The sighting of a lioness is always an exciting encounter. Our Rangers tracked the lioness and expertly put us in the perfect position to get wonderful shots of her. She didn’t seem to be too worried about us as she slowly walked toward us. The closer she got to us, I knew that she would pass between our two vehicles. She seemed to stare directly at me the second I captured this photo and then continued to walk right passed my side of the vehicle probably only 10 feet from me. While very exciting and exhilarating, that was close enough.
Wilderness Lodge - Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
One of the things that Disney does so well in creating their resorts is that you think you have been transported to somewhere else. Take this photo of one of the buildings that comprise their Wilderness Lodge. The lodge was built in 1994 and Disney's goal was to recreate a turn of the century themed resort hotel that had the look and feel of the National Park lodges located in the Pacific Northwest. The main building was modeled after the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park. An artificial geyser and hot springs are located on the resort grounds.
This photo was actually taken in the adjacent Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, which opened in 2000. We stayed there a few years ago and I took this from the center of the first floor looking up at the timbered ceiling. The Villas were themed to look like lodgings that were built by workers on the transcontinental railroad.
Keyhole Arch - Monument Valley, Navajo Nation
No trip to Utah is complete without stopping by Monument Valley on the Arizona-Utah border. Located in the northwestern portion of Navajo Nation, it is a place of great landscapes that have appeared in countless westerns and commercials. It has even been featured in a Metallica music video. The official name of the park is Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, which is the equivalent of an American National Park. There are many rock formations that, over the years, have been given names either by the Navajo or early settlers to the area. Many of the rock formations can be seen from the 17-mile dirt road that visitors to the park can drive for a daily fee. To get off of the road and see some of the lesser-known formations, the hiring of a Navajo guide is necessary. The arch in this photo is one of those off-road formations. I have been told it is known as Keyhole Arch, but have also heard it called Pottery Arch. Regardless of its name, the view through the center of it is pretty cool.
Smith Rock - Terrebonne, Oregon
A few years ago, I hosted back to back Oregon Photo Tours with Jeff Clow. What do you do when you have two photo tours over a two week period and want to do something different on the weekend? If you thought rest was in the cards, you are wrong. We hopped into the car and headed Northeast five hours to spend it in Bend, Oregon. I had dinner there several years ago when headed down to San Francisco. I remembered liking the area and I wanted to explore it. On the way there, we stopped for a little while at Crater Lake National Park. Upon getting to Bend, we set out and spent the day exploring the many lakes south of Bend along the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. The highlight of the weekend was visiting Smith Rock State Park on Sunday. This impressive park reveals its secrets on the many hikes that take you through the rugged landscape along the Crooked River. We only had about 90 minutes to spend there and it is already on the list to revisit again, albeit for a much longer stay.
Cilantro Café - Yoho National Park, British Columbia
A couple of days ago, I posted a photo of canoes that I shot on a very dreary morning at Emerald Lake. I guess you can’t have great weather all of the time. After shooting the canoes, I wandered over to the other side of the little bridge and captured this photo of the Cilantro Café, the main eatery at the lake. I had eaten lunch there a few years before when the weather was nice and it was hustling and bustling with people eating. This was a different peaceful time at the Café with no one around. The water was still enough to get a great reflection.
Windows - Stone Mill, Lawrence, Massachusetts
A few years ago, I visited two of my friends in Boston, Bob Lussier and Stephen Perlmutter for their light painting workshop at the Stone Mill. While the attraction for shooting at the mill was light painting, I still wandered off enough times to do some old-fashioned night photography with ambient light. This floor was deserted and allowed the light from the buildings on the outside to shine through the windows, giving them a great orange glow. The multiple panes in each window create a great pattern. The light on the inside of the building was cast from a set of duplicate windows to my right.
Canoes Reflection - Yoho National Park, British Columbia
One of my top locations in the world is Banff National Park in Alberta. I have visited there many times and I love going back. Banff sits on the western border of Alberta, which allows visitors staying there to wander a little west into British Columbia to explore some truly beautiful spots. One of those spots is Yoho National Park. The centerpiece of Yoho is the beautiful Emerald Lake, where the color is the deepest emerald that I have ever seen in the Canadian Rockies (you can't tell that from this photo so you will have to trust me). One of the classic scenes of the lake are the canoes that can be seen being rowed on the lake. When we first got there, the weather was simply not in a cooperating mood. Walking around, I spotted this composition of canoes waiting to be rented and noticed their reflection in the glass-like water.
Telluride Morning - Last Dollar Road, Telluride, Colorado
It always amazes me how the same subjects can look so different from changing one’s viewpoint. After spending a few days shooting around Wilson Peak from down on the mesa, we headed up Last Dollar Trail to get a view of the peak and the surrounding area. It was quite cold and windy, but the view was amazing. The early morning sun lit up this beautiful vista, creating terrific light and shadow play on all of the undulations of the geology of the area. While most of the foliage of the mesa was not near peak, the road up to our viewing spot was lined with some already peak aspen color.
Remember the Fallen - Freedom Tower, New York
Nineteen years ago, America experienced the worst terrorist attack in our history. In Manhattan, the twin towers of the World Trade Center were totally demolished. That day, almost 3,000 Americans were killed and untold others have suffered long term illnesses. Some of those Americans were first responders whose heroic efforts to save others were on full display. Many of them lost their lives. Since that time, Manhattan has rebuilt the area, erecting the Freedom Tower pictured here as well as the 9/11 Memorial & Museum located nearby. Even after all of these years, the impact of these attacks brings tears to my eyes. I used to commute through the World Trade Center in the early 1990s and wouldn’t visit this site again until I took this photo back in 2014. I will never forget my emotions when I walked around this hallowed ground. As long I am alive, I will always “Remember the Fallen”.
Independence Monument - Colorado National Monument, Colorado
Flying into Moab from anywhere can be quite the challenge, as the Moab airport is open only at daylight, and there are not that many flights that land there. As a result, I usually fly to Grand Junction a day early and drive to Moab (almost a 2 hour drive), to make sure I don’t have any plane connection issues. I had an ulterior motive in doing this as I wanted to be able to shoot the wonderful Colorado National Monument right outside of Grand Junction.
The first time that I visited there was in the 1990s, and I took a similar photo of Independence Monument, which became a favorite of mine. Unfortunately, I wasn't into photography then, and all I had was a point and shoot camera with me. When I got back into photography, I put this place on the bucket list to shoot near sunset to recapture the memory. I had been back there several times since, but I was with non-photographer friends, and it always seemed to be in mid-day. This trip, I hoped to be able to get a great sunset shot.
When I landed in Grand Junction in the afternoon, the weather was overcast and quite gloomy. I thought that I would again miss my opportunity. As the day progressed, the weather didn't improve, but I hopped into the rental car to scout out the area for shooting at sunrise the next day. By the time I got to park, the skies started to clear to the west, and I was able to check the photo off of the list. I got lucky, as I was able to capture the dark clouds in the distance heading east, with beautiful cumulus clouds taking their place.
Setting Sun - Marshall Point Lighthouse, Port Clyde, Maine
Those who regularly follow me know of my fascination with lighthouses. I am not sure exactly why. Maybe because they are quickly becoming relics of the past with the advancement of GPS electronics or because they are often built in some wonderful location or maybe because most of them have stories of sunken boats and how they were built to save lives. Whatever the reason, whenever I travel, I always am on the lookout for them. On this particular trip to Maine, we had stayed in Camden and were on our way south. Rather than hop on the interstate, I chose to hug the rugged Maine coast, stopping at lighthouses along the way. When we stopped at this particular lighthouse, the Marshall Point Lighthouse on Port Clyde, it looked so familiar even though I hadn't been there before. Then I read a sign in the museum and it came back to me. The light was featured in the movie "Forrest Gump" (one of my favorites). In the movie, Forrest starts on a 3-year run across the country and back. When Forrest hits the east coast, he stops at a lighthouse (the Marshall Point Lighthouse), turns around and starts running to the west coast.
Saguaro Curves - Saguaro National Park, Tuscon, Arizona
With all of my travel plans cancelled this year, I have been spending time going through my Lightroom archives and looking for some photos that have gone overlooked. As I looked at last years photos, I realized that I didn’t have some photos from Saguaro National Park on a cross country trip with my son. Fortunately I found them and will be posting a few in the coming month.
I have a bucket list item to visit all of the National Parks in the U.S. and Saguaro was my 34th one that I have visited. We only had an afternoon and the next morning to explore the park. Our first stop was the Visitor’s Center in the western section of the park. As I started to walk around, I spotted this scene that had a curved roof that led my eye to the open air windows that had the beautiful Saguaros in them. The play of light and shadow made “window” pop out on the view.
Olmstead Point View - Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite National Park is one of nature's most beautiful places. Yosemite Valley, where most visitors head, offers more natural wonders than just about anywhere else. From most spots in the valley, one can see El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Falls, Sentinel Dome and Half Dome. All of these have been photographed many times over and it is very hard to get an original perspective. One of my favorite "off the beaten path" places in Yosemite is Olmsted Point. This location is about 45 miles from Yosemite Lodge on Tioga Road. Olmsted Point looks southwest into the valley giving a view of the northern side of Half Dome and a view of Tenaya Lake to the east. On this particular evening, we had eaten dinner in Lee Vining (home to Mono Lake) and we were heading back to the valley. I just had to stop at Olmsted Point when I saw the beautiful glow of the setting sun on Half Dome's sheer face.
Fall is Coming - Pittsfield, Massachusetts
I know the title of this photo sounds like I stole it from Game of Throne’s “Winter is Coming” but I have had this thought about the fall for many years before GOT made this phrase famous. Autumn is my favorite season of the year and this photo shows you why. The colors of the foliage during the fall are a photographers dream, especially during peak season in New England. This will be the very first year in the last 27 years where I will not experience the foliage in the New England area. Instead, I will need to find new places in the Maryland area to photograph to satisfy my “fix”. In the meantime, the best I can do is to look at some of my older photos like this one and dream about the upcoming fall season.
Two Medicine - Glacier National Park, Montana
Two Medicine is the name of an area in the southeastern section of Glacier National Park. The park is over one million acres in size and the only road that connects the western entrance to the eastern entrance of the park is the 53-mile long “Going to the Sun Road”. While 53 miles doesn’t sound that long to drive, the roads have very narrow lanes with very sharp curves, making a trip from one end to the other take around three hours. For that reason, many visitors to Glacier never get to see Two Medicine. There are three lakes in the area, Lower Two Medicine Lake, Two Medicine Lake and Upper Two Medicine Lake. After shooting around Two Medicine Lake, we headed to the end of the main body and stopped to take some photos of the mountains in the distance.
Desert Formations - Monument Valley, Navajo Nation
One of my favorite places in the US is Monument Valley. It is located on the border of Arizona and Utah and is part of the Navajo Nation. Almost all of you have seen Monument Valley, even though you may never have set foot there. The valley has appeared in countless movies, commercials, music videos and print media. It is the quintessential location that screams the US west. Monument Valley has quite a number of sandstone rock formations, whose orange color seems to perfectly contrast with the blue sky. Many of the bigger formations have special names that either depict what the formations look like or represent a spiritual meaning to the Navajo people.
The formation above (the three spires) are known as the “Three Sisters”. The spire on the left is 600 feet high; the spire in the middle is 325 feet and the spire on the right is 575 feet. The Three Sisters are also known as also known as Faith, Hope and Charity. Made from sandstone, the figures were caused by erosion and are likely were part of Mitchell Mesa pictured to their right.
Clouds & Mountains - Banff National Park, Alberta
Banff National Park is home to some of the most beautiful mountain lakes. There are fabulous lakes throughout the whole region, starting in the town of Banff and continuing northward passed Lake Louise and the world-famous Icefields Parkway. From the Parkway, you have your pick of great lakes along the 140-mile road, some close to the road while others require a hike. Each one of these lakes could easily be your favorite one. One of the most visited lakes is Bow Lake, about 30 minutes north of Lake Louise. This lake is a magnet for photographers, visitors and tour buses.
I have been to Bow Lake countless times over the 25 plus years or so and have seen it in all kind of weather from rain to sleet to hail to snow. I have seen it in snowstorms, howling winds and sunny days. I have seen its surface covered with ice, with small white caps and as smooth as glass. All of this proves to me that the old saying is true - “Mountains make their own weather”. That explains why when you visit Bow Lake that clouds and mountains are almost always present together.
Stacks - Bandon, Oregon
The Oregon Coast is an amazing place to photograph. Along the 363 miles of coastline, there are many beaches, hiking trails, coves, mountains and my favorites, sea stacks. I have driven the full length of the Oregon coast a few times and I am officially naming Bandon “Sea Stack Heaven”. Driving through the town of Bandon, you might totally miss the stacks unless you turn right (driving south) off of Route 101 and head toward the beach. There you will find Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint, where you can park high above the beach and look in wonder on the numerous sea stacks that jut high from the beach and ocean. Many are famous ones— Face Rock, Howling Dog (aka Wizard’s Hat) and Elephant Rock to name a few. Looking south, as I was when I captured this photo, are stacks that are not as well-known, but very beautiful nonetheless. My favorite time to shoot the stacks is in the late evening hours when the stacks are displayed in the soft setting sun’s light.
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse - Bristol, Maine
Just about five years ago, I was co-hosting with Jeff Clow on his inaugural Maine Photo Tour and things went extremely well. We couldn't have asked for a better group of photographers to join us. We photographed twelve different lighthouses, various quaint harbors, and ate a whole bunch of lobster rolls. For those who regularly follow me, it is no surprise that I love to post photos of my favorite lighthouse, Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. We had already shot it at sunset two days before and we decided to shoot it at sunrise on our last day. The weather forecast was not stellar, with rain in the forecast. On the way to Pemaquid, it began drizzling, and we were expecting to be shut out. The photography gods had better plans for us, granting us a brief period of time (20 minutes at the most), where the sun peeked above the horizon and lit up the overcast skies. One of the many reasons I love this lighthouse.
Maine Glow - Camden Hills State Park, Camden, Maine
Maine has the most stunning and rugged coasts on the Atlantic Ocean coast. The official length of its coast is 293 miles, but when measuring actual coastline including all of the coves and jetties, it logs in at more than 4,500 miles. Factor in the more than 4,600 islands that are part of Maine and you total approximately 7,000 miles. It is no wonder that one of Maine’s primary industries is shipbuilding.
The coast has very different characteristics depending on where you visit. Acadia National Park in northern Maine has some of the most spectacular and rugged scenery on the east coast. A mere two hours south, many of the beaches consist of rocks – not very rugged unless you try to lay on them. The beach in this image is part of Camden Hills State Park and shows how rocky the beach can be. I was able to capture this image just after dawn where the rocks took on a great glow from the rising sun.