Originally posted January 2011
I have been very fortunate in my photographic career I have managed to land some very interesting projects. These projects have taken me to some wonderful places around the globe and I look forward to expanding my travels and exploring many more new places before I hang up my camera. Without a doubt one of my favorite places is Newfoundland.
Of all the places I have visited Newfoundland is the one place where I feel I could call home. In many ways it is similar to the North Shore of Lake Superior. Both places have a long history of commercial fishing, both places have a rugged Spartan landscape, and both places have a local population with a strong altruistic nature. It is because of these similarities that makes exploring and photographing Newfoundland so easy and natural for me. I have met many wonderful people and found beautiful glorious places to photograph.
St. John’s is a bustling city with great night life and cultural opportunities. George street during the summer is the place to visit ; just about every pub or eating establishment has live music. Signal Hill nearby is worth the visit for the vista views of the ocean and the military tattoo performances that are held there during the day. A walk through the hillside communities bordering the harbor to photograph the townhomes built in traditional maritime architecture is a great way to spend the afternoon.
The Avalon Pennisula is rich with marine wildlife. For some great Humpback Whale and bird watching go to Witless Bay and take a tour with Obrien’s. At the southern end of the Avalon is a desolate region home to bogs full of orchids and other exotic wildflowers and roving herds of Woodland Caribou. On the southwest corner of the Avalon is Cape St. Mary’s home to 50,000 pairs of nesting Gannets and other shore birds.
Moving straight north and a little west brings you to the Bonavista region on the north coast of the island. Trinity is the oldest village continuously inhabited by Europeans in North America. This little fishing village is a great place to catch aZodiac for whale watching or photographing eagles along the cliffs of the shoreline. On the tip of the Bonavista Peninsula is the little town of Elliston or the “Root-Cellar Capital of North America”. In addition to root-cellars the Puffin photography is fantastic.
Our final location on our tour of Newfoundland is the Twillingate area. This region is a series of islands and peninsulas connected by bridges, causeways and ferries. In addition to the fishing villages the inlets and bays act like a net to catch floating icebergs that come down from Greenland and the Arctic Circle. Without a doubt this is the best place to photograph icebergs in Newfoundland. Exploring this region always turns up a new little fishing settlement or interesting local to talk with.
Newfoundland is a photographers paradise. It is unique in its diversity of subject matter; wildlife, wildflowers, landscape, people and historic architecture.