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Natural Bridge National Monument Utah

February 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Natural Bridges National Monument is located about 38 miles west of Blanding  in Southeast Utah along Highway 95 at an elevation of about 6500 feet.  Three large natural bridges are found here Kachina, Sipapu and Owachomo. These names were changed to represent  the local history of the Hopi Indians.  You can see all three of these bridges from Bridge View Drive.  Also in the area are several Ancestral Puebloan ruins visible from Bridge View Drive.  The area is also known for some of the darkest night skies in the United States which makes it an ideal location for photographing the night skies.  There is a nice campground right at the monument.  Unfortunately it was cloudy the night we stayed there.  Beyond Natural Bridges you’ll cross the eastern end of Lake Powell and the Colorado River. Then on to the small town of Hanksville Utah. Definitely a place to see if you’re in the area. This is out in the middle of nowhere so make sure you fill up your gas tank.  It is about 126 miles between Blanding and Hanksville.

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Filed Under: A Featured, Natural Bridges National Monument, United States, Utah

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Hovenweep National Monument South Eastern Utah

August 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Hovenweep means “deserted Valley”.  The four corners area was settled by ancestral Puebloan people sometime between 500 A.D. and 1300 A.D.   This was an agricultural society that grew crops in the fertile soil above the Mesa.  Most of the buildings we see today were built between 1200 A.D. and 1300 A.D. These are the same people that also settled in the Mesa Verde area. The ancestors of these people are still in the four corners area known as the Zuni and Hopi Native Americans. Southeast Utah is part of the Colorado Plateau, a high desert. Spring and fall are probably the best times to visit Hovenweep National Monument when the daytime temperatures on average are between 60 to 80°F and the lows between 30 to 50°F. Summertime temperatures can often exceed 100°F and in the winter the temperatures can drop to 0°F. This is an easy one day trip if you are visiting Mesa Verde National Park. The architecture at Hovenweep consist of square round and D shaped towers. Great photographic opportunities await the photographer that visits this incredible site.

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Hovenweep National Monument Guides

little ruin Canyon Trail guide

Visitors guide to Hovanweep

Hovenweep Books and Maps

Hovenweep National Monument (Utah and Colo.)

The Anasazi Guide [Paperback]

A photographic and comprehensive guide to Mesa Verde, Canyon de Chelly & Hovenweep (National parkways) [Paperback]

Four Corners Region – Trail of the Ancients (Touring & Travel Map) by National Geographic (Destination Map) [Folded Map] [Map]



Filed Under: A Featured, Hovenweek National Monument, United States, Utah

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Canyonlands National Park Moab Utah

August 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The sunrises over Canyonlands National Park is an ideal location for the adventurous photographer.  Light upon the sundrenched landscape reveals this wilderness with incredible beauty and where the Green River meets the mighty Colorado River. You are now in red sandstone country with towering canyon walls, spires, buttes, plateaus and arches…. [Read More Below Video]

Evidence of human activity in the area date back some 2000 years with places like newspaper rock.  The summertime temperatures in the park can reach above 100°F and drop by 50°F by morning. Canyonlands only receives about 9 inches of rain each year. Most of it coming in violent thunderstorms causing flash flooding that help created this magnificent landscape.  The roads crisscrossing the terrain were created by prospectors and miners during the uranium boom of the 1950s. Canyonlands National Park was established in 1964. Activities in the area include river rafting, mountain biking, hiking, camping, off-roading and of course photography. Early morning and late afternoon to evening are the best times to photograph this park. If planning a trip to Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park I recommend spring March and early April or fall late September and October as temperatures are much more tolerable. There is also plenty of lodging in nearby Moab Utah.  So get out there and plan your trip to Canyonlands National Park.

Books & Maps

National Geographic National Parks Explorer 3D

Canyonlands National Park-Needles/Isle, UT – Trails Illustrated Map # 210

Canyonlands National Park Favorite Jeep Roads & Hiking Trails

Moon Spotlight Arches & Canyonlands National Parks: Including Moab

Frommer’s® Utah (Frommer’s Complete Guides) [Paperback]


Filed Under: A Featured, Canyonlands National Park, United States, Utah

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Bandelier National Monument New Mexico

May 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Bandelier National Monument is located about 48 miles Northwest of Santa Fe New Mexico. This archaeological area is home to the ancestral Pueblo people. Long house was at one time an 800 foot stretch of adjoining multi-storied stone homes with handcarved caves as back rooms it may be what inspired Adolph Bandelier’s exclamation, “The greatest thing I ever saw. ” Adolph Bandelier was a self-taught archaeologist who came to the New Mexico territory in 1880 and who is the person the Monument is named after. Below is a slideshow of what you will see at this archaeological site.

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Books & Maps

A Guide to Bandelier National Monument [Paperback]

Bandelier National Monument Map by National Geographic Maps

Bandelier National Monument



Filed Under: A Featured, Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico, United States

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The Enchanted Doors Windows and Gates

May 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment

A photo walk of downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico . The historic Canyon Road is home to over 100 art galleries. A walk down internationally famous Canyon Road is filled with unique art galleries to suit anyone’s taste. The galleries specialize in Native American art, Southwestern art, Ceramics, Jewelry, Weavings, Kachina dolls, Sculptures, Paintings, Woodcarvings, Modern and Contemporary art and much more. A visit to Santa Fe and especially the is historic downtown Plaza and Canyon Road should not be missed. Canyon Road is just one half mile long but, the doors windows and gates along Canyon Road and the back streets are all quite unique and affords a great photographic opportunity. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit New Mexico, The Land of Enchantment.

Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in North America and is the capital of New Mexico today. The Santa Fe area was originally occupied by Pueblo Indians around 1050 A.D. The town of Santa Fe was established 13 years before the Plymouth colony in 1607. The architecture is heavily influenced by the Native Americans Indians, Latin Americans and the Spanish. All three of these groups had a major impact on the heritage and culture of the Southwest. On January 6, 1912 New Mexico became the 47th state of the United States of America.

The photos in this gallery were taken along Canyon Road and it’s back streets.

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This is a flash slideshow gallery – iPad and iPhone users please click here.

Books and Maps of Santa Fe and New Mexico

Frommer’s Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque [Paperback]

The Santa Fe House: Historic Residences, Enchanting Adobes and Romantic Revivals [Hardcover]

Santa Fe, Bandelier & Los Alamos Trail Map [Map]

New Mexico Road and Recreation Atlas (Benchmark Atlas) [Paperback]

Frommer’s New Mexico [Paperback]

Art Journey New Mexico: 104 Painters’ Perspectives [Hardcover]



 

Filed Under: A Featured, New Mexico, Santa Fe, United States

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Medicine Bow National Forest & the Snowy Range

February 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Late last summer we made our first a trip to the Medicine Bow National Forest.  This is an absolutely beautiful place in the snowy range mountains in south central Wyoming.  Admittedly, this breathtaking place is out in the middle of nowhere, but if you’re used to travel in the Southwest, you know how it is.  To get there take the Snowy Range Scenic Byway (Laramie to Saratoga), Hwy 130 west from Laramie. Now, this is the real old west so you’ll see lots of  ranches, prairie grasslands, the snow range pass at 10,847 feet, Libby Flats with views of the Colorado mountains,  beautiful snow-capped mountains, crystal blue high country lakes and spring wildflowers in September.   This drive is a photographers paradise and makes the drive well worthwhile. Medicine Bow is a great side trip if you’re in the area that is not to be missed.  Activities in the area include hiking, climbing, fishing, camping, mountain biking, picnicking, 4×4 trails, horseback riding and skiing in the winter. So plan a trip to the Medicine Bow National Forest and don’t forget your camera.

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Look for the slideshow button in the upper right-hand corner of the next screen. Photos in this gallery are also available for purchase.

Snowy Range Mountans

Need Lodging Visit

Bed and Breakfast.com laramie Wyoming  or  Bed and Breakfast.com Saratoga Wyoming

Books and maps on the Medicine Bow National Forest

Hiking Wyoming’s Medicine Bow National Forest – Third Edition [Paperback]

Medicine Bow National Forest Map – Waterproof by US Forest Service

The Medicine Bows: Wyoming’s Mountain Country [Paperback]

 

 

Filed Under: A Featured, Medicine Bow National Forest, United States, Wyoming

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Gloucester Till The End

October 5, 2010 by 2 Comments
Man at the wheel

Man at the wheel

A video and song about the perfect storm by Earl and Arch. A great tribute to the fishermen who lost there lives at sea in Gloucester.  We try to visit Gloucester as often as we can. Cape Ann is one of my favorite places to photograph.  My brother-in-law, Todd lives in Plum Cove and is a photographer, too.  You can visit his website at Plum Cove Photography.

Video from a Post on GoodMorningGloucester

Filed Under: Gloucester Till The End, Massachusetts, United States

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Arches National Park

May 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Arches National Park is located just a few miles north of Moab in southeastern Utah. The best time to visit Arches is in the spring or fall with the daytime temperatures are in the 60′s  to 80′s.  In the summer the temperatures can hit 110+ . All Camp sites in the park are by reservation only. There are plenty of hotels and camping in and around Moab.  Reservations are recommended in the spring and fall. Easter week is the big jeep rally with over 90K visitors in the area.  Sunrise and sunset are the best times to photograph the park.

Music by DanoSongs.com


Filed Under: Arches, United States, Utah Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Outdoor Photographer Magazine Photo Contest

December 21, 2009 by 8 Comments

One of my photos made Finalist in the Outdoor Photographer Magazine Mystical Adventures Photo Contest. This photo was shot in Gloucester, Cape Ann, Massachusetts in Lobster Cove by the small village of Annisquam.  Cape Ann is located on the coast some 43 miles northeast of Boston, Massachusetts. The GPS location for this shot is  Latitude 42.654855 Longitude -70.674945. Click on my photo below to register to vote in the Outdoor Photographer Magazine Photo Contest.  Voting is done by selecting your favorite photos and rating them 1 to 5 stars.  Every time you vote you are also entered automatically for a chance to win Polar Bear Photo Adventure for two. Of course, I would appreciate a vote for my photo!

Outdoor Photographer Magazine

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Fall in Lobster Cove


 

This photo was shot in autumn  just after sunrise. First, I set up the camera on a tripod and shot 3 photographs at 3 different exposures; 1/4 sec. 1/15 sec and 1/60 sec. ,all at F8. Then , I imported them into Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2, then combined them with the Plugin Photomatix Pro 3.1, a program for processing in HDR  High Dynamic-Range photography. This allows one to see the detail in the shadows and highlights.  It also has the ability to create some pretty cool special effects. Then, I imported them back into Lightroom for final fine tuning. The camera I used was the Nikon D80 with a Nikon 16-85mm  Lens  and a Circular polarizer filter.  Camera settings, Aperture Priority, ISO 100, in RAW format and the Lens set to 16mm.

For more information on HDR or High Dynamic-Range photography and the program I use, Photomatix Pro 3.1. Photomatix Pro 3.1 is a standalone program and also has Plugins for Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3.

You can also subscribe to Outdoor Photographer.  It’s a magazine designed for all levels of outdoor photographers.  There are always great photos and lots of tips to improve your photography.  This is my favorite magazine.

Adobe Lightroom 2

Lightroom tutorials


Map of Cape Ann Massachusetts. Click on the markers below to view more information.

Filed Under: Lobster Cove, Massachusetts, Photo Contest, United States Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Autumn in Cape Ann Massachusetts

November 19, 2009 by 3 Comments

Cape Ann is located on the coast some 43 miles northeast of  Boston,  Massachusetts. It includes the towns of Rockport and Gloucester and is home of  The Second Annual Lobsta Fest and Seafood Extravaganza! The photos in this gallery were also shot in Essex, Magnolia and Manchester by the Sea. Autumn in Massachusetts may be the best in the country. Some of my favorite locations on Cape Ann are Plum Cove, Lanes Cove, Rockport Harbor, Gloucester Harbor, Rocky Neck, Atlantic Road, Halibut Point, Buswell Pond, Annisquam, Lobster Cove and Hoop Pole Cove. All of these locations afford excellent photo opportunities. I would love to photograph Cape Ann in the winter but,  the weather is too unpredictable. So I will have to leave the winter photos for my brother-in-law, Todd Harrington, of  Plum Cove Photography, who lives in Gloucester.

Many of the photos in this Slideshoe were processed in HDR. For more information on HDR or High Dynamic-Range photography and the program I use, Photomatix Pro 3.1, click on the links below!. Photomatix Pro 3.1 is a standalone program and also has Plugins for Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.

Adobe Lightroom 2


Map of Cape Ann Massachachusetts. Click on the markers below to view more information.

 

Filed Under: Autumn, Cape Ann, Massachusetts, United States Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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