Favorite Places: Makoshika SP in Montana

There is a very cool state park I try to stop and shoot at when visiting the region near Glendive, Montana. It’s called Makoshika State Park. The name Makoshika is Lakota for ‘land of bad spirits’ or Badlands.

Similar to the badlands of North and South Dakota, with eroded hills and outcrops of various rock layers, cut by the Yellowstone River a long time ago, Makoshika will satisfy those photographers who enjoy shooting badlands type landscapes.

Sitting on the edge of Glendive in Eastern Montana, Makoshika is 40 miles west of the North Dakota border.

There are numerous hiking trails including Kinney Coulee and the Caprock Trail. The park also has camping available. This park is open year round and can be photographed early and late in the day for great results.  Here is a picture and website info. … Continue Reading

Photographing Badlands National Park in 4 Hours

We have all been there. A trip somewhere for some reason that once wrapped up, leaves you some time to shoot. Not enough time to thoroughly cover an area, but enough time to do what you love best!

This happened to me a week ago. I was in South Dakota teaching a cowboy portrait workshop and when I was all wrapped up I had a free afternoon and evening to go shoot. I decided on Badlands NP where I had not been in many years. So I left my hotel about noon and drove the 2 hours there, paid the entrance fee, and went at it.

Obviously 4 hours is not enough time to shoot this magnificent park, or any park generally, but it is all I had. When the ranger gave me the park map I scoured it, calculated the mileage, and thought I could do the whole loop from the Pinnacles Entrance along Sage Creek Rim Road to Scenic, then on to Interior, and finish up along the Badlands Loop Road and its many overlooks.

It was about 2:00 and sunset was 6:20 and I felt I had enough time, so off I went. Here are some shots from 4 hours in Badlands NP. … Continue Reading

How is The Fall Color in Your Area? Share Your Reports.

Fall is my favorite season to photograph and it is here.

This post is designed for you to share information on how the colors are looking in your area. At my house in Central Oregon the aspens have just started turning color and are looking at a few more weeks and things appear to on schedule.

What does it look like in your area?

If you have any reports to share on where to go and when feel free to share your suggestions.

Please leave a comment with your report, ideas, and suggestions for favorite places.

Favorite Places: Nevada’s Valley of Fire SP

I have enjoyed wandering around the United States and bouncing between coasts for more than 25 years photographing many of our natural treasures.

One place that never seemed to be on my chosen route each trip was Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park. I finally stopped for a visit in 2010 and much to my surprise this place was beyond what I even remotely expected.

As I wandered and explored that first day of my visit I wondered briefly if I had read the map wrong and was actually in Utah’s Canyon Country. Nevada is beautiful! From the Ruby and Santa Rosa Mountains to the North and the Great Basin National Park on the East side, Valley of Fire North of Las Vegas does not seem to belong here.

But I am glad it is as I had two days to figure out the lay of the land. I quickly realized two days was not enough and I would have to plan another visit here. … Continue Reading

6 New National Park Natural Landmarks Worth Photographing

It is always a nice surprise when the National Park Service adds more lands to its inventory of protected areas. Recently, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the addition of 6 Natural Areas for protection and this is always good news to nature photographers.

Every National Park has been photographed to death and the inventory of amazing images is vast. So when there are new additions to the system this generates news and stories and increases the needs for photography from these locations.

The additions are part of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors Initiative designed to develop a conservation ethic in the 21st century.

The six new natural areas are: Barfoot Park in the Chiricahua Mountains of southern Arizona, Golden Fossil Areas west and north of Golden, Colo., Hanging Lake National Natural Landmark is east of Glenwood Springs, Colo.; Kahlotus Ridgetop National Natural Landmark is in Palouse country four miles north of Kahlotus, Wash.; Round Top Butte National Natural Landmark is near Medford, Ore.; and Island National Natural Landmark is located  in east-central Oregon. … Continue Reading

Favorite Places: Rockport, Massachusetts

There are plenty of fabulous places to photograph and each and every one of us has a place that we consider a favorite.

One of mine is Rockport, Massachusetts, a small fishing village North of Boston on Cape Ann. I first visited the area back in the 80’s and since that first visit I knew I would be back for a visit anytime I visited New England.

My first visit back then couldn’t have been more perfect. The first stop on my list a was the Rockport boat harbor with it’s idyllic look and quaint New England charm, it was the perfect example of a small and historic fishing village.  It was the first place I wanted to photograph. … Continue Reading

Photographing Snowy Owls: Getting The Shot

By: David G Hemmings

Getting the shot, that’s what it is all about for the avid bird in flight photographer.

The thrill of the moment when all the stars are aligned, the lighting and conditions are just right and it all comes together for that magical moment when the shutter clicks and you just know that you captured a remarkable image of a bird in flight.

There are few species that capture the imagination for bird and nature photographers more than the Snowy owl. This is one of nature’s most magnificent raptors and a real favorite subject of mine. … Continue Reading

Photographing California’s North Coast Redwood Forests

by Gary Crabbe

Impressive. Awesome. Majestic. Huge. And last but not least, big; really, really big.  These are some of the adjectives normally used to describe the magnificent redwood trees and forests that populate California’s North Coast.  It strikes me that these are often the same adjectives someone might use to describe a place like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon.

But unlike the steep granite walls of Yosemite, or the carved cliffs of the Grand Canyon, a walk through an old-growth forest filled with these mighty trees seems to evoke an almost mystical feeling not usually felt at other geographically-centric location. I think the reason for this is that the forest and these massive 200+ foot-tall trees are alive, which creates an almost tangible sensation of reverence lingering in the air, as if you are walking through a grand living cathedral. … Continue Reading

Colorado Fall Colors in Full Display

Colorado fall foliage is a favorite among nature photographers and most color appears to peak by this weekend. I am in the state for about two weeks speaking at the Telluride Photo Festival last weekend and then running a workshop in Ouray that starts tomorrow.

I have not seen everything but have had the chance to photograph in a few areas as well as get some reports from other photographers. I have been on the Hwy 145, Telluride side of the San Juan Mountains and also along Hwy 550, the Million Dollar Hwy, between Molas Pass and Ouray. Here is what I know and have heard as of today. … Continue Reading

Favorite Places: Desert Wildflowers on Steens Mountain, Oregon

Are you looking for a spectacular place to photograph this summer? Steens Mountain is that special place and is one of Oregon’s most treasured landmarks. The Steens Mountain Management and Protection area is an incredible 500,000 acre located in the desert of Southeast Oregon.

Some think there is not much out there, but of course it depends on what you are looking for. Thousands of square miles of windswept desert, a few scattered ranches, plenty of wildlife, and this incredible mountain jutting up from the desert floor. Sounds perfect and it is.

Nearly 10,000 vertical feet and 30 miles long, Steens Mountain is an enormous fault block, the largest in North America, that rose up millions of years ago to cut a bold line between the greener western slope and the desolate desert on the east side.

But what may interest you is that Steens Mountain is a photographer’s paradise, perfect for nature photography. Containing 170,000 acres of protected wilderness with glacial cut valleys, aspen filled gorges, and wildflower laden meadows. … Continue Reading