Photographer's Journal (Landscape)

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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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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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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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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Smoke on the Water: Braving Frigid Temperatures to Capture an Amazing Phenomenon — Smoke on the Water: Braving Frigid Temperatures to Capture an Amazing Phenomenon

February 5, 2023 | Portland, Maine

Living in northern New England offers a wide variety of benefits for photographers such as myself. Beautiful landscape that includes mountains, rolling hills covered in flowers, thick forests, rivers, lakes, dramatic cliffs dropping hundreds of feet into the ocean, lighthouses, and picturesque fishing harbors to name several...

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Trip Report: Rocky Mountain National Park — Trip Report: Rocky Mountain National Park

January 29, 2023 | Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

There's something special about starting out on the trail in the pre-dawn hours, the temperatures well below freezing, a light snow falling. Headlamps switch on, illuminating the 15 feet in front of you...

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Location Spotlight: Dream Lake in Winter — Location Spotlight: Dream Lake in Winter

January 23, 2023 | Dream Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

On my recent trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, the top item on my list was to reach Dream Lake, one of the most popular locations in the park. It draws a lot of people, with the park advising visitors to arrive early or use the park shuttle since the lot will be full...

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Location Spotlight: Wells Beach — Location Spotlight: Wells Beach

January 4, 2023 | Wells Beach, Maine

Located on the coast of southern Maine in York County, is a popular summer destination called Wells Beach. Wells Beach is somewhat of a rarity on the Maine coast, as one of a handful of sandy beaches on an otherwise rocky coastline...

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2022: My Year in Pictures — 2022: My Year in Pictures

December 30, 2022

“Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.” - Ansel Adams

Well, to be sure, I've shared more than 12 photos in my year-end review here, but to be fair, using a digital camera allows me to produce many more photos than Ansel Adams using a view camera that took one sheet of film at a time...

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An Unlikely Collaboration: How My Image Inspired a Shave Soap — An Unlikely Collaboration: How My Image Inspired a Shave Soap

December 12, 2022

This is going to be a slightly different type of entry. But first, a little backstory on the image in question. I photographed this small cascade at Diana's Baths, just outside North Conway, New Hampshire, in the winter of 2020...

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