Ken Burns' The National Parks: America's Best Idea

I never thought I’d be recommending a television show in this blog, but I guess there’s an exception to every rule.

If you haven’t had a chance to see Ken Burns' The National Parks: America's Best Idea, series of six two hour episodes, you’re in luck. The series is being reaired on most local PBS stations, on Wednesday nights, beginning this Wednesday, January 27^th.

For wildlife and landscape photographers, or any photographer, for that matter, the US National Parks provide some of the most incredible scenery, and wildlife, both flora and fauna, which can be seen anywhere on earth. For nature photographers the US National Parks are some of the most inspirational locations in existence.

Photography Exhibition: The Museum of Modern Art - Irving Penn, 1917–2009

The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), in New York, NY has some of the most amazing exhibitions of contemporary photography in the US Irving Penn, 1917–2009 looks like it will be another in their series of wonderful exhibitions at the Museum. If you’re in the New York City area, don’t miss this exhibition. I plan to go myself, if at all possible.

The exhibition will run for the foreseeable future.

Photographing Water: Reflections and the Deep Blue Sea

Many travelers think the secret to successful reflective water photographs is pure luck, nothing more. Of course, you already know, if for no other reason than I’m writing this article, that it’s not true. Then again, for the traveler, luck does play a part in making successful water photographs, but you can make your luck to an extent.

A significant problem for travelers wanting to make great water photographs is the serious time constraint in which we often find ourselves. Sometimes you can’t possibly schedule yourself at a particular location at a particular time. Sometimes when we’re at a great place for a photograph, the weather, wind or rain, for example, won’t allow us to create the photograph we’ve been looking forward to making. And sometimes despite our best efforts we just never get a chance to return to a great location a second time.

Photography Exhibition: California Museum of Photography: Smoke and Mirrors: The Magic of the Autochrome

The California Museum of Photography, located at the University of California Riverside has some of the best exhibitions of photography in the country. Smoke and Mirrors: The Magic of the Autochrome is an incredibly interesting photograph exhibition, and could be one of the best in the US this year. 

The exhibition will run through April 1, 2010.

Night Photography: Overcoming the Obstacles, Reaping the Rewards

In last week’s article, Night Photography: Pushing the Limits, Understanding the Obstacles, I discussed some of the difficulties encountered in Night Photography.

In this week’s article, I’ll discuss how to overcome those problems to produce wonderful night images which help tell one’s travel stories.

When it’s possible to use one, the tripod is absolutely the best tool for photographers to make great night photographs. A well-chosen tripod with a quality “head” can enable photographers to hold their cameras motionless to create high quality night photographs.

Photography Exhibition: The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - Harry Callahan: American Photographer

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, periodically has terrific photographic exhibitions. Harry Callahan: American Photographer is definitely one such exhibit.

This exhibition will run through July 3, 2010

Night Photography: Pushing the Limits, Understanding the Obstacles

Photography at night has plenty of obstacles, but is also full of rewards for travel photographers.

Many locations have interesting sights and looks during the day, and a whole host of different sights and looks, and another atmosphere in the evening. Las Vegas many interesting photographic opportunities during the day, but it seems as though it’s at night that Las Vegas really comes alive. The night photography opportunities in Las Vegas are almost limitless.

Another location with great night photography opportunities is the “La Ville-Lumière” (The City of Light). While Paris, France, was originally given that nickname due to its fame as a center of education and thought during the Age of Enlightenment (eighteenth century), its early adoption of street lighting (In 1828, Paris began lighting the Champs De Elysées with gas lamps. It was the first city in Europe to do so.), and its use of electric light beginning in the 19^th century for street lighting and later to illuminate monuments established the nickname forever.

Photography Exhibition: Royal Ontario Museum - Canadian Content: Portraits by Nigel Dickson

The Royal Ontario Museum continually shows some of the best photographic exhibitions in North America. The Museum includes The Institute for Contemporary Culture. The Museum’s diverse collections of world cultures and natural history with almost 6 million objects make it one of the largest museums in North America.

Canadian Content: Portraits by Nigel Dickson is an amazing exhibition of one of Canada’s finest professional photographers, with an outstanding, and well deserved international reputation.

This exhibition will run through March 21, 2010