Mike Walker Photography

I finished processing the last batch of photos from the Santa Fe workshop (www.jennifercreative.net).  The scene above was taken near an area where a number of movies and TV shows have been filmed.  The evening clouds added some nice drama to this classic western scene.

A street scene in the shopping district of Santa Fe gives you an idea of the colors that really define this southwestern city. It’s a great place to walk around and photograph and on weekends you will find open markets full of Native American hand-crafted items.

An evening stroll around Santa Fe also finds incredible color as the warm light of the setting sun reflects off the adobe architecture of a local hotel.

To see more of my images from Santa Fe, click here.

I recently participated in a guided workshop within and around Santa Fe, New Mexico, and as the state motto proclaims, it is the land of enchantment. This area offers unique architecture, colorful details and national monument parks providing a lot of exploration opportunities (and of course, never-ending photography).  The image above is of the San Francisco de Asis church in Ranchos de Taos. Certainly in the style of Southwestern churches but with it’s own look and character.

The workshop was conducted by Jennifer King, an outstanding guide who put together a varied agenda of shooting locations that provided a broad spectrum of the southwest.  I know she has a great schedule of workshops (domestic and international) planned for the coming year, if you have an interest in improving your photography, taking one of  her workshops is an excellent  step. Contact her at www.jennifercreative.net  Having a guide makes location finding SO much nicer!

The image below is within the Alcove House at Bandelier National Monument.  The alcove sits 140 feet above the floor of Frijoles Canyon. The original inhabitants used finger and toe holds to reach their home. Today, the National Park Service has installed a series of ladders to access the alcove with it’s nicely preserved kiva.

Petroglyph National Monument is an outstanding place to hike and photograph the hundreds of petroglyphs found on the volcanic rocks scattered over this park. These images were carved into the stone between 400-700 years ago.

Another incredible hiking area is Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument featuring cone-shaped rock formations created by volcanic eruptions around 6-7 million years ago. They are fascinating shapes and excellent objects for photography or just observing as you hike from the floor of the canyon up to the top of the plateau.

I returned in mid March from my second visit to Italy.  On this trip I toured several ares in the central and northwestern areas of the country, including the Tuscany region and Cinque Terre National Park.  The shot above is an evening image of the town of Manarola.  This multi-colored town sits on the cliffs above the Mediterranean. It is one of five towns which along with the surrounding countryside, comprise the Cinque Terre National Park.

The image below is typical of the Tuscany region, where huge vineyards and rolling landscapes are seen in all directions.  The Tuscany area has been home to many notables in the arts and sciences, such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Vespucci and Puccini.

If  you would like to see more images from this journey to Italy, click here.

I’m excited to have an article published in the current (Spring 2012) edition of Nature Photographer magazine. It should be in bookstores now (if you can find a bookstore these days…).  The article is titled ‘Capturing Water’ and it is a short primer on photographing streams, lakes, rivers. etc. and how to utilize different camera settings to create the effect and mood you want to relay in a water scene.  Check it out if you get the chance!

Just a perfect weather day here in northern Virginia.  I visited Huntley Meadows this morning to see how the wildlife was enjoying the day and found that most were having breakfast.  The female Red-winged Blackbird above was feeding off of the cattails and the Muskrat below was munching on the wetland plant life.

But the “big breakfast” champion of the morning was this Great Egret, who demonstrated expert skills in plucking fish after fish out of the water.

Winter cold is gripping the local area right now, so I thought some images from Florida would be a welcome relief from the bitter weather.  Specifically the area around St. Augustine, the oldest city  in the United States. The rock formations above, sitting on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, are known as coquina, created over thousands of years and composed of layers and layers of clam shells. The rock is incredibly strong and was used for hundreds of years in the construction of buildings and forts in this area.

One of my favorite birds to photograph is the Pelican.  They glide effortlessly over the ocean…

In early December, I visited Italy for the very first time. In a word, incredible. Most of my too short week there was spent in Rome, walking the streets and seeing the sights (such as the Pantheon above). The age of this city is mind-numbing. The Roman ruins, the dozens of ancient and beautiful churches, the amazing food, all too much to absorb in just a few days. The crowds and traffic of the city can be frantic and spending a day in the small town of Orte, located a quick train ride north of Rome, was a nice contrast with homes and shops set along curving, narrow streets and unlimited photographic opportunities. If you would like to see my collection of images, click here.

While in Rome, a visit to the Vatican is a must. St. Peter’s Bascilica and the Vatican museums are breathtaking. To see my photographs from the Vatican, click here.

Italy has instantly become a favorite destination, I plan on returning soon.

The Friends of Huntley Meadows Park just held their 2011 Photography Contest and my image of a Barn Swallow above won 1st Place.  I was also fortunate to have two other images selected, the female Mallard below was the 3rd Place winner and my photograph of the two Barn Swallows below won Honorable Mention.    All of the winning photographs from the 2011 contest will be on display at the Huntley Meadows Visitor Center now through February 29th.