Exploring the Okefenokee

I've been looking for a chance to get out to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Georgia. The drizzling rain in Jacksonville and forecast for more rain looked promising for some overcast conditions so I took a chance and headed towards the West Entrance to the park near Fargo GA. It was a good 2+ hour drive out I-10 and then north on 441, connecting with 177. My last visit to the swamp was back in the early 80's and can't say I remember much except that we couldn't restart our outboard engine on the boat rental (a story for another day), so I really had no expectations about the trip.

The rain started coming down hard as I headed west as I had a sinking feeling that this was going to be a bust. Once I passed Macclenny FL the rain let up. Driving in rural FL on the back roads is an experience. I was literally in the middle of nowhere. I regrettably passed an old abandoned gas station that would have made a great shot. What is it that keeps you from stopping? There were 2 other great photo ops that I passed. Maybe we are too self-conscious of stopping the car, getting set up, and taking the shot. Or maybe we don't value our instincts. On some occasions I create excuses about how the shot would be lousy only to avoid that guilt of not stopping.  I don't know what it is but it's the courage to get the shot is something I need to work on. Stopping to shoot or being in a situation which is potentially uncomfortable to shoot makes the successful capture sweeter.

 

My first stop was at the boat launch off Suwanee River Sill. There is a nice stand of cypress trees on the far side a a canal, complete with sleeping gators. I was there for quite sometime before I saw another photographer. I then proceeded to the end of 177 where the concession facilities and boat rentals are. From the size of the parking lots I could see that this is a busy place in height of the season. Lots of campsites too. I took a guided boat tour which took us along Billy's Lake. I can see renting a small boat next time to do some exploring and to get some peace and quiet. There is something about the guided tours that completely distracts from the ambiance of the place.

What I find disheartening about visiting some National Parks is learning about the history of the areas. Our entire history seems to be fraught with stories about the displacement of Native Americans and exploitation of natural resources. The Okefenokee is no different...in 1899 the Hebard Cypress Company purchased the land from the state of GA and systematically removed 431 million board feet of cypress timber, harvesting giant magnificent trees that were hundreds of years old. It's not that they removed some trees but they literally raped the land, building a railroad to haul the trees out and leaving the area to waste after they were done. It's good that we have at least some of these lands under responsible supervision. In the name of progress, in the name of jobs, in the name of the public "good" we did (and continue to do) some terrible things.

 

After the boat tour that lasts about an hour I walked along the Trembling Earth Nature Trail which includes a 2100 ft boardwalk into a cypress grove. Then I headed out and stopped a few times on the road as the sun was setting. The mosquitoes come out as soon as the sun went down. I'm eager to visit the east side of the park. I have a feeling it is more geared to hiking and nature observation than recreation. Perhaps on the next overcast day.

Click here for my Okefenokee gallery.

Snow day in Prospect Park

On Feb 25 it snowed in NYC. I mean we got 20 inches. In nearby Brooklyn things were pretty socked-in. Cars were covered, schools closed, and no one was going anywhere. We ventured out from the apartment in Park Slope to Prospect Park where winter was in full swing. People were having a blast, sledding and skiing and just enjoying the day. It was a great time to commiserate with the trees and I took advantage of it. There are over 150 species of trees in the park so it was a big treat for me to be there in such unique conditions. My tour started at the north entrance and proceeded along West Drive, then across Long Meadow and at that point I started wandering south. The snow was very deep in places (over a foot) and I followed whatever trail I could find. The sun was peeking in and out and I just kept walking knowing that at a certain point I should hit a roadway. Well, the parks in NY are rather large and I probably didn't realize that walking a few miles in the deep snow would be quite the workout. I was carrying two camera bodies, one with my 24-70 and the other with a 70-200. Needless to say the camera bag strap (a Think Tank Urban Disguise 50) began to dig into my shoulder...ouch! Luckily I did not have my tripod to lug around. I think I ended up walking about 6 miles that day. When it started to get dark I had a little bit of panic. The snow started coming down hard and there were less and less people around. Could I actually get lost in an urban park? I saw some buildings in the distance and headed towards the lights. I popped out at 9th Street and Prospect Park West, about 15 blocks away from the apartment. At least I knew where I was now. And did I say it was getting cold? 

The trees covered in wet snow were magical to me. As the sky darkened and snow began to fall I experienced a calm peacefulness enveloping the entire area. In the middle of Brooklyn I found a sanctuary. Now I have to find my way home.

A snowy tree gallery is in the works...stay tuned.

Washington Oaks State Park

Washington Oaks State Park has an interesting outcropping of coquina rock along the shore which is exposed at low tide. This is one of the few places where Florida can claim a rocky coastline. I took Cliff out mid-afternoon just for some sightseeing. Another cloudless day and very cold. So what do you do when conditions aren't ideal? You can leave your camera at home. Or you can just fool around with no expectations. I decided to try out my variable neutral density filter on the waves. I'm really fond of the effect. Usually what gets created is just a mush of softness, nice but not what I would call anything significant. Which goes to say you can't just point your camera and shoot. But it's worthwhile to practice your technique, see what exposures work and what wave patterns work for you.

Looking up at live oaks

Another "no fog" day out here on Hecksher Drive. I think someone needs to send our local weatherman back to school. He went on for 3 minutes about being socked in with dense fog and having to wait until mid-morning before it will clear. This morning there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Go figure. I made the best of the morning and headed back to Ft. George Island to walk one of the trails near the Kingsley Plantation. Since it was still early morning the sun wasn't bad for some tree canopy shooting. This is where you shoot straight up from the trail, using an "L" finder to save your neck. The last time I tried this it was drizzling and I didn't realize water droplets were covering my lens. Usually you can silhouette the branches and try to catch some color in the leaves. I was also trying to capture the Spanish moss hanging from the branches.

I find it fascinating to view tress like this. Maybe it's because we are not used to this angle, and everything looks different. Notice how each branch of leaves seems to give each other "space", and how the branches keep subdividing. The clear sky takes out all the distracting background.

Live oaks are one of the most charismatic trees around. I find the gestures of the trunks and branches to be very human-like, and the visual complexity of their forms are mind boggling. One of my favorite subjects for sure.

Blue Ridge Parkway road trip

We just returned from a quick get away to one of my favorite places in the southeast, Asheville NC. There is something about this area that always makes you glad that you visited. Certainly the good rates at the Best Western didn't hurt! We made the drive up in a day and stayed in Asheville 4 nights, then one night in Cherokee and the last in Pigeon Forge. Checking the weather forecasts, we knew that the weather would be fantastic for "normal" people - clear sunny skies, no clouds, with temps in the 60s and 70s. The previous week had rain and clouds which was just passing through. As we stopped at the NC state line we witnessed the best light of the whole trip as the setting sun broke through the dark clouds and lit up the trees. It was unbelievable! That was the last we were to see of anything close to a cloud the whole week.  

Day 2 we were up early and drove north on the Blue Ridge Parkway from the Tunnel Road entrance east of Asheville. The hotel is situated right on Tunnel Road which made everything super convenient. There was still some early morning fog and low clouds due to the moisture in the ground from the rain. This was the last fog we saw. The Parkway is great for stopping as there are numerous overview points and small pullouts along the way. Having no traffic to speak of also helped. It was clear that most of the leaves were gone. The Parkway runs along the ridge of the mountains (hence Blue Ridge) at the highest elevations. The foliage had peaked about two weeks ago, but there were still pockets of color, and also color in the valleys. As the sun rose rapidly in the blue clear sky, it blasted the landscape which made for tough shooting. It was definitely a challenge to find places on the hillsides or in the shadows to shoot. We stopped at the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center near milepost 370. I purchased a replacement National Parks Passport that I recently lost on my last trip to Acadia (that's another sad story that I'll tell another time). We made our way to Mount Mitchell State Park, which is the highest point east of the Mississippi (Clingman's Dome in the Smokies being the second highest). In some seasons the road up to the peak is shrouded in fog, but it was clear today. At the top the view is magnificent, but the light was awful. So enjoy the view and quit complaining!

A nice picnic lunch and we were on our way back, stopping at each overlook and saying over and over again, "this must have been beautiful when the leaves were peaking." I mean we kept saying it again and again. It was bare trees and brown leaves for most of the trip back. At one overlook a cyclist told us to take a short hike on a train called Rattlesnake Lodge. He mentioned that there may still be some color on the tress there. Hmmm. So we found the trailhead and started the "easy" hike. Carrying what felt like 30 lbs of gear and the tripod was just not what I was looking for. The trail was ok but fairly steep, and the fallen leaves covered all of the roots, rocks, and nice obstacles to trip you up. We found the foundations of an old lodge and just a bit of color after about a half mile in. Was it worth it? My knees said NO. Onwards to a few more overlooks and this fortunate after sunset shot at the Cowee Mountain overlook...classic Blue Ridge.

Day 3 we wanted to head south east towards  Mt. Pisgah but found that the Parkway was closed due to the chance of a rockslide. They had already closed I-40 at the NC border with TN due to all the rain they were getting. The detour took us south, then west, then up the famous SR 276 though the Pisgah National Forest near Looking Glass Falls and Sliding Rock. I think everyone who has visited up here goes to these sights, I know we took our kids here 15 years ago. The drive through Pisgah was very nice, again little traffic and plenty of pullouts. 276 connects with the Blue Ridge near milepost 415, and then we drove west and stopped at the Graveyard Fields for a hike. Of course our 1 mile loop around the creek turned into a 3.5 mile climb up to the ridge and back. Holy crap I am out of shape! Having your heart beat at 170 bpm is not conducive to contemplative photography. We finally made our way back to the car and a bite to eat. It was clear that we would be getting back after dark. The drive back through Pisgah was great and the light became manageable once it set behind the mountains.

 Day 4 was shopping for Dorian and a return to Pisgah for me. I was hoping to catch some early morning fog in the valley but no luck for me. At 27 degrees and no humidity, the fog was staying away. I did catch some excellent light and some clouds made a brief appearance until 9:30 when the sun returned in full force. I decided to just drive around and scout out some different locations for a return trip. From 276 I proceeded to the State Fish Hatchery and a gravel road, 475B which ran up the mountain looping back to 276. It was primarily a one lane deal, very steep but manageable. I ran into a few rock climbers who had set up a campsite. A more "intimate" view of the forest is experienced from this road as I was right on the edge of the mountain closed in by the trees. It was a great new perspective. I joined back with 276 and then at the Pink Beds picnic area made a right onto another gravel road, 1206 which I followed for about 11 miles.

 

I made it back to civilization and pavement. My "off-road" experience was great but I was somewhat disappointed that I did not have the chance to use the 4 wheel drive...maybe just as well. That night Dorian and I attended a showing of artist's handmade books at Bookworks in downtown Asheville. Saw some amazing stuff.

Day 5 was a sleep-in day, packing and moving on the Cherokee NC at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We first returned to downtown Asheville where we visited several studios in the River Arts District. I'll have another post on that experience. One more drive up 276 onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and then towards Cherokee. We pulled off at several overlooks but the light was dismal, bright sun and haze, so we pushed on. For some reason we didn't realize how far we still had to go until after sunset when we saw the sign: Cherokee 36 miles. Now that doesn't seem like a long way but driving in the mountains in the dark on a twisty road it can be a challenge. Dorian got us through and we settled into our Best Western. Even had dinner at the local Asian buffet.

Day 6 started with bright sun and I had a feeling it was just not going to be a good day for photography. We stopped at the Oconoluftee Visitor Center just to see what was going on. I asked the ranger if there were any areas in the park that may be foggy in the morning. He gave me this funny look and said I was the only one who asked for fog. I told him I was a photographer and I'm weird. It was obvious from the parking lot that driving in in the Smokies was not going to be like driving on the Blue Ridge. The stream of cars making their way on 441 was impressive. It was like real traffic! We pulled out and got into the stream. Kinda kills the whole wilderness experience sandwiched between the minivans and SUVs. We decided to visit Clingman's Dome first and then head over to Cade's Cove. The road up to Clingman's was not as busy. From the size of the massive parking lot it was clear that A LOT of people visit this site. The best place for a panoramic shot is at the east end of the lot (where you enter). There are no trees blocking your view. We arrived a bit late in the day for a decent exposure of the hills. Pre-sunrise is the time to be here. Not this time for me.

Next stop was the Sugarlands Visitor Center where we watched the movie and enjoyed the nature museum. The place was packed. I thought kids were still in school! From here we proceeded to Cade's Cove. The traffic here picked up again. It seems that the cars bunch up behind a slower camper, so there were groups of 20 cars, then a gap, then another group. We pulled out several times for photos. Nothing like shooting on the side of the road with your face in the camera and your butt sticking out as groups of 20 cars race by you. Not good. I question just how much can you experience in the park riding in a car? The pullouts were empty, everyone was going somewhere. Well that somewhere was Cade's Cove. This is an 11 mile one way loop that goes through an old settlement and working farm. Very quaint and picturesque, if you can take out the continuous line of cars bumper to bumper for 11 miles! This was like being in Disney.

On the way back we stopped at a stream just to recollect ourslves. It was nice. To complete our experience for the day we drove to Pigeon Forge to find our Best Western. Those of you who have been to Gatlinburg know what I'm talking about. This is the ultimate in tackiness and commercial visual pollution. It's classic Americana, and probably worth some time photographing one day. How can a place so beautiful be adjacent to a place so vulgar? Only in America!

Day 7 and it's time to head home. Back through the park or try to catch I-40? We opted for I-40 even though we knew there may be a detour. Little did we know that the detour would take us 70 miles on a backroad! Lost 2 hours on that detour, but we made it to the interstate and back to Jacksonville safely. Now to go through my 1300 images to find some keepers.

Blue Ridge road trip gallery can be found here.

Big Talbot Island repeat

This is my 14th session for shooting on my Jacksonville project, and I headed back out to Big Talbot Island, one of my favorite spots on an overcast day, hoping to catch some interesting views and details off of Black Rock Trail. The trailhead creeps up on you quickly after you pass Simpson's Creek on Hecksher Drive. It's a 1/2 mile easy hike in. It's October 28 and the temperature was 87 degrees with a massive dose of humidity and gnats flying everywhere. I arrived about 2 hours after low tide at around 11:oo am.

 

It's hard to get situated and in the flow when amongst a bunch of giant trees lying dead on the shore. I was overwhelmed. Sometimes it's best to just sit down and take the site in. As I stood and stared, an armadillo walked out of the woods and down the trail. Funny how things start to happen if you just stay still for a while. There is a ladder leading down to the shore (thank you whoever build this!) and I started walking south. I believe the "black rock" is actually exposed limestone and coquina, which makes for an interesting shoreline. The sun was poking in and out of the clouds, and there were darker stormy clouds to the north.

As it approached 4:00 a fisherman was making his way back and asked if I was familiar with the area. "Oh sure, I've been here many times...why do you ask?" "Well, you know as the tide comes in, the point over there floods early and you cannot walk around to get back to the trail," he casually replied. Note: there is a 12-20 ft bluff running along the shore in this area. "And you know the tide is coming in fast so I'm heading out." "Great idea, and thanks for letting me know!" Now that little piece of information saved me a whole lot of aggravation. Walking on the jagged limestone was tricky enough when you can see where you are going. Not a good idea especially when you are carrying a whole bunch of camera gear, tripod, etc. So what would have happened if that fisherman didn't stop or wasn't there? Gulp.

More Big Talbot images from this day can be found here.

Ft. George Live Oaks

Yesterday the weather continued to cooperate with drizzly overcast skies so I headed back out to Ft George Island to visit some of my favorite live oak trees on Edgewood Drive near the Kingsley Plantation. The mosquitoes were out in full force and got to me through my clothes...geesh they must have been hungry. I saw about 3 people out there and had a perfect time. I left my lens cloth at home and had an issue with the drizzle, especially while trying to take a series of the tree canopy looking straight up. Water droplets on the lens are not very flattering to the final image. Need to go back for another round.

Power plants and wetlands

It's interesting to me to see the coexistence of power plants and industrial facilities in natural places. The contrast of function and the effect that each has on the senses is both similar and dissimilar. Many industrial facilities end up being constructed in remote areas. In most cases the structures are large and the impact on the environment both physically and visually is significant. As I was driving out to the Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve, I passed our JEA coal plant and the cooling towers. These kinds of structures always strike me emotionally, in a way similar to a giant sequoia or redwood. To see a towering structure of such size and presence is ominous. You can feel the energy contained within. I know I will be returning to these structures for further study. Access is somewhat limited but there is a road that allows you to drive by fairly closely. Avoiding the dumptrucks and other large vehicles is a bit of a challenge...just keep your eyes open.

 

Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve is a state park which I had never visited before. When I arrived there was one person setting up his kayak. After about 15 minutes of quiet, another group arrived with their coolers, lawn chairs, fishing poles and crab traps. They were wondering what I was doing. I guess everyone has a right to enjoy the park. It was time for me to find another spot.

 

Cloud Gazing

Yesterday I spent most of the afternoon downtown, first meeting with a group from the organization Docomomo for a tour of the Police Headquaters and the former Daniels Building (both by William Morgan) and then heading out to the Springfield neighborhood to scope out some shots. It was incredibly hot and miserable (don't we all love to complain about the weather?). I decided not to wait for the sunset and as I was driving home I remembered that we were going to take my mom out to dinner at the Blue Bamboo. Seems like my memory is being challenged these days. As I drove into the driveway I was eyeing this incredible set of clouds overhead. The sun was beginning to set and these clouds began to light up. Dorian was in the yard with a neighbor. I parked the car, said a quick hello and grabbed the camera out of the trunk. For the next 20 minutes I was entertained, while Dorian contained her annoyance (thank you dear!) at our late dinner engagement. Funny how the most interesting shots of the day come when you least expect them.

      

Treaty Oak study

Most residents in Jacksonville are familiar with the Treaty Oak, a massive tree situated in a small park on the South bank.  It's a wonderful tree and there are always people there enjoying the shade from the overhanging branches. Today I was trying to catch the Harvest Moon from the Acosta Bridge and the clouds rolled in and blanketed the sky. So I spent some time with this beautiful tree. I realized that many of the forms were human-like, and upon careful study you could find arms, legs, hands , and entwined appendages. I lost the light quickly and will return on an overcast day to discover more about this magnificent creation.

This was officially Day 10 of my Jacksonville 400 project.

Jacksonville 400 - Day 8

Today I decided to take a break and head north to take in some scenics at Little Talbot and Big Talbot Islands. The clouds have been incredible during the morning and early afternoon due to the heat and humidity and I wanted to capture some of them on the shore. As I drove north west I could see the sky clearing before me...wouldn't you know! I did manage to find one cloud hanging around. I did not stick around for the sunset in discouragement. I am going to return to the power plant for some shots, maybe this weekend.

My Jacksonville 400 project gallery can be found here.

Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge

A little off the beaten path between Jacksonville and Savannah is the Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge converted from a WWII Army airstrip. It includes about 2600 acres and a paved road from which numerous hiking trails are connected. Of course I was after some interesting trees. As soon as I arrived the drizzle started, and increased to a light rain soon after. At a certain point the rain begins to interfere with the sharpness of an image, so I drove in and basically waited for about an hour. One thing to remember when the humidity is hovering around 90%, taking a camera from a cold air conditioned car to the outside is like having a glass of iced tea at the pool -  instant condensation on the lenses. It took another 15 minutes to stabilize the moisture. It's also handy to have your lens hoods on as it keeps the water droplets off the lens. Nothing like discovering that your last 20 shots have nice round globs all over them (been there, done that).

    

It was easy to just pull off the road and hike in to catch a great tree. But standing there for just a minute must have sounded the dinner bell for the mosquitoes. At the marsh near the entry to the park were thousands of white ibis off in the trees. At one point they all took off and filled the sky...camera was in the car. This is a great birding area and listed on the Colonial Coast Birding Trail.

More images of the Harris Neck NWR can be viewed here.

The magical trees at Wormsloe

Today I drove to Savannah to meet with my friend Jeremy Woodhouse who was taking a southern city tour for stock images. While researching great places to shoot I came upon the Wormsloe Plantation, which is the colonial estate of Noble Jones, one of the original English settlers who came with James Oglethorpe. What attracted me about the site was the avenue of trees at the entry which is 1.5 miles long. The overgrown and ancient live oaks provide an impressive presence as you approach the property. The long tangled branches reach out overhead forming a tunnel. The weather was hot and humid and luckily overcast, as the intermittent rain fell throughout the day. The mosquitoes and yellow flies were in full force. The place was virtually empty, I saw maybe 4 other people there in 3 hours. I had a perfect time, Jeremy was there all of 5 minutes as he shot the obligatory view of the avenue and was off for downtown.

PS: I give credit for the recommendation of this site to Robert Hitchman whose excellent publication, Photograph America, is my first source for great shooting locations.

More Wormsloe images can be viewed here.

The nature of Acadia

 

There is something about Acadia National Park that draws you in. It isn't the throngs of tourists crowding the roads and beaches, the screaming kids at the visitor's center, the ravenous mosquitoes, or the rainy summer days (I do happen to really love crummy weather!). There is something that connects you to the rocky coastline and deep forests, crystal clear lakes, and breathtaking vistas. Two days is not enough to take this in, but we do with what we have. When planning these trips it's always hard to anticipate what the "mood" will be when the end of the week approaches. We always feel rushed to return home, to tend to "things", to handle business. Why? I wish I had reserved a few more days of my life to enjoy this place. Will there be another time? I hope so.

      

Acadia image gallery

"High season" in Acadia (July 4 - Labor Day) means you will have to deal with people, kids, and high prices. There are a few decent places to stay that won't break the bank. I found a nice clean room at the Sunnyside Motel and Cottages just at the turn when you enter Mt Desert Island on Hiway 3. It's about 10 miles from the park entrance.

Cruising Alaska's Glacier Coast

We just finished a 7 day cruise with the family aboard the Princess Sapphire. This was my first "big ship" excursion. The thought of taking a jacket, tie, and dress shoes was disheartening. These items would take up valuable space that could be used by "essential" photo equipment. Hauling around 50 lbs of gear, a tripod, and laptop really doesn't leave a lot of room for extra clothing, much less more shoes. I guess I'll never travel like a normal person. I can't imagine having TWO pieces of luggage just to carry clothes and stuff.

We left Jacksonville on one of my favorite 6 AM flights. Boy how I hate getting up at 3:30 in the morning...maybe if I went to bed before 1 AM I wouldn't be so grumpy. We picked up my mom and had an uneventful flight to Memphis, then Seattle, and on to Vancouver where we met the kids who few in from New York and Boston. Vancouver is one of my favorite cities. It was great being back in Canada. People are friendly and seem to be happy with life, unlike walking around Boston or New York where people always seem to be yelling at each other.

Our hotel was the Blue Horizon on Robson St. Very nice accommodations. We had a corner room on the 23rd floor with a great view.

Day 1 - Heading north out of Vancouver

The next day we headed over to The Hudson Bay Company to pick up some souvenirs for the Winter Olympics. It will be crazy in Vancouver next year.  Then on to Canada Place to catch our ship. The whole embarkation process was impressive. A long line but very orderly and things kept moving. Reminded me of queuing up for Space Mountain at Disney. Checking in 3000 people is not an easy task but these guys have it figured out. Our "state room" was very nice, the ship being less than 5 years old. We had upgraded to a room with a balcony which I highly recommend.

So what are the expectations of a photographer going on a family cruise ship? To be honest, they were low. I mean really, you are out in the ocean in a huge boat moving at 20 knots, going shopping, and eating 24 hours a day. I came for the ride, to relax, eat, and enjoy some family time. I had no real strategy for shooting or adding to my body of work. I was in for a surprise.

Day 2 - The Inside Passage

The weather in Vancouver was perfect, sunny and 70 degrees. As we headed north the clouds started to roll in. The weather report called for intermittent showers. Most of Southeast Alaska is within the boundaries of the Tongass National Forest, which is considered a rain forest, so what do you expect, Florida sunshine? Yes it did rain, mostly drizzle, with nice clouds and fog, and all those extra weather features that photographers love. We cruised all day as we made our way up the coast. From the balcony it was like watching the Discovery Channel live. There was a calm and peace to the passing water and coastline. Small inlets, groups of trees, rocks, and the absence of any evidence of man.

Day 3 - Ketchikan

Population 8000, Alaska's 5th largest city. Makes you realize how desolate this part of the country is. Without the cruise ships (I counted 4 big ships anchored) there would be almost nothing here. We had no planned excursions, so we just did a walkaround the city. I also for the first time felt the presence of the size of the ship. It is an enormous vessel, dwarfing everything around it. All of the docks and facilities are fairly new and built by the cruise lines. All of the big stores in the ports are owned by the cruise lines. Hmmm, makes you wonder about this. One thing is for sure, this is a BIG business and someone is making lots of money.

The incredible scenery continued to unfold as we cruised to Juneau.

Day 4 - Juneau

Alaska's capital. Population 31,000 (half of a football stadium). One Wal-mart, one McDonalds. Also home of the Mendenhall glacier, which we took an excursion to see. My very first glacier! Amazing. A living, breathing, river of ice.  The viewing areas were a good half mile from the glacier. We had only 1 hour to view. The helicopter tour was $400, so the bus tour will do for now.

Day 5 - Skagway

Skagway was the point of departure for those heading north to the Yukon Territory during the gold rush. A narrow gauge railway was built to haul people and supplies inland. We took a ride on the train, 20 miles uphill to the White Pass summit. The construction of the railway was an amazing feat of engineering through some amazing scenery. I hung out on the platform between cars, freezing, and loving every minute. I've never shot from a train before. Judging from the number of images I had to toss, it was clear that the speed, the bumps, and the lack of a tripod (r u kidding?) would offer some challenging shooting conditions.

 

Day 6 - Glacier Bay

What's nice about this cruise itinerary is that you are gradually exposed to more amazing views. The scenery was really getting interesting, and the entry in Glacier Bay was nothing short of amazing. There is something special about seeing and experiencing things for the first time. The shipboard viewing was ideal. Maybe a smaller vessel would be better but I was doing just fine on my balcony, watching the views unfold. The ship was perfectly silent as it slipped through the water, delivering new visuals every minute. I brought 2 bodies, and it was convenient to just switch to wide angle and then telephoto. At one point I switched out my 24-70 for my 300. There was almost too much to digest.

 

Day 7 - Prince William Sound and College Fjord

Back in the day glaciers were named after colleges. So there are the Yale and Harvard glaciers, Barnard and Smith, etc. I'm sure the Native Americans had names for all of these things. Why do we insist on re-labeling everything once we have "discovered" them? It's arrogant and disrespectful. Western civilization has its way of putting its mark on things. As we cruised into the fjord there were at least 5 glaciers in view. The ship parks itself in the middle of all this and slowly rotates, offering everyone adequate time to view the sight. After 3 rotations we made our way out towards Anchorage.

 

Day 8 - Anchorage and the flight home

It's always sad to be packing your bag to head back to civilization. We disembarked at Whittier, and took a 6:30 AM bus ride to Anchorage where we toured around until our flights at 4:40 PM. Flew to Seattle, then the red-eye to Atlanta, then on to Jacksonville. It was a long day(s). Good to be home to 95 degree heat and 90% humidity!

Overall the cruise was wonderful. A great time with the family, ate way too much great food, and the service was excellent. My first exposure to the beauty of Alaska was perfect. We covered a lot of ground at a reasonable expense. Would I do another big cruise to Alaska...possibly if the family factor was involved. Cruises are nice because it brings everyone together, but allows each person to do their own thing. A great vacation model. If you want a Disney-esque Alaskan experience take a cruise, otherwise train for the Iditarod.

Click here to see more images in my Alaska Cruise gallery.

A tour of South Florida

You would figure since I was born in FL that I would know this state like the back of my hand, especially as a photographer. Well, you know how the saying goes...something about green grass? After attending FotoFusion we headed south to Homestead FL, the city closest to the Everglades park entrance. We stayed in the trusty Best Western. I've been having a lot of luck with the BW hotels recently, they seem to be cheaper than the Hampton Inns (my "gold" standard) and each hotel is a little different. At $105 a night, queen bed, fridge, microwave, breakfast, it's a good deal. Our plans for the week were 3 days here in the Everglades, a quick trip to Key Biscayne, then driving through Big Cypress and up to Sanibel, then back to Jacksonville.

I'm not a wildlife photographer, and when you say Everglades you say birds and wildlife. This being the height of the birding season gets some people really excited. Lots of shorebirds, egrets, herons, etc. and plenty of gators. I was looking to produce some interesting landscapes and found this to be challenging. Clyde Butcher has the corner on the classic FL landscape, and you can't help but be completely in awe of his work. Finding my own interpretation of the nature of FL would certainly take me more than 3 days. I've grown to appreciate the fact that you need to be in an area for a long time in order to fully capture the sense of place. You can't just show up in your car on a random day and expect to walk away with a great image. Clyde Butcher lives right in the middle of the Big Cypress swamp and has been photographing there for half of his life. That is one reason why his images are so incredible.

So I set out with modest expectations and hopes of seeing and experiencing new things. We left my brother's house in Boca Raton and headed to the American Orchid Society Botanical Gardens in Delray Beach. Included is a landscaped garden area and a 45oo sf greenhouse filled with orchids. Best of all they allowed tripods. I was challenged finding compositions with so many flowers. The facility itself contains many resources for orchid growers and is a must see if you are an orchid lover.

  

American Orchid Society greenhouse gallery.

From Delray we took the Florida Turnpike to Florida City, which is at the south end of the highway. We checked into our hotel and headed to the Everglades visitor center to grab maps. It is about 15 miles from Florida City to the park. Our sunset location was the Pa-hay-okee Overlook  (river of grass) which is an elevated boardwalk in the middle of an area of dwarf cypress trees. There were many clouds as the front was coming in and we managed to see some color. As soon as the sun went down the mosquitoes came out...they were brutal!

 

The next day we headed out to the end of the main road which is at the Flamingo Visitor Center. Along the way we stopped at an overlook right before Pa-hay-okee. Then we headed to the Mahogany Hammock.  From here there was an area where there had recently been a fire, and the palmettos were just beginning to grow back, creating an interesting scene of green shoots. From Flamingo we headed back to the Christian Point Trail. We hiked about 1 mile in and turned back, then we stopped at the West Lake boardwalk and stayed until sunset. Unfortunately the clouds had taken over and there was no color.

  

 

Everglades and Big Cypress gallery.

Our next destination was Key Biscayne NP which is due east of Florida City. At the visitor center we found out that no boats were leaving due to the weather. By now the front had moved in with high winds and cold temperatures. We walked along the boardwalk and out to the jetty. Next time we will take a glass bottom boat tour which is a great way to see the reef if you want to keep dry.

 

Key Biscayne gallery.

From here we headed back into the park and stopped at Royal Palm which is the start of the Anhinga Trail and Gumbo Limbo Trail. The Anhinga is famous for wildlife, especially gators along the bank of the canal that follows the trail. It was very crowded with people and bus loads of kids, so we opted for the Gumbo Limbo trail and from there we headed for Long Pine Key, which is primarily a campground in the middle of a pine forest. I enjoyed a cloudless sunset in the pine forest.

While visiting all these locations I became aware of the devestation caused by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Basically Andrew, a Category 5 hurricane had winds of over 169 mph when it hit FL, ripped through this area destroying practically all the vegetation, trees, buildings, and most if not all of the growth is new since 1992. The signs along the trail told of many of the massive oak trees which were lost, and the buttonwood trees that were felled by the storm. You can still see many of the remains of the destruction.

From here we headed back to the Tamiami Trail to Big Cyress National Preserve. We stopped at a boat slip near the Miccosukee Reserve and talked to a local guide about all the big changes going on in the area. Lots of new development everywhere until the economy tanked. Lots of people from the north moving in. We took the Loop Road Scenic Drive on recommendation from one of the rangers. Lots of gators along the roadside and great views of the cypress trees. This road is unpaved but suitable for all types of cars. It's a slow drive but well worth it to see a "real" view of the old Florida. It was back to the highway on onto I-75 to Ft Meyers, where we checked into the Best Western (of course!). The weather report said early morning lows of 28 degrees with 20-25 mph winds...are you kidding?

 

We made a quick stop at Sanibel Island. It had been many years since we were here with the children. We stopped at Bowman's Beach hoping to find a good shelling spot. Looks like we missed the low tide so the shells were disappointing. It was cold on the beach so after about 2 hours we headed back to Jacksonville.

 

Sanibel gallery.

First shoot of 2009

I am happy to report that I got my lazy butt out of the house to go shoot at one of my favorite locations in FL, Big Talbot Island SP. We have been having some really strange weather with record highs and cool nights. When the ambient temperature and dew points collide there's FOG! We don't have very many foggy mornings here in Jacksonville, so I was excited. Yesterday the fog lasted well past 10 AM...could I be so lucky again? Well......the alarm rang at 5 AM and I was on the road by 6, things looked promising. As I crossed the Dames Point Bridge and headed out Hecksher Drive, I could see that I was going to be disappointed. Boo. It was cloudy but no fog, it did not get cold enough. But the morning was peaceful on the beach. Please be aware that the main beach entrance is blocked so you have to find your own way to the beach.

I felt a little strange in that I had a lot of trouble "seeing" anything. I was listening the previous night to a podcast by Brooks Jenson on creativity, or the lack thereof, and how he sometimes suffers from a creative block, so he just sits in his car and reads and drinks coffee while his friend photographs. (click here and navigate to LW0463: The Rhythm of Creativity). Well that story stuck in my brain and I kept asking myself, "maybe this is going to be one of those mornings..." Bad idea. I was convinced that I got nothing, I'll let you be the judge of that. I did let the images "age" on the memory cards for a few days before processing.

On the lookout for the next foggy morning in Jacksonville.

Big Talbot not so foggy morning gallery.

12 Days in California: Days 1-4

Just finished a workshop on Location Lighting with Joe McNally at the Lepp Institute in Los Osos CA. What a week! My plan was to fly into SFO and spend a few days in Marin County (one of my favorite areas) then take the scenic route down CA1 to Los Osos which is a small town near Morro Bay (north of Santa Barbara). I found that most people in CA never heard of Los Osos either. Many thanks to Rex Naden, a workshop leader who graciously provided some ideas along the coast for shooting. So my week started with a long flight from JAX and two nights at the Best Western in Corte Madera. Hotel rooms are pricey in SF. This was a good location close to Pt Reyes National Seashore which was my first destination. Being on Pacific time you would think I would have a chance at catching some nice foggy sunrises on the west coast. Well...it seems that my adjustment came all too soon and I was typically missing the sunrise at 7:00. The drive to Pt Reyes first took me through Samuel P Taylor State Park which had some very nice redwoods, pines, and oaks. It was a lovely drive along Sir Frances Drake Boulevard (not!)...unknowingly to me this road is notorious for bad morning traffic and I caught the worst of it. Next time I will take the 101 up to Novato and then west to the coast.

 I reached the Bear Valley Visitor Center at Pt Reyes around noon. The sun was screaming above in the cloudless sky and it was just one of those days where you resolve to enjoy the view and not worry about perfect lighting. On the way to the coast I passed an interesting entrance to the historic RCA/Marconi wireless receiving station. A cypress lined "tree tunnel" surrounds the road that leads to the station. An impressive entrance. I was able to get to South Beach and the Lighthouse before the sun started going down at 5:00. From the lighthouse, I caught the sunset over the South Beach and as I drove home I could see the purple sky through the rear view mirror. I met Brenda Tharp and Jed Manwaring for dinner in Novato. Finally got to meet their dog Mocha! Overall a nice day for photography.

 

 Sam Taylor and Pt. Reyes gallery.

The next morning's plan was to wake up early for some nice fog in the Presidio. Could I make it across the Golden Gate by 7:00 AM? Fat chance...good thing about the Best Western Corte Madera is that they bring your continental breakfast to your room. Mine arrived at 6:30 but by the time I got everything packed in the car I was looking at 7:45. As I was driving over the bay the sun was up and bathing the bridge in golden light. I had to stop! Off the first exit there is a parking area on the right so I found a spot (not too hard on a Saturday morning), grabbed the camera and tripod and climbed up one of the concrete embankments. Another photographer was already there, probably snickering that I was arriving about an hour too late. So I sacrificed what was left of the fog for some bridgework. I can't say that it was worth it but I can't resist this bridge. I did not know about the access from the south (San Francisco) end. Only bikes are permitted to cross...no pedestrians. There is a lot of construction going on with chain link fences everywhere around the base. After about an hour here I decided to head to the Presidio, now that the sun was in full force.

I drove along Lincoln Blvd and then randomly looking for the main visitor center so I could get a map. This is a big place. Tons of joggers and cyclists on this Saturday morning. I ended up at Inspiration Point, from there I followed a map to the Officer's Club/Visitor Center. I asked the young lady there where the cedar groves were, she gave me this funny look and said she had no idea...just walk around. Geesh, every minute the sun was climbing higher and you know what that means. Back in the car I drove through the National Cemetery which was a very moving place. I was a bit self conscious photographing in there so I shot from the car.

Back onto Lincoln I spot a grove of trees near Park Ave. I pull into the parking area for Maintenance Building 682. The sun was coming up over the trees and the light was spilling through the grove. As I grabbed the camera and tripod I could see that some of the cyclists were stopping to take a picture...it was really a surreal effect with the sun going through the haze around the trees. I was so excited!

 

After my appointment with the trees I drove to Crissy Field, parked, and walked towards the bridge. The wind had picked up and there was a rest station appropriately named the "Warming Hut." Then back on Lincoln to Baker Beach where there is another good angle to shoot the bridge. By this time it is high noon and I continued on to an area called Land's End, grabbed a sandwich, and then found Hiway 1 and started driving south towards Monterey.

The Presidio gallery.

The next stop was at the Pigeon Pt lighthouse. I always find lighthouses very interesting both physically and metaphorically. Usually built on a small spit of rock, typically where the weather is brutal, just to house a bright beacon to keep ships safe. The stories surrounding each structure and the lighthouse keepers is always fascinating.  Onwards to catch the sunset in Santa Cruz. Isn't it crazy to be driving with your camera knowing that the sun is setting and you don't have a place to go. Luckily I found a park with beach access just in time. As the sun settled onto the water the camera was in place.

 

I did make it to Monterey, another Best Western. This one was $69 per night, includes fridge and microwave and free breakfast. You can't beat that! Today's goal is to make it from here to Los Osos on Hiway 1. First stop, Point Lobos State Reserve. My intention to rise early seems always to be...well a good intention. Never works out. I was in the park by 8:30 AM, the sun was going to be very strong but a front was moving in. As I parked my car at the first trailhead there was a volunteer and a park ranger talking, so I started asking questions and before you know it another 45 minutes passed. Believe me what they say is true, don't try to do landscape photography in direct sun. As good as you "think" your image looks in the viewfinder and on that tiny LCD, the contrast is way too high. It was good practice, and the views along the coast were incredible. Point Lobos is a fairly large park with many trails along the coast. I was lucky in that the park was relatively empty. As the afternoon wore on the clouds rolled in, the wind picked up, and temperature dropped.

 

From Pt Lobos it was on to Big Sur and the classic California coastline. Driving on Hiway 1 is a real experience. I pulled off the road at a turnout to watch the sunset, and when I lost all the light, I had 50 miles to go on the twisty roads to Los Osos. Yikes!

 

Pt. Lobos gallery.

12 Days in California: Days 10-12

With the workshop over, I had 3 days of making my way back to San Francisco. Time to retrace my journey north on Hiway 1 with a stop at Big Sur. Wouldn't you know they closed Pfeiffer State Park for the rest of the season because of the fires and road repair. This is the big area directly around Big Sur...major disappointment. I decided to stay at the Big Sur Lodge which is at the entrance to the park and figured I would find something interesting on the 2 trails that were still open.

Montana de Oro gallery.

From Los Osos I woke up early (hooray!) to head up to Montana de Oro and Morro Bay State Parks. The wind was blowing hard and it was cold (well cold for me) but I was determined to finally get some morning light. Montana de Oro had a eucalyptus grove and a great coastal area but honestly the weather was pretty bad. After some shots here I headed out of town through Morro Bay SP which was very small. Got lost finding gas and finally got onto Hiway 1. Stopped at a few turnouts for some pics. The coast is incredible. I also saw in the light what I drove through in pitch blackness. You know why they put a 25 mph limit on those curves...because it you run off the road you literally go off a cliff into the sea. Yes, has-ta la vista, you are a gonner.

The rain started up and by 4:30 I checked into the Big Sur Lodge and got a nice cabin for $135. Most of Big Sur is a major tourist trap because it is in the middle of nowhere and the choices are slim. Dinner plans? Got a burrito and apple at the local gas station...cost me $12, ouch, but I was good for the night. Rain meant no sunset so I was relieved not to have to chase a location for that. From the weather report it looked like the front was locked onto the coast with crummy weather all weekend, so the plans for the morning were in the air. I think I'll sleep in. The next morning the rain let up and I rushed to the window to make sure that I didn't miss a gorgeous sunrise. Why can't we let it go? So we miss the most fantastic sunrise ever to happen at Big Sur...what's the big deal? It was a late breakfast at the lodge restaurant and then onto the Buzzard's Roost Trail right across the street. How convenient. The rain had let up, it was cloudy, and the wind died down, lovely conditions for a hike and some pictures. I had a great time and ended up taking 4 hours covering 1/3 of the trail (never did the portion that climbed to the top of the ridge).

  

Big Sur gallery.

From Big Sur I drove to Monterey and stayed again at the Best Western. Best $65 deal in town. The rain came down in sheets and I settled in. My thoughts surely were continued rain throughout the next day. Sleep in!! The next morning I was awakened by the pink sky of a gorgeous sunrise...OMG, the rain stopped. So what is the plan for the day? I happened to glance at one of those hotel books on Monterey and noticed that Michael Kenna was exhibiting at the Monterey Museum of Art...keep reading...exhibition Feb 9 - July 13...missed it. The title: The Elkhorn Slough and Moss Landing. I remembered that Moss Landing was a city nearby. Hmmm, good enough for Michael Kenna, good enough for me. Onwards to Moss Landing.

As I started driving north the sun was going in and out and to my surprise a huge rainbow appeared on the ocean. I was approaching Sand City (appropriately named) and wanted to find an exit that would take me to the shore. I got off but found myself in the wrong lane to loop to the shore, and ended up back on 1 going north. I was driving like mad to get to the next exit and then backtrack. All this was happening while I had the rainbow in clear sight. Finally when I found the backroad to get to the ocean the rainbow had all but disappeared. So much for that. Moss Landing was ahead and I could not wait to see what Michael Kenna found there.

As I approached the main entrance I could see a car stopped near the gate. A closed gate? What was this? There seemed to be cars in the parking lot, but the gate was locked. I read the sign: Parked closed on Mondays. WTF? Of all the stupid things...who decided this? There was only 1 other location open, a boat ramp. What a disappointment. Just couldn't believe it. I wasted my morning shoot for a boat ramp? Well, I headed for the boat ramp hoping for a happy ending. By this time all traces of any clouds had disappeared, the sun was in full force in a blue sky. Just a lovely time for landscape photography. Well the boat ramp confirmed my complete and utter disappointment. After now seeing Kenna's portfolio, I should have made the best of it to photograph the fence posts, sea gull droppings, and power plant smokestacks, but I just called it a day and decided to move on to San Francisco. I had a great 12 days, lots of great shooting, and some days you just enjoy driving around in Castroville - the artichoke capital of the world!

The final roadtrip home: Montréal to Jax - Part 1

We received an offer on our condo within 3 weeks of listing it. So the time has come, time to pack and time to say goodbye. Moving is tough both emotionally and physically. I did not want to ship anything back, so the furniture was sold with the condo and everything that would not fit into the SUV got tossed or was given away. I also had 3 bikes, tons of books, and clothes. My decision was that after closing, we would make our way west along HW 17 through Ottawa, Pembroke, North Bay, Sudbury, through Sault Ste-Marie to Munising  MI. This would allow us to see some peak foliage in the Michigan UP. Then we would drive south through Columbus to visit with relatives, with a quick stop in West Virginia and then back to Florida. I had spent the week previously packing and visiting with friends. The execs at my office invited me to a farewell dinner which was very touching. I received gifts and well wishes from everyone. This made it all the more difficult to leave. As we turned in our condo keys and headed out of town Dorian and I were in tears. It was very sad and both of us knew that we were closing out a very special time in our lives. The weather matched our feelings as it was drizzling cold rain. I met my close friend Ed outside the city to give him my phones and router. We hugged and said goodbye.

Québec/Ontario Autumn gallery.

Soon we crossed into Ontario and we noticed the foliage was brilliant. Although the rain continued the trees were in their peak transition. We managed to stop at several parks and turnouts along the way. First night was in Pembroke at the Econo Lodge. I made reservations on line at various places. You never know what you are going to get but we were please with the accommodations. Night number 2 was in Sudbury at the Parker House Inn (a B&B). I would highly recommend this place, great restaurant and very nice people. After 2 days of driving we crossed back into the US at Sault Ste-Marie into Michigan and headed to Munising . When we crossed the border I had another moment of sadness as I said goodbye to Canada. The Soo locks were very interesting and we did not allow time to photograph there (next time) as we wanted to make it to Munising before dark.

We arrived at the Sunset Motel on the Bay and Lake Superior greeted us with rain and gale force winds. Forcast? Rain and wind for the next 3 days. Lovely.