Landscapes

Horses of Kyrgyzstan

High in the Tienshan lies several beautiful grassy meadows that serve as the summer pastures for the majestic Kyrgyz horses. Life in this terrain yields one of the most hardiest breed of horses, walking on treacherous terrain with an unparalleled ease. But the one thing they lack in this high terrain is salt.

While in Arslanbob, I hitched a ride with a local herder who maintained his stock in the high alpine meadows. Crammed into SUV with 8 other folks wasn't a pleasant experience, but I was grateful for his hospitality as it saved a precious few hours of hiking. Upon reaching his pastures, the herder opened up bags of salt and spread it around. And all it took was a whistle to attract a few dozen horses galloping in from all over the valley to eat salt. To see the majestic equine beasts thundering about the thin mountain air was like nothing else.

Arslanbob

Jalal-abad Region, Kyrgyzstan

The calm before the storm

I stood on the shores of Lake Sherburne watching the awakening of Many glacier in Glacier National Park. A gentle morning light fell on the rugged Rockies lighting up the numerous glacier carved valleys. The still waters of Lake Sherburne reflected this tranquility while the delightful sounds of passerine birds enveloped the shoreline. I can still remember the pleasant scent of morning pine carried over by the calm breeze.

It lasted but for a fleeting few minutes. No sooner had I finished capturing this beautiful scene than I heard the loud clap of distant thunder. And within moments, the morning light was replaced by a raging thunderstorm. I had barely gotten back to my car when the clouds broke, and the calmness was broken by rain like I had never seen before.

With each passing year, my memories of this trip to Glacier National park over 10 years ago slowly fade away, but looking at photos of that day instantly transports me back to that wonderful sunrise, and leaves behind a yearning to go back once again to recreate this wonderful memory.

Glacier National Park

MT USA

Cratered Lake

"Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn..."

Looking back, I am glad my curiosity for what's around the corner peaked at the right time: when I had both the income to travel and when my passion for photography grew. The travel has given me a rich treasure trove of memories and experiences that, accumulated over time, I value more than income I have earned.

Waking up that early morning a few years ago on that tiny village perched over the lip of Laguna Quilotoa proved to be a fortunate choice: I was able to witness a truly amazing spectacle in Ecuador: a glistening blue lake amidst the rugged Andean terrain forming the volcanic spine of the country. This, along with the day-long hike around the lake, is one such experience I will never forget.

Laguna Quilotoa

Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador

Sunstars on the Bay

Summers in northern California are dominated bluebird skies with not a speck of white, a balmy sun and glistening waters. The is why the Bay Area has such a sunny disposition. But the occasional winter storm does roll in, and when it does, it peppers the sky with beautiful clouds that, at sunset, is the canvas over which nature paints vibrant yellows, oranges and reds.

This was one such sunset a few years ago at the Alviso Marina in the southern part of the Bay.

Alviso Marina County Park

CA USA

The High Atlas

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that had made all the difference"

The spring of 2017 found me driving on one of the most remote roads in the heart of Morocco. That lonely highway crossed the high Atlas that formed the spine of Morocco. It cut through spectacular montane terrain, deep river canyons and antiquated mud-brick villages. Every new turn in the road brought about more unforgettable imagery.

This was one such amazing scene that awaited me on that memorable journey.

Tislite

Morocco

Seeking Light

There are times when light lines up. And when that happens in the mountains, it can lead to an explosion of color like nothing else. And as a photographer, you have to be at the right place at the right time to capture nature's showtime.

I was fortunate to be at the right place to capture this one. The summer days in the Canadian Rockies, during the week I spent exploring the nooks and crannies of the montane terrain, were 16 hour long days filled with vibrant moments like these inbetween long periods of cloudy weather. But these vivid interludes more than made up for the exhausting week in the beautiful Rockies.

Saskatchewan Crossing

AB Canada

White and Black

I stumbled through the soft snow to the frosty riverbank of the Merced river. The cold waters meandered glacially, it's still surface reflecting the winter landscape of Yosemite valley. Skeletons of trees hugged the icy shores, frostbitten remnants of a lush green summer. Tall dark conifers punctuated the landscape beyond, stalwarts of the polar temperatures. A moody grey sky completed the mood, with a thick mist dropping down to the treeline lending a mysterious aura.

This was one of my winter sojourns many winters ago in Yosemite National Park. It saddens me that such a beautiful treasure has to stay closed due to the shutdown. My thoughts go to the Park employees and Rangers.

Yosemite National Park

CA USA

Remarkable Queenstown

The Remarkables is a remarkable set of mountain ranges that dominate the mountane terrain of Queenstown. And one of the best places to appreciate this vista is from atop the Skyline Gondola. An endless blue sky punctuated with clouds drawn by a paintbrush reflects on the glistening waters of Lake Wakatipu. Rising up from it's long coastline are the Remarkables on one side, and towering mountain peaks on the other. This is the amazing setting for Queenstown, an unforgettable adventure destination.

Queenstown

Otago, New Zealand

High above Thailand

The trail wound it's way along a sun-dappled slope, weaving in and out of trees, with vast vistas of a hilly landscape beyond. Passing through the highest point of Thailand, the trail was in the domain of a montane cloudforest, with fast-moving clouds rising up from the steamy lowlands below and condensing on the cool and crisp slopes of the Shan Hills in the northern corner of the country.

Walking along this trail, with a spectacular scenery to give company, was a great way to end 2018.

Doi Inthanon

Thailand

In Memory of National Parks

One of the country's best kept treasures are it's amazing systems of 60 National Parks. I have spent countless sunrises and sunsets exploring nooks and crannies of many of the parks, and every one of them has managed to surprise me, not just in their natural beauty, but in the people who have worked to preserve this for posterity. It takes incredible foresight and effort to manage the many competing goals of such a system, and that has constantly left me in awe of this challenge.

And now, the unneeded shutdown, instigated by the theatrics of a clown, has thrown a wrench in a delicately balanced environment. While federal employees all over the country do suffer, it pains me to see the what the park system is going through to continue it's mission. Full props to the brave people who have worked tirelessly to this effort. And if you are a fan of the National Parks, I urge you to do your part: volunteer your time or money to the various Park foundations that assist the National Park System.

When my hands are finally healed, I hope to lend my hand to heal the National parks as well. I feel it is a moral obligation to return the favor for all the joyous moments I have experienced in the amazing National Park System. You can help too: purchase my 2019 calendar, and all proceeds will be split between the National Park Foundation and WildAid

Seattle

WA USA