2011 was a pretty good year… photographically, that is. I was able to fulfill a decades-old desire and delve deep into large format photography, only to find that it does not suit my travel style. Bummer. But I had fun finally tackling that beast and putting it to rest.
It was also the year that I added medium format to my repertoire, and I am enjoying my Hasselblad H4D-50 very, very much. With its 50-megapixel files and extraordinary sensor, I get luscious, film-like images that exceed my expectations.
I was also able …

I leave tomorrow for a week photographing in Zion National Park, a location I have long been wanting to visit. No, I’ve never been before. So many choices, so little time.
I’ll be traveling with my friend and colleague Daniel Stainer, a very advanced amateur (I consider him a pro and have featured him before in my blog: http://blog.lesterpickerphoto.com/2011/04/25/through-the-eyes-of-daniel-stainer/).
What makes this trip different for me, aside from the location, is that I will be carrying only my new Hasselblad equipment with me. For the first time since 1969 I am using …

Okay, let me get this over with before my “friend” Richard Hartmier spills the beans. I sprayed myself with bear spray today. In my defense, it was a teensy spritz and it was done protecting Richard and a tourist… well, kinda. Sorta. Well that’s almost the truth.
Here’s what happened. We were photographing a mother with three cubs that had climbed up the embankment of the Chilkoot River and were now on the road, heading for a group of tourists. So absorbed were we in our work, we did not realize …

I’m all wet. I admit it. Part of my job sometimes involves getting into water up to my waist to capture a scene. But when I notice that someone with a camera is watching me, I shudder with angst that by following my example s/he might get into trouble… which prompts this blog.
Summertime invites water images, but taking an image while standing in water is fraught with difficulty and danger. I never, ever take such shots casually. I take prudent precautions and preparations. I always weigh the risks carefully before …

Having a daughter who lives in northern Vermont is a good thing, especially if you’re a photographer. When I visit, and she’s out shopping or working, I can take the time to grab my camera gear and just poke around, exploring Vermont’s back roads.
Speaking of Vermont’s roads, the Northern Kingdom (what locals call the far northern part of the state) must have one of the highest percentages of unpaved to paved roads in the country, forcing me to slow down and soak in the myriad small farms, forest lots and …

Pssst! Here’s one of the best-kept secrets in America. It’s called the America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands – Senior Pass.

The Senior Pass is available to any citizen (or permanent resident) over age 62 and can only be obtained in person at any National Park, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service and many Department of Agriculture offices. I got mine while in New Mexico photographing at a BLM site. If you are a senior photographer, this has got to be the best deal …

There are many things wonderful about Albuquerque, from its central New Mexico location to its fine restaurants, museums and outdoor activities. As a landscape photographer, I’d say that I most enjoy the myriad stunning vistas that are in or within an hour or two of Albuquerque’s center. Since one of my photographic goals this year is to expand my panorama skills, what better place to test out new techniques than the southwest?
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
I visited one of these sites last week, the incredible Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, …

Winter Fun in Boulder, Colorado
by Lester Picker
[This article originally appeared in Better Homes & Gardens. Some material may be dated. Please check beforehand.]
“This valley is so beautiful that people seeing it will never be happy anywhere else and will always return.”
- Arapaho Chief Niwot’s ‘curse’
Sitting at the foot of Colorado’s imposing Front Range mountains, the scenery around Boulder is nothing less than spectacular.  Streets radiate from the town center and quickly turn into valleys, gorges and peaks of incredible beauty.  From any point in town you can see the Flatiron …

The Inns of Boulder and Colorado Springs
by Lester Picker
[Please note: This article originally appeared in a consumer magazine. Information in this article may be dated. Always check before making reservations or traveling.]
Boulder
The Alps Boulder Canyon Inn
From the quaint painted porch of The Alps Boulder Canyon Inn, comfortably nestled in the midst of majestic Boulder Canyon in Colorado’s scenic Front Range mountains, one can be excused for smiling at Chief Niwot’s ‘curse.’ Sipping fresh-squeezed lemonade, prepared each quiet summer’s afternoon by innkeepers Jeanine and John Vanderhart, while resting peacefully on cushioned …

[This article originally appeared in Interval International Magazine. Please confirm details.]
Maui
by Lester Picker
I love Hawaii. Few destinations in the world offer as much variety, as much depth and breadth of experience, as much visual pleasure, as do the Hawaiian islands. Born of cataclysm in the middle of the Pacific Ocean a million or so years ago, the islands today offer so many options, I always threaten to stay. When my vacations there wind down, I find my To-Do list already growing for the next visit. There are the hikes near …