Early Morning Stroll - Venice, Italy

A year ago, I was lucky enough to spend three weeks on a photo trip in Italy. Our itinerary started in Florence where we began exploring Tuscany, then on to Cinque Terre, next stop the Dolomites and finally, Venice. It would have been hard to imagine then what Italy was to experience less than a year later due to COVID-19. Italy is near and dear to me as my mother’s parents immigrated from Italy. It has always been my favorite country with its people, history, cities and natural beauty.

If Italy is my favorite country, Venice has to be one of my favorite cities. It is one of the most desirable destinations in all of Europe and is often overwhelmed with visitors from around the world. To see the photographs and videos of the empty streets due to the pandemic is something that is still hard to wrap my arms around let alone believe it could happen in my lifetime. The only times I have seen it so empty is the wee hours of the morning before and at dawn when everyone is still in bed. These are the great times to stroll Venice as a photographer and get some wonderful shots like this one. May we soon return to some semblance of normalcy where we can appreciate these destinations even more.

King of the Jungle - Welgevonden Reserve, South Africa

The Welgevonden Game Reserve is located in Limpopo, which is the northernmost province of South Africa. It is a large reserve covering a little more than 1.6 million acres and contains an abundance of wildlife. The reserve can be characterized by a mountainous terrain with deep valleys. We stayed at the Nedile Lodge, which sits at the top of a valley, for a week last December. The lodge recently won the top luxury lodge on the continent of Africa, and after staying there, I can see why.

Mornings at the Lodge consist of getting up before dawn, heading out for several hours, and then heading back to the lodge for breakfast. Of course that can change depending on the wildlife activity. The biggest attraction are the lions and there are only two male lions in the game reserve. We had seen the male lion (named Tembe) in the northern part of the reserve where the Nedile Lodge is located. Near the end of one morning’s Game Drive, as we were ready to head back to the lodge for breakfast, we got word that the southern male lion had just made a kill and was resting. Breakfast was soon to become lunch. Our Rangers took us on a roller coaster-like ride for about 45 minutes south of where we had been, hoping that the lion was still there. Our hopes were rewarded as we found him still wide awake (male lions sleep 18-20 hours a day) and he posed for us for a while. Just another great day on our safari.

Solitude - Bandon, Oregon

As we are all experiencing social distancing and perhaps self quarantine, it is nice to go to locations that we have visited in the past and reflect on the wonders of the world that we are missing. There is also hope that we can go back to these locations after the pandemic has been conquered. The memories that always stay with me are the ones where I am in the midst of great natural beauty and have the location almost all to my self. The peace and tranquility of these times make tough times like the ones we are experiencing now more palatable. It also gives us hope that we will have those feelings again hopefully in the near future.

One such memory took place for me last September in Bandon, Oregon. Walking on the beach just after sunrise with a few of my fellow photographers, we had it all to ourselves. As I stood there looking at this scene, I remember the sounds of the waves in the Pacific Ocean. I remember the beautiful light hitting the clouds and the sea stacks that rise from the ocean floor. Most of all, I remember how I felt being so fortunate to experience this moment.

Out of My Way - Welgevonden Reserve, South Africa

Last December, I went on my second South African safari and it was a wonderful experience. Unlike my first experience which was in the middle of a record breaking drought, this one was during great weather and we saw the lushness that we had missed before. It also didn’t hurt that we stayed in a five-star lodge as opposed to large tents. We had so many great wildlife encounters that I will remember forever. One of my favorite encounters were the many elephants we saw. African elephants are magnificent animals and can be mesmerizing to watch. I have seen elephants literally step on the trunk of a tree and flatten it to the ground. I have been in the middle of a elephant herd of over forty in number at a waterhole (on this trip). I have been in the middle of another herd as they lumbered toward a waterhole during a drought. Just getting close to one is an exciting experience. They aren’t aggressive (at least in my experiences) but when they get close to your vehicle, the look in their eyes seem to say “get out of my way”.

Flight - Welgevonden Game Reserve, South Africa

I have a lot of friends who are bird photographers that I refer to as “birders”. I have never been that interested in capturing photos of birds, preferring to capture landscapes instead. The few times I have tried to capture photos of birds, they are never good, especially when they are in flight. It takes great skill and practice to be a good bird photographer and I simply have never wanted to invest the time (and money for the long lenses that are a requirement to be good at it). Last December, on safari in South Africa, I decided to give it a try since I had my long lens for wildlife photos. I read up as much as I could before the trip and was fortunate to be with two of my best friends on the trip that gave me tips along the way. I shot quite a number of shots during the trip and sometime in the middle of the trip, I got some photos that I was pleased with for the first time. This Lilac Breasted Roller was the first one I liked and, while it was my first decent shot, it doesn’t match the work of my birder friends.

Tranquil - Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta

One of my favorite places in the world is Banff National Park in Alberta. The Canadian Rockies are ever present throughout for miles and miles heading north on the western portion of the province. I have traveled to this area many times since the 1990s and I never tire of it. There are so many sights to see, it is hard to pick a favorite one. You could pick any one of fifty or more locations and name it a favorite and you probably would have a good argument for it. Even picking a top five is hard to do. As I looked at this scene from last June, it is hard for me not to include Moraine Lake in my personal top five. This pristine mountain lake is surrounded by ten magnificent peaks that make you feel so insignificant as you take it in. I have been here in all kinds of weather from snow to rain to cloudy to sunny, and it still evokes something inside my soul. I took this particular photo last June on my last visit. I hope when this pandemic ends, I will once again be standing in this spiritual and tranquil place.

Lion Cub - Welgevonden Reserve, South Africa

I’m back after my extended absence to move from Connecticut to Maryland. I haven’t touched my cameras since my trip to South Africa in early December and, before that, my trip to the West Coast in September. Looks like travel in the near future will be restricted due to the pandemic. Since I have not edited or posted many photos from 2019, I will spend the next few weeks posting some of them.

To kick it off, I will start with this cute lion cub that we spotted on our South Africa Safari in December. Our first class Rangers from the Nedile Lodge (John Richard Nott and Barend van Rooyen) were absolutely amazing in being the first in finding wildlife in the Reserve. They gave us so many great opportunities to capture outstanding photos. This one is one of my favorites. Our Rangers got us in the perfect spot to capture a lioness and some of her young cubs emerging from the dense brush. I was able capture quite a few of this cub and snapped this one just when he seem to look straight at me.

Stalking - Welgevonden Game Reserve, South Africa

I am in South Africa with Jeff Clow on his African Safari and the trip so far has been awesome. How could it not be? Five star resort (Nedile Lodge); wonderful food and hospitality, killer Rangers that seem to get us everything we could ask for; and, best of all, shooting with my best friends.

This encounter of this lioness happened yesterday morning. Our Rangers tracked the lioness and expertly put us in the perfect position to get wonderful shots of her. She ended walking past our two vehicles within 10 feet of us. This week has been simple amazing and we are only halfway through!

Spotted Thick-Knee - Marievale Bird Sanctuary, South Africa

Back in South Africa for another Jeff Clow Photo Tour Safari Extravaganza. Got a solid 8 hours sleep after a 15 hour red-eye flight. We are headed to our lodge tomorrow and Jeff sponsored a trip to a bird sanctuary for this morning's activities. For my fellow photographer friends, you read that right, a BIRD Sanctuary (I am known as not liking taking photos of them). A very strange and funny thing happened this morning - I actually took a few shots of birds that are probably pretty good. This photo of a Spotted Thick-Knee was one them. So, will I become a bird photographer now? Most likely not but I will ask my friend John McCaine if this photo is passable.

On the Move - Welgevonden Game Reserve, South Africa

Still recovering from my trip to South Africa. All told, I spent 23 hours straight in either an airplane or airport, but I can absolutely say it was well worth it. The Nedile Lodge in the Welgevonden Game Reserve was home for seven days and I can easily see why it was named the Lodge of the Year in the African Continent. Great accommodations, location, amenities and outstanding food. Add to that World Class Rangers, which made it one of my favorite trips ever.

Our Rangers seemed to find the right spots for big game and were usually the ones that found the big game before any of the other Rangers from other lodges. For the first few days, the cheetahs were nowhere to be found. That was okay, as we were treated to lions, lionesses and their cubs. When we set out on our Thursday afternoon game drive, our Rangers were confident that they would find us cheetahs. It wasn’t long before they found them, but they were deep in the bush resting. Since we knew where they were, we went in search of other game. After shooting a lioness, we went back for the cheetahs and after waiting awhile, the cheetahs were on the move. Our Rangers seemed to be in the cheetahs’ heads and always seemed to know where they would end up and get us into prime shooting position. This is a shot of one of the cheetahs (the second one was his brother) in absolutely perfect golden evening light. What a magnificent animal.

River Road Evening - Moab, Utah

With all of the superb parks in the Moab area (Canyonlands NP, Arches NP and Dead Horse SP), River Road is often overlooked by visitors. It is a shame, as there are some stellar spots. The added bonus is that the Colorado River runs along the majority of the road. One of the best areas to visit on the road is Fisher Towers. After visiting Moab a few years ago, Jaki Good Miller and I headed to Grand Junction and decided to take this scenic route. Great choice, as Mother Nature treated us with some great clouds and weather along the way. As we approached Fisher Towers, the sun started to hide behind them and, while we got some quick shots, the towers were dark. Given that we only had less than an hour left of sun, we decided to drive further north and try to get a shot looking south to the towers. I had shot from this spot before, but was never there at the right time of day. Just as we set up, the sun broke though and gave us this scene.

Field of Beauty - Tuscany, Italy

Driving through the Tuscan countryside is a delightful time to spend a day. The rolling hills are simply amazing to see as the beauty is exceptional. Add the quaint historical towns that have been around for hundreds of centuries, the large villas that dot the landscape, and the tasty Italian cuisine and you have the makings of perfection. On the way to finish one of those days at a wonderful Italian restaurant, we made an unscheduled stop to take a few shots of a beautiful Tuscan view. The perfect day just got better.

Medicine Lake Reflection - Jasper National Park, Alberta

Earlier this year, I visited Banff and Jasper National Parks for the third time in the last four years. A tradition that I have followed for many years is to end up the trip with one of my favorite things to do in Jasper—take the boat ride on Maligne Lake to Spirit Island. It is aptly named, as it seems to uplift my spirits whenever I am there. On the way back to the town of Jasper, I have always passed Medicine Lake, pictured here. I have passed this lake so many times since my first visit to Jasper but I have never seen the waters perfectly still. Of course, we had to stop to capture the rugged Rocky Mountains reflected in the waters of the lake.

Bears Eye View - Shelburne, Vermont

I have been off and on my Blog and Social Media for the past couple of months. Lots of distractions lately - none of them major in any way. I thought I’d post something that hopefully will bring a smile to your face. Back in June of 2016, I had an encounter with a grizzly bear that I was lucky to walk away from. I posted a tongue-in-cheek post about it on Facebook and it is one of my most commented posts there. If you want to read the story, here is the Link to it. Since that time, my photographer friends always seem to want me to tell the story. Some in my family have given me presents, cards etc. that have bears on them. Others have called me the grizzly whisperer. Seems like I will forever be remembered for that minute or so experience.

A few years ago, I spent five days in Vermont with my sister. We ended up spending a day at the Shelburne Museum, an eclectic but must-visit place. One of the exhibits was in this rustic cabin and it brought a big smile to my face. These bears are my peeps, so I took a photo of their view, which is the title of this post. It is a take off of my Photography Website, coincidently named Lens Eye View.

Sedona Wonder - Sedona, Arizona

Just south of Flagstaff, Arizona, in the Upper Sonoran Desert, you find the resort town of Sedona. It is located at the south end of the beautiful Oak Creek Canyon and is completely surrounded by the Coconino National Forest. Sedona attracts many different visitors to the area as it is known for many things, but its red rock formations that surround the immediate town are probably the main reason why it is visited. I had been through Sedona many times, but usually just as a pass through on my way to the Grand Canyon. I resolved myself that I would eventually stay a few days there to photograph this amazing landscape during the golden hours. That is when the rock formations are at their best, taking on an almost unreal glow in the rising and setting sun light. I was hoping to have some clouds to add interest to the scene but, as a local reminded (scolded) me, "It is the desert, you know".

New England Foliage - Echo Lake, New Hampshire

Fall is my favorite season of the year and I am lucky to live in what I consider to be one of the best places to experience the fall foliage. Unfortunately, due to my month-long trip to Oregon, Washington and California in September, I had to spend October catching up with a lot of unfinished tasks and missed the foliage. To make up for this, I went back to some previous fall seasons and found this gem from 2011. We arrived at Echo Lake and were treated to one of the best fall foliage reflections that I have experienced. The sunrise gave up some great warm light and the foliage was at the absolute peak, resulting in some epic fall color.

Siena Villa - Siena, Italy

Sometimes, the unplanned and unanticipated experiences become fond memories. Our tour leaders had made arrangements for a local expert to spend the afternoon with us as we walked and took photographs through the streets of historic Siena. The local expert, Claudia Cesa, was a wonderful tour guide with great detailed knowledge of Siena and the surrounding provinces. Claudia’s knowledge of the area is no surprise – she is a lifelong resident of Siena and she holds a BA in Art History and is a licensed tour guide. The unanticipated experience came at the end of the tour. Claudia asked us if we would like to go to her family’s villa for some wine and cheese. Of course, the answer was yes! Claudia led us through Siena and to her villa, which is just outside the city’s walls. The villa, named Villa Santa Chiara, has been owned by the family since the early 1900’s. I took this photo of an entrance to the villa. The family does rent out rooms and I only can imagine how nice it would be to stay there.

Sandstone Colors - Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado

The American Southwest is home to some of the most colorful sandstone rock formations. I just love the look of the reddish-orange color, as it contrasts wonderfully with the green vegetation and blue skies. This color is due to the presence of iron minerals in the rocks. Over thousands of years, the elements have caused these minerals to oxidize, in essence rusting. This results in different shades of red, orange, and brown. When walking though places in the southwest, you often feel that you have been transported to the planet of Mars.

 A few years ago, while visiting one of the most unusual city parks in the US, namely the Garden of the Gods, I came across this scene that I had never seen before or since. Here, a characteristic sandstone rock formation of the southwest acts as the background for a rare (at least in my experienced) white sandstone rock formation. I’m not sure if the formation is really made up of sandstone but I am going with it and calling it albino sandstone.

Cappella dei Principi - Florence, Italy

After arriving in Florence on a red-eye, Mike Louthan and I spent the afternoon walking around this historic city, marveling at the architecture and history before checking into our hotel. After meeting our fellow photographers and having dinner, a number of us headed to the roof of the hotel to take some night photos of the Piazza di Santa Maria Novella below. Looking the opposite way from the piazza, I spotted this dome lighting up the surrounding buildings. After editing this photo, I thought it would be easy to find out the dome’s name. How wrong I was. Do you know how many domes there are in Florence? Let me tell you— a lot. The problem is that every time you try a search looking for a dome in Florence, the famed Brunelleschi's Dome comes up, as it is one of the most famous domes in Europe. I spent a lot of time researching and finally found it. It is the dome of Cappella dei Principi, which is part of the complex of Basilica di San Lorenzo. It is the larger of two chapels on the grounds.

Tuscan Evening - Chiusure, Province of Siena, Italy

Every time I think back on my visit to Tuscany, this scene is one of the images that come to mind. Before my trip, I had envisioned what the quintessential landscape would look like. The actuality of seeing the Tuscan landscape on the night I captured this photo far exceeded my expectations. Actually, the whole day was quintessential Tuscany. We had started the day with a sunrise shoot, and, after breakfast, we toured a number of small towns throughout the region. Toward the end of the day, we were headed to the town of Chiusure for a late dinner (late for us but not for Italians). On the way to dinner, we had an unscheduled stop to shoot a wonderful landscape scene that was beautiful. When we pulled into the very small town (population 115), we were waylaid again by the scene you see above. Dinner would have to wait a bit longer.