Dinosaur Sighting - Animal Kingdom, Florida

 

Final Destination for 2014: Disney World

Animal Kingdom, Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida

Today I am off for my last trip of the year, to spend a couple of weeks at Disney World. It will be the first time visiting there while the International Food and Wine Festival is ongoing. Given the amount of traveling I have done this year, I am looking forward to a relaxing time and also to chill a bit after the recent loss of my Mom. I do plan to bring the camera, but I won't be shooting a lot on this trip. I might even do a little editing, as I have thousands of images from my trips to Moab, Banff, Glacier, Colorado, NYC and Acadia. Unlike my other trips, I will try to keep the blog going while I am there, but there are no guarantees. In any case, this image is from one of my earlier trips to Disney from the Animal Kingdom.

Acadia Beauty - Acadia National Park, Maine

Otter Beach, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine

One of my favorite spots in Acadia National Park is at Otter Beach. As can be seen in this photo, the beach is not exactly your typical sand beach, but rather a bunch of large rounded stones that are quite difficult to walk on. The nXnw crew muddled our way over the stones in the hopes that we would have a decent sunrise, so that the stones would begin to glow golden. My first location was closer to the water but it turned out that the tide was coming in. Even though my boots were waterproof, the water went above them, resulting in getting both feet soaked. As a result, I moved back to this position and was rewarded with some great light. Not only did the rocks on the beach  light up, but the Otter Cliffs in the distance also glowed orange. I was thrilled that the guys who were in Acadia for the first time got to experience a stellar time on Otter Beach.

Nighttime at the Mill - Lawrence, Massachusetts

Stone Mill, Lawrence, Massachusetts

This was one of the first photos that I took after meeting the full nXnw crew in Boston. A few of the guys had come into Boston a day or two early, while Rick Louie, Chris Nitz and I were shooting in New York City. Mark Garbowski kindly was willing to pick the three of us up in Jersey City, and, due to a late start and hitting horrendous traffic outside of Boston, we didn't get to the hotel until late afternoon. The Boston guys were shooting at the Stone Mill in Lawrence, and, by the time we got to the mill, the light was fading big time. I was able to get a few shots in and then the light was gone. After putting my gear away and walking to gather with the guys for dinner, I spotted this window, and I noticed that the lights were on in the building across the way. Dinner would have to wait a few minutes while I pulled out the gear to shoot this image.

Footbridge - Mount Desert Isalnd, Maine

Mount Desert Isalnd, Somesville, Maine

When one thinks of Acadia National Park, the first thing that comes to mind is Maine's rugged coastline and beautiful lakes. What many visitors don't realize is that the park is actually located on the second biggest island (Mount Desert Island) on the eastern seaboard. The park was formed through a trust that gradually acquired land over a period of time that was ultimately granted national park status in 1919 by Woodrow Wilson. 

Given its history, Mount Desert Island has a lot of small towns that are randomly located around Acadia. Many of these towns are very small (the island has 10,000 residents year-round) but are nonetheless picturesque. This photo of a small footbridge in a town called Somesville. If you didn't know that it was there, you would miss it in the blink of an eye. Fortunately, I had visited it several years ago when the light was terrible and the foliage was not turning. I was a bit luckier this time.

Remember the Fallen - Freedom Tower, New York

Freedom Tower, Path Station, Manhattan, New York

It has been almost a month since I last posted an image on the blog. My last post was before my photo trip that began in Colorado and was followed by stops in New York, Boston, and finally with the nXnw guys in Acadia. The trip was terrific, and I finally got to meet many online friends for the first time in person. Unfortunately, right after the trip ended, I found out that my beloved mother had passed. She has been the guiding force in my life, and, if the celebration of her life at her services are any indication, the guiding force for many others. Mom, you will be missed, and always remembered and loved.

I have been in a little funk since her service, but I know that she would be unhappy knowing that I was not doing the things that I loved. So here I am posting a photo again. I guess I picked this as my first post as many of the emotions that I have felt this past week were similar to those when I saw the Freedom Tower on the NY segment of my photo trip. I had avoided visiting the site of the World Trade Center since 9/11 because I commuted through there for 5 years, ending in 1992. Seeing the Tower in the eerie light and fog really moved me, and,  right after taking this photo,  I got a call to tell me that Mom had been admitted to the hospital. At that time, there was no inkling that she would be gone in less than a week. In any case, these two sorrowful events will forever be linked together for me.

For the best view, click on the image to see it against a dark background.

Rocky Mountain Snow Squall - Rocky Mountain National Park

 

Destination: Colorado, New York City and Acadia National Park

Rocky Mounatin National Park, Colorado

I will be traveling for the next two and a half weeks on my last photo trip of the year. My first stop will be Colorado, where I will spend a couple of days in Rocky Mountain National Park and then join Rick Louie's Colorado Photo Tour, where we explore the Telluride area and hit Maroon Bells on the way back to Denver. From there a few of us will fly to NYC to explore the Big Apple for a few days before we head up to Acadia to meet a bunch of other photographers. It will be really cool to finally meet all of these fine photographers in person, as I have followed most of them online for years. I will not be blogging during my time away, but I will be posting periodic images on my Facebook page.

I leave you with the photo of Rocky Mountain National Park that I took a few years ago. It was a cold June day, and the sun was shining, despite a brief snow squall that often pops up in Colorado.

Shane's Cabin - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Hollywood westerns are a genre of movie that are not filmed much these days. They were at their peak during the 1950s -1960s, and there have been many classics that have made their mark on American culture. One of the quintessential westerns, Shane, was filmed in Grand Teton National Park in 1953. I remember as a young child watching this movie and daydreaming about being a cowboy. This photo of Shane's cabin is all that is left from all of the buildings that were featured in the movie. 

The Eye - Monument Valley

Monument Valley, Utah / Arizona Border

The formations in Monument Valley are second to none when looking for great southwestern scenes. Many people who have never been there have actually seen these amazing formations, as they have appeared in numerous movies and countless television commercials. Once you see these formations with your own eyes, I guarantee that you will recognize them every time you see one of those commercials or movies. 

Most of the more famous formations can be seen by paying the admission fee to the Navajo Tribal Park and driving the 17-mile dirt road. The admission is good for the day and I would recommend visiting in the early morning hours and returning for the late evening. The colors of the formations are amazing during these times as they begin to glow.  I would recommend a 4-wheel drive, but it is not mandatory. To see the other formations in the park, you must hire a Navajo guide who will be able to take you off of the road. The formation in this photo is known as "The Eye" and can only be seen off of the main road.

Ford Deluxe - Sturbridge, Massachusetts

Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Massachusetts

I think every sports fan has heard the quote, "I went to a fight the other night and a hockey game broke out". I sort of felt that way earlier this year when we visited Old Sturbridge Village and a car show broke out. Old Sturbridge Village is a large living museum in Massachusetts that depicts life in the 1790s to 1830s. We went there with family members visiting from New Jersey, and, when we got there, we realized that there was a large antique car show on the premises. For those of you who have shot at these shows, it can be hard to isolate the cars from the spectators, especially while trying to minimize people's reflections in the car's body. The best way is to get access before the show is open. I was able to get a good shot of this Ford Deluxe, as it was at the end of the row and was a bit in the shade.

Moraine Beauty - Banff National Park

Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

No trip to Banff National Park is complete without an early morning visit to Moraine Lake. To me, it is the iconic location, even though Lake Louise (about 30 minutes east) gets all of the press and many more visitors. Don't get me wrong, during the summer season, Moraine Lake's parking lot is completely full, and you need to board a bus to get there. If you get there in the early morning hours, parking should not be a problem.

The reason I love this location is more about the mountains that surround the lake. There are ten mountain peaks that surround the lake, and the area is known as The Valley of the Ten Peaks. There are several popular places to shoot the lake, but I like the trail to the top of the rock pile that is the view that is shown in this photo. The only thing that I could have asked for this morning would be still waters that would have allowed for great reflections of the mountain peaks. I guess I will just have to go back to get them.

Orange Spring Mound - Yellowstone National Park

Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Today, we are headed to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. The park was founded in 1872 and has the distinction of being the very first national park in the United States. To say that the park is massive would be an understatement. The park measures almost 3,500 square miles, and, to see it properly, at least 3 or 4 days are required (a week is better). My favorite area in the park is the Mammoth Hot Springs area, located in the northwest Wyoming corner that also includes part of Montana. This section is home to numerous hot springs that were created over thousands of years, as hot water from the surrounding Norris Geyser Basin deposited calcium carbonate as the water cooled. This left limestone and rock formations throughout the area. 

The formation pictured in today's photo is known as the Orange Spring Mound, and it can be found in the Upper Terrace. The formation is very different in shape than the others on the Upper Terrace. I headed out early in the morning  to drive through this section of the park. As I came to this formation, I noticed the reflection of the top of the mound in the water. Being such a sucker for reflections, I stopped the car and composed this shot.

For the best view, click on the image to see it against a dark background.

Demise of a Giant - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bethlehem Steel, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

I have always had a keen interest in history, and, whenever I get the chance to combine my love for photography with it, I am all in. Earlier this month I was able to shoot the Bethlehem Steel property in Pennsylvania. Founded in 1857, it was a key supplier of steel that fueled the Industrial Revolution in the United States. It's main competition during the 1800's was the Carnegie Steel Company, founded by the famed industrialist and later philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie sold his interests to another "robber baron" of the times, J.P. Morgan, and the resulting company was renamed U.S. Steel. The two companies competed head-to-head for steel supremacy for over a century, before Bethlehem Steel succumbed to a declining steel industry and foreign competition in 2003. 

I wanted to capture a photo that conveyed the demise of this once powerful company, and found it in one of the parking lots on the property. I knew that in order to capture the full breadth of the ruins of this abandoned building, I needed to shoot a panorama. I love the cool arches, and the bonus was the steel stacks that were in the background of one of the arches.

For the best view, click on the image to see it against a dark background.

Mount Rundle Sunrise - Banff National Park, Alberta

Two Jack Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Being a landscape photographer, there are three things that are sacred to me: mountains, lakes and reflections. I would probably add clouds and a great foreground, but why get greedy? All of these items were present at Two Jack Lake in Banff National Park. I have posted extensively about Banff, as it is one of my favorite places on Earth. I have been there three times and would visit there every year if I could. There are so many beautiful lakes in the area, but, until this trip, Two Jack wouldn't have  been in my top ten. That was until my buddy, Jeff Clow, insisted that it was a stellar lake.

During our time together there, Jeff and I visited Two Jack every day, and the lake was always rippled with no reflection to be found. We had said goodbye the night before, and I was headed to Jasper National Park and Jeff was headed home. I decided to make one last stop at the lake, and the photography gods were smiling upon me as I came upon the scene in the photo. My only wish was that Jeff was able to finally see the reflection of Mount Rundle. I found out later that he too visited the lake a couple of hours later, and was able to capture its beauty reflected in the water.

For the best view, click on the image to see it against a dark background.

Steel Graveyard - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bethlehem Steel, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

On Labor Day weekend, I was fortunate enough to join Denise Ippolito's first tour to the once famous Bethlehem Steel. Denise had gotten us access to an abandoned warehouse on the massive site of Bethlehem Steel. We were only allowed access to one extremely large warehouse (although we could walk around the public areas), but there was a treasure chest of objects to be found there. The warehouse was packed full with items, from fire engines to machinery to miscellaneous parts. The challenge was to find what you wanted to shoot and try to isolate the subject in a way that conveyed the abandonment of the plant.

Whenever I am in a situation like that, I look for two things: an interesting subject (at least to me) and, more importantly, the light. I spotted this wheel that I imagined to be on the side of a large boiler. What caught my attention was how the wheel was lit through the dirty windows above. The wheel's rust and age came to life for me then, and I might have walked right past it had it not been backlit. 

For the best view, click on the image to see it against a dark background.

Desert Glow - Moab, Utah

The Priest and the Nuns, Colorado River Scenic Byway, Moab, Utah

For the last couple of weeks, I have been showcasing some photos from my trip to Glacier National Park. I thought I would head south about 900 miles to the American Southwest for today's post. When I think of where the colors of the southwest come alive for me, it is Moab, Utah, that comes to mind. Surrounded by beautiful national and state parks (not to mention Monument Valley to the south), Moab is in the center of it all, and can be used as a great base of operation for photographers.

The areas around Moab show off some wonderful sandstone formations that seem to glow during the golden hours of sunrise and sunset. The orange hues are often contrasted with deep blues skies, and, if you are lucky,  there are some clouds to add interest to the scene. The photo above is indicative of the scenes you will encounter if you set the alarm clock to go off before dawn, and head a half-hour or so down River Road (which should be either a state or national park itself). The light was glorious on this cold March morning and the crisp air was refreshing. It sure beat the end of winter in the cold northeast. 

For the best view, click on the image to see it against a dark background.

 

Heaven's Peak - Glacier National Park

Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park, Montana

By now, you are probably tired of seeing images from Glacier National Park, so, starting next week, I will be back to varying my posts from the many locations that I have traveled to over the past few years. I think today's panoramic image is appropriate, as it captures the grandeur of the park's landscape. The location in this photo is the Heaven's Peak area on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. It is a popular place to stop and enjoy the vista, not only because of the view, but also because it is the most convenient parking area along an extreme hairpin turn in the road. We were blessed with great conditions, including nice morning light, terrific clouds and wonderful low-lying fog in the valley. The only way to convey the feeling that I had was to shoot a panorama in order to capture its beauty.

 

Streaming - Glacier National Park

Two Medicine, Glacier National Park, Montana

When shooting in overcast and rainy weather, there are still plenty of opportunities to capture good images. One perfect subject in these conditions is to shoot long exposure photos of moving water. The overcast sky acts as a giant soft-box,  which reduces the typical glare that you might encounter in bright sunlight. We took advantage of these type of conditions, photographing one of the many streams that are located throughout Glacier National Park. This particular stream was somewhere along the road in the Two Medicine area of the park. The colors were a bit muted, and processing the image as a black and white brought the tones out of the rocks, while contrasting with the silky water. 

Glowing Reeds - Flathead National Forest, Montana

On the first night that our full group got together for our Glacier National Park photo tour, our tour leader, Jeff Clow, did what he does best: finding obscure locations that most other tours don't visit. This location was actually outside of the National Park, and is found instead in Flathead National Forest. The forest is huge, with a size of 2.4 million acres, and is home to all kind of wildlife, lakes, streams and rivers. Jeff took us to one of its lakes, Lion Lake, pictured here. 

The light this particular evening was really nice and parts of the landscape were absolutely glowing. I took a particular liking to these reeds across the lake and wanted to feature them against the greens of the forest and blue of the sky. What a great start to the tour.

Exploring Swiftcurrent Lake - Glacier National Park

Many Glacier Hotel, Glacier National Park, Montana

This photo is one that I never thought I would take, at least on the day that I took it. We had stayed on the western side of Glacier National Park and had some pretty nice weather. Our plan was to head to the Many Glacier area in the northeastern part of the park after lunch. Something drastically changed during lunch, as the storm clouds were very much on display. With Glacier's ever-changing weather in mind, we headed to Many Glacier and hoped for the best. When we got there, the heavens opened up. There was no sign of letup. Being three hours from our hotel, we finally decided to sit in the parking lot and hope that it passed. About 40 minutes later, the frontal system passed, and we were able to explore Swiftcurrent Lake.

Swiftcurrent Lake is home to a grand old hotel that is a must-visit because of its age and the great view of Grinnell Point (aka Mount Grinnell). I found this very tight trail to the left of the hotel and headed along the shore of the lake. When the trail ended, I pushed on, and I finally ended up at the sight pictured in this image. The light wasn't the best, but it definitely beat sitting in a parking lot in the pouring rain.

Mountain Light - Sinopah Mountain, Glacier National Park

Sinopah Mountain, Two Medicine, Glacier National Park, Montana

I have mentioned the Two Medicine area of Glacier National Park a number of time this week, and, today, I am showing one of its more photogenic scenes. This is Two Medicine Lake, with Sinopah Mountain in the background. The weather was it's normal unpredictable self, and, along with a chill in the air, there were high winds on the lake. When I first got out of the car, I headed to the area on the left side of the lake where these boats were, not because of their presence, but rather for the trees that blocked the wind. It proved to be a good decision. Using the boats as a nice foreground to anchor the composition, all I had to do was wait out the ever moving clouds that continually changed the light on the mountain. After a few minutes wait, there was a quick break in the clouds that allowed the early sun to light up the mountain.