Land & Seascapes
The Ovens. Hi Neighbor!
Historic moment. Yes I have been here before and shot here before. It’s one of my favorite places in Nova Scotia. “The Ovens Natural Park” in Feltzen South. But now… we have a home just a mile away. Our Nova Scotia dream has become a reality. How much time will we spend here? We don’t know yet. But with sites like this, I suspect we will be here often.
Not Just Niagara Falls!
Of course everyone, not just honeymooners, certainly know of Niagara Falls. But… just a stone’s throw from the Falls is another natural spectacle. If you’re in the area, take in the power and the peril of The Niagara River's Class 6 Whitewater Rapids. You will not be disappointed. But if you are, it’s not my fault.
Paterson River Falls (AKA) The Great Falls
Growing up in Clifton, NJ, the neighboring city of Paterson, everyone I knew had been to the Great Falls at least once. Many people from the area don’t even know it is the 2nd largest waterfall, by volume, east of the Mississippi River, behind only Niagara Falls. The Great Falls were carved by glaciers that receded 13,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age. I don't think I was even born yet! :) Enough of that! You didn’t come here for a history lesson!
One more truth. Just one more! EVERYONE has shot it. If you’re in the area come and photograph it and make it your own!
The Ovens: Nova Scotia
Not far from the land we own on the south shore of Nova Scotia is this magical National park. It’s called “The Ovens” because of the cave formations throughout that look like ovens. Spending a day there just isn’t enough. There’s so much to take in. There are evening concerts as well as a charming indoor/outdoor restaurant. Several pics follow from our first trip there.
Another Delicacy from The Ovens
The colors are beyond belief. Very light editing was done here. Basically what ya see is what ya get!
One of Many Caves at The Ovens
This was one of the few dry caves. They are deep and dark but this one truly had the light at the end of the tunnel! I think I stood here for an h our!
New Hobby
Child that I am, I restored a 1971 Puch moped and ride it around looking for photo ops. I had no idea mopeds were so much fun. I will resist any temptation to get a motorcycle. 25 miles per hour is just fine thank you. And I can see the scenery by riding slowly. The colors are changing now as the weirdest year ever (2020) breaks into fall, I saw these colors from my new perch. I left the engine running, grabbed the shot and “sped” off. Such fun!
Hanging Out the Wash in Venice
Venice is one of the most romantic places on earth. But the smell from the canals doesn’t exactly add to the romance, nor does it really take away since Venice is so breathtaking, especially if you don’t take a breath. One of the many things I loved seeing was the incongruity of the beauty of the canals and the wash hanging on the lines. Well, after all it isn’t just there to amuse tourists. Real people live there. They have to do what they have to do. Even in regards to the smell of the canal. Okay enough of that. Venice is a beautiful place!
Stonehenge in Utah
I’m not a camper. Really. I’ve always said that my idea of roughing it is going to a hotel I’ve never been to. But my good friend, Lenny Shulman, told me he camped in Utah almost every year and it was the most gorgeous scenery one could imagine. I believed him. But then he said if I joined him we’d be hiking for ten days, ten miles a day, with backpacks, tents, etc. My first response was “no way!” My second response was “NO WAY!” But then… I thought about the pictures. I put on my big boy pants, I bit the bullet and went. This was a while ago so we were both in very good hiking shape and came back even better! And lo and behold, I had my choice of some of the best photo ops I’d ever seen anywhere. And Lenny was such a great guide, we didn’t need no stinkin’ Bryce Canyon or Zion National Park. Lenny blazed his own trails. Structures like this would simply present themselves, daring to be photographed. Rock formations like this made me think of Stonehenge. It was a little tricky to shoot but a touch of fill-flash made the difference. Lenny and I have talked about doing this kind of trip again. Maybe this time… motels?
Motif #1
For the first time ever Sarah and I went up to Rockport, MA. We always heard how beautiful this fishing village was. We decided to take a look for ourselves and were blown away. This building is called Motif #1. Located on Bradley Wharf in the harbor town of Rockport, it is a replica of a former fishing shack well known to students of art and art history as "the most often-painted building in America." The original structure was built in 1840 and destroyed in the Blizzard of 1978, but an exact replica was constructed that same year. Naturally, I had to have a shot at this building too. I hope I did it justice.
Motif #0
This building is not an official motif. But when we visited Nova Scotia in November 2019 we toured a gorgeous fishing village called Lunenburg. I think I could live there. Although I don’t fish. But I don’t think I could ever run out of subject matter in Nova Scotia. It really is everything I imagined. Maybe this will become the most painted and photographed building in Canada?
View From Prospect Bay
My wife’s cousins, Craig and Kim Wells can stare at this view from almost anywhere in their house. Beautiful Prospect Bay, Nova Scotia. They must be very relaxed people. Just meditate by looking out the window! I could get used to this. We stayed with them for four days and took the tour. We also thought about putting an offer in on a house down the street. I can dream can’t I?
Game-Changer
This turned out to be a very eventful day. My friend Gary West was in town. We shot a few hundred weddings together in Los Angeles. I’ve never seen Gary without a camera. In fact one night at dinner with our wives, Gary shot all of our entrees. Go figure. He has to capture everything!
My local photo buddy, Steve Selenfriend, Gary and I ventured out to western New Jersey loaded with camera gear. They had high-end digital cameras and I brought my trusty Hasselblad, a medium format film camera. At one point Steve suggested I try his Canon 5D. After shooting this pic and several more I had to adjust my thinking of digital versus film. Digital cameras really did have the goods. Hooked. I bought a Canon 5D Mark III and all the accoutrements. Now I shoot film and digital. I blame Steve!
Tulum
A must-see bucket list trip for anyone carrying a camera has got to be the Mayan ruins. The structures are awe-inspiring. This was shot with my Hasselblad, the heavyweight champ of medium format film cameras. It wasn’t easy to grab any shot without tourists all over the iconic rock and stone constructions. Who could blame them? After all, what was I but a tourist with a camera?
Rainbow At the Falls
We have family in Canada and almost every summer we spend a week there. I have attempted to catch a rainbow in Niagara Falls many times. Finally I not only caught one but the “Maid of the MIst”… was speeding by, carrying a boatload of tourists. Happy day!
Peggy’s Cove
This classic lighthouse rests at the tip of Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia. I have photographed other lighthouses in my time. But none were more visually satisfying to me than this one. I look forward to our next trip up to that photographic playground. And next time, Prince Edward Island!
I Never Shoot These
I don't EVER shoot or post sunsets. Everybody shoots them. Julian Lennon is the sunrise/sunset expert. So are Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock. (Obscure reference for some. Sad.) But what can I say? I saw it, I shot it, I posted it. Boy Scout camp at Massawepie. Tupper Lake, New York.
My Lens of Lenses
I think every photographer has a favorite lens. And of course that isn’t a constant. Favorites change. Lately my go-to lens is Canon’s exceptional 14mm prime. Before I shoot any landscape I try to see what it looks like through this lens. I may not choose to use it but it’s always amazing to see how it changes perspective on everything. With this lens the texture of the brick wall just exploded. I love the distortion as other-worldly images come to life.
The Red Door
Whenever I ride my bike through beautiful Fayson Lakes (NJ) I pass this stone building with the RED door. But to capture this I wanted to bring out the heavy artillery. Tricky lighting here to get two stone sides. Hasselblad medium format film camera with 60mm Zeiss lens. Kodak Ektar 100 speed film. A handheld meter, a tripod and away we go. Loved the negatives. Scanned them on a pro scanner. Got back a digital image that was so large I could make a wall mural out of this and not lose detail. No matter what the age, a great camera with a great lens wins. :)
Can U Canoe?
We are so lucky to live within walking distance of the Rockaway River. Canoeing is a favorite activity for many in our neighborhood. We have one as well but we hardly ever have a chance to use it. This is NOT my canoe. I loved the red against the greenery. So serene. This is definitely a meditative spot for me.
A Gaggle of Horses
This serene scene is literally down the street from my house. Every time I ride by with my camera the horses aren’t out. Of course when I don’t have the camera horses fill the field as if they’re organizing a stampede! Well… today a few were out and I did have my camera. Gotcha!
Portsmouth Passports
Do you ever forget to renew your passport? I have - three times in a row. So that means I’ve forgotten to renew each time over the last 30 years. My wife also forgot. Of course we had a trip planned to Canada, minus passports. Well that wouldn’t work, so I tried to get an emergency appointment in New York. Luckily there was one appointment available. Unluckily it was in Portsmouth, New Hampshire! We live in New Jersey.
Always looking to make lemonade out of lemons, I thought if we adjust our driving route to Canada, we can pass right through Portsmouth. And if we have no problem at the passport office this will be snag free! (Crossed fingers.) Otherwise our destination would become… Portsmouth. As luck would have it this was the easiest, friendliest, fastest passport experience we ever had. Even had a little time for sightseeing and photo ops before finishing our drive to Canada.
The See-through Tree
I was walking Joe the greyhound in the park next door. I discovered that THIS had only recently happened as I had walked past this tree many times. Not only was the tree wide open but I could see the sky through the peep hole in the back. I have no idea how long this tree will still be viable. I doubt it can live like this. The best I could do was capture it for posterity. I hope this beauty is feeling no pain.
Nova Scotia - Front to Back
Desired results in photography change all the time. That’s part of the fun of it. Sometimes I want your eye to go to one area of focus. But lately, only within the last year, I’ve wanted every single area of my landscapes tack sharp, from the furthest distance in the photo to the closest. Now I’m not gonna give away trade secrets here. But I will tell you it absolutely begins with a sturdy tripod. That - and a few magic tricks and special incantations pulls the whole thing together. :) I hope you like it.
Make it stand out
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