Nature

Photoshop "Dreamscapes"

April 24, 2019

Photoshop has been a love and hate relationship for me since I jumped into the program. Sometimes it does what I want to do and sometimes I wonder how wrong could it actually get. This beautiful program has made so many things easier to do and broadened the road for more creative pieces. The multi-use program has been helpful to me in many different situations and shoots. From photoshopping small details out to compositing images like this, or repairing a subject. Photoshops many great uses have benefited and broadened art.

These images below were all crafted with images I took personally. They are from many different locations such as Yosemite National Park, Iceland, Grand Teton National Park, etc. These locations are all special to me, along with the beautifulness each spot holds. In total I spent about 40 hours creating this group of work.

Cross Country

November 06, 2018

My Cross Country road trip was full of experience and amazing adventures. There are so many destinations I was able to set foot on and see for the first time and hopefully not the last. My favorite location is always Yosemite National Park or San Francisco, but I've been to both before. After this trip I think Joshua Tree was one of my favorite National Parks; the peacefulness just stuck out to me and the temperature was a perfect 100 (in May). Things I saw went from a huge slug, to a black bear. Or these amazing tree landscapes and then to see the red rock mountains of the South West. The uniqueness of the United States is impeccable with the different ecosystems and stories each place told. Here are some of my favorite images from this journey!

Chicago: Some high rises during golden hour.

Badlands National Park: Right after the sunrise, this light was giving a nice textural feel along the ridges.

Badlands National Park: Beautiful morning light casting on a tree.

Yellowstone National Park: Bison family crosses creek.

Yellowstone National Park: Looking for lunch in the snow.

Jackson, Wyoming: A smaller portion of the snake river weaving past Jackson.

Glacier National Park: Beautiful wispy clouds catching light above the mountainous landscape.

Banff National Park: A waterfall making way through a forest.

Jasper National Park: Light tipping the peaks of an amazing ridge.

North Cascades National Park: A beautiful view of an emerald lake, Mt. Diablo.

Hoh National Rainforest: This could’ve been a scene out of a Jurassic Park movie.

Seattle, Washington: Space needle behind the conglomeration of buildings.

Yosemite National Park: El Capitan being masked by the moody clouds.

Yosemite National Park: A black bear walking along the forest floor after eating a nice grass lunch.

San Francisco: The Golden Gate Bridge framing the large city.

Big Sur: A drone shot of a beautiful curved bridge during sunset.

Joshua Tree National Park: Moonrise behind a Joshua Tree illuminating a cactus in the foreground. Stars spinning above.

Death Valley National Park: Sunset over Zabriskie Point.

Grand Canyon National Park: The Milky Way across the cloudy sky.

Grand Canyon National Park: Horseshoe Bend, such a classic spot. But lived up to it’s hype.

Bryce, Utah: I’ve always wanted to see a rodeo. So this was my one time!

Bryce Canyon National Park: The tons of Hoodoos layered with the morning glow.

Zion National Park: Starry night over a crazy tree.

Monument Valley: Car drives past the amazing Monuments.

Chicago: The "L" snaking through the architecture in downtown.

Badlands National Park: Sunrise right above all the beautiful scenes in Badlands National Park.

Mount Rushmore: Holding my passport book in front of a great historical monument.

Yellowstone National Park: A geyser steams as a beautiful blue hot spring gives great color.

Grand Teton National Park: One of the fancy barns in front of the mountain range. A foggy sunrise was what I received.

Grand Teton National Park: Experiencing the Teton’s from a classic spot.

Glacier National Park: A beautiful island complimented with the gorgeous mountains.

Glacier National Park: Beautiful golden hour light cast on a calm rocky landscape.

Banff National Park: An amazing sight at this river byway.

Banff National Park: Mountains get swallowed in clouds.

Jasper National Park: A raging waterfall being fed by a beautifully shaped river.

Washington, USA: Every pine tree possible was in this amazing state.

Seattle, Washington: The space needle with the blue city behind it.

Oregon, USA: A beautiful group of rock formations along a sketchy cliff.

Multnomah Falls: Raging down to the lower levels where people can view.

Yosemite National Park: Half Dome controlling clouds as a beautiful red sunrise leaks in.

San Francisco: The Transamerica Tower leading the way for downtown.

San Francisco: Beautiful skyline behind the famous Painted Ladies.

Big Sur: A beautiful place to watch and listen to the ocean.

Mojave National Preserve: A beautiful sand dune being touch by the morning light.

Mojave National Preserve: Light shoots through a hole in this amazing cave.

Arizona, USA: A random horse along the side of the road wanted to say hello.

Bryce Canyon National Park: Sunrise over the layers of beauty.

Bryce Canyon National Park: Utah has the most amazing stars.

Zion National Park: A classic spot in the center of this gorgeous multi-tool of a park.

So here are all of my favorites from this awesome cross country road trip!

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Story Behind the Image: 4

December 06, 2017

This is my NEW series I am going to do on my blog about the images I have taken. I'll be able to give a perspective and description of everything going on in the one moment that I clicked the shutter. If you have any other images you'd like to hear the story behind make sure to email me at nkoehlerphotography@gmail.com

Image: Covered Bridge Water Spill
Where: McConnell's Mill State Park
Year: 2017
Camera: Nikon D750, 24-79 f2.8

McConnell's Mill State Park is a park close to home. This state park is well traveled but often overlooked for photography. For me it's one of my favorite places because of that. I can go and search and discover new angles that haven't been captured before. Along with that nature has this aura of calmness, even in the most catastrophic events; nature and landscapes give me the calmness I look forward to when shooting.

This image in particular I was hiking down the trail past the Covered Bridge looking for a spot to shoot. While scaling some rocks looking around, I found this spot. A beautiful view of the Red Covered bridge, some green moss and water flowing in and out between the rocks. I was surprised by this view because it set up the perfect landscape scenario for foreground to background. As taking this shoot I was able to observe and relax; I had a long exposure set up to bring out of the crispness in the light and the smoothness of the water. The visual of smooth water makes the viewing of this image so much smoother. It is definitely one of my favorites from this State Park. If you ever have the need to go out and do light hiking around some beautiful nature near Pittsburgh, McConnell's Mill State Park is the place to go!

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Niagara Falls

September 25, 2017

I've only ever been to the USA side of the Falls until this past Summer when I was able to experience them from the Canadian side. Seeing how large scale and amazing this water fall is sure a motivator to push closer to where I want my photography to be. I love traveling so much it's all I can think about when I have time. I hope to be able to start traveling again soon to get some new landscape content for everyone. Been around Pittsburgh a lot and filling up my Pittsburgh Portfolio very quickly. But for now, enjoy these photos of Niagara Falls!

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California

November 19, 2016

In March of 2016 I received a text from my Aunt inviting me to join her on a journey to San Francisco and Yosemite National Park. The trip happened in mid June; June 14-20th 2016. This was not only a great opportunity, but reconciliation for my home for I once lived and grew up in, San Francisco. Moving to Pittsburgh when I was seven from San Francisco was a big turning point in my life. Having to start over and make friends in a place that was all to unfamiliar other than winter trips or summer vacations to visit family. Adjusting to the North East lifestyle and culture was a big step for me, but an important one. Pittsburgh is where I began my passion for photography. Pittsburgh is where I found myself and where I want to go, but... San Francisco has always been where I felt at home; so receiving that text in March was not only an opportunity to visit, but to capture moments and memories that'll last me a lifetime. The trip started of course with a flight to SFO from PIT; which upon arriving my Aunt and I got a rental car and proceeded to our hotel in Fisherman's Wharf. We visited many destinations of views I had researched before hand for photographs and great vista points to capture; here are some of the photographs below...

Day 1

The first stop was Muir Woods National Monument. This destination gave a great aspect of the Redwood trees.

Twin Peaks being our first vista point, but second stop; offers a great view of the San Francisco skyline below. — Twin Peaks being our first vista point, but second stop; offers a great view of the San Francisco skyline below.

Day 2

The cells for "dangerous inmates". Solitary confinement cells.

The small size of the cells for prisoners.

An outside view of the Golden Gate Bridge from Alcatraz Island.

The Coit Tower was our next destination which had a beautiful view from atop it.

Last stop for the day was Lombard Street.

Day 3

Moving our way towards Yosemite National Park; I saw this tree by it's self in a field. Wanted to show the solitude of the tree.

River running below in the Yosemite Valley.

El Capitan right after Sunset during magic hour.

Yosemite falls from the perspective of the Yosemite Valley.

View from Glacier Point right before sunset.

Tunnel View right before the sun disappeared off the rocky walls surrounding the Yosemite Valley.

Day 4

The 17mi Drive outside of Monterey, California.

Fog was rolling in to create a feeling of peace to this tree growing alone.

Then a stop in Monterey to see the harbor seals. This seal hopped onto this anchor and posed for a photo.

Day 5

5am early rise to catch this sunrise filling in the bay and Golden Gate Bridge.

Quick stop in Sausalito across the bay of San Francisco.

Then to a different perspective the Golden Gate Bridge for sunset.

Day 6

Slept in and enjoyed Fishermans Wharf. In afternoon took the Van Ness and California cable car to this destination where I was able to capture this shot of the cable car in front of the Bay Bridge in downtown San Francisco.

Sausalito for the sunset and magic hour.

Houses on the hill with the San Francisco skyline behind.

Day 7

Walked around downtown San Francisco and explore City Hall a little.

Checked out the outside view of Alcatraz from Fisherman's Wharf before returning back to the hotel to get ready to get on our flight back to Pittsburgh.

This trip was a great time and I will have it as a memory forever and images to prove it.

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Short Trip

November 14, 2016

On Saturday November 12, 2016 my roommates and I traveled to a few spots around the Poconos Mountains in North Eastern Pennsylvania. The purpose of the trip was to get out of the apartment and go explore a little bit of the places north of Philadelphia. The spots we touched were "Hickory Run Lake", "Boulder Field", and a part of the Appalachian Trail upon the "Delaware Water Gap". We ended the night watching the stars appear at the "Delaware Water Gap" and then slowly made it down the trail.

Hickory Run Lake in Hickory Run State Park during the time of the sun slowly dropping below the tree line.

A sunlight area below the Hickory Run Lake.

A tree growing out of the abundance of rocks in "Boulder Field" in Hickory Run State Park. Sun flare striking through the branches of the tree.

On top of the Appalachian Trail in the "Delaware Water Gap".

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