Early May is the prime time for wildflower displays in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. There are a number of locations on both the Oregon and Washington side of the river that are great for finding and photographing wildflowers. Here are three of the best places for getting photos with masses of color. Tom McCall Preserve, pictured above, is a Nature Conservancy holding at Rowena on the Oregon side of the River. An easy stroll just a few [read more ...]
The folks at HostelBookers.com came up with a great idea for sharing stories and photos, and one of my online friends, travel blogger Kathryn of TravelWithKat.com encouraged me to join in the fun. So, here I am taking part in HostelBookers 7 Super Shots. 1. A photo that takes my breath away: The Na Pali Coast on the island of Kauai is truly spectacular. Fly along the coast on a helicopter tour, take a Zodiac or kayak into coves and caves, hike [read more ...]
Besides being Valentines Day, this February 14 is the 100th anniversary of the declaration of Statehood for Arizona. This desert southwest state includes some of the most dramatic scenery in the United States and many locations are constant draws for nature and landscape photographers. Arizona also offers a wealth of opportunity for adventure travel and for history buffs. The images in the slideshow imbedded here are from some trips I’ve made to Arizona, and show just a sample of [read more ...]
The fantastic rock formations of the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, California, have been favorite subject matter for photographers for many years. The combination of jumbled and roundly eroded rock rising up from the Owens Valley with a backdrop of the dramatic eastern face of the Sierra Nevada mountains is hard to beat. Scattered throughout the Alabama Hills are a number of interesting rock arches. At one time, some photographers and concerned conservationists tried to keep the location of the [read more ...]
In cities large and small all over Mexico, the town plaza is the cultural and social center of life. Plaza Machado in historic Old Town Mazatlan is one of the most enchanting of the plazas I’ve visited. Historic buildings surround the park-like plaza with its typically ornate ironwork kiosko. There are several restaurants with outside seating where guests can enjoy the usually mild evening weather of Mazatlan. One of the things I enjoy most about visiting Mexico is hanging around [read more ...]
One of the most popular things to do on the island Maui is watching the sunrise from the rim of Haleakala crater. Almost everyone goes right to the summit viewpoint. Much less crowded and just as spectacular is the view from Kalahaku Overlook. This view, looking north instead of east to the sunrise, shows the prominent cinder cones in the crater (technically speaking, it’s a caldera, not a crater). On the upper right, Sliding Sands Trail is visible, leading to [read more ...]
One of the most scenic places on the Oregon coast is Bandon Beach. It’s one of my personal favorites, and I think it is has some of the most photogenic scenery on the entire west coast. The main attraction for photography is the sea stacks – monolithic rock formations that provide dramatic subject matter for photographers in just about any weather condition. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better location for sunset seascapes. Nowhere else on the coast has such [read more ...]
Looking for a good cause to get behind this holiday season? Passports With Purpose is an annual fundraising effort by a group of travel bloggers, now in its fourth year. PWP has done some great projects in the past, and this year the goal is to fund a library in Zambia. Make a donation through the Passports With Purpose website and you’ll also have a chance to win some great prizes, including tours, hotel rooms, gift cards, electronics and photography [read more ...]
Alau Island at sunrise, Hana Coast, Maui. After negotiating 600 curves and 54 bridges on the narrow, winding 52 miles of Hana Highway, a lot of visitors to Maui just spend a couple of hours in Hana town, make the obligatory stop at Hasegawa General Store, then turn around and head back to the resorts on the south side of the island. That’s a shame, because some the best parts of the Hana Coast, and some of the most scenic [read more ...]
Spirit Falls, Umpqua Natonal Forest, Cascade Mountains, Oregon. A very scenic drive on Forest Service roads in the Umpqua National Forest will take you to a trio of waterfalls between Cottage Grove and Oakridge, Oregon. I found conditions for photography just about perfect the other day for waterfall photography, with soft light overcast light and good water flow in the creeks thanks to recent rains. To add to the attraction, there is still a bit of fall color left in [read more ...]
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