Travel Photographer Based In Dayton

Paradise Valley / Scottsdale / Phoenix Destination Wedding Venue Mountain Shadows Resort is the nicest resort I have ever stayed at and the perfect Phoenix-area wedding venue. This five-star resort is located in the town of Paradise Valley sandwiched between Phoenix and Scottsdale. While I did not photograph a wedding here, I spent a great […]

We have made Maryland’s best winery a tradition in our family. Black Ankle Vineyard in Mt. Airy Maryland is a hidden gem of a winery in the foothills of the state. Each year we spend a Saturday evening enjoying wine and watching the sunset over the vines. Why Is This Maryland’s Best Winery? While I […]

On a recent trip to Detroit, Michigan, I toured Little Caesars Arena, home of the Detroit Redwings NHL hockey team.  This is also the Detroit Pistons‘ home court as well.  The reason I wanted to tour this arena is because it hosts some of the biggest concerts every year.  Being a concert photographer, I always […]

In the early 2000s, we took two-day trips to Windsor Canada, passing through Detroit Michigan.  Each time, I saw this large, old, and abandoned train station on the outskirts of downtown Detroit.  Over the years, this historic building, Michigan Central Station, has been in the back of my mind.  In the meantime, I have been […]

On my 2023 trip to Los Angeles, I accomplished a travel goal I’ve had for many years. I went on two Hollywood studio tours, Warner Brothers and Paramount Studios. Each studio was different in many ways, but both were awesome. If you’re in the L.A. area, I highly recommend these tours.

One of the goals of my October 2023 trip to Los Angeles was to watch the sunset from Malibu California. Originally I had planned to go to El Matador around 4:30pm. When I arrived, the small parking lot was completely full. I had a wedding meeting to call in to, so I had to find a place to stop. I had seen the signs for other California State Parks along the way, so I drove a few more minutes to the next park, La Piedra State Park.

In September 2023 I spent a day with friends in Palm Springs California.  I have been to this Coachella Valley city several times, and it was nice to return.  One item on the itinerary was to visit the JW Marriott Desert Springs. This beautiful, large resort in Palm Desert is famous to me for being the hotel visited by Saved By The Bell. The resort is dated but classy as if stepping back in time. It is a true oasis in the hot desert of southern California.

In October 2023, I visited the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles California and inadvertently ran into LACMA, the Los Angeles County Museum Of Art. I was exploring the ground of the Tar Pits and came across a large well-manicured gravel area. In the middle was a concrete culvert with the biggest rock I’ve ever seen. After I was done looking at fossils and asphalt, I went to see what turned out to be LACMA.

If you are looking for an observation deck in Los Angeles, the one at the top of L.A. City Hall is the best. The magnificent building feature a free, non-de script viewing platform overlooking downtown, the west, the south, and the north. After clearing security, take the elevator to the top floor. Once there, you have to go up one of two staircases to access the deck. It isn’t marked. Once up the steps you’ll be in a small gathering room with tables and chairs. There are doors leading to outside viewing platforms that can maybe hold 6 people each. It was quite odd but wonderful.

On a 2023 trip to Los Angeles, I set aside time to visit the La Brea Tar Pits Museum. This is the most interesting museum I’ve ever visited and is an LA landmark. There are fossils of ancient creatures bubbling up through the asphalt in the ground. In fact, there are random areas on the property that are marked with cones or small fences. Inside the building are numerous beautiful fossils and exhibits.