Arch Glow - Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park, Utah

The most photographed icon in Canyonlands is, without a doubt, Mesa Arch. It is a classic sunrise location and is much sought after by every serious photographer. The biggest challenge in getting "the shot" is to get there very early to make sure you get a good position. That is because the area where you can get the classic view of the sun peeking over the distant mountains is very small. In fact, there may be space for only 12-15 people, and there are some that camp out overnight to get a prime spot.

Our group of eight left the hotel in Moab at 4:30am, and, when we got there, we barely fit. I don't think that any one of us got the perfect position, but we all had a decent view. Once set up, all we had to do was wait for sunrise. Unfortunately, the best-laid plans did not account for cloud cover that hid the sun until well after sunrise. As a result, the classic shot was not to be that morning. A little later, the sun did peek through, and I tried some different compositions to capture the orange glow of the arch. This one is a bit different from others that I have seen, and it still conveys the arch's beauty. I guess that a future trip is in order to capture the classic shot.

Light at the End of the Road - Banff National Park, Alberta

Icefield Parkway, Banff National Park, Alberta

Well, here we are on the famed Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park. I have posted so many images from Banff, you are probably tired of seeing them. But you know what? Banff is one of my top three places that I have visited and, since this is my blog, I think I will keep publishing them. I am at a loss to find new words to describe the Icefields Parkway that I haven't posted before, so I will let the photo speak for itself. Here I am channeling my inner Jeff Clow (the Yoda and Godfather combined of road shots) with the leading line of the road taking the eye to the spot of light at the end of the road. 

Stretching a Neck - Cape May, New Jersey

Bunker Pond, Cape May, New Jersey

There are times when we photographers go out to shoot and we are almost sure that we won't get anything worthwhile. This past summer, I headed to Cape May to stay at my sister-in-law's beach home. The main reason for the trip was to take my nephew Michael out to shoot. Michael has developed a quick passion for photography and is in the beginning of what I think will be a life-long love. Of course, the best laid plans don't always work out. It rained pretty much the whole weekend we were there. On Saturday afternoon, the rain stopped for a short while, and Michael, his dad and I headed to Cape May Light. Once we got there, it was clear there was nothing I was going to like, given the weather. We decided to walk to Bunker Pond, adjacent to the Light, and we spotted this swan and we shot away. It started raining and we headed back home with one more photo that I thought I would get.

Wilson Peak - Uncompahgre National Forest, Colorado

Uncompahgre National Forest, Colorado

I will bet that most of you have seen these mountains before, even if you haven't ever traveled to Colorado. Why do I know that? Because I assume most of you drink beer and have picked up a Coors Light at least once (probably more than once). For those of you who don't drink beer, it is impossible not to have seen the Coors commercials on TV. That mountain on the Coors Light label is Wilson Peak, featured in this photo. Of course, the one on the label was photographed in the winter with snow covering the peak. I really don't like the cold, and I would rather shoot mountains during my favorite time of year, Autumn.

This was taken just after sunrise, when the peak was being touched by the golden sunlight. While we weren't there during the peak of foliage season, you can see that some of the aspens have already turned to their golden color. We probably missed the full foliage by a week or two, but this is still a beautiful scene.

O Ye Winter and Summer - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Stained Glass From The Chapel of the Transfiguration, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

For those of you who follow me on Facebook, you noticed last week that I have been playing around with a new editing plug-in to Lightroom and Photoshop named Topaz Glow. If you want to check out these shots, head on over to my Facebook Page. Topaz Glow brings out my creative and artistic side and can be used in both subtle and extreme ways. I have always been a photographer who likes to push my editing to the limits of realistic but not beyond them. I want the viewer of my photos to feel like they are seeing the subject in real life. 

Most non-photographers don't realize that their cameras only capture photos in two dimensions, while our eyes see in three dimensions. That is why people are always disappointed in their images right out of the camera. In order to bring back the look of three dimensions, photographers use editing tools like Lightroom, Photoshop and third Party plug-ins like Topaz. I look at these plug-ins as new tools in my editing toolbox, each serving a particular purpose. 

Take this photo of a stained glass from the Chapel of the Transfiguration in Grand Teton National Park. I processed it a while back, and it has been sitting in my "to be published" pile, always passed over for the blog. Why? With the editing tools that were available to me, all I could do with them is get the glass almost to three dimensions but not quite there. When I played around with Topaz Glow, I thought that I could bring a true stained glass look with it. Obviously, I am quite pleased with the result by the fact that it is now on my blog. Topaz Glow will occupy a permanent place in my toolbox.

What a Drive - Ophir Pass, Colorado

Ophir Pass, Uncompahgre National Forest, Colorado 

There were many highlights of Rick Louie's Fall Colorado Tour. There were so many that it is hard to pick just one to talk about, but the drive up to Ophir Pass certainly is in the top three. To get to the pass, we took Forest Road #630 from the historic mining town of Ophir, and climbed over 11,814 feet to the crest of Ophir Pass. The trip was challenging due to  a narrow one-half mile section, which allowed only one car to pass, and our drive was expertly navigated by Chris Nitz (if you have a challenging drive, enlist Chris). Along the way, we had this great view of Ophir and neighboring peaks. Making sure no one was coming down from the pass, we hopped out of the car and shot away. I knew that to capture the whole scene required a panoramic shot. After shooting for a while, we headed over the pass toward the Million Dollar Highway (towards Silverton).

Ocean Run Off - York, Maine

Nubble Light, York, Maine

No matter how well you plan a photography trip, the biggest unknown is always the weather. The NxNW crew's trip to Acadia this year proved that point. A number of us had pre-trip plans, with a small group shooting in NYC and another group shooting in Boston. We ended up north of Boston overnight as a full group before we headed up the Maine coast toward Acadia. It was clear the next morning that we would be fighting raindrops most of the day. Our first stop was to shoot Nubble Light in York, Maine. This picturesque lighthouse sits on an island a little more than a stone's throw from the coastline. It is one of my favorite lighthouses in Maine and I have shot it on a number of occasions. Unfortunately for the NxNW crew, they would not see the light in perfect weather. They still ended up with some great shots. I spent some of my time there shooting long-exposure images of the water flowing over the rocks, like this one. 

Bare Trees - Glacier National Park, Montana

Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park, Montana

A trip to Glacier National Park means a drive on the challenging Going-to-the-Sun Road. The road is the only way to get from the west side of the park to the east side, and it takes a good 2-3 hours to do so. The road has terrific scenes, but the challenge is that there are very few pullouts along it, and the ones that are there have room for only a couple of cars. This means fighting with other tourists for prime spots, difficult during the day. The road is only open 2 months of the year due to heavy snows. This shot from the Heavens Peak area is an indication of the beauty along the road. It shows the valley and a whole lot of trees that are bare of leaves.

Crowfoot - Banff National Park, Alberta

Crowfoot Glacier, Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

I guess by now, you have figured out that I have been going through my Banff images from my trip last June. I was fortunate enough to travel on quite a number of trips this year, and I have quite the backlog of photos to go through. Good thing that I hibernate in the New England winters, when I can catch up on them. 

On Monday, I posted an image of one of the numerous mountain lakes along the Icefields Parkway. Many of these lakes are fed by the glaciers in the Canadian Rockies. Some, like Crowfoot Glacier, pictured in the upper left of this photo, are visible from the parkway. The runoff is the main source of water for Bow Lake, which can be barely seen below the glacier. Crowfoot has retreated and has lost an entire "foot", so it no longer resembles the shape for which it was originally named. Even with its missing part, it is still magnificent and provides a breathtaking view, especially in morning light.

Library Arches - Manhattan, New York

New York Public Library, Manhattan, New York

A rainy day in Manhattan led Rick Louie, Chris Nitz and I to take shelter in New York Public Library. We had planned to visit it anyway, but the raindrops got us there pretty quickly. Located just a few blocks from Grand Central, I can't believe that I never went inside after all of the years of passing it. A few steps past security, I realized what a photographic-rich destination it is. After climbing the stairs to the railing that overlooks the lobby, I spotted these marble arches that are over the stairway. I loved the textures in the stones and knew that I would be able to bring them out in post-processing.

Herbert Lake Panorama - Banff National Park, Alberta

Herbert Lake, Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Thought that I would start the week with a panorama from the Icefields Parkway. Followers of my blog certainly know about my love for the Canadian Rockies and its beautiful mountain lakes. This panorama of Herbert Lake was taken on a pristine June morning when the weather was just about perfect. The thing about Herbert Lake is its accessibility. To show how accessible it is, this scene was shot from the shoulder of the Icefields Parkway with a wide-angle lens. The lake sits at the very beginning of the parkway just north of Lake Louise. 

 

Rain and Shine - Banff National Park, Alberta

Bow River, Banff National Park, Banff, Alberta

Near the end of Jeff Clow's photo tour to Banff, he asked me if there was anywhere that I wanted to shoot that I hadn't on this trip, My answer may have surprised him, as I mentioned that I wanted to shoot Bow Falls from town. It was a pretty dreary afternoon and there were occasional raindrops. After parking and checking out the falls themselves, I knew that it wouldn't turn out the way I wanted (I took a couple of shots anyway). I turned away from the falls and noticed that, around where the Bow River turns a curve, there was some sun shining on the mountains in the distance. I wanted the river to be a bit smooth and not show the raindrops in the river so I popped on a ND filter. I think it came out exactly how I wanted it to.

Swiss Architecture - Lucerne, Switzerland

Near the Court Church of St. Leodegar, Lucerne, Switzerland

On Tuesday, I posted an image of a door in Venice that led to the water. Today I decided to post an image that people can actually walk to. Near the end of our stay in Lucerne, Switzerland, we had time to kill and we headed out to explore part of the city we hadn't walked around yet. This old door was located right near the Court Church of St. Leodegar. I have tried to do some research on what this building is used for and whether it is associated with the church. The only thing I know is that it was built in 1711 (obvious) and you can tell from the old wood that it seems to be original to the building. In any case, it attracted my attention while my wife and friends were shopping (I usually can be found shooting whenever they enter a store).

Pullover - Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Sorrow Peak, Edith Cavell Road, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

My history with Jasper National Park usually revolves around rain, sometimes a lot of it. When I left Banff National Park on my way to Jasper, the weather was terrific. I was able to get some great shots at Two Jack Lake at sunrise and headed north on the Icefields Parkway. Somewhere about an hour south of Jasper, the heavens opened up for the rest of the day. My planned sunset shoot was history, and my only hope was that the weather would change for sunrise the next day.

When the alarm went off the next morning, a quick look outside was not promising, as it was still drizzling. In the past, I have had good luck heading out into bad weather, so I thought I would give it a try. I decided to head up Edith Cavell Road toward the Cavell Glacier, as I thought that, even if it was raining, the glacier might still be a good subject to photograph. It turned out to be fortuitous as the weather began to clear slightly. Edith Cavell Road is heavily treed, so getting views of the surrounding valley is hard. Fortunately, I found this two-car pullover that gave me this great view of Sorrow Peak.

Watery Entrance - Venice, Italy

I don't know about anyone else, but I have this fascination with architecture. I love taking photos of all types of structures, and, for some reason that I don't understand, doors have become a common subject for me. I especially love taking photos of the different doors of Europe, probably because they are so different from the ones you find here in the US. This door is one of the more unusual ones that I have seen, but it seems everything that is found in Venice is a bit different. You just don't hang out on the doorstep waiting for a ride to pick you up, but rather a knock on the door from someone in a gondola.

High Above it All - Yosemite National Park, California

Washburn Point, Yosemite National Park, California

Next year, one of my favorite national parks will celebrate its 125th anniversary. In 1890, through the efforts of naturalist John Muir, this amazing landscape tucked away in the Sierra Nevada mountain range was designated a national park by Congress. The park's popularity skyrocketed when famed photographer Ansel Adams published his compelling photos showing the beauty of the terrain.

One of the great places to get an expansive view of the Yosemite Valley is to head up to Glacier Point. Although it is only 1 mile away as the crow flies (looking up), it is a 30 mile drive to get there. It can get quite crowded there, as it gives a great angled view of Half Dome. For a more secluded view of the valley (and much less crowded), take a hike to Washburn Point (the trailhead is quite near Glacier Point). From there you get a 360-degree view that includes Half Dome (although its face is not as visible) and two of Yosemite's waterfalls, Vernal and Nevada Falls. The only regret that I have is not shooting a panorama that would show more of the valley. Something for my next trip there.

Ghosts Live Here - Ashcroft, Colorado

Ashcroft Ghost Town, Ashcroft, Colorado

This will be my last post this week, as it is Thanksgiving holiday weekend here in the US. I wanted to post something that said something about the first Thanksgiving, when the pilgrims gave thanks with a meal with the local Native Americans in 1621. This is as close as I could get. Instead of 1621, this building was built in 1880. Instead of being in Massachusetts, this building is located in Colorado.  Okay, it has nothing to do with Thanksgiving, but it is rustic.

This abandoned building is actually one of nine buildings that make up the Ashcroft Ghost Town just outside of Aspen. We had just left Maroon Bells and were headed back to Denver. Rick Louie wanted us to shoot a few photos here of the buildings against the mountains and golden aspens. I am so glad that he did, as you could see how beautiful this location is.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving, and I will see you here on the blog next week.

Towering Aspens - Telluride, Colorado

One of the more memorable memories from my photo tour with Rick Louie was traveling up a one-lane, narrow dirt road that started behind the Double RL Ranch near Ridgway, Colorado. The road was very muddy, and we encountered some tough stretches trying to maneuver past cars coming the other way. If not for the expert driving of Chris Nitz, we would have had to drive back down in reverse. Near the end of the road, we hadn't found anything worth shooting, and, right when we were ready to turn back, we came to a clearing where Mt Sneffels could be seen. There were lots of high fives, and we spent hours there.

Not only did we have the mountain in front of us, behind us was this great stand of Aspens. I ventured into the grove and up a trail. I couldn't help myself, and shot off a few frames looking up at the aspen treetops.

Pyramid - Jasper National Park, Alberta

Pyramid Island and Mountain, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

A while back, my buddy Jeff Clow nicknamed me "panorama man", as I enjoy shooting wide panorama shots. Looking back on the blog, I realized that I haven't posted one in quite a while, at least until today. This view is from Jasper National Park, with Pyramid Island to the left and Pyramid Mountain in the background. Of course, the foreground includes Pyramid Lake.

When I first drove down to the lake, I decided to head out onto the island (there is a wooden walkway to get access to it). The island is quite small, and I walked around to see if there were any good compositions. As I walked around, I noticed another photographer onshore, and I determined that his location was better than mine.  So, over I went, and I was able to shoot this photo capturing all of the Pyramids.

Road to the Falls - Telluride, Colorado

Closing out this week is a photo I took in Telluride, Colorado, on Rick Louie's Fall Photo Tour. Most of the tour was spent exploring the great destinations that surround Telluride and the countryside. On this afternoon, we headed back into town and took a gravel road (you can see it winding up on the right side), with the Bridal Veil Falls as the ultimate destination. Thanks to the great driving skills of our co-pilot, Chris Nitz, we safely reached the ridge of this one-lane road, and exited the car for this great view of Telluride and the valley it sits in. This is only one of the spectacular scenes that you will find on Rick's Fall Tour. For more information about it, check out his website at Rick Louie Photography