Our talented photographers always fi ll these pages with incredible images to highlight and showcase the articles we present. For this travel-themed issue, we asked four of them to share a favorite image from someplace special. As you can see, these professionals are true adventurers. Through their lenses, we are given a glimpse into some lovely, rugged, historic and fantastic places near and far.
SCUBA SANCTUARY
By Alan Youngblood
Since 1996, Jardines de la Reina (The Gardens of the Queen), the 150 miles of coral reef and mangrove swamp 50 miles south of Cuba, has been a sanctuary. The reefs are as pristine as they were when Christopher Columbus discovered them in the 1400s. Cuba has protected the area from fishing; the distance protects it from pollution. A live-aboard dive boat is the only way to get there. Every scuba dive is a journey into untouched amazement. This image depicts a Caribbean reef shark. At 60 feet and deeper, you are likely to be greeted by large reef sharks, a school of silky sharks and the occasional Goliath grouper. The reefs are healthy and fish abundant. I think this archipelago is the best diving site in the Caribbean.
WALKING ON GLASS
By John Jernigan
Part of our business is working for publishing companies that create tour books for different state and national parks as well as attractions such as the Kennedy Space Center and the Empire State Building. This image is from Grand Canyon West Arizona. The Hualapai Reservation owns Grand Canyon West and the Grand Canyon Skywalk. It is an amazing view when you are the only person standing over a glass walkway with a view out and straight down. This was one of the most amazing sunrises I have seen.
HARDY HIKING
By Meagan Gumpert
There is a hike at Zion National Park in southwest Utah that should be on the bucket list of every outdoor adventurer. Angel’s Landing is a 5.4-mile in-and-out-hike that begins wide and gradual and then transitions to a series of switchbacks before ramping up the difficulty and excitement at the end. The last half-mile is a narrow, chain-assisted path that leads to the most stunning views in the park. The ridge on the left of the photo is where we were headed. If you look carefully, you can see that some of those tiny silhouettes are people and not trees. The hike was difficult and scary. The views were breathtaking and unforgettable. But what I will remember most is watching our boys gain the confidence that can only come from doing hard things.
HISTORY PRESERVED
By Dave Miller
Savannah, Georgia, stays at the top of my list as a relatively close family getaway spot. I love the city for its grid-designed layout, which provides gathering places of beauty and history that are easily walkable. Each of these squares is unique and provides opportunities for photography as well as good eats, which are two of my favorite things. The historic buildings are well-preserved, and the coastal landscape is beautiful—two more reasons why I love visiting and photographing this city.
