The Paths We Follow

If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads...

- Anatole France

For me, nothing excites me more than packing on a backpack and camera gear, and taking my first step on a path that leads into the mountains. Around every corner is a new surprise, a new sensation, and a new vista. And in the mountains of the French Alps, every turn brought about a new scenery, whether it be snow-capped peaks trailing into the horizon, the bountiful growth of colorful wildflowers or the sound of the cheerful cowbells of the local herd.

And on glorious mountain days like this, I cared not where the path took me, but where I currently was.

Tour du Mont Blanc
Europe


Granite Wonderland

I had stumbled upon this esoteric wilderness destination while sightseeing on Google Maps: a land of glistening blue lakes wrapped by granite monoliths in the least populated states of the country. I had docked the thought in my mind, and never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I'd actually get to visit this unspoilt backpacking destination.

It happened in the summer of 2015, as I was scouting for locations that did not require an advanced permit to visit, and realized that this backcountry was one of those destinations. But getting there wasn't going to be easy: a flight to Salt Lake City followed by a 5hr drive to a frontier town that was a last outpost of civilization, and a 15mi hike to the heart of the wilderness area in conditions that were nothing short of miserable.

But once the skies cleared and the sun shown, the vastness of the landscape oozed with an inescapable and indescribable beauty like no other.

I hope to return back to this remote backcountry area just to explore it's nooks and crannies once again.

Bridger Teton National Forest
WY USA

The Wild West

Soaring spires rising from a desolate rocky landscape interspersed by dusty road threading the undulating red rocks. This was the scenery that I found myself immersed in a sojourn in the desert southwest. Coming from the greenery of the Pacific Northwest, the stark red terrain felt as alien as the landscape on the moon. And as the glaring desert light started to fade, the hues tempered to the deeper shades of red and finally black, leaving behind inky dark silhouettes against a pastel shaded sky.

And this cycle reversed again in the morning: the light from the rising sun slipped through the fingers of earth and filtered through the clouds, creating fleeting visions of shadow and light on the monumental landscape around.

All this in one 24 hour cycle. The photographer in me wonders what an entire year would bring.

Desert Southwest
UT / AZ

Broken Earth

Going through my archives, I came across a series of images from Yellowstone showcasing the kaleidoscopic colors of a volcanically active area. But mere images cannot convey the steam-engine like hiss venting from fumaroles, the bubbling sounds of geysers, and the splashing sounds of scalding waters, nor can they bring out the pungent sulphurous scent of a broken earth. The raw power of Yellowstone brought all my senses to a halt. But it refreshed me like no other National Park did.

Yellowstone National Park
WY USA

Resting Places

We hardly think of where we go when we die. And even if we build elaborate structures to allow our mortal remains to decay, we will never get to experience it. And yet, all around the world, humans have built grand mausoleums, cemeteries and burial grounds to allow the dead to pass on to afterlife. Whether it be the mighty Pyramids of Gizeh, elaborately decorated structures of Recoleta and Pere Lachaise, or the grand mausoleums like Taj Mahal, they all strive to glorify their silent inhabitants to an exalted status.

Dating back to the 12th century, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, belongs to this exclusive club of grand final resting places. Walking through metropolis replete with mausoleums and ritual buildings was a walk back in time. I made my way through sunlit passageways lined by pain-stakingly-restored blue shrines with exquisite architecture, admiring the intricate decorations and opulent tombstones.

I hope I get to see similar treasures around the world.

Shah-i-Zinda
Samarkand Uzbekistan

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Last of 2019

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As the last light sets in some parts of the planet, there are others celebrating the turn of the decade. And it has been a tumultuous decade with rapid changes in economy, politics, science, technology and art. Parts of the planet which were previously politically and economically unstable are now new frontiers to explore, while others have turned the opposite way. Travel and exploration, which used to be an fulfilling activity of discovering new places, immersing in new cultures, and getting inspired by new art, have now transformed to a social-media fueled hunt for the next glamorizing place to broadcast to the world.

The broadening of the mind and the sense of respect that used to be the essence of travel, has now been thrown to the wayside, replaced by a fleeting five-second window of the predictive highlights of a location. Perhaps it is time to slow down, and travel for the sake of travel. Will the new decade bring a reversal of these trends. I would hope so, but I fear not.

My 2 cents as the decade winds to a close

Haleakala National Park
HI USA

A Vessel of Art

The concrete jungle of Manhattan seems a world away from the lush rainforests of the Pacific Northwest to the concrete jungle of Manhattan was a sea of change. Towering mountainscapes with volcanic peaks and snow-capped summits were replaced by steel and glass skylines, mist-shrouded trees by towering concrete edifices lining narrow avenues and boulevards, and the peace and solace one can find along the tiny creeks and placid lakes by the chaos of an urban life teeming with the vibrancy of human energy.

And yet, there is beauty to appreciate here too, in the graceful spires of the Oculus or in the staircases to nowhere in the Vessel. I arrived here just in time for sunset, but couldn't stay long enough to capture twilight setting over the city that never sleeps.

New York City
NY

A gentle reminder that my 2020 calendars are up for sale at http://www.lulu.com/shop/sathish-jothikumar/2020-photography-calendar/calendar/product-24355024.html. Order now to receive by the New Year

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For Nature

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One of the many things that photography teaches me is a sense of love and respect for nature. And I strive to avail myself of the opportunities that allow me indulge in this love, as well as my passion for photography. This has taken me to diverse parts of the country, and explore the inner pockets of the Pacific Northwest. And wherever I go, I adhere to low-impact hiking by following Leave No Trace principles, and try to leave the place cleaner than when I arrived.

But one can only do so much. And that is why I believe in the work the various non-profit organizations around the country perform to preserve the present for the future. Join me in supporting the National Park Foundation and WildAid, two such non-profits whose missions I care about deeply.

Purchase my 2020 Photography Calendar here: http://www.lulu.com/shop/sathish-jothikumar/2020-photography-calendar/calendar/product-24355024.html. Order now to receive by the New Year.

All proceeds go to the National Park Foundation and WildAid.

Seattle

WA

Wildflowers of California

After the winter rains, the spring blossoms arrive like clockwork, covering the vast California plains with a colorful tapestry of yellows, oranges, blues, and whites. Against the backdrop of the rolling green hills, this nature's kaleidoscope of colors is a sight to behold.

Over time, such tracts of unprotected plains are few and far in-between, and these delicate plants are fickle-minded, requiring just the right amount of rain and sun at the right time. And I am hoping that this is one such year where nature puts on a unrivaled spectacle.

Central California

An Ode to the National Parks

“This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere;
the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising.
Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn and gloaming,
on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.”

- John Muir

It has been over 7 years since I visited this magnificent temple to the mountains, and every time I see this grand vista, I am forever reminded of the courageous spirits that worked hard to preserve this monument.

And so, on this day, I extend my thanks to the people whose tireless work created not just the National Park system, but also inculcated a sense of conservation in our society.

Yosemite National Park
CA USA