Florence Lines

Florence, Italy

Europe has so much history on display, and much of it can be seen in it's architecture and museums. Everyone seems to have a favorite country, but nowhere do I feel more at home than in Italy. I suspect that I feel that way because my mother's family immigrated to the US from Italy. I have been there twice and  I am always  looking to go back again to revisit the homeland. Today's photo is from the capital of the Tuscany region, Florence.

Florence has the architecture and museums that make it one of the most visited cities in Europe. This image has both facets, namely the famous Uffizi Gallery, which is one of the oldest and most famous art museums of the Western world. This composition was taken from the courtyard between the two wings of the museum. I just love the leading lines of the architecture.

Time for Reflection

Herbert Lake , Icefields Parkway, Alberta, Canada

Just solidified my photography trips for the year and am quite excited to head back to some of my favorite places on Earth. It is always hard to pick them, as there are so many places that I want to visit for the first time that need to be balanced with a need to revisit places in order to capture them properly. One of those revisits is Banff National Park, shown above. I was last there in 2006 when I wasn't really as into photography as I am now. I have some pretty decent shots from there (I'd like to think that this image of Herbert Lake is one of them) but I know that I will be approaching this landscape- rich region with a much improved skill set from both a photography and processing perspective.

I have already begun to think about how I will be setting up some favorite compositions and coming up with many new ones. A side benefit to the trip will be driving the Icefields Parkway to Jasper National Park. On my only visit to Jasper, it rained constantly for three days. Hopefully Mother Nature will be more kind on this trip.

Moored

Cape Porpoise, Maine

The Maine Coast is a wonderful place to hop in the car and see all sorts of attractions. There is a reason that the state nickname is Vacationland.  Beaches, lighthouses, quaint towns, lobster shacks and rugged coastline are just some of the things to see on a drive. Of course, many of these things are less enjoyable when it is overcast and rainy, especially when you want to capture some photos. Driving through Cape Porpoise, I spotted this lone boat and decided to compose a minimalist image.

Niagara Falls Cityscape

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Niagara Falls is a famous tourist attraction that many easterners flock to, especially in the summer. I have been there twice, and have  stayed both times on the Canadian side. The first time, we stayed in the small town of Niagara on the Lake, which is about a half - hour drive north of the falls. It is a great little place located on Lake Ontario. The last time, I decided at the last minute to drive the eight hours and stayed a few days in Niagara Falls (the city) so I could jump out of the hotel before dawn and shoot the falls. After shooting more shots of the falls that I could count, I walked around this small city and really enjoyed myself. This is a shot of the cityscape, and, yes, that is a rainbow. Seems like rainbows are quite common on sunny days due to all of the water spray from the falls.

Follow the Road

Theodore Roosevelt National Park - South Division, North Dakota

I am sure that I have mentioned that one of my bucket list items is to visit all of the US National Parks. I haven't come up with a detailed road trip to do so, but, whenever I visit a new place, I always try to get to any national parks that are nearby. That is how I discovered Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I was planning out our return trip from Oregon to Connecticut and made sure that I stopped in Badlands National Park in South Dakota. I had never heard of the park before, maybe because it only became one in 1978. Whatever the reason, I decided to visit it although I stretched out the definition of "in the area" (the park is about a 7 hour drive from Badlands.

Located on the western side of the state in the Little Missouri Badlands, I was expecting to see  terrain similar to Badlands. Instead, I found that the park has a different look to it, and it is known as a great place to view wildlife. This image was taken in the southern division (there are three divisions that make up the park) as I was driving the 36-mile scenic loop. The park was pretty deserted (I only saw about 10 other cars along the way), and I was able to take my time to enjoy the solitude.

Comfort Station

Vista House, Columbia River Gorge, Corbett, Oregon

This often viewed and photographed structure sits on a rocky promontory known as Crown Point, about 725 feet above the Columbia River in Corbett, Oregon. Known as the Vista House, the building has a long history and is actually a memorial to the pioneers that traveled west and settled in Oregon. Built in 1917, its purpose was to provide a "comfort station" for travelers to rest and relax as they explored the Columbia River Gorge. The only access to the building is via the historic Columbia River Highway. 

There was road construction on the highway throughout most of 2013, but, even so, I was a little surprised that we had the memorial almost all to ourselves. Very unusual for an August morning. Saved me a lot of time setting up and taking the image without people wandering through the scene.

 

Side Trip

Reflection Lake, Lassen Volcanic National California

This past August, my son and I drove south from Portland heading for the city by the bay. We stopped overnight in Redding, California, hoping that the weather would hold up so we could take a side trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park. The drive from Redding was about 45 minutes, but since my son isn't a morning person, we didn't get to the park until 9 am. We would have stayed closer, but there isn't lodging near or in the park. We came into the park at the northern entrance, and stopped at the very small station there to find out the main attractions to visit (I know that I violated the scouting requirement of photography). I wandered across the street and found this view of Reflection Lake staring me in the face. The lake is named for the reflection of Mount Lassen. Unfortunately, the reflection is viewed from the other side of the lake, and is best reflected in evening light, both conditions that I did not meet. I will remember that for next time.

 

Impressions

Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester, Massachusetts

A short post for today. What does a photographer do when they are up and out before dawn?" Look for early light wherever they are. This early morning, I found myself on Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester, Massachusetts. I was looking at the coastline to shoot and just loved the way the light emphasized the wet beach.

Relaxing on the Canal

Amsterdam, Netherlands

There are a two things (among many) that one remembers after visiting Amsterdam, namely canals and bikes. While the canals are not quite as numerous as Venice, Amsterdam is often referred to as the "Venice of the North". This friendly city is home to almost 62 miles of canals, with 1,500 bridges connecting the 90 islands that are part of Amsterdam. Many of the canals are lined with bars and restaurants that create unique settings. On this afternoon, we stopped at a bar and had a few drinks, taking in this view. The light and shadow on the building, the bikes along the one bridge in sight, and the swan swimming serenely made this a scene that screamed photo.

The Sentinel

Sentinal Mesa, Monument Valley, Navajo Reservation, Utah/Arizona Border

Happy New Year to everyone. I thought I would start off the year with a photo from one of my favorite places to visit and photograph, Monument Valley. Located on a Navajo reservation on the Utah/Arizona border, it has been the backdrop for famous movies (The Searchers, Stagecoach, Easy Rider, to name a few), untold number of commercials and even music videos (Metallica). 

Despite the commercial appeal, Monument Valley is such a spiritual place, and revered by the Navajo culture. Each formation has its own name and meaning. This formation is known as Sentinel Mesa, and I wanted to give it some scale by showing the building and homes. The formations in the park seem like they sprung up from nowhere in the otherwise flat landscape.

The Whale's Tail

Humpback Whale, Juneau, Alaska

This is an image of a hump-back whale taken outside of Juneau, Alaska. We signed up for a tour that took us on a boat designed for photographers. It worked out really well as the weather was quite rainy and being able to shoot while staying dry was priceless. This was a challenge to get only one tail as we were fortunate to find a group of 13 whales performing "bubble net feeding". They usually come up to the surface as a group and timing it to get the last one when they dive takes patience. Thank God for high burst mode on today's cameras. I probably shot 1,000 photos in that mode and tossed about 950 of them but the ones left were pretty decent.

The Rugged Outdoors

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

The diversity of Badlands National Park is simply amazing. I previously posted a number of photos that illustrate the jagged peaks and miles of rock eroded by the elements. This image shows the mounds and grasslands that are also prevalent in the park. It must be clear to you that Badlands is a must-visit park. It took me too long to get there, as it is in the middle of the country, and I have always tended to head west. I won't make that mistake again, and I will return to South Dakota again. I hope that you put up with my fascination with this place.

City Layers

Painted Ladies, Alamo Square, San Francisco, California

San Francisco has so many attractions and places to visit that it is hard to fit everything in. One such attraction is Alamo Square, where the famous "Painted Ladies" can be seen. The painted ladies refer to a row of Victorian houses painted in colors that make the architectural details stand out. I was surprised to find out that their nickname was only established in 1978 with the publishing of a book. 

Alamo Square gives visitors a unique perspective that show the Victorian houses that were built in the 1890's with the city layered behind them as a backdrop. On this day, I had a layer of clouds and sky that resulted in four layers.

Lego Ness Monster

Downtown Disney, Lake Buena Vista, Florida

Look what I got for Christmas! Okay maybe not, but I am sure my fellow blogger Chris Nitz is jealous. Chris sometimes inserts toys into his wonderful images and I thought I would pay homage to him by going "big" for my first "toy". This amazing lego piece can be found in the lagoon outside a large lego store in Downtown Disney. I don't know if Chris has ever visited there, but I can imagine him going in and never coming out. The store has some even more impressive lego pieces from Star Wars to just about anything else.

By the way, sorry for the corny title.

Merry Christmas 2013

Candlelight Processional, Epcot, Disneyworld, Lake Buena Vista, Florida

Just a quick post wishing you and your families a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season. I hope Santa was good to everyone. This is one of the Christmas trees at Epcot's Candlelight Processional taken right before the orchestra and choir began singing holiday songs.

Mickey Meets Mario

Cinderella's Castle, Magic Kingdom. Lake Buena Vista, Florida

Here is a shot from our Disney World trip earlier this month. We decided to visit the Magic Kingdom during "Mickey's Very Merry Xmas Party". In essence, Disney closes the park at 7pm and sells a second admission price for those who want to attend the party (leave it to Disney to figure out how to get more money). Despite the price, the party is well worth it with an elaborate parade, fireworks and a hard to describe animation that uses Cinderella's Castle as a "movie screen". 

The castle show is hard to describe and there are a large number of scenes, pictures and animations that flash quickly before your eyes over a 15-minute interval. It is very difficult to describe, but it is quite amazing. People line up to get a good view about 90 minutes before the festivities start. It is extremely difficult to photograph given the lighting, speed of the animation and the crowds. I shot with my Sony NEX-7 at 6400 ISO and just kept shooting.

This is one of my favorite scenes. A 1980's depiction of an old-time video game (I think it may be Mario Brothers but could be wrong). If you ever have the chance to visit Disney World at Christmas time, don't miss Mickey's party.

Deep Blue

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Back from a two week hiatus from the blog in time for Christmas week. Our trip to Disney World was terrific and while I didn't shoot that much, I will be posting a few shots this week. Before I do, today we revisit a really cool location in southern Oregon, Crater Lake National Park.

There are two things that I remember vividly from the park and that is Wizard Island and some of the bluest water found in the world. The water is some of the purest that you will find anywhere, and the blue color is simply amazing. When researching the reason for why the color was so blue, I found the answer on the National Park Service's website (paraphrased in the next paragraph). 

The water is so blue because there is hardly anything else in it.  The water molecules found in Crater Lake contain no sediments, algae, pesticides or pollution, making it very pure. The water molecules absorb all of the color spectrum of sunlight except for the blues. The key to creating the deep blue color is having enough water to absorb the other colors. Since there are 4.6 trillion gallons of water in the lake, there is no problem.

Headed to Disney

Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort, Hilton Head, South Carolina

As you are reading this, we are in transit to Disney World as part of what seems to be an annual visit to see the park all dressed up for Christmas. I won't be posting next week and I will try to catch up when I get back. This photo is actually from Disney's resort in Hilton Head. There was a chair that was missing and I chuckled as even the rust left by it was in the shape of Mickey's head.

The Lone Buffalo

Custer State Park, South Dakota

There are many diverse attractions that make South Dakota a vacation destination. It wasn't until I started planning a stop there as part of our cross-country trip that I realized how diverse it was. Within a days drive apart, there are two National Parks. One, Badlands NP, has some of the most rugged landscapes that I have visited, while the other, Wind Caves NP, is contained below the ground. From a historic perspective, the gamut runs from granite memorials (Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse) to the rolling hills of Custer State Park (shown in this photo). This area is definitely a hidden gem that I plan to revisit soon.

When I composed the scene above, I wanted to capture the beauty of this park nestled in the Black Hills of southwestern South Dakota. It wasn't until I began editing the photo that I noticed the lone buffalo in the upper right portion of the frame. I wanted to leave him in (lone buffalo are almost always males) to give some scale to the scene.

Humbled

Yakutat Bay, Alaska

Mountains are my destination whenever I feel the calling of the road. There is something about them that are spiritual and give me a sense of serenity. Maybe it is also a need to get away from the masses that is life in the northeast. It is hard to know exactly why. Others on the east coast flock to the miles and miles of beaches for their relief, but, for me, it offers little attraction unless I am there at sunrise or sunset shooting images.

It is interesting to me that mountains were created through very violent collisions of the Earth’s tectonic plates, yet they provide such peace and solace. Many Native American tribes have cultures that believe in and pay respect to the spiritual nature of mountains. I mention Native Americans as, that if family history is to believed, I may have some Indian blood in me. So maybe I am channeling those inherited beliefs.

Sorry to get all philosophical today. When I sat down to write this post, I was going to talk about the mountain range along this portion of the Alaskan coastline, and talk about how insignificant and humbling it feels when being in such a wonderful place.