11/06/2026
Behind the lens with judge Tyree Adams:
“This photo is easily one of my favorite images I’ve taken since I first picked up a camera.
We were hunting in northern Montana in some of the most beautiful country I’ve ever been in. There was something different about that place. It had a spiritual feeling to it that’s hard to explain unless you’ve been there. You could just feel it in the land.
Every morning we crossed this same river on horseback, and every morning I found myself thinking about the photos I wanted to take when we finally had an animal down and were making that last trip back across. I had the shot pictured in my head long before I ever pressed the shutter.
When that day finally came, everything just fell into place. The hunter leading the way, the packhorse carrying our deer, the water splashing, and the mountains in the background. We were finally headed back after a successful hunt. There’s something about that feeling when the hard work is finally behind you and the day is done.
What I love most about this image is that nothing was staged. It was just a real moment that I had been hoping to capture all week. The movement of the horses, the water, and the country surrounding us all came together.
One of the photos from this crossing actually won the Diverge Grand Prize last year, which made the experience even more special. But regardless of any award, these moments are why I pick up a camera.”
The best photos become part of SITKA history. Diverge 15 is underway, with epic prize packages up for grabs. Link below.
https://www.sitkagear.com/diverge
