Shot of the Week: Nature’s Water Park (Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, Missouri, USA)

North to South Shot of the Week: Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park

North to South Shot of the Week: Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park

Johnson’s Shut-Ins is a magical place from my childhood…  A two-hour drive from home in St. Louis, we only visited a handful of times when I was young. But boy did I remember it. I’ve always loved outings that involved swimming, and of all the places I’ve swam in the world, Johnson’s Shut-Ins takes the cake.

Crystal-clear water flows through, around, and over the rocks at “Nature’s Water Park,” creating tiny pools where tadpoles grow up into frogs… And you can climb right in to experience it firsthand! It’s amazing. It’s also one of few places you can find where it’s fashionably acceptable to wear tennis shoes with a swimsuit. And you need them to climb around the slippery, rocky pools. The Shut-Ins aren’t particularly large, so it was always busy when we’d arrive early morning in my childhood. But mid-afternoon just after Memorial Day weekend, we were pleasantly surprised to have the place almost entirely to ourselves. If you’re looking for a summer day trip from St. Louis or Branson or the Ozarks, go here. You won’t want to miss it.

This photo was taken on May 26th with the Sony RX-100 III. Continue to view full photo and a video from this cool place!  Continue reading “Shot of the Week: Nature’s Water Park (Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, Missouri, USA)”

U.S. Road Trip Re-Cap: Week Three (Louisiana to Missouri)

U.S. Road Trip Week Three

U.S. Road Trip Week Three

After crossing the big wide state of Texas in week two, this week started with an epic day of gluttony in the New Orleans French Quarter. We filled our bellies with pralines, boudin and beignets and then turned north so Ian could experience the best baseball in the country and what I think is one of the most unique state parks in the entire U.S.

For the third week in a row, here is a photographic recap of our spring and summer road trip across the U.S. This week we’ve got a balance of city and nature, with lots of delicious food and wonderfully varied weather in between.  Continue reading “U.S. Road Trip Re-Cap: Week Three (Louisiana to Missouri)”

Shot of the Week: Geminids Meteor Shower (Red Rock Canyon State Park, USA)

Geminids Meteor Shower Over Red Rock Canyon State Park

Geminids Meteor Shower Over Red Rock Canyon State Park

This past weekend, Ian set out for the chilly darkness of Red Rock Canyon State Park. He captured the stars and the Geminids meteor shower above the rusty red rock formations before moonrise. This shot is a compilation of four separate meteor photos he caught with his camera.

This photo was taken with the Sony a7s and Rokinon 24mm f/1.4 lens. Continue on to view the full image. Continue reading “Shot of the Week: Geminids Meteor Shower (Red Rock Canyon State Park, USA)”