Above :: RI

Me: Babe, what are we naming the trees?
Him: Oscar, Alfred, Freddy…
Me: Okay, that’s the name of the photo now.
Him: No, those are the trees.
Me: So what are we naming the photo?
Him: I don’t know.
Me: That seems like an even worse name.

Naming photos is probably one of the worst parts of being a photographer. lol

In February, we treated ourselves to a helicopter ride over Rhode Island (one of the only states we can travel to at the moment) and ate way too much delicious food–fancy grilled cheese sandwiches, cocktails and fresh lobster bisque. Honestly, it was a little chilly to be sitting outside eating food, but with COVID being what it is, we were happy just to get out of the house. Despite the cold, we had a lovely day. The bird’s eye view of things is pretty spectacular, and I’m feeling relaxed after our belated Valentine’s date.

For those wondering, we used Newport Helicopter Tours in Middletown, RI. They have plexiglass dividing the us from the cockpit, so we had our own space. Masks, of course, are still required and the cabin was cleaned between each set of guests. Our pilot pointed out notable spots, gave us some history about the area, and was an all around nice guy.

View, On the Rocks :: RI

Shaken, not stirred.

On Saturday, we treated ourselves to a helicopter ride over Rhode Island (one of the only states we can travel to at the moment) and ate way too much delicious food–fancy grilled cheese sandwiches, cocktails and fresh lobster bisque. Honestly, it was a little chilly to be sitting outside eating food, but with COVID being what it is, we were happy just to get out of the house. Despite the cold, we had a lovely day. The bird’s eye view of things is pretty spectacular, and I’m feeling relaxed after our belated Valentine’s date.

For those wondering, we used Newport Helicopter Tours in Middletown, RI. They have plexiglass dividing the us from the cockpit, so we had our own space. Masks, of course, are still required and the cabin was cleaned between each set of guests. Our pilot pointed out notable spots, gave us some history about the area, and was an all around nice guy.

Improvise, Adapt, Overcome :: RI

Improvise, Adapt, Overcome :: RI

 

That time I drove and hour and a half, pre-pandemic, to see a sunset. You can tell this is sunset, right?  Right!!??

Do you think they’ll start labeling time in Pandemic terms?  “The year 2024 PP (Post Pandemic)”

Guide Us Home :: RI

Guide Us Home :: RI

In Connecticut, dark sky areas are almost non-existent, due to our dense population and the light pollution that comes with it.  That makes capturing the Milky Way very difficult.  To truly have a sky that is dark enough to see detail in the Milky Way core, I need to either drive to Rhode Island (where the is a tiny oasis of dark sky along our shared border) or north and/or northwest towards Massachusetts, Vermont or upstate New York.

So besides the inconvenience of needing to travel, why is light pollution a problem?  Because it isn’t just light.  It’s light that affects everything.

There is evidence that too much night-light will effect trees’ seasonal clocks.  It’s shown that the bright lights of human cities can disrupt migration patterns of birds, the ability of newly hatched sea turtles to find the safety of the water, the hunting and territory patterns of opportunistic animals…. and researchers are beginning to think that the disruption to our – humans – natural circadian cycles is a risk factor for higher incidences of cancer.

“The health effects of light pollution have not been as well defined for humans as for wildlife, although a compelling amount of epidemiologic evidence points to a consistent association between exposure to indoor artificial nighttime light and health problems such as breast cancer, says George Brainard, a professor of neurology at Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.” (here)

So about those pockets of darkness near Connecticut?  Well, Beavertail Light in Rhode Island is along the edge of one.  When my friend Tony Curado, who is working on a Galactic 50 project (capturing the Milky Way in all 50 states!), suggested he wanted to chase stars in my neighborhood, I knew exactly what location to try.

The night finally arrived, and as I sat there under the stars with Tony and Kyle (another local photographer), I felt grateful. There I was, watching the universe do its thing, the sounds of the waves kissing the land, and good friends to share it with.

Night Lights :: RI

Night Lights :: RI

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.” -Og  Mandino

I’ve recently been spending a lot of time under the stars with my camera. There is a peacefulness that comes from just watching the Milky Way move across the sky, reminding us we are just a small part of something infinitely larger than our daily schedules and obligations. If you find a spare moment on any given evening, I urge to look up and find some perspective. ❤️

Stargazing :: RI

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting up with an awesome group of photographers from CT and RI. It’s cheesy, but it was exactly the reason I love photography so much…we started as strangers and before the night was done, we were joking as if we were old friends. Old, under caffeinated, sleep deprived friends. 😋

 

Nerdy Stuff: This is a focus stack of two frames, one for the monocular and one for the Milky Way. Want to know more about shooting the stars or focus stacks? Just ask!

Surrender

Surrender :: RI

With all of the work that has been going into the promoting the new book, workshops, another upcoming magazine article (etc, etc…), I haven’t had much time to actually shoot some images for me.  So, after a full day of work last week, I decided I needed some camera time.  I hopped in the car and took off for Rhode Island, where they have some fabulous rocky coastline that just begs for attention. 🙂

Hope you enjoy!  Feel free to share!

xoxo

Shannon

10 Must See Places You Need to Photograph This Summer (New England Area Edition)

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Exploration and landscape photography go hand-in-hand, but finding time to research potential locations can be challenging.  If your time is at a premium, but you want to see some of the beauty of the Northeastern region of the US (and beyond) has to offer…this list is for you.

Light The Sky :: Maine

1)   Acadia:  This is a no-brainer.  Acadia is a gorgeous national park that highlights the natural, rugged beauty of northern New England.  Furthermore, there is something for everyone and every fitness level in Acadia, from relaxed strolls to involved hikes.  Several of the beautiful, varied landscapes are easily accessible, with convenient parking and short walks to the site.  Personal favorites are Sieur de Monts and Little Hunter Beach.

 

Vigilance :: RI

2)      Rhode Island lighthouses: For the purposes of landscape photography, Rhode Island has some great shore line.  Although not as rugged as Maine’s coastline, there is still a great variety of rocky foreground shoreline and sandy beaches along the ocean sides of the state.   Because there is so much rocky shoreline, there are also several beautiful, accessible lighthouses in the state.  Personal favorites are Beavertail in Jamestown, RI and the lighthouses on Block Island.

 

Shades of Gray :: MA

3)      Cape Cod, MA: The small towns and beaches that make up “The Cape” are a perfect representation of what makes the shore of New England so irresistible.  There are picturesque sandy beaches, salt marshes and lighthouses mixed in with iconic New England villages.  As a bonus (depending on you how you feel about the booming population), you can likely try your hand at Grey Seal photography. Personal favorites are Grey’s Beach boardwalk and the hike out to the Provincetown lighthouses.

 

In Wildness :: NH

4)      White Mountains National Forest area:  If you are looking for rugged wilderness, hiking, camping, waterfalls, ponds and birch trees then the White Mountains are for you.  The National Forest is well maintained, but retains a strong sense of nature throughout the entire area, including the land surrounding the green space.  Personal favorite hikes are Mount Washington (mountain and waterfalls), and Pondicherry (site of our forest and ponds workshop).

 

Currents :: Vermont

5)      Vermont Green Mountains area: The Green Mountain area of Vermont is interesting in that it is interspersed with pockets of civilization throughout, but never loses the magical feel of an untouched wild space.  There are plenty of mountains views, forest hikes, waterfalls and wildlife (moose!) to be had in upper Vermont.  As a bonus, it’s not far from Lake Champlain.  Personal favorite hikes are Camel’s Hump and Sterling Pond.  Personal favorite, easily accessible waterfall is Moss Glen in the Green Mountain Forest

 

Winds of Winter :: Massachusetts

6)   Quabbin Reservoir, MA:  Massachusetts gets two listings because the Quabbin is that nice.  This reservoir used to be four towns that were removed and the valley was flooded to provide drinking water for Boston.  If the creepy abandoned relics factor isn’t enough for you, then the generally flat hikes, biking and abundant wildlife are sure to win you over. Personal favorite is Hanks Meadow on the lower Quabbin shore.

 

Round and Round She Goes :: Canada

7)      Niagara Falls, NY / Canada: For those of you who have a passport, Niagara is a MUST SEE.  The falls themselves are the kind of powerful that leaves your jaw on the floor and your knees a little shaky.  There are locations and activities along both sides of the border, but in my opinion, the Canadian side does it best.  It can be a bit “touristy” in town, including a giant ferris wheel to get the best view of the falls light show up at night, but there is a wider variety of things to participate in.  Personal favorites are Cave of the Winds (American side) and the butterfly sanctuary (Canadian side).

 

The Space Between :: Ricketts Glen, PA

8)   Ricketts Glen in PA: What if I told you there was a park with 21 beautiful waterfalls in Pennsylvania?  Now, what if I told you that 18 of those waterfalls were easily accessible along a 3 mile hike?   Ricketts Glen is a photographer’s day hiking paradise giving you a lot of bang for your buck.  (Or time, as the case may be!)  Personal favorite is Oneida Falls.

 

Breathing Dreams :: NY

9)   Upstate NY gorges: There is a reason that Ithaca, NY’s slogan is “Ithaca is Gorges.”  The area surrounding Ithaca is loaded with rock walls and stunning waterfalls.  The waterfalls vary from “eh” to “dang!”, the sheer volume of photographic opportunities makes this area worth a mention.  Personal favorites are Watkins Glen (if you’re looking for a good return on your time investment, and extremely well-manicured paths) or Taughannock Falls if you’re looking for drama.

 

Sounds of Silence :: Connecticut

10)   Connecticut’s Quaint Pockets of Nature:  Connecticut is interesting in that the entire state is the attraction.  It is loaded with small working farms, fishing villages, so much forest.  In fact, we’re kinda famous for our foliage in the Fall.  Personal favorites are Enders State Forest for waterfalls and foliage, and either Lighthouse Park or Walnut Beach/Silver Sands Beach for fun shoreline photos.

 

Now get out there and take some pictures!

Seeing Spots Photo offers day lessons, including guided site visits to some of our favorites locations.  For more information about that, check out our private sessions page.

 

Shine On

 

Shine On

“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.” – Rumi

The above photo is the counterpart to Ebb and Flow.  As I stood in the cold, setting up the camera to capture that pano, the lighthouse stood behind me, shining brilliantly into the coming night.

I’ve been fortunate to have been on a number of photo outings the last few weeks, and always, I fall in love with our world all over again.  We live in such a beautiful place, the trick is to train your eyes to see it.

Many thanks to the people around me who support and share my goal of capturing the beauty of the world. ❤

***

Also…..The 10 minute gallery has been posted, thank you to everyone who participated!

Ebb And Flow

Ebb And Flow

 

The sun sets on another day

Our one world

Great big tiny world.

 

It’s Earth Day, where we are reminded to protect our natural resources and to appreciate the beauty of our world.

More than ever, it truly is a connected world.  What happens to one region of the planet affects us all.  It may not be within your resources or abilities to plant trees, or mount large fundraising and awareness ventures…but it is within all of our abilities to be responsible citizens of the planet.

Recycle where you can, be conscious of how your actions affect others, try to use sustainable options, be mindful of our future, of your children’s future, educate yourself, care….  You can’t control the actions of others, but you can be responsible for yourself.

At the moment, this is the only planet we have.  It is up to every one of us to do our part to preserve it.

***
HDR pano taken on March 22 in Rhode Island.  

Edited (and re-edited…and re-edited….) with several techniques: hdr and manual blend, luminosity masks, AND the good ol’ dodge and burn.  

f/22

iso 100