Been a busy few weeks for me. Those who know me well know that I am a huge Bruce Springsteen fan. Bruce started his new tour in late March and I have been able to see him in Boston, Madison Square Garden and, most recently, Albany. Each show was almost 3 hours long with no breaks - not bad for a 62 year old. Anyway, heading back from Albany, Carol and I stopped at Blackberry Falls to see if they were running again (last time I went, they were closed for work). Thankfully they had reopened and while the light wasn't great, it was good to see the falls running again.
Wild Horses
I've previously posted images of one of my favorite train rides, namely the Durango-Silverton Train that travels the rugged San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado. The trip has everything from mountains to streams to gorges to valleys. One of my favorite recollections though was this group of wild horses that were just beginning to gallop as the train rolled past. Given the movement of the train and the moving subject, I was just hoping to get one decent shot of them before we sped by them. All of my shots were pretty bad except for this one. All things considered, I am pretty happy with this one shot.
Bow Lake Morning
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 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.
Flow
This image was taken a couple of years ago somewhere on Route 9 in southern Vermont. I had decided to take the day to drive to Vermont to catch some foliage shots. Unfortunately, I had missed the peak of the foliage season in Vermont and, although I shot a number of images, I simply wasn't feeling it. I thought I saw an opening from the road where there was a decent shot, but as I climbed down, I realized that the scene was not what I had thought. While climbing down the ravine, this stream and it's rocks had some great light shining on it which greatly enhanced it's color. Sometimes you just get lucky finding a subject you weren't expecting.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
A visit to Montana's Glacier National Park is a must for anyone who loves the Rocky Mountains. Located on the US - Canadian border, it was named for the many glaciers that carved the mountains into their present shapes. Unfortunately, the glaciers are being adversely affected by global warming and there are some who believe that all 37 of the remaining glaciers will be gone over the next 10-15 years. The park is also home to many large and beautiful lakes. This image is of Swiftcurrent Lake located in the Many Glacier region of the park. This view is from the east shore of the lake taken from the back of The Many Glacier Hotel looking across to the magnificent Mount Grinnell. Boats can be rented from the hotel and, if you are lucky as I was, you have a lone boater rowing toward shore anchoring the composition of the image.
Dawn has Broken
New England's famed foliage is the subject of today's image as we revisit Echo Lake located near Conway, New Hampshire. This image was taken just after dawn and shows the beautiful light and color that was there in all of it's glory for the 20+ photographers that were at the lake. The water was still and the fall foliage was reaching its peak. I decided to shoot a bracketed series so I could make sure that the beauty of the sky and the foliage came through the image. As you can see, Echo Lake is a wonderful location to capture the beauty of the New England's fall season.
Beautiful Day on the Coast
One of my favorite drives in the United States is California 1. The road begins in Orange County to the south and ends north of Mendocino in the town of Leggett. The road is about 650 miles in length and I have driven it probably about 15 times or more. It was the first real scenic drive that I took when I started traveling on business to the west coast. There are sections that are more scenic than others and some have been designated as a scenic highway. My most favorite section is located in Big Sur and is an official National Scenic Byway. For about 90 miles from the San Carpoforo Creek to the Carmel River, the road winds and hugs the cliffs of Big Sur, passing various coastal parks.
On the day I shot this image, the weather was glorious as we left San Simeon for the drive to Monterey. Every pullout seemed to be screaming at me to stop and take a photo. If I had, it would have taken forever to reach our destination. I was compelled to pull over to get a shot of the Bixby Creek Bridge in the distance by my son, whose favorite author, Jack Kerouac lived in a cabin in the Bixby Canyon. He later penned his book "Big Sur" about his experiences there.
Sandstone
Delicate Arch is one of Utah's most famous icons and can be seen on magazine covers, tourist guides and on Utah's license plates. The classic view of the arch requires a 1.5 mile (one way) moderately strenuous hike leading up a steep slit rock trail from the parking area at Wolfe Ranch. It is an exhilarating hike and well worth the effort. There are times that the hike is not feasible whether it be rainy weather or traveling with people that cannot traverse the steep climb. In these instances, there is a viewpoint that gives a good view of the arch, albeit from a very different perspective. The viewpoint is about a mile from the arch and it was from this vantage point that I took this shot. There are normally lots of people around and under the arch, but for some unexplained reason, there were very few people there (the ones that were there were at the mercy of the content-aware brush).
Cameron Reflections
Today we are headed back to the Canadian Rockies to visit the smallest and least famous national park in Alberta, namely Waterton National Park. Given it's location in southern Alberta, it is often the forgotten park when compared to Canada's national parks to north (Banff & Jasper) and the famous U.S. Glacier National Park that abuts Waterton. There is a real relaxed atmosphere to the park that serves as the perfect place to view spectacular scenery, wildlife and enjoy recreational activities. This image is of Cameron Lake which is located at the end of the Akamina Parkway. Cameron is a hidden gem and has some great trails for hiking or you can rent canoes, kayaks and paddle boats. Even though we visited in August, you can see that the mountain face still had snow with numerous small waterfalls tumbling into the lake. The lake was deserted and I had the pick of perspectives.
Early Light
After viewing fellow photographer and blogger Rick Louie's gorgeous image of Herbert Lake last week, it reminded me that I had a number of images of the lake that I haven't looked at in a while. I tried to find one from a different vantage point and this is it. The image was taken about one half hour after dawn (also known as the golden hour). Herbert Lake is located on the Icefields Parkway just north of Lake Louise in Banff National Park. The lake is only a few feet off of the road and the only obstacle is a guard rail. While I enjoyed the beautiful light and scenery, I thought of my poor wife who was dragged out of the hotel before dawn and was sleeping in the car. What photographer spouses have to go through for a photo.
Island Protection
I first visited this lighthouse on my tour of New England lighthouses with my son as he searched for a location for his movie short. While we loved the light (known as either the Cape Neddick Lighthouse or Nubble Light), my images were pretty awful as it was mid-day and the light and glare was terrible. I decided that I needed to revisit sometime in the future. That chance came in the fall during a vacation with friends. We were staying in Kennebunkport and decided to take a boat tour out of Perkins Cove in Ogunquit to see the island from all sides. The tour is a nice way to spend an afternoon seeing the beautiful Maine coast and it's most southern destination is the lighthouse. The tour circles the island (or at least 90% of it) before heading back to Perkins Cove. The best vantage point, whether it be from a boat or on land, is this one that shows the full lighthouse.
Purple Mountain Majesty
When visiting the Canadian Rockies, the first places that come to mind are Banff and Jasper National Parks. There is so much to do and see that many don't usually explore further into the Rockies. When we visited Jasper, the weather was downright awful with rain most of the days we were there. A little bored, we decided to take a trip west into British Columbia to see if we could at least find somewhere where it wasn't raining. As luck would have it, we found Mount Robson Provincial Park. The park is located entirely within British Columbia, bordering Jasper National Park. The park is named for Mount Robson, which is pictured here and is the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. Mount Robson stands tall within the park rising about 7,500 feet from Berg Lake to the summit. As I framed this image, I immediately thought of the words, purple mountain majesty from the song.
Shipwrecked
This image is a shipwreck lying just off the beach of Cape May, New Jersey. The ship was the S.S. Atlantus and was built by the Liberty Ship Building Company. Launched in December 1918, it was used to bring home US servicemen that fought in World War I. In 1926, there was a plan to use it and two other concrete ships as a ferry dock. Unfortunately, a storm hit and the Atlantus broke its moorings and ran aground where it is today. Now, it's just a twisted hulk of concrete and rebar poking out of the bay.
Chilling
This image is of the town of Perast located on the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. Near Perast there are two small islands: one is called St. George island which houses an old monastery. The other is called Gospa od Škrpjela, home to the chapel of Our Lady of the Rocks. We had just left the chapel and were on a relaxing short boat ride to Perast. Perast has an interesting history. The Republic of Venice owned the city between 1420 and 1797 as part of the Venetian Albania. It has sixteen Baroque palaces, seventeen Catholic churches and two Orthodox churches. After the French Empire conquered and dissolved the Republic of Venice in 1797, it became part of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy and later was included in the Austrian Empire. During World War II it briefly was annexed to Italy by Mussolini. After 1945, Perast became part of Yugoslavia and ultimately became part of Montenegro since its independence in 2006.
Visions of Banff
One of the most photogenic places on Earth is located in the Canadian Rockies. Banff National Park is a destination for any landscape photographer and no visit to the park would be complete without a stay in the Town of Banff. The town is located about 75 miles west of Calgary, Alberta and about 35 miles east of Lake Louise. The town was the first municipality to incorporate within a Canadian national park and is known for its surrounding mountains and hot springs. It is a destination for almost all outdoor sports, especially skiing. While not as high when compared to the US Rockies, it's elevation of 4,800 feet is still the second highest in Canada.
This view of the Town of Banff from Mount Norquay shows it nestled in the valley to the right of Mount Rundle with the Bow River running past.
Nature's Cathedral
Cathedral Rocks and Spires are a prominent group of cliffs and pinnacles located on the south side of the Yosemite Valley near the entrance to the valley. There are three main sections of Cathedral Rocks aptly named Higher, Middle, and Lower Cathedral Rocks. Adjacent to Higher Cathedral Rock are the Higher and Lower Cathedral Spires, the most impressive spires in Yosemite. Bridalveil Falls flows between Cathedral Rocks. Like almost every formation in the park, Cathedral Rocks beckons to photographers to capture them. While trying to get a different perspective of the formations, it is most likely impossible as Yosemite is probably the most photographed national park. Regardless, I and many others, continue to try to capture their beauty.
After the Fog
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.
Ice Calving
One of the stops on most Alaskan cruises will be to some of the many glaciers that have their terminus on the coast. Favorite spots are Glacier National Park and Hubbard Glacier. Not only are these glaciers beautiful, there can be actual "action" opportunities to photograph. What types of action can be captured? Ice Calving. Ice calving is the sudden release and breaking away of a mass of ice from a glacier. Calving of glaciers is often preceded by a loud cracking sound before blocks of ice up to 250 feet high break loose and crash into the water. The entry of the ice into the water causes large and potentially dangerous wakes.
Trying to photograph an ice calving can be challenging. The first challenge, especially if you are on a cruise ship, is finding a vantage point. You would be amazed to see almost every passenger on the rail of the cruise ship (for some ships, that number could be 1,500- 2,000). The next decision is at what focal length to shoot at. That depends on how close you are to the glacier and how wide the glacier is. Because you never know where along the glacier the calving will occur, too tight of a shot may cause you to miss it and too wide of a shot makes the calving hard to see. A third challenge is anticipating where along the glacier wall the calving will occur. The only notice that you have is a large cracking sound. Unless it happens directly in front of you, there are a scant few seconds to turn toward the sound, aim the camera and shoot a burst. The last challenge is patience. A cruise ship may spend up to an hour in front of a glacier, and many times, there are no calvings.
This image is of an ice calving on the Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park. To put this into perspective, the height of the glacier is 350 feet, 250 feet visible above water and a width of about a mile.
Tioga Road Beauty
Many of the visitors to Yosemite National Park enter the park from its western entrances as it is the closest to the major California cities. The western part of the park is also home to the famed Yosemite Valley where many of the major attractions are located. Many visitors stay in the valley and never travel to the eastern side of the park. That is a shame as there is a lot to see and has a unique beauty of its own. To drive from the valley to the town of Lee Vining (home to the famed Mono Lake), the only choice of roads is Tioga Road. The trip is about 75 miles one way and the road peaks at nearly 10,000 feet at the Tioga Pass. This is one of the most scenic drives in America and is only open in season which is generally late May to October, depending on snow. We left around noon to explore Tioga Raod, making stops along the way and ultimately having dinner in Lee Vining. When we left town, is was approaching sunset and the light was phenomenal. Along the way, we stopped along the road to take this image. I highly recommend taking this road the next time you are in Yosemite.
Taking Flight
As many of you who follow this blog know, I am primarily a landscape and cityscape photographer. I rarely take photos of people although I do snap a few family and friends portraits, usually when on vacation. I do take shots of animals and birds which I did on last year's trip to Alaska. I was determined to get some shots of Bald Eagles in flight during our trip as they can be seen just about anywhere in the state. What I didn't realize, however, is that bird photography is HARD (either that or I am really bad at photography). I have more blurred shots of Bald Eagles that I do of in-focus mountains. Perhaps shooting them from a moving boat didn't help or that I only had a 28-300mm Nikkor lens which is much too short and slow. I think that even on firm ground with the right lens, I still would have been challenged. Anyway, my hat is off to you bird photographers out there. I have a much greater appreciation for your photographic skills. Oh by the way, this is probably my best Bald Eagle shot of the trip.