A Sunset at White Sands

by Richard Quinn | Nov 20, 2020 | Arizona and New Mexico, National Parks, Photography, Road Trips, Travel

I’ve always been a big fan of sunsets. I grew up in the southwest, where we have big skies that are just chock-full of particulates like sand and dust, coupled with auto emissions that pour into the air from the regions sprawling urban centers. Throw in a few...

Photographing the Sunrise at the Lincoln Memorial

by Richard Quinn | Oct 28, 2020 | Dawn Patrol, Photography, Travel, Washington DC

Despite the fact that the Washington Monument is the oldest, the tallest, and the most obvious of Washington D.C.’s many iconic structures, the Lincoln Memorial will always be the most famous building on the National Mall. It was from the steps of the Lincoln...

The Many Moods of the Jefferson Memorial

by Richard Quinn | Oct 27, 2020 | Dawn Patrol, Photography, Travel, Washington DC

Of all the stately monuments in Washington, the Jefferson Memorial has always been my personal favorite.  I love the graceful neoclassical design, and the way the clean white marble reflects the light when the sun is low in the sky. The bronze statue of President...

Washington D.C., By the Dawn’s Early Light

by Richard Quinn | Oct 23, 2020 | Dawn Patrol, Photography, Travel, Washington DC

I’ve always enjoyed taking photographs of monumental architecture. Something about the classic lines, the simple elegance, the play of light and shadow on curves and hard angles at different times of day and in different seasons. Most important, to me, at least,...

New Mexico’s Golden Autumn

by Richard Quinn | Oct 15, 2020 | Arizona and New Mexico, Photography, Road Trips, Travel

If I was to ask you to name your top five favorite destinations for viewing fall foliage, good odds that New England would make your list, and possibly New York, as in the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. But what about New Mexico? The Land of Enchantment won’t...

Machu Picchu Sunrise

by Richard Quinn | Sep 6, 2020 | Archaeology, Historic Photos, Travel

Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, is a 500 year old complex of ruins located deep in the Andes of south central Peru. In 1983, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in 2007, it was voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. In gaining...

Follow the Fireweed

by Richard Quinn | Feb 3, 2020 | Alaska Highway, Canadian Road Trips, Mountains, Photography, Road Trips, Travel

One big advantage of travel on the two lane highways is the perennial presence of wildflowers.  Roads create clearings, especially in forested regions, with disturbed soil along the shoulders that’s perfect for the proliferation of flowering plants. That makes...

Antelope Canyon: Conjuring a Beam of Light: Take 2

by Richard Quinn | Jan 30, 2020 | Photography, Travel, Tribal Lands

Until about 30 years ago, nobody outside the small town of Page, Arizona had ever heard of Antelope Canyon. Today, thanks to Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and all the other photo sharing sites out there, every human on the face of the earth has seen photos of the...

Dreaming of Denali

by Richard Quinn | Jan 16, 2020 | Travel

UPDATE: AUGUST, 2021: A serious landslide in the area of Polychrome Pass has forced the closure of Denali Park Road at mile 43. Until repairs can be completed, probably not until the summer of 2024, all the tour buses turn around at that point, and the area west of...

Buffalo Sunrise: Grand Teton National Park

by Richard Quinn | Feb 20, 2016 | Mountains, National Parks, Photography, Road Trips, Travel

On our second morning in the Tetons, we roused ourselves well before first light. We didn’t break down our camp, and we didn’t bother with breakfast. Instead, we just jumped in the Jeep and took off, because on that particular morning, I had a plan!  The day before,...