Go See Do Explore

Travel by Any Means Necessary

Tag: water

Empire Bluffs

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On April 4, 2016

In Hiking, Michigan, National Parks & Places

Empire Bluffs B&W

The Empire Bluffs Trail at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is considered a moderate trail and after our hike, I totally see why. The trail has several steep ups and downs that definitely got my heart pounding. We saw a couple of families hiking it and the kids had a lot of fun running up and down them! But, the view at the end made all of that worth it! It was a kind of dreary day, luckily the clouds were interesting enough, but the water was a beautiful teal-blue that I have never seen outside of the Caribbean! Don’t worry, I’ll post a color shot later!

They say cloudy days are good for photography, and overcast does lend itself to more even lighting than you would normally get going out and shooting in the early afternoon. The bad thing about a cloudy day is that dreary skies don’t usually make for good landscapes. A solution? Turn it black and white. It deemphasizes the drab sky and puts the focus on your subject matter.

About this photo:
This was a single RAW exposure with basic edits and B&W conversion done in Lightroom.

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

Date Taken:
March 30, 2016

Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Instagram, and Flickr! I have to give a shout-out to Instagram user @wanderingz for the inspiration to check out this trail! To plan your trip to Sleeping Bear, visit the National Park Service website!

Wordless Wednesday: Picnic Table Reflection

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On March 16, 2016

In Michigan, Project: State Parks

Picnic Table Reflection

Chris Corner #4: The Verrazano Narrows

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On March 11, 2016

In Chris' Corner, Travel

Verrazano Narrows Bridge in Morning Fog by Christopher Mowers on 500px.com

Last summer, Ashleigh and I had the joy of taking a cruise on the Norwegian Gem out of New York.

Not only was cruising out of New York great because it is a relatively short drive  for us compared to Florida, but it was incredible to sail from a pier in Manhattan. These views were unbelievable.

Most of the pictures we got in New York Harbor were from our departure. The weather was outstanding. The thing that was really difficult though was that everyone else was also outside trying to get pictures. We decided we would get up early on our arrival day and try to get pictures with fewer people on deck.

One problem- the weather didn’t think this was such a great idea. Seriously, we didn’t get much. I don’t know how on earth I managed to capture this image, but I’m glad that I did.

 

About the Photo:
I took this photo at 55 mm, f/4.5, ISO 200, from the Promenade deck of the Norwegian Gem. I captured this photo the day that we drove home from New York, and on that car ride home, listening to the Improve Photography Podcast, heard all about the new dehaze slider in the lastest Lightroom release. I used that same dehaze slider on this photo with excellent results.

Camera Gear:
Nikon D3100 with 55-200mm f/4-5.6 lens.

Date Taken:
June 21, 2015

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!

Fall in the UP

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On October 26, 2015

In Michigan, Project: State Parks

Lower Falls
One of my favorite fall memories is from a trip I took a few years ago to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. One of the places I visited was Tahquamenon Falls. If you haven’t been to the falls in autumn, it is a sight to behold. The red and yellow leaves blend in with the green of the pines as a background to the motion of the water. While the leaves fall, the tannins  run out (similar to tea) and turn the water a dark brown color and create the white foam.

One thing I did not prepare for was the weather on this trip. It was unseasonable cold for the first week in October and the highs were maybe in the 40s(F). I didn’t bring a coat or gloves and I ended up buying a fleece jacket in the gift shop at the falls. If you’re planning a trip to the UP in the fall, my biggest advice is bring winter clothes just in case. Its hard to enjoy the beauty of nature when you’re freezing your fingers off!

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

Stony Creek

By

On September 7, 2015

In Hiking, Michigan

Stony Creek

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

Wordless Wednesday: Swans at Sunset

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On August 26, 2015

In Michigan, Wordless Wednesday

Swans at Sunset 56/100

Wordless Wednesday: Sunset over Pond

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On August 19, 2015

In Michigan, Wordless Wednesday

Sunset on Pond 58/100

Back from Paradise

By

On June 29, 2015

In Travel

Sun Sky Sand 18/100

I am back from my cruise to paradise on the beautiful Norwegian Gem. We had perfect weather, assuming you can handle the heat! There were barely any clouds the whole week until we sailed back into New York harbor where the rain and fog rolled in and made for some unique, if not eerie, photos.

If the opportunity comes up to cruise out of New York, take it! The views while the ship is sailing out of New York harbor are stunning and unforgettable. I will definitely be posting more photos from my relaxing voyage in the upcoming weeks.

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

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