking the 101 to the classic 1, one can cruise nearly 800 miles of pacific coastline, or close to it, but to have a section of the coast all to yourself? Good luck! 

It's not hard to imagine that deep in the heart of every adventurer there is a desire to find a diamond in the rough. A location far away from the tourist traps and travel brochures. An oasis where time stands still, fo...

Update: May 2nd, 2021 (Driggs, Idaho)

Yesterday, I made my way out of Yellowstone and headed south into Idaho. With much of the state consisting of mountain ranges, I wanted to avoid further winter freeze. . Following the valleys south, I made my way to Driggs, Idaho, located just to the west of the Teton Mountain range in Wyoming. Using iOverlander (an amazing boondocking app), I touched down at one of the best campsites yet on this trip. With green grass, an amazing view of the Tetons, reception (which is rare), pit toilets, on...

30 Hours of Documenting a Dead Bison in Yellowstone National Park

Every year, over 4 million visitors make their way to the corners of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho to visit Yellowstone National Park. Established as the nations first in 1872, Yellowstone spans over 3,471 square miles and includes some of the most diverse geology in the country as well as outstanding wildlife viewing.

Lamar Valley, located in the northeastern section is world-renowned for its population of grizzlies, wolves, coyotes, bison, and more, but with one caveat; With the excepti...

Daily or bi-daily updates beginning now.

As related to my last update just a few minutes ago, I just realized I am only giving overviews of my feelings on the road, and very little of the actual experiences I come across. Will be focusing more on daily to bi-daily updates moving forward. Even just a week is too long to hone in on experiences and truly explain this path. Hope y’all don’t mind. It will also help me keep up to date and fresh with the photos as they happen.

-RV

Is the grass greener? Depends on the grass.

Is the grass always greener on the other side? How does one take a vacation from what most would consider an endless vacation? Is everything better in moderation? These are a few of the many questions I have been asking myself the last few weeks since my last update. It’s been hard to find the motivation to write. Truth is, it has been hard to find motivation at all. There comes a point ...

A rock nearly broke my computer and a photograph almost made me soil myself.

          Photographically, this past week I wasn't able to focus as much as I wished towards exploring and making images. Instead, this past week has primarily been focused on printing my IN THE WILD prints and handling some personal errands so I could better focus on my work in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, I was still able to find some time to explore.

I once had a conversation with my friend Alex about what it's really like living ...

Journal: Tomorrow, I am getting vaccinated.

Tonight, I am in the small town of Kayenta, Arizona. Kayenta, a community of 5,500, is located within the Navajo Nation and straddles the border of Utah. The town is a gateway to Monument Valley and a vaccination location for coronavirus. Since the beginning of the outbreak, the Navajo Nation has been one of the most impacted communities across the country. With limited resources and many villages without even the basic necessities like running water, Covid-19 ripped through the reservation a...

This mornings sunrise over Payson, Arizona.

First off, thank you for joining my Patreon account. It means a lot to have your support. Truly. The last few weeks have been hectic. To be honest, the last 6 months have been hectic, but the last couple weeks have been logistically mind numbing. I recently purchased $2,000 worth of video equipment to make this account a great place to follow along with my journey. I was quickly reminded that I haven’t done video work in well over a decade. After a lot of stressing, I figured the best way t...

Wandering

Thank you so much for the consideration in joining my Patreon and helping make this journey a reality. For the last 6 months, I have been traveling across the nation in hopes of creating a photography book, documenting all 50 states. This long-term,  multi-year project would not be possible without the love, encouragement, and financial support of those who believe in my work. It's you who help keep me going and believing. Over the months (and hopefully years) this account will serve as ...