This page has my location recommendations for photographing Nature and Architecture.
Above: Descending the Devil's Corkscrew along the Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon National Park. Hiking to the Colorado River and back to the Rim is a fantastic hike. The Canyon is nature's architecture, where you can walk through 2 billion years of work. Sadly, only 1% of Park visitors leave the Rim for a trail.
Hikes and Nature
Let your feet learn from the earth. Get out of your car and off the sidewalk. You will be glad you did.
Alaska - Land of superlatives. Hike Crow Pass in the Chugach Mountains for stunning scenery. Denali National Park has numerous trails for scenery and wildlife. Try the Mt. Healy Overlook Trail near the Visitor Center. Definitely plan to take the bus 90 miles to Kantishna to see bear, moose, caribou, sheep. (Note that the road was partially closed in 2024, so check with the Park Service.) Near Kantishna, hike Blueberry Hill and view Denali from Wonder Lake. On clear days the Eielson Visitor has views of Denali.
Old Rag Mountain - Shenandoah National Park has numerous trails, including the famous Appalachian, but Old Rag is unique with rock scrambles that will have you climbing under, over, and around boulders, including a boulder that seems to defy gravity. Named for its ragged appearance, the mountain has a distinct silhouette along the Blue Ridge.
Arches National Park - Desert hiking can be challenging so try the colder months. Enjoy the magnificent dark sky, and watch the Milky Way rise under one of the arches, right.
Precipice Trail - Acadia National Park. A short trail with vertical climbs using iron hand/footholds for an upper body challenge. For this reason, it is unique and provides nice views. This trail is popular, so arrive early!
Wengen, Switzerland - Several hikes in this area provide stunning views of the Alps, including Jungfrau. The Lauterbrunnen Valley is entry to this area. The best are Kleine Scheidegg and Mannlichen. Combine a hike with a high-altitude train ride to Jungfrau, or take the ski lift to Mannlichen.
Ocean Path - Acadia National Park. An easy, family-friendly trail on flat terrain with a great views of Frenchman's Bay. Sit on the boulders and watch the wave action.
The Narrows - Zion National Park. Hike a magnificent slot canyon by walking (and wading) through the Virgin River.
La Congreja Waterfall Trail - Rincon de la Vieja Park, Costa Rica. A 6-mile roundtrip through a dense forest. The trail is steep and can be muddy. Along the way, you may see birds, monkeys, pumas, and maybe snakes. Stay on the trail. Pack plenty of water as there are no water points after leaving the visitor center.
Below is a sunrise scene taken from Cadillac Mountain with Frenchman's Bay, Bar Harbor, Porcupine Islands, and Schoodic Point in the background. The photo is actually a composite of seven individual photos stitched together.
Architecture
Europe possesses architecture from almost every period of human history. Designs vary widely from ancient Greek ruins in the far southeastern tip of Europe, west to the Iberian Peninsula, where Moorish influences changed architectural style for centuries, and north to France, Germany and Great Britain, where Gothic architecture emerged as Europe struggled to exit the Dark Ages.
Larger cities like Paris, London, and Rome all have fabulous architecture, but don't overlook other destinations, like Vienna or Florence. For 600 years, Vienna was the seat of the Habsburg Dynasty. Colorful, ornate buildings are throughout Vienna, and it is maybe the cleanest, safest city I have visited in Europe. Every neighborhood, even modern apartment buildings, have decorative architecture. My favorite cities for photographing are the smaller ones like Bath, England and Salzburg, Austria.
Below: Peterskirche, Vienna, built in the early 1700s.
Below: Rector's Palace, Dubrovnik, Croatia
In addition to Vienna and The Adriatic, below are some of my favorite locations for photographing architecture, and just generally fun places to explore.
Magnificent arches of Madrasa Ben Youssef, Marrakech, with ornate carvings in stucco, and marble columns. The Madrasa was originally built as a religious school in the 14th century but also hosted a large library. Moorish architecture crossed the Mediterranean where it is known as Andalusian.
