Terra Galleria Photography

Archive for the ‘Locations’ Category

Landscape from the Bottom: Highlights of a Grand Canyon by Raft Photo Expedition

http://www.terragalleria.com/blog/landscape-from-the-bottom-highlights-of-a-grand-canyon-by-raft-photo-expedition Part 2 of 3: 1 | 2 | To be continued Anyone peering into the Grand Canyon for the first time is struck by two immediate, shocking facts: it comes without warning, and it is absolute. There is no soft transition, no gentle slope that prepares you. One moment you’re on the rim, the […]

Living the Grand Canyon

http://www.terragalleria.com/blog/living-the-grand-canyon Part 1 of 3: 1 | 2 | To be continued On a photography expedition such as the one I co-led from May 1 to May 11 this year, participants come to capture the Grand Canyon’s awe-inspiring landscape and spend ten days immersed in its depths. But the Grand Canyon, like other national parks, […]

Two Arches in Joshua Tree National Park

http://www.terragalleria.com/blog/two-arches-in-joshua-tree-national-park Natural rock arches are rare in California’s deserts compared to places like Utah because of differences in geology and climate. Most natural arches form in soft sandstone, but California’s desert regions have mostly harder granite, metamorphic, or volcanic rocks. Freeze-thaw cycles and sustained water flows are less frequent than on the Colorado Plateau. Yet […]

Wildlife along the Trail

https://www.terragalleria.com/blog/wildlife-along-the-trail “Landscape without wildlife is just scenery” is a quote used by Kris Tompkins, the subject of the inspirational Wild Life (2023) movie, to discuss the world’s largest rewilding project that she and Doug Tompkins initiated in Patagonia. It would appear that the ribbon of land along suburban Coyote Creek Trail isn’t doing too badly […]

American Samoa Cultural Vignettes

https://www.terragalleria.com/blog/american-samoa-cultural-vignettes/ While this series has largely focused on natural experiences, the National Park of American Samoa was also established to preserve and celebrate Samoan culture. Its mission includes safeguarding cultural traditions and ensuring they remain vibrant and relevant. In that spirit, this piece showcases various aspects of Samoan culture through a collection of photos taken […]

The Ultimate Guide to Ofu Island, American Samoa

https://www.terragalleria.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-ofu-island-american-samoa As the crown jewel of the National Park of American Samoa, Ofu Island is the tropical beach paradise many travelers dream about. However, there is little information about Ofu, most of it incomplete, outdated, or wrong. Based on insider information I acquired during two visits to Ofu, I remedy this situation and provide tips […]

Coconut Crab Hunting

https://www.terragalleria.com/blog/coconut-crab-hunting Going for a walk in the forest at night and in the rain may sound like a strange activity. However, joining a coconut crab hunt turned out to be an unexpected highlight of my stay in Ofu. Throughout our second day on Ofu Island, the storm did not relent much. Between the episodes of […]

A Week on Ofu Island: Setbacks in Paradise

https://www.terragalleria.com/blog/a-week-on-ofu-island-setbacks-in-paradise Summary: a personal account of a week on Ofu Island in the National Park of American Samoa during which carefully-laid plans were thwarted by a combination of weather, equipment failures, and transportation issues threatening to leave us stranded in the South Pacific. My friend Tommy travels without plans or expectations. This approach, increasingly popular […]

Caddo Lake: A Quick Guide to the New Premier Photography Destination

https://www.terragalleria.com/blog/caddo-lake-a-quick-guide-to-photography The most emblematic landscape of the American South is the flooded forests growing out of the water. One of them have recently emerged as one of the premier destinations for nature landscape photography. Two telltale signs are the number of photo workshops that frequent them, and the busloads of Chinese photographers who descend in […]

Focus on the Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024

https://www.terragalleria.com/blog/focus-on-the-solar-eclipse-of-april-8-2024 Since the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, would be the last in America until 2044, my main motivation was to witness the event as a family. This called for a different approach than the one I took for the eclipse of 2017. I had traveled with my younger in-laws to Grand Teton […]