Ideas for places to visit in the Midwest
This is one of my favorite recent photos taken while observing these Basset Hounds showing off their tracking skills. When processing the pictures from that day I did not remember any bassets being chased by horses. What was happening was that, while cutting through this pasture, the Bassets were running to join another group of hounds and the horses were following to see what everyone was up to.
A friend let me stop by his farm to photograph the ducks coming in at night. This is an area in the Mississippi “Fly Way” that the ducks follow from North America and Canada. On this day these guys would have traveled hundreds of miles and by the time the sun sets, this waterway will be full of ducks. At night it sounds like a wild party where hundreds of people are having a very good time!
One of the more spectacular areas in Forest Park is the Grand Basin with it’s 8 fountains and the Art Museum towering above. However, I like this quite area just to the east of the Basin. This is one of two waterways that allow you to take a paddle boat to the Grand Basin and the foot of Art Hill. The suspension bridge is always visible from a distance and makes for an interesting setting. Always bring your camera to Forest Park!
There is no shortage of great architecture in St. Louis’ Forest Park. This is the World’s Fair Pavilion built in 1909 with proceeds from the 1904 World’s Fair held here in Forest Park. Government Hill’s colorfully lit fountain and reflecting pool were added in 1930. The other side of the building offers a spectacular view of the area.
This is the Henry Shaw home on the grounds of the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Every Christmas they transform the park into a “winter wonderland.” Visitors can follow a path through grounds and see one amazing display after another.
https://greatrivers.smugmug.com/Galleries/Missouri-Botanical-Garden/i-rQftKqg/A
I spent some time in Forest Park this weekend taking photos. If you are walking around with a camera there are unlimited opportunities for interesting photos. This is the park’s Muny Opera and pagoda, a beautifully designed area. In this photo, the sun has set and the lights have just come on.
This is an area in St. Charles County, Missouri, overlooking the Missouri River. In the Fall and Winter, you will usually find a pack of Basset Hounds in the area practicing their tracking skills. This little girl is on her way to help with the hounds.
I came across this mural in Pontiac, Illinois. Although Route 66 no longer exists, it is memorialized along it’s original route. Due to nostalgic nature of the highway there are thousands of photo opportunities along the way. The old highway is so iconic it draws people from all over the world to experience it in any way they can. While I was in Pontiac, I came across a convoy of old military vehicles that were traveling the route all the way to California just for the experience!
This photo was taken at night with my Apple 6S iPhone. It shows you do not need an expensive camera to capture great photos! This photo received 6500 views on my Flickr account and and is listed as my most interesting photo.
St. Louis Downtown’s Kiener Plaza. The Plaza just had a complete remake leaving only the statue. This great view includes the plaza, the Old Courthouse and the Arch. A wide lens allows you to get up close to the fountain while including the buildings and arch. Also this photo was taken well after sunset giving it a nice color.
https://greatrivers.smugmug.com/Galleries/Portfolio/i-C59Z5hZ/A
Great Rivers Imaging 