Yes, that's me on the top of Half Dome in Yosemite Valley. I'll go just about anywhere to "get the shot". I've been living in Hawaii since 1990. I eventually settled on the peaceful island of Lana'i (about a 45 minute boat ride from Maui). I have experience in a wide variety of photography techniques... but my passion is trying to capture the beautiful landscapes and amazing plants and animals of God's creation. I am far from perfect, but I try very hard to devote my life and my work to our Lord. I was once reading about Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the greatest and respected composers who has ever lived, and learned something very interesting about his faith in God. His musical gifts have filled the minds and hearts of millions world wide, but few realize how much Bach was devoted to God. Bach decided to place the letters "J.J." at the beginning of his compositions and he ended with the letters "S.D.G." Historians and scholars tell us that "J.J." stands for the Latin phrase "Jesu Juva", meaning "O Jesus, help me!" and that "S.D.G." represents "Soli Deo Gloria", meaning "To God alone be the glory". It was the desire of this musical genius that the Lord help him every step of the way, and that the honor and praise for his works be directed to God alone. I have decided to put the same initials on my inspirational print work. Not that I am trying to copy Bach... or in any way compare my work to his. It's just such a wonderful reminder for me. A reminder that everything I have comes from God. My light, my life, my strength... the love in my heart comes from Him alone. Every now and then, someone is kind enough to say something like, "You are such a great photographer!" Well... I usually try to explain that God made what I photograph, He made me... and He gave me the ability to see, learn, and click the shutter... so I really can't take any credit for anything good someone might say about my work. If you see any beauty in my prints, if the images move you in any way... it's not me... it comes from another source. I find a lot of peace from the words of William Wordsworth's poem, "Ode: Intimations of Immortality"... "Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting: The soul that rises with us, our life’s star, Hath had elsewhere its setting, And cometh from afar; Not in entire forgetfulness, And not in utter nakedness, But trailing clouds of glory do we come From God, who is our home." God, truly, is our home... and all honor and glory belong to Him. bio Share                      Hawaii Time! All photographs appearing on this site are the property of Joe West Photography. They are protected by U.S. copyright laws and are not to be downloaded or reproduced in any way without the written permission of Joe West Photography.