Whenever I set my eyes on the boathouse on the shores of Maligne Lake, I know that I am to embark on a magical boat ride that will ride through the Canadian Rockies to visit a special place: Spirit Island. In my opinion, it is on the absolute must-dos for any visitor to Jasper National Park. The boat ride takes 90 minutes (round trip) and begins steps away from the boat house pictured here. The 14-mile long trip to Spirit Island travels the beautiful shoreline and some of the most amazing mountains of the Canadian Rockies are on display. I have taken this trip many times and, despite that, the anticipation of waiting for the departure of your scheduled boat just builds and builds. As I waited for my scheduled time, I couldn't stop taking photos of the Maligne Lake Boat House and the mountains off in the distance that I would shortly be seeing up close and personal.
Tranquility Found - Bishop, California
High in the Eastern Sierras lies over 2,000 mountain lakes that are simply peaceful and full of tranquility, especially in the early hours of the day. Many of them are natural while others are the result of damming. Lake Sabrina, pictured above, was created in 1908 when the middle fork of Bishop Creek was dammed to supply a constant flow of water to hydraulic power plants. Whatever the reason, the lake is simply beautiful. Like many of the Eastern Sierra lakes, it is a magnet for fisherman. The lake is surrounded by the Sierra Mountains at an elevation of over 9,000 feet. There are numerous trails that make this a prime hiking spot. On this morning, the rising sun began to light up the opposite mountain across from where I stood. The water was as smooth as glass and the reflections of the boats and small island just jumped out to me. The silence allowed me to be one with the natural beauty in all of its glory.
Snowy Scene - Bow Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta
When I came upon this photo in my Lightroom Catalog, a lot of memories rushed into my mind for many reasons. First, I shot this on June 14, 2016, a day before a photo tour that was to start. I was with three of my favorite friends at the time and we encountered snow, rain and wind just days before summer began. For those who know the story, my three supposed friends abandoned me on the lake because they heard that there was a grizzly bear spotted on the Icefields Parkway. As I walked the lake alone in the cold, I stopped and captured this snowy scene showing one of the footbridges with the incredible Canadian Rockies in the background. Despite the cold, this scene was very tranquil and serene and I felt very peaceful. Little did I know that I would soon come face-to-face with my friends’ grizzly, where I was very lucky to survive. So when I saw this photo, I recalled how I went from a peaceful feeling to a possible life-threatening situation and figured I would post it.
Towering Redwoods - Redwood National Park, California
Visiting the redwoods is simply a great experience. The challenge of planning a trip there is selecting where to go. Why? The redwoods stretch for about 470 miles down the coast of California (there are some in the southernmost part of Oregon), and the National Park is actually made up of several state parks that surround the National Park ( all are run as one big park). We visited many of the surrounding state parks, but really wanted to spend some time in the National Park. We decided to head to the southern end of the National Park and walk the famous 1.5-mile Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail. Upon reaching the trail head, I knew that we would be seeing some of the tallest trees in the world. As I walked along the trail, I felt insignificant looking up toward the sky. These magnificent trees can grow up to 370 feet tall and have a circumference of 22 feet at their base. The trees have an average life span of around 600 years and some have been estimated to be 2,000 years old. Trying to convey their majesty in a photo is very tough and, only through physically seeing them will one understand.
New England Coast - Perkins Cove, Ogunquit, Maine
Looking for a charming New England town? Look no further than Ogunquit, Maine. Located on the southern part of coastal Maine, it is only about 90 minutes from Boston. Ogunquit is a small town in the off season with a population of only 927 in 2018, but it swells many more that that in the summer months. Why? The town’s unique name gives the first clue, which means in the indigenous Abenaki language "beautiful place by the sea". Ogunquit’s Beach is another big reason as a destination to escape the summer heat. The 3.5-mile-long beach is made of light sand on the Atlantic Ocean. Another attraction is the Marginal Way, a one mile trail that begins at the beach and allows visitors to walk above the rugged rocks below until it reaches another attraction, Perkins Cove, which is pictured in this photo. The cove has an interesting history. The cove was originally unprotected, and fisherman had to bring their boats onto land each evening to protect them. In order to solve this issue, they purchased land and dug a channel across it to create a tidewater basin, which is now known as Perkins Cove. The cove has a footbridge crossing it to allow boats with high masts to pass as they head out to the Atlantic Ocean. I shot this photo from the footbridge that shows the quaint cove.
Glass Art - Chihuly Collection, St. Petersburg, Florida
About five years ago on our annual hiatus to Florida to escape the New England winters, we spent about three days in St. Petersburg. What a beautiful city. We had some good weather most of the time but when we encountered some rain, we headed into the Morean Arts Center that is the permanent home to the Chihuly Collection. I had never heard of Dale Chihuly before, but my friend who was with us was an art teacher and knew of his works. I wasn't sure what to expect, but was blown away by the shapes and colors of the glass. Better yet, photographs were permitted of the art. Chihuly is world famous and is a magician in creating artwork with such a delicate material. His art ranges from small to massive. His art has been seen all over the world. I have since visited his Garden and Glass Museum in Seattle and was even more impressed with his talent. If you ever have a chance to see his work, I would recommend that you do so.
Into the Sun - Steptoe Butte State Park, Washington
The Palouse has some of the most fertile land in the world and it encompasses approximately 19,000 square miles of Eastern Washington, Central Western Idaho and Northeastern Oregon. The bulk of the Palouse lies in Eastern Washington. In my opinion, there are two times to visit this photographic-rich area—one is in early June when the crops start to grow, and the second is during the harvest, which can occur in late July and last into late August or later. The landscape during these times couldn’t be more different looking. In early June, the landscape is all shades of green from light to dark. During harvest, the landscape changes to shades of gold and brown. While you will see some brown during June, these are areas that haven’t been planted due to crop rotations. If you ever heard the song “America the Beautiful”, you will see the “amber waves of grain” firsthand during harvest. Both times are quite beautiful in their own way. My favorite time is in June but it comes at a price. To photograph the landscape during sunrise, you better not sleep late. I took this photo at around 5:00am when the sun just started to crest the hills in the distance. That meant that I got up around 3:30am to get to this spot from our hotel in Colfax. To get this same shot in late August, I gained about an hour and a half of sleep.
Threatening Weather - Bowman Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana
We landscape photographers are a strange group with expectations of how we want a scene to look. We want it all. Great golden light in early morning or late evening. Just enough clouds that will add interest to blue skies. Terrific foreground and background elements. You name it, we want it. I remember thinking to myself as I was composing this shot, this would be a great sunrise or sunset shot. Guess what? If I was standing at this same spot and had all of the things I wished for, I would be thinking that I needed great drama in the sky, moody light and a bit of foreboding in the scene (okay, the elements in this scene). We are never satisfied.
If you are reading this and say to yourself that this sounds like you, jump on a plane and head to Glacier National Park. The weather there changes so much that all you have to do is have a little patience and the right conditions will come. This location is Bowman Lake, about six miles from Polebridge (not many tourists ever see this location). The gravel road is as bumpy and narrow as you can imagine, especially when not driving in a high-clearance vehicle. We got there around noon and this was one of the first shots I took. Lots of drama in the sky and lots of a dark and foreboding mood. By the time we left about an hour later, the scene was much brighter with sun lighting the hillsides. Maybe we should have stayed for sunset…
Standing Guard - Achilleion Palace, Corfu, Greece
The Achilleion Palace on the island of Corfu, Greece was built in 1890 by the Empress of Austria, Elisabeth of Bavaria. The palace was named and designed after the mythical hero, Achilles. The palace itself is a monument to Achilles with paintings and statues of him throughout the building and its surrounding gardens. The back of the palace is impressive with its checkerboard marble patio that is surrounded by impressive statues. Off to the side of this patio is a terraced walkway that leads to this viewpoint that overlooks the surrounding countryside. Looking down this walkway, a statue of Achilles appears to be guarding the palace from intruders and I felt the need to take a photo of this scene.
Lighting Up - Glacier National Park, Montana
During stressful times such as these, many of us look for ways to rejuvenate our souls. Each one of us has different ways to do that and we come back refreshed and with a clear mind. My way is through my travels to peaceful places where I can immerse myself in nature and experience the tranquility and serenity that these places give me. Since travel is off the table for me this year, I have been looking back at my photos of the places I have been where I felt one with nature. When I looked at this photo of Mount Grinnell located on the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake, I was transported to the feelings that I had when I captured this scene. I remember getting up well before dawn and driving to the parking lot of the Many Glacier Hotel. I remember the walk in the dark to the shores of the lake. I remember the only sound to be heard was the sound of the water splashing. I remember being by myself with only my best friend by my side. I remember looking at the sky and being thankful that there were some decent clouds. I remember the anticipation of the sunrise hoping that the scene would slowly light up. I remember the joy I felt when the scene did light up as I had hoped. Most importantly, I remember how peaceful I felt as I started to shoot the scene.
Bixby Bridge - Big Sur, California
One of the most beautiful drives in the United States is the Pacific Coast Highway in California. While this road is 656 miles long, there are stretches between Los Angeles and San Francisco that are absolute gems. In particular, the stretch of road between San Luis Obispo to Carmel is an official National Scenic Byway and is known as Big Sur and seems to be everyone’s favorite. The most photographed feature of Big Sur is Bixby Bridge. Built in 1932, it is one of the highest bridges of its kind in the world, soaring 260 feet above the bottom of a steep canyon carved by Bixby Creek. Almost everyone who drives this road for the first time stops to take a photo of it. The classic shots of the bridge are typically from a distance, either driving north or south where you can see the road leading to the bridge. I have driven this route countless times and was looking for a different perspective to shoot. Upon parking at the bridge, I saw that two people (among the hundreds that were there) had climbed to a spot high behind the bridge. Climbing up to see the view looking south, I found the different perspective that I was seeking.
Desert Evening - Monument Valley, Navajo Nation
The rebirth of my passion for photography was associated with a trip I took with my son to the American southwest in the early 2000’s. There is something about the southwest that resonates with me from its sandstone colors to the spiritual nature of Native Americans. Of all of the many parks and locations in the southwest, my favorite has always been Monument Valley, The Navajo name for the valley is Tsé Bii’ Ndzisgaii meaning "Valley of the Rocks". Most of the sandstone formations in Monument Valley have very unique names. Two of the more famous sandstone formations in Monument Valley are Yei-Bi-Chei (in the middle of this photo) and the Totem Pole (on the left of this photo).
Yei-Bi-Che was named by the Navajo as it resembles a number of dancers emerging from a Hogan. Navajo men perform the spiritual Yei-Bi-Chei dance during a sacred nine-day ceremony called the "Night Way Ceremony".
It is pretty obvious how the Totem Pole got its name. It is approximately 350-foot in height and is all that remains of a butte that has been eroded over the years. It really illustrates the destructive force of erosion in nature.
This particular perspective of the formations requires the use of a Navajo Guide.
Steptoe Butte View - Steptoe Butte State Park, Colfax, Washington
Mention the Palouse region to any serious landscape photographer and they will immediately know where it is. Mention it to someone in the agricultural industry and they will likely know too. Mention it to anyone else and you get blank stares. The Palouse is located mostly in eastern Washington State and western Idaho and is some of the most fertile ground in the world. The rolling landscape of the Palouse is amazing to photograph, and the best place to start is Steptoe Butte State Park. The butte is the tallest feature in the Palouse area, rising about 3,600 feet above the surrounding rolling hills and mounds. At the very top, you get a 360-degree panorama of some of the best farmland in the United States. Photographing from the butte can be overwhelming, as it is difficult to capture the whole thing. Instead, it is easier to zoom in on smaller compositions that convey the beauty of the contours of the landscape that are more pronounced during early morning or late evening light. This photo was taken just after sunrise on my first morning there in 2015.
Thermal Feature - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park is home to such an array of thermal features from geysers, fumaroles (steam vents), hot springs, geyser basins and mudpots. The park was founded in 1872 and has the distinction of being the very first national park in the United States. To say that the park is massive would be an understatement. The park measures almost 3,500 square miles, and, to see it properly, at least 3 or 4 days are required (a week is better). My favorite area in the park is the Mammoth Hot Springs area, located in the northwest Wyoming corner that also includes part of Montana. This section is home to numerous hot springs that were created over thousands of years, as hot water from the surrounding Norris Geyser Basin deposited calcium carbonate as the water cooled. This left limestone and rock formations throughout the area. I am not sure how the Orange Spring Mound (pictured above) is technically classified but it can be found in the Upper Terrace. The formation is very different in shape than the others on the Upper Terrace. As I came to this formation, I noticed the steam coming out of its right side and thought that the light accentuated its color and steam.
Glowing - Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
This lighthouse is probably the most photographed in New England. One of the reasons is its proximity to Maine's most populated city, Portland. Another reason is that it is adjacent to the 90-acre Fort Williams Park, with access to hiking, sporting fields, recreation areas and, of course, Fort Williams. I think the real reason is that it is quite the beautiful structure, and sits on a lovely stretch of the Maine coast on Cape Elizabeth. The lighthouse was commissioned by George Washington in 1787. It is the oldest lighthouse in the state of Maine, although, when it was built, Maine was not yet a state (it was part of Massachusetts). The light measures 80 feet in height (about 100 feet above the water) and can be seen for 24 nautical miles. This sunrise photo was taken on a beautiful August morning and I had the whole park to myself, except for a local cameraman that was there to show the sunrise as a lead-in for the local news.
Horns - Banff National Park, Alberta
It is pretty obvious where bighorn sheep get their names. Just look at at any male and you can see the massive horns that its head looks like it can barely support. There is a reason for that as their horns can weigh up to thirty pounds. They are found mostly in western North America and are thought to have migrated over the Bering Land Bridge from Siberia. They are legendary for their ability to climb high, steep, rocky mountain areas. We found a small herd of them in the early morning light on our way to Two Jack Lake. The rising sun was positioned low in the sky and it shone directly in this one’s face, lighting his head perfectly. In this light, the ridges of his horns became very pronounced.
Oxbow Drama - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Why do photographers keep going to the same location and take photos? Many times it is simply because we love the beauty and serenity of the location and the way it makes us feel. Other times, it is the people we are with, whether it be family or friends. For some locations like this one, it is the the impact of the weather and light that makes it look different almost every time we are there. Some times the weather shuts us out and other times it is glorious. I remember my first photo workshop where the instructor showed us some of his work. They were all amazing. One of the attendees asked how he managed to take picture perfect scenes with great light and drama. His response surprised me at the time. He pointed to the image on the screen and said that the secret was to keep going back to the same scene many times. He further added that the photo that he was pointing to took him 20 years to get the shot that he wanted.
Waterfowl View - Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park, Alberta
One of my favorite lakes along the Icefields Parkway is Waterfowl Lake. The lake is literally steps from your car. The lake has a fabulous view of the towering Mount Chephren which, if the weather is cooperating, has a reflection of it on the water’s surface. For many years, I shot this location along the banks along the parkway. That is until a few years ago. I was shooting from the banks when I spotted something red at the very far end of the lake. I decided to check out what it was and started the long walk to the end of the lake. Turns out that the red was another photographer who was just leaving. She was kind enough to show me the trail down to where she had been. When I got to the end, I stood and looked at this exact view. In my opinion, this is the best place to shoot Mount Chephren and also get the peaks to the north in the composition. I could have kicked myself for not exploring this section of the lake in previous trips, but I now make this one of my first stops in subsequent visits.
On the Lookout - Welgevonden Reserve, South Africa
There is always great anticipation when there is a lion sighting. The Rangers who first see it notify the other Rangers in the Reserve of the sighting and are in charge of selecting three other vehicles to participate in getting close to the lion. On our safari, it was usually the lioness who is spotted, as they normally are on the hunt for prey. This is especially true when there are cubs. Usually, the cubs are left in place while the lioness hunts. On this occasion, the lioness was spotted along with her two cubs. We were lucky enough to see and take photos of the cubs before the lioness emerged from the bush. She stopped and took in the area possibly looking for prey or maybe making sure that her cubs were safe. In either case, you can see her focus when she started to emerge from the bush.
Jagged - Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Badlands National Park is on my must revisit list since my first visit there in 2013. My son and I targeted a stop there when we planned our cross-country trip. There are two main entrances to the park and I decided to stay near the northeast entrance, as my research indicated that there were numerous sunrise and sunset locations in that part of the park. The choice proved to be the right one. The challenge then became to pick two sunrise locations out of the almost ten possibilities. Fortunately, both locations turned out to be stellar. This photo was taken from an overlook just around the corner from Norbeck Pass and was taken on our second morning there. The jagged peaks that are part of the pass are a great subject, particularly in the early morning light. The shadows added terrific definition to the photo. The diversity of the park's landscape makes it a must visit park, especially for photographers. After that one visit, it became one of my favorite parks and I think that a return trip is in order.