The Canyon - Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

One of the things I like about social media is that you see a lot of other people's posts and photos. Many times a particular photo will remind you that you still have plenty of unedited photos that are just waiting for you to take a look at them. That is what happened with this photo of the Grand Canyon. I saw someone's terrific photo (I can remember whose it was) and realized that I still had plenty of photos that haven't seen the light of day from my trip there in 2012.

Sure enough, I had quite a few that warranted some more attention. The Grand Canyon is a difficult place to shoot. It is so immense that trying to get in as much of the landscape as you can in the composition does not give the place merit. There are exceptions to that, such as a dramatic storm with lightning strikes. The other challenge is that for most of the day, shooting into the canyon can result in very hazy photos. In my opinion, sunrise and sunset are the best times to shoot, as the sun is lower in the sky and the angle of light minimizes the haziness. That results in some great shadows that give definition to the landscape.

This shot was taken near sunset near Yavapai Point. I tried not to compose the full canyon in my field of vision, but rather pick a portion of the view in an effort to emphasize the details of the rocks and, at the same time, give the viewer a sense of scale. Hopefully I succeeded.

Glass Sails - The Boat Building, Hartford, Connecticut

You might wonder what the title Glass Sails is referring to. This is the "Boat Building" that I shot in downtown Hartford on a photowalk a few years ago. The reason that it has that name is that, from a certain distance and vantage point, it looks like a sailboat in the middle of the city. Its claim to fame is that it is the first two-sided building ever constructed. If viewed from above, it has the shape of a skinny football. 

The building has a personal meaning to me, as I moved from the Philadelphia area to Hartford to work for the company that owned the building. That was 25 years ago and it sometimes seems like yesterday. I had offices in this building, as well as two other satellite locations in New England. It was a fun and exciting time in my career and I worked there for 10 years before moving on for greener pastures. In any case, when I came upon this photo, I was filled with some nostalgia and decided to post it.

Independence - Colorado National Monument, Colorado

Independence Monument, Colorado National Monument, Fruita, Colorado

On my trip to Moab last month, I tried to hit as many places as I could, but there are just way too many things to see and shoot. On my last day, we shot until 3:00 PM and then had to drive to Grand Junction for our flights the next day. I wanted to see if we could fit in a visit to Colorado National Monument, a little gem just outside Grand Junction. I have been there many times, but I wanted to show my traveling companion, Jaki Good Miller, the location for her first time.

We started out on River Road and the light was so absolutely beautiful that we must have stopped fifty times to take advantage of it. Once past Fisher Towers, we hightailed it to see if we could make it to the monument before sunset, which was scheduled for 6:00 PM. When we got to the entrance, it was still light out, but we knew that the mountains would probably be blocking the light. Jaki wanted to try anyway,  so off we went and she took a few shots, even though it was almost totally dark. Maybe next time, Jaki.

I decided to post this photo of Independence Monument to show her what she missed and promise that we will get there on our next visit to Moab.

Making Lemonade - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Not every trip or day works out for the landscape photographer. For every great day that the light, subject and weather work out, there are several that do not. This can be extremely frustrating, as getting to an iconic location can be expensive in terms of both cost and time. Months and months of planning can be turned upside down by conditions that simply don't allow for a "wall hanger" to be taken. Early in my photography trips I would lament such times with complaints and no shots. Over time, I have learned to look for other things to shoot and turn lemons into lemonade. 

This photo is an example of this. Our crew was up well before dawn, and we headed out on a 45 minute drive to be in position to take a sunrise photo at one of America's most iconic locations, Oxbow Bend. It was clear the second we got there that it was going to be one of those mornings. The Tetons were socked in and the majestic Mount Moran was nowhere in sight, even though we knew it was there. Rather than lament about it, I started working the scene and, looking eastward, noticed the fog rising from the Snake River. Just for a moment, the sun peeked through the dense clouds, giving the scene some light and accentuating the fog.

Windy Day - Scituate Light, Scituate, Massachusetts

Back in 2011, my son and I took a trip through New England scouting lighthouses that might be a location for a screenplay he was writing. We spent a week scouring lighthouses from Maine to Connecticut during the trip. I came across this photo recently in my Lightroom catalog. It is Scituate Light, which is located south of Boston. There are two things that I remember about visiting there. First the Boston traffic (we were coming from Maine) can be brutal. On this trip it was brutal squared. The other thing was how darn windy it was, as you can see with the American flag flying straight. The trip was a terrific experience that I shared with my son and it brings back some fun memories.

#1,000: Simple Beauty - Banff National Park, Alberta

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

Many you may wonder why the title of this post has the #1,000 in it. It is a significant post for me, as this is the 1,000th photo that I have posted on my blog. Back in May 2011, I embarked on this journey to start a blog that would document my travels and experiences after my early retirement. At that time, I had a number of family and friends that encouraged me to post my photos so others might see them. I wasn't sure that anyone would be interested, but decided to give it a go. I made a commitment to post five days a week, and I have stayed pretty much true to that commitment (except during any trips and vacations in the early three years).

I must say that the rewards that I have experienced have been well beyond my expectations. The most valuable rewards are the people that I have met online, and then later in person. The first group that embraced me were other photographers and bloggers that liked my work and often commented on my blog. Later, non-photographers somehow discovered my blog and followed it. Before this started, I didn't have much of a network of fellow bloggers and photographers, but now I can safely say that it is quite robust. I don't say this because of any ego but rather in amazement.

Over the past few years, many of the bloggers have stopped their blogs and are now posting on their social media of choice. I too have chosen my main social media outlet, Facebook. I started dual posting on my blog and Facebook in August 2014 so that many of you have actually been reading my blog since then if you follow me on Facebook. I still post five days a week on the blog and seven days a week on Facebook (my friend Jeff Clow convinced me to post some of my pre-August 2014 blog posts on the weekend, which turned out to be great advice, as usual). 

In closing, the reason I have written this post is not for any congratulations. I am writing this post to thank all of you who have liked, commented, followed me, helped me along the way and supported my efforts. Writing 1,000 blog posts is a lot of work, but the rewards of your support and encouragement has been so well worth it. My gratitude for it is heart felt. Thanks and on to 2,000...

Curves - Lightner Museum, St Augustine, Florida

There are times that photographers come across a scene that sets off alarm bells in their heads to shoot it. I know that this is not a typical subject that I normally shoot, but when I saw this piece of art in the Lightner Museum, the bells started going off. So why did this invoke my reaction? I guess experienced photographers just have a practiced eye for these scenes while in the moment, and it is only afterward when we analyze it that it becomes apparent why we were drawn to it. So, here is my analysis. The first thing that struck me was the curve of the window and the absence of other art pieces nearby that might have distracted the eye. The next thing was the mixture of light. Ambient light from the indoor lighting seemed to match well with the afternoon light coming through the windows. I think the color of the roof help transition and blend the two different types of light. The reflection of the windows in the polished floor also added to the overall feel. Lastly, the art itself was beautifully made and seemed to come alive in the photo. I wish I could tell you all of these things were in my mind when I shot this, but they didn't. It was simply the alarm bells going off in my head.

Rock Silhouettes - Monument Valley, Navajo Nation

Over the past few weeks, I have posted a number of photos from my favorite spot in the American Southwest, Monument Valley. In these posts, I have mentioned that the sandstone rock formations have unique names and have named each one. I realize that some of you may have scratched your head saying to yourself that the formations don't look like their name. When I looked at this photo of some the formations that I shot in silhouette at sunrise, I thought it really illustrated how they got their names. So here they are, left to right: Stagecoach, followed by the Bear and the Rabbit, followed by the Castle, and finally, the King on His Throne. 

Glacier Skywalk - Icefields Parkway, Jasper National Park, Alberta

Earlier this week, I posted a photo of the Icefields Parkway, and I mentioned my visits to the Glacier Columbia Icefield and walks onto the Athabasca Glacier. I didn't mention the newest attraction there, which is the Glacier Skywalk. The reason that I didn't is that I am not sure how I feel about it. 

The skywalk is almost a twin to the one that was built over the Grand Canyon by the Hualapai Indian tribe. While they are similar, they have a very different feel from one another. Previous to being built, the area of the Grand Canyon where it now located was seldom visited by tourists. It is quite a way from Grand Canyon National Park (about 4 hours) and, before it was built, there was no reason to go there. The Glacier Skywalk is a different story to me. Located right on the Icefields Parkway, the area the skywalk now takes up was once available to all who wanted to stop and take in the views. Now, you can't even stop there to enjoy the views. For that privilege, you need to park at the Glacier parking lot, pay $32 and be driven to the skywalk by a "free" shuttle (hard to believe they advertise this as free).  

In my opinion, taking something that was free with access to all and turning it into a money grabbing initiative is a shame. Granted, the skywalk does give you some different views but it is the principle to me. 

When we visited the spot a couple of years ago, the skywalk wasn't open and I took this photo from the northern end of the skywalk.

La Sal Curves - La Sal Mountain Loop, Moab, Utah

I guess I couldn't stay away from Moab the whole week. While many think of Moab as desert, there are some terrific mountains to explore near there, namely the La Sal Mountains. The best way to explore them is to take the La Sal Mountain Loop Road, which runs from River Road north of town and terminates just south of Moab. Along the way, you get a whole different perspective of the area around Moab. If you are lucky, there is a decent amount of snow in the early spring. One of the views that we were blessed with was this one showing the many curves in the road that will be encountered along the way.

Devil's Churn - Cape Perpetua, Yachats, Oregon

Just south of Yachats, Oregon are two great locations to capture in a photo, namely Thor's Well and Devil's Churn. Thor's Well is a much tougher and challenging photo to capture, as the conditions have to be just right for one to see the hole in the ocean and the water rushing into it. I have been there several times and have not been able to capture it. If you try to shoot it, just be careful, as it is extremely dangerous. 

If Thor's Well is not in the cards, try stopping at Devil's Churn, not too far from the well. It is a narrow inlet where the tide comes in and often throws spray several hundred feet into the air when the waves hit the back of the churn. Depending on how rough the waves are will determine the height of the spray. Devil's Churn was actually a cave that was formed by the waves, and through the constant pounding of the water over thousands of years, the cave's roof collapsed, thus forming the inlet.  Though not as dangerous as Thor's Well, it is still a place to be extremely careful around.

Alone in Town - Bar Harbor, Maine

In a little over three weeks, I will back in one of my favorite little towns in Maine, Bar Harbor (if you want to speak like a native born Maine resident, it is pronounced "Bah Habah). Of course, one of the reasons it is one of my favorites is that it is adjacent to the only National Park in the Northeast, Acadia National Park. I will be there co-hosting Jeff Clow's post Maine Lighthouse and Lobster Tour and taking the participants around the rugged and rocky coastline that makes up the park. Come here in the summer months and you will have a hard time finding a place to park. The town is overrun with tourists, and there seems to be no time when you can sit somewhere in town and enjoy it alone. That is one of the reasons I like visiting in the off-season. I took this photo in the early morning last April. As you can see, it looks like I own the town. Can't wait to be able to do so again in a few short weeks.

Jasper Bound - Icefield Parkway, Banff National Park, Alberta

After a few weeks of posting photos from the American Southwest, I thought it time to move on to another favorite place today, Alberta. Many visitors to Banff National Park head north to explore the Icefields Parkway and some of the most beautiful landscapes you will ever see. Most of them never get past the Columbia Icefield, where they can walk onto the Athabasca Glacier (it is something that you should do at least once). For those that don't continue, they are missing some prime sights on the parkway the rest of the way to Jasper. The Canadian Rockies are just as beautiful in Jasper National Park as their brethren in Banff. As you drive up this 140-mile road, you see vistas that make you pull over and photograph them, like I did in this photo. Without stopping, one could probably do the drive in about three hours. For photographers like me, it is an all-day affair with a stop seemingly every mile or so.  

Road to the Valley - Monument Valley, Navajo Nation

Every landscape photographer that I talk to about Monument Valley remembers the first time that they visited and took photos. I know I remember mine. As you approach from the north, you begin to see the unique rock formations in the distance. It is pretty cool looking, as the land is relatively flat and you see these things sticking in the air. Your first thought is to wonder if it is real or a mirage. The closer you get, you realize that these are huge formations. Then you hit Mile Marker 13 where I took this photo. The road dips down and then rises to the valley. It is quite the awesome experience to appreciate what Mother Nature has created.

This spot has been shot a million times and, after my visit,  a million and one (or fifty). Most photos show a wider field of vision and are shot from the middle of the road. I chose on this one to zoom a bit and take it from the side of the road. Regardless of the composition, it is quite the view.

Balanced - Arches National Park, Utah

When you shoot a location many times, it is difficult to come up with a different look to a subject that has been photographed many times over. Of course, weather conditions, clouds and light can take the same composition from good to great. I really wanted to get a different view of Balanced Rock from the standard up next to it shot. From this angle, it looks quite small. In fact, the total height of the formation is 128 feet, with the rock that it balances stands 55 feet and weight an estimated 3,500 tons.

When I shot this, I thought the scene looked like pieces of a chessboard with a pawn in from of a castle on one side opposing a castle on the other.

Buttes All Around - Monument Valley, Navajo Nation

When visiting Monument Valley, it used to seem to me that a four wheel drive was something you wanted to have with you. It certainly was true on my first visit there in 2004. The main road through the Tribal Park is a 17-mile dirt road that had more bumps and holes that you could count. Back then, the Navajos sat in the parking lot with tow trucks to get people that were stuck somewhere on the road. Over the years, the roads improved a little and there are no longer tow trucks, but the suspension of a sedan is in for a rude awakening. On our visit there last month, the road was under some serious repair and I think that the road will be a much easier ride in the future. 

This photo shows the road leading toward John Ford's Point named after the film director that made Monument Valley famous through his westerns. In the distance are the rock formations the Three Sisters (on the left) that is on the end of Mitchell Mesa. In from of the mesa is Elephant Butte. The rock formation on the right closest to me is Cly Butte.

 

Below the Arch - Sand Dune Arch, Arches National Park, Utah

During Jeff Clow's Photo Tour in Moab last month, we spent a whole day exploring Arches National Park. One of the spots we visited is Sand Dune Arch. This is one of the less frequently visited arches, but it shouldn't be. It is quite cool and it isn't that hard to get there. The arch is located on a small dune (thus its name) and has a unique shape when viewed from the front (to some, it looks a dog and cat kissing; others see different things - one tour participant thought he saw Jabba the Hut). It is sort of like looking at clouds and everyone seems to see something different. 

In any case, our group walked through a small slot canyon that leads to the arch, only to find two troops of Boy Scouts there running all around. Luckily they gave us some space (or at least most of them did) and we were able to get some shots. The light had a high dynamic range, so shooting it was a little challenging. I have shot the arch a number of times and thought I would try something of a bit different composition. I stationed myself under the arch on the left side and shot up. I think it sort of looks like an entrance to a cave.

Sandstone Glow - Monument Valley, Navajo Nation

Two weeks ago, I posted this photo of the East Mitten before sunrise and last week, I posted this photo of the sun just cresting the horizon. Today's post is just minutes later as the sun cleared the horizon. I wasn't planning on doing a series of photos as the sun rose, but the morning was so magical that I felt compelled to do so. Like the other two photos, I took these photos from the balcony of the View Hotel. This image shows the light gradually lighting up Sentinel Mesa (on the left) while the rock formation to the right is still in silhouette. One of the more interesting things about Monument Valley are the cool names that the rock formations have. Many of the names originate from the Navajo or the settlers to the region. The rock formation on the right is actually several formations, but the angle makes it look like one. The rock formations names (left to right) are The Stagecoach; The Bear and the Rabbit; and The Castle. When you see them from a different angle, you know why they had those names.

River Reflection - Potash Road, Moab, Utah

This photo was taken at the end of quite the unusual weather day. When we headed south out of Moab, it began to snow. Yes, it does snow in the desert. The longer we drove, the harder it snowed. For this photographer that lives in New England, the sight of snow is not a happy event, especially near the end of winter. For a number of the other tour participants that live in much warmer climates, it was a joyful event to experience. By the time we got to our destination, the snow had stopped, and we were able to get some great shots with a thin blanket of snow (okay, I am glad it snowed). On our way back to Moab, the wind and temperature began to rise and was turning the day into what one would expect in Moab in March. By the time we got to this spot on the Colorado River, there was no evidence that it had snowed at all. I had hoped to get a reflection shot, but the wind was just too strong with ripples across the water. Patience is a virtue however, and I waited the wind out. For about five minutes, a small section of the river grew calm (you can see the ripples on the rest of the water,) and I was able to capture this scene before the winds kicked back up.

Tide is Out - Marshall Point Lighthouse, Port Clyde, Maine

This year seems to be flying by. The older we get, time seems to speed up. A year ago, I hosted Jeff Clow and Jaki Good Miller for a week scouting the coast of Maine. I had hoped that showing Jeff some of my favorite lighthouses and spots would convince him to host one of his photo tours in my backyard. I think that it didn't take Jeff more than a day before deciding we would do one. The inaugural Lighthouse and Lobster Tour (along with an add-on trip to Acadia National Park) was conducted last October, and was such a resounding success that we scheduled another one for this upcoming April. In just about a month, Jeff and I will be showing new tour participants the rugged coast of Maine, along with its guardians of the shoreline. We have a couple of open spots, so if you want to explore Maine with us, drop Jeff a note.

This is just one of the the twelve lighthouses that you will experience on the tour. I shot this last April on our scouting trip in mid-afternoon, and I can assure you that it looks even better at sunrise and sunset. Hope you can join us.