1. The above photo was part of a set for publication and happened to work out well. Although the angle seems odd, it seems to work better than the straight images. Right after this shot was taken, I had to change film (yes, actual film) and a kid shot one of the water canons directly into the camera, which at the time I didn't know was possible given the low angle. Apparently no harm was done. Shot on slide film and scanned for digital processing.

2. The Phoenix on opening day in April of 2004. The green color blends in so nicely and it is almost hard to take a bad photo (although I have managed it). This one seems to have the strongest composition with the ride angled bottom left-top right. The yellow antique car is at just the right spot and the red covered bridge contrasts nicely with the greens. I have shot this so many times with a very bright white sky and have been waiting for a blue sky to come along. I might prefer a cloudy (moody) sky but the lower light levels combined with the requirements of high shutter speed and good depth of field just don't work out well.

3. I've always loved this view of Twister just before dropping a bit over a hundred feet. It gives the appearance of being swallowed by the ride or falling into the belly of the beast. I just wish I had a shot like this when the wood was new, weathered wood gets a shiny, highly reflective look to it.

4. This is one very large and very fun coaster.  The above photo only shows a small portion of this long ride. I had the good fortune to spend a day photographing in, under and above this ride with Chris from Great Coasters International. Thanks Chris!

5. One of the best things about looking at many photos like this is the reaction people have. It is hard to see in this small view but there is fun and fear spread through the train. This shot was published in Rollercoaster! Magazine. Thanks again go to Chris at Great Coasters.

6. This is the photo that was on the cover of Winter 2005 issue of Rollercoaster! magazine. It was the first digitally captured image to grace the cover. We shot over 100 images similar to this and after throwing out many due to weak expressions, there were but three that were cover worthy. This is the one that made it. Images from this set were published in a number of places and used by the ride manufacturer. Once more, thanks go to Chris at Great Coasters.

7. I absolutely love this antique menagerie carousel. The animals have such great detail and almost ask to be photographed. This image had a bit of extra post processing to give it more depth. The mixed lighting made things more difficult.

8. Laffland is one of the oldest darkrides around and is a blast. Many of the stunts are mechanical and still date from ages ago. This was a long exposure tripod shot just after dark and some ghostly figures are visible as people moved. It was unfortunately the only angle available due to trees and other buildings being so close.

9. Few people have heard of Weona Park (as in We Own A Park). The carousel is the only ride remaining but what a great ride it is. Even though only horses are shown, this is a menagerie carousel and another Dentzel masterpiece. The park has been great in allowing me to crawl around and photograph during slow times and to take photos while the ride is in motion.

10. After I shot some photos for Rollercoaster! magazine, I was driving out of the park and noticed this view. A few days later I paid the parking fee just to get this shot. Finding that one point again in the parking lot was not easy. People would look at me strange and wonder what I was taking a picture of. Then they would look that way and notice the juxtaposition of everything and say what a great shot. Pictures from this set also appeared in Rollercoaster! magazine.

11. I am not exactly sure why I like this picture so much. Normally I prefer the look of a wood structure but the sun is catching the metal just right and the angle makes the lift hill seem much higher than it really is. When shot, this ride was called Tsunami. Then it was J2. New ownership changed it to the present name. My thanks go to Larry, the former owner of Clementon Lake Park for allowing access to normally off limit areas around the coaster. Pictures from this set also appeared in Rollercoaster! magazine.

12. This was my very last ride on the Whirlwind. I had ridden it both at Playland (Rye, NY) and at Knoebels. Maybe it was a bit tame and short but still fun. I do miss it but not nearly enough to give up what will be replacing it. In this shot, I love the symmetry of the train and the fact that it disappears seemingly into the trees.

13. This photo shows how a few clouds angled just right can add depth to a wide angle photo.

14. While photographing the media preview for Hydra, I noticed this angle and found a position where the composition worked well. Poor Cliff had no idea he was about to be consumed by the beast. Images from this set were published in several magazines.

15. When Kings Island was owned by Paramount, they had some incredible media previews. This time, the weather was poor and we didn't know what was going on until these guys started jumping out of a plane. This event was for the Italian Job Stunt Track (a rollercoaster). The ride is now called Backlot Stunt Coaster. I was lucky to be in just the right position at the right time for this one. Images from this set were published.

16. This image is from an idea I had. I have always loved the caterpillar rides but so few are left operating. I wanted a different view that showcased the ride experience. I inquired with Idlewild and received permission to photograph on ride which is normally not allowed. My goal was to convey the ride motion in a still photo. It works best when viewed by itself, just stare at the lower center and left, about a fourth of the way up above the word Idlewild. This is the only one of the set that had the right motion blur and a clean background. My thanks go to Jeff at Idlewild for making this great opportunity possible.

17. I originally took this same basic shot with film in the 1990s and loved it. The weather wasn't great in 2005 but I managed the same shot with Phantom's Revenge just cresting the lift hill. I was again looking for a dynamic view that was different from the usual frontal shots. This was converted from a JPEG so the water is a bit blown out.

18. This magnificent structure sits on the end of a pier and looks so good as you approach it. I wish I had shot it at dusk when it would look more imposing and moody. Storm clouds would have been great too.

19. This image was shot for an article I did on the 20th anniversary of the Phoenix. I was once again fortunate to have the park allow me access to a restricted area for this shot. This image has been published numerous times and just seems to capture the fun this ride always produces. My thanks go to Joe at Knoebels for allowing me the opportunity to get this shot on what was the hottest weekend of that summer.

20. Hydra was new at Dorney in 2005 and I was photographing it for several publications. I shot at least a hundred images similar to this one but only three had the right combination of timing and expressions. I do wish I could have been a few feet higher up, like on a ladder or something. I love the rolling symmetry of the train.

21. Great Coasters got everyone's attention for their highly banked curves and I wanted a photo which showcased those extreme angles. This one succeeds. From the riders perspective, it is technically a vertical shot. This photo was published and used in an ad by the ride manufacturer. My thanks go to Beech Bend Park for allowing cameras to be used on-ride.

22. When Dorney Park added a second wave pool, an industry magazine needed a photo of it. This is one of the photos from the set that I like. While it doesn't show the waves well, the composition is generally pleasing with the amusement park in the background. My thanks go to Heather, formerly of Dorney who allowed me access to the restricted area where this photo was taken.

23. I was at Blue Diamond Park taking some photos of other rides for an industry magazine. As I was ready to leave, the sunset started building and I hung around to see where it would go. This is just one of many shots that night. Sadly, Blue Diamond couldn't make it and closed a few years ago.

24. This one shouldn't look as good as it does! I happened to see this view of the Jack Rabbit, propped the camera on a bridge railing and waited for people to stop crossing the bridge (reducing the vibration). The rest was luck. This was also converted from a JPEG.

25. I had made a similar shot to this on film in the 1990s and loved it. I don't feel this one is quite as good overall but it captures the ride well. The ark rocks slowly back and forth and I caught this one during that very brief moment when it changes direction and the movement is minimized. There were once many of these around the country but this is the last one left.

26. Conneaut Lake Park has gone through it's share of trying times in the last fifteen years or so but for 2006 they fully restored the Tumble Bug, one of only two left operating. The bold colors beg for photos. This photo is a case where composition can fool you. The slight upward angle combined with a gap between buildings and other rides makes this location appear to be quite remote. It is not, it is in the middle of the park.

27. Knoebels Twister features a fast double helix. I've shot this several different ways but this one has some feeling to it. I do wish the shutter speed was just a bit slower to give more motion blur in the foreground structure.

28. This is one of those times where I walked by the ride and said, oh, that looks nice. I stopped, set the shutter speed/aperture, clicked the shutter and moved on. Simple. The contrast of the ride to the sky is what caught my attention.

29. Knoebels Giant Ferris Wheel wants to be photographed. Trying to find a clear view at a good angle takes a bit of work. I feel this angle conveys the enormous height without any other size reference.

30. I am fortunate to have friends who allowed me to photograph on their wedding day. And yes, they got married on the Jack Rabbit, a wonderful wooden roller coaster at Kennywood Park. This set of photos will always be special to me. In addition to the bride and groom, my thanks also go to Mary Lou at Kennywood for allowing me to photograph on-ride which is typically not allowed.

31. Just a fun shot of Phantom's Revenge. The shutter speed finally ended up at 1/1600 to freeze the movement.

32. One more Phoenix shot I like a lot. What a fun ride on such a beautiful June day.

33. Morey's seem to have a knack for making things look so good. Many also consider this one of the best flume rides anywhere. This ride (the Zoom Flume) is in the middle of a pier but manages to convince you of it's tropical like setting. I finally decided this view shows that best. Unfortunately it was early and the ride was testing so boats are empty, making the splash somewhat weaker.

34. A nice view of the Raging Waters Waterpark at Mariner's Landing. The clouds were a little weird but I love the sunny view into the park from the ocean side.

35. The Morey organization has also invested in LED lighting and applied it creatively on rides like Atmos Fear. While a bit different from neon, it is so nice to see the vivid colors returning to amusement parks. Atmos Fear is stunning at night. I originally wanted the "Morey's" sign to be fully lit up in the back but I kind of like the "More Atmos Fear" look too. I do wish the fog had been on when I shot this.

36. El Toro is a large, fun and beautiful ride. The setting along the lake is gorgeous. While I love all of the elements in this shot, I still feel I could have done a bit better with it. The hazy day didn't help. This was also shot in the morning before the coaster was running.

37. I travelled to Western NY to photograph this coaster for publication and the weather was cold, wet and just not cooperating. It is really a fun little ride and very smooth. The motorcycle style seating makes it feel different from any other roller coaster. Normally I prefer most of the riders to look a bit more excited but this was the best I could get, it was fairly cold and damp.

38. For well over a decade, Waldameer Park has been trying to build a recreation of a wood coaster they once had called the Ravine Flyer. Because the coaster was to actually cross a state highway (via its own bridge), it took years of work for final approval. But they never gave up and in 2008, Pennsylvania's newest wood coaster opened to rave reviews. For this particular series, the Ferris Wheel operator left me "stuck" at the top for a very long time. My thanks go to Steve at Waldameer for allowing me to get these shots which had to be submitted for publication that night! And the weather barely cooperated.

39. The granddaddy of all amusement parks, Coney Island has continually changed and sadly, shrunk over the years. Astroland Park was one of several parks still there when it announced it would be closing at the end of 2008. I decided to go on the final day and do nothing but photograph the end and enjoy my final time in a place like no other. This photo was shot near sunset from the Wonder Wheel in Deno's Wonder Wheel Park (which is still there).

40. Even though Astroland closed, the Wonder Wheel is safe at a different park - Deno's Wonder Wheel Park which is adjacent to where Astroland was located. The ride has roomy cars that move in and out as the ride slowly rotates. I shot many views of this ride but this one stands out, most of the others had cluttered backgrounds or the angle of the sun was poor for what I wanted.

41. Leap-The-Dips is the world's oldest surviving roller coaster. It was completely refurbished in 1999 and once again thrills riders with it's gentle dips. My thanks go to Barry, formerly of Lakemont Park for allowing me on-ride photo opportunities on multiple occasions.

42. In 2010, Morey's debuted their Ghost Ship walk through and as noted above, they have a knack for making things look great. This was a last minute "snapshot" taken during the parks annual enthusiast event - Coastin' by the Ocean. Overall I like the dark look which was created more with Photoshop than in camera. Still, it is the final picture that counts.