Lighted Spaces and Landscapes

Excerpts from a Geographer's Photo Archive

recent posts

  • Big Island, Tall Falls

    When I went to Hawaii, I enjoyed Hilo the most. Although still a tourist destination, it felt like it life had a rhythm outside of tourism. Akaka Falls is over 400 feet tall and sits in a state park by the same name (Akaka State Park, Hawaii, 2008)

  • The 1984 Trip

    Kathleen and I were on a trip through upstate New York early in our relationship. Too bad there isn’t a better shot of the Buttermilk Falls (Buttermilk State Park, Ithaca, New York, 1984)

  • Not Sure Where

    I know that Kathleen and I were traveling in the early 2000s and we were re-tracing a trip from 1984. I thought I knew where this was, but when I went to check, I didn’t have a location and couldn’t track it down. It might be near Ithaca. (Somewhere in upstate New York, 2000)

  • Small Falls

    This past year I’ve been to some impressive waterfalls. It made me reminisce about “waterfalls I have visited.” Expect more waterfalls this week. Here I’m 16 here and I’m at La Coca Waterfall at El Yunque, which is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. (El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico, 1976)

  • Water, Garbage, New Years Eve

    It had been a very rainy winter in Arizona and the reservoirs had filled to capacity and water would be released into the Salt River for the first time in several years. and would arrive in Tempe on New Years Eve around noon. The line of garbage marks the leading edge of the water. (Tempe, Arizona, 2004)

  • Sometimes I Drove the Bus

    I was out to lunch with an old friend who commented on how brave he thought I was to drive the camp bus on the trips to Mackinac. At the time, I thought nothing of it–now I think he has a point. (Gaylord, Michigan, 1984)

  • Winter Trip, Winter Landscape, Winter Morning

    Having lived in the upper Midwest most of my life, I’m no stranger to big winter mornings. Having come through a storm the day before, this one seemed especially beautiful as dawn broke. (Höfn, Iceland, 2024)

  • Even the Skyline Has a View

    One of my last days in Iceland I went up in Hallgrímskirkja to catch some last views of the city and the surrounding islands and mountains. (Reykjavik, Iceland, 2024)

  • Calm Day, Still Dangerous

    Reynisfjara Beach is one of the most beautiful and interesting black sand beaches in the world. It is also one of the most dangerous. The sun was going down on a cold winter evening and the water was calm. Even though I didn’t expect them, I kept my eye open for sneaker waves. (Vik, Iceland, 2024)

  • Winter at Jökulsárlón

    I had been to Jökulsárlón twice before–both times on sunlit summer days. I wanted to see the glacial lagoon in winter. I have some better photos of ice flows that I will post sometime. I like this one because of the icebergs in the the lagoon and the intrepid December tourists who have the same idea I have. (Jökulsárlón, Iceland, 2024)