Go See Do Explore

Travel by Any Means Necessary

Tag: sunset Page 6 of 7

Epic Michigan Road Trip: Straits State Park

By

On July 10, 2016

In Camping, Michigan, Project: State Parks, Road Trip

Mackinac Bridge at Sunset

Straits State Park was the first major stop of the trip and it was my favorite campground. The park has three campgrounds the upper campground and two lower campgrounds. The lower campgrounds have a view of the Mackinac Bridge. If you are a tent camper, they have about 6 sites right on the water with a completely unobstructed view of the bridge, but no electricity. These sites do fill up fast, we were only able to be on the water on a Sunday night, so if you’re interested, I recommend booking as close to that 6 month window as possible. If you are not a tent camper, or you can’t do without electricity, there are some spots just on the other side of the road that have a good view and there is a small park, which was right next to our site, where you could set up your tripod. Chris has an awesome shot of our tent lit up at night with the bridge in the distance. That photo will be up on the site on Friday.

Straits State Park also has a bridge viewing area away from the campground if you’re not looking to camp. The park is also home to the Father Marquette Memorial which is on the other side of I-75 and also features a bridge viewing area. The bridge is definitely the biggest attraction at this park.

About the Photo:
This photo was taken during sunset from our tent site on the water. It was a single RAW exposure with basic edits done in Lightroom. I also used a graduated filter in Lightroom to darken the sky.

Camera Gear:
Nikon D3100 with 55-200mm kit lens on a tripod

Date Taken:
June 26, 2016

Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr! To see inside my camera bag, check out my Gear Page. To book your stay at Straits State Park, visit the Michigan DNR.

Pin This!

I Love Ludington

By

On June 6, 2016

In Michigan, Project: State Parks

Big Sable Point

Over Memorial Day weekend, I had the joy of returning to Ludington. This time, I truly fell in love with Ludington State Park. Between the half-mile Skyline Trail’s stunning dune vistas (look for a photo on Wednesday), the beautiful Lake Michigan beach, and the historically striking views at the end a two mile hike on the Lighthouse Trail. After this visit, I am making plans to return for a camping trip. The Jack Pine campground is a hike-in campground (meaning no road access) halfway to the lighthouse. This is a wonderful opportunity for photographers, because I would be able to stay at the park later (the day use areas close at 10) to capture the sunset and night sky at the lighthouse.

About the Photo:
This photo was a single RAW exposure with basic edits done in Lightroom. I really wanted to the catch sunset at the lighthouse, but, as I mentioned above, the day use areas (read parking lot) close at 10:00 and in the summer, the sun sets on Michigan’s west coast after 9:00, leaving very little time to get our shots, hike two miles, and get back to the car before they close the gate. So, if you want to get a true sunset shot, visit in the winter or camp in the park (there are several modern camping options in the park if you don’t want to carry in all your gear, but you would have more walking from the lighthouse than the hike in campground).

Camera Gear:
Nikon D3100 with 18-55 kit lens handheld

Date Taken:
May 29, 2016

Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page.  I have started my summer photo a day project again this year. To make sure you don’t miss a single day, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr! To plan your visit to Ludington State Park visit the Michigan DNR or VisitLudington.com.

Marsh Sunset

By

On May 2, 2016

In Michigan

Marsh Sunset

The other day, I wanted to go shoot somewhere I had never been before, so I posed the question in a Michigan Photography Facebook group. Someone suggested Crosswinds Marsh. I had never heard of this place so I did some research and found out that it is a Wayne County park in New Boston. It seemed interesting enough and not too far of a drive for a sunset shooting trip, so we decided to check it out. Crosswinds Marsh is the largest man made wetlands in the country. It was built t replace the wetlands that were destroyed during the expansion of the Detroit Metro Airport. It is a really peaceful place that I definitely recommend to visit, especially if you’re into bird watching or fishing. It would also be a lovely place for a picnic!

About the Photo:
In my research of this place, I found some gorgeous pictures taken of the marsh but when I got there, I really struggled with my compositions. I think my problems were due a lot to the position of the sun as compared to the foreground objects. Photo Tip: To avoid lighting struggles like this, check out The Photographer’s Ephemeris (free for desktop) so you can see where the sun will be when you go out! Frustrations aside, I will definitely go back and try again another day. This shot was a single RAW exposure with basic edits done in Lightroom.

Photo Gear:
Nikon D3100 with 18.0-55.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens, handheld

Date Taken:
April 23, 2016

Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr!

Chris Corner #10: Driftwood

By

On April 23, 2016

In Chris' Corner, Michigan, Project: State Parks

Driftwood by Christopher Mowers on 500px.com

The posting of the photos that I took while on vacation continues this week, and we are back to Silver Lake State Park near Mears, MI.

We were at Silver lake on this sort of blustery, cold day, where rain was imminent.  Really, it was actually snow that was imminent, but we didn’t know that yet. Overall, that week’s weather had been pretty nice for the first week in April, but the upcoming weekend was about to teach us a lesson, and that lesson was to not assume that spring had arrived just yet.

 

About the photo:

This beach, near the Little Sable lighthouse, had some really cool driftwood; this one was my favorite piece. Unlike the picture I posted a few weeks ago, where I had enhanced the light beams, these ones are straight out of the camera.

Camera Gear:
Nikon D3100 with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens.

Date Taken:
April 9, 2016

Thank you for reading. You can see my best work on 500px and can also find pictures of the “trying my hardest to be good at this” type on Flickr or Pixoto.

Also, be sure to like the Go See Do Facebook Page, and follow Ashleigh on Instagram and Flickr! Check out our Gear page to see inside our camera bag!

Wordless Wednesday: Savannah Sunset

By

On January 13, 2016

In Travel, Wordless Wednesday

Fountain at Sunset

Wordless Wednesday: Swans at Sunset

By

On August 26, 2015

In Michigan, Wordless Wednesday

Swans at Sunset 56/100

Wordless Wednesday: Sunset over Pond

By

On August 19, 2015

In Michigan, Wordless Wednesday

Sunset on Pond 58/100

Why I Cruise

By

On August 17, 2015

In Travel

Ship at Sunset
A photographer I follow on Facebook recently posted about an Alaskan cruise he took. He said it was a fun family vacation but it wasn’t great for photography. This got me thinking about why I love cruising:

  • Value – For one price you get luxury accommodations, transportation, great food, and world-class entertainment
  • Multiple Destinations – Go island hopping or visit several European cities and only unpack once
  • Relaxation – Days at sea with no set plans? Count me in

Cruising does not allow you to get as deep into a location or give the flexibility to catch sunrises or sunsets in port. I have to say, there is something about a catching one from the ship! And I love how cruising gives you a taste of a location without having to commit; if you don’t like a port, you can get back onto the ship. If you fall in love with a location, you know where to plan your next trip!

Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr! If I’ve convinced you, there are many sites to browse cruises, but I recommend Priceline Cruises.

Sailboat Sunset

By

On May 30, 2015

In Travel

Sailboat Sunset Revisted

Preparing for my trip to the Keys, I kept hearing about how wonderful the sunsets are. Heck, the words “Key West, Home of the Sunset” are written on the Southernmost Point Marker. And I have to say, after watching several sunsets in the keys, Ft. Zachary Taylor in Key West was one of the best places to catch one!

This is one of my favorite photos! I love how you can see the people on the boat, silhouetted against the orange sky and the reflection of the setting sun in the water. If you like this photo as much as I do, it is available for purchase on Fine Art America.

Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos, be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr!

Savannah Belles Ferry

By

On May 9, 2015

In Travel

Savannah Belles Ferry *EXPLORED!*

Savannah is a beautiful town. We stopped last summer on our way home from (one of my favorite places) Disney World. We decided to rough it at Skidaway Island State Park. While Savannah is a beautiful city, Skidaway was a beautiful park and I was glad we made the choice to stay the night there. If you are visiting Savannah and are looking to camp, I highly recommend Skidaway Island. If you are tent campers, like us, you get a discount too, which is nice.

This photos was taken on the Savannah Riverwalk which was about a 25 minute drive from the park. We had the good timing to get there right as the Susan King Taylor Ferry was pulling out from the dock and the sun was beginning to set. Perfect.

Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos, be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr!

Page 6 of 7

Previous

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén