Born and raised on a small farm in western North Dakota, Tyson Krinke grew up roaming the open prairies of his home state. After seven years of being a desk jockey, Tyson succumbed to the temptations of his wanderlust and decided to leave the corporate world to pursue his passions. He discovered his love for photography after a friend loaned him her Canon DSLR camera for a week-long trip to Hawaii in which he fell in love with capturing the everyday beauty of life. When it comes to the types of photography Tyson enjoys most, he considers himself a photographic general practitioner and loves the spice that comes with shooting a variety of different subjects, but appreciates photographing people the most. In the summer of 2013, Tyson moved to Bozeman, Montana for a new job after living on the beaches of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for several years.

Tyson explains his art as follows: Photography is my license to explore. After years of searching, I’ve finally found something that gives a sense of purpose and meaning to my wanderings. I think the best photographs are often times the simplest and I strive to pare down my images to the bare essentials leaving only the most important aspects of the composition for the viewer to contemplate. While out shooting, I often think of wartime documentary photographer Robert Capa and his famous quote, “If your photos aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.” For me, photography is one big treasure hunt. It’s almost a sport. I’m constantly striving to find that next brilliant image and that is the thrill I chase each time I’m out with my camera.

The cover photo was taken on a warm and sunny evening in Manhattan, Montana last summer. I had spent the day on the road with a carload of stuff, moving all of my belongings from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to Bozeman, Montana for a new job. Needing a pit stop, I pulled off the interstate and into a gas station in Manhattan. After running inside to get something cold to drink, I decided to stretch my legs and take a quick walk behind the station. As I was strolling down the gravel side-street, I noticed how the low-light from the evening sun was illuminating the puffy seed-heads of some mature dandelions in the empty lot adjacent to the station. The glowing dandelions shone distinctly against the dark green of the tall grass in the field. Glancing up, I also noticed how pleasantly the sun was silhouetting the old, abandoned grain elevator further down the street as the rays embraced the building and reached out from behind it, even lighting up the windows near the top. I paused to gaze at this wonderful summer scene for a few moments and knew that I had to capture it.

The photographer Chase Jarvis once said, “The best camera is the one you have with you.” Remembering this little piece of wisdom, I pulled the iPhone from my pocket and snapped a few shots of this scene and captured the photo I was looking for. I am always amazed and pleasantly surprised by where a good picture can emerge from. Often times it is in the most unlikely of places, like an empty lot behind a convenience store in a small town in Montana. Stumbling upon serendipitous moments like these are what fuel my creative fire and keep me out searching, camera in hand, for that next great photograph.

See more from Tyson Krinke at www.tysonemery.com on Facebook and Instagram