Photographer's Journal

Welcome to my online journal, otherwise known as a blog. Here I'll be sharing pertinent information, inspirational stories, trip reports, behind-the-photo stories, photography tips and techniques, and various random thoughts that you might find interesting. If you have any questions or comments regarding the opinions and information shared here, feel free to contact me. Thanks for your interest in my work!

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Nature's Fury: Photographing in a Tropical Storm
Nature's Fury: Photographing in a Tropical Storm
September 18, 2023  |  Acadia National Park, Maine

As a photographer, I appreciate a good storm for the opportunities it can provide for interesting photos. But I'm also torn. Because there's nothing like a stormy day spent at home curled up on the couch all cozy and warm, as the wind and rain whip around outside...

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Take Only Pictures, Leave Only Footprints
Take Only Pictures, Leave Only Footprints
August 31, 2023

Like most photographers, I share my work on Instagram and Facebook as well as a few other social media platforms. This makes it very easy to reach people who might be interested in my work, to network with other photographers, and just plain keep in touch with friends and family...

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Making the Most of Your Visits to National Parks
Making the Most of Your Visits to National Parks
August 22, 2023

National Parks have been called America's "Best Idea". Over the past decade, the number of visitors to our national parks has grown immensely. Some of the most crowded parks now require entry reservations to help manage the crowds and traffic, in an effort to ensure that our natural resources within the park are preserved...

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Trip Report: Yellowstone National Park
Trip Report: Yellowstone National Park
August 19, 2023  |  Yellowstone National Park

Last month, along with a stop in Red Lodge, Montana to explore the Beartooth Highway, I also headed to Yellowstone National Park, about two hours from Red Lodge. Yellowstone is enormous- larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined...

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The Most Beautiful Drive in America
The Most Beautiful Drive in America
July 27, 2023  |  Beartooth Highway, Red Lodge, Montana

There are no guardrails in places where you might prefer them. Driving from east to west, starting in Red Lodge, Montana, you'll climb nearly 5,700 feet, to a total elevation of 10,947 feet over the course of 12 miles...

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The Creative Decision Behind Lens Choice
The Creative Decision Behind Lens Choice
June 25, 2023

When I started taking photos way back when, I thought of lenses the way most people who are new to photography, or who aren't photographers at all, think of them. Specifically that telephoto lenses are used when things are far away, and wide angle lenses are for tight spaces or wide vistas...

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Nature's Allure
Nature's Allure
June 18, 2023

I’ve always found myself drawn to the outdoors. When I went away to college at SUNY New Paltz, one of the draws was the small town with close access to the Catskills. I would often venture to Minnewaska State Park on days when I didn’t have afternoon classes, or when I just decided being outdoors was more important than my class...

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Rick Berk's Guide to Acadia National Park
Rick Berk's Guide to Acadia National Park
June 14, 2023  |  Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine

It should be no secret that Acadia National Park is one of my favorite places to photograph. Now that I live just over 2 hours away, it’s much easier for me to get to, and I still find there are plenty of places to photograph there that I’ve never photographed before...

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Behind the Image: Sunrise at Montauk Point
Behind the Image: Sunrise at Montauk Point
June 7, 2023  |  Montauk Point, New York

Since I began selling my work, "Sunrise at Montauk Point" has become one of my most popular, selling a fair number of prints. It's easy to see why. The iconic Montauk Point Lighthouse stands in the distance atop the bluff, as the sun rises above a bank of clouds while a wave washes over the rocky shoreline west of the lighthouse...

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The Enchantment of Sunsets
The Enchantment of Sunsets
June 4, 2023

If sunrises are my favorite time to photograph, sunsets are a close second.

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Behind the Image: Sand Harbor Tahoe
Behind the Image: Sand Harbor Tahoe
May 11, 2023  |  Sand Harbor, Lake Tahoe, Nevada

It's not unusual for me to go back through my photos months or even years after I've taken them, and find an image I've never edited or shared before. You might think that something I didn't choose to edit immediately after I made the photo would be a lesser image, or filler...

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The Magic of Sunrises
The Magic of Sunrises
April 18, 2023

It can be so difficult at times. I'll be fast asleep, snuggled up under the blankets, nice and warm, dreaming away, when suddenly, my alarm shatters the still and rips me from my slumber. I reach over and grab my phone...

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Location Spotlight: The Nubble Lighthouse
Location Spotlight: The Nubble Lighthouse
April 16, 2023  |  Cape Neddick, Maine

My first time in Maine was over New Year's Eve 1998 and New Year's Day, 1999. My ex-wife and I had decided to get away for the holiday and found a cute bed and breakfast in York Harbor. When we arrived, we asked the innkeeper about nearby lighthouses, and she directed us to Cape Neddick Lighthouse, known by many as The Nubble Light...

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Fine Art America? What's The Difference?
Fine Art America? What's The Difference?
April 11, 2023

At some point or another, you may have Googled my name to find my website. And there's the chance that one of the results did not lead you here, to my own OFFICIAL website at RickBerk.com. Instead, it's quite possible you were taken to my profile at Fine Art America /Pixels...

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Five Ways to Support Your Favorite Living Artists
Five Ways to Support Your Favorite Living Artists
March 30, 2023

Think about a world without art. I'm not just talking about my photography, but I mean, ANY art. How bland would life be? No music to listen to, to cheer us up, to accompany us on long drives, to play in the background while we work...

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The Mystery Dory of Ogunquit
The Mystery Dory of Ogunquit
March 27, 2023  |  Ogunquit, Maine

Did you know that different types of dories are specific to the region they were built in? The Ogunquit Dory is one such dory. Popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Ogunquit Dory was built to handle the strong tides and rocky coastline of Maine...

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What's In My Camera Bag?
What's In My Camera Bag?
February 26, 2023

I get asked quite a bit what gear I use to make my photographs. To be completely honest, it doesn't really matter what camera I use. Throughout this website, there are images captured with cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm...

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AI Art vs Human-Made Art- What Is The Future, Really?
AI Art vs Human-Made Art- What Is The Future, Really?
February 12, 2023

There has been a lot of buzz about the emergence of AI technologies (artificial intelligence) over the past few years, but in the last six months, the buzz has grown far louder, at least in the community of artists I regularly circulate in...

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