[{"id":1986,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2026\/01\/11\/go-with-the-flow\/","name":"go-with-the-flow","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Calm-Hudson-River.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Go With the Flow","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Jan 11, 2026","dateGMT":"2026-01-11 19:34:17","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 19:34:20","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 19:34:20","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":28},"status":"publish","excerpt":"A forecasted sunrise fizzled, but the Hudson River didn\u2019t. On a low-wind, boatless morning, the river revealed its movement \u2014 smooth, ordered, and brisk. Sometimes the right image comes from stopping the chase and going with the flow."},{"id":1934,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2025\/08\/30\/sunrises-and-serrated-peaks-in-the-sawtooth-wilderness\/","name":"sunrises-and-serrated-peaks-in-the-sawtooth-wilderness","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Sawtooths-1-2-scaled.jpg","alt":"Baron Lake Sunrise"},"title":"Sunrises and Serrated Peaks in the Sawtooth Wilderness","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Aug 30, 2025","dateGMT":"2025-08-30 22:58:54","modifiedDate":"2025-08-30 23:00:45","modifiedDateGMT":"2025-08-30 23:00:45","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":31},"status":"publish","excerpt":"5 days, 40 miles, and breathtaking sunrises in Idaho\u2019s Sawtooth Wilderness - lakes, ridges, and unforgettable moments on and off the beaten path"},{"id":1908,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2024\/12\/29\/the-seals-of-sandy-hook\/","name":"the-seals-of-sandy-hook","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Sandy-Hook-harbor-seals-1-scaled.jpg","alt":"Sandy Hook harbor seals"},"title":"The Seals of Sandy Hook","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Dec 29, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-12-29 03:21:50","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 19:41:46","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 19:41:46","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":2,"sec":21},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Once rare in Sandy Hook Bay, harbor seals have returned. Cleaner water, healthier fish populations, and stronger protections have changed the story. Each fall, seals migrate south from Canada and New England, hauling out along the bay to rest, warm up, and ride out the winter."},{"id":1875,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2024\/12\/24\/painted-buntings-in-jersey-city\/","name":"painted-buntings-in-jersey-city","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Painted-Bunting-1.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Painted Buntings in Jersey City","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Dec 24, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-12-24 18:27:50","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 21:17:22","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 21:17:22","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":38},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Painted buntings are rare visitors to New Jersey, especially in winter. So when a brightly colored male appeared at a backyard feeder near Harsimus Cemetery in downtown Jersey City, birders from across the region took notice. Against an otherwise gray winter backdrop, the bunting brought a flash of color that felt almost unreal."},{"id":1842,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2024\/11\/26\/two-nyc-icons\/","name":"two-nyc-icons","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Statue-of-Liberty-ESB-6-scaled.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Capturing Two NYC Icons in One Shot","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Nov 26, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-11-26 11:17:00","modifiedDate":"2024-11-26 18:39:16","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-11-26 18:39:16","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":14},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Two of New York City's most iconic symbols - the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building - lie 5.1 miles apart - one in Midtown Manhattan and the other in the Upper Newark Bay. So how - and from where - can you capture them in one photo?"},{"id":1786,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2024\/11\/18\/sandhill-cranes\/","name":"sandhill-cranes","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Sandhill-Crane-41-scaled.jpg","alt":"Sandhill cranes fighting"},"title":"Sandhill Cranes in New Jersey","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Nov 18, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-11-18 02:25:01","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 19:47:10","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 19:47:10","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":25},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Sandhill cranes are the most abundant crane species in the world, yet they remain uncommon in New Jersey. As sightings increase, I was fortunate to encounter them in three different locations over just two weeks."},{"id":1739,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2024\/11\/12\/palisades-peregrines\/","name":"palisades-peregrines","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Peregrine-Falcon-2-scaled.jpg","alt":"\"Una,\" the adult female peregrine falcon on the Hudson Palisades"},"title":"The Palisades Peregrines","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Nov 12, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-11-12 20:32:00","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 19:48:02","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 19:48:02","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":57},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Once driven to local extinction in the eastern United States by DDT, peregrine falcons have made a remarkable recovery through bans, captive breeding, and reintroduction efforts. Along the Hudson Palisades, a resident pair lives year-round, offering a rare chance to observe the world\u2019s fastest bird up close."},{"id":1712,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2024\/09\/15\/turnpike-exit-15x-new-jerseys-egretpalooza\/","name":"turnpike-exit-15x-new-jerseys-egretpalooza","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Secaucus-egret-roost-6-scaled.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Turnpike Exit 15X - New Jersey's Egretpalooza","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Sep 15, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-09-15 01:12:25","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 19:50:31","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 19:50:31","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":2,"sec":25},"status":"publish","excerpt":"You wouldn\u2019t expect one of New Jersey\u2019s largest wildlife spectacles to exist between Newark and Manhattan, beside the Turnpike and one of the busiest rail corridors in the country. But just before sunset, hundreds, sometimes nearly a thousand, egrets stream into a small grove of trees around a pond in Secaucus."},{"id":1617,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2024\/08\/30\/five-days-in-titcomb-basin\/","name":"five-days-in-titcomb-basin","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Titcomb-Basin-5-scaled.jpg","alt":"Titcomb Basin sunset reflection"},"title":"Five Days in Titcomb Basin","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Aug 30, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-08-30 18:44:00","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 19:57:01","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 19:57:01","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":6,"sec":49},"status":"publish","excerpt":"A friend and I spent five days backpacking in the Wind River Range in August 2024. Within hours we\u2019d encountered moose, been closely watched by a great gray owl, and taken shelter from hail and high winds. By the time we reached Titcomb Basin and Indian Basin, it was already clear this would be a trip shaped as much by wildlife and weather as by the landscape itself."},{"id":1497,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2024\/04\/28\/not-a-valley-of-death-but-a-valley-of-red-ochre\/","name":"not-a-valley-of-death-but-a-valley-of-red-ochre","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Zabriskie-Point-3-scaled.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Not a Valley of Death, but a Valley of Red Ochre","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Apr 28, 2024","dateGMT":"2024-04-28 01:09:38","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 20:06:18","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 20:06:18","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":5,"sec":48},"status":"publish","excerpt":"As we drove past the boundary of Death Valley National Park, we stopped at the familiar park sign. Beneath the name is a quieter line: \u201cHomeland of the Timbisha Shoshone.\u201d"},{"id":1472,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2023\/12\/30\/between-mama-bear-and-her-cubs\/","name":"between-mama-bear-and-her-cubs","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Bear-cubs-4-scaled.jpg","alt":"Two bear cubs in a tree"},"title":"Between mama bear and her cubs","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Dec 30, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-12-30 19:24:00","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 20:05:17","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 20:05:17","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":8,"sec":49},"status":"publish","excerpt":"We were in dense woods when we saw him: a black bear about 100 feet ahead. I did what you\u2019re supposed to do when you encounter a bear. I reached for my camera."},{"id":1367,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2023\/10\/24\/the-view\/","name":"the-view","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Monument-Valley-Room-With-A-View-1-scaled.jpg","alt":"The view from our balcony"},"title":"A Room with a View","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Oct 24, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-10-24 01:25:56","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 19:54:59","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 19:54:59","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":28},"status":"publish","excerpt":"We spent two nights at The View Hotel in Monument Valley, where every room looks out toward the Mittens and Merrick Butte. From the balcony, the same landscape transformed hour by hour, from darkness to dawn, gold to blue. It was a reminder that in photography, the subject may stay the same, but the light never does."},{"id":1311,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2023\/08\/28\/look-behind-you\/","name":"look-behind-you","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Look-behind-you-sunset-scaled.jpg","alt":"Sunset in the Wind River Range"},"title":"Look behind you","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Aug 28, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-08-28 22:06:15","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 19:53:48","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 19:53:48","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":56},"status":"publish","excerpt":"I often head into a landscape with a clear vision of the image I want to make. When the light is changing, it\u2019s easy to get locked in on capturing that moment. But it\u2019s just as important to stop and look around, and behind you, because you never know what you might be missing."},{"id":1260,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2023\/08\/27\/yellowstone\/","name":"yellowstone","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Yellowstone-11-scaled.jpg","alt":"Grand Prismatic Spring"},"title":"Yellowstone Wildlife & Natural Wonders","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Aug 27, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-08-27 21:37:09","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 20:05:01","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 20:05:01","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":3},"status":"publish","excerpt":"An intact ecosystem with bison, wolves, bears, moose, and more. Hydrothermal features that include nearly half of the world\u2019s active geysers. Geologic wonders like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Any one of these would justify a visit. Yellowstone has them all."},{"id":1188,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2023\/08\/20\/five-days-in-the-winds\/","name":"five-days-in-the-winds","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Wind-River-Range-14-scaled.jpg","alt":"Alpenglow on the back of the Cirque of the Towers behind Shadow Lake"},"title":"Five Days in The Winds","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Aug 20, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-08-20 20:19:50","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 20:04:21","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 20:04:21","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":"<a href='https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/tag\/backpacking\/' rel='post_tag'>backpacking<\/a><a href='https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/tag\/wind-river-range\/' rel='post_tag'>Wind River Range<\/a>"},"readTime":{"min":4,"sec":51},"status":"publish","excerpt":"From August 11\u201315, 2023, my father, a friend, and I spent five days backpacking in Wyoming\u2019s Wind River Range, combining on- and off-trail travel through the iconic Cirque of the Towers and the quieter Desolation Valley."},{"id":1171,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2023\/07\/11\/spearfishing-and-lessons-on-wildlife-photography\/","name":"spearfishing-and-lessons-on-wildlife-photography","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Great-blue-heron-spearfishing.jpg","alt":"Great blue heron spearfishing"},"title":"Spearfishing and Lessons on Wildlife Photography","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Jul 11, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-07-11 11:33:38","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 20:07:10","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 20:07:10","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"open","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":3,"sec":0},"status":"publish","excerpt":"I used to think photos like this were pure luck. Being in the right place at the right time matters, but luck only works if you\u2019ve done everything else to be ready for it."},{"id":1089,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2023\/05\/23\/10-tips-for-hiking-with-kids\/","name":"10-tips-for-hiking-with-kids","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Tripod-Rock-web.jpg","alt":""},"title":"10 Tips for Hiking With Kids","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"May 23, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-05-23 13:49:49","modifiedDate":"2023-05-24 12:38:21","modifiedDateGMT":"2023-05-24 12:38:21","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":5,"sec":32},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Like parenting in general, hiking with kids can be extremely rewarding or frustrating, and it will probably be a bit of both. I partnered with The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey on a piece for NJ Family magazine on hiking with kids."},{"id":1013,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2023\/05\/15\/east-hudson-trails-map\/","name":"east-hudson-trails-map","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Bull-Hill-web.jpg","alt":""},"title":"East Hudson Trails Map","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"May 15, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-05-15 12:50:00","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 20:02:31","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 20:02:31","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":1},"status":"publish","excerpt":"A full-circle moment that brings me great joy: one of my dawn photos of the Hudson River between Storm King and Bull Hill, taken from the Washburn Trail, will be featured on the back cover of the new East Hudson Trails map set."},{"id":1011,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2023\/04\/21\/photographing-antelope-canyon\/","name":"photographing-antelope-canyon","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Upper-Antelope-Canyon-2-web.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Tips for Handheld Photography in Antelope Canyon","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Apr 21, 2023","dateGMT":"2023-04-21 15:05:00","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 20:00:38","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 20:00:38","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":54},"status":"publish","excerpt":"With tripods no longer allowed, Upper Antelope Canyon becomes both a photographer\u2019s dream and nightmare, a dark, crowded slot canyon that has to be tackled handheld and on the move."},{"id":1016,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2022\/10\/01\/two-pictures-two-stories\/","name":"two-pictures-two-stories","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Kilimanjaro-juan-dad.jpeg","alt":""},"title":"Two photos, two stories","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Oct 1, 2022","dateGMT":"2022-10-01 18:17:00","modifiedDate":"2023-05-24 13:30:43","modifiedDateGMT":"2023-05-24 13:30:43","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":32},"status":"publish","excerpt":"One photo is of me and my dad on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. It's a photo of triumph, but it's a deception. The other photo is of me and my dad with the people without whom we certainly wouldn't have made it."},{"id":1001,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2022\/05\/25\/why-im-a-trail-maintainer\/","name":"why-im-a-trail-maintainer","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/NYNJTC-sign-web.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Why I'm a trail maintainer","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"May 25, 2022","dateGMT":"2022-05-25 17:41:00","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 20:00:52","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 20:00:52","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":4,"sec":6},"status":"publish","excerpt":"I didn\u2019t grow up a hiker. Over time, the trail became where I found clarity, creativity, and balance in an overstimulated world. Volunteering as a trail maintainer is my way of giving back to the people whose work made that possible."},{"id":1020,"link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/2021\/09\/19\/hitting-the-hiking-trail-with-booker\/","name":"hitting-the-hiking-trail-with-booker","thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Juan-Booker.jpg","alt":""},"title":"Hitting the (hiking) trail with Sen. Booker","author":{"name":"Juan Melli","link":"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/author\/juanmelli_h1x4ak\/"},"date":"Sep 19, 2021","dateGMT":"2021-09-19 14:24:00","modifiedDate":"2026-01-11 20:01:30","modifiedDateGMT":"2026-01-11 20:01:30","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.juanmelli.com\/category\/all\/\" rel=\"category tag\">News<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":28},"status":"publish","excerpt":"One September weekend, I had the privilege of guiding U.S. Senator Cory Booker on a hike through the Jersey Highlands, alongside NY\u2013NJ Trail Conference Executive Director Joshua Howard, exploring the land and the work that protects it."}]