Daily Archives: March 18, 2016

 

 

I witnessed something this morning at North Window in Arches N.P. that is becoming all to common!  My group was across the opening North Window ready for what promised to be a fabulous sunrise, when a bus load of Japanese tourists unloaded and stood in the open arch during the sun rise!  At dinner last night I saw a friend who shared an iPhone image of the 40 + people at Mesa Arch in Canyonlands that morning.  It is becoming a common issue, once desolate lonely places where we could make landscape images, now jammed with people. Don’t get me wrong, people have a right to be there, it’s just sad to see an era end when these places were quieter and more accessible, with less folks.

 

So what is the solution?  For me, I am going to start researching some less visited, but equally beautiful places to take my groups.  On the way to Moab, Jim and Sue Haverstock, Tom and Maryanne Cherry Gaffuri and I spent a day and morning in Capital Reef N.P. and at Goblin Valley State Park, both unique and beautiful and we saw very few people!!!!!  10 of us had a great trip down Route 66, never experiencing crowds.  My 2017 schedule will reflect this changing trend.  I will still go to some of my favorite parks in my favorite times, like the Smokies in Spring and Acadia in the fall, Americana locations like Old Car City, Shaker Village and Roanoke, VA, but I think I will start to look at either better times or not returning to some hot spots when the crowds arrive.  In the past, mid March was safe for Arches, not so today!

 

The advent of GoPros and iPhones has made everyone a photographer and we must get used to the fact that we are not a lonely group of wanderers anymore…..

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Join Jack and I in the Smokies, April 14-17, for one of our great Fuji Workshops, back to a quieter calmer place of beauty!!!!

 

 

We got into the field today!  This morning at Dead Horse Point State Park, this evening at Balanced Rock!  Long days, short night!  Here is a few from today!

 

 

My gang at Balanced Rock!

 

One last shot, the 100-400 continues to amaze! 1/6oth of a second, @ 600mm and hand held!!!!!

 

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim