I don't know about anyone else, but I have this fascination with architecture. I love taking photos of all types of structures, and, for some reason that I don't understand, doors have become a common subject for me. I especially love taking photos of the different doors of Europe, probably because they are so different from the ones you find here in the US. This door is one of the more unusual ones that I have seen, but it seems everything that is found in Venice is a bit different. You just don't hang out on the doorstep waiting for a ride to pick you up, but rather a knock on the door from someone in a gondola.
High Above it All - Yosemite National Park, California
Next year, one of my favorite national parks will celebrate its 125th anniversary. In 1890, through the efforts of naturalist John Muir, this amazing landscape tucked away in the Sierra Nevada mountain range was designated a national park by Congress. The park's popularity skyrocketed when famed photographer Ansel Adams published his compelling photos showing the beauty of the terrain.
One of the great places to get an expansive view of the Yosemite Valley is to head up to Glacier Point. Although it is only 1 mile away as the crow flies (looking up), it is a 30 mile drive to get there. It can get quite crowded there, as it gives a great angled view of Half Dome. For a more secluded view of the valley (and much less crowded), take a hike to Washburn Point (the trailhead is quite near Glacier Point). From there you get a 360-degree view that includes Half Dome (although its face is not as visible) and two of Yosemite's waterfalls, Vernal and Nevada Falls. The only regret that I have is not shooting a panorama that would show more of the valley. Something for my next trip there.
Ghosts Live Here - Ashcroft, Colorado
This will be my last post this week, as it is Thanksgiving holiday weekend here in the US. I wanted to post something that said something about the first Thanksgiving, when the pilgrims gave thanks with a meal with the local Native Americans in 1621. This is as close as I could get. Instead of 1621, this building was built in 1880. Instead of being in Massachusetts, this building is located in Colorado. Okay, it has nothing to do with Thanksgiving, but it is rustic.
This abandoned building is actually one of nine buildings that make up the Ashcroft Ghost Town just outside of Aspen. We had just left Maroon Bells and were headed back to Denver. Rick Louie wanted us to shoot a few photos here of the buildings against the mountains and golden aspens. I am so glad that he did, as you could see how beautiful this location is.
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving, and I will see you here on the blog next week.
Towering Aspens - Telluride, Colorado
One of the more memorable memories from my photo tour with Rick Louie was traveling up a one-lane, narrow dirt road that started behind the Double RL Ranch near Ridgway, Colorado. The road was very muddy, and we encountered some tough stretches trying to maneuver past cars coming the other way. If not for the expert driving of Chris Nitz, we would have had to drive back down in reverse. Near the end of the road, we hadn't found anything worth shooting, and, right when we were ready to turn back, we came to a clearing where Mt Sneffels could be seen. There were lots of high fives, and we spent hours there.
Not only did we have the mountain in front of us, behind us was this great stand of Aspens. I ventured into the grove and up a trail. I couldn't help myself, and shot off a few frames looking up at the aspen treetops.
Pyramid - Jasper National Park, Alberta
A while back, my buddy Jeff Clow nicknamed me "panorama man", as I enjoy shooting wide panorama shots. Looking back on the blog, I realized that I haven't posted one in quite a while, at least until today. This view is from Jasper National Park, with Pyramid Island to the left and Pyramid Mountain in the background. Of course, the foreground includes Pyramid Lake.
When I first drove down to the lake, I decided to head out onto the island (there is a wooden walkway to get access to it). The island is quite small, and I walked around to see if there were any good compositions. As I walked around, I noticed another photographer onshore, and I determined that his location was better than mine. So, over I went, and I was able to shoot this photo capturing all of the Pyramids.
Road to the Falls - Telluride, Colorado
Closing out this week is a photo I took in Telluride, Colorado, on Rick Louie's Fall Photo Tour. Most of the tour was spent exploring the great destinations that surround Telluride and the countryside. On this afternoon, we headed back into town and took a gravel road (you can see it winding up on the right side), with the Bridal Veil Falls as the ultimate destination. Thanks to the great driving skills of our co-pilot, Chris Nitz, we safely reached the ridge of this one-lane road, and exited the car for this great view of Telluride and the valley it sits in. This is only one of the spectacular scenes that you will find on Rick's Fall Tour. For more information about it, check out his website at Rick Louie Photography
Cruising the Harbor - Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island, is a great New England destination for many reasons. It is best known for it's opulent mansions that border the city's Cliff Walk. The mansions that were built by the ultra-rich during the Gilded Age are a must-see attraction (I have posted numerous photos of them). Newport is also well known for its sailing, and it is a sailing mecca for the sailing enthusiast. In fact, it has hosted twelve America's Cup races (the last time was in 1983).
My wife and I visited Newport in September with friends, and the city was bustling with a boat show in town. The weather was terrific the first day we were there, and we decided to book a cruise the next day, Of course, the weather turned cold and became quite windy, but we headed out anyway. When banking for turns, the boat seemed to go almost straight up, and there were times I was looking almost straight down into the water when I looked across from my seat. I can only image what it must be like in one of the America's Cup races. Anyway, on the way back to port, I spotted this beauty heading in the same direction.
Fall in Acadia - Acadia National Park, Maine
There are two large lakes in Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island, and both have views of the Bubbles (two mountains that look like bubbles). Earlier, I posted this photo of the Bubbles from Jordan Pond that was taken in the morning, after the rain and clouds began to move on. Later in the afternoon, the NxNW crew headed to Eagle Lake to shoot a bit. As you can see, the weather front had totally moved on, leaving us with a great fall afternoon. From the northern edge of the lake, one of the Bubble's back side (could be the front side) can be seen in the distance. The lake was pretty still, especially for the middle of the afternoon. A bonus is the silhouette of a crane and it's reflection that can be found in the middle of the lake (you can see it better by clicking on the photo).
Empty Epcot - Walt Disney World, Florida
After my trip to Colorado, NYC and Acadia, I actually spent a couple of weeks at home before my wife and I headed to Disney for two weeks with great friends. Given all of the photos I have shot this year, I went there with the intention of shooting very little and just enjoying the warm weather. That doesn't mean that I didn't shoot at all, but I shot less over these two weeks that I normally shoot in a day. The park was relatively busy, as Disney was hosting it's annual International Wine and Food Festival. We signed up for a French breakfast in Epcot at the Les Chefs de France restaurant. Since the breakfast began before Epcot was open to the general public, I was able to capture this shot with some terrific morning light, and there was not a soul to be seen (that is right, no pixels were erased using content aware fill). I only wish that we had the park to ourselves for the rest of the day.
Guarding Acadia - Acadia National Park, Maine
I hope that you enjoyed my photos in the Black and White Photo Challenge last week as much as I enjoyed participating in it. Now we are back to normal and posting color images. I haven't focused much on my recent trips to Colorado, Acadia, Newport and Disney and will try to over the next few weeks.
First up, we head to Acadia National Park and one of my favorite subjects, lighthouses. The Bass Harbor Light is located in the southwest portion of Mount Desert Island in the park. It is one of the iconic shots that commonly shows up when searching online for 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 get a spot. It is not unusual for photographers to climb down on the rocks (you definitely must be sure footed) to get there two hours before sunrise to secure a good spot.
For this shot, the NxNW crew (all ten of us) got there a little later than we wanted, and we were really lucky to get a spot in the very small parking lot. After unpacking and scrambling over the rocks, we barely had enough room to get a decent angle at the light. It is always fun shooting with a group because time passes quickly with a lot of laughs. Once the sun started lowering to the horizon, all talk was gone and only the sound of cameras clicking was heard.
I tried quite a few compositions, and I really like this one--a bit wider shot that captured some of the water in the foreground.
Dirt Road - Moab, Utah
Five Day B&W Photo Challenge - Day 5
A few weeks ago, I was nominated on Facebook to participate in the 5-day B&W Photo Challenge by three fellow photographers (Jimi Jones, Edith Levy and Bobby Strader), and on Google+ by another photographer (James Howe). As a result, the blog will feature only Black and White images (all edited this past weekend for this challenge) this week.
For my last photo on this challenge, I am taking you to sunrise along the Colorado River Scenic Byway (aka River Road). This was taken back in March, as part of Jeff Clow's Moab Photo Tour (not to be missed). This particular dirt road is part of the Professor Valley area of Moab. I really like how the different layers of light pop in this black and white version. The well-lit road and the partially-lit peaks contrast well with the dark shadows below the peaks.
I really enjoyed this challenge, as it made me really think hard about selecting images for black and white treatment. One of my goals for 2014 was to process more B&W images, and I think that I have posted more of them this year than in the previous five years. Many thanks to Jimi, Edith, Bobby and James for offering me the opportunity to participate.
Island Flow - Jasper National Park, Alberta
Five Day B&W Photo Challenge - Day 4
A few weeks ago, I was nominated on Facebook to participate in the 5-day B&W Photo Challenge by three fellow photographers (Jimi Jones, Edith Levy and Bobby Strader) and on Google+ by another photographer (James Howe). As a result, the blog will feature only Black and White images (all edited this past weekend for this challenge) this week.
One of the subjects that I think really benefits from black and white treatment is flowing water that has been captured during a long exposure. I think that the movement of the water is accentuated, making it more visual to the eye. I took this image just off of the Icefields Parkway in Jasper National Park. The water flows toward the Sumwapta Falls, which can be found downstream. The little island in the middle is a little reminiscent of Spirit Island, also located in the park.
Lighting in the Storm - Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Five Day B&W Photo Challenge - Day 3
A few weeks ago, I was nominated on Facebook to participate in the 5-day B&W Photo Challenge by three fellow photographers (Jimi Jones, Edith Levy and Bobby Strader) and on Google+ by another photographer (James Howe). As a result, the blog will feature only Black and White images (all edited this past weekend for this challenge) this week.
This past September, I spent a couple of days in Rocky Mountain National Park before joining Rick Louie for his excellent Colorado Fall Photo Tour (highly recommended). The first full day the weather was pretty bad, and the beautiful sunrise and sunset I had planned to shoot was not going to be. Of course, bad weather has it's own benefits that can result in some pretty dramatic shots. This was the case as I was driving the Trail Ridge Road that connects the eastern and western sides of the park. I spotted these sun rays lighting up a small part of the landscape and pulled over quickly to capture it. Since the colors of the scene were a bit muted, I felt that this photo screamed black and white.
Stark - Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Five Day B&W Photo Challenge - Day 2
A few weeks ago, I was nominated on Facebook to participate in the 5-day B&W Photo Challenge by three fellow photographers (Jimi Jones, Edith Levy and Bobby Strader) and on Google+ by another photographer (James Howe). As a result, the blog will feature only Black and White images (all edited this past weekend for this challenge) this week.
For my second day of this challenge, we head to Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. It is a mecca for Urbex photographers even though it is now a historical site and museum. The prison was built in 1829 and was the largest and most expensive public structure in the country at that time. It is an eerie place, with all of the ghosts of past prisoners probably floating around. I thought that a black and white treatment would convey the starkness of the place.
Reflections in Black & White - Banff National Park, Alberta
Five Day B&W Photo Challenge - Day 1
A few weeks ago, I was nominated on Facebook to participate in the 5-day B&W Photo Challenge by three fellow photographers (Jimi Jones, Edith Levy and Bobby Strader) and on Google+ by another photographer (James Howe). I am not sure why I was so popular for this challenge, but I hope I am up for the task. Due to my travels over the past four weeks, I am finally getting around to meeting the challenge. As a result, the blog will feature only Black and White images (all edited this past weekend for this challenge) this week.
Since I am primarily a landscape photographer, I wanted to pick a landscape for my first B&W post. What better subject for that medium than capturing snow on the peaks of magnificent mountains? I knew immediately that the Canadian Rockies would be my subject. A quick look through my Banff National Park images resulted in picking this view of Herbert Lake, located on the Icefields Parkway. The sun had just risen and it lit the peaks perfectly, creating the contrast of the snow with the rugged dark mountain. The fact that I had a perfectly still lake added to the beautiful scene.
Bridge Crossing - Banff National Park, Alberta
Just got back from Disney after spending a couple of weeks relaxing. I shot sparingly on this trip, as I was probably "shot out" (if that is possible) from all of the great adventures that I have had this year. I have thousands of images to go through this winter and I am looking forward to reviewing them.
Earlier this year, I visited Banff National Park with Jeff Clow on one of his great photo tours. One morning, we stopped at one of my favorite locations along the Icefields Parkway - the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge. Located on Bow Lake, it is a great location for mountain and lake shots. Every time I visit Banff, I say that I will stay at the lodge and never do. I will make it a point to stay there on my next Banff trip. This is a scene from behind the lodge before the buses of tourists showed up. That is Crowfoot Mountain in the background.
Newport Granduer - Newport, Rhode Island
Every time we visit Newport, Rhode Island, we end up visiting the mansions that line Cliff Walk. These architectural wonders are remnants from the Gilded Age, when the captains of industry built these opulent "summer cottages". The term Gilded Age was coined by Mark Twain to satirize the social problems of the times that were masked by a thin gold gilding.
Perhaps the most visible disparity between the workers and the rich is the Breakers. This mansion boasts 125,000 square feet of space ("only" 62,500 square feet of living area), and was used by the Vanderbilt family during the summers. It is now owned by the Newport Preservation Society and can be toured daily. Photographs are prohibited inside the mansion, and the only place where they are allowed is from the second floor balcony that shows the view of Cliff Walk and the Atlantic Ocean.
Look Behind You - Maroon Bells, Aspen, Colorado
Earlier this week, I posted my favorite shot of our Colorado Tour at Maroon Bells. Sometimes we all get so excited about a particular subject, we often don't look around the scene for other great compositions. I try to look behind me to see if there are any different compositions that are worth shooting. After the sun had risen, with the probably 200+ photographers still shooting the lake, I turned around and saw this scene, which was quite beautiful.
Bah Habah - Bar Harbor Inn and Spa, Maine
A visit to Acadia National Park usually means a visit to or hotel stay in Bar Harbor. Bar Harbor is the biggest town on Mount Desert Island and is loaded with restaurants and stores. It is quite the popular town, and even cruise ships stop there (avoid that time, if possible). One of the most recognizable hotels in town is the Bar Harbor Inn, which is located on the water. I have stayed there several times in the past and it is quite convenient to everything.
The nXnw crew ended up in the town one afternoon when the light was not stellar. We all had a lot of fun trying to speak with a Boston accent, many times unsuccessfully. The attempts to say Bah Habah were funny and became a constant refrain.
Glorious Maroon Bells - Aspen, Colorado
When planning my Colorado Tour with Rick Louie, one of the places that I wanted to shoot was Maroon Bells, but I knew that it was not on the tour. I decided to fly out early before the tour and try to fit in both Maroon Bells and Rocky Mountain National Park. After booking my flights, I talked with Rick, and quickly realized that I had underestimated the amount of time I needed (not unusual for me). Rick graciously offered to extend the tour to shoot this iconic location.
We had been dodging the wet weather the whole tour and the forecast was for rain at sunrise. It was a bit disappointing, but one of our tour members was a meteorologist, and he was persistent that we should still get up at 3am (Maroon Bells is an extremely popular destination during foliage season and photographers get there several hours early to secure a spot) to see if the weather had cleared. I had my doubts, but, when I got a call around 3am, I knew that the game was on.
For those of you who think I am borderline crazy for getting up at this hour, I will say that after shooting one of the best sunrises that I have had in a while, it was definitely worth it. The clouds, soft light, golden aspens and wonderful reflection made this magical for me. Definitely my favorite shot on the trip.