Picture perfect: Willie Holdman paints the mountains he loves with a lens

LINDON — When Willie Holdman takes off for a photo shoot in the mountains, he tells his wife approximately when she can expect his return.

But he makes sure she knows not to call in search and rescue for at least a couple of days beyond that.

It just might be that he finds a shot that requires another day.

It might be that he almost got the photo he wanted but wants to try again to make sure.

No matter that he hikes off by himself in the rain, the snow, the dark and the early light.

Holdman — who just released his book of spectacular color photos of Mount Timpanogos — likes to go it alone and needs the freedom to take his time. He literally took thousands of photographs over four years for his project, in all seasons and in

all conditions, from high up on the mountain to a seat by the waterfall.

"I grew up skiing the mountain and I know my limitations," he said. "To me this is adventure. I just kind of thrive on that."

Holdman loves nature, getting off the beaten path, exploring the scenic areas most hikers and bikers go by.

Often that means leaving home before the sun comes up.

"I get up at 4 a.m. It takes a little more effort, but there've been countless times when I've seen something I never would've seen later," he said.

Sometimes that means going back to the same spot a half-dozen times.

"I don't want to be a slave to my camera, so I don't always have it with me. If I see something I want to shoot, I'll go back, sometimes over and over, until I get exactly what I want."

As a result, Holdman has caught fascinating vistas on film, including a pair of bull moose nuzzling each other's noses before moving on, nimble mountain goats nibbling the grass atop a sheer cliffside, the shadows of an approaching summer storm.

"That's what keeps me going out, the surprises and just the peaceful quiet. It's amazing."

Holdman admits it can be a little risky at times.

Once he was hiking along carrying his metal tripod on his shoulder when a lightning storm broke out overhead.

"I hunkered down and waited it out," he said, "That's when I got that cool rainbow shot."