John A. Duerk

Welcome to my photoblog, Eyes Outside.

My name is JD. In short, I’m a professor who values intellectual curiosity, hiker who loves winding trails, guitarist who plays punk rock, and volunteer who appreciates our public lands.

In July of 2012, I relocated to the most beautiful place that I’ve ever lived: the Mojave Desert. The more time I spent outside — whether it be hiking during the day or looking for scorpions at night — the more I felt the desire to capture images of the West.

This appreciation of nature continued when I moved to Texas. While there, I explored different parts of the state and had the opportunity to observe animals such as alligators in their natural habitat.

Currently, I live in the Great Basin Desert near the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada. This location offers me the chance to visit isolated lakes, unadulterated forests, tranquil deserts, enormous sand dunes, and innumerable mountain ranges.

I have long appreciated both life and structure in their different forms. This photoblog is dedicated to some of the animals, landscapes, sunsets, and buildings (yes, it will include some forms of architecture) that I’ve seen over the years and will continue to look for during my adventures.

All pictures are my own and may be used as long as you credit the source. Thank you for visiting my site.

—JD