Bowers Mansion in Washoe County, Nevada

Constructed in 1863, the Bowers Mansion in Washoe County, Nevada was once home to Lemuel "Sandy" Bowers and his wife Eilley Orrum Bowers. They earned their fortune through mining gold and silver ore, and became the first millionaires in the Nevada Territory. 

The Bowers Mansion, which is located between Reno and Carson City, is especially notable because of Nevada's storied mining history. Many stately homes began construction following the Comstock Lode mining boom which began in the late 1850s. Today the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is owned and operated by the Washoe County Parks Department. Tours and events are regularly hosted here throughout the summer and autumn months. 

I happened to arrive just following a massive snowstorm. The site was obviously closed for the season, but I still did some wandering. To give you an idea of how deep some of the snow was, I walked out to the fountain in the yard and the snow was nearly up to my waist.  

Three Weeks Exploring Florida & the Gulf Coast

Over the last three weeks I escaped on another incredible travel photography adventure, this time covering Florida and the Gulf Coast of the United States. From gators in the Everglades to a mouse in the Magic Kingdom, from drinks on Bourbon Street in New Orleans to drinks on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, from epic sunrises in the Florida Keys to epic sunsets on the coastlines of Alabama and Mississippi - the entire experience was really something special to capture.  

I always have a blast travel shooting regardless of where I go, but what was especially fun about this getaway was that it was two unique trips in one go. 

I spent the first week meeting up with friends in a beautiful rented house to take in the Orlando theme parks (Walt Disney World, Disney Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Universal Studios, and Islands of Adventure). I then departed for two additional weeks of road tripping and travel shooting all over Florida and up the Gulf Coast to New Orleans and back again. I covered over 2700 miles and shot over 15,000 new images along the way. 

I flew to Orlando and started the road trip in a brand new 2017 Audi A4.

Part vacation, part working holiday, this adventure was another amazing opportunity to shoot some new content for Editing Luke and for a variety of existing and potential travel partners. What's to follow in the months ahead is sure to compliment some of the incredibly popular work that I've already released in my Middle America, Pacific Northwest, Aloha Hawaii, and Roadside California photo series'. 

In the meantime, thank you to everyone who followed along and engaged as I shared updates on my Instagram account during the course of this latest road trip. New galleries are certain to start showing up here very soon. Keep an eye out for the new series!

A post shared by Luke Fandrich (@editingluke) on Oct 23, 2017 at 5:37pm PDT

Cave & Basin National Historic Site in Banff

Found in Alberta's Rocky Mountains, Banff National Park's Cave and Basin historic site commemorates the birthplace of Canada's National Parks system which began in 1885. The area features natural thermal mineral springs, including one located inside a cavern which has been incorporated into the structure. The once popular swimming pool (seen on numerous vintage postcards) has since been removed, but a tile outline shows where it once was.

It was in 1981 that the Cave and Basin became designated a National Historic Site of Canada. There are several placards commemorating the history of the area, and although it's not a large place to explore, it is a beautiful spot to spend an hour. I really enjoyed walking around and shooting these pictures for my Around Alberta photography series.

Cave & Basin in 1915.

Cave & Basin in the 1920s.