Anchorage Evening

Anchorage, Alaska

I started to look at my Alaska photos today and realized why I don't look at them for a few weeks or months after a trip. I am usually overwhelmed by the sheer number of photos (many of them to be deleted) as well as they seem to pale in comparison to the actual scenery. After a few weeks or months, my perspective is much better and I find that I actually find some gems in there. That said, I decided to edit the very first photo I took in Alaska. If you asked me before I took the trip, I would have guessed my first image published would be of the beautiful Alaska landscape but instead it is a photo of Anchorage from my hotel room. The journey to the hotel was long and tiring. Up at 4 am to catch a flight out of Hartford, we didn't get into the room until almost 5 pm (9 pm Eastern Time). To our surprise, it was really hot in the room and it had no air conditioning (I guess we should have been happy that it was sunny out for the first time in weeks).

I opened the drapes and saw this scene. Unfortunately, the angle was bad which caused terrible reflections in the window pane. Because of the lack of air conditioning, the windows were able to be opened just enough to barely stick my D700 out the window. I fired off a burst of 5 shots and hoped that Photoshop's Auto-Align would work miracles (it did). A good start to the trip.

Moraine Lake Reflection

Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

The Canadian Rockies are filled with spectacular lakes, mountains and scenery. Whenever I visit Banff National Park, I make sure I get to the "Valley of the Ten Peaks" to shoot at Moraine Lake. The lake is glacially fed and when it is full, reflects a blue shade. There are boats available at the lake and there are numerous hiking trails. Early in the day it is extremely serene and you can feel one with nature. This particular morning, the sun was hitting the opposite shore resulting in a wonderful reflection. While I like to have clouds in my images to add depth and interest, I think that the beauty of the lake and its surrounding mountains speak for itself.

Island Monastery

Sveti Đorđe, Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

One of the most surprising places that I have visited was Kotor, Montenegro. Once a part of Yugoslavia, Montenegro became an independent nation as recently as 2006. Located between Croatia and Albania, its shoreline lies on the Adriatic Sea. It is a small country (about the size of Connecticut); is mostly rugged mountains and is home to only about 620,000 people. According to our guide, the most amazing fact is that it has 365 churches. I have already posted about our visit to the Lady of the Rocks (you can read it here) located in the middle of the Bay of Kotor. After our visit to the church, I wandered outside and noted the smaller island across the water. I learned that this was a monastery (Saint George Benedictine monastery or Ostrvo Sveti Đorđe).

I was intrigued by the sight of the majestic mountains behind the monastery. I took a single shot as it was mid-day with the light and shadows being harsh and didn't expect it to come out. Only recently did I pull it out of the archives to see what I could do with it. I am pretty happy with the results.

Colorful Chapel

Air Force Academy Chapel, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Back from my awesome trip to Alaska and Vancouver where I shot tons and tons of photos. I haven't processed any yet but I am sure that you will be seeing some in the near future. In the meantime, a revisit to the Air Force Chapel in Colorado Springs (you can see my original post here). This time we head inside the chapel (there are actually three chapels) to check out the Protestant Chapel. The point of the roof is about 100 feet from the floor and the spires are separated by colored glass. The chapel seats 1,200 people.

That's it for today while I recover a bit (I need a vacation from my vacation).

Gone Fishing

Grand Canal, Venice, Italy

Well not exactly. I will be off the grid for a couple of weeks with limited internet access. Before I go, I want to thank all of you who have viewed and commented on my blog. I really didn't get going with it until mid-May and wasn't sure how long I would do it. My initial plans were to post a couple of images a week. The number of people that have left me comments has motivated me to post 5 days a week. Better yet, I have discovered the blogs of many other talented photographers whose wonderful images inspire me.

This image was taken early in the morning on the Grand Canal in Venice. As I was headed back to the hotel for breakfast after the morning of shooting, I spotted this old man fishing off the side of the canal. He seemed oblivious to the passing boats, while enjoying the beautiful early morning. I was a little surprised to see anyone fishing as I don't think I would be willing to eat a fish from the canal with all the thousands of boats that travel through it daily. Maybe he is a sports fisherman who does it for the solitude and fun of it. It wasn't until I began processing the photo that I noticed the face drawn in the wooden support. So much for my observational powers!

Hope to see everyone in a couple of weeks. Thanks again for your support.

Leaving Port

Valletta , Malta

Most serious photographers like to plan out their shots by controlling where their subject is positioned with respect to the light. When shooting landscapes, the timing of the day is another key factor in making great images. When on land, the photographer can easily control these two things and the main variable then becomes the weather. But what do you do when you are on a cruise ship with little control over all three things? You do what I do: pray a lot and take advantage of the opportunities when they come. Don't get me wrong. Traveling on a cruise is a wonderful experience and allows you to visit many different places that you might not have ever visited. There have been many locations that wouldn't have been on my top ten to visit but, after visiting, become a favorite memory. One of those places for me was Malta. After docking, we took a full day jeep ride over the island and visited some of the most beautiful parts of the Mediterranean. We ended in up in Valletta, the capital of Malta where we wandered the streets.

I was hoping to catch a shot of Valletta during the sunset hours and was disappointed that our ship was leaving at 6:00 pm. After leaving port, the ship moved past the city and as we started to move to the sea, we passed this lighthouse. Built of old stone, the textures of the lighthouse bathed in warm light contrasted well with the blue of the sea. The sailboat in the background was icing on the cake.

My advice for photographers that are taking a cruise is not to get frustrated but rather be ready when the right time comes.

Shadows and Light

Black Canyon of the Gunnsion National Park, Colorado

I try to visit the American Southwest as often as I can as the scenery is second to none. One area, the Grand Circle, boasts the largest concentration of national parks and monuments in the US. Located in the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah, the Grand Circle is home to 12 national parks. Many of the parks are recognizable to everyone (Grand Canyon, Zion to name a couple) but there are a few that most people never heard of. One of those is the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. In fact, it only became a national park in 1999. The park is about 2 hours north of Durango, Colorado just outside of Montrose. To quote the National Park Service, "No other canyon in North America combines the narrow opening, sheer walls, and startling depths offered by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison." It is an extremely rugged landscape with the Gunnison River flowing at its depths. It is also a favorite destination of rock climbers.

We had driven about four and a half hours from Manitou Springs on our way to Montrose and reached the park pretty late in the day. The visitors center had just closed so we were left to ourselves to explore the 12 miles of scenic road in the park. The sun was beginning to set and the landscape was painted with shadows and light. It was a wonderful ending to a great day.

Click to learn more about the Grand Circle and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Windy Day on the Bay

Salem , Massachusetts

One of the most recognized towns in New England is Salem, Massachusetts. Founded in 1626, it is one of the oldest settlements in North America. Originally populated by Puritans, Salem gained it's notoriety for it's infamous witchcraft trials. Salem later became one of the most significant seaports in early America. Located north of Boston on Cape Ann, it's economy is now built on tourism. Attractions include the Peabody Essex Museum, Pioneer Village, numerous historic homes, a tall ship and, of course, a Haunted Passport program that leverages its witchcraft history. Spending some time in Boston, we decided to visit Salem on the way home (okay, we went a little out of the way). It was a chilly April day and the wind was blowing extremely hard. The clouds had rolled in and it was all I could do to stand still while taking a shot of this boat across the way. I particularly liked the colors of the boat contrasting with the water on such a gray day.

Click to learn more about Salem.

Heavy Load

Grand Canal,Venice, Italy

Venice is a magical place and it is very hard to describe it to someone who hasn't been there. There is a feel to the "city" that is unlike anywhere else I have been. Venice actually lies in a lagoon that is protected from the sea by thin strips of land that have three small inlets. Rather than an island, Venice is actually made up of 124 small islands connected by small bridges. Venice is a favorite destination for tourists who arrive by plane, water taxi and cruise ships. This particular morning, I got up at dawn and wandered out onto the Grand Canal. This is one of the few times you can avoid the crowds of tourists and get some shots without worrying about bumping into someone. I noticed this artist that had the same idea and was painting the scene. As I began to shoot a few photos of the artist, I noticed this large cruise ship being towed down the Grand Canal out to sea by a little tugboat. It was an amazing scene that I never saw coming. I think I enjoy the images that were a result of just dumb luck the best.

As I edited the photo, I wanted to give it a painterly feel and I am happy with the result.

There is a great video that explains how Venice "works" and needs to be constantly maintained.

Iron Horse

Durango & Silverton Railroad, Silverton, Colorado

There is something about trains that I really love. Can't really put my finger on it but whenever I see a train, I want to photograph it and ride on it. I've been on some memorable train rides including the Rocky Mountaineer that goes from Vancouver, British Columbia to either Banff or Jasper, Alberta. One of my favorites is the train ride from Durango, Colorado to Silverton, Colorado. The train is a narrow gauge, which is better suited to navigate the sharp curves of the mountain terrain. It was used to haul silver and gold ore from the Silverton area as well as supplies and workers. Today, the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is used as a tourist attraction. The train leaves Durango for a 3.5 hour, 45 mile trip trip through the rugged San Juan Mountains. The scenery along the way is outstanding. It arrives in the town of Silverton for a two hour layover. Silverton is a small old-time mining town which has been designated as a National Historic District.

This shot was taken as the train was readying to head back to Durango. It is a HDR from a single photo.

Click for information about the train's history and schedule.

Around the Bend

Mered River, Yosemite National Park,California

When I was planning last year's vacation to Yosemite National Park, the biggest challenge was how I was going to fit in all of the parts of the park that I wanted to photograph. Since I was the only photographer in the group and we were only there for three days, I had to be totally organized to make the best of our visit. Researching on the internet for the best locations to shoot proved to be extremely challenging. Not only are there are so many places to see and photograph in the park but knowing what time of day to shoot at each location was proving impossible. It was then I found the book "Photographing Yosemite Digital Field Guide" written by Lewis Kemper. I found the book to be exactly what I needed. Not only does the book outline tons of locations, it also provides photos from most of the locations as well as the best times to shoot. Armed with this guide, I found it easy to plan my short time in the park. I would highly recommend this book for anyone that is interested in shooting in Yosemite. You can buy the book on Amazon.com for $13.59. Note that I have no affiliation with the author.

This shot was taken from just after dawn from Sentinel Bridge (one of the locations noted in the book). It shows the Merced River going around the bend just past the bridge. While I was hoping for the golden glow of the sunrise, I wasn't too disappointed in the clouds as I think they add an air of drama against the rock formation.

Motif No. 1

Rockport, Massachusetts

This bright red building is a fishing shack In the small town of Rockport, Massachusetts. Located on Bradley Wharf, it is purportedly the most painted fishing shack in the America. The shack even has its own name, Motif No. 1 that was given to it by an art teacher in the 1920s who, after seeing his students repeatedly draw the shack, exclaimed "What? Motif No 1 again!" The original shack was destroyed by the blizzard of 1978 when it was swept into Rockport Harbor. Motif No. 1 was rebuilt within a year. The fishing shack has even been commemorated on a postage stamp.

We had vacationed in Rockport is the 1980's when we lived in New Jersey. At that point in time, I wasn't into photography. Since we now live in New England, I finally got around to revisiting Rockport with my son to photograph good old Motif No. 1 and the surrounding area. There are many places to set up a tripod but this location is probably the best angle. I highly recommend a visit to Motif No. 1 if you are in the Cape Ann area.

Path to the Beach

Wildwood, New Jersey

Happy Fourth of July weekend everyone! One of the best places to spend the fourth in New Jersey is to head down to the Jersey shore. Every year, thousands of people from the surrounding area (South Jersey, Philadelphia, New York and Delaware) head to Wildwood, NJ. Wildwood is a favorite summer destination that is home to one of the best beaches in NJ as well as a two mile boardwalk. The boardwalk has numerous amusement piers as well as tons of shops, arcades and food stops. Since I grew up in South Jersey, I have many memories of Wildwood. I still remember hearing the tramcar's annoying "Watch the tramcar please" warning as it tried to weave through the crowded boardwalk from one end to the other.

I don't get to visit Wildwood much anymore since I live in Connecticut, so I instead, I am posting this image that I took a couple of years ago of one of the paths to Wildwood's beach. I'm sure it won't be deserted today.

Click to learn more about Wildwood.

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.