The dance of the aurora borealis

The night started out ordinary. Ordinary for Iceland, that is.
In reality, I was in a remote hostel in the northern part of the country, winding down from a long day of hiking, driving and sightseeing, by relaxing by body and soul in an open-air hot tub, socializing and waiting for the skies to darken.

It was at that moment that I started to see the faint glow in the nearly cloudless sky. At first, I could not believe my own eyes, before the realization that I was witnessing an auroral display. And as fast as my hands and legs could carry, I was out, drying myself up and getting my gear ready for capturing the display.

And it was quite a show. The dance of the auroras that night was so hypnotizing that neither the freezing winds, nor the numbness in my hands and feet, or the tiredness from the day's activities could deter me. While the initial display was primarily in green, the later ones showed bands of purple and blue. This was one such later exposure, capturing the majesty of the dance of the auroras.

Saeberg
Iceland

Happy Centennial Birthday

Happy 100th Birthday National Park Service. Thank you so much for providing such amazing opportunities to connect with nature and for preserving the wild beauty of this vast country in your many forms and facets.

I still remember my very first National Park visit - a camping trip undertaken in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. I remember gathering firewood, lighting a warm campfire and discussing stories, and spending a night with the stars as my roof. It was also my very first foray into the activity of hiking, and served as an inspiration to take up photography in order to capture the epic beauty of the National Parks

As a commemoration, here is a wild primeval scene from the nation's first National Park, Yellowstone. Gushing geysers, steaming nozzles and aquamarine thermal pools all play host to a dynamic and active sunset scene at Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone.

I have visited many, but I have many more to go, and I am looking forward to visiting each and every one of the 59 parks.

Yellowstone National Park
WY USA

Framing a tree

The nooks and crannies of Bryce Canyon National Park are a veritable treasure trove of photographic delight, with trails winding their way along steep red sandstone walls and strange hoodoo formations. There, amidst the layered geological formations and a dry clime, one can find intricate natural structures of memorable beauty.

It was many years ago when I set first foot on the trails on a cold spring morning. Every turn on the trail brought about new surprises and new compositions to photograph. As the sun rose higher, the red color of the rocks started to stand out against the deep blue sky.

One such trail took me through a tunnel directly leading to a gnarly tree striking out on the dry and poor soil. Nevertheless, the outlet of the cave framed the tree and its contrasting background perfectly, as this image shows.

Bryce Canyon National Park
UT USA

Bird's Eye Cologne

Moving on from the cityscape of San Francisco to the cityscape of Cologne, two cities that couldn't be anymore different from each other. While San Francisco is known for a modern cosmopolitan atmosphere set within the beautiful geographic confines of the Pacific Ocean, Cologne is a city steeped in culture and history, with a structure rivaling the Golden Gate in popularity.

I had a chance to visit this place earlier this year, and its characteristic vista with the Dome and the Hohenzollern Bridge set the stage for a cold but beautiful day of touring the city's intricate alleys, exploring the old-town magic, and savoring its multi-cultural cuisine. As evening approached, I headed up the Köln Triangle that rises straight up across the river from this memorable scene. It wasn't until late in the evening that the Dome actually lit up, leaving me waiting for a arduously long time in that freezing weather. Nevertheless, the wait was worth the reward of this scene

Cologne
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

 

The City by the Bay

There are many reasons why the City by the Bay (San Francisco) is as popular as it is. Perhaps it is the location, at the confluence of rolling landscape and the calm oceans, or perhaps it is the beautiful architecture and cityscape that makes it quite distinct from any other city, or maybe it is the jobs, industry, and people, which make it a dynamic and thriving destination to live, visit, or explore.

Whatever it may be, there is no doubt that the city by the bay is a stunning city, especially when viewed from outside. As I was hiking in the Marin headlands north of the city on a rather smoggy winter day, I turned around and this beautiful blue silhouette came into view, highlighting the distinct skyline, the many rolling hills, the beautiful Bay bridge in the background, and a smattering of ships making their way to the Port of Oakland.

These are the views that enamor me to come back to the city by the Bay.

Marin Headlands
CA USA

On the Alsace wine route

My very first acquaintance with the Alsace Wine Route was when I watched an obscure episode of Rick Steve's Europe a long while back. I had shelved that memory since I had never imagined I would ever go here. And when I got an opportunity to visit this area this year, I went back and re-watched the entire episode and figuring out the best way to check out this amazing area.

Armed with a car and a few choice recommendations of the villages to visit, I made my way on the windy country roads, making my way from village to picturesque village along the aptly named Rute des Vins, the Wine Route, of Alsace.

It was everything I had expected, and even more. Imagine the beauty of Napa Valley combined with the charm of the rustic and well-preserved French villages, all tapestried over a rich history dating back to the 16th century.

And while the villages themselves thronged with crowds rivaling Disneyland, as soon as one stepped out of them, the crowds seemed to disappear, leaving you to enjoy the view in peace and solace, as intended.

Riquewihr
Alsace France

Capturing the spotlight

Sometimes capturing the spotlight is just about capturing the attention of everybody. But at other times, capturing the spotlight means literally that - capturing the spotlight created by point light sources.

As I was wandering through the maze of tufa towers at Mono Lake in California, I noticed that at one location, the crevice was sufficiently small to reduce the sun to a point source of light. With the correct positioning of the camera, I was able to get that spot of light to create a starburst effect, which, with the right exposure, enabled this image of the tufa towers glowing the warm morning light.

The tufa towers at Mono lake are a very enigmatic, yet sad, fixture. While learning about the creation of these tall limestone towers over hundreds of years takes one by surprise, to see these towers trampled over and abused by visitors not paying heed to the signs, is quite troubling indeed. I wish visitors to this unique environment are aware that they are in a very special place and have a little bit of conscience to preserve this beautiful locale for posterity.

Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
CA USA

Albuquerque Balloon Festival

"Raaaaaaawr"
"Raaaaaaaaaawr"
The clock monster with its crooked face devastated the fiesta park, stomping on unsuspecting tourists and odd-shaped rival balloons. It left a trail of destruction that only a tornado could match.
It was unstoppable.
And it was heading towards me.

These were the thoughts and stories springing in my head as I watched this crazy clock-shaped balloon inflate up and sway in the mild morning breeze blowing through the fiesta park. Thankfully, those thoughts didn't materialize and those calamitous events didn't come to pass. Nevertheless, it was hilarious to watch the enormous congregation of balloons of various shapes, sizes and colors taking shape on the grounds of the Balloon Fiesta.

The crowds can attest to how popular this event is!

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Park
NM USA

 

End of the Day

End of the day

At the end of the day, is when you arguably have the best light for photography.
At the end of the day, during the subtle transition from day to night, is when the new colors pop into the scene.
At the end of the day, when dusk turns to twilight, is when a long exposure brings out an ethereal feel to the moving landscapes.
At the end of the day, is when the crowds depart leaving you alone to contemplate the scene at hand.
At the end of the day, is when the loneliness encourages you to introspect life while still feeling the rush of photography.
After all, at the end of the day, a photo is nothing more than a collection of pixels, an aggregation of data, a frozen slice of time. And it is in the hands of the photographer to bring mean to it.

Long after the crowds had disappeared at the Natural Bridges State Beach along the Pacific coast, I made this long exposure that captured the last vestiges of color in the moving sky and the turbulent ocean. The thought of 'one more exposure' kept me going during this cold spell until both the light and my energy levels gave out.

Natural Bridges State Beach
CA USA

Photography - a constant for life

One of the constant tenets that I have observed in my life is change. Every day brings about new possibilities and opportunities, and along with it, new twists and turns. I have realized that perhaps one of the best ways to deal with life-changing changes is to have a constant - an object, person, place, or activity that one can cling on to. And the purpose of that constant is not to escape away from the harsh reality, but to provide an anchor point that you can trust.

For me, that constant has been photography for the sake of photography. It has imparted in me a great drive to continue exploring and discovering places, to seek out new challenges and opportunities, as well as an inspiration for curiosity

When I was processing a set of images from a Pacific sunset, it reminded me of where I had come from and what all I had experienced since that moment. Despite those changes, it is that passion for photography that has kept me in awe of this planet.

Now for the story behind the photo.

The year of 2014 heralded a lot of changes in my life. And while many began their year with a bad hangover, I instead chose to chase the clouds and a winter sunset along the beautiful Pacific coast near Santa Cruz in California. Normally getting to this location involves a scramble on mossy slippery rocks, but the low tide prior to the sunset ensured a rather easy climb up onto the ledge overlooking the misty swirls of the Pacific.

With a few minutes left for the sky to colorize, I started to visualize what the the best composition would be. Finally I ended up on this wedge of rock with a narrow channel to the left and waited around for the right wave to come crashing through the rocks. A few choice exposures later, I landed with a keeper, thanks to a graduated ND filter that kept the sky in check.

That finger of rock on the upper left is a prominent fixture in many of the Santa Cruz photographer's collection. And for good reason - the location has some amazing photographic opportunities that I would love to come back and explore.

Hole in the Wall Beach
CA USA