This lighthouse is probably the most photographed in New England. One of the reasons is its proximity to Maine's most populated city, Portland. Another reason is that it is adjacent to the 90-acre Fort Williams Park, with access to hiking, sporting fields, recreation areas and, of course, Fort Williams. I think the real reason is that it is quite the beautiful structure, and sits on a lovely stretch of the Maine coast on Cape Elizabeth. The lighthouse was commissioned by George Washington in 1787. It is the oldest lighthouse in the state of Maine, although, when it was built, Maine was not yet a state (it was part of Massachusetts). The light measures 80 feet in height (about 100 feet above the water) and can be seen for 24 nautical miles. This sunrise photo was taken on a beautiful August morning and I had the whole park to myself, except for a local cameraman that was there to show the sunrise as a lead-in for the local news.
Horns - Banff National Park, Alberta
It is pretty obvious where bighorn sheep get their names. Just look at at any male and you can see the massive horns that its head looks like it can barely support. There is a reason for that as their horns can weigh up to thirty pounds. They are found mostly in western North America and are thought to have migrated over the Bering Land Bridge from Siberia. They are legendary for their ability to climb high, steep, rocky mountain areas. We found a small herd of them in the early morning light on our way to Two Jack Lake. The rising sun was positioned low in the sky and it shone directly in this one’s face, lighting his head perfectly. In this light, the ridges of his horns became very pronounced.
Oxbow Drama - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Why do photographers keep going to the same location and take photos? Many times it is simply because we love the beauty and serenity of the location and the way it makes us feel. Other times, it is the people we are with, whether it be family or friends. For some locations like this one, it is the the impact of the weather and light that makes it look different almost every time we are there. Some times the weather shuts us out and other times it is glorious. I remember my first photo workshop where the instructor showed us some of his work. They were all amazing. One of the attendees asked how he managed to take picture perfect scenes with great light and drama. His response surprised me at the time. He pointed to the image on the screen and said that the secret was to keep going back to the same scene many times. He further added that the photo that he was pointing to took him 20 years to get the shot that he wanted.
Waterfowl View - Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park, Alberta
One of my favorite lakes along the Icefields Parkway is Waterfowl Lake. The lake is literally steps from your car. The lake has a fabulous view of the towering Mount Chephren which, if the weather is cooperating, has a reflection of it on the water’s surface. For many years, I shot this location along the banks along the parkway. That is until a few years ago. I was shooting from the banks when I spotted something red at the very far end of the lake. I decided to check out what it was and started the long walk to the end of the lake. Turns out that the red was another photographer who was just leaving. She was kind enough to show me the trail down to where she had been. When I got to the end, I stood and looked at this exact view. In my opinion, this is the best place to shoot Mount Chephren and also get the peaks to the north in the composition. I could have kicked myself for not exploring this section of the lake in previous trips, but I now make this one of my first stops in subsequent visits.
On the Lookout - Welgevonden Reserve, South Africa
There is always great anticipation when there is a lion sighting. The Rangers who first see it notify the other Rangers in the Reserve of the sighting and are in charge of selecting three other vehicles to participate in getting close to the lion. On our safari, it was usually the lioness who is spotted, as they normally are on the hunt for prey. This is especially true when there are cubs. Usually, the cubs are left in place while the lioness hunts. On this occasion, the lioness was spotted along with her two cubs. We were lucky enough to see and take photos of the cubs before the lioness emerged from the bush. She stopped and took in the area possibly looking for prey or maybe making sure that her cubs were safe. In either case, you can see her focus when she started to emerge from the bush.
Jagged - Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Badlands National Park is on my must revisit list since my first visit there in 2013. My son and I targeted a stop there when we planned our cross-country trip. There are two main entrances to the park and I decided to stay near the northeast entrance, as my research indicated that there were numerous sunrise and sunset locations in that part of the park. The choice proved to be the right one. The challenge then became to pick two sunrise locations out of the almost ten possibilities. Fortunately, both locations turned out to be stellar. This photo was taken from an overlook just around the corner from Norbeck Pass and was taken on our second morning there. The jagged peaks that are part of the pass are a great subject, particularly in the early morning light. The shadows added terrific definition to the photo. The diversity of the park's landscape makes it a must visit park, especially for photographers. After that one visit, it became one of my favorite parks and I think that a return trip is in order.
Piazza del Duomo - Florence, Italy
The architecture of Florence, Italy, is quite diverse. Walking through the streets gives you a sense of just how old the city really is. The city has great examples of the many historic periods over the past 2,000 years. It is hard to walk through the streets and not have your jaw drop open looking at all of the different architectural styles. The best place to view the architecture is the Piazza del Duomo. The Piazza is at the heart of historical Florence and is one of the most visited places in Europe.
Standing there to take this photo, it is hard not to be be overcome by the age and beauty of the architecture. From this spot you can see the Florence Cathedral (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore), Giotto’s Campanile and the ever-present Brunelleschi’s Dome that can be seen from many parts of the city.
Boulder Beach Glow - Acadia National Park, Maine
Ruggedness defines the coast of Maine. While not all of the 5,500 miles (yes, you read that right) is rugged, a great deal of it is. While I haven't even come remotely close to seeing it all, I can't think of a more representative example of Maine's coast than Otter Cliffs. The best view, in my opinion, is from Boulder Beach, where you stand (or sit) on big round boulders catching the cliffs glowing orange at sunrise. Getting there takes a little work and an ability to walk on unsteady footing. After scrambling down a steep incline, you are faced with walking on these round boulders that can be tricky to stay upright on (I have taken a spill in the past). The challenge is not only walking on rounded rocks, but also not knowing which ones are loose and which ones are slick from being wet. Despite these challenges, the payoff is worth it.
In what might be surprising, the 110 foot high Otter Cliffs is actually the highest on the east coast. While there are numerous locations to shoot the sunrise in Acadia National Park, this is my favorite. When you get here before dawn and you look toward where the horizon and the Atlantic Ocean meet, you anticipate the golden light lighting up the cliffs. To me, it is the quintessential Maine coastal scene.
Schwabacher Landing - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
When visiting Grand Teton National Park, there are three iconic locations that are a must visit. I am sure that if you asked visitors there, they would name them all (maybe in a different order): Oxbow Bend, the Thomas A. Moulton Barn, and Schwabacher Landing. What each has in common are unique views of the awesome Teton Mountain Range. I have been to the Tetons many times and only one of the locations was elusive to me: Schwabacher Landing. For a number of years, the landing was closed to vehicle traffic due to supposed budget constraints but was reopened a few years ago. Schwabacher Landing is located on the meandering Snake River, which runs along the eastern side of the Teton Mountain Range. The landing is used as a boat ramp for people to access the river. An interesting intervention by beavers created a second Schwabacher Landing, when they built a dam on the river that is now another access point for visitors. There is a small dirt pullout on the left side of the road on the way to the “original” Schwabacher Landing. Parking there, you can go down a steep path and walk along the river for a different angled look at the Tetons. No matter which one you visit, you get close up views of the awesome scenery.
Montana Cascade - Glacier National Park, Montana
If you are looking for rugged mountains, pristine forests, mountain lakes and waterfalls, look no further than Glacier National Park. According to Wikipedia, there are over seven hundred lakes in the park, along with over two hundred waterfalls. Most of these natural destinations are scattered throughout the one million acres of the park, which requires some hiking. Almost all of the trailheads originate from or near the one main road that bisects the park, the Going-to-the-Sun road. The good news is that some of the more accessible waterfalls are pretty close to the road and require only a little walking to get to. For example, McDonald Falls (pictured here) is located at the north end of McDonald Lake and is at most a hundred yards down an incline from the road. When we arrived here at the parking area, it had been raining off and on in the afternoon. The rain had just stopped and the sky was overcast. This is actually the best sky for shooting waterfalls, as the clouds create a huge soft-box that eliminates any sun glare on the water. I immediately knew that with all of the "steps" in the rocks, a long exposure would accentuate the water movement.
Valley Glow - Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
My first visit to this amazing state park was in 2000. Not being a Vegas type of guy, I headed to this park instead of spending the day in Vegas. I was not into photography at that time then and visited the park at the totally wrong time of day, resulting in the few photos that I took being terrible to say the least. I was taken by the beauty of the park and knew if I ever got back into photography, I would do it right someday. I was lucky enough to make my return to the park a few years ago and was determined to be there at the right time of day. After staying in a local hotel, we headed out to the park before dawn. We drove through the eastern entrance to the park. We crossed the park boundary and drove up the hill toward Elephant Rock, got out and waited for the sun to rise. After shooting the rock we drove to the top of the hill and had to stop once we saw this view. We knew it was going to be a great day.
Nest Building - Welgevonden Game Reserve, South Africa
Watching a bird building a nest can be fascinating to watch. We came upon this Red-Headed Weaver on a safari in South Africa that was in the process of doing exactly that. The nest that red-headed weavers build is a bit different than other birds in South Africa. They are one of the few birds that build their nests that are entirely made of twigs and, when finished, the nest resembles a small tight ball. The nest is built that way to protects them from predators. Being that they are built during mating season, the nest probably also provides some privacy while they create offspring. Watching this particular bird building his nest, it easy to see that weaver is a perfect name as their construction is performed just as a human weaver might do it.
Lake Braies Beauty - Dolomites, Prags, Italy
On my trip last May to the Dolomite region of Italy, it seemed we encountered almost every type of weather during the four days we were there. We experienced sunny skies for what seemed to be a few hours, overcast skies with low hanging clouds, rain, and even blizzard conditions. The Dolomites had one of the coldest and snowy Mays in many decades. That made the few times we had good weather even more special. One of those special times was when we visited Lake Braies in the Prags section of the Dolomites range. The lake is also home to a wonderful old hotel, Hotel Lago di Braies, which has been on the shores of the lake since 1899.
The lake is a popular destination for tourists and it has a great trail that circles it. Given the weather, we decided to hike the trail and were blessed with this view at one end of the lake. This spot gives one a great view of Seekofel Mountain reflected in the calm waters turquoise colored lake.
The Palouse Lights Up - Garfield, Washington
No matter where you drive throughout the Palouse, especially in the early mornings and late evenings, there always seems to be scenes like this around the corner. As you drive up a hill, you begin to get high enough to see the undulating landscape that is prominent in the Palouse. Shooting during the golden hours really puts the undulations on display as the low sun casts a combination of light and shadows that emphasize them. As you reach the top of a given hill and look around, you realize that you are looking at some of the most fertile farmland in the United States. The landscape is almost 100% dedicated to farming and you will occasionally see a farmhouse like this one that is surrounded by trees. Trees are a rarity, as the fertile landscape is too valuable to plant them. When you see trees, they are usually surrounding farmhouses to provide shade and protection to the farmers and their families.
Fiery Departure - Kotor, Montenegro
Back in 2008, we set off on our first Mediterranean cruise around Italy and surrounding countries. One of the ports we were scheduled to visit was Kotor, Montenegro. We didn’t know anything about Montenegro and we had it pretty low on our list to visit with names like Venice, Capri and others on our itinerary. After spending a day there, it rose near the top of our list. To visit Kotor by sea, one must sail a 15-mile narrow winding bay leading in and out from the Adriatic Sea. The bay is composed of four smaller gulfs and, due to its many twists and turns, is often called Europe's southernmost fjord. My day in Kotor, Montenegro, was one of those magical days that every photographer wishes for. Fantastic location with towering mountains, small quaint towns, an island church and a long winding bay. To finish the day off, we began sailing back toward the Adriatic Sea and the skies put on a fiery show that lit up the way out. Not bad for a port that we never heard of. It now is on the list of "must visit again".
Nubble Light - York, Maine
As I look through some of my photos in my archives, I often come across scenes that take me back to the first time when I took a photo of them. Some of those scenes are so compelling to me that I have revisited them many times since I first saw them. This location, Nubble Light, is one of those scenes. It’s official name is Cape Neddick Lighthouse but the locals refer to it as Nubble since it sits on Nubble Island. The island is only about 200 feet offshore the town of York, a summertime beach town on the southern Maine Coast. The light is so picturesque that a photo of it was even sent into space aboard Voyager II. The lighthouse is a huge tourist attraction with over 500,000 people visiting each year. The best time to capture the scene is in the evening when the setting sun’s soft light lights up the buildings on the island. That being said, I have gotten good photos there in the mornings also.
Waterbuck - Welgevonden Game Reserve, South Africa
Being a relative newcomer to wildlife photography, I am always amazed at my fellow photographer’s ability to know the name of most animals and birds. I know next to nothing about the wildlife that I have seen on safari other than the obvious ones. If not for my continuous questioning of my companions and pretty good note-taking, I wouldn’t know this animal’s name. Now that I have a lead, I do a little research. The waterbuck is part of the the antelope family found in Africa. The antelope family contains 91 sub-species. The waterbuck species contains 13 sub-species. Knowing the different species of the antelope species takes a lot of practice in the field and study. Not being a patient person, I think I will make sure that my fellow photographers are with me on future safaris.
It's Getting Near Dawn - Glacier National Park, Montana
Up at O’Dark Thirty and sleepy-eyed as I get dressed. Everything tells me that I need to lay back into bed and sleep another couple of hours. I almost do so, but a voice at the very back of my head says that that I will regret it when I see everyone else’s photos. Sunrise might be a bust or it might be awesome. I’m in desperate need of coffee but there isn’t any to be found at this time of the morning. I trudge out of my room and say hello to my fellow photographers. Our normally talkative group is silent as we get in the car and head off to Apgar Village on the shores of Lake McDonald. Not surprisingly, we are the only ones there. As we get our gear out of the car, my mind suddenly wakes up from its stupor. I walk to the lake and my senses awaken and my anticipation grows. It looks like it is going to be a great sunrise. The ever present boats are slightly lit from the lights on the rental shed. A glow from the rising sun starts to light up the sky. The tranquility is soothing and the anticipation grows. At the back of my mind, the words on an old Cream song come to me. “It’s getting near dawn, when lights close their tired eyes…”. At that moment, I compose this photo and capture in on digital film. It will be an awesome day that I am glad I got up early for.
Bass Harbor Guardian - Acadia National Park, Maine
One of the most iconic shots of Acadia National Park is this one of Bass Harbor Light. To get this shot, it takes a bit of planning and a bit of luck. The Light is located in the southwest portion of Mount Desert Island in the park, which is a drive away from Bar Harbor and the other attractions in Acadia. Given its popularity, photographers are drawn to the location at sunset, when the soft light glows on the lighthouse. The challenge is to get there early enough to secure a spot because of the very limited space available. There is not a lot of room for people to get a clear shot and it requires sure-footedness, as the best angles require climbing over slick rocks. It is not unusual for photographers to get there two hours before sunrise to secure a good spot. Sometimes two hours is not early enough. Be prepared to defend your spot once you get it from the late stragglers who come down the steps and want to try to fit into space that literally doesn't exist. Planning to get there early is well worth the resulting images.
O, Canada - Vancouver, British Columbia
Going through my photography archives is quite the trip down memory lane. It also reminds me of how far I have come in my photo editing. When I first edited this scene, High Dynamic Range (HDR) was all the rage in photography circles. Almost everyone I knew was editing that way. In hindsight, many of the photos processed by photographers at the time were not very good - very garish and unreal. My HDR photography was no exception. When I came upon this photo in my archives, I was embarrassed that I ever thought that was ever any good. I really liked this scene and memory so I re-edited it. Below is the writeup that I used when I first posted it:
Canada Place, with its iconic white sails, is located in the heart of Vancouver's downtown harbor front. It was opened during Expo ’86 and includes the Pan Pacific Hotel, the World Trade Centre and the Convention Centre, and it also serves as the main cruise ship terminal for the region, where most of the cruises to Alaska originate or terminate. On this morning, we were coming to the end of the Alaskan cruise that we took in 2011. We had a wonderful time in Alaska and the subsequent cruise down the inside passage. Vancouver is a fantastic place to visit and we were really looking forward to our 3-day stay in Vancouver. As the cruise ship began to position to dock, I took a quick shot of this scene.