THE GARDEN OF EDEN  –

For me, Travel Photography has always been a search for moments, details and experiences. Some are obvious to everyone. Others are waiting for the travel photographer who takes the time to discover them.

In the heart of Scottsdale, thousands of people – myself included – have driven past Optima Camelview without knowing that its ‘Garden of Eden’ and signature waterfall were hidden from view, recessed nine feet below street level. For BOARDING PASS, that made it a travel destination worth discovering.

Sometimes the most memorable experiences aren’t hundreds of miles away.

Often they wait for you, hidden in plain sight…

WHEN THE STREET DISAPPEARED  –

This was my first early morning at the Optima. I had done limited research, but knew enough to understand that very little here happened by accident. Landscaping, water, architecture and Garden-level amenities all seemed to be working together, each with its own personality.

Full-height reflective glass won Best Supporting Actor, while Mr. Sun easily took home Best Director. What I didn’t know yet was that Lighting would become my personal concierge, keeping me moving, watching and wondering where it might lead me next…

After our introduction, I took the open stair down to the Garden level.

I was now invisible…

What You Learned – Lesson 1:  Your first establishing shot at any location should use compelling composition that takes the viewer’s eye into the scene. Experiment with lenses. Loosen up.  Ask yourself, ‘Where do I want the viewer to look?’ And make it happen.

THE REVEAL  –

And there it was. From the Garden level, the waterfall I had seen from above suddenly had context—and a personality that turned splashing water into both a visual performance and the soundtrack for the Garden.

Scottsdale traffic noise was being replaced with something calmer and more inviting. Scottsdale was still nine feet above me, but down here it was becoming remarkably easy to forget.

When Mr. Sun joined the performance, sunlight moved across the Garden and immediately added missing personality. The water suddenly sparkled, changed dimension and demanded to be photographed.

The waterfall hadn’t moved. The photograph had.

What You Learned – Lesson 2:  When a subject depends on sunlight, watch the sun’s movement and be ready to shoot when it arrives—a few minutes can turn an ordinary subject into the photograph you came for.

NOTHING HERE HAPPENED BY ACCIDENT –

Once I completed my ‘invisible corner’ series around the waterfall, I repositioned at the north end to follow the same morning light. When traveling, I chase quality light wherever it leads me. Getting closer to the water and shooting wide gave me a completely different view of the Garden.

What I discovered surprised me.

As sunlight moved into the courtyard, the terraced treehouses and vegetation began working together. I waited for the light to reach the water, but something else had already happened.

The Optima had become a family.

What You Learned – Lesson 3: Large destinations often reveal their personality through smaller, more personal spaces. While you have the sun, change your perspective often. Develop a variety of foreground treatments and camera heights.  Even the slightest adjustments matter.

Framing and camera heights are game changers worth developing.

THE NEIGHBORHOODS  –

Moving deeper into the Garden revealed smaller “neighborhoods” beneath connecting bridges and overhangs. Trees grew above me, filtered sunlight created pockets of shade and contrast, and architecture and vegetation seemed to share the same space.

I no longer felt like I was photographing their Garden. I felt like a guest inside it.

I have a name for that feeling.

GRATITUDE…

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS  –

This award goes to Mother Nature, with Optima Camelview providing the VIP seating. Residents and guests using the south drop-off lane can experience some of Arizona’s finest artwork during monsoon season—skies that can completely transform the personality of a familiar destination.

For Travel Photographers, weather is always on my BOARDING PASS checklist. I encourage travelers to “extend the perimeter” of a destination – look beyond the expected photograph for details that reveal where you really are.

Arizona’s desert sunsets may be splashed across every tourist brochure, but when monsoon clouds take the stage, they deserve their own award…

What You Learned – Lesson 4:  The great thing about photographing weather on-location is its ability to communicate. Viewers can share in those ‘I was there’ moments…

PERSONALITIES –

As the early morning light continued to change, I found myself up and down the stairs trying to catch up. Reflected light from across the Garden was an ongoing theme as everything wanted attention at once.

Walking through the mezzanine level residential neighborhoods, I started to notice smaller pockets of direct light finding their way through dense, darker vegetation. Capturing these vignettes shows you were observant and took your time to capture special moments most people miss.

The reflections are out there waiting for you…

What You Learned – Lesson 5: Make finding these moments an enjoyable part of your process. Make them yours…

WHERE REFLECTIONS TAKE YOU –

In an environment with 11 ‘treehouse’ condos of different heights with cantilevered balconies and offsets, the sun only needs moments to reach full height glass and send reflections streaming across the Garden. While I knew where the sun was, I had no good idea where creative reflections could appear, until Mr. Sun decided who got the spotlight.

This seating group was one such unique opportunity. This game of hide and seek lasted all day. As a photographer, I just needed to find pockets of light and capture them before they disappeared.

Mr. Sun is evaluating you…

What You Learned – Lesson 6: When traveling on-location, when you find a lighting environment you like, stay with it. Be ‘present’ and prep your camera. Sometimes all you get is one opportunity.

Make it count.

• Did you look to see where the reflection was coming from?
• Would you have photographed the furniture without reflected sunlight?
• What do the shadows contribute to the story?
• If the light had moved three feet, would this be the same photograph?
• If I handed you a smartphone and gave you one morning hour at the Garden of Eden, where would you begin?