Rick Berk Photography

We photographed three lighthouses while in the Outer Banks last week, which is always fun. Last Friday, we decided to visit Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse in Manteo. It was a cool morning and the clouds were thick. At first @kristenwilkinsonphotography and I weren't sure we'd get much of anything. The clouds became very dramatic just before sunrise so we at least had that. Then, as the sun started to crest the horizon, there was a break in just the right the spot and it lit all of the clouds above the lighthouse a beautiful warm tone. Kristen and I both scrambled to catch it from a few different angles. This one is one of my favorites so far. I still have a few more to edit I think. I hope you all have a great Sunday to finish off the weekend right! • • • • #roanokemarsheslighthouse #roanokeisland #northcarolina #outerbanks #obx #northcarolinaisgorgeous #northcarolinabound #northcarolinaoutdoors #northcarolinabeaches #northcarolinalife #northcarolinacoast #visitnc #northcarolina_lovers #sonyalpha #thinklee #landscape_lovers #landscape_captures #lighthouse #lighthouse_captures #lighthouses_windmills_gs #lighthouse_world #lighthouse_lovers #lighthouses #lighthouselove #lighthouses_around_the_world #lighthouselovers (at Roanoke Marshes Light) https://www.instagram.com/p/CN0tZZKLbuR/?igshid=1lwlyfpbw3uiw

One of the top items on my list when I visited the Outer Banks last week was to photograph Cape Hatteras lighthouse. Unfortunately, when @kristenwilkinsonphotography and I arrived at the lighthouse itself, scattered around the base were construction vehicles and a chain link fence to keep people away. I guess they were doing some work on the old beacon. That meant we had to get creative and find angles that obscured the base of the lighthouse. After some exploring, we managed to find this vantage point, a mile or so down the beach from the lighthouse. I used a telephoto lens to bring it in closer, which had the added benefit of compressing perspective and making the dunes, lighthouse, and clouds in the background all seem much closer in relation to each other. I also used a LEE Filters polarizer to minimize the haze in the air. The end result was the type of shot I had visualized anyway, before my visit: the weathered old lighthouse standing tall above the dunes of the Outer Banks. • • • • #capehatteraslighthouse #capehatterasnationalseashore #northcarolina #outerbanks #obx #northcarolinaisgorgeous #northcarolinabound #northcarolinaoutdoors #northcarolinabeaches #northcarolinalife #northcarolinacoast #visitnc #northcarolina_lovers #sonyalpha #thinklee #yourshotphotographer #landscape_lovers #landscape_captures #lighthouse #lighthouse_captures #lighthouses_windmills_gs #lighthouse_world #lighthouse_lovers #lighthouses #lighthouselove #lighthouses_around_the_world #lighthouselovers (at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNur1cBLp4k/?igshid=awymbklckfab

Last week while I was in the Outer Banks, I spent a couple of mornings on Bodie Island at Cape Hatteras National Seashore with @kristenwilkinsonphotography. This particular morning, the light was really nice as clouds moved through before and during sunrise. Originally, my focus (pun intended) had been on the shipwreck of a trawler that ran aground a year ago, but I liked the way the waves washed over the sand, and the warm, soft glow that hung over the horizon. I decided to go for a more minimalist composition and made several photos of the waves washing up. I liked the shape of this one as it washed over the sand and straight at me. After this, I moved up the beach to the dunes and made more photos there- but those are still waiting to be edited! • • • • #bodieisland #obx #outerbanks #capehatterasnationalseashore #northcarolina #northcarolinaisgorgeous #northcarolinabound #northcarolinaoutdoors #northcarolinabeaches #northcarolinalife #northcarolinacoast #visitnc #northcarolina_lovers #sonyalpha #thinklee #landscape #landscape_lovers #landscapephotography #landscapes #landscape_captures #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #raw_community_member #raw_beaches #igersusa (at Bodie Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNqlJDyLopt/?igshid=rr2py1j8o18q

Hey everyone! After a long day of driving yesterday, I'm back from North Carolina. I'm hoping to get to editing my images later this afternoon, but I'm dealing with some minor computer issues first. Anyway, I wanted to let you know, my Mother's Day sale is on NOW! So if you're looking for a unique gift for Mom that will last a lifetime, consider the gift of art. She'll think of you every time she looks at it. Now through Saturday April 17th, get 25% off all orders on my website! Use code MOM25 at checkout for the discount. Click the link in my profile to shop the sale. I'm running the sale now to ensure your order is received in time for Mother's Day. Now, it's time for me to get back to getting this computer straight so I can start editing. Have a great day everyone! • • • • #Aroostookcounty #maineisgorgeous #igersmaine #maine_igers #mainelife #mainething #downeastmagazine #mainetheway #my207 #maine #yourshotphotographer #nikonnofilter #landscape #newengland #ignewengland #newengland_igers #igersnewengland #raw_community_member #raw_newengland #igersusa #mothersday #mothersdaygift #mothersdaygiftideas #mothersdaysale #mothersdayspecial #mothersdaypresent #mothersdayflowers #lovemom #giftsforher (at Maine) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNnD85ULxNY/?igshid=1qzqgqkzesvsv

Been running around the Outer Banks this week but I’m already looking forward to getting home to see spring in my home state of Maine. I shot this two years ago during a beautiful spring afternoon and I’m very much looking forward to making some new shots there. Join me in Port Clyde on April 24 and explore Marshall Point Lighthouse and a classic New England fishing harbor. Click the link in my profile to sign up! • • • • #marshallpointlighthouse #maineisgorgeous #igersmaine #maine_igers #mainelife #mainething #downeastmagazine #mainetheway #maine #newengland #ignewengland #newengland_igers #igersnewengland #raw_community_member #raw_newengland #nikonnofilter #yourshotphotographer #landscape #landscape_lovers #raw_lighthouses #lighthouse_captures #lighthouses_windmills_gs #lighthouse_world #lighthouse_lovers #lighthouses_around_the_world (at Marshall Point Light) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNdyHXFL3i1/?igshid=1bk1m8gf5og8t

Though I'm not a native New Englander, somehow Boston was pivotal in my success as a landscape and travel photographer. One of my first Boston Skyline photos is my best selling image, and Boston images continue to be popular for me. This image is kind of special for me as well. Last summer my son was visiting me and a client called looking for specific images around Boston. So my son and I took a trip down to Boston and spent a day exploring the city while I got my images for my client. It wasn't anything major- just time spent with my son, doing what I do. And in the end, it's those moments that mean the most to me. So as we watched the light change at sunset from Longfellow Bridge, my son about to start his senior year in high school the following month, he and I talked about the future and more. It was a great evening making memories I'll never forget. • • • • #boston #igersboston #igersnewengland #igersmass #bostondotcom #ignewengland #newengland_igers #igersusa #igersboston25 #boston25 #igboston #bostonusa #visitboston #cityscapeboston #massachusetts #massachusettsoutdoors #massachusetts_igers #naturalmassachusetts #naturalnewengland #newengland #raw_newengland #yourshotphotographer #sonyalpha #city_features (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNFly5IregN/?igshid=vu7203vh7xih

Now that the weather is getting warmer – who is ready to get out of the house? Come join me next month for my Sunset at Pemaquid Point Workshop! Just two seats left! We'll cover exposure management, composition, filter use (might even have some for you to try), long exposure, and more. Would love to see you there! Register via @bluehourboston. • • • • #Pemaquidpointlight #maineisgorgeous #igersmaine #maine_igers #mainelife #mainething #downeastmagazine #mainetheway #my207 #maine #yourshotphotographer #nikonnofilter #landscape #newengland #ignewengland #newengland_igers #igersnewengland #raw_community_member #raw_newengland #igersusa #raw_lighthouses #raw_community_member #lighthouse_captures #lighthouses_windmills_gs #lighthouse_world #lighthouse_lovers #lighthouses_around_the_world (at Maine) https://www.instagram.com/p/CM5qGuaLYJd/?igshid=1munlthx2mc35

Last year, the last time I photographed before the lockdown was when I taught a workshop in Ogunquit. Yesterday, I once again led a workshop in Ogunquit at sunrise. Unfortunately, the conditions were not quite as nice as last year, but we made the best of it. This image was taken at last year's workshop, as I demonstrated my technique of shooting "low and wide". When I'm photographing rocks in the water like this, I like to get low to the ground and use a wide angle lens to capture the scene. This does mean I need to be especially vigilant for bigger waves, but I like the proximity of the water to the camera. • • • • #marginalway #maineisgorgeous #igersmaine #maine_igers #mainelife #mainething #downeastmagazine #mainetheway #my207 #maine #yourshotphotographer #nikonnofilter #landscape #newengland #ignewengland #newengland_igers #igersnewengland #landscape_lovers #landscapephotography #raw_community_member #raw_newengland #igersusa #ig_unitedstates #ig_northamerica (at Maine) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMvYEDSL81g/?igshid=19wad9q1wc74n

This is Thor's Well, on Cape Perpetua in Oregon. I'm sharing this image today because earlier this week, I finalized plans to visit the Oregon coast later this year. I can't wait! Oregon is just beautiful, and it's been 6 years since I've been there, so I'm anxious to get back and explore some more. This time, @KristenWilkinsonPhotography and I will be visiting Crater Lake National Park and then head to the southern coast, basing ourselves around Bandon Beach, which is an area I've never been. Yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day (and my birthday) so I wanted to share a little luck o' the Irish with you all. Today and tomorrow, you can save 25% on any order through my website. Click the link in my profile and enter code LUCKY25 at checkout to get the discount. • • • • #oregon #thorswell #pnw #oregonexplored #oregoncoast #oregonphotographer #oregonlife #oregonlove #pnwonderland #oregonnw #oregonian #pacificnorthwest #oregonstate #traveloregon #bestoforegon #exploreoregon #pnwlife #upperleftusa #sale #artsale #raw_community_member #homedecor #interiordesign #yourshotphotographer #landscape #landscape_lovers #yourshotphotographer #longexpoelite #amazing_longexpo #longexpo_addiction #longexpohunter (at Thor's Well) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMkU2EwrOA8/?igshid=1onbhhzmxoazf

I've shot this lighthouse many times, but most often, from the breakwater that extends out into the entrance to Portland Harbor, standing just below the lighthouse. But from this viewpoint, you can see the old casements from Fort Preble, a pre-Civil War fort that once guarded the harbor. It was a star-shaped fort, and you can see the lines of the wall starting to form a star as they extend up from lower right to just below the lighthouse on the left. It was a nice morning, if a little chilly. Spring has yet to bless us here in Maine. We've had a few nice days, but it's gotten cold again here. I'm anxious for spring. • • • • #springpointledgelight #maineisgorgeous #igersmaine #maine_igers #mainelife #mainething #downeastmagazine #mainetheway #my207 #maine #yourshotphotographer #sonyalpha #thinklee #induropushfurther #landscape #newengland #ignewengland #newengland_igers #igersnewengland #landscape_lovers #landscapephotography #raw_lighthouses #raw_community_member #lighthouse_captures #lighthouses_windmills_gs #lighthouse_world #lighthouse_lovers #lighthouses_around_the_world (at Spring Point Ledge Light) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMdE9yYL90d/?igshid=1grlsww2082pa

This morning I decided to go to a place I hadn't photographed before, Popham Beach, in Phippsburg, Maine. The tide was out, so I was hoping I'd see a lot of what you see here: tidal pools and sand carved by the high winds (that was a pain- lots of blowing sand!) and water. I spent a few hours exploring these tide pools and photographing them before the tide started coming back in. I was amazed at how quickly these pools disappeared back under water! • • • • #pophambeach #maineisgorgeous #my207 #igersmaine #maine_igers #mainelife #mainething #downeastmagazine #mainetheway #maine #yourshotphotographer #sonyalpha #thinklee #induropushfurther #landscape #newengland #ignewengland #newengland_igers #igersnewengland #landscape_lovers #landscapephotography #landscapes #landscape_captures #landscapelovers #landscapehunter (at Maine) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMVs8vVr07F/?igshid=1wdtuws88ynmy

Here's one from yesterday morning's outing to Marginal Way in Ogunquit. Took awhile but the clouds started to part a little and the sun began to filter through a bit. Loved the moodiness of this one, and the small cascades coming over the rocks at bottom left and toward the center of the image. Marginal Way has so many different photographic opportunities, I never seem to come away empty-handed when I go there. It was nice to get out after so long and break the funk I've been in. • • • • #marginalway #ogunquit #maineisgorgeous #igersmaine #maine_igers #mainelife #mainething #downeastmagazine #mainetheway #maine #yourshotphotographer #sonyalpha #newengland #ignewengland #newengland_igers #igersnewengland #landscape_lovers #landscapephotography #landscapes #landscape_captures #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #longexpoelite (at Maine) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMPpw0TLvhK/?igshid=47zpf4wt719v

Last summer, I photographed in the Rocky Mountains for the first time. I headed west with my friend @kristenwilkinsonphotography, and on our second morning in Idaho, we decided to photograph at Stanley Lake for sunrise. McGown Peak stands in the distance so I thought it would be an ideal sunrise spot as the alpenglow lit up the peaks. The one issue we were having was that the weather report had been calling for clear skies, so we weren't expecting much color or clouds. But we arrived at the lake and found overnight clouds still hanging around a bit. They began to break up just as the sun rose and turned the peaks red with their early morning light. It was a stunningly beautiful scene. Simply perfect. • • • • #stanleylake #idaho #idahogram #idahoexplored #idahodaily #idaholife #idahophotography #idaholove #idahobound #visitidaho #landscape #landscape_lovers #landscapephotography #landscapes #landscape_captures #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #sonyalpha #raw_community_member #yourshotphotographer (at Idaho) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMLJd2er4pt/?igshid=jhft68evmvti

Hard to believe I made this image a year ago today. So much has changed since then, both for the better and the worse. @kristenwilkinsonphoyography and I drove up to Acadia with the intent of capturing the Milky Way over Otter Cliff- which we did later that evening, but we arrived in plenty of time for sunset so we decided to visit Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. We could not have asked for better conditions. The tide was rolling in and it was windy, giving the waves some extra power. Clouds were moving through the area as well giving us a great sky to work with. I made my way down the rocks, as there are only a few places to stand to get the lighthouse in the shot, and then I waited for the waves to come. I timed this one just right as the sun illuminated the splash. I've shot this lighthouse many times but this is hands down my favorite shot of it. I'll be heading back to Acadia in June for a few days. Maybe I'll try again. • • • • #acadia #maineisgorgeous #igersmaine #maine_igers #mainelife #mainething #downeastmagazine #mainetheway #maine #yourshotphotographer #landscape #landscape_lovers #newengland #ignewengland #newengland_igers #igersnewengland #nationalparks #findyourpark #betteroutside #nationalparkgeek #nps #goparks #nationalpark #raw_lighthouses #lighthouse_captures #lighthouses_windmills_gs (at Acadia National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMArhjHrRYP/?igshid=6jxt6smoxgt2

Here's a throwback image to 2015 when I was in California working for Lytro. I had some time in the afternoon and made my way to Marin Headlands to get some images of the Golden Gate Bridge. I noticed a trailhead across the road from where I parked and decided to see what was there. I hiked about 2 miles up into the hills and found this area that overlooked route 101 and gave a great view of the bridge, the bay, and the city of San Francisco. It was still early but I decided to wait there and let the light fade so I could capture the car headlights leading to the bridge. Well worth the wait. I then hiked back down in the dark and headed back to my hotel. Haven't been back to the Bay Area since- something I need to rectify in the near future. • • • • #wildcalifornia #optoutside #artofvisuals #california #californialife #california_igers #californiaadventure #visitcalifornia #ig_california #unlimitedcalifornia #raw_community_member #raw_longexposure #homedecor #interiordesign #yourshotphotographer #landscape #landscape_lovers #longexpoelite #amazing_longexpo #longexpo_addiction #longexpohunter #longexposure_kings #longexposure_photos #slowshutter (at California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CL9_P8ysQzN/?igshid=ac0t45jk1khf

This image was taken 5 years ago last month. I was in California training a camera dealer for Lytro, and finished in the early afternoon. I decided to go find a sunset spot and Rodeo Beach in Marin county was ideal. These seastacks poking out of the Pacific made for a great subject, the sunset was perfect, and the waves were great. I got very wet as the tide came in and I found myself up to my knees in the water. I remember that as my boots dried out, they began to stink, and that's how I learned about pouring a box of baking soda into my boots to eliminate the smell! I hope you're all having a great week! • • • • #wildcalifornia #optoutside #artofvisuals #california #californialife #california_igers #californiaadventure #visitcalifornia #ig_california #unlimitedcalifornia #raw_community_member #raw_beaches #homedecor #interiordesign #yourshotphotographer #landscape #landscape_lovers #longexpoelite #amazing_longexpo #longexpo_addiction #longexpohunter #longexposure_kings #longexposure_photos #slowshutter (at California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CL4qBddLvVy/?igshid=k1a6hazf4bay

Six years ago tonight, I headed deep into the Nevada desert with @firethecanon to do some night sky photography. It was bitter cold and VERY windy, but the night was clear enough that it looked like you could touch the stars. We set up our cameras and began making photos. This photo- "The Magic Bus" is the result of 150 images, stacked using software to capture the movement of the stars. For one exposure, I walked to the bus and shined a red LED light inside to get the red glow you see. The total exposure time for the star trails was one hour and 15 minutes. Each exposure was 30 seconds. Easily one of my favorite shots I've ever captured. Unfortunately, this is one of the last times I ever photographed with Amanda. I was working for Lytro doing a trade show in Las Vegas and I believe she was there for Lensbaby. I haven't done trade shows since then because I got out of that side of the industry when Lytro disappeared. Good times though and great memories. Miss you Amanda!! • • • • • #nightsky #startrails #astrophotographyporn #astro #astrophotography #abandoned #abandonedplaces #abandoned_excellence #abandoned_junkies #renegade_abandoned #nevada #nevadadesert #nevadalife #nevadastate #nevadaskies #travelnevada #longexposure #longexposure_shots #longexposurephotography #longexpoelite #amazing_longexpo #longexpo_addiction #longexpohunter #longexposure_kings #longexposure_photos #slowshutter (at Nevada) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLxarroLSyV/?igshid=v82p6l06d6jw