inspired photography with just enough perspective
If ever there was a place to rent a canoe and be inspired by all that surrounds you it is Maligne Lake in Canada’s Jasper National Park. It’s about an hour drive off the highway to get here and you are rewarded with one of the most scenic settings on the continent. In fact the drive is just as awesome. We were here in the peak of summer and I sat on the deck of the lodge looking out at the lake as I took this photo.
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One of the last mornings in New Zealand we drove up into the hills above Queenstown to watch the sunrise and then went for a walk down Skippers Canyon. We sat on the side of this mountain taking pictures and waited for the sun to rise which takes a little longer due to the surrounding mountains.
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As I drove away from Asheville I couldn’t help but explore this river at the bottom of a gorge surrounded by the fall colors. The water was clean and apparently full of fish on account of the fishermen wading in fly-casting. I wanted to stay here all day but on account of an eleven-hour drive ahead of me I dragged myself from here and back into the car, content with the thought that I just witnessed a little bit of heaven, otherwise known as North Carolina.
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I took this last November at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. The biggest impression I had was of the size of the place, thousands and thousands of acres of lush rolling hills, vineyards and horse pastures for as far as you can see. I think I’ll come back here this year and spend a little more time. Or better yet, how about I come back in a different life and live the life of an aristocrat. That probably won’t happen. However, after seeing this place I’d settle for the life of a stable boy, just being here is it’s own reward.
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Couple of weekends ago I was at the beach and this lady was creating huge bubbles with soap, string and the ocean breeze. She was like the pied piper with all the kids chasing and popping the bubbles as they floated over their heads. Does that sound like fun or what?
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Found at a rest stop between Sedona and Phoenix a few weeks ago. In Florida it’s palm trees, but in Arizona it’s all about the cactus. Every kind of cactus, big small, in between, which is my subtle way of avoiding names and types of which I plead ignorance.
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Goldfield Ghost town is located in Apache Junction adjacent to Superstition Mountain. The scenery here is right out of an old western movie. This building is an old saloon that’s still serves thirsty cowboys and cowgirls. I’ll admit I got a little caught up in the moment and ordered a whiskey, kind of silly since I don’t like even like whiskey. But this is the Wild West and why should I get hung up on details? The only thing I was missing was boots, a hat and my horse. In any case, I’ve fully recovered from the whiskey and the delusion that I am a cowboy. At least until the next time I go out west.
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Today I went to the Treasure Island Kite Festival here in Florida. It goes without saying there were a lot of kites and this is one of the more exotic ones. It bounced up and down in the gentle breeze and attracted all manner of children that played under it as it gently landed on the sand. There was also a competition with “professionals” displaying flying skills that, quite frankly, astounded me. I had no idea this was such a serious endeavor and the precision demonstrated uh, blew me away. To top it off there was a kite ballet where a group of people would fly kites in unison to music. Lets just say I got a little carried away.
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This is the sun rising over the red rock peaks of Sedona Arizona about a week ago. I stayed a couple of days here and did a little exploring, though the flu kept me stuck in my room most of the time. Even so I managed to get out and soak up a little of the good energy from the surrounding wilderness and awe-inspiring red rock mountains. January is a great time to be here, it was cool at night and comfortably warm during the day. I’ve passed through here years ago in August and I remember it quite a bit warmer. But regardless of the time of year Sedona is an amazing place to be.
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I couldn’t get enough of the fog when I visited Ucluelet earlier in the year. However I doubt the mariners felt the same way, just makes everything more difficult all around. The fog horns, the buoy bells and what must be frayed nerves as the boats head to harbour. But I don’t normally think about all that when I eat seafood. In any case, the cloak of mystery that is added to the landscape is unlike anything. It’s no wonder they call it Super Natural British Columbia.
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