Arches National Park is a treasure trove of sandstone rock formations, mainly arches. Most of them are arches -- over 2,000 of them, but only a few are easily accessible. My favorite arch is Double Arch. Located in the Windows area of the park, it always acts as a magnet for me. This was the only one of our stops that I was out of the car in a flash and down the trail so I could get a few shots without people. I think that what attracts me to Double Arch is the contrast of the orange sandstone against the beautiful blue sky. This contrast only happens in the morning hours. This is a huge arch and you can climb up to the bottom of the left arch. It is an easy climb until you get about three quarters of the way up. After that, it gets a bit more difficult. The reward is the views of the the surrounding area. As I get older, climbing up is getting more difficult, but hopefully I will be able to be perched up there in the future.
Playing Around - Welgevonden Game Reserve, South Africa
When on an African safari, you are always looking for animal behavior that you can capture in a photo. Often times, the behavior depicts the survival of the fittest in the jungle. Whether it is animals looking to eat or fighting over territory or female attention, it usually ends with injury or death. When you come across these encounters, it is hard to describe your feelings. You might feel lucky to be able to witness the survival of the fittest that happens every day. At the same time, you might feel sadness that an animal has been injured or killed. Some encounters, like the one above, only brings happiness to me. This shows two zebras playing around with one another. It is a joy to watch them prance around without a care in the world.
Picture Perfect Morning - Banff National Park, Alberta
As I have been looking my archives, I have been able to revisit some great memories. I think the ones that resonate with me the most are the ones that remind me of the tranquility and peace that I felt when I was there. This is particularly helpful through this period of unrest and fear. When I came across this photo of Herbert Lake, I knew that I needed to post it. For me, this lake is one of the most peaceful places that I have shot at. I have been there mostly in the early mornings before sunrise when the waters are calm and the light is great. Even at other times in the day, it is a place that is peaceful. There are usually only a few people there despite its closeness to the Icefields Parkway (mere steps). There are other great lakes in the area that draw crowds like magnets (Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Bow Lake), all of them beautiful but not as peaceful. They are lakes that must be visited on any excursion to Banff. If you want to enjoy some peace and solitude, make sure that Herbert Lake is on your itinerary.
Tear Drop Arch - Monument Valley, Navajo Nation
Tear Drop Arch is very near and dear to me as it was the inspiration for me to get back into photography in the early 2000’s. I was interested in visiting Utah for the first time for vacation and ordered a magazine that was probably put out by Utah’s Department of Tourism. The cover of the magazine was a portrait shot of Tear Drop Arch. After seeing it, I was captivated by its beauty and knew that someday I would visit in in person. A few years later, my son graduated from college and we decided to spend a couple of weeks exploring Utah hiking and taking pictures. One of the places I was determined to visit was Monument Valley. I knew that to see some of the sandstone rock formations, you needed to hire a Navajo Guide. I found one and told him to take us to his favorite places in the park. The one requirement was that Tear Drop Arch be included as a location. He took us throughout the park and showed us some terrific rock formations. Near the end of the tour, we started for the exit and I reminded him of my requirement. He smiled at me at said that Tear Drop Arch was not in the park but rather high above the hotel where we were staying. Thank God he had a four wheel drive and, after getting there, it was every bit as inspirational as I had hoped. Turns out that he lived very close to the arch and took us to his home where we met his family. This trip rejuvenated my love for photography and travel, which I have done a great deal in retirement.
Posing - Marievale Bird Sanctuary, South Africa
Back in December, we boarded our Delta 15-hour red-eye flight to Johannesburg, South Africa for another Jeff Clow Safari. Jeff sponsored a trip to a bird sanctuary for our first morning before heading out to our safari lodge. The weather was a bit spotty with rain but off we went. Fortunately, the rain always seemed to be the heaviest when we were in a bird blind. At one of the blinds, we found several cormorants posing for us with wings spread out. Cormorant are fish-eaters and often dive from the surface looking for meals. After fishing, cormorants go ashore, and are frequently seen holding their wings out in the sun. This cormorant certainly was not getting any sun this day and suspect that it wasn’t diving into the water that got him wet but rather the rain. If you look at this photo large, you can see the raindrops keeping him wet.
Chateau Lake Louise - Banff National Park, Alberta
In the heart of Banff National Park lies the beautiful turquoise colored Lake Louise. Located about 45 minutes from the town of Banff, it is a favorite destination for hikers, skiers, snowboarders, boaters and tourists. The lake is surrounded by numerous snow-capped mountains and the head of the Victoria Glacier. During the summer season, the lake is overrun by tourists that come via tour buses. In order to see and photograph the lake without tons of people around, you must get there in the wee hours of the morning. I love photographing there during these times and have taken thousands of photos during my many visits there. One thing is for sure, the subject of most of those photos are landscapes, as the surrounding area is target rich with beauty. Even looking at other photographers photos, the result seems to be the same.
Standing on the dock with these bright red canoes, I realized how I had not captured the beauty of the Chateau Lake Louise very often in the past. The Chateau is a five-star resort hotel that is often overlooked with all of the natural beauty that surrounds it. It is quite expensive to stay there (I splurged there many years ago for a couple of nights) but gives you plenty of time to experience its tranquility when the crowds go home.
Puddle - Siena, Italy
Those of you who have followed me for a while know that I am a big sucker when it comes to reflection shots. No matter where I am, my eyes start looking for water, whether it be a mountain lake or a city street. I’m not sure why that is, but it has rewarded me with some of my absolute favorite photos. On my trip to Italy last May, I was fortunate to visit Siena. I had never been there before, but it quickly became one of my favorite cities in Europe. No visit to Siena is complete without spending some (or a lot) of time in the Piazza del Campo. This public square is the centerpiece of Siena and is often referred to as its heart and soul. The Piazza is considered one of Europe's best examples of a medieval square for its beauty and architecture. When you first walk into the Piazza, the first thing you notice is the Tower of Mangia. Built in the 13th century, the Tower rises 335 feet above the square and is the the third tallest in all of Italy. Exploring the square one morning, we found a building close to the Tower. Going inside, we discovered that it had a small opening in the ceiling. The floor had just been washed and there were puddles everywhere. My first thought was it is reflection time and took many photos of the Tower’s reflection in them. This one was my best.
Jordon Pond Beauty - Acadia National Park, Maine
I have been taking a virtual trip into my archives searching for some hidden gems that might catch my eye. This photo taken at Jordon Pond in 2015 is one that I remember as if it was yesterday. I had convinced my best buddy Jeff Clow to host a photo trip to the Maine Coast, ending up in Acadia National Park. When scheduling such a trip in the Fall, the first thing one thinks about are the Fall colors. Being a New England resident for 27 years, I know that predicting when the height of the fall color will be is nearly impossible. Peak season can occur any time within a six week period in any given year. We were careful in advertising for the tour, never mentioning the fall color and touting the lighthouses, coastal towns and, of course, lobster. In hindsight, we had nothing to worry about. By pure luck, we hit the peak season.
One of our locations was Jordon Pond (not sure why it is called a pond as it as big as many lakes). We walked around the lake and I took this shot at the southern end of the pond showing the Bubbles across the way. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Acadia, the Bubbles (north and south) are the two mountains in the distance. As you can see, they do look a bit like bubbles. Both measure less than 1,000 feet high (872 and 766 respectively) but look considerably bigger. The brilliant colors of Autumn in New England show why it is a destination that attracts many from all over the world.
Dead Horse - Dead Horse Point State Park, Moab, Utah
The new reality these days is that travel is likely to be very limited at least for the rest of this year and maybe into the next year. This reality has had a bright spot for me and probably for many other photographers. I have over 100,000 photos in my archives and have not had the time to really spend time culling through them to find the best ones that I may have missed. This effort also allows me to remember each and every experience I had while taking them and the many friends that I shared these experiences with.
This photo from 2014 is one of these photos that I remember like it was yesterday. Of course, shooting one of the most iconic scenes in the American Southwest (at least in my opinion) is easy to remember. Eastern Utah is home to two wonderful National Parks (Arches & Canyonlands). Tucked in between the two is Dead Horse State Park which is often overlooked. The signature image of the park is this one, where the Colorado River has carved the rock over thousands of years to leave us with this spectacular view which rivals any in the area. The park itself was named after the mustangs that used to run wild in the area. The overlook from which this image was taken from, acted as a natural corral where cowboys would drive the herds so they could be captured for personal use or for sale to others. According to legend, a group of mustangs remained on the overlook and were somehow trapped there. As there was no food or water available, they supposedly died of thirst within sight of the Colorado River.
Dolomites Beauty - Borca di Cadore, Dolomites, Italy
After spending the previous ten days in Tuscany and Cinque Terre last year, we headed for the Italian Alps known as the Dolomites for a few days. The weather forecast was not promising as record cold, rain and snow was forecast. We actually had to visit an outdoor store to get some winter clothing. For once, the forecast was accurate but our first day there was beautiful. As we approached the small town of Borca di Cadore (population 809) we were lucky to see this magnificent view of Mount Antelao, which is the highest mountain in the Dolomites (aka King of the Dolomites), measuring a little over 10,000 feet. The mountain was initially hidden by low clouds that seemed to be playing a game of hide and seek with us. Being patient, we pulled over and decided to play a waiting game with it. Our patience was rewarded as the clouds began to clear and gave us this great look at the mountain.
Evening Stroll - Welgevonden Game Reserve, South Africa
Every time I look at my photos from my trip to South Africa last December, it reminds me of the talent and skills that the Rangers at Nedile Lodge possess. During our week-long stay at this top-rated Lodge, we were not only blessed with comfortable rooms and gourmet food, but also world class wildlife experiences. The evening that I captured this photo was just an example of our Ranger’s skills. As we were looking for signs of wildlife, we heard that the lioness had been spotted by some other Rangers. Being a distance away, we raced to get there and only one of our vehicles was able to participate. The Reserve allows only four vehicles to actively get close to any wildlife when sighted. Any other vehicles are put on a waiting list and can only join in when one leaves.
Fortunately, both of our vehicles were able to get shots of the lioness and her cubs. As we all were thrilled with the experience, our Rangers thought that we weren’t done, and they used their experiences to anticipate where the lioness was going next. Sure enough, she emerged from the brush and started strolling down the middle of the dirt road walking right toward us. A evening I won’t forget anytime soon.
Perspective - Manhattan, New York
During my working days in New York City, I passed through Grand Central Terminal as a hurried commuter trying to get home at a reasonable hour. There were no thoughts of stopping and taking photos, as there was usually a train to catch for my almost three-hour commute (thank God I didn't commute there every day). When I had the opportunity to spend a half day in 2012 to shoot the Terminal, I finally appreciated how wonderful the building is. I spent the majority of my allotted time shooting the inside of the building, and I discovered some amazing subjects that I failed to remember, like the ornate chandeliers hanging from the ceilings, the beautiful murals on the walls and ceilings and the stonework. Near the end of my time there that day, I decided to go outside to see what I might have missed during my commuting days. This perspective shows that the beauty of the building is not just indoors and I don’t think that I (or probably a lot of other commuters) ever looked up to take it in.
Wyoming Dreaming - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
When I first started visiting the Grand Tetons, the first photo that I wanted to capture was at Oxbow Bend. This is an iconic spot, where the Snake River meanders through the scene and Mount Moran and the other mountains are on full display. The best time to see and photograph it is at sunrise, when the sun rises from the east and lights up any clouds that are there. The sun will then gradually begin to light up Mt Moran with gorgeous soft light. It is a magnet for any photographers that are in the park.
I guess you are wondering where that scene is in the above photo. As I took photos of the classic shot that I have just described, I noticed that across the Snake River a very different scene was unfolding. The amazing clouds were present in both the sky as well as in the glass-like water. The landscape was lighting up and was beautiful in its own right. I learned a long time ago to makes sure that, after taking the iconic shots that most photographers shoot, to look around and work the scene. In this case, the rewards gave me a different view of Oxbow Bend.
Tuscany Beauty - San Quirico d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy
Landscape photographers can control a lot of factors when planning a shoot, but one thing they can’t control is the weather. We had visited this beautiful landscape location known as the Villa (not pictured in this photo) a couple days before and were completely shut out. No rain, but rather colorless overcast skies. Not conducive to getting that great early morning light. We spent several hours hoping for the best and ended up shooting some flowers. I was hoping that we would return to the location but it wasn’t on the schedule. Fortunately, we somehow got it back on the schedule and headed back out a couple of days later. When we first got there, it looked like a total repeat of the previous visit. Overcast skies prevailed. We decided to wait it out and hope against hope that we would get some clearing. The landscape gods were smiling upon us and the sun began to light up this Tuscan gem of a location.
The Fight - Welgevonden Game Reserve, South Africa
No this was not a wrestling cage match between two warthogs but probably a fight for the favor of a female warthog. As the fight began, our Rangers indicated that it probably would be over in a matter of a few minutes. These two, however, had different ideas. This match took well over 10 minutes and covered a large area around our vehicles. A lot of the time, their horns were locked together with a lot of pushing each other forwards and backwards. Occasional, one of the warthogs would take a running start and leap in the air in anticipation of a massive head butt. I was fortunate to capture one of those attempted head butts mid-air. There was a winner in the fight, but no death or serious injury to the loser other than a loss of pride.
Smith Dorrian Trail - Spray Valley Provincial Park, Alberta
Last June, before our trip to Banff and Jasper National Parks, Jaki Good Miller and I decided to explore an area that we had never been to, namely Kananaskis County. This area south of Canmore is often referred to as little Banff and, based upon our visit, we totally agree. The trip from Canmore took us south and you can easily spend a full day as the road passes through Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park, Spray Valley Provincial Park, and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. This section of the road is known as the Smith Dorrian Trail and, for almost its full length, has gorgeous views of the Canadian Rockies, forests and tree, lakes and wildlife. One of the really nice things about the area is the lack of tourists. Banff and Jasper have become quite the tourist attractions and can often be full of people during the daylight hours. Along our trip, we saw a few visitors here and there but most of the day we had the scenery to ourselves.
Mirror Reflection - Siena, Italy
Wandering around the streets of Siena without any particular destination in mind is a wonderful way to explore. Siena is known for its medieval architecture. The streets are narrower than one might expect and there are less cars that you might find in other Italian cities. For that reason, motorcycles and motorbikes are very common sights. When we strolled down one of the many side streets of the city, we were shooting the amazing architecture of the buildings and noticed this long row of motorcycles. I am not sure who first saw the reflections of the buildings in their rear view mirrors, but soon the five of us were trying to photograph their reflections. I think this one is my most successful and thought I would post it.
Mountainside Church - Chiesa di San Leonardo, Casamazzagno, Italy
Just about a year ago, almost to the day, I was standing in front of this church, Chiesa di San Leonardo, in the Dolomites. The Dolomites region had record cold weather last year and, as you can see, the peaks of the surrounding mountains were often obscured by gloomy clouds. Being my first trip to the Italian Alps, I was hoping for a bit warmer visit and sunny days but I thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and history that I was able to see. This area was made up of small villages and towns, many of which were located on the sides of neighboring mountains. It was very cool to be able to see across the landscape and see each town in the distance.
The church, which is located at the highest point above the hamlet of Casamazzagno, was built in the late-Gothic style in the 1540’s. From its high perch, the church offers parishioners and visitors a vast panoramic view of the whole valley.
Manarola Evening - Cinque Terre, Italy
Earlier this week, I posted a photo that I took in Venice last year. Now that I have explored new parts of Italy, I am amazed at the diversity of its beauty. From the architecture and history of cities like Florence and Siena to the quiet streets of small towns in Tuscany, to the towering mountains of the Dolomites, the people and canals of Venice and on to the ruggedness of the Italian Coast, it has something for everyone.
This photo is one of the five villages that make up the renowned Cinque Terre: Manarola. The views of Cinque Terre are second to none. The history of how they came to build these villages, starting at the top of these cliffs to protect themselves from invaders (Turks and pirates), is fascinating. Over time, as the threats waned, they began to build their homes closer and closer to the Mediterranean Sea until there was nowhere left to build. Not only are they beautiful during the day, but something magical happens as night approaches. As darkness approaches and the lights begin to illuminate the homes and streets, a magical feeling seems to embrace you and brings you a wonderful sense of tranquility.
Spray and Pray - Welgevonden Reserve, South Africa
Last week, I posted a photo of a bird in flight that, as a novice shooting birds in flight, was one of my better photos of birds. As I practiced a bit more on last December’s safari, I realized how important panning with moving birds is one of the most essential techniques in getting a bird in focus. By the end of the week, I was sort of getting the hang of it. Of course, panning is only one of many skills that need to be done correctly, including the right camera settings (ISO, Auto-Focus, etc.). The one thing I learned early is to shoot in bursts. Being a landscape photographer, I never needed to shoot in burst. Your subject does not move and your focus is more about composition and light. I used to think of shooting in burst mode as a “Spray and Pray” method of taking photos. That means that if you take a burst of 20 shots, you pray that one of them is actually in focus. When I was shooting this Striped Kingfisher flying from left to right, I thought I might have gotten a few decent shots. When I looked at the photos that night, I had to laugh at what I saw. I actually got the kingfisher in focus as he flew between the branches of a tree. I guess Spray and Pray does work once in a while.