The Chateau

Chateau Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Back from an unplanned week away from the blog. Been a busy week and I am glad to be back. Today's image is of the Chateau Lake Louise located on the lake of the same name in Banff National Park. The original Chateau was gradually built from the end of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway. The hotel is not an inexpensive one but if you are going to splurge on any hotel in Alberta, this is the one to do it. The hotel sits on one end of the emerald waters of the spectacular lake and is perhaps the most picturesque hotel in the Canadian Rockies. The view from the hotel is the beautiful Victoria glacier that hangs suspended above the frigid waters.

This photo of the hotel was taken a little after dawn from the dock across the lake. The morning was still and the lake was glass-like.

Sail Reflections

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Canada Place, with its iconic white sails, is located in the heart of Vancouver’s downtown harbor front. We had finished our Alaskan cruise and we were staying in the Pan Pacific Hotel that is part of Canada Place. Whenever one sees images of Vancouver, the sails of Canada Place are front and forward and almost every tourist guide shows it's image. I tried very hard to shoot it from different angles and, while I managed to get a couple that I sort of liked, I wasn't happy. It wasn't until our last night that I spotted this reflection of Canada Place in the windows of the neighboring pier. While I had noticed this view before, it was the great light and clouds that made the shot for me.

Dilapidated

Corfu, Greece

Today we visit Corfu, Greece, the second largest of the Ionian Islands. The island's Greek name, Kerkyra, is related to Greek mythology, namely Poseidon, the god of the sea. In 2007, the island's old city was designated for the UNESCO World Heritage List. The old city, where this image was taken, is a labyrinth of narrow streets paved with cobblestones. The buildings, as one would expect, are old and, while a lot of them are kept up, there are a few like this one that shows it's age.

Look, Up in the Sky...

Manhattan, New York

On a very frigid day (about 2 degrees) in Manhattan, the sun was shining and the air was crisp. Every few blocks we would run into a store or a building lobby just to warm up. As I left one of these "shelters", I happened to look up and saw this wonderful reflection in the building across the street.  The scene had a lot of contrast so I decided to hand hold a five bracketed burst and hope that the reflection of the building would come out okay. The dynamic range in this image is where HDR really shines, even without a tripod.

One at a Time

Zook's Mill Covered Bridge, Lancaser County, Pennsylvania

Today, I will be headed to Florida for a week or so to get a little warm and to visit Disney for the first time in over 10 years. Our good friends from New Jersey invited my wife and me to stay with them at their time share. As a result, my time spent writing posts and viewing blogs will be limited. Thanks to all of you who visit and comment on my blog. It is very much appreciated. I will try to catch up when I return. Today's image is from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. While Lancaster County is famous for it's Amish people (over 50,000 live in the area), it is also home to 29 covered bridges, many of which are in operation. The one in this image is the Zook's Mill Covered Bridge. It is typical of covered bridges in the area, many of which are located near farms on back country roads with only one lane allowing only one car to cross at a time. Lancaster County is a great place to visit and I would encourage anyone that is passing by the area to stop and spend some time there.

Alley Way

Monte Carlo, Monaco

Sometimes when you visit a place that you have heard a lot about, you get this image in your head of what it would be like to visit there. Often times, it turns out to be a bit different from your preconceived notion. That sort of happened to me when I visited Monte Carlo, Monaco. Everything I ever heard about it was that it was the playground of the rich and that opulence was everywhere you looked. You know what I mean -- shiny new buildings, streets and yachts. Yes, there is money to be seen throughout the city (the streets are not lined in gold) but what was unexpected was the old time feel of some of the alley ways and the architecture there.

As we walked around town, what impressed me the most were not the riches to be seen but rather the alleys like the one in this image. I felt like I was transported somewhere to a different time and the architecture was far from opulent. Quite the contrast of what I expected to like the most.

Disappearing Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California

If I had to pick one city in the US that I would like to visit, it would be San Francisco (sorry San Diego, you come in second). It probably stems back to my first time there years ago when I visited an old friend who had moved there from Philadelphia. I stayed with him at his place for a week and we walked all over the city. My best memory of it was a Sunday morning when we took the ferry to Sausolito to have brunch. I enjoyed it so much that I try to take the ferry there every time I visit San Fran. This visit was no exception. It was late morning when my wife and son boarded the ferry and headed across the bay. As we passed Alcatraz, the fog began to roll in. For anyone who hasn't experienced this, it is a sight to behold. I snapped a few photos before the Golden Gate Bridge disappeared.

Venice Rooftops

Scala Contarini del Bovolo seen from Campanile di San Marco, Venice, Italy

When one thinks of Venice, the first thing that comes to mind are it's canals and rightfully so. But there is some wonderful architecture in Venice that is pretty amazing too. One of the hidden gems that we had read about in Rick Steve's excellent guide book was Scala Contarini del Bovolo. It is a unique structure with it's external spiral staircase and arches. We would not have found it without Rick's directions as it is located in a less-traveled side-street near the Campo Manin, near the Rialto. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit there. The next day, we went up into the St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) to take a look at Venice's rooftops. Much to my surprise, I was able to spot the Scala Contarini del Bovolo contrasted against the red roofs.

New York Escape

Carnegie Hall, Manhattan, New York

Today we visit New York City's Carnegie Hall which is one of the last large buildings in New York built entirely of masonry, without a steel frame. Originally built in 1891, the exterior of the Hall was updated around 1900 with several marquees being added to the front entrance. A few years later, city building codes required the addition of the fire escape in this image. The fire escape spans the entire Seventh Avenue façade. When I was composing the shot of the Hall, I was taken by the late afternoon sun hitting the fire escape and decided to change my composition to that of the fire escape rather than the the whole facade.

Domes, Domes, Everywhere

The Vatican, Vatican City

Any visit to Rome must include spending time in Vatican City and especially the Vatican Museums. The museums are among the greatest museums in the world and they display centuries of works that include some of the most renowned sculptures and masterpieces of Renaissance art. The lines to get into can oftentimes go on for blocks that take several hours to navigate. When we visited, we had arranged for a special tour and were able to bypass the line. Once inside the museum, the crowds were everywhere. It was very difficult to move and take photos but if you were patient, you could get off a few unobstructed shots.

What was really amazing was the number of galleries (there are 54), each of which had quite a number of sculptures, tapestries, paintings and murals. The Sistine Chapel is the last museum and the only way to see it is to proceed through the other 53 galleries. Talk about a sensory overload!

Every time I looked up, there seemed to be a mural or dome above me. I'm not sure what the name of this dome was, but it sure is beautiful.

Rialto Bridge View

Grand Canal, Venice, Italy

The Rialto Bridge is probably the most visited and most photographed bridge in Venice. The bridge connects the districts of San Polo and San Marco across the Grand Canal. The present iteration of the bridge was completed in 1591 and is a favorite destination of tourists. Getting a view from the top of the bridge takes patience as the rails are lined with people taking photos. Once you get the desired spot, it's easy to see why the bridge is so crowded. As you can see, the view is pretty awesome and it is easy to get mesmerized with all of the boats and gondolas maneuvering the Grand Canal. Scenes like this one make Venice one of my most favorite places in the world.

Rustic

The Inn at Mountain View Farms, East Burke, Vermont

Once again, we visit the Inn at Mountain View Farm in East Burke, VT. The inn is located on a 440-acre historic farm on top of a mountain with picturesque views of the surrounding Vermont countryside. We were given the run of the place for three hours and this image was taken in one of the barns on the property. The rustic look of the barrels and the walls contrasted very nicely with the red building and green leaves seen through the window. The light from the side window gave the barrels a very nice glow. The Inn at Mountain View Farm is a wonderful place to stay as well as a photographer's paradise.

The Chapel on the Hill

17 Mile Drive, California

This will be my last post before the Christmas holidays. I will try to post a couple of images next week while visiting family, but if I don't, I would like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and a fantastic new year. I would be remiss if I didn't thank everyone who has visited my site or left a comment of encouragement. I have made many new photography friends this past year and am deeply grateful to the on-line photography community that share my passion for photography. In this image, I bring you an interior shot of The Chapel of the Holy Family. The chapel is located on Darling Hill Road in Lyndonville, Vermont. It is situated at the edge of a beautiful wooded area on a knoll that overlooks the beautiful Vermont countryside.

Guarding the Palace

Doge's Palace, St Mark's Square, Venice, Italy

The Doge's Palace was the seat of the Republic of Venice for centuries before it became part of Italy in 1866. The current palace was constructed between 1309 and 1424. Two facades of the palace border St. Mark's Square and a third facade looks towards the Venetian Lagoon. The last facade is connected to Venice's infamous prison by the even more infamous Bridge of Sighs. Each column of the palace is unique from the others. Between the ninth and tenth columns, death sentences and executions were carried out. Today, the palace serves as a museum. In addition to being able to view the Doge's apartments, government chambers and the prison cells, the palace also contains a magnificent art collection. Climbing the enormous staircase, the Scala die Giganti, you come to the second floor and look out on the courtyard and the massive statues of Neptune and Mars. It is here that I composed this image of the backs of the statues looking out to the courtyard and the ornate other side of the palace.

When in Rome

The Colosseum, Rome, Italy

When traveling to a new city, it is always worth doing pre-trip planning to get an idea of what attractions and photo locations there might be. Doing research on the internet, looking at post cards and calendars, perusing photo books, and looking at photos on sites like 500px and Flickr are what I usually do. There is a new tool in my arsenal that may end up being the best. That tool is Trey Ratcliff's new iPad app, Stuck on Earth. Quite simply, pick any location on earth and you will be able to see photos that were taken there by Trey or a myriad of other photographers. The interface is slick and beautifully designed. Best of all, it is free. I highly recommend the app for those who have iPads.

For this image taken in Rome, I didn't need to do any research to know that the iconic Colosseum was one of Rome's most famous tourist attractions. There are probably millions of images taken of this ancient structure but when in Rome...

Sunlit Cupola

The Inn at Mountain View Farms, East Burke, Vermont

In this earlier post, I introduced the Inn at Mountain View Farm in East Burke, VT. The size of the Inn's property is huge and I wandered from building to building. I ultimately found this building that was dark, empty and deserted. Even though it was quite dark, there was some light coming from above through the cupola on the roof. As I looked for subjects to shoot, it occurred to me to shoot the great wooden cupola from below. I shot 9 brackets as the dynamic range was pretty extreme and I think the texture and tones of the wood came through.

Spiral Staircase

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, Bristol, Maine

As many of you who follow my blog know, my favorite lighthouse in Maine is the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. Today, I have decided to take you inside of the lighthouse. The lighthouse was commissioned in 1827 by John Quincy Adams and built that year. While the lighthouse appears to be tall as it sits high on a huge rocky promontory, it only measures 30 feet. To enter the lighthouse, you go through the keeper's house which is now the Fishermen’s Museum at Pemaquid. The museum contains displays and artifacts of the lighthouse and local maritime history.

This image is looking up the spiral staircase to the light itself.

New York Spires

St Patrick's Cathedral, Manhattan, New York

Walking the streets of New York City is a photographer's Disney World. Everywhere you look, there is a great shot, whether it be people or buildings. I especially love taking shots of the buildings when they get that warm glow from a fading sun. It's hard not to walk the streets and be constantly looking up for "the shot". Of course, doing that can be very dangerous when walking crowded sidewalks or crossing streets. On this particular day, I was heading to St Patrick's Cathedral to take some shots inside the church. As I approached the cathedral, I noticed the golden glow in the building beside it. As I looked at the spires that were mostly in the shade, I thought that the contrast between the two structures made a wonderful image.

Mosaic Reflections

Hearst Castle, San Simeon, California

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend. 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.

This image is of the a diving "board" of the indoor pool that is ensconced with mosaic tiles. Definitely a place to visit.

Back Alley

Edinburgh, Scotland

This is an image from the archives that I took on vacation in the British Isles in 2007. We took a cruise that stopped in various cities in Ireland, Wales, Scotland and France. This is a back alley in Edinburgh, Scotland. The interesting thing is that I shot this image on one of the days of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The Tattoo is a famous show that features military bands as part of the Edinburgh Festival that is held in August each year. The Festival attracts over 200,000 people and it seemed that there was at least that many on the streets. What amazed me most about this image is that there was no one in this alley, unlike almost every other alley that I passed that day. It's like the photography gods wanted me to shoot this scene.