Arguably the signature lighthouse of Maine, the Portland Head Light is actually located outside of Portland on Cape Elizabeth. The light was initially commissioned by George Washington in 1787. The light stands 80 feet above the land and 101 feet above the water. Edward Rowe Snow wrote about the light: “Portland Head and its light seem to symbolize the state of Maine—rocky coast, breaking waves, sparkling water and clear, pure salt air.” The lighthouse is surrounded by a huge park and when I visited it the day before to scout, it was swarming with people. I was sure that I would not be alone the next morning when I went to shoot the light at sunrise. Much to my surprise, there was only other person at the lighthouse. As a result, I had the run of the park and shot the light from all angles. This composition is the classic perspective of the light. The sunrise was beautiful and it was very serene except for the fog horn which blasts every 15 seconds 24 by 7. If you look past the lighthouse, you will see a smaller lighthouse in the distance which is known as the Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse.
Beach Beauty - Gold Beach, Oregon
The Oregon Coast, particularly the central and southern portions, have outstanding beaches and rugged landscapes. After multiple trips there, I think that this particular stretch of beach, just south of Gold Beach, is one of my top two locations on the whole Oregon Coast. The first glimpse of this area, called Myers Creek, is when you drive down Route 101 through the trees and the mountains. The first thought that enters your mind as you round the corner and see the landscape is "Wow". For that reason, I always anticipate my next visit.
This photo of Black Rock was taken one morning looking north. It is not a sunrise location as the cliffs to my right block the the sun at that time. When the sun does clear the cliffs, the golden morning sun turns Black Rock into Gold Rock as it begins to shine brightly.
Evening Stroll Textured - Welgevonden Game Reserve, South Africa
I think many of us photographers during the pandemic are looking through our archives for hidden gems or trying some editing techniques to play with to give a different look for our photos. In a recent Zoom photo club meeting, one of the members mentioned using textures in photos. I have played with textures in the past but haven’t done one in a long time. Textures are great for photos that have a great subject but the background is not ideal. I started to look for some photos that textures would make the photo better. I came across this photo of a lioness that was walking down the road toward our vehicle. The problem was the road was a deep shade of orange that I just didn’t like. Finding a texture that fits the color scheme is harder than it sounds but I finally found this one that I really like. I plan to do some more texturing in the near future.
Monarch - Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge, Maryland
Now that I have been in Maryland since April, I have been spending a lot of time getting the new house ready and, coupled with COVID restrictions, haven’t spent a lot of time looking for photo subjects. The landscape is very different here as it is made up of a lot of farmland. Being close to to the Chesapeake Bay will give me a lot of new subjects to photograph. I have found that there are a lot of wildlife refuges in the area. The first one I visited was Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge, which is known for its butterflies. I knew that there wouldn’t be many butterflies there the time of year I visited but I wanted to do some research on the refuge. There were only two butterflies there that I could find, and after chasing them (they are always moving), I finally got a few shots of this butterfly. In all of my years of photographing, I had never shot a butterfly before (hard to believe) but I am sure I wiil be getting more in the future.
Harvest Patterns - Steptoe Butte State Park, Washington
Steptoe Butte State Park is the Palouse's must visit location to stop and shoot photos. Standing about 3,600 feet above some of the most fertile farmland you can find, it gives a 360 degree view of the surrounding landscape. It is best seen and shot at sunrise or sunset (or both) when the sun is low, allowing for the undulating landscape to be best captured with golden light and deep shadows that add dimensionality to the photo. Once the sun gets higher, the shadows lighten and the contrast is reduced. Most photos you will probably see from Steptoe Butte are taken in late spring showing a landscape with growing crops. At that time, the landscape possesses all shades of growth. The photo above shows the landscape after the crops have been grown and harvested. The landscape is lit up with all shades of orange with patterns left by the harvesting equipment.
Iconic Pemaquid Redux - Bristol, Maine
This is one of my favorite photos that I have taken and it currently hangs on my wall. I took it in 2011 by shooting a 5 shot bracket and processed it as a HDR. I entered my first photo contest ever last month and decided to use this photo as one of my entries. I have heard how tough judges could be and I decided to re-edit the photo using a single photo from the shoot. When I compared the two, I was surprised that they weren’t that different. This above re-edited photo had some truer color and I picked it to enter in the show. I ended up with a Honorable Mention from the judge.
Petals - Centreville, Maryland
Last week I posted a macro photo of the back of a Gerbera Daisy that I took using my light tent. I also had bought a couple of flowers from a local florist (cost me all of $2). This Dahlia was the other flower that I purchased and I decided to shoot it from the front instead of the back. I wanted to capture its soft petals as well as the great pattern the petals made.
Dusk - Venice, Italy
Walking the “streets” at night in Venice is very different than walking around during the day. The crowds have thinned out and the city is a lot quieter. Being a landscape photographer, I am often up well before dawn to catch a sunrise. By the time night comes around, I am usually pretty tired and spend it in my room relaxing and getting ready for the next morning’s shoot. That is almost impossible to do in Venice. There are so many things to do, places to eat and locations to shoot that rest is not in the plans. This scene was just one of many that I shot at night and, even with a smaller crowd, it took patience. Gondolas and boats are still reasonably active there and I waited fifteen minutes before the water became actually still. It was definitely worth the wait.
Floating - Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, California
A few years ago, we were in Monterey and decided to spend a half day in the Monterey Bay Aquarium before we headed to the San Francisco Airport. I typically don't take many shots in aquariums as they are very dark and crowded, but do try to sneak in a shot or two. I do admit to having a weakness for jellyfish (Why? I have no idea) and when I saw this tank of Lion's Mane Jellyfish, I knew I was going to capture them. I didn't know anything about this species of jellyfish but here is what I found out. They are the largest species of jellyfish and are found in the cold waters of the Arctic, found in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. They get their name after the long tentacles that are supposed to look like a lion's mane (Okay, I don't get it but I am running with it anyway). Their color is said to depend on their size, with the smaller ones more of a dark purplish color and the larger ones more of a vivid crimson color. Not sure where these measure up on the size range, but they were pretty big.
Cathedral Beach Morning - Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite. The third park established in the US in 1890 (only Yellowstone and Sequoia preceded it), it conjures up scenes of granite rock formations, waterfalls, streams and rivers, lakes, mountains and giant sequoia trees. Made famous by naturalist John Muir and photographer Ansel Adams, it was the fifth most visited National Park in 2019, with almost 4.5 million people taking in this natural wonderland. Walking along the Merced River in the area known as Yosemite Valley allows for the sighting of many of the famous rock formations with great nicknames: El Capitan, Three Brothers, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, Glacier Point, Cathedral Rocks to name a few. Each one is unique from the other. This one, Three Brothers, was named after the capture of the three sons of Chief Tenaya near the base of the rock formation. The official names of the three consist of Eagle Peak (the uppermost "brother"), Middle Brother and Lower Brother.
Clearing - Banff National Park, Alberta
My trip to Banff and Jasper National Parks last year seemed like it was blessed by Mother Nature as we wandered through the Canadian Rockies. It seemed that every time we visited a lake, the waters were very still, and we were able to get some great reflection photos. Even when the lakes were rippled, the wind stopped blowing when we got there and stayed that way until we left. One morning when we headed out to visit Vermilion Lakes for sunrise, it had rained during the night, and as we drove toward the town of Banff, the weather was atrocious. Low-hanging clouds, rain and cold were everywhere. I think everyone in our group didn’t think that there would be any photography being done that morning. As we got close to Banff, the skies seemed to open up and, miracle of miracles, the sun came out over the lakes. This was the first time I had shot Vermilion Lakes in the early morning hours and, as you can see, the landscape was beautifully bathed in the soft early morning light.
The Tree on the Hill - Pieve a Salti, Italy
While visiting Tuscany last year, we stayed at the Hotel Pieve A Salti, which is actually a farmhouse that encompasses over 1,700 acres. It is situated in the rolling hills of Siena between Val d’Orcia and the Crete Senesi. Not far from the farmhouse is this one hill that has a grand old oak tree that can be seen from surrounding locations. Getting to the top of the hill requires you to wade through chest-high grass that is sprinkled with flowers. From the top, you have a 360° view of the rolling hills that is characteristic of the area.
Canal Serenity - Venice, Italy
Is there any city in the world you actually want to get lost in? I would normally say no, but, when I am in Venice, I almost want to get lost in there. Why, you might ask? The simple answer is that there are 150 canals and 300 foot bridges to explore. Around every turn, there are historic buildings and boats and food to enjoy. Sure, it is a major tourist destination, but most of the visitors stay in only a few portions of the city. That leaves the rest of the city open to explore for photographers. There are so many little canals that are practically abandoned that the area is very serene. The canal above was one of those abandoned serene place in the city that I wandered into while being “lost”.
Backside View - Centreville, Maryland
This year I have spent more time editing photos than taking photos, for obvious reasons. I decided last week that I was going to remedy that and shoot something. I remembered that I had a light tent that has been gathering dust for quite a while and decided to get it out of mothballs and shoot some macros. I decided to get a couple of flowers from a local florist (cost me all of $2). One of the flowers was this Gerbera Daisy. After shooting it from the front, I took a look at the back and really loved the contrast between the colors.
Stroll on the Beach - Cannon Beach, Oregon
One of the signature sea stacks on the Oregon Coast, the Haystack Rock towers 235 feet above the beach, seemingly reaching out to the sky from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Along with its proximity to the city of Portland, this rock formation has contributed in making Cannon Beach a tourist destination. It is accessible from the beach and can be walked to during low tide. The saying, "you can look but you better not touch" applies to this iconic rock formation. It is protected, as it is a national wildlife refuge and one of seven protected intertidal areas along the Oregon coast. My favorite time to shoot this icon is usually just after sunrise when the sun clears the cliffs to the east. The beach is usually secluded at that time of day. Shooting near sunset can a bit problematic, as there are usually swarms of people walking the beach. For some strange reason unknown to me, when I headed to the beach one night, there was only a small family to share the famous sea stack with me.
The Priest and the Nuns - River Road, Moab, Utah
The first things photographers think about when they head toward Moab is shooting the two amazing national parks located there, Arches and Canyonlands. Tourists and photographers head to both places almost as soon as they check into their hotels. With all of the attention that these two places get, there is also some amazing beauty in the surrounding area that many visitors never get to. One of those places is the Colorado River Scenic Byway. Also known as the River Road, it follows the twists and turns of the mighty Colorado River for 44 miles and is one of the most scenic drives in the US.
Rock formations rise from the ground everywhere you look, and each one seems more spectacular than the last. Many of these formations have unique names, such as the formation on the left in this photo that is known as the Priest and the Nuns (it is also known as the Rectory). We started out here on our first full day in Moab at sunrise and captured the early morning light and deep shadows that started our day. This particular formation can be found in the Professor Valley section of River Road.
Alaskan Range - Denali National Park, Alaska
Another photo from the archives from a 2011 trip to Alaska. After an overnight stay in Anchorage, we hopped on a bus for 3 hours to Mt McKinley Lodge. I was really looking forward to getting to the lodge because it looked like a nice day where we might have a chance to actually see Denali (the mountain is only visible 30% of the time). Even more exciting was that we had signed up for a Denali Summit Flight that afternoon. We got to the lodge (yes, Denali was visible), had lunch and hopped on a 45 minute bus ride to Talkeetna Airport. On the way, my wife muttered "I don't know why I agreed to do this" (she is not the best of flyers). When we got to the airport, we were assigned a small 10 seat airplane. She was assigned the co-pilot seat and was told not to touch anything (like she would have). I was alone in the second row and our friends were in the back row. To complicate things, it was raining and a fresh storm was approaching. Off we went anyway.
On the way to Denali, we soared above the Alaskan Range when I captured this image. The majesty of this mountain range is something to see. It was pretty challenging to photograph from the plane. I kept getting the damn propeller in my shot and shooting through a small window at such high speed was a challenge. All-in-all, I do it again in a second but I'm pretty sure my wife won't.
Door Trail - Badlands National Park, South Dakota
This is a sunrise view (looking west) of the most easternmost section of "The Wall" in Badlands National Park. If I turned around, there would be nothing to block the sun as it peeks above the horizon. I had scouted out the location online, but this was my first visit, so I didn't know what to expect. I knew it was at the end of the Door Trail, and everything I read said it wasn't an overly long or strenuous hike. The first surprise when I got there was that there were no cars in the big parking lot. The second surprise was that the trail was actually a wooden boardwalk that was located just behind the formations in this image (the trail ended just to the right of this formation). The last and best surprise was that there was only one other person there the whole time I was shooting. I couldn't think of a better way to experience a visit to Badlands.
Wheel Fenceline - Uniontown, Washington
The Palouse is an amazing area in eastern Washington and western Idaho, and it is so different from the typical landscapes that you think of in western US locations. 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 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 works and offer them 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 sight to see, with all shapes of wheels from various items. This section of the fence was shot from the back of the property looking toward the front.
Banff Overlook - Banff National Park, Alberta
When I tell people that one of my favorite destinations is Banff, they often ask me where it is and why do I like it so much. One of the ways to explain it is to talk about Banff's location and history. Banff is not really that old as far as history goes. It was founded in the early 1880s when the Canadian Pacific Railway was built through the Bow Valley. The name Banff was given to it by the president of the railroad, who was born in Banff, Scotland.
Banff is situated in the Canadian Rockies and it is surrounded by mountains, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs and all of the other beauty that nature provides. Banff became a municipality, and is the first Canadian municipality to be located in a Canadian national park (Banff National Park was formed in 1885). The town is surrounded by mountains (Sulphur Mountain, Mount Norquay, Mount Rundle and Cascade Mountain). There are two rivers that flow through it (Spray and Bow), one waterfall (Bow Falls) and numerous lakes (most notably the Vermilion Lakes). For these reasons, Banff has become a huge resort destination, and the people visiting this small town have grown greatly since I first visited it in the mid-1990s.
One of the best compositions that gives an idea of what surrounds the town is this one, shot from Mount Norquay. It shows the town (not very large by town standards), with Mount Rundle towering over it on the left. The clouds were great in this early evening shot and hopefully it conveys why this is one of my favorite destinations.