Landscape, Nature And Travel Photography

2011 was a fun year to be behind the camera. I was very lucky to witness some breathtaking moments and round out some projects that made their way into my eBook. As was the case in 2010 it is impossible to rank my best photos like I had been in years past (best photos of 2010, best photos of 2009, best photos of 2008 and best photos of 2007).  So in no particular order here are my 10 favorite photos taken in 2011. Enjoy and feel free to let me know if you have a favorite!

Portrait of Blake
Technically this is my 11th selection, consider it an honorable mention. I had to include a picture of Blake with a big smile for reasons you’ll later understand as you scroll down.

Portrait of Blake

Ecliptic Star Trails – Nature and Landscape Photography by Jim M. Goldstein
I took several star trail photos in Death Valley National Park this year, but this is one that really stood out for me. Being able to photograph the curvature of the stars as they approach both poles was a real highlight of my October Death Valley Photo Tour. I’m looking forward to sharing the incredible night skies here with those in my February Death Valley Photo Tour. I still have room if you want to join me..

Ecliptic Star Trails

Road to the Sun View, Glacier National Park
Being atop the northern Rocky mountain range always yields dramatic views. Wafting clouds through a glacially carved valley made this view extra special from the Road to the Sun in Glacier National Park.

Road to the Sun View, Glacier National Park

Lunar Rainbow (Moonbow) at Lower Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park
Water levels were at record levels during my visit to Yosemite in June. As a result the waterfalls were flowing at a greater capacity than I’ve ever seen before. This made photographing moonbows a lot easier. In this instance I was being drenched from the mist, but it was so worth it. In April and June I return to hunt for Yosemite moonbows during two phototours.

Lunar Rainbow (Moonbow) at Lower Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park

Racetrack Star Trails
The Racetrack in Death Valley is dramatic enough, but adding star trails takes it to a new level. This was a 4 hour exposure resulting in nearly 60 degrees of rotation in the sky.

Racetrack Star Trails

Trying Moments
Remember that smiling photo of Blake at the beginning of the post. I didn’t want you to think he’s unhappy all the time. He’s a super happy kid. That being said even happy kids have their unhappy moments. I thought this moment was very telling of how challenging it is to be a parent sometimes.

Trying Moments

Stormy Sunrise, Glacier National Park
This fiery sunrise developed as quickly as it vanished. This fleeting moment was magical, but fear not I also took a time-lapse of it (see below).

Stormy Sunrise, Glacier National Park

With a bonus time-lapse:

Sunrise at Wild Goose Island Lookout from Jim Goldstein on Vimeo.

Rendezvous – Racetrack, Death Valley National Park
The mystery of the moving rocks on the Racetrack always fascinate people. Seeing two rocks paths on the verge of intersecting was particularly cool as it left me wondering how long it would be before they meet.

Rendezvous - Racetrack, Death Valley National Park

360° View of Star Trails Above the Racetrack
Ever wonder what the entire visible night sky would look like as a star trail photo? So did I so I made this photo with a Canon 8-15m lens that Borrowlenses.com (the best online lens rental store) made available to me for my trip. At the top of the circle is the eastern mountains that skirt the Racetrack playa. At the bottom of the screen are the western mountains that skirt the Racetrack playa. The small version of this image doesn’t do it justice so be sure to click the image to see a slightly larger version.

360 Degree View of Star Trails Above the Racetrack, Death Valley National Park

Under the Rainbow, Maui
In mid-December we took a family vacation to Maui. This was one of the more magical moments. I couldn’t believe how gigantic this rainbow was.

Under the Rainbow, Maui

Milky Way Over Death Valley (180° Panoramic)
This is a 70 megapixel 180° panoramic photo of the Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon above the Racetrack Playa. There is nothing more humbling than seeing an infinite number of stars in the sky. Again this has to be seen large so you may want to check in on my Google+ stream to see it.

Milky Way Over Death Valley (180° Panoramic)

Technorati Tags: best photos, best of 2011, photography, pictures, fine art, stock photo, White Sands National Monument, Glacier National Park, Death Valley, landscape, nature

Sometimes there is nothing better than rediscovering an old photo. I had this slide (yes slide) of Haleakala Crater in Haleakala National Park , Hawaii drum scanned back in 2004.  At the time I took this photo with Fuji Provia 400 film as it had great response for night photography and seemed to be the right fit for my effort to photograph the crater under a full moon. Note: Click below to see a larger version of the image.

Click to Enlarge

Haleakala Crater by Moonlight - Haleakala National Park, Hawaii

This spot is most notably photographed at sunrise and I highly recommend being there for that view at least once in your life. Its breathtaking, if the clouds cooperate. For myself I wanted to see this landscape (if even subtly) under moonlight. At an elevation over 10,000 feet you can see for dozens if not one hundred miles over the Pacific ocean and if you’re a stargazer you can see billions of stars in the sky above. For these  reasons this seemed to be the perfect place to be, to see land, sea and sky in layers of movement… each at their own pace. A volcano ever growing with clouds swirling about it over a vast ocean lit by an arcing moon destined to set as quickly as it arose. Haleakala crater is stunning & dynamic location that I can’t wait to revisit again.

Technorati Tags: Photography, picture, Haleakala National Park, Hawaii, Fuji Provia 400, landscape, nature, stock photo

With so much discussion around the iPad this week I thought it would be a nice change of pace to refocus on convergence in nature vs. technology.

Convergence - Pacific Ocean Water Meets Hawaiian Lava Rocks

My infatuation with nature photography is deeply rooted in isolating the simple yet beautiful moments we so often have a tendency to look past. What caught my eye on this rocky and barren beach in Maui, Hawaii was the beautiful wet rounded lava rocks. Everything else around was dark grey and undefined under an overcast sky. Taking a brief moment to just enjoy the movement of the water on the rocks I made it a priority to capture the seemingly chaotic convergence of water and rock. “Chaotic” of course is relative… water splashing around could seem chaotic compared to the perception of order in the smooth well rounded rocks.

That being said this isn’t just a photo of water converging with rock, but convergence of chaos and order. Extending this thought to the creative process convergence is an important concept to embrace as a photographer. My coming across a grey unattractive scene of chaotic movement & shape and creating a sense of order through the right exposure & composition provided the convergence of scene and seeing to capture a moment in time to be visually enjoyed. Creative convergence is that critical moment where concept and execution meet.

Technorati Tags: Photography, fine art, nature, Hawaii, Maui, Pacific Ocean, stock photo

It’s interesting how different niches of photography require different levels of patience. I suppose all forms of photography require the same degree of patience… the perceived difference in patience is likely a result of photographers being in synch creatively with one subject versus another. Some subjects click with photographers while others do not. It’s a fascinating phenomenon if you stop to think about it. I’ve always enjoyed jumping into a niche of photography and relearning… its a bit of a vacation if you will from the status quo. On that note I wanted to share a macro photo from last year that was a bit of a creative vacation if you will.

Hibiscus Macro - Maui, Hawaii

Technorati Tags: macro, photography, stock photo, fine art, hibiscus, flower, Maui, Hawaii

It’s been a great year for photography, perhaps even better than last year, and as 2008 nears its end I thought it would be fun to select my favorite photos from the year. I had a tough time narrowing things down so here they are…

Honorable Mentions:

	Honorable Mention #5: Pike Place Market One thing I love about taking travel photos is the constant challenge to find a new perspective. While I got odd stares from passerbys I knew as soon as I set up for this photo it was going to work. With a little creativity even a location you’d think can’t yield a new perspective can surprise you.
	Honorable Mention #4: Sea Otter Portrait (Enhydra lutris) This year I’ve made it a project of mine to photograph California Sea Otters and introduce as many photographers to them as possible through my photo tours. This particular otter was enjoying a rare spot of sun with a dry and groomed face. The foreground is his slick wet stomach. It just goes to show you how different their fur can be wet and dry.
	Honorable Mention #3: Zip Line Adventure – Maui, Hawaii Maui proved to be full of photographic opportunities. Documenting the Maui Zip Line Adventure was a blast and one of the major highlights of the trip. As if the zip line wasn’t enough to get the adrenaline flowing, securing a 1Ds Mark III to your chest in addition was a guarantee to get the heart racing.
	Honorable Mention #2 Bobcat (Lynx rufus), Yosemite II I’m not sure I could have coached this wild Bobcat to pose any better for me. To be honest it was hard work tracking this cat and getting into position well before it would reach me… all while not disturbing it. This was definitely one of the best wildlife encounters I had during the year.
	Honorable Mention #1 Bring Your Own Big Wheel 2008 – Happy Easter Adventure seeking adults +  plastic wheeled tricycles + a very steep and winding San Francisco street = hilarity This event has proven to be one of my favorite to photograph. I can’t wait for BYOBW in 2009. Featured in Bring Your Own Big Wheel 2008 Photo Highlights

My Top 10 Favorite Photos of 2008:

#10: Cable View Panoramic, Golden Gate Bridge

Featured in EXIF and Beyond: Mastering Digital Panoramic Photography this panoramic photo taken with a 24mm Tilt-Shift lens has proven to last the test of time. I find myself drawn to this image as much today as I had been the day I took it. The fresh perspective, textures and scale of the scene are elements of the photo that continue to draw me in.

#9: Say Cheese!

Portrait of a Swiss Cow in a Pasture with Mount Eiger in the background.
For the record no tongue ever touched my lens, but it was close. Fortunately for me this bovine was quite docile and didn’t push me down the hill or pull me into an electric fence I was straddling.

#8: California Sea Otter & Pup (Enhydra lutris)

This quick bonding moment between mother and sea otter pup occurred shortly after an over amorous male tried to “divide and conquer”. The female otter was able to simultaneously fend off the male otter while protecting her pup. It was high drama with a happy ending.

#7: Bobcat (Lynx rufus), Yosemite

The sight of wildlife in the snow at Yosemite always amounts to dramatic imagery. With out a care in the world this Bobcat was trekking through a snowy meadow. As mentioned this was likely the wildlife encounter of the year for me. While I got much tighter photos of this cat I find this environmental photo to be my favorite of the set.

#6: California Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)

The last California Sea Otter photo of my Top 10 set is a portrait of a feeding Sea Otter. This otter made fast work of this crab, but seemed to pause momentarily (in reality a split second) so as to pose for me. What makes this photo special to me is the detail of the otter’s features including the fur, ear, whiskers and paws.

#5: Heron Pond Reflection – Grand Teton National Park

Morning hikes at Grand Teton National park are among my favorite both for the ethereal beauty of the landscape and the awe inspiring encounters with elk. If you’ve never been, Grand Teton National Park should be on your short list of places to visit. The mountains are incredibly beautiful, but the surrounding lakes and rivers are rich with life and intimate nature photo opportunities. This pre-dawn photo attracted my eye both because of the pastel hues of the fog filled sky and the layers of vegetation filling the frame.

#4: Mavericks Surf Contest 2008 – Long & Sterling

The biggest wave of the day at the 2008 Mavericks surf contest was no doubt the most dramatic. The sheer size of these waves is amazing, the surfers are incredibly skilled and the event is a blast to photograph. While this photo highlights the scale of the wave to an individual surfer, it will unfortunately never relay the earth rattling roar of the water.

#3: In Time

Taken in Switzerland this past fall I found myself irresistibly attracted to the fall color of the trees. The jagged form of the bare tree branches juxtaposed against the backdrop of fall color was one that I enjoyed exploring. This particular photo is one I find myself returning to view over and over again.

#2: Matterhorn Reflections, Switzerland

Unequivocally this day was the most beautiful of all my days spent in Switzerland. High above Zermatt I enjoyed taking in the morning light as it illuminated this alpine lake. This scene was too beautiful to confine to one frame so I created a 3-photo panoramic using my 24mm Tilt-Shift lens.
Note: For those in the U.S. unlike North American conifers those in Europe turn golden before their needles are shed. This took some time getting used to this. I kept thinking the trees were being killed by a bark beetle.

#1: Behind the Veil, Snake River – Grand Teton National Park

When Mother Nature puts on a light show in Wyoming she goes all out. This photo was taken after a substantial storm moved through the area. As the storm began to clear a hole opened in the clouds far beyond the horizon. This opened a path for the last rays of sunlight to paint the clouds and peaks of the Grand Tetons with amazing red light. Even more impressive to me was the unusual phenomenon of low lying clouds creating a thin veil conceiling the mountains. All around this was a magical scene to take in and one I’ll cherish for a long time to come.

Technorati Tags: landscape, photography, wildlife, stock photo, travel, photo, best of 2008, favorites of 2008, best of,   Mavericks, surf, Grand Teton National Park, Switzerland, Matterhorn, San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge, Seattle, Pike Place Market, Sea Otter, Enhydra lutris, Maui, Hawaii, zip line, Lynx rufus, bobcat, Yosemite, Yosemite National Park, BYOBW, Bring Your Own Big Wheel, fall color

What’s the first thing you do when you get a brand new Canon 1Ds Mark III? If you’re me you strap it to your chest, attach an intervalometer/cable release and jump on an 800 foot long zip line in Maui. Well not just (1) one zip line, but (6) six.

Back in early February my first trip out with the new camera body was to Maui, Hawaii. I couldn’t resist capturing the zip line adventure in photos. Fortunately with a little pre-planning and a bit of self-coordination no harm came to my camera or lens as I jumped off wood platforms and zipped along dangling from a harness. Needless to say my wife thought I was nuts, the zip line staff thought it was cool and well I had a blast.

Zip Line Adventure – Maui, Hawaii

Technorati Tags: Maui, Hawaii, zip line, zip lining, adventure, photo, photography, stock photo

One of the neatest areas of Maui is the northeastern portion of Haleakala National Park. To get to this side of the island you have to brave the road to Hana, but its well worth it. The lush tropical landscape is a lot of fun to hike and explore particularly the bamboo forest that turns day to night.

Hiking Through A Bamboo Forest
Haleakala National Park – Maui, Hawaii

Technorati Tags: Maui, Hawaii, Haleakala, National Park, photo, stock, photography, bamboo, forest, nature, lifestyle, Hana, hike, hiking

Sadly it seems like months ago, but only two weeks ago this was my “office” view. Kayaking off the coast of Maui with numerous Humpback whales in the area was awe inspiring. I have to admit one whale came up right behind my wife and I and scared the hell out of us. The loud exhale of this giant animal can do that when you don’t see them coming.

Pictured below is a whale and her calf diving. Before they disappeared they had been casually hanging out and putting on quite a show for roughly 20 minutes. We were very lucky to see such an extended display of mother/calf interaction and I have to admit I’m hooked. The next time I’m in Maui I’ll be quite eager to whale watch via kayak again.

Humpback Whale Tail and Calf Peduncle Arch – Maui, Hawaii

Technorati Tags: Humpback, whale, tail, calf, peduncle arch, Maui, Hawaii, wildlife, photo, photography, stock, whale watch, kayak