Nature Photography Locations - Northeastern Pennsylvania

Hello again everyone!


I hope you have all been enjoying my posts and are going out and capturing some terrific shots. As I stated last week I am breaking up the larger states into more manageable regions. Last week we took a look at Philadelphia and some of the photo locations that even a big city can offer. This week I will be focusing on Northeastern Pennsylvania, and more specifically the Appalachian Trail Region.


When most people think of the Northeastern Pennsylvanian Mountain Region the first thing that pops into their mind is the Pocono Mountains and the ski resorts. While both these things are great, there are some very wonderful, less known, natural wonders just outside the tourist area of the Pocono Valley.


As we have covered before, some of the best nature photos are waterfalls photos. With using a DSLR camera, a photographer is able to use an extended exposure to capture the water movement and create some breathtaking works of art that make you feel like you are standing in the midst of the rushing water. In this post I will explore two state parks in northeastern Pennsylvania known for their beautiful water falls.

The Falls at Salt Springs

First, to the far north of the Pocono Mountain Region is Salt Springs State Park, which is about an hour northeast of Scranton, PA, off of PA Rt. 29 and Silver Creek Rd. While Salt Springs State Park is only home to three waterfalls, it is the most pristine, cleanest and friendliest of the State Parks in this region. The park is the only one in the state that is operated and maintained by a local private organization of volunteers. With their efforts they have preserved the beautiful nature of the 842 acres that encompass the park. Salt Springs is home to 8.5 miles of nature trails that travel through the old-growth forest, the gorge that feeds the falls and pass through the wild fields and forests. Along the Fall Brook Trail is where you will find the gorge that feeds Salt Springs' series of three waterfalls. The trail makes for easy access to capture the falls while staying dry. Although I do suggest bringing river trousers to wade into the water to get the best direct point of view photos.

The Falls at Salt Springs State Park

Map of the Waterfalls at Ricketts Glen

Next we move to the south, about an hour and a half drive, to Ricketts Glen State Park located just north of Red Rock, PA, off of PA Rt. 487. Ricketts Glen State Park is a National Natural Landmark for a reason. It is home to 22 named waterfalls and some of the most stunning nature landscapes located all in one National Park. The waterfalls here start south of Lake Jean, and run along both Lake Rose and Lake Leigh. These two lakes feed the falls that run along the 7.2 miles of the Falls Hiking Trail. The two streams of the falls come together at Waters Meet. From there the water continues to flow southward through Ricketts Glen into Kitchen Creek. A detailed map of the State Park is to the right detailing where each of the falls are located. The Falls Trail starts by Lake Rose and encompasses both the upper and lower sections of the falls. 

Waterfalls along the Falls Trail at Ricketts Glen State Park

Ganoga Falls in Summer

Ganoga Falls in Winter

Ricketts Glen is also home to the Ganoga Falls, a 94 foot waterfall that is perhaps the most elegant of all the 22 falls in the park, if not the entire state. Not only are these falls a marvelous landscape in the summer, the falls will actually ice over during the winter. If you are lucky and brave enough to come out during or just after a winter snow, you can capture a great photo of a natural winter wonderland. Either way, the Ganoga Falls are the center piece of the Ricketts Glen Falls and should not be missed.




More than just waterfalls, both these and the dozens of other parks in the region offer stunning nature locations. Places where you may find deer, bears, snakes, frogs, reptiles, owls and all sorts of natural wild life.


I hope the insight into these two parks helps in the search for the perfect picture. Next week I will shift focus towards Western Pennsylvania. If you have any suggestions for locations for future post please contact me and let me know. Also, if you want any of your own pictures featured on my blog, I will be happy to do that as well. 

Have a good week and happy photo hunting!

Scenic Photography Locations in Philadelphia

Welcome back everyone!

I hope that you enjoyed my first blog post last week. While thinking about where to write about next for great outdoor photo locations I thought that some of the larger states have too many good locations to cover all in one post. I've decided to breakdown some of the states into more manageable segments that someone could actually cover all in a day or weekend vacation. I will still be covering all 50 states, but I will be breaking some down into two or three manageable sections. 

For this week's post I decided to head across the Delaware River from my home state and write about the great photo locations in Pennsylvania.Specifically, I will be focusing on the city of Philadelphia this week. Behind the hustle and bustle of the major city of Philadelphia are quite a few great outdoor, nature and scenic photography locations that few may think about.

Boathouse Row at Night

For starters, just outside of the Center City district lies "Boathouse Row."  Boathouse Row consists of a grouping of 15 Victorian styled boat houses along the east bank of the Schuylkill River. Many of these boathouses are over a century old and two of them were built before the Civil War. The boathouses still actively serve their purpose and the Schuylkill river is still the host of major rowing competitions and regattas. In 1979, adding to the architectural appeal of the boathouses, lights were added to all of the houses and have since been upgraded to multicolor LEDs. These lights are on every night and they will change colors to match the changes of  the seasons, holidays or support sports teams.

Boat House Row at 4th of July

The Falls at Boat House Row

If you stand on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, you can get great shots of the row of houses. From the west bank on West River Drive, the river will lay in the foreground with the trees of Lemon Hill in the background. If you set up on the east bank side, behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art, you can even get the waterfall over the damn in the picture as well. Also, on a calm weather day, the river will act like a mirror to give you a great reflection shot. If you are able to come out at night time you will have the chance to capture some great photos of the boathouse lights. I highly recommend using a DSLR camera with a panoramic lens to capture the full essence of the scene.

Amur Tigers
(Photo Courtesy of Philadelphia Zoo)

Now changing locations, across from Boathouse Row on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, is the Philadelphia Zoo. The Philadelphia Zoo was the first zoo to open in the United States in 1874. Today it is home to over 1,300 different animals (many of them rare and endagered) including: mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and birds. The Zoo has excellent exhibits that make for "natural backgrounds" that it's a great place for animal photographers to get great shots of their favorite animals all in one location without having to travel the world, while still appearing to be in the wild. 

Baby Orangutan
(Photo Courtesy of Philadelphia Zoo) 

Peacock with full plumage
(Photo Courtesy of Philadelphia Zoo)

It is also a great place to take your family and have your children learn and see all the different animals. I remember my mother taking me here when I was about 7 years old. It was my first time seeing these wild animals. I loved seeing the big cats, the polar bears, and all the birds. If you have children I highly suggest taking them here for a great family outing, and you can also get great pictures in as well.


I hope you have enjoyed this installment to my on going series of posts. Next week I will cover locations in the Pocono Mountains region of Eastern Pennsylvania. Have a good week and happy photo hunting.

Nature Photography Locations - New Jersey

Hello everyone! 


I was at a vendor show the other day and saw several stands of photography artists selling their photos. The shots they took were amazing. There were pictures of flowers, animals, mountains, rivers and oceans, truly some of the best nature landscapes I had ever seen. So after seeing these photographers with their nature photos, I thought about where would an amateur photographer like myself go to find where to capture some spectacular photos like the ones I saw at the vendor show. 


So after searching the internet and not finding one comprehensive spot,  I decided to make one of my own. While I may not have been to all of the places I research, I will do my best to hunt out the best locations. I am going to be breaking down the locations by state. Every post will feature a new state. So whether you live in the state or are planning to travel to a specific state, you can find where to capture great nature and scenic photos. 


For my first post I am going to start with my home state of New Jersey. The Garden State has more to offer than just being an extension of New York to the north and Philadelphia to the south. Beyond the hustle and bustle of the urban sprawl there are many beautiful locations in New Jersey that are great to take your family to, not to mention capturing that perfect picture.


To the north there is 72 miles of Appalachian Mountain Trails that start at the Delaware Water Gap with awesome mountain and water landscapes. My mom took me here for a summer vacation when I was 12 and I had a great time. The scenes were breathtaking and still standout in my mind. The trail then winds its way up to High Point State Park, from which you can see all three states (NJ, PA and NY), truly one of the most fantastic views in the state. Along the trail there are wonderful spots for the avid nature photographer to capture that perfect shot, especially in the fall, as the trail cuts through some of the most densely forested areas in North America. If you are also and avid hiker or back packer this would make for one great get away, while taking some stellar photos.

Deleware Water Gap

VenCampen's Glen (DWG)

To the south, New Jersey has 125 miles of beaches that stretch from Sandy Hook to Cape May Point. Along the shore there are dozens of locations that are not only great family destinations but wonderful photo locations as well. With 25 lighthouses in the state, 12 of which are open to the public there are some great photos to be taken while enjoying the beach. One of my favorites is in the town of Barnegat Light. This is the home of the Barnegat Lighthouse, one of the most photographed lighthouses in New Jersey. The lighthouse is located on the northern tip of Long Beach Island. Standing out among the rocks it is a tremendous location. Bring along the family to this beach destination for a great day at the beach and fit in some photography opportunities.

Barnegat Lighthouse

Finally, the other great location in the state for nature photography is the New Jersey Pinelands. Also known as the "Pine Barrens," this section of pine forest stretches over one million acres of the southern portion of the state. The Pinelands begin as far north as Ocean County and extend south to cover parts of Burlington, Atlantic, Camden, Gloucester, Cumberland and Cape May Counties. This marvelous location has over 900 species of trees and plant life, a 12,000 acre area of a pigmy forest containing thousands of pines and oaks that stand less than 10 feet tall. The Pinelands is also home to two National Wild and Scenic Rivers, the Great Egg Harbor and the Great Maurice Rivers. This extensive forest is inhabited by a vast range of animal life as well, including: bald eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, deer, bears, dozens of different reptiles and amphibians, as well as almost a hundred different kinds of fish. This is one of the absolute best locations in the entire country for nature photography with the variety of both plant and animal wildlife available to capture. 

Be sure to bring the family as well because the 200 plus resorts in the region offer all sorts of family oriented fun ranging from canoeing and fishing to hiking and mountain biking. Bring the bug spray and your camera and capture some of the best nature southern New Jersey has to offer.

Pygmy Forest of NJ Pinelands

Barred Owl, native to the  NJ Pinelands

I hope you enjoy these great locations in New Jersey to capture some terrific nature photos. Be sure to like my facebook page and check out my store for all your digital camera needs.