This video features a drive through 4 of the active tunnels of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike: Allegheny Mountain Tunnel, Tuscarora Mountain Tunnel, Kittatinny Mountain Tunnel, Blue Mountain Tunnel.

Who doesn’t like a good tunnel… unless you’re claustrophobic? I’ll share my personal reflections in a moment.

But first, a little history… (continues below this video)

The Pennsylvania Turnpike was designed to improve automobile transportation across the mountains of Pennsylvania during the 1930s. It was built along the path of an unfinished railroad project from the 1880s and used six of the railroad’s tunnels.

The turnpike opened on October 1, 1940. The turnpike was touted as “America’s First Superhighway” and was the national standard for superhighway design and engineering.

Currently, the turnpike has four active tunnels that you’ll see in this video. They are the Allegheny, Tuscarora, Kittatinny, and Blue Mountain Tunnels.

The Allegheny Mountain Tunnel is the longest in active use at 1.16 miles or 1.85 kilometers in length.

One experience I had at the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel was a severe weather change from the east side of the tunnel to the west side. It was mid-May and the weather was beautiful with sunny skies. Temperatures were probably in the fifties or sixties. We entered the east side of the tunnel and finally came out on the west side. What was amazing is that we entered a snowstorm as we came out of the tunnel! There were cars spun-out all over the road. It was like playing dodge-cars as I exited the tunnel and proceeded to slide along the highway, narrowly missing several of the cars that were spun-out around me. But for some miracle, I managed not to hit anything and continued on my way.

The Tuscarora Mountain Tunnel measures 1.01 miles or 1.62 kilometers and is the second-longest active tunnel on the turnpike.

Now I want to share some thoughts about some other tunnels in Pennsylvania… specifically in the Pittsburgh area.

As a child, going through the Squirrel Hill Tunnel on the way to Kennywood Park was pretty exciting… almost as fun as the amusement park. I’ll never forget the continuous flash of brake lights as we entered and proceeded through the tunnel.

In college, I remember emerging from the Fort Pitt Tunnel and being greeted with an amazing view of downtown Pittsburgh from the high vantage point overlooking the city below. Seeing the convergence of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers to form the Ohio River is always breathtaking. As a side note, I met my amazing wife while attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. As of 2025, we’ve been married for 45 years with two daughters, and three grandchildren!

The Kittatinny Mountain Tunnel is approximately 0.89 miles or 1.43 kilometers long.

The Blue Mountain Tunnel is the shortest tunnel in active use at 0.82 miles or 1.32 kilometers in length.

What has been your experience driving through the tunnels of the Pennsylvania Turnpike or those in Pittsburgh?

Have you experienced other tunnels in the U.S. or other countries?

Do you get claustrophobic driving through tunnels?

Please like share your experiences with a comment here.

Contact us, today, to chat about YOUR photography needs and discover how surprisingly affordable our services are: Call 440.748.6300 (NOTE: This is a landline so text messages won’t come through) or email: https://spectralight.com/Contact

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For years I've been bored with photographing fireworks. Fighting the crowds to get a good spot, dealing with hot and humid July weather, bugs, crying children… the list goes on. I'd rather stay home and chill-out with the Mrs. – UNTIL NOW!

A few years ago, I read an article by a photographer who captured some amazing fireworks photos. He gave the technical settings that he used for beautiful shots over a scenic lake. He inspired me to see if I could create images unlike any I've made before.

So I set out for the annual fireworks display in my town – North Ridgeville, Ohio. The weather was cool and comfortable for a July evening. I was able to stake out a spot by the lake where the fireworks would be launched. The bugs weren't annoying either (I think they preferred the taste of those around me.) And the crying children? It's amazing what ear plugs can mask out!

For 20+ minutes I shot photos with my Nikon camera mounted on a tripod with exposures ranging from one to four seconds at f/11 at ISO 100. If you don't have a clue about those settings – have no fear! It seems that anyone can get decent photos with just about any camera – even with smart phones. Even if you have firework photos from previous years that you wish to add some excitement to – read on!

Upon returning home, I loaded the photos onto my computer. Sadly, I was UNDERwhelmed by what I had captured. They looked similar to the old, boring fireworks photos I'd taken in the past.

Instead of using an expensive software program called Adobe Photoshop; I opened the photo, above, in an affordable program called “Studio“ by Topaz Labs. I've used this software to spice up photos from my previous travels with amazing results. The three variations of the original photo in this article were created with just a couple mouse clicks using Studio!

Pro tip: To achieve similar results in Topaz Studio, choose “Add Filter” > click the “STYLISTIC” tab > choose “Flare”. Then you can experiment with the various adjustments to make each star unique.

Topaz Labs is a company that has created several easy-to-use photo enhancement programs that can be used without even reading the instructions. It has a simple user interface that will have you creating photo masterpieces in minutes.

I found myself immersed in the software for hours as I created countless variations of each image.

See the rest of Topaz Labs photo enhancing software here: www.SpectraLight.com/TopazSoftware (NOTE: You won't see Topaz Studio on this page.)

Have fun!

NOTE: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, you'll help support this blog at no cost to you – allowing us to continue sharing information like this for your education and enjoyment. Win/Win! Thanks!

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Tomorrow marks the 20-year anniversary of the terror attacks on our country. Along with the thousands of innocent people who lost their lives that day – the world lost its innocence as well.

September 11, 2001 was a glorious fall day in Northeast Ohio. At about 9 a.m., my wife called in a panic telling me to turn on the TV to see coverage of a plane that had just crashed into the World Trade Center. As the minutes passed, we saw another jet hit the WTC on live TV. Soon after, there were reports that the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. had been hit by a jetliner and a plane had crashed in rural Shanksville, PA. It was clear these were not accidents.

I watched the coverage all day, wondering what was in store for the future. Could we expect major acts of terror every day? Fortunately, no… but our freedom has been changed forever.

Two months before the attacks, our family had planned our first visit ever to New York City during the week of Thanksgiving. After 9/11, we debated whether it was wise to go there with the possibility of more terrorism. We chose to go.

Our drive along I-80 through Pennsylvania to New York City revealed our country's amazing patriotism. We saw the American flag proudly displayed over several overpasses and affixed to the windows of countless cars.

Probably the most breathtaking moment as we approached the city from several miles out was our first glimpse of the Empire State Building. I imagined what that skyline would have looked like if the Twin Towers were still standing. It became difficult driving as my eyes welled up.

There were several other heartbreaking moments as we toured New York. At Grand Central Terminal there were large displays of photos of loved ones lost during the attacks. There was the gut-wrenching view of rubble five stories high where the Twin Towers had proudly stood… and still smoldering more than ten weeks after the buildings collapsed.

Fortunately, there was one majestic reminder of how great our country is. The Statue of Liberty standing proudly on Liberty Island was there to let the world know that our country will always fight for our freedom. It was a beautiful sight as we concluded our emotional journey.

Where were you and what were you doing on 9/11? What emotions did you feel when you saw the video of the jets hitting the Twin Towers? Please share them with a comment here.

If you would like to have a commemorative print of the Statue of Liberty as seen in this story, please click here.

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I've always loved anything dealing with outer space going all the way back to my childhood. I was thrilled to watch the Gemini missions in the 1960s when teachers brought TVs into the classroom so we could see lift-offs and splashdowns as they happened!

I always wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up – . My dad used to call me an astro-NUT because I was such a space geek. I am still fascinated by the U.S. space program and recently watched the NASA “Perseverance” rover land on Mars via live TV. It was exciting to see the mission unfold and I actually got emotional seeing the amazing technicians and scientists at mission control high-fiving each other and whooping it up when they got word that the spacecraft had landed safely.Although I'm too old to be an astronaut (well, John Glenn would have argued that you're never too old), to this day I have dreamed of working for NASA in some capacity… like as a staff photographer. A few years ago, I was asked to interview for a photographer position at Cleveland's NASA Glenn Research Center and was honored to make it to the final five applicants out of more than 100. Unfortunately, I wasn't chosen. I still hold out hope that another opportunity may come my way.

So that brings me to my visit to the Udvar-Hazy Center – part of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia. In 2016, enroute to a family vacation in Delaware, my wife (Doreen) and I planned a side trip to visit this amazing museum. It was far more than I expected with full-size airplanes, jets, the Space Shuttle Discovery, a Concorde SST, Enola Gay bomber and TONs more.

I created this video from the photos I took at the museum. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

I also attended the NASA Glenn Research Center 75th Anniversary Open House in 2016. See my story and video of that experience here.

Have you ever been to the Udvar-Hazy Center or any other NASA facility? What did you like most about it? Please share your experience with a comment, here!

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It was a birthday present to myself… a visit to Cleveland's NASA Glenn Research Center's - 75 Year Anniversary Open House on May 22, 2016. When I read that the sprawling facility was going to be open to the public with many areas previously unseen – I just HAD to “get onboard!”

The facilities have contributed to some of the nation’s greatest innovations over the last 75 years (now 80 years).

Visitors were guided through world-class facilities where we saw technologies that contribute to the future of NASA in aeronautics and our journey to Mars. We saw a research plane, rocket, a couple of wind tunnels, the Zero-Gravity facility, GRUVE Lab, Propulsion System Lab, Engine Research Building, Glenn Extreme Environment Rig (GEER), the COMPASS Lab and so much more!

There were presentations by NASA Glenn’s technologists and researchers and hands-on activities for kids including making a handheld jet engine, straw rockets and solar energy bracelets as well as demonstration carts on lunar robotics, soda bottle rockets, alternative energy and more. You can see the full list of activities here. (A new browser window will open)

I created this video from photos I took at the open house. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

I've always been a “space geek” going all the way back to my elementary school days. I remember watching the Gemini missions in the 1960s when teachers rolled TVs into the classroom so we could see launches and splashdowns live!

When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up – ASTRONAUT was always my resounding answer. I'm still fascinated by the American space program and just watched the NASA “Perseverance” rover land on Mars via live TV. It was not only exciting to see the mission unfold but I actually got emotional as I saw the amazing scientists and technicians at mission control high-fiving each other and letting out shouts of joy when they got word that the spacecraft had successfully landed.

To this day I have dreamed of working for NASA in some capacity… like as a staff photographer. A couple years ago, I was called in for an interview for a photographer position at Cleveland's NASA Glenn Research Center and was honored to make it to the final five applicants out of more than 100. Unfortunately, I wasn't chosen.

Have you ever been to Cleveland’s NASA Glenn Research Center or any other NASA facility? What did you like most about it? Please share your experience with a comment, here!

The post Cleveland’s NASA Glenn Research Center 🚀- 75 Year Anniversary appeared first on SpectraLight Photography and Design.

Since the 2020 Duck Tape Festival was cancelled because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic; I went through my old archives and created this video to celebrate the 2014 festival. That's when a Guinness World Record was set for the most people modeling in a duct tape fashion show. It took place in Avon, Ohio on June 14, 2014.Participants wore outfits they made of duct tape, or created duct tape fashion accessories worn with their regular clothes.

Michael Empric, official adjudicator for Guinness World Records, was on hand to make the record official. He made a mistake at 8:35 in the video when called Avon, Ohio – Aurora, Ohio! Even the certificate had the wrong city name!

The festival was sponsored by Duck Brand of ShurTech.

Were you at the 2014 Duck Tape Festival? Did you participate in the Guinness record setting fashion show? Click here to share your experience.

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This video highlights photos taken at Schoepfle Gardens – a park in Birmingham, Ohio in the Lorain County Metro Parks system.

Schoepfle Gardens is truly beautiful – 70 acres of botanical gardens and natural woodland bordered on one side by the Vermilion River. The gardens feature collections of rhododendrons, roses, cannas, hosta, shade plants, and a variety of shrubs, topiaries and trees.

My wife and I and a couple of friends enjoyed the natural beauty of the garden as we walked along the well-maintained walkways on a sunny spring morning in May. We're visiting different Lorain County Metro Parks as part of their “Hiking Stick” program.

You can earn a stick and a pin after completing 10 hikes at 6 different Lorain County Metro Parks locations by June 30th.

Have you visited Schoepfle Gardens or any other park in the Lorain County Metro Parks system? Which one did you like best and why? Please click here to share your thoughts.

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See more photos and videos highlighting what is great about CLEveland and Northeast Ohio on our HOTonCLE website: www.HOTonCLE.com

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See the gear and software we use to create our videos and photos: www.SpectraLight.com/Gear

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In October 2018, my Christian Brother, George Mason, and I enjoyed a kayak adventure at Pond #7 at the Resthaven Wildlife Area in Castalia, OH – not far from the famous “Blue Hole.”

It was a warm, sunny day (got pretty sunburned as you'll see in the video) and had a great time relaxing on the water on a Monday when everyone else was grinding away at their day jobs.[This video is dedicated to George Mason, who passed away on February 11, 2020.]

The diversity of habitat and proximity to Sandusky Bay make Resthaven Wildlife Area ideal for viewing and enjoying wildlife. Habitat types include woodland, brushland, wetlands, open water, and remnants of the “Castalia Prairie.”

You'll also find bird species ranging from large wading birds to warblers and mammals common to this part of Ohio, here. Moth and butterfly populations also attract special attention. Service roads and dike systems provide ample foot trails for wildlife viewing.

Although George and I paddled along in traditional, hard shell kayaks, there are many lighter weight, inflatable options available. I found a variety of affordable choices (including accessories) here.

If you prefer a canoe, check out these inflatable and affordable choices (including accessories) here.

If you purchase anything through our affiliate links – above, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you – allowing us to continue sharing content like this for your education and enjoyment. Thank you!

Have you been to Resthaven or the Blue Hole? What did you enjoy most about your visit? Please comment about your experience here.

Discover more about the Resthaven Wildlife Area: https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/resthaven-wildlife-area

Here’s a map showing the complete Resthaven Wildlife Area: https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/wildlife-area-maps/resthaven.pdf

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See more photos and videos highlighting what is great about CLEveland and Northeast Ohio on our HOTonCLE website: http://HOTonCLE.com

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Back in 1978, when I was a photography student at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, I caught wind of an adventure brewing in Brockway, PA – a town about 10 miles from my hometown of Du Bois, PA.

Four men were planning a journey from Brockway, Pennsylvania to New Orleans via the mighty Mississippi River in their own hand-crafted kayaks. Kayakers Bill Giovanelli, Chuck Dollard, Ron Morrison and Paul Camuso grew a following of hundreds of people during their three-month adventure, years before “social media” even existed!

I photographed the completion of their watercraft on March 25, 1978 and then their departure at Toby Creek in Brockway on April 30th. I caught up with them when they arrived at the Oakmont Country Club on the Allegheny River on May 7th. Unfortunately, I did not have the funds to travel to New Orleans to see them complete their journey.

Below, are a few photos that I captured of the early days of their adventure.

Putting on the final touches to their hand-crafted kayaks on March 25, 1978, are Brockway, PA area residents Bill Giovanelli, Chuck Dollard, Ron Morrison and Paul Camuso. On April 30th, they would begin their adventure at Toby Creek in Brockway to New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. (Photo: Mark Madere of SpectraLight Photography – https://SpectraLight.com/)

Were you there the day these kayakers left Brockway? What adventure have you dreamed of taking? Did you follow through? Please share your thoughts here!

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However, a cool and affordable software program I discovered has changed all that! It can take ANY drab photo and make it a work of art.

What is so amazing about the software is that once you load a photo into the program – you can make dramatic changes to it with a couple simple clicks! Yeah, I was skeptical about that until I tried it. Two of the three photos in this story were instantly created with this software. The original, black-and-white photo was taken in Wakeman, Ohio in Lorain County.

Happy creating!

NOTE: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, you'll help support this blog at no cost to you – allowing me to continue sharing information like this for your education and enjoyment. Win/Win! Thanks!

Please subscribe to our YouTube channel and then click the bell icon to get instant notifications when we upload a new video: www.SpectraLight.com/YouTubeSubscribe

See more photos and videos highlighting what is great about CLEveland and Northeast Ohio on our HOTonCLE website: www.HOTonCLE.com

Please subscribe to our HOTonCLE YouTube channel and then click the bell icon to get instant notifications when we upload a new video: www.HOTonCLE.com/YouTubeSubscribe

See the gear and software we use to create our videos and photos: www.SpectraLight.com/Gear

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