Luke Dow Photography

Name: Luke Dow Photography
Address: Lake George, NY, US
Telephone: +15189328433

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Lake George, NY
Luke Dow Photography

I specialize in landscape photography in the Lake George, Adirondack regions, and anywhere else my t

I am a landscape photographer who also dabbles in commercial photography. My cross country travels have taken me to all the corners of the United States including:

-Lake George And the High Peaks Regions in the Adirondack Mountains

-Vermont and New England

-Oregon and Washington

-Montana

-Utah

-Colorado

-Hawaii

-Louisiana

-Northern Arizona

-California and the Lake Tahoe/Nevada Area

To v

iew my photos that I took in these locations check out my various galleries on my website. I dont have all of my photos in these galleries, so if you would like to see the rest of my collection or order a custom print or request a more specific job, then please feel free to contact me!

06/05/2026

Today Im going to share this panorama of Basin Bay that I snapped on Wednesday.
I had a meeting in Bolton that day and I couldnt help myself, the lake was so calm and still and the sun was perfect. Days like this you can really look down into the lake and see all sorts of stuff that you cant see during the summer when boat traffic is so incredible that the lake is just a giant wave pool.

Also in this photo you can see Cotton Point, Fish Point, Dome Island and Huddle Bay in the distance, along with Buck Mtn (2,330') and the other mountains along the east shore and to the north.

Now according to the AI overview on Google when I typed in Cotton Point name origin it says that it got it's name from the harvest of Cottonwood Trees on the point. Im not too sure how true this is since I could not find the page it is sourced from.
So if anyone knows the name origin then I would love to hear it!

Basin Bay's name seems pretty obvious to me!
Now that said, this is real, nearly 80% of properties in the Basin Bay area are on private septic systems.
Lake George is facing increasing algae growth from warming temperatures and increased nutrients entering the water from lawns or improperly treated wastewater from aging, failing or inadequately designed septic systems. This is threatening human health with organic matter, bacterial and viral pathogens, and feeding algae growth with excess nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, that can potentially lead to harmful algal blooms (HABs).

I know that the LGPC is inspecting septic systems, but please be retroactive if you can and if you’re a septic system owner then please ensure your septic system is operating properly and not leaking into the lake!

Hope that everyone has themselves a fantastic weekend!

Basin Bay on Lake George
Near Bolton, NY.

June 3, 2026

06/04/2026

Today Im going to share a shot of a spot that Ive been wanting to visit for years...
Jabe Pond!
In the distance you can see Friends Point, Anthonys Nose, and Lake George!

Sitting at an elevation 1,314' in the mountains, Jabe Pond is an almost 1 mile long, 141 acre, and 66' deep pond that sits in the mountains right above Silver Bay.
This pond is a famous fishery in Warren County where people come to fish the clear AA water for some large brook trout.

The origin by this name was figured out by Mike Prescott in his 2023 Adirondack Explorer. He found a decade before the American Revolution Samuel Adams (not the beer one) applied for and received a land grant of 500 acres on the shores of Lake George from the British Crown.
Now Sam Adams had a cousin, Samuel Patchin, who served as a Captain in the Revolutionary War. Patchin purchased the property from Sam and built a larger, log house on the site of the former Adams house for travelers, and continued operating the boarding house as Adams had done before him.

After the purchase of the property (in 1783) Sam Patchin had a son, Jabez Patchin.
According to Mike, Jabez was far more interested in hunting, fishing, and farming than running a boarding house. He made his way to a nearby mountain pond and established a small farm. Jabez eventually came down from his mountain farm and took over his father's property, built a cabin (that would later become the Silver Bay Association), then married and raised 10 children here. Jabez eventually passed away in 1847 or 1848.

So it seems that this pond was named after Jabez, even though the z was dropped.
You can also see the remains of an old chimney on one of the islands, which could possibly be the remains of a small cabin that was built by Jabez or one of his children.

I can wait to return to this pond and fish it some day!

Jabe Pond
Near Silver Bay, NY.

June 1, 2026.

06/03/2026

Alright y'all, so Im facing another quick post so I can make a few meetings this morning!

Here is a shot I took a couple of days ago of the rocks near the Snug Harbor Marina at the very north end of Lake George.
You can see the one channel on the left side of these rocks, this is the only channel for boats to move in and out of and it is JUST wide enough to squeeze a boat through.

But before the dam went up at the north end, this was where the lake ended and the La Chute river began!
You can see how far the lake has extended itself from this point to further north!

Well I have to run!
Happy Hump Day everyone!

Lake George
Near Ticonderoga, NY.

June 1, 2026.

06/02/2026

I have to run to a golf tournament this morning, so I will keep this brief.
1st world problems, am I right?!
lol

But here is a panorama that I shot yesterday of the very north tip of Lake George with the La Chute River and the town of Ticonderoga in the distance.

Now I didnt get this idea myself, I saw a similar shot that was taken by Adirondack Drone back on April 10 and I thought it was a really great shot and I wanted to capture something similar myself, but with my own flare on it of course!

I love studying great photos taken by either historical or current photographers. I love seeing what their eye captures and how they structure their photos and where they capture their shots. Doing this allows me to progress my photography skills and hopefully take better photos!

If you are not a fan of Adirondack Drone, I would absolutely recommend checking them out!

Well I gotta get changed, so have a great day everyone!

Northern end of Lake George
Ticonderoga, NY.

June 1, 2026

06/01/2026

Im heading back to Diamond Island on Lake George to kick this week off with the sun setting behind the hills to the west of Diamond Island.

Some of these hills back here are over 1,500' tall, but there isnt a hill/mountain named on the west shore between Lake George Village and Bolton that can be seen from the lake. Well there is one, Dixon Hill (1,518'), but it isnt even the largest mountain/hill in this stretch!
That is 10 miles with only 1 named hill that can be seen from the lake.
Kinda crazy if you ask me!

I looked up what it would take to name a mountain and honestly? I kinda see why lol.
To officially name a mountain, you must submit a formal proposal to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. This months-long process requires proving a compelling need for the name, such as standardizing local usage or improving safety.

Along with this you need to abide by some strict guidelines:
1. No living namesakes: A person must be deceased for at least 5 years before a mountain can be named after them.
2. Demonstrated connection: The proposed namesake must have a direct, long-term association with the feature or make significant civic contributions.
3. Local consensus: The BGN heavily relies on input from local residents, tribal authorities, county governments, and state naming boards.
4. Historical significance: Descriptive, traditional, and indigenous names are often preferred over creating new commemorative names.

Now there are some funny names of mountains in America. There is a Bloody Dick Peak in Montana, Rotten Bananas Butte in AZ, Poopout Hill in CA, Whiskey Dick Mtn in WA, and Grand Teton in WY (Google translate that!).
I dont think that any of those satisfy those BGN requirements, so lets bring that same creativity here!
I want one of these to be named Fraggle Rock!

Anyone else have any funny names for these peaks?

Diamond Island on Lake George
Near Diamond Point, NY.

May 17, 2026.
Would be nice if they relaxed the rules a bit in more rural areas!
A mountain named Fragle Rock

05/29/2026

To end this week, Im going to share this shot that I took in 2023 of the French Quarter, with the St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square in the bottom left corner.

The French claimed Louisiana in the 1690s and Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville was appointed Director General in charge of developing a colony in the territory. He then founded New Orleans on the high ground of a natural river bend, a site historically utilized as an indigenous trading post by the Chitimacha and Choctaw people in 1718.
In 1721, the royal engineer Adrien de Pauger designed the city's laid out the city's original 66-block military-style grid. The central square, originally called Place d'Armes, is known today as Jackson Square. Pauger named the streets after French royal houses and Catholic saints, and paid homage to France's ruling family, the House of Bourbon, with the naming of Bourbon Street.

New Orleans was ceded to the Spanish in 1763 following the Seven Years' War. The Great New Orleans Fire of 1788 and another in 1794 destroyed 80% of the city's buildings, and so nearly all the French Quarter dates from the late 1790s.

France won back the Louisiana Territory back from France and after several delays, the official transfer of ownership took place at the square in New Orleans on 30 November 1803, but France didnt own this land for long. Three weeks later, on December 20, another ceremony was held at the same location in which France transferred New Orleans and the 530 million acres of the Louisiana Territory to the United States in Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of America.

This square was officially named Jackson Square following the 1815 Battle of New Orleans where the General Andrew Jackson defeated the British during the war of 1812.
Funny enough this battle was fought after the War of 1812 had already ended! The Treaty of Ghent was signed in Belgium on December 24, 1814. However, because of slow, trans-Atlantic communication, General Andrew Jackson and the British forces had no idea the treaty existed when they fought on January 8, 1815!

French Quarter
New Orleans, LA.

Nov. 11, 2023.

05/28/2026

Here is another shot of that sunset that we saw last Friday before the rains came in last weekend.
You can see the sandbar out in front of English Brook while looking north up the lake.

In the photo you can also see the shoreline at the very bottom left of the photo, this is roughly where the old shoreline used to be, at least according to an 1896 topographical map. That is roughly 230' that the shoreline has extended itself after 1896.

English Brook sandbar is one of the largest sandbars on Lake George, it extends 300' from the shoreline into the lake. The Indian Brook sandbar, in Northwest Bay, extends almost 700'!

It's tough to know for certain what caused the growth in the sandbar over the past 130 years, but most reasons point to human development, clearing land for houses and roads and disturbing the foliage and fauna that have held the dirt in place with their roots.
I know that my father would talk about how the sand bar there was super charged when the interstate was built.

Have a great day everyone!

English Brook Sand bar on Lake George
Lake George Village, NY.

May 22, 2026.

05/27/2026

Well I need to catch up with my old photos, so here is a shot I took in 2023 of the Natchez taking her first cruise in years after the fire broke out in the engine room.
But this is the Natchez, while looking at the skyline of downtown New Orleans.

The Natchez is one of the few remaining steamships on the Mississippi River and she has been an icon of the city ever since she was built in 1975. She is actually the 9th ship to be called Natchez to sail on the river.

The name Natchez comes from the name of the Natchez People, who were the Native Americans that lived on the banks of the lower Mississippi River, with their 'capital' being around St. Catherines Creek, and a little east of the present city of Natchez, MS. Archeologists believe that they have lived on these bluffs since 700 CE (AD). They are noted for their hierarchical communities, building complex earthworks and platform mound architecture, and intensively cultivating maize. The Natchez are also noted for having had an unusual social system of nobility classes and exogamous marriage practices. It was a strongly matrilineal kinship society, with descent reckoned along female lines.

The name Natchez appears first in the narratives of La Salle's descent of the Mississippi in 1682. Relations between the French and Natchez were at first hostile, but peace was soon made and in 1699.
This peace was tumultuous at best, several wars broke out during this "peace". But in 1731, after several wars with the French, the Natchez were defeated and most of the captured survivors were sold into slavery. Others took refuge with other tribes like the Chickasaw, Muscogee, and Cherokee. Today, most Natchez descendants are found in Oklahoma, where Natchez members are enrolled in the federally recognized Cherokee Nation and Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

Steamboat Natchez on the Mississippi River
New Orleans, Louisiana.

November 9, 2023

05/26/2026

Friday night was the last gasp of decent weather we had before the rains came in and filled the whole weekend with rain and clouds.
But on Friday we were given one last little beautiful glimpse before the clouds really rolled in, this red sunset!
Here is a shot of the Saint as she returns from her dinner cruise on Friday night.

This was certainly one of the times where the "red sky at night" saying does not hold truth! lol
This is probably because the storm came up from the south, so the clouds at the northern end of the storm was hanging over us while not hanging over the land west of us, so the cut was able to cut under it and we get these last gasps of red sunset light before the storm hits!

The keel of the Saint Sacrement was laid in June of 1979. Each subsequent summer, a small crew of men worked in framing and plating the hull. A bow-thruster tunnel and unit was installed in the bow section, as were propulsion shafting, rudders and propellers in the stern section. Her hull was launched in September of 1987 and towed by the Mohican to the Steel Pier in Lake George Village for installation of her engines, completion of her superstructure and general outfitting.

On June 15 1989, following speeches and the blessing of the vessel by Bishop Raymond Kalisz, Rebecca America Dow swung a bottle of champagne against the ship’s capstan head and christened her the Lac du Saint Sacrement. The 190 foot long Lac du Saint Sacrement is the largest cruise ship on the inland waters of New York State. She offers two-hour sightseeing, lunch, brunch, and dinner cruises. Entertainment and narration are both included aboard the Saint Sacrement's meal cruises.

Lake George
New York
5/22/2026

05/25/2026

Today for Memorial Day I will share this shot of the American flag flying high and proud above the paddle wheel on the Minne Ha Ha, this was one of my dad's favorite shots I took because it combines the two things he loved, steamships and America.

Memorial Day is meant for Americans to mourn and honor the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. At 3:00 p.m. we are encouraged to pause for a minute of silence to reflect and honor those who gave their lives for the country and our freedoms.

Memorial Day was originally called "Decoration Day" to commemorate Civil War soldiers. The first observance was held on May 1, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina, when freed enslaved people gathered to honor fallen Union troops by singing patriotic songs, strewing flowers, and giving them a proper burial.
After this happened on May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, who was the leader of the Grand Army of the Republic (an organization of Union veterans), heard about the freed slaves doing this and thought it was a great idea, so he proclaimed May 30 as Decoration Day. This date was chosen because springtime flowers would be in bloom across the country and folks could decorate graves with them and on May 30, 1868, the first large scale observance at Arlington National Cemetery was held to honor both Union and Confederate soldiers who were buried there.
After World War I, the holiday expanded from honoring only Civil War casualties to remembering all American military personnel who died in any war.
The name "Memorial Day" became more common after World War II, but was not officially adopted as the federal name by Congress until 1967, but it wouldnt be until 1968 when Congress would pass a law moving the observance of Memorial Day from the traditional May 30 to the last Monday in May to create a three-day weekend for federal workers. This change officially went into effect in 1971.

So in observance of this holiday, I give my thanks to all of those brave souls who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country and my freedoms.

I know the American Experiment seems to be in jeopardy these days and people are divided on decisions made by our country ever since the Vietnam War (and especially the last decade or so), but we can all come together and honor those who have the courage to take the oath and join our armed forces and then those who then fall in the line of duty. Let us put away our differences and give these people the remembrance and honor they deserve.

Address

Lake George, NY

Telephone

+15189328433

Website

http://www.lukedowphotography.com/

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