One of the most photographed arches in Arches National Park is Turret Arch. It is almost always photographed from the North Window in the early morning. Since it was cloudy on both mornings I was there, I decided to take a less classical shot of the other side of Turret Arch near sunset. It is hard to get a good shot from this angle because there is a big formation in front of the arch (you can see its shadow in this image). Fortunately, I had my 16-35 mm wide-angle lens with me and the sun did the rest. As I stood there composing the photo, I thought that the arch looked like a doorway to the sky with a great cumulus cloud beckoning to me.
The Kiss - Sand Dune Arch, Arches National Park, Utah
A few years back, we spent a whole day exploring Arches National Park. One of the spots we visited is Sand Dune Arch. This is one of the less frequently visited arches, but it shouldn't be. It is quite cool and it isn't that hard to get there. The arch is located on a small dune (thus its name) and has a unique shape when viewed from the front (to some, it looks a dog and cat kissing; others see different things - one friend thought he saw Jabba the Hut). It is sort of like looking at clouds and everyone seems to see something different. In any case, our group walked through a small slot canyon that leads to the arch, only to find two troops of Boy Scouts there running all around. Luckily they gave us some space (or at least most of them did) and we were able to get some shots.
Sad Eyes - St. Lawrence Cathedral, Genoa, Italy
Some photographers like to capture photos of lions either on safari or at zoos. I have done both, but when I saw this statue at the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Genoa, Italy, I knew I had to take a photo. The Cathedral, reconstructed during the 12th century, has since the time of the Crusades protected the ashes of Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of Genoa. The entrance to the cathedral is protected by this statue of this lion. What struck me was that it has the saddest eyes that I have ever seen on a lion. Maybe being there for all of those centuries without moving and having tourists hanging all around and on it makes him sad.
Oregon Dreaming - Yachats, Oregon
A few years ago, we drove up the Oregon Coast from Gold Beach in southern Oregon and ended up staying overnight in the coastal town of Yachats. Visitors to the coast of Oregon can oftentimes find fog and rain in bunches. This day was no exception, and the wind and cold, even for August, was challenging. After checking into the hotel and having dinner, I was determined to go outside and shoot, especially since the hotel was right on the Pacific Ocean. This scene was shot maybe a block from the hotel, and I decided to shoot a long exposure that would have the water match the same texture as the storm clouds in the distance.
Night Glow - Stone Mill, Lawrence, Massachusetts
A couple of years ago, I visited two of my friends in Boston, Bob Lussier and Stephen Perlmutter for their light painting workshop at the Stone Mill. While the attraction for shooting at the mill was light painting, I still wandered off enough times to do some old-fashioned night photography with ambient light. This floor was deserted and allowed the light from the buildings on the outside to shine through the windows, giving them a great orange glow. The multiple panes in each window create a great pattern. The light on the inside of the building was cast from a set of duplicate windows to my back.
Park Avenue Trail - Arches National Park, Utah
I have done my share of hikes in the west and most of them are memorable for different reasons. Some are exhilarating due to their difficulty or heights that give you wondrous views and vistas. Others are favorites because, as you traverse the trail, there is beauty all around you. Some are memorable because you shared the experience with close family or friends. No matter what the reason, they are experiences that you never forget.
The Park Avenue Trail in Arches National Park is not overly difficult (mostly flat), nor is it overly long (1 mile one way), but the scenery along the way and in front of you is beautiful. It got its name due to the sandstone walls that tower over you, reminding one of walking on Park Avenue in NYC. I love this hike because of these formations but, even more so, is that I first shared it with my son after he graduated from college. We spent two weeks exploring Utah together and this was the very first hike that we did together. I will always remember that hike and him whenever I am there, and it makes it one of my all-time favorites for that reason.
Snake River - Oxbow Bend, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
I will be heading to Grand Teton National Park in mid-May and I cannot wait. There is so much beauty that is contained in this small National Park located in the northwest corner of Wyoming. Iconic locations are many and with the majestic Teton Range of the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, it is hard not to be awed. Of the many spots, Oxbow Bend may be the most iconic. There, the Snake River flows past Mount Moran, and if you get there early enough before sunrise, you might be able to capture great light as well as smooth-as-glass water resulting in wonderful reflections. Get there a little late and you lose both the light and the reflection. Of course, the Tetons seem to create their own weather so you never know what you will see.
Most compositions feature the Snake River with Mount Moran and its neighboring peaks in the background. Lord knows that I have plenty photographs of that scene. For this photo, I wanted to show that the Snake River has its own kind of beauty without the mountains in the background.
Ceiling View - McKinley Lodge, Alaska
I always am surprised what other photographers see when shooting the same subject. I always seem to say to myself, "I didn't see that." This simple question has trained me to continue to work a subject from as many angles and perspectives as I can think of. I try to shoot high and low; left and right; and close and far. Depending on the subject, I always make sure I look up. On our trip to Alaska several years ago, we stayed at a wonderful lodge in the wilderness, The McKinley Lodge. I wanted to photograph the lodge and realized that the only way to shoot it was to get up before dawn, as it was crowded throughout the day and night. I was able to get some great shots of the lodge and it's enormous windows looking out at the famous mountain. As I was finishing up, I started to look up at the ceiling and discovered this great view of the lodge's cupola and it's light. It is probably my favorite image of the lodge and was not even on my list of shots before I started to shoot.
Looking for Forrest - Marshall Point Lighthouse, Port Clyde, Maine
Those who regularly follow me know of my fascination with lighthouses. I am not sure exactly why. Maybe because they are quickly becoming relics of the past with the advancement of GPS electronics, maybe because they are often built in some wonderful location, or maybe because most of them have stories of sunken boats and how they were built to save lives. Whatever the reason, whenever I travel, I always am on the lookout for them. On this particular trip to Maine, I was co-hosting a Jeff Clow Photo Tour featuring the Maine Coast and it's lighthouses. One of the highlights of the tour was stopping at this particular lighthouse, the Marshall Point Lighthouse in Port Clyde. If it looks familiar to you, you probably have seen it before in the movies. The light was featured in the movie "Forrest Gump" (one of my favorites). In the movie, Forrest starts on a 3-year run across the country and back. When Forrest hits the east coast, he stops at a lighthouse (the Marshall Point Lighthouse), turns around and starts running back to the west coast.
Eye to Eye - Boone Hall Plantation, Mt Pleasant, South Carolina
Our first visit to Charleston, South Carolina, had been on my bucket list for quite a while. I really enjoyed this historic city with all of its southern charm on display. As I typically do before a trip, I made a list of places I wanted to photograph. One of them was Boone Hall Plantation, where I wanted to take the classic shot of the road leading to it that is lined with oak trees and hanging moss. I got up before dawn and headed there to shoot. When I got there, the gate was locked, and I couldn't get the classic morning shot.
Later that afternoon, we headed back, and unfortunately the weather turned bad. The bad weather proved fortuitous, as the plantation, known for it's thoroughbred horses, let them out before it started to rain. Watching these magnificent animals frolic and then the stare down by this horse made up for missing the tree-lined road shot.
Road to Beauty - Moab, Utah
Some compositions seem to just speak to me. I love leading lines and roads are the easiest leading line to photograph. Of course, leading lines alone do not make a good photograph. The hard part is finding one that leads the viewer's eye to something special. Another element of a good photograph is adding three dimensionality to a two dimension medium. This can sometimes be achieved by layering of subjects in the distance. When I stood on this dirt road off on River Road in Professor Valley, I realized that this scene had it all. A colorful dirt road leading to three distinct layers: the sandstone buttes, the snow-capped peaks of the La Sal Mountains and the great blue sky with the soft clouds in the distant background. With the sun directly behind me, I knew this would be a good one.
Patterns - Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
One of my favorite things about the desert are the patterns that are created in the sand by the wind. The patterns can vary greatly based upon the direction and speed of the wind. If a particular spot looks one way today, it may look very different tomorrow. Finding untouched patterns gets more difficult as the sun rises, particularly in popular places. The best time is at sunrise, as there are few visitors walking on the sand leaving footprints that destroy the beauty of the pattern. It is not until night when the wind erases the footprints and creates newly-formed patterns. If you are looking for patterns later in the day, visit some less visited spots. I shot this one in mid-afternoon in a part of Mesquite Dunes that rarely has people stopping and walking on the sand.
Horsetail Falls - Columbia Gorge, Oregon
The famed Columbia Gorge located along the Columbia River east of Portland is sometimes referred to as the Waterfall Corridor. It is an aptly named, as there are nine waterfalls that are easily accessible from the Columbia River Historic Highway that parallels the Columbia River. Most of them are mere steps away from the parking lot and there are many trails that are available to explore. Unfortunately, there was a major fire there last September that originated in Eagle Creek, started by a few careless and thoughtless teenagers throwing firecrackers. The fire spread to many parts of the gorge. It looks like many of the waterfalls are open, but some of the trails are still closed. Horsetail Falls, pictured here, plummets 176 feet from above and is one of the most accessible on the highway.
Barn Glow - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
One of the most photographed barns in the world, the Thomas Moulton Barn, probably has seen more visitors before and during sunrise than any other. The visitors are almost always photographers. Located on Morman Row, the barn waits quietly in the dark as photographers create a semicircle around the front of the barn. The photographers lay in wait and hope that there are no clouds blocking the sun as it rises from the east. They are also hoping that clouds are not hiding the wondrous peaks of the Teton Range behind the barn. As the su begins to rise, the area becomes a bit brighter until it clears the mountains in the east. That is when the barn door begins to glow a beautiful orange color. Once it does, all you hear are the clicking of cameras for a few minutes before the glow fades. Once it does, the photographers move on and the barn sits there waiting for the next sunrise.
Diaper Dump - Palmetto Carriage, Charleston, South Carolina
No trip to Charleston, South Carolina, would be complete without a horse-drawn carriage ride through this historic city. The ride takes you down tree-lined streets and the differing styles of architecture of the southern homes. It is also a great way to start a visit that gives an overview of the museums and attractions. There are a number of carriage companies that give tours of Charleston but the one we recommend is Palmetto Carriage. They have won a number of awards as the best in the city and they are easy to find. Just look for the big red barn. I couldn't help snapping a shot of this unique sign. I now know where I am taking my mule to get washed and dump my diapers. What a bargain.
Gates of the Valley - Yosemite National Park, California
There are a few places to get a great view of the glacier-created Yosemite Valley. One prime spot is from Tunnel View, which shows the valley from above. Want to get a ground view of the valley? Look no further than a small spot (only room for about twelve cars) on Northside Drive known as Gates of the Valley (also known as Valley View). From this spot you can get a great view of El Capitan on the left while standing next to the banks of the Merced River. This ground-level view gives you a sense of scale that you don't get from Tunnel View. This location is special to photographers, as they would be walking in the footsteps of one of the most famous photographers, Ansel Adams, who created so many striking images from there.
Fisher Towers - River Road, Moab, Utah
With all of the superb parks in the Moab area (Canyonlands NP, Arches NP and Dead Horse SP), River Road is often overlooked by visitors. It is a shame, as there are some stellar spots. The added bonus is that the Colorado River runs along the majority of the road. One of the best areas to visit on the road is Fisher Towers. Jeff Clow's Photo Tour had visited the road earlier in the week, but the weather was quite overcast. When the tour was over, Jaki Good Miller and I were headed to Grand Junction and decided to take this scenic route. Great choice, as Mother Nature treated us with some great clouds and weather along the way.
As we approached Fisher Towers, the sun started to hide behind them and, while we got some quick shots, the towers were dark. Given that we only had less than an hour left of sun, we decided to drive further north and try to get a shot looking south to the towers with the snow capped La Sal Mountains as a backdrop. I had shot from this spot before, but was never there at the right time of day. Just as we set up, the sun broke though and gave us this scene.
Off-Road - Death Valley National Park, California
Some the best locations to explore in Death Valley are the many canyons that seem to be just about everywhere. Some are small and narrow, while others are wide enough to have roads. Of all of the canyons that we visited, Twenty Mule Team Canyon was my favorite. Truth be told, it probably was my favorite spot in the park.
Twenty Mule Team Canyon is quite large, and viewing it from the ground didn't give me the perspective of the area. Fortunately, the rock formations are climbable if you are in decent shape. So up I went to the top of many of the surrounding formations, some by a trail and others blazing a new trail. When I reached the top to look around, I had a 360-degree view of this section of the canyon. As you can see, the landscape is quite amazing, with small ravines running between the formations. This view looking eastward away from the road shows the incredible formations with the Amargosa Mountain Range as a backdrop.
Oxbow - Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
What can I say about a location that is iconic and photographed millions of times over the years that hasn't been said before? Almost every photographer that is semi-serious who visits the Grand Tetons will head to Oxbow Bend and take photos there. The serious ones are there for sunrise hoping to get the classic shot. What makes Oxbow fun is that the weather patterns often make what sunrise looks like so different on a daily basis. There are days when the clouds are so thick that you can't see Mount Moran, or the sun for that matter. On those days, sometimes a quick break in the clouds will light the top of Moran for seconds. Other days, like the day I shot this photo, there are great clouds that are reflected in the calm waters of the Snake River. That is why I keep going back, as I am never sure of what this iconic scene will look like.
Devils Tower - Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming
Ever since I saw the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", I knew that someday I would get to visit Devils Tower National Monument in northeastern Wyoming. Well, it took me 36 years (the movie premiered in 1977) but I finally got there on a cross-country trip back in 2013. It is located in the middle of nowhere, about 60 miles northeast of Gillette, WY and about 110 miles northwest of Rapid City, SD.
We got a late start from Gillette and the winds were quite strong. Driving on the highway was challenging, requiring two hands firmly on the wheel. When we got off the interstate, we were shielded a bit by the formations on either side of the road. Devils Tower is quite a large formation that sticks out of the landscape, as it is surrounded by plains. Despite that, I couldn't get a glimpse of it until we were almost there.
This image was one of the first ones I shot of the day and is a great view of the formation. The wind was blowing so hard that I had to hold onto my tripod to keep it from blowing over. The clouds were a bonus and were moving quite rapidly the whole morning. And no, we did not see any aliens.