At the end of my trip to Italy this past spring, Mike Louthan and I decided to spend time in Venice before heading back home after three great weeks in Italy. We were lucky enough to be able to shoot with Nathaniel Smalley, who also stayed over in Venice. One night, we went out to shoot some night scenes, some of which I have already posted. Once the clock approached midnight, Mike and I headed toward our lodging, located just off of St. Mark’s Square. We got a bit lost but finally ended up at the far end of the square. As we began tp walk onto the square itself, we quickly discovered that half of it was under water by 4-5 inches. Turns out that it was a night with a full moon, which makes high tides rise to their full height. You guessed it, it was high tide when we entered the square. Our feet got soaked and when we got to this spot on the square, I had to stop and shoot this photo of the square with St. Mark’s Cathedral and Campanile on full display.
Tags: Architecture Building Campanile Campanile di San Marco City Cloud Clouds Europe Flooded High Tide Italy Landmark Lights Metropolis Night Night Photography Piazza San Marco Plaza Public Space Sky St Mark's St Mark's Square Tower Urban Area Venice Water Province of Venice
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After photographing the Oregon Coast in early September, my wife, son and I spent some family time on the west coast. This was not a photography trip but, of course, I had my camera with me. After spending some time in the Portland area, we headed to Seattle for several days. I hadn’t been there in over 15 years, and boy, has it changed. One thing that didn’t change is the ferry to and from Bainbridge Island. That has always been a relaxing trip, especially when lunch is sandwiched between the back and forth. The weather while we were in Seattle was off and on with clouds and rain (it is the Pacific Northwest) but, fortunately, the sun came out on the way back to Seattle and I was able to capture this cityscape with this huge cumulous cloud hovering above the city.
Tags: Bay Building City Cityscape Cloud Clouds Cumulus Cloud Daytime Downtown Elliott Bay Landmark Metropolis Metropolitan Area Seattle Sky Skyline Skyscraper United States Urban Area Washington Water Waterfront United States of America
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On the Oregon Coast there is a location that has been my nemesis for a long time. I have been by this location more than ten times and have been shut out from capturing it. It is an iconic photo location, but it cannot be seen or found when the tide is fully in. Turns out, that in all of my visits to Thor’s Well, the tide was in. This past June, I finally got to shoot this spot, known as either a gaping sinkhole, drainpipe of the Pacific, or the gateway to hell. Turns out it is none of those things. What looks like a sinkhole is nothing of the kind. It is actually a sea cave that was likely created by the relentless waves eroding the rock over time. Eventually, the roof of the sea cave collapsed, creating the circular hole that can be seen when the tide is right. Before I witnessed the well, I thought the many photos of it that I have seen were caused by the water splashing over the top of the roof into the sea cave. Turns out, it is caused by the waves rushing into the sea cave and then exploding through the roof to cover the surrounding rock. As the water on the rock falls back into the sea cave, the above look is created. Such is Thor’s Well. My next goal is to capture it at sunset with great foreboding red clouds.
Tags: Body of Water Cape Perpetua Coast Coastal and Oceanic Landforms Long Exposure Natural Landscape Nature Ocean Oregon Oregon Coast Pacific Pacific Coast Highway Pacific Ocean Rock Sea Seascape Shore Sinkhole Thor's Well United States Water Water Resources Wave Waves Yachats United States of America
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Many who follow my blog know that my favorite subjects are related to landscapes and travel. On my visits to the Grand Tetons, my main goal is landscapes but the park is also known for its wildlife. There is some specific expertise (which I don't have) and equipment requirements (really big, long lenses that I can hardly lift) to get a great shot. On one of my Teton trips, I was fortunate to be with some very accomplished wildlife and bird photographers who were knocking it out of the park. We came upon a a great gray owl that was all but asking for us to photograph him. This is not a common occurrence, so we all took advantage of the opportunity. Despite my limitations, I actually got a couple of decent shots, this being one my best. I am sure that my fellow wildlife buddies would probably think this is a throw away shot, but I am happy with it. It reminds me what a great experience it was to watch this majestic bird in the wild.
Tags: Bird Branch Eyes Grand Teton National Park Great Gray Owl Moose-Wilson Road National Park Owl Tetons Tree Wildlife Wyoming great grey owl Moose United States of America
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If you mention Oxbow Bend to any serious landscape photographer, they know exactly where it is, even if they have never been there before. It is one of the most photographed landscapes in the western US, photographed millions of times. Standing anywhere along the shoreline of the Snake River or from the road above, Mount Moran is always present, towering above everything. I have been lucky enough to stand there many times in the past fifteen years, and I will say that every time the scene is different. Contributing to the variety are the clouds or lack of clouds, the time of day (sunrise is the best time to shoot there), the stillness of the water, the presence or lack of wildlife, low-to-the-ground fog or lack thereof, and the season of the year (ice and snow-covered peaks and/or fall foliage). Suffice to say, for some, visiting this majestic location moves you in ways that you never expect.
Tags: Cloud Clouds Dawn Golden Hour Grand Teton National Park Landscape Morning Mount Moran Mountain Mountain Range Mountainous Landforms Mountains National Park Natural Landscape Nature Oxbow Bend Reflection Rockies Rocky Mountains Sky Snake River Sunrise Tetons United States Water Wilderness Wyoming Moran United States of America
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