The Boat House

Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

In the heart of Banff National Park lies the beautiful turquoise colored Lake Louise. Located about 45 minutes from the town of Banff, it is a favorite destination for hikers, skiers, snowboarders and boaters. The lake is surrounded by numerous snow-capped mountains and the head of the Victoria Glacier. It also home to a five-star resort hotel, the Chateau Lake Louise (a Fairmont Hotel). We decided to spend a couple of days at the Chateau (really great hotel but a bit pricey) and used it as our home base to explore the surrounding attractions (Moraine Lake, Yoho National Park, The Icefields Parkway to name a few). One of the advantages of staying at the lake was the ability to roll out of bed before dawn and quickly set up the tripod for sunrise.

On this morning, there were very few people up and out and I was able to move freely around the lake to get whatever scene that I was interested in. I am always drawn to boats and the boat house spoke to me. The forest behind the boat house, it's reflection and the glow of the sunrise on the mountain made the moment one to remember.

Check out the Chateau Lake Louise and Lake Louise if you are ever planning a trip to the Canadian Rockies.

Strolling the Acropolis

Athens, Greece

No visit to Athens is complete without a visit to the Acropolis, the home of the Parthenon. "Acropolis" means city by the edge and the site was likely picked for defense against invading forces. Acropolis "Hill" towers over the city of Athens. Although there are numerous acropolises in Greece, only the one in Athens is known solely as the Acropolis. The history of the Acropolis is the stuff of Greek mythology. For a more detailed look at the Acropolis, visit Matt Barrett's Athens Survival Guide On this early Sunday morning, we took a tour bus which dropped us on this street just outside the Acropolis. It was an overcast day with a bit of on and off raindrops. As I looked down the street, the skies, while looking ominous, has some very nice beams of light. I thought that the scene was a great backdrop and the two lone people walking on it gave it some interest (by the time we were done, there were people everywhere).

Hilltop Nirvana

Oia, Santorini, Greece

Last fall, we were lucky enough to embark on a Mediterranean cruise. When we were planning for the cruise, the only destination that was a requirement was Santorini, Greece. Being a photographer, I have seen hundreds of photographs of the blue domed churches built into the side of the cliffs and I really wanted to visit and photograph them. Photographs of these churches can usually be found on the covers of most Greek Island travel guides. When the cruise ship approached Santorini, I was a bit discouraged as it was raining and windy. We had to anchor on the other side of the island because of the rough seas and take very unsteady tenders to the dock. We were met there by buses which drove us to the town of Oia at the northern end of the island.

The streets of this hilltop town are extremely narrow and, although it was October, it was quite crowded (probably all cruise ship passengers). The rain had stopped and I snuck off of the main thoroughfare to walk along the houses. As you can see, there was no one in sight except one woman coming out of her house (see if you can find her). I was mesmerized by the cliff "dwellings" and wished that I was able to stay for a couple of days to catch sunrise and sunset. I guess I'll have to go back someday to experience that thrill.

Click to find out more about Santorini and the famous town of Oia

The Houseboat

Potash Road, Moab Utah

One of my favorite areas to photograph is the American southwest. While the summers can be brutally hot, the spring is a great time to visit. Not only are the temperatures more moderate, the crowds have not yet arrived allowing for quiet reflection. One area, in particular, is the town of Moab, Utah. Situated on the eastern side of the state near Colorado, it is the home base for two national parks (Arches and Canyonlands National Parks) and a great state park (Dead Horse State Park). The Colorado River also runs just outside town. We had spent most of the day in Canyonlands and were driving back into town. I saw the sign for Potash Road and wondered what I might find there (I do this a lot). The road went on for awhile and I quickly realized that we were driving along the Colorado River. Along the way, we discovered numerous petroglyphs on the cliffs where you could pull over and study these ancient drawings. Finally, we reached the end of the road (about 13 miles in) where you can see the cliffs around Dead Horse State Park in the distance.

As we turned around to head back into town, I spotted this lone houseboat (the only boat to be seen on the river) and was immediately attracted to the contrast of the little houseboat amid the surrounding towering cliffs.

Check out Moab's website to get more information about it's rugged surroundings. And don't forget to explore, you never know what you may find.

All Aboard!

Strasburg Railroad, Strasburg, Pennsylvania

I grew up in New Jersey outside of Philadelphia. Whenever we wanted to visit somewhere different, we hopped in the car and headed out to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. A popular tourist destination, Lancaster County is also the home of over 50,000 Amish (also known as Pennsylvania Dutch). We have lived in Connecticut for the past 19 years (hard to believe) and hadn't been there since before our move. When our friends from New Jersey suggested to meet there for a few days in April, we jumped at the chance. Driving through Lancaster County, you can spot the Amish in their distinct horse drawn buggies. There are also numerous covered bridges throughout the county, most of which are still operational. One of the popular tourist attractions is to take the 45 minute train ride on the Strasburg Railroad. While waiting for our train ride, I wandered off (as I usually do) and found this out-of-service train car sitting behind the station. Since the dynamic range was challenging, I decided to shoot a HDR bracket sequence even though I didin't have my tripod. The train car shows the old grandeur of travel in the mid-1800's.

Check out these websites if you are planning a trip to Lancaster County or taking the Strasburg Railroad.

Autumn at the Lake

Lake Waramaug State Park, Kent, Connecticut

When the leaves change in New England every fall, I always head to Lake Waramaug State Park to shoot some of the foliage. It is a great place to capture the brilliant colors of the changing seasons, especially if you are looking for great reflections. The lake also has some wonderful amenities such as camping, fishing, swimming and picnicking. The best time to go is in the late afternoon when the sun is shining on the opposite shore. The kids are in school and with the daylight getting shorter, there is a golden glow to everything. The lake is named after an Indian chief of the Wyantenock tribe who had hunting grounds near falls on the Housatonic River. For more information about the park, visit it's website.

This shot was taken along the western shore in between the beach and the picnic area. While the opposite shore was still bathed in the late afternoon light, the bright foliage on the nearby trees contrasted nicely with the tree trunk.

It's Lonely Up There...

Kings Canyon National Park, California

One of my bucket list items is to visit and photograph all of the national parks in the United States. I have visited California many times and I never seemed to have enough time to visit Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Park. Both parks are contiguous with one another although a bit remote. When I planned our family vacation to Yosemite last year, I decided to finally visit them. Kings Canyon possesses the deepest canyons in North America amid the rugged Sierra Nevada. In fact, it's canyons are deeper than the Grand Canyon. The park was virtually empty so we had the run of it. I am told that the crowds visit it's more famous neighbor to the north, Yosemite. That's a shame as the scenery, while not quite as well known, is still outstanding. To find out more about the park, see its NPS webpage.

As we were driving through the northern portion of the park, I noticed this lone tree on the side of a mountain. I wondered how long it has been there. I am sure it has endured years of storms; rain, snow and ice; and a climate that ranges from scorching heat to subzero temperatures. The conditions when I took this shot were not ideal: it was mid-day; the sun was shining brightly at a bad angle and it was extremely hot. I threw on a ND filter to cut down on the light. While I would have loved to capture it during the golden hours, I was still happy with the result.

The Jersey Shore and Dad Remembered on Memorial Day

Wildwood, New Jersey

I grew up in a small town in New Jersey right outside Philadelphia. We lived about an hour from Atlantic City and an hour and half from Wildwood and Beach Haven. My early recollections of my grandparents were that they loved to fish in Little Egg Harbor, year round. My father had the same love of the Jersey shore and he religiously packed me and my four brothers along with Mom into the station wagon every year to visit either Beach Haven or Wildwood. On this Memorial Day, my thoughts are of my father and how much I miss him. I don't know much about his experiences in the armed forces (he never talked about it) but I know he was in the Army Air Force and was a gunner flying over Europe. When I think of the things he loved, the Jersey shore always come to mind. To honor him, I am posting this shot of an empty lifeguard station on Wildwood beach. I was staying at my brother-in-law's place (who also has a love of the Jersey shore) and I had promised my nephew Danny to take him out shooting. I don't think he realized that I meant getting up before dawn to get the nice light. Anyway, I think Dad would have liked this shot.

Waiting for the Ferry to Sausalito

Ferry Building, San Francisco,California

I am a very big fan of San Francisco. I first visited there in 1981 when my brother Bob went out west. One of my old friends had moved to San Francisco and we stayed with him and his wife for a few days. They took us on the ferry to Sausalito for a wonderful brunch on the water. As a result, every time I visit I try to make it there to relive the wonderful memory. This photo was taken last July while we were waiting for the ferry to depart. We were eating our "Salumi Cone" (believe it or not it is a meat cone) from Boccalone, I noticed the atrium ceiling and the nice light and shot off a quick hand-held HDR sequence. The Ferry Building has been renovated to it's former glory.

For those of you who are not familiar with Boccalone, it is owned by Chris Cosentino who is featured on a number of shows on the Food Channel. The "Salumi Cone" was also featured on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" television show.

Springtime at Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls, Ontario

I was hoping to be up before dawn to set up for a shot of Niagara Falls. Must have been overly tired from the long 8 hour drive yesterday and I woke up at 6 am (sunrise was at 5:56 am). Fortunately I was able to book a hotel room on the edge of the Falls so I was able to be set up by 6:15 am. I have been taking Trey Ratcliff's excellent Webinar of how he takes and processes his fabulous HDR photos. HDR photos are best taken using a tripod but as I walked the length of the Canadian side, I was disappointed to see that the fence was in the way of getting the composition that I wanted. So to get the shot I wanted, I was going to have to hand hold for the shot (I was taking a 5 shot HDR so any slight movement could pose a problem). I ultimately found this one spot where I was able to frame these daffodils along with the budding tree on the right. All in all, it was a beautiful spring morning.

Before the Crowds

Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, California

One of my favorite places to photograph is in Yosemite National Park. It's rugged scenery contains memorable granite formations and has been attracting visitors since its discovery. The park itself is about the size of Rhode Island and contains hundreds of lakes; miles and miles of hiking trails; and two rivers. Located in the Sierra Nevada of California, it is about 4 hours  from San Francisco. Walking in the footsteps of John Muir and Ansel Adams leaves you feeling like you are treading on hallowed ground. The best time to capture Yosemite Falls is very early morning before the crowds show up. This photo was shot at 5 am and as you can see, I was the only one out and around (except for a bear at the other end of the meadow). The day was a bit cloudy so the early morning sun was not to be seen. Nonetheless, the majesty of the falls can easily be seen.

The photo was taken from the Sentinel Meadow & Cook's Meadow Loop hiking trail.

 

Over the Edge

Niagara Falls, New York

Last week, I decided at the last moment to drive out to Niagara Falls (a 7 hour drive) and stay a couple of days to photograph the Falls. I hadn't been there since a family vacation in the mid-1990s and, at that time, wasn't into photography. I am currently taking a nine hour HDR webinar course with Trey Ratcliff and wanted to capture some images that I could apply my new found HDR skills. After the long drive, I stopped on Goat Island on the US side of the Falls for a few shots before heading into Canada. The weather was overcast but served to soften the normally harsh afternoon light. Armed with my tripod and a 3-stop ND filter to slow the exposure, one of the first shots I took was this 5-shot HDR image you see here. I am pretty happy with the results.

Niagara Falls consists of two falls: Horseshoe Falls (part of which is on US soil and the other part is on Canadian soil) and the American Falls. The two falls are separated on the US side by Goat Island. The best views of the Falls are from the Canadian side although close up views are better from the US side (as can seen in the photo).