Hidden in the Mountains

I almost didn't make it here. Between a kerfuffle caused by lack of information about road conditions, and my own planning overzealousness, I was about to make the choice of not hitting this destination. But I changed my mind at the last minute. And after two days of hiking in absolutely serene surroundings in an alpine landscape, I absolutely fell in love with this place that I almost missed going to. This place was Arslanbob, a hidden village nestled in the shadow of snow-capped peaks reaching to 4000m and above.

The magic started right with the drive to Arslanbob. The sight of mountains all around as soon as I left Osh behind calmed my rattled min. The rolling green hills that seemed to stretch endlessly, dotted with a few oak trees and scattered farmsteads, reminded me of the Palouse in USA, except for the backdrop of the snow-capped Pamir range in the distance. And this blissful scenery gave me company all the way through to my destination, and erased away any second thoughts I had about my destination.

One of the biggest lessons I learnt was just to follow your gut instincts while traveling, and make the best of what you are offered. Had I not, I would have missed this beautiful vista where the afternoon sun glinted on the snow-capped peaks rising above the village, while fast-moving clouds created ever-changing lighting conditions on the grassy slopes.

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Arslanbob
Kyrgyzstan

The Wall

The Wall
A physical symbol of a divide between two regions. There exists many famous walls, the Great Wall, the Berlin Wall, the West Bank barrier, and the proposed addition to the border wall along the 1989 mi long border between Mexico and the US. But it was this wall, or lack thereof, deep in the heart of Big Bend National Park, that perhaps took me most by surprise.

The hike into Santa Elena Canyon, formed by the Rio Grande river as it cuts through a sandstone mesa, is a spectacular one. The beautiful narrow slot canyon with towering walls and a cooling breeze was a welcome transformation after hiking through a hot desert.

As I continued inwards, the walls narrowed in, and towards the very end of the trail, I spotted this smoothed piece of rock jutting out onto the river, with the other side mere feet away. The sandstone walls here rose hundreds of feet into the sky, opening up a only a quarter mile away. But right where I was, I could almost jump across onto Mexico.

The other side felt no different than where I was, and yet, the symbolism of this divide was powerful. The juxtaposition of the openness of landscape, and the purported urgency to close border, as conveyed by the leaders and the news media, was stark. I spent quite a bit of time contemplating why the nations are so different, and yet share the same piece of land. But all I could take away from this place was this image of the wall, or lack thereof, that I shot at F9, 1/400s at ISO 1600

Support my work by purchasing my 2018 Calendar. All proceeds get donated to NRDC and WildAid

Big Bend National Park
TX USA

The Greens of the Pacific Northwest

Barely 24hrs prior, I was slogging along an uneven ridge on the High Divide in Olympic National Park, with views of Mt Olympus on one side, and an amalgamation of green valleys and mountain ranges leading to the Pacific on the other side. The hot late summer day and the lack of shade made hauling a 35lb pack all the more excruciating, but the scenery more than made up for it.

But the very next day, I found myself in a green haven, hiking through lush vegetation down one of the valleys along a leafy trail that followed the gurgling sounds of a life-giving creek. Tall conifers shared the canopy with vine maples and broad-leaved oaks while the undergrowth was dense with idyllic ferns and vanilla leaves, with huckleberry shrub loaded with juicy ripe berries spread all over.

A few hours in, the sound of rushing water, far more intense than the gurgle, caught my attention. Following it through the undergrowth, I came across this beautiful cascade where the creek wound its way through a leafy canyon. Barely any light filtered through, leading to a soft and mellow scene. It was a welcome respite from the prior twos of hiking in unbearably hot weather.

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Olympic National Park
WA USA

2018 Calendar

Announcing my 2018 photography calendar filled with landscape and travel imagery to inspire you to travel around the world. You can now purchase it for just $16.99 from Lulu.

From the Pacific coast of the US to the Pacific coast of Asia, this calendar will take you on a journey from mystic Japan, through the rugged mountains and ancient civilizations of Central Asia, the Arabian splendor of Morocco and the diverse landscapes of the US.

And remember, this calendar is for a good cause - all proceeds will get donated to NRDC and WildAid.

When the planet's ecology is facing multiple threats, be it climate change, wildlife exploitation and poaching, pollution, we need a protector, and NRDC works tirelessly to safeguard the place we live. I truly believe in its mission to protect our planet.

Illegal wildlife trade has had a serious impact on the populations of many endangered species. While there are efforts to curb poaching, WildAid believes in attacking the demand side of the equation by persuading consumers and strengthening enforcement. I do hope that they succeed in their mission.

Joie de Vivre

As the days become shorter (at least in the northern hemisphere) and the mercury drops, it is time to sit back with a cup of hot coffee and reminisce the past and plan for the future. While perusing through my archives, I came across this image of a lovely village scene from the Alsace valley, in the beautiful town of Colmar in France.

Europeans have certainly figured out how to savor the festive spirit and relish the communal life. Between markets popping up in cities, towns and villages across the continent, selling anything from beautiful Christmas decorations to lovely handicrafts and delicious warm treats, and those towns decking up with colorful lighting, Europe, in the winter, is a delight to explore. And while urban dwellings across the pond do carry on the tradition, that joie de vivre seems absent, perhaps as a consequence of the long history and sense of community in the older continent.

I experienced part of this during my travels through the Alsace wine route, and especially in Colmar (despite the heavy visitation by tourists). It was a delight to walk along ancient cobblestone streets passing well-preserved colorful timbered houses, a relic of its Germanic rule, that have now been converted to hotels, restaurants and shops. I waited until twilight to capture this typical Colmar scene by the canal at blue hour in a single exposure at F14 for 6s at ISO 400

Colmar
Alsace France

Enthralled by Bamboo

Bamboo shoots as tall as skyscrapers, and not just a dozen or two, but a forest of thousands of towering bamboo all arching upwards and forming a canopy of vibrant green fronds that covered the sky. That was the stage at the beautiful Arashiyama Bamboo forest in the outskirts of Kyoto

I felt like a dwarf walking through this forest, enthralled by the hypnotic greenery. And even though I was never far from civilization, the low light and the ephemeral mist made the thicket far more mysterious and eerie. But the crowds thronging the pathway on that late spring day ensured that I would never be far away from people, which made capturing a shot of the greenery quite challenging

This one was a single image shot at F8, ISO 3200 at 1/8s

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Kyoto Japan

Sunrise of Dreams

Up in the remote mountainous hinterlands of Kyrgyzstan lies an absolutely immense lake at 10000ft, surrounded by beautiful treeless jailoos (summer meadows) that are ringed by glaciated peaks stretching as far as the eye can see. This was Songkul. And every summer, herders bring cattle and horses to this high altitude terrain to let them feed on the fresh grass that grows for miles around, while still homesteading  in a very traditional way - sheepskin-insulated yurts that they set up every spring and pull down in fall.

After a very cold and rainy evening, I got to spend a night in those very same warm yurts, while having no idea what to expect at sunrise. And as the clock struck 5, I got out of the yurt and I was completely blown away by the transformation in scenery. The receding storm was pulling away the last bank of clouds, letting rays of morning sunlight set aglow the rugged snow-capped peaks on the other side of the lake. The clear air and the treeless terrain leave very little to lend perspective to the scene, with peaks rising 2800ft and 10mi away look merely stone's throw away. I spent hours photographing that ever-changing morning, even forgetting my breakfast hunger pangs.  

This rugged isolation was what drew me to this magical place. And it was amply rewarded.

SongKol
Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan

The Red Dragon

I remember this very special tree, with its gnarled trunk twisting and turning like veins on a human body and ending onto thousands of tiny leaves, donning its beautiful fall coat, appearing very many times on my photo-stream. Every time I came across it, I remember making a pledge to visit the place the following year; but those grand plans never came to fruition.

Until now.

The tree was a Japanese maple tree growing with the confines of the Japanese garden in Portland. And like any other maple tree, its takes on a different form in each of the seasons. But its fall coat is undoubtedly its most prettiest form - its leaves turn a deep red, contrasting beautifully with the moss on its trunk and the surrounding vegetation, a vibrant red dragon dancing in a lush green forest. I decided to squeeze in a day trip from Seattle just to capture this dancing beauty.

Naturally, a tree this popular comes with its own paparazzi (myself included). As the sun slowly crested the trees in the horizon on that late morning, I had to squeeze amidst the swarm of photographers, cameras and tripods to line my camera just right to capture the light filtering through the reddish brown fronds that were slightly past its prime, resulting in this image. I shot this at F18 (for the starburst effect), 1/2s and at ISO 200

Portland
OR USA

Memories of Fall

Vistas of endless fall foliage, miles and miles of roads lined with vibrant yellow and reds, and golden sunlight bursting through the fiery leaves - this was the scene that greet my fellow travelers and I as we made our way through the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan exactly a year ago. I was wary of visiting this destination so late in its fall season, but our journey there was duly rewarded.

I came across this quiet spot while heading down a dusty road leading to the shores of Lake Huron. As we drove, the vegetation encroached closer and closer, encompassing the entire scene, until all that remained was a brown road threading through a mass of yellow. I was enthralled by the peaceful setting - vibrant foliage, fresh wilderness, a lonely forest with nobody around, and the calming sounds of the woodland on its last legs before a desolate winter.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
MI USA

Refuge in the mountains

Out in the middle of a green valley in the western Tien Shan mountains lies a stone refuge. At 3200m, this seemingly desolate refuge is miles away from the nearest village, with nothing but tall treeless mountains with grassy slopes all around. The setting is remarkably beautiful, but for what purpose was this built? Why does it have 31 rooms, with many hidden passageways? And why was it so far away from anything? Mysteries abound this stone refuge, the Tash Rabat Caravanserai.

I had heard about this place during my initial research into Kyrgyzstan. My interest was piqued by the fact that it was a caravanserai that was not built along any major caravan route. But being so far off from the main cities, I had put off visiting this attraction. Thankfully, not only did I get an opportunity to visit, I also got to spend a night by one of the yurts next door.

Despite the half-moon, the clear night sky, bereft of any haze thanks to being at 3200m, afforded a great opportunity to capture some star trains. I set up on a nearby hill, and with an entire retinue of herding animals to provide company: galloping horses, barking dogs, and grazing cattle wandered all over, but thankfully never knocked my tripod. 15 exposures and 90 minutes later, I ended up with this star trails image over Tash Rabat

Tash Rabat Caravanserai
Naryn Kyrgyzstan