Author: Ashleigh Page 89 of 94
The first time I visited Key West it was the first port on a Caribbean cruise and honestly, I fell in love and just could not wait to go back! So, a year and a half later I took another trip to the Keys with the intent to see more of the islands. One of the things I did on that trip was climb to the top of the Key West Lighthouse. As a Michigander, I’ve climbed to the top of several Great Lakes Lighthouses and the view from the KWL was totally different! It gave you a bird’s eye view of the island and really highlighted the colorful architecture that makes up the Southernmost Isle.
I highly encourage photographers (and travelers too) to look for a different vantage point, especially in highly photographed areas. Climb lighthouses, stairs, mountains, you never know what you’ll see when you reach the top.
Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr!
A few years ago I took a long weekend trip to St. Louis, Missouri. One of my favorite things about that trip was our visit to the St. Louis zoo. What stands out to me, years later, is the penguin house. This building houses penguins and puffins and the only barrier between you and the birds is a chest-high plexiglass wall. This makes for an excellent photo opportunity because there is no dirty, cloudy glass interfering with penguin pictures! And to sweeten the deal even more, admission to the zoo is free (some additional attractions do come with a fee). What could be better than that?
This is not one of my artistic photos, but how often to do get a shot of penguins without that gross glass getting in the way? And you don’t have to go to Antarctica to get it!
Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr! To plan your trip visit stlzoo.org.
Stony Creek Metropark is a 4,000+ acre nature park in the middle of the Detroit suburbs. Fishing, biking, boating, and hiking abound in this urban oasis. Its so strange to think when you are hiking along wooded paths and fishing in the 500 acre lake, that people are sitting in traffic, honking their horns just outside the park gates.
Stony Creek has been on my list of places to visit all summer. I have seen some absolutely fabulous photos of this place from other photographers. Of course, the day I finally decide to go, it is completely overcast and dreary. That means field and lake landscapes are definitely out of the question. But, overcast days provide the best lighting for detail shots. This visit really helped me expand my photographic repertoire and look outside the box for inspiration.
Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr! To plan your Stony Creek outing, check out Metroparks.org
When I talk about places in Michigan full of things to see and do, Reed City rarely makes the list. Reed City is a city of crossroads. US 131 intersects with US 10 in Reed City. Two of the states premier Rail-to-Trails, The White Pine Trail and the Pere Marquette Trail also intersect in town. This makes Reed City a destination for trail bikers and snowmobilers.
I recently heard about a photo technique called the starburst effect. For photographers, you’ll need a tripod and a camera set to a small aperture (read, higher number: F18, F20…). So, when I saw the lights, I had to try it out and I like what I got!
Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr!
This summer I took a trip to the Detroit Zoo. This was my first visit to the zoo in 13 years and wow has it changed since my last visit! One of my favorite parts was the new (at least new to me) Australia exhibit. You walk into the Australia area and there are no cages, no glass separating you from the animals. The kangaroos are able to hop right up to you! How cool is that?
They are also building a new penguin area that I cannot wait to see! The Polk Penguin Conservation Center is the largest project the zoo has ever undertaken and will feature a 326,000 gallon tank. Check out this video of the new penguin project! Did you know that the current penguin house was the first even space built specifically for penguins? What history we have in Michigan!
What I love about this shot is with the chimp hugging himself and the bare trees behind him, it looks so cold. It was in the seventies that day! A picture really is worth a thousand words!
Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr! To plan your visit to the Detroit Zoo, visit DetroitZoo.org