One of the most scenic spots in Jasper National Park is a visit to Spirit Island on Maligne Lake. The easiest way to get to the island is by a 90-minute round-trip boat ride that allows for about a 20-minute stay near the island. Unfortunately, these boat tours don't run during the best time of day--to get the golden hour light, you must rent a boat. They do have photographer tours that unfortunately weren't running when I visited the lake. Regardless of the time of day you go, the surrounding scenery is amazing. This is one of the many shots I took on the way to the island.
Yukon Bound Redux - White Pass Summit, Skagway, Alaska
I have been looking through some of my older photos (10 years and older) and have come across some wonderful memories. The only thing that I did not enjoy is how they were processed. I decided to give them some new life this week by re-editing them. The following is the write-up that I posted when the original photos was posted to my photo blog.
The port of Skagway, Alaska is a popular stop for cruise ships and one of its star attractions is the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad. Given my love of both trains and mountains, I was really excited to travel over the mountains to the Yukon. The train climbs almost 3,000 feet in just a short 20 miles and, as a result, has severe grades. The train travels along many winding turns that run along the edge of the cliffs. Before reaching the Yukon, it will negotiate numerous tunnels, bridges and trestles. This image, taken from the back of the rail car, is indicative of the terrain that the train travels through. The waters surrounding Skagway can be seen in the distance as the train approaches the Canadian border.
Hilltop Nirvana Redux - Oia, Santorini, Greece
I have been looking through some of my older photos (10 years and older) and have come across some wonderful memories. The only thing that I did not enjoy is how they were processed. I decided to give them some new life this week by re-editing them. The following is the write-up that I posted when the original photos was posted to my photo blog.
In the fall of 2010, we were lucky enough to embark on a Mediterranean cruise. When we were planning for the cruise, the only destination that was a requirement was Santorini, Greece. Being a photographer, I have seen hundreds of photographs of the blue-domed churches built into the side of the cliffs and I really wanted to visit and photograph them. Photographs of these churches can usually be found on the covers of most Greek Island travel guides. When the cruise ship approached Santorini, I was a bit discouraged as it was raining and windy. We had to anchor on the other side of the island because of the rough seas and take very unsteady tenders to the dock. We were met there by buses, which drove us to the town of Oia at the northern end of the island.
The streets of this hilltop town are extremely narrow and, although it was October, it was quite crowded (probably all cruise ship passengers). The rain had stopped and I snuck off of the main thoroughfare to walk along the houses. As you can see, there was no one in sight except one woman coming out of her house (see if you can find her). I was mesmerized by the cliff "dwellings" and wished that I was able to stay for a couple of days to catch sunrise and sunset. I guess I'll have to go back someday to experience that thrill.
After the Fog Redux - Bay of Kotor, Kotor, Montenegro
I have been looking through some of my older photos (10 years and older) and have come across some wonderful memories. The only thing that I did not enjoy is how they were processed. I decided to give them some new life this week by re-editing them. The following is the write-up that I posted when the original photos was posted to my photo blog.
The Bay of Kotor in Montenegro is a 15-mile winding bay leading 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. The bay is actually a submerged river canyon of the Bokelj River, which used to run from the high mountain plateaus of Mount Orjen. Numerous cities and towns are located on the bay, such as Kotor (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Perast (a UNESCO World Natural and Historical Heritage Site) and Prčanj. When we entered the bay, the fog was so thick that we could hardly see anything as we traversed the length of the bay. After we docked in Kotor (at the far end of the bay), the weather took a turn for the better and began to clear. By the time we started our tour of the bay, the fog had dissipated and we discovered one of the most beautiful places that we have ever visited. As we passed along the shore, we were able to observe these wonderful towns and the surrounding mountains.
Chessboard Redux - Achilleion Palace, Corfu, Greece
I have been looking through some of my older photos (10 years and older) and have come across some wonderful memories. The only thing that I did not enjoy is how they were processed. I decided to give them some new life this week by re-editing them. The following is the write-up that I posted when the original photos was posted to my photo blog.
The Achilleion Palace on the island of Corfu, Greece, is our destination for today. The palace was built in 1890 and was named after the Greek mythical hero, Achilles. This image is of the patio in the rear of the palace. The patio's black and white marble squares reminded me of a life-sized chess board. The numerous large marble statues were lined up in similar manner as the start of a game. The early morning light and shadows enhanced the scene.
Bow Lake Morning Redux - Banff National Park, Alberta
I have been looking through some of my older photos (10 years and older) and have come across some wonderful memories. The only thing that I did not enjoy is how they were processed. I decided to give them some new life this week by re-editing them. The following is the write-up that I posted when the original photos was posted to my photo blog.
Today we head back to the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park, Alberta. There are so many lakes that can be explored along the road that, if you stopped and explored each one, it would take days to drive the 140 miles. One lake that must be explored is Bow Lake. It is a relatively small lake at about 1.25 square miles, so it can be explored in a short time. It is home of the Crowfoot Glacier and the old quaint lodge, the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge. As can be seen in this image, there is a decent gravel path that borders part of of the lake. The road is only about 30 yards from this spot and the rising sun cast beautiful light through the trees onto the lake.
Sentinel Bridge View - Yosemite National Park, California
How do you visit one of the original national parks and get an image that no one else has gotten? The short answer is you don't. This magical place was made famous by the famed naturalist, John Muir, and brilliantly documented by photographer Ansel Adams. Since then, photographers have flocked to the Sierra Nevada mountain range in eastern California to walk in their footsteps. I'll be the first to freely admit that there may be some small section of the park that hasn't been photographed, but who knows for sure?
Enthusiast photographers, like myself, go there for the beauty and ruggedness of the landscapes, and, at the same time, to walk in the footsteps of these pioneers. One of my favorite formations in the park is Half Dome. It is a uniquely shaped formation ,where it looks like half of the dome has fallen away, leaving a sheer flat side. Geologists believe that 80% of the dome still remains.
This angle of Half Dome is from Sentinel Bridge during sunset with the Merced River flowing by. It is fascinating watching the shadows slowly crawl up the formation until the tip is the only thing that is lit.
Swim in Style - Hearst Castle, San Simeon, California
One of my favorite drives in the United States is the magnificent Pacific Coast Highway in California. I've done that drive, or at least part of the drive, at least a dozen times. One of my must see stops on the road is the Hearst Castle in San Simeon. Built in between 1919 and 1947 by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, the "castle" contains 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms, 127 acres of gardens, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a movie theater, an airfield, and the world's largest private zoo.
The castle materials and most of the interiors were built / furnished with materials, artifacts, and art from Europe. The indoor pool in this image was made to look like a Roman bath, and it's walls and ceilings are made of 1" square mosaic tiles. There are eight marble statues that are positioned around the pool. It is a pretty amazing pool to view and photograph.
Banff Gondola - Banff Townsite, Alberta
The town of Banff and the national park of the same name have their roots with the railroad. In the 1880’s, the Canadian Pacific Railroad built their transcontinental railroad through the Bow Valley. Three railroad workers discovered the hot springs on the side of Sulphur Mountain. Canadian Pacific, in an effort to attract more riders on the railroad, built the Banff Springs Hotel ,which put Banff on the map. Today Banff is a must-visit location, attracting visitors from around the world. There are so many spots that it is difficult to see it all in one trip unless you take a ride on the Banff Gondola. The gondola, built in 1959, is an 8-minute ride in a four-person car that rises almost 2,300 feet to the summit (7,486 feet) of Sulphur Mountain. From there you can see the town of Banff along with much of the surrounding area. I have been to Banff many times but my visit to the gondola last year was my very first time. I am now kicking myself for not doing it sooner. We had some great clouds and weather that made the trip and time on the observation decks so worth it.
Building a Nest - Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa
This photo of an African Masked Weaver was taken on the first day of my first safari in 2016. This small bird, measuring 4 - 6 inches, is common throughout southern Africa. This weaver is a breeding male that can be identified as such due to its black face, throat and beak, red eye and bright yellow head and body. The males are responsible for building the nests as this one is doing. The nest takes about 10 - 14 hours to build and is only used once. A typical weaver builds about 25 nests over a five-month long breeding season. Once each nest is completed, the male will defend his small territory around his nests, attracting female attention to his nests. If accepted by the female, he will add a short entrance tunnel, while the female lines the interior with soft grass heads and feathers and, before you know it, eggs are laid. Then onto building the next nest for a different female.
Tutshi River - Fraser, British Columbia
This photo is from the archives taken about 10 years ago on an Alaskan cruise. One of our stops was in Skagway, Alaska. For those who haven't been on a cruise before, the cruise line offers several excursions that you can sign up for while spending the day in each port. When I read the descriptions of the excursions for Skagway, there was no question which one I was taking. Why? Let's see. Board a narrow gauge train and ride 20 miles to the White Pass Summit over a railroad that was built as part of the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898. After spending some time there, head through British Columbia and into the Yukon Territory to visit the Yukon Suspension Bridge. That's why.
The suspension bridge is a 200-foot long pedestrian bridge that traverses over the Tutshi River Canyon. Standing on the bridge, directly over the middle of the Tutshi River, gives photographers a great leading line to some beautiful mountains looking in either direction. I don't know the name of the mountain in this photo but it is sure beautiful.
Yei Bi Chei - Monument Valley, Navajo Nation
One of my favorite locations in the US is the wonderful and spiritual Monument Valley, located in the Navajo Nation on the border of southern Utah and northern Arizona. The first time I visited the valley in 2005, I felt I was transported to a very beautiful but alien place. I remember remarking to my son that we had landed on Mars. After spending time there then and more recently, I realize that the true benefits of the valley beyond the landscape was to be exposed to and learn a little about Navajo culture and traditions. The Navajo name for the valley is Tsé Bii’ Ndzisgaii meaning "Valley of the Rocks". The structures in this image "Yei Bi Chei" in the middle and "Totem Pole" on the left both hold deep spiritual meaning for the Navajo. “Yei Bi Chei” means Navajo spiritual gods and is viewed as a formation of dancers emerging from a Hogan. A dance called the Yei Bi Chei dance originated in the valley and is performed for healing purposes in a very sacred nine-day ritual called the Night Way Ceremony.
Swimming - Grasonville, Maryland
As I have begun to get fully acclimated to Maryland’s Eastern Shore, I have discovered that the area, including Delaware, is the winter destination of many migrating birds. There are many large wildlife refuges in the area where they can be spotted, but you can often find them in small parks. One cloudy afternoon a couple of weeks ago, I visited a small pond (Ewing Pond) near my house. There were so many birds there that it was hard to get a shot of a couple together. I headed to one end and found a male and female Mallard couple just getting some “alone” time from the big flock. They were just enjoying a casual swim.
Backcountry - Alaska
About 10 years ago, we traveled to Alaska for a visit to Denali National Park before an Alaskan cruise. After spending several days there, we boarded an Alaskan Rail train. The train would take us to Whittier, where we would board our cruise ship. This 8-hour train ride is something everyone should have on their bucket list. The scenery is spectacular and when the weather is right (as it was on this day), Denali can be seen in all of its grandeur. Our train car had a glass dome for viewing the gorgeous Alaskan countryside. I quickly determined that shooting through the dome was not going to work due to the reflections, so I quickly headed for the open-air observation decks to shoot images from the speeding train. This image was taken from the caboose of the train somewhere along our trip. The lone home in the middle of the backcountry gave me a taste of life in Alaska.
Coming at You - Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa
My weekly “Texture Tuesday” continues with this photo of an elephant walking through the brush toward our safari vehicle. This photo was from my first trip to South Africa in 2016. We flew into Johannesburg early for a couple of day trips before our safari. Our first excursion took us on a day trip to Pilanesberg National Park and Game Reserve. This was taken in the late morning with the temperature approaching scorching. It was one of my first encounters with the magnificence of the animals of South Africa. It has become a favorite location and I hope to get back there a year from now.
Mount Katahdin - Millinocket, Maine
This is a photo from the Abol Bridge on the Golden Road in the North Woods of Maine. The North Woods is a region of heavily forested land that is nearly twice the size of Massachusetts at 12 million acres. Millinocket is a small town on the edge of the North Woods and is where serious hikers who have hiked north on the grueling 2,000-mile Appalachian Trail come to end their hike. The actual terminus of the hike, Mount Katahdin, is pictured here. This view shows the Penobscot River with Mount Katahdin in the background. The mountain was named by the Penobscot Indians and means “The Greatest Mountain”.
Mount Jimmy Simpson - Bow Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta
The Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park is one of the most beautiful roads in the world. The three-hour drive (only if you don't stop) from the town of Banff to Jasper traverses through the Canadian Rockies. It is famous for its scenic mountains and lakes. About an hour and fifteen minutes north of the town of Banff lies Bow Lake. The northern shore of Bow Lake is the location of a great old lodge, the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge (the small red roof can be seen in this photo). The lodge looks quite small (it isn’t) with Mount Jimmy Simpson as its backdrop. If you are lucky enough, the surface of the lake will be calm giving you a great reflection. This image is just a very small slice of what you will find along the Icefields Parkway.
Resting - De Wildt Cheetah Center, Madibeng, South Africa
A few years ago, our group took a side trip from Johannesburg to the De Wildt Cheetah & Wildlife Trust before our safari started. The facility is a captive cheetah breeding center that was started by Ann van Dyk in 1971 on her parents chicken farm. Other animals are also bred there, including wild dogs, brown hyenas, suni, duiker, cape vultures and riverine rabbits. On the tour through the center, we were able to photograph the cheetahs that live there.
Cheetahs and leopards are often confused. Cheetahs have black oval spots, while leopards have more complex spotting that are shaped more like roses both square and round in shape. Cheetahs also have black lines that run from the corner of their eyes down the sides of their nose to their mouth while leopards do not. Leopards are also noticeably bulkier looking than cheetahs. Cheetahs can run up to 75mph over short distances allowing them to catch their prey, while leopards use more surprise attacks. Regardless, both are extremely majestic and are amazing to observe and photograph.
Still Recovering - Glacier National Park, Montana
A trip to Glacier National Park means a drive on the challenging Going-to-the-Sun Road. The road is the only way to get from the west side of the park to the east side, and it takes a good 2-3 hours to do so. The road has terrific scenes, but the challenge is that there are very few pullouts along it, and the ones that are there have room for only a couple of cars. This means fighting with other tourists for prime spots, difficult during the day. The road is only open two months of the year due to heavy snows. This shot from the Heavens Peak area is an indication of the beauty along the road. It shows the valley and a whole lot of trees that appear to be recovering from fire damage.
Common Fiscal Shrike - Marievale Bird Sanctuary, South Africa
Following on my textured photo that I posted last week, I am declaring today, “Texture Tuesday” with this photo of a Common Fiscal Shrike. I took this photo this past December on my first day in South Africa. Our tour leader extraordinaire, Jeff Clow hosted a shoot at the Marievale Bird Sanctuary. After shooting awhile, we stopped for lunch and I was able to spot and capture this Common Fiscal Shrike sitting on a post. The background wasn’t great so I decided to add a texture.