Just before Jeff Clow's recent inaugural photo tour to Maine where I served as a co-host, I headed up to Acadia early to do some pre-scouting of the area to some spots I hadn't visited before. This spot, Little Long Pond is actually outside the park, but I had read about it and checked it out. When I reached the parking lot, I thought it would be a short walk to the pond. Boy was I wrong. I walked along a trail for maybe two miles before I reached it. I was thinking that it took a little too long to get there and that we wouldn't be able to fit it into the itinerary. As I went a little further, I began hearing the sound of cars, and discovered that the parking lot for the pond was not the best place to get access. This is what pre-scouting is all about. I knew right away as I stood along the road looking at this view that it would definitely be a place to bring the group.
Ominous Clouds - Sand Beach, Acadia National Park, Maine
The rocky shoreline of Acadia National Park encompasses most of Mount Desert Island's eastern side. I am guessing that if you walked along the edge of the shore, it would measure 25-30 miles. All along that walk, you would see one of the most rugged coastlines on the eastern US coast. Towering cliffs and rocks so rugged that you wonder how they were formed. Along the way you might expect some beautiful beaches to enjoy. Well, you would be disappointed. There is only one beach along the coast and it is this one, Sand Beach. This little beach (less than 300 yards long) is one of the most visited attractions in Acadia. Swimming is allowed, but the Atlantic Ocean rarely gets above a water temperature of 55 degrees.
The beach is protected by Great Head, pictured in the photo, and is probably why the beach was formed. Normally, the beach is packed with people, but being mid-October and with the ominous clouds approaching, there weren't many there. All the better to take in its beauty.
Acadia Sunrise - Thunder Hole, Acadia National Park, Maine
Getting up well before dawn is always a challenge, but the rewards can be totally worth it. The first morning of our stay in Acadia this past October was one of those days where the rewards were much better than a little sleep. It was quite cold, and much of our group hailed from Texas. When we walked on the rocky shoreline of Acadia National Park, all thought of being cold was forgotten. Our first stop was Thunder Hole. This location gets its name from the loud thunderous sound when the tide is coming in and the right size wave hits a small inlet. Water typically sprays very high and wets the many people waiting for the sound. This morning the tide was out and we were the only people around. Despite that, the beauty of this rocky shoreline is still beautiful, especially when the sun peeks above the horizon and bathes everything in a wonderful warm light.
The Wheel Fence - Uniontown, Washington
It seems like a long while since I have posted a photo from The Palouse. This amazing area in eastern Washington and western Idaho is so different from the typical landscapes that you think about when the western US is mentioned. Rolling farmland as far as the eye can see is typical of the Palouse. Every hill and mound gives a different look and feel, especially when the sun is low and casting some warm light and creating shadows. Add to that abandoned farmhouses, grain elevators, and farm equipment that just add to the ambience of the area.
Just when you think you have seen all that the area has to give, you come upon something unique. An old barn has been renovated and used as a home for artists to display their work and offer it for sale. The Artisans of the Dahmen Barn is well worth a visit to see some amazing art. The most unique part of the barn is the wheel fence that surrounds the property. Constructed over a period of 30 years by artist Steve Dahmen, this fence is a site to see, with all shapes of wheels from various items. I decided to post this very small section of the fence to give you an idea of the detail and work that went into this. I have some wider views, and I will feature them in future posts.
Beaver Created - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Finally getting around to get a second look at my Teton trip photographs. One of my goals was to finally get photos of Lower Schwabachers Landing, which has eluded me over the past few years. Between government shutdowns to fogged-out mountains, I have been frustrated in getting the shot that I wanted of this iconic location. On my last trip to the Tetons, the photography gods were smiling on me and I got the elusive shots. What I didn't expect was a new Schwabachers landing location that was created by beavers a few years ago. Seems that the beavers decided to build a dam that, in essence, created a section of water that rivals in many ways the original location. Now dubbed Upper Schwabachers Landing, I think I may like it better than the original. Regardless, standing in front of either Schwabachers location is a terrific experience, as the views of the amazing Teton Range are on display.
Sedona Sunrise - Sedona, Arizona
If you follow me at all, you will note that there are two types of landscapes that fascinate me: mountains and desert. For some reason, they make me relax and I just seep in all that nature has to offer. One of the great desert destinations that I enjoy is Sedona. It is a beautiful place with the requisite sandstone rock formations. On my last visit there, my wife and I were traveling with great friends. I am the only photographer in the group, and my only real photography time is at sunrise. I usually head out before dawn and shoot until it is time to meet them for breakfast. On this occasion, I asked my wife if she wanted to come, not expecting her to say yes (she never has before). She shocked me by saying yes. We headed out before 5:30am, and I drove to this location overlooking the town. I got out of the car and set up. I don't think she got out of the car more than once, and it was for a short time. Needless to say, it was the last time she said that she would go with me for a shoot.
Goosenecks - Goosenecks State Park, Utah
One of my favorite places in the US is Monument Valley, which is part of a large Navajo Reservation on the border of Utah and Arizona. Visitors can really get caught up with the beauty of the valley and don't realize that there are other cool places to visit like Goosenecks State Park. The park is unlike anything I have seen before. Millions of years ago, this area was flat. At some point, a period of uplift occurred, causing the San Juan River to flow faster. As the river began to meander back in forth, it eroded the rock, forming the goosenecks. To get an idea on how much back and forth erosion occurred, the river travels over five miles, but only moves one mile if you went in a straight line. If looking down from a plane, there are actually five of these goosenecks in this section of the river.
Light Reflections - Marshall Point Lighthouse, Port Clyde, Maine
One of the advantages of visiting a location multiple times is that you can take advantage of varying lighting conditions that gives the same subject a new look. An added advantage when shooting along the coastline is that low tide can give you different perspectives that are impossible if the tide is in. Our group initially shot Marshall Point Lighthouse at sunrise, when the early morning light was on the other side of the lighthouse. Had we been able to shoot from this vantage point, the light would have been directly in our face, causing sun glare and silhouetting. We decided to revisit that evening, and the light was to our backs. A big bonus was that the tide had gone fully out, and we were able to scramble over the rocks to get some stellar and unusual shots of the lighthouse. While there were lots of reflections to be had in the puddles, I think this one was the best.
No Sign of the Monster - Inverness-Shire, Scotland
When one thinks of Scotland, one of the first things (other than golf) that comes to mind are its castles, and, of course, the Loch Ness Monster. We visited Urquhart Castle several years ago as part of a bus tour. It was a pretty miserable day, which can be common in Scotland. Our group was the first one to get to the castle, and, when the gates were opened, I skipped the pre-tour movie and headed to the castle to get some shots without a hundred people milling around. The castle was built in the 13th century and had a role in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century. All that is left of the castle are the ruins that you see here.
The lake (or Loch) you see behind the castle is the famous Loch Ness that is supposedly the home of "Nessie" the famed monster. Even though I kept a keen eye on the lake, I was unable to prove that Nessie exists.
The Bubbles - Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park, Maine
One of the sights that is associated with Acadia National Park are the "bubbles" that are prominent when visiting Jordan Pond. The Bubbles are the two rounded mountains that probably do not qualify as mountains. The North Bubble measures only 872 feet and the South Bubble is a bit shorter at 766 feet. Regardless of their height, some of the best views of Acadia are from the the Bubbles. While they can be seen from many different stops, the best view is from Jordan Pond.
This composition is not the usual one when you see photos of the pond and the Bubbles. Most photos are taken from the south to the middle part of the pond that gives you a more direct view. On this fall morning, I decided to hike toward the northern end of the trail, and got this angle of these cool rocks while showing off the fall colors.
Chinook Destination - Rearguard Falls Provincial Park, British Columbia
One of the areas high on my bucket list is eastern British Columbia. I have only done some minor exploring of the area and need to revisit, hopefully next year when I visit Banff and Jasper National Parks. Both parks, although in Alberta, are pretty close to the BC border. I will also revisit some of the places I first set eyes on like this one.
This beautiful scene is of the Fraser River, which is the longest river in British Columbia, measuring 854 miles long. It originates near Mount Robson (very close to where I shot this photo) and terminates in the Strait of Georgia at Vancouver. I was immediately taken with the color of the river, which is typical of mountain-fed rivers, especially near their source.
The only thing that would have made this scene even more special is the return of the Chinook Salmon to visit their spawning grounds. The salmon return here after years of swimming in the sea and it must be a sight to see. I suspect that when their return does happen, trying to get to this spot would be difficult, as it probably attracts a lot of visitors and photographers.
Exploring London - St Paul's Cathedral, London, England
I can't believe that it has been so long (8 years) since I have set foot in London. My first few visits to there were during my business career, and I was fortunate to be guided by a British business associate. I wasn't actively involved in photography during those trips, so I don't have any photographs from them (I sure wish I had). It wasn't until 2007, right after I retired early, that I rekindled my photography passion and began to shoot on our trips. This is a shot from then just outside St. Paul's Cathedral. It was early morning, and the commuters were just arriving for work. I really liked the timing of this, with the brick street leading the eye to the famous double decker bus.
Utah Color - Colorado River Scenic Byway, Moab, Utah
One of the classic scenic byways in the southwestern US is the Colorado River Scenic Byway. Also known as the River Road or Route 128, it follows the twists and turns of the mighty Colorado River for 44 miles, from the town of Moab to Interstate 70 just west of Grand Junction, Colorado. Along the way are some of the prettiest landscapes and rock formations that you will find. From the road, especially in the early morning light and late evening light, the orange sandstone takes on this wonderful glow that is accentuated by deep blue skies. Despite is beauty, it remains a relatively unexplored destination when compared to the other main attractions of the area, namely Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. That is a shame, as it can hold its own with them.
This particular section of the road is known as Professor Valley. It reminds me very much of Monument Valley, three hours to the south. It's beauty is so captivating that is has been the backdrop for many western movies and can also be seen in many television commercials.
Savannah Protection - Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia
I have discovered a penchant of mine several years ago for old forts. I never went out of my way to visit these relics of past wars, but would visit them as part of being a tourist. It wasn't until I visited Key West a few years ago that they became a favorite photographic subject. At that time, in my quest to visit all of the US National parks, we took a boat ride to Dry Tortugas National Park. There, I photographed Fort Jefferson and was mesmerized by the brickwork and cascading walkways that seemed to go on forever. So, now when I visit a new area, I check out to see if there are any old forts in the area.
When I visited Savannah, we made a side trip to Cockspur Island to check out Fort Pulaski National Monument. Fork Pulaski was built in 1847 along the Savannah River to protect the port city of Savannah. It had a minor historical role in the Civil War, first being occupied by the Confederate Army, and later used by the Union Army to shut down the port of Savannah and also as a POW camp.
Upon gaining entrance to the fort, I headed to the lower section to find the cascading walkway that I loved. Sure enough, the walkway had the requisite brickwork that I loved to shoot. A bonus was a cannon at the far end of the walkway. If you look closely on the floor, you can see the tracks where the soldiers could move the cannons into position to fire.
Oxbow Foliage - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Oxbow Bend is a classic photographer destination that has been photographed countless times. You never know exactly what you will get when you arrive there before sunrise. Sometimes you get some crazy clouds that are lit up beautifully above Mount Moran, and other times you can't get a glimpse of the mountain at all. Every time I visit, it is a new experience.
On my last visit there, the foliage was out in full display. The typical spots to shoot from are to the right of the parking lot or down by the banks of the Snake River. While I dutifully captured those shots, I wanted to get a wider shot of the foliage. The challenge in getting the shot I envisioned was trying to balance two desires. First, I wanted to shoot with the early morning light. Second, I wanted the whole shoreline to be lit up in a way that would show off the foliage. That proved to be difficult, as the section I wanted to be lit was in shadow during the best soft light. I made my way down the shoreline further than I have been before, and from there it was a waiting game. Finally, the hillside lit up, and I got the shot. Because there were clouds that morning, I cropped the boring blue sky out, giving the photo more of a panoramic look.
Towering Sandstone - Lake Powell, Arizona
One of the highlights for me visiting Page was our boat ride to Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Reflecting back on the 4-hour round trip ride, I am not sure what was most impressive: Rainbow Bridge or the sandstone rock formations along the way. As we left Page, the formations kept getting more and more impressive. They tower above Lake Powell, and you feel quite insignificant in comparison to the overall landscape. To give a feel on how big some of the formations are, I included a houseboat in this composition. The houseboats on Lake Powell are no small things, ranging from 50 -75 feet long and sleep anywhere between 8-16 people. I am not sure how big the houseboat in this photo is, but it is so small in comparison to the formation. I think it gives some scale to the landscape along Lake Powell.
Idyllic - Yosemite National Park, California
Most serious photographers will look back on some of their photos and cringe at how they were edited. Sometimes we want to hide those photos from others, and other times we go back and re-edit them to give them new life. This is especially true when the photo brings back some fond memories. This photo is one of those that fit the latter case. I shot this back in 2010 on my very last visit to Yosemite National Park. We wanted to get out of the valley with its crowds and explore Tioga Road. The light was pretty phenomenal that night, and all I wanted to do was stop at every opportunity and capture the experience. When we came upon Lambert Dome pictured here, I knew that it was that moment I was hoping for. The water was perfectly still and the Dome was perfectly reflected. This granite rock formation towered about 800 feet above us and was perfectly lit. You don't always get these perfect conditions, and that is why I had to re-edit the photo to relive the moment.
Red Hills - Kelly, Wyoming
The Red Hills are a great side trip when you are visiting Grand Teton National Park. Located east of the Tetons, it is a beautiful drive where you pass lakes and ranches. I have been here a number of times and the weather has always been so-so, until the last time when this photograph was taken. Photos of this often include the ranch to the right of the hills, but I wanted to focus on the foliage of the aspen stands that dot them.
The hills on my visits here have never looked that red to me, but rather more of an orange color. I was a bit puzzled by this, so I did a little research. Turns out that the hills were not named for their color. In the early 1900's, there was a bitter feud between two Jackson Hole ranching families. The feud resulted into a bloody showdown between the families, and shortly thereafter they were called the Red Hills.
Not So Hidden - Glacier National Park, Montana
There is nothing like exploring our National Parks on a hike, especially with friends and fellow photographers like Jaki Goode Miller and Bobby Strader. The gold at the end of some of these hikes are usually magnificent mountains and snow-fed lakes. One of these treasures can be found in Glacier National Park on the Hidden Lake Trail. Climbing about 500 feet in elevation on a 1.5-mile from the Logan Pass parking lot gets you to the overlook where Hidden Lake becomes visible. It sits right below the beautiful Bearhat Mountain, part of the Lewis Mountain Range. Standing there and looking down at this scene was awe-inspiring and is the reason I have fallen in love with the western United States. I wanted to hike down to the shores of Hidden Lake, but that required another 1.5-miles of hiking and we just didn't have enough time to meet up with the rest of our group. Suffice to say, if you have a chance to take this hike, do so.
Touch of Orange - White River National Forest, Colorado
With all of the foliage images that I have posted in the past few weeks, I have often contrasted the difference between the New England foliage with its many colors and the Colorado foliage with its mainly yellow color. As I was reviewing some of my Colorado photos, I came across this photo that I took in the White River National Forest off of Capitol Creek Road. Here among the blanket of yellow aspen leaves is proof that there is a little variety in the foliage with a small touch of orange.