Here is one more photo of the Arch and the St. Louis skyline showing a spectacular view towards Clayton and St. Louis County.
Spectacular view in Ste. Genevieve County
As we head into Fall, a good way to enjoy the nice weather and take in the scenery is to visit a local winery near you. Many of these places are set on high hills or bluffs which provide spectacular views. This photo was taken for from one of Chaumette Winery’s Chalets overlooking farms surrounding Ste. Genevieve, Missouri.
Chaumette Chalets
With Fall just around the corner now is the time to start thinking about heading out to a local winery or an interesting B&B out in the country. This is a photo of the “Chalets” at Chaumette Vineyards and Winery near scenic St. Genevieve, Missouri. Chaumette has it all: winery, restaurant and their beautiful Chalets.
This area actually sits high in the rolling hills in the area. The views are spectacular. My wife ad I spent the night in one of the Chalets and I ventured out early one morning to capture the sunrise.
Flying low in front of the St. Louis Arch
The St. Louis skyline makes a great photograph with the Arch, the buildings and the river. This is a photo I took recently from a heliocopter photography trip. This was the low pass. After this photo was taken we turned around for another pass at a higher alititude.
Flying Doors Off
I few weeks ago I had the opportunity to fly in a helicopter to photograph St. Louis’ riverfront. This is a pretty exciting thing to do if you get the chance. Be sure to have the doors off so there are no obstructions (and be sure you are well buckeled in). Shooting with a higher ISO and a low f stop keeps the shutter speed fast. This helps counter the extreme vibration and movement of the helicopter.
In this flight with Fostaire Helicopters we flew with 3 photographers, 2 on the left and 1 on the right, behind the pilot. We flew over Busch Stadium and then did a high pass in front of the Arch and then came back around again for a low pass. You can see the results on this page.
Eclipse
Monday I closed the office, gave the employees paid vacation and headed down to De Soto, Missouri to get my best shot at the eclipse. Here is the result to add to all of the others out there. The total eclipse was something to experience with the slowly darkening sky and suddenly there is this black eye looking down at you!
Pre Total Eclipse
Moments before the total eclipse of the sun. As the moon moves between the earth and the sun, a small sliver is still visible. This photo shows that there were some sun spots still viable.
Storm on Lake Minoqua
The Thirsty Whale is a unique place in Wisconsin’s Northwoods for dining or enjoying drinks on Lake Minocqua. This historic old boathouse on the lake is a great place to have lunch on the deck and watch people come an go in their boats. Also a good place to watch the famous Min-Aqua Bat ski show.
Sunset in Door County
During the Midwest’s hot summer months heading “Up North” is a good place to get relief. The northern lakes of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan are beautiful places to visit. For photographers and those that just like sunsets, the evening lighting adds to the relaxing environment. Due to the angle of the sun in these northern latitudes the sunsets last long and provides nice light for photographers.
This is a handheld shot: ISO 1000, 26mm, f2.8, 1/200 sec. Be sure to click on the image to enlarge.
Downtown St. Louis
Downtown St. Louis in the heart of the Midwest. Here you see our Arch, Busch Stadium (home of the St. Louis Cardinals), the Mississippi River, Eads Bridge and more. A helicopter was the source of this photo. I prepared for several days for a 20 minute ride by watching videos, checking my camera and talking to my friends that arranged the flight. Tips: make sure the doors are off, use as a wide lens, use a high ISO for a fast shutter speed, don’t take anything you do not need and buckle in tight!
Great Rivers Imaging 