One of my favorite places in the US is Monument Valley, which is part of a large Navajo Reservation on the border of Utah and Arizona. Visitors can really get caught up with the beauty of the valley and don't realize that there are other cool places to visit like Goosenecks State Park. The park is unlike anything I have seen before. Millions of years ago, this area was flat. At some point, a period of uplift occurred, causing the San Juan River to flow faster. As the river began to meander back in forth, it eroded the rock, forming the goosenecks. To get an idea on how much back and forth erosion occurred, the river travels over five miles, but only moves one mile if you went in a straight line. If looking down from a plane, there are actually five of these goosenecks in this section of the river.
Light Reflections - Marshall Point Lighthouse, Port Clyde, Maine
One of the advantages of visiting a location multiple times is that you can take advantage of varying lighting conditions that gives the same subject a new look. An added advantage when shooting along the coastline is that low tide can give you different perspectives that are impossible if the tide is in. Our group initially shot Marshall Point Lighthouse at sunrise, when the early morning light was on the other side of the lighthouse. Had we been able to shoot from this vantage point, the light would have been directly in our face, causing sun glare and silhouetting. We decided to revisit that evening, and the light was to our backs. A big bonus was that the tide had gone fully out, and we were able to scramble over the rocks to get some stellar and unusual shots of the lighthouse. While there were lots of reflections to be had in the puddles, I think this one was the best.
No Sign of the Monster - Inverness-Shire, Scotland
When one thinks of Scotland, one of the first things (other than golf) that comes to mind are its castles, and, of course, the Loch Ness Monster. We visited Urquhart Castle several years ago as part of a bus tour. It was a pretty miserable day, which can be common in Scotland. Our group was the first one to get to the castle, and, when the gates were opened, I skipped the pre-tour movie and headed to the castle to get some shots without a hundred people milling around. The castle was built in the 13th century and had a role in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century. All that is left of the castle are the ruins that you see here.
The lake (or Loch) you see behind the castle is the famous Loch Ness that is supposedly the home of "Nessie" the famed monster. Even though I kept a keen eye on the lake, I was unable to prove that Nessie exists.
The Bubbles - Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park, Maine
One of the sights that is associated with Acadia National Park are the "bubbles" that are prominent when visiting Jordan Pond. The Bubbles are the two rounded mountains that probably do not qualify as mountains. The North Bubble measures only 872 feet and the South Bubble is a bit shorter at 766 feet. Regardless of their height, some of the best views of Acadia are from the the Bubbles. While they can be seen from many different stops, the best view is from Jordan Pond.
This composition is not the usual one when you see photos of the pond and the Bubbles. Most photos are taken from the south to the middle part of the pond that gives you a more direct view. On this fall morning, I decided to hike toward the northern end of the trail, and got this angle of these cool rocks while showing off the fall colors.
Chinook Destination - Rearguard Falls Provincial Park, British Columbia
One of the areas high on my bucket list is eastern British Columbia. I have only done some minor exploring of the area and need to revisit, hopefully next year when I visit Banff and Jasper National Parks. Both parks, although in Alberta, are pretty close to the BC border. I will also revisit some of the places I first set eyes on like this one.
This beautiful scene is of the Fraser River, which is the longest river in British Columbia, measuring 854 miles long. It originates near Mount Robson (very close to where I shot this photo) and terminates in the Strait of Georgia at Vancouver. I was immediately taken with the color of the river, which is typical of mountain-fed rivers, especially near their source.
The only thing that would have made this scene even more special is the return of the Chinook Salmon to visit their spawning grounds. The salmon return here after years of swimming in the sea and it must be a sight to see. I suspect that when their return does happen, trying to get to this spot would be difficult, as it probably attracts a lot of visitors and photographers.
Exploring London - St Paul's Cathedral, London, England
I can't believe that it has been so long (8 years) since I have set foot in London. My first few visits to there were during my business career, and I was fortunate to be guided by a British business associate. I wasn't actively involved in photography during those trips, so I don't have any photographs from them (I sure wish I had). It wasn't until 2007, right after I retired early, that I rekindled my photography passion and began to shoot on our trips. This is a shot from then just outside St. Paul's Cathedral. It was early morning, and the commuters were just arriving for work. I really liked the timing of this, with the brick street leading the eye to the famous double decker bus.
Utah Color - Colorado River Scenic Byway, Moab, Utah
One of the classic scenic byways in the southwestern US is the Colorado River Scenic Byway. Also known as the River Road or Route 128, it follows the twists and turns of the mighty Colorado River for 44 miles, from the town of Moab to Interstate 70 just west of Grand Junction, Colorado. Along the way are some of the prettiest landscapes and rock formations that you will find. From the road, especially in the early morning light and late evening light, the orange sandstone takes on this wonderful glow that is accentuated by deep blue skies. Despite is beauty, it remains a relatively unexplored destination when compared to the other main attractions of the area, namely Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. That is a shame, as it can hold its own with them.
This particular section of the road is known as Professor Valley. It reminds me very much of Monument Valley, three hours to the south. It's beauty is so captivating that is has been the backdrop for many western movies and can also be seen in many television commercials.
Savannah Protection - Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia
I have discovered a penchant of mine several years ago for old forts. I never went out of my way to visit these relics of past wars, but would visit them as part of being a tourist. It wasn't until I visited Key West a few years ago that they became a favorite photographic subject. At that time, in my quest to visit all of the US National parks, we took a boat ride to Dry Tortugas National Park. There, I photographed Fort Jefferson and was mesmerized by the brickwork and cascading walkways that seemed to go on forever. So, now when I visit a new area, I check out to see if there are any old forts in the area.
When I visited Savannah, we made a side trip to Cockspur Island to check out Fort Pulaski National Monument. Fork Pulaski was built in 1847 along the Savannah River to protect the port city of Savannah. It had a minor historical role in the Civil War, first being occupied by the Confederate Army, and later used by the Union Army to shut down the port of Savannah and also as a POW camp.
Upon gaining entrance to the fort, I headed to the lower section to find the cascading walkway that I loved. Sure enough, the walkway had the requisite brickwork that I loved to shoot. A bonus was a cannon at the far end of the walkway. If you look closely on the floor, you can see the tracks where the soldiers could move the cannons into position to fire.
Oxbow Foliage - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Oxbow Bend is a classic photographer destination that has been photographed countless times. You never know exactly what you will get when you arrive there before sunrise. Sometimes you get some crazy clouds that are lit up beautifully above Mount Moran, and other times you can't get a glimpse of the mountain at all. Every time I visit, it is a new experience.
On my last visit there, the foliage was out in full display. The typical spots to shoot from are to the right of the parking lot or down by the banks of the Snake River. While I dutifully captured those shots, I wanted to get a wider shot of the foliage. The challenge in getting the shot I envisioned was trying to balance two desires. First, I wanted to shoot with the early morning light. Second, I wanted the whole shoreline to be lit up in a way that would show off the foliage. That proved to be difficult, as the section I wanted to be lit was in shadow during the best soft light. I made my way down the shoreline further than I have been before, and from there it was a waiting game. Finally, the hillside lit up, and I got the shot. Because there were clouds that morning, I cropped the boring blue sky out, giving the photo more of a panoramic look.
Towering Sandstone - Lake Powell, Arizona
One of the highlights for me visiting Page was our boat ride to Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Reflecting back on the 4-hour round trip ride, I am not sure what was most impressive: Rainbow Bridge or the sandstone rock formations along the way. As we left Page, the formations kept getting more and more impressive. They tower above Lake Powell, and you feel quite insignificant in comparison to the overall landscape. To give a feel on how big some of the formations are, I included a houseboat in this composition. The houseboats on Lake Powell are no small things, ranging from 50 -75 feet long and sleep anywhere between 8-16 people. I am not sure how big the houseboat in this photo is, but it is so small in comparison to the formation. I think it gives some scale to the landscape along Lake Powell.
Idyllic - Yosemite National Park, California
Most serious photographers will look back on some of their photos and cringe at how they were edited. Sometimes we want to hide those photos from others, and other times we go back and re-edit them to give them new life. This is especially true when the photo brings back some fond memories. This photo is one of those that fit the latter case. I shot this back in 2010 on my very last visit to Yosemite National Park. We wanted to get out of the valley with its crowds and explore Tioga Road. The light was pretty phenomenal that night, and all I wanted to do was stop at every opportunity and capture the experience. When we came upon Lambert Dome pictured here, I knew that it was that moment I was hoping for. The water was perfectly still and the Dome was perfectly reflected. This granite rock formation towered about 800 feet above us and was perfectly lit. You don't always get these perfect conditions, and that is why I had to re-edit the photo to relive the moment.
Red Hills - Kelly, Wyoming
The Red Hills are a great side trip when you are visiting Grand Teton National Park. Located east of the Tetons, it is a beautiful drive where you pass lakes and ranches. I have been here a number of times and the weather has always been so-so, until the last time when this photograph was taken. Photos of this often include the ranch to the right of the hills, but I wanted to focus on the foliage of the aspen stands that dot them.
The hills on my visits here have never looked that red to me, but rather more of an orange color. I was a bit puzzled by this, so I did a little research. Turns out that the hills were not named for their color. In the early 1900's, there was a bitter feud between two Jackson Hole ranching families. The feud resulted into a bloody showdown between the families, and shortly thereafter they were called the Red Hills.
Not So Hidden - Glacier National Park, Montana
There is nothing like exploring our National Parks on a hike, especially with friends and fellow photographers like Jaki Goode Miller and Bobby Strader. The gold at the end of some of these hikes are usually magnificent mountains and snow-fed lakes. One of these treasures can be found in Glacier National Park on the Hidden Lake Trail. Climbing about 500 feet in elevation on a 1.5-mile from the Logan Pass parking lot gets you to the overlook where Hidden Lake becomes visible. It sits right below the beautiful Bearhat Mountain, part of the Lewis Mountain Range. Standing there and looking down at this scene was awe-inspiring and is the reason I have fallen in love with the western United States. I wanted to hike down to the shores of Hidden Lake, but that required another 1.5-miles of hiking and we just didn't have enough time to meet up with the rest of our group. Suffice to say, if you have a chance to take this hike, do so.
Touch of Orange - White River National Forest, Colorado
With all of the foliage images that I have posted in the past few weeks, I have often contrasted the difference between the New England foliage with its many colors and the Colorado foliage with its mainly yellow color. As I was reviewing some of my Colorado photos, I came across this photo that I took in the White River National Forest off of Capitol Creek Road. Here among the blanket of yellow aspen leaves is proof that there is a little variety in the foliage with a small touch of orange.
Searching for Gold - White Pass & Yukon Route, Skagway, Alaska
This may be a strange title for this photo, but is actually quite appropriate. The White Pass and Yukon Railway (WP&YR) was built in 1898 as a result of the Klondike Gold Rush. The gold rush itself started in 1896 and attracted over 100,000 prospectors to the Yukon. The building of the railway was quite impressive, taking a little over two years to complete. This is especially so when you take into account that the railway is 110 miles long, climbs 3,000 feet through rugged mountains with grades of almost 4%, and has numerous tunnels, trestles and bridges.
Maybe the most interesting thing about the railway is that it served prospectors for a little over a year. By 1899, gold had been found in Nome, Alaska, and most of the prospectors packed up and headed there to strike it rich. Today the train runs as a seasonal tourist attraction, beginning and ending in Skagway, Alaska.
Going to the Sun Stop - Glacier National Park, Montana
If you are looking for rugged mountains, pristine forests, mountain lakes and waterfalls, look no further than Glacier National Park. According to Wikipedia, there are over seven hundred lakes in the park, along with over two hundred waterfalls. Most of these natural destinations are scattered throughout the one million acres of the park, which requires some hiking. Almost all of the trailheads originate from or near the one main road that bisects the park, the Going-to-the-Sun road. The good news is that some of the more famous waterfalls are pretty close to the road and require only a little walking to get to. For example, McDonald Falls (pictured here) is located at the north end of McDonald Lake and is at most a hundred yards down an incline from the road.
When we arrived here at the parking area, it had been raining off and on in the afternoon. The rain had just stopped and the sky was overcast. This is actually the best sky for shooting waterfalls, as the clouds create a huge softbox that eliminate any sun glare on the water. I immediately knew that with all of the "steps" in the rocks, a long exposure would accentuate the water movement.
Castle Valley Oasis - Castleton Tower, Moab, Utah
Castle Valley is an area northeast of Moab off of the Colorado River National Byway (aka River Road or Route 128). The Moab area is mostly desert and has the characteristic orange color of sandstone found in the southwest that always contrasts well with blue skies. The sandstone is everywhere and there are some really cool rock formations that have been formed through erosion over the centuries. The formation in this photo is known as Castleton Tower. Often when I am in these serene places, my mind wanders and my imagination kicks in.
I can almost see a man lost in the desert that has been surviving without water. He comes over the crest of a dune and spots this oasis and wonders to himself, "Is that really water or is it a mirage?" That is the thought in my mind as I click the shutter button to capture the moment. I know that this is not a mirage but real. Could what I imagined really have happened sometime in the past? Probably not, but who knows?
Eye Contact - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Over on my Facebook page, I have been participating in a seven-day Wildlife Challenge with a number of other photographers. Today is my seventh and last post for that challenge, and I thought that I would post it here on the blog. Head on over to Facebook to see the rest of my wildlife postings, as well as the other photographers' photos.
There have been numerous news stories over the past few years about bad encounters with wildlife. Usually, all of those encounters end up with a human being getting seriously hurt or killed by an animal. Given my experience with some of the visitors I have seen in our National Parks, it is usually the humans that have brought it on themselves. We have seen stories of people getting gored while they were taking selfies of themselves with a bison in the background. I don't understand what they are thinking when they do something stupid like that. Bison are territorial and may decide to protect themselves when someone violates their territory. My rule of thumb is this: when a bison makes eye contact with you as this one did with me, make sure you have an escape plan close at hand. In this instance, I was right next to my car door and I slowly got into the car until he walked away. Just because these bison may weigh up to 2,000 pounds, it doesn't mean that they are slower than you.
Banff Beauty - Banff National Park, Alberta
There are times that you stop at a location and the scene just takes your breath away. When Jeff Clow and I stopped at Waterfowl Lake along the Icefields Parkway, that was the case. As we worked the scene looking for different compositions, none of them conveyed the whole scene in its entirety. It is at these times when I realize that the only way to properly capture the essence of the entire scene is to shoot a panorama.
Into the Fog - Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
After flying across country and driving almost two hours, the last thing I wanted to see was Mount Rainier totally socked in. I did a little hiking before I called it a day, and I was hoping that the next morning would be clear with some nice cumulous clouds. After rising before sunrise, I headed out to catch a sunrise reflection in the aptly named Reflection Lake. The mountain was in full view, but as I started down the road into the valley, this is what waited for me. Fog and lots of it. Don't get me wrong, I really like fog, but not too much of it. It sets a great mood to most photos. I stopped along the way to get this shot of the surrounding mountaintops just peeking above the fog. I wasn't going to get that reflection shot of Rainier this morning, but did manage to get it the next day.