GLORIOUS SUNRISE FROM KAUAI

From orchids that grow wild to towering waterfalls to the spectacular Na Pali Coast to sunrises, everything is beautiful in Kauai.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY BRIDGE

The San Francisco Bay Bridge is reflected in the bay from Fisherman's Wharf. This two-span suspension bridge connects San Francisco to Oakland.

HALF DOME IN THE GOLDEN HOUR FROM GLACIER POINT

Half Dome is one of the major attractions in Yosemite National Park. The hour before sunset is the best time to view Half Dome. Glacier Point is the best viewing spot. Your living room is the best place to share this image.

HALF DOME AT SUNSET FROM GLACIER POINT

This dome of granite that was cut by a glacier is always impressive. Glacier Point is one of the best places to see it. As sunset approaches, it can be magical.

ZION CANYON AT SUNSET

Zion Canyon is far from the largest national park and not the most beautiful, but it definitely tugs at the heartstrings. It is one of those places I want to visit again. This digital composite is a good rendition of what could happen if there were some high clouds in the north at sunset.

click to enlarge Live Preview AR Wall Preview 360° Viewing Tool Save to Favorites Email a Friend SUNRISE FROM PANORAMA POINT IN CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK

The morning sun catches the hills. Capital Reef is not the most beautiful national park, but it has fascinating rock formations.

DELICATE ARCH AND MILKY WAY

Delicate Arch in Arches National Park is the most photographed stone arch in southern Utah. This composite pairs this iconic image with the Milky Way. If you really like this image you may not want to read the details of how it came to be. For some, this might be like making sausage. Photographers might want to know the back story. In 2021 My wife and I toured 6 national parks in southern Utah in 5 days. (I should have done what my grandfather did and spent six weeks in the area.) We got to Arches National Park in the late afternoon. We could have hiked to Delicate Arch before sunset, but we would be hiking back in the dark. On a trip like this, compromises are necessary, so we drove to an alternate viewing spot where we could see Delicate Arch from the south side a half-mile away. This is the best I could do with a 300 mm lens. There are a few dozen people waiting for the sun to set while watching or photographing this arch. A few seconds after this shot, clouds obscured the sun. I cropped tight on the arch and used AI software to expand the image. It did a great job guessing the structure of the rocks, but the people came out cartoonish. I erased them. The background was not satisfying. When shot from the north, the background is a mountain range and a lot of sky. When shot from this alternate viewing spot, the background within the arch is similarly colored rocks. I decided to go for something more dramatic and inserted a Milky Way image. I also flipped the arch image so that it would look more like the view from the north. The final result is anything but an accurate portrayal of Delicate Arch. I take inspiration from Ansel Adams who once said, "You don't take photos, you make them." I can guarantee this image is unique. If you are really interested, contact me about a signed and dated print.

DELICATE ARCH AND MILKY WAY SILHOUETTE

Delicate Arch in Arches National Park is the most photographed stone arch in southern Utah. This composite pairs this iconic image with the Milky Way. If you really like this image you may not want to read the details of how it came to be. For some, this might be like making sausage. Photographers might want to know the back story. In 2021 My wife and I toured 6 national parks in southern Utah in 5 days. (I should have done what my grandfather did and spent six weeks in the area.) We got to Arches National Park in the late afternoon. We could have hiked to Delicate Arch before sunset, but we would be hiking back in the dark. On a trip like this, compromises are necessary, so we drove to an alternate viewing spot where we could see Delicate Arch from the south side a half-mile away. This is the best I could do with a 300 mm lens. There are a few dozen people waiting for the sun to set while watching or photographing this arch. A few seconds after this shot, clouds obscured the sun. I cropped tight on the arch and used AI software to expand the image. It did a great job guessing the structure of the rocks, but the people came out cartoonish. I erased them. The background was not satisfying. When shot from the north, the background is a mountain range and a lot of sky. When shot from this alternate viewing spot, the background within the arch is similarly colored rocks. I decided to go for something more dramatic and inserted a Milky Way image. I also flipped the arch image so that it would look more like the view from the north. The final result is anything but an accurate portrayal of Delicate Arch. I take inspiration from Ansel Adams who once said, "You don't take photos, you make them." I can guarantee this image is unique. If you are really interested, contact me about a signed and dated print.

MILKY WAY THROUGH TUNNEL ARCH

Unlike Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch, Tunnel Arch has a modest size opening through a large mass of rock. When you look from the north, it looks like there is a table set inside a window with two round boulders on it. If the sky is clear enough and the moon is not too bright, you might see the Milky Way. This composite is a good rendition of what the scene could look like under the right conditions.

MILKY WAY FROM DEVIL'S GARDEN IN ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT

Devil's Garden is a playful place in the daylight hours. At night it can get spooky. (composite image)

DEVIL'S GARDEN AT SUNSET

Devil's Garden in Escalante National Monument has many weird hoodoos (rock columns). It can get spooky at night, but at sunset, it gets peaceful and quiet. (composite photo)

Thunderheads at Sunset

We encountered this storm three times on this date: once going to a restaurant for lunch, a second time when it produced a brilliant rainbow as we were driving to the airport, and a third time from the airplane.

AMERICAN FALLS AT NIGHT

Niagara Falls are illuminated every evening. I never get tired of watching the falls.

BRADD0OCK POINT LIGHTHOUSE

The lighthouse was established and lit in 1896. Following deactivation, the upper two-thirds of the tower was removed by the Coast Guard in 1954 due to structural damage. I recent years it has been a private home and a guest house.

SUNSET AND MOONRISE FROM BRADDOCK'S POINT

When conditions are just right, it is possible to view the setting sun and the rising moon at the same time in a 200-degree panorama. A view of opposite horizons is required. The best times are a day or two before a full moon. In the Rochester area, this is possible near the summer solstice from Braddock's Point (west of Rochester). The friendly neighbors from Braddock's Point say this is the second or third time they have seen the sunset and moonrise at the same time in the decades they have lived there. A similar photo should also be possible from Nine-mile Point east of Rochester near the Equinox.

EASTERN SKY AT SUNSET FROM HAMLIN BEACH

EASTERN sky at sunset from Hamlin Beach 20210628 Surprises have become the rule at sunset for this photographer. I had been tracking rain clouds on weather radar and knew there might be a good backdrop for the sunset if I drove to Hamlin Beach. Clouds don't show up on radar unless they are delivering rain. I had no idea there was a bank of clouds to the east and a clear sky in between that would produce this shot.

Sunset from Mauna Kea, Hawaii, HI

At the 9000 ft level on the 13,000 ft mountain, we are well above the clouds.

ILLUMINATED HIGH FALLS

The floodlights were originally installed to augment a laser show. The lasers are long gone, but the floodlights have been returned to service.

ILLUMINATED HIGH FALLS

Venus hangs over the High Falls at sunset.

ILLUMINATED HIGH FALLS AT SUNSET

In the winter the sun sets closer to the Falls (from the observation deck)

HIGH FALLS SUNSET

Illuminated High Falls at sunset. Sometimes, I get lucky. I went to the High Falls in Rochester hoping there would be some clouds to make the sunset more interesting. The clouds appeared on the horizon as the sun was setting. When the sun was below the horizon, the floodlights were turned on. I haven't seen them in use for 10 years. The Empire Service train was also pulling out of the nearby station and was crossing the trestle above the falls.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS - SUSAN B ANTHONY BRIDGE

The "Freddie-Sue" bridge Is one of the landmarks of Downtown Rochester. The Frederick Douglass - Susan B Anthony Bridge carries I-490 across the Genesee River. By combining multiple exposures it is possible to make stars visible as they are to the naked eye. The water is calm here because the bridge is just above a dam. Below the dam, there are rapids and three waterfalls before the river gets to Lake Ontario.

CHARLOTTE LIGHTHOUSE AT NIGHT

The lighthouse used to be on the shore of Lake Ontario in Rochester, NY. With extensive fill and natural sand deposition on the beach, it is now nearly a half-mile away. It currently serves as a museum.

MOON SHINES ON MEMORIAL ART GALLERY, ROCHESTER, NY

Founded in 1913, The Memorial Art Gallery is part of the University of Rochester and occupies the southern half of the University's former Prince Street campus. On this particular evening, the visitors have all left. Only the moon is watching the kinetic sculpture bob up and down.

COMET NEOWISE

There was a festive atmosphere as many small groups came to the Lake Ontario beach in Rochester, NY to view the comet.

SOLAR ECLIPSE TRIPTYCH

The annular solar eclipse on June 10, 2021 was just past totality when the sun rose in Rochester, NY. The rising crescent has been compared to bull horns or devil horns. It was a unique experience.

PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE AT SUNRISE - TRIPTYCH 1 OF 3

First, the sky turned red. Then a pair of white horns appeared above the water. Finally, a full crescent appeared. Meanwhile, three geese kept flying east along the Lake Ontario shore. 1 of 3

PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE AT SUNRISE - TRIPTYCH 2 OF 3

First, the sky turned red. Then a pair of white horns appeared above the water. Finally, a full crescent appeared. Meanwhile, three geese kept flying east along the Lake Ontario shore. 2 of 3

PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE AT SUNRISE - TRIPTYCH 3 OF 3

First, the sky turned red. Then a pair of white horns appeared above the water. Finally, a full crescent appeared. Meanwhile, three geese kept flying east along the Lake Ontario shore. 3 of 3

PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE (10 JUN 2021)

Shaped like the horns of a bull, this partially eclipsed sun rises from the water. An eclipse at sunrise is a unique experience. Solar filters are not needed for a few minutes. We can watch the clouds and the sun.

ST ANDREW'S CROSS

Starry Night Version of St Andrews Cross

UPPER FALLS IN LETCHWORTH AND MILKY WAY (COMPOSITE)

It is not easy to see with the naked eye, but the Milky Way is always there on a clear night. The railroad bridge above the falls has become as much of an icon as the waterfall.

MILKY WAY ABOVE UPPER FALLS IN LETCHWORTH STATE PARK

In mid-summer, the Milky Way lines up with the Genesee river valley above the Upper Falls in Letchworth State Park. I'm happy to share this photo with others. While I was taking the photo my only company was a deer, a fox, two raccoons, and some lightning bugs (fireflies).

MILKY WAY FROM INSPIRATION POINT IN LETCHWORTH SP, NY

During the early morning hours of August, the Milky Way is vertical in the south-southwest. Near the center of the bottom of the photo is the Middle Falls. The light is coming from the Glen Iris Inn. During daylight, the Upper Falls and the railroad bridge would be visible above the Middle Falls. Milky Way photography is often a lonely endeavor. On this occasion, I met another photographer shooting the same scene. Joe Kopp does some nice work in this area.

MILKY WAY

The camera captures far more than the eye can see. In upstate NY I have to wait for a clear moonless night and get at least 40 miles away from Rochester. The roadside illumination was provided by a car that drove by during my 30-second exposure. This shot was taken along NY Route 14A just south of Hall, NY. The lights in the distance were from Penn Yan. The bright spot to the left of the Milky Way is Jupiter. The not-quite-so-bright spot to the left of that is Saturn. This was August 9, 2020. Jupiter and Saturn were heading for their December conjunction. If you look closely at a large print, two meteors are visible. This photo was accepted for a juried art show at the Image City Gallery. I have a 24x30 metal print in my living room.

MILKY WAY OVER HEMLOCK LACK

The City of Rochester owns the shores of Hemlock Lake and does not allow development. This makes it one of the darker places in Upstate NY.

FULL MOON RISING OVER COBB'S HILL RESERVOIR

A winter moon rises over the reservoir at Cobb's Hill Park. I like the way the moon lights up the clouds and the way the scene is reflected in the reservoir.

ROCHESTER SKYLINE AT SUNSET

Cobb's Hill Park is a favorite gathering spot to watch the sunset. During the summer months, the sun sets behind downtown Rochester from Cobb's Hill.

SUNSET FROM ROCHESTER'S COBB'S HILL

Rochestarians stop and watch the sunset from Cobb's Hill. During the summer months, the sun sets behind downtown Rochester from Cobb's Hill.

LOWER FALLS + MILKY WAY

No one has seen the Milky Way from Rochester for a century. If there was a massive power outage, the Milky Way would look like this in July. (Of course, you wouldn't see much of the waterfall.)

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

2001 LEONID METEOR STORM

In 2001, the Leonid Meteor Shower turned into a meteor storm. Each year in mid-November, the Earth passes through a trail of dusty debris from Comet Tempel-Tuttle. A meteor shower is the result. About every 33 years we pass through a thick part of the trail and witness a meteor storm. 2001 was one of those years. I estimate we saw a thousand meteors that night. This is a composite showing 14 meteors and the International Space Station. (Three of those meteors can only be seen on a large display.

COMET HYAKUTAKE 1996

Comet Hyakutake was not visible for long, but it came close to the Earth.

MILKY WAY OVER CANANDAIGUA LAKE

Milky Way rises above Canandaigua Lake The Coyle Cemetery overlooks Canandaigua Lake as the Milky Way and a meteor are visible in the sky above.

MILKY WAY OVER HEMLOCK LAKE

The City of Rochester owns the shores of Hemlock Lake and does not allow development. This makes it one of the darker places in Upstate NY. It would be darker if I could shut off the electricity at Springwater at the far end of the lake.

MILKY WAY OVERSHADOWS TAUGHANNOCK FALLS

North-facing waterfalls like Taughannock Falls are hard to photograph because they seldom have sunshine on them. The flip side of this problem is that they have the Milky Way as a backdrop in the summer.

ANDROMEDA GALAXY, OUR NEAREST GALACTIC NEIGHBOR

Major telescopes can provide much more detail. This is pretty good for a 300 mm lens on a DSLR.

THE LAST NIGHT-TIME SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH

Space Shuttle Endeavour, the last night-time Space Shuttle Launch, 20100208 My son and I paid scalpers' prices for access to the NASA causeway for the last night-time space shuttle launch on Feb 7, 2010. After spending all night on the causeway, the launch was scrubbed. There are no "rain-checks" in this business, but we were allowed to buy tickets for the rescheduled launch at face value. We tried to sleep during the day, but that is hard for me. We went back to the Space Center at midnight and stayed until they launched about 4:15 am. Yes, it was worth it.