MARCH
Week 1 - Harp seals of the Magdalen Islands, Canada. Nothing is cuter or more photogenic than a harp seal pup lying in its icy cradle. The pups are surprisingly easy and comfortable to photograph. You fly to the seal birthing areas by helicopter but the flying weather is often iffy. Go with a tour group that spends more than just a few hours out on the ice or else you will be spending your time on land with nothing to do.
Week 2 - Cuba. Yes, I know this is an odd location for a nature shooter to suggest but on my two trips there I have been so captivated that I would go back in an instant. There is no place else in the world where the people are so friendly, generous and photogenic and this comes from my friend, Bob Krist, who has photographed people all over the world. Havana is a bit crazy but as soon as you get out of the city you will be thrilled and delighted. My favorite locale is the Vinales Valley west of Havana. To visit Cuba legally these days you must have a valid Treasury Department permit or go with a certified tour group. It is easy to go there on the sly.
Weeks 2, 3 & 4 - Desert wildflowers of Arizona. Wildflowers begin to bloom around Phoenix first, then Tucson and then Organpipe National Monument (Tucson and Organpipe are 1000 feet higher than Phoenix). The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is a good place to start. They also have a wildflower hotline- 602-481-8134 - that is updated weekly and gives locations of the current blooms. My favorite locations are the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix, Picacho Peak State Park north of Tucson and Gates Pass and the Saguaro National Monument, west of Tucson.
APRIL
Week 1 - Desert wildflowers of California or Redwoods National Park. Since you are down in Arizona you might as well bop over to southern California and photograph the wildflowers of Anza-Borrega State Park and Joshua Tree National Park. The wildflower hotline number for this area is 818-768-3533.
If you have had enough of the desert, the redwoods of northern California are great this time of year. The understory is greening, there are wildflowers on the forest floor, and fog often shrouds the trees. Be sure to check the beach for Roosevelt elk and interesting driftwood compositions.
Weeks 2 & 3 - Texas wildflowers. A must for anyone interested in wildflowers. The best shows of flowers are right along the highways so you must drive a lot to find your compositions. Start in Austin and head for the National Wildflower Research Center which has handouts detailing driving routes for wildflowers and a wildflower hotline (number changes every year). My favorite spots are northwest of Austin near Buchanan Lake.
Weeks 3 & 4 - Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Smokies are the best place in the East to photograph Spring- wildflowers, dogwoods, rushing streams and mountain scenics. The traffic and nonsense in the gateway city of Gatlinburg can be atrocious but the photography is well worth the inconvenience. Get a copy of "A Photographer's Guide to the Smoky Mountains" by Bill Cambell to find the best locations.
MAY
Week 1 - Utah parklands. This is my favorite time of year to visit the redrock country of Utah, especially Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. You get all the benefits of the park without the summer crowds or heat. Plus, there are unexpected wildflowers that make great foregrounds for your landscapes. Be warned, the campgrounds can be crowded with mountain bikers.
Week 2 - New England. Nobody thinks about going to New England other than in the fall but there is much to see and photograph in the spring. The middle of May is the best time for spring wildflowers and the forests are in full fresh spring-green. At this time fields are greening and the rivers, creeks and waterfalls are full, as well. Anywhere in Vermont, the mountains of New Hampshire and Maine, the Bershires or Cape Cod are great.
Weeks 3 & 4 - Ancient Forests of the Northwest. The old-growth forests of Oregon and Washington is where my spirit rests. At this time of year the forest is overflowing with lushness and you will have the trees to yourself. The Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park is the quintessential old-growth forest. It has the biggest trees and is the most accessible. As a bonus, there are often elk wandering through the forest at this time of year.
The Hoh can be crowded and a bit worn looking due to all of the visitation so if you want a old-growth forest all to yourself try the Quinalt or Queets valleys to the south in the Park or the Sol Duc Valley (my personal favorite) on the north side of the Park.
JUNE
Week 1 - Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. You can visit these two parks any time of the year and get great pictures. In early June the crowds are small, the meadows are fresh and the animals have not yet been harassed into the shadows. You will also find wildflowers galore from the alpine areas to the valley floor. This is also the best time of year to photograph the many waterfalls of the Valley. Wait for afternoon light to get the best shots.
Weeks 2 & 3 - Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks. Many people avoid these two popular parks in the summer but if you go now the herds of Winnebagos are not so bad. In Yellowstone, this is the time of year for baby animals, especially bison and elk. In the Tetons, great fields of blooming mule's ears and lupine make a dramatic foreground for the impressive mountains.
Weeks 2 & 3 - The Maine Coast and Nova Scotia. This is the time of year when the wild roses and lupines are in full bloom and fog is pretty common. The best traditional harbors are the farthest from Rt. 1. Look for detail shots of the fishing and lobstering gear as well as the standard postcard views. For more detailed information get a copy of The Photographer’s Guide to the Maine Coast that I did with Bruce Morrison.
Week 4 - Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. This park is often overlooked but it is a gem.
Week 1 - Harp seals of the Magdalen Islands, Canada. Nothing is cuter or more photogenic than a harp seal pup lying in its icy cradle. The pups are surprisingly easy and comfortable to photograph. You fly to the seal birthing areas by helicopter but the flying weather is often iffy. Go with a tour group that spends more than just a few hours out on the ice or else you will be spending your time on land with nothing to do.
Week 2 - Cuba. Yes, I know this is an odd location for a nature shooter to suggest but on my two trips there I have been so captivated that I would go back in an instant. There is no place else in the world where the people are so friendly, generous and photogenic and this comes from my friend, Bob Krist, who has photographed people all over the world. Havana is a bit crazy but as soon as you get out of the city you will be thrilled and delighted. My favorite locale is the Vinales Valley west of Havana. To visit Cuba legally these days you must have a valid Treasury Department permit or go with a certified tour group. It is easy to go there on the sly.
Weeks 2, 3 & 4 - Desert wildflowers of Arizona. Wildflowers begin to bloom around Phoenix first, then Tucson and then Organpipe National Monument (Tucson and Organpipe are 1000 feet higher than Phoenix). The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is a good place to start. They also have a wildflower hotline- 602-481-8134 - that is updated weekly and gives locations of the current blooms. My favorite locations are the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix, Picacho Peak State Park north of Tucson and Gates Pass and the Saguaro National Monument, west of Tucson.
APRIL
Week 1 - Desert wildflowers of California or Redwoods National Park. Since you are down in Arizona you might as well bop over to southern California and photograph the wildflowers of Anza-Borrega State Park and Joshua Tree National Park. The wildflower hotline number for this area is 818-768-3533.
If you have had enough of the desert, the redwoods of northern California are great this time of year. The understory is greening, there are wildflowers on the forest floor, and fog often shrouds the trees. Be sure to check the beach for Roosevelt elk and interesting driftwood compositions.
Weeks 2 & 3 - Texas wildflowers. A must for anyone interested in wildflowers. The best shows of flowers are right along the highways so you must drive a lot to find your compositions. Start in Austin and head for the National Wildflower Research Center which has handouts detailing driving routes for wildflowers and a wildflower hotline (number changes every year). My favorite spots are northwest of Austin near Buchanan Lake.
Weeks 3 & 4 - Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Smokies are the best place in the East to photograph Spring- wildflowers, dogwoods, rushing streams and mountain scenics. The traffic and nonsense in the gateway city of Gatlinburg can be atrocious but the photography is well worth the inconvenience. Get a copy of "A Photographer's Guide to the Smoky Mountains" by Bill Cambell to find the best locations.
MAY
Week 1 - Utah parklands. This is my favorite time of year to visit the redrock country of Utah, especially Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. You get all the benefits of the park without the summer crowds or heat. Plus, there are unexpected wildflowers that make great foregrounds for your landscapes. Be warned, the campgrounds can be crowded with mountain bikers.
Week 2 - New England. Nobody thinks about going to New England other than in the fall but there is much to see and photograph in the spring. The middle of May is the best time for spring wildflowers and the forests are in full fresh spring-green. At this time fields are greening and the rivers, creeks and waterfalls are full, as well. Anywhere in Vermont, the mountains of New Hampshire and Maine, the Bershires or Cape Cod are great.
Weeks 3 & 4 - Ancient Forests of the Northwest. The old-growth forests of Oregon and Washington is where my spirit rests. At this time of year the forest is overflowing with lushness and you will have the trees to yourself. The Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park is the quintessential old-growth forest. It has the biggest trees and is the most accessible. As a bonus, there are often elk wandering through the forest at this time of year.
The Hoh can be crowded and a bit worn looking due to all of the visitation so if you want a old-growth forest all to yourself try the Quinalt or Queets valleys to the south in the Park or the Sol Duc Valley (my personal favorite) on the north side of the Park.
JUNE
Week 1 - Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. You can visit these two parks any time of the year and get great pictures. In early June the crowds are small, the meadows are fresh and the animals have not yet been harassed into the shadows. You will also find wildflowers galore from the alpine areas to the valley floor. This is also the best time of year to photograph the many waterfalls of the Valley. Wait for afternoon light to get the best shots.
Weeks 2 & 3 - Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks. Many people avoid these two popular parks in the summer but if you go now the herds of Winnebagos are not so bad. In Yellowstone, this is the time of year for baby animals, especially bison and elk. In the Tetons, great fields of blooming mule's ears and lupine make a dramatic foreground for the impressive mountains.
Weeks 2 & 3 - The Maine Coast and Nova Scotia. This is the time of year when the wild roses and lupines are in full bloom and fog is pretty common. The best traditional harbors are the farthest from Rt. 1. Look for detail shots of the fishing and lobstering gear as well as the standard postcard views. For more detailed information get a copy of The Photographer’s Guide to the Maine Coast that I did with Bruce Morrison.
Week 4 - Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. This park is often overlooked but it is a gem.
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