Not many have heard of a place called Seceda. However, the moment one looks at this photo of this jagged peaks, they can immediately recognize this iconic formation. I was fortunately to arrive and witness this amazing scene just in the nick of time. The valley was socked in clouds until the late afternoon, and it wasn't until 3pm did the fog descend revealing this amazing landscape.
Alpine Meadows
The Italian Dolomit hold a special place in my heart. Its combination of rugged mountain landscape comprised of jagged peaks arising in subgroups without a pattern, interspersed by beautiful alpine meadows with cows still ringing about, and cute Tyrolean villages villages linked by scenic byways make it a haven for the hiker in me seeking better creature comforts.
And this scene from the Seceda area of the Dolomiti highlights the amazing landscape of the UNESCO World Heritage site. And this is one of the 13 photos featured in my 2023 calendar available to purchase at this link.
Val Gardena
South Tirol, Italy
2023 Photography Calendar
My 2023 landscape and nature photography calendar is now available for sale through Lulu
This calendar showcases a wide variety of landscapes from the frozen slopes of the Arctic and the Pacific Northwest to the sun-drenched cities of Italy. With the pandemic easing, we have been blessed to be able to travel and explore the different corners of the country and the world. And this calendar has captured my favorite memories and experiences.
And remember, this calendar is for a good cause - all proceeds will get donated to Sierra Club Foundation. We are gifted to have such amazing public lands, and having visited 54 National Parks and many more wilderness areas, I have come to realize the vital importance of our public lands system in protecting and preserving nature, culture, wildlife, and landscapes for the future. The Sierra Club Foundation helps secure protections for public lands and waters, promote healthy ecosystems and communities, and fight for clean air and water, and build a diverse, inclusive environmental movement that reflects and represents today’s American public, and prioritizes important connections between environmental health and social justice.
Seattle WA
USA
Alley in Moonlight
Finally, in Ortigia, near the south of Sicily, we wandered through narrow alleys with ornate balconies adorned with tiny gardens. We cut through stately mansions and grand piazzas, and gobble up hot streetfood even if full from our afternoon meals. Such is a slow pace of life that we got to savor in Ortigia, a place we want to return back to sometime in the future.
Here is one such alley shining under the bright moonlight.
Ortigia
Sicily, Italy
Moonrise over the Mediterranean
Moving from the stark peaks of the Dolomiti to the azure blues of the Mediterranean was a jump in landscape, light and lifestyle. Here in Sicily, the pace was slower but richer. Every breath brought in a fresh and different aroma, and every sight was of a new vista of a village hugging a rocky coastline. The town of Taormina settles for the evening under a vibrant sunset and bright moonrise.
Taormina
Sicily, Italy
Dolomiti in Moonlight
A whirlwind of a trip to Italy took me to 3 diverse destinations. But throughout the trip, there was one constant, a bright moon, that proved to be a focal point for various photos I took during the trip. Here in the Dolomiti, the near full moon rose to prominence over the jagged peaks at twilight.
Dolomiti
Alto Adige, Italy
When Out of Officee
A few years ago, I decided to take a break from work and go back to school for a couple of years. And while that was a high loss of opportunity cost (compared to staying at work), I never regretted that decision. Apart from those two years being a life-changing decision, I got quality time to take leisurely trips and enjoy the outdoors, do backpacks in amazing destinations and tick off a few bucket list items.
Driving cross country was one of them. Revving up my Civic through those sinuous mountain roads while enjoying glorious sunsets with vistas of endless peaks was nothing short of sublime. That trip made me realize that there is so much out there to see, and I have but experienced just a fraction of it.
Perhaps one of my most memorable trips was to the heart of Italian Dolomites. I spent a week climbing steep rocky terrain, hiking through incredible landscapes and witnessing incredible sunrises and sunsets from rifugios aptly placed on mountain-tops. And while the days were exhausting, the urge for photography kept me going. The Dolomites are like nothing else.
Looking back at those pictures from mountainous north of Italy, memories come flooding back to me of this amazing trip, replete with the delicious food paired with crisp local wines, friendly company, towns and cities steeped in history and culture, and so much more. It pains that I cannot travel and retrace my steps at these destinations, but I hope that fortunes turn in the future.
But this trip, and the many others I took during a two year break from work, taught me that gathering experiences by immersing yourself at a location, and expanding your worldview is perhaps as important, if not more, than the pedantic knowledge obtained through books and lectures.
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
After the Storm
I was not expecting to see this that day. I was not even expecting to make it out alive .
.
.
It was barely an hour earlier when I left the safety of the rifugio in the French alps under moody skies. The wind was picking up, but nothing to deter from hiking. A couple of far-away lightning strikes signaled an approaching storm. A light drizzle started, that turned to a torrential downpour in a matter of minutes. And the strikes came nearer and more frequent, the accompanying thunder reverberating across the entire valley.
I passed a couple of hikers coming the other way, and they urged me to turn around. I wish I had heeded their advice. For what lay ahead of me was a vast open stretch of trail in rocky terrain with nary a protective zone. And I was in the heart of the storm.
The gale-force winds gripped my tangled poncho, eager to yank away my only barrier to the rain. I held on, fighting the wind and the rain, slowly trudging forward. I had given up all hope of seeing the light after a storm; my only focus was on taking the next step.
And without warning, the clouds parted, the sun shone, and I was treated to dramatic view of the glacier-capped slopes of Mont Blanc.
Courmayeur
Italy
Labor of Love
Sometimes, a long and steep climb can have it's own payoff.
I spied a tall peak nearby as I was resting in the refugio halfway through my Mont Black Circuit. It looked promising, and from a glance at the map, it seemed a hop, skip and a jump away. But was I proved wrong.
After an hour of climbing 1600ft (500m), I finally arrived at a saddle at the base of the peak, which was 1200ft up. I was almost out of breath, and just as I was about to give up and turn back, I looked around, and I knew what I would see up at the summit would be even more stunning than the amazing scenery I was feasting on at this saddle. I started climbing the grassy 40 degree slope in earnest, praying for an easier way down. And slowly but surely, by just focusing on the next step, I made the painstaking climb to the summit.
And there, the reward for this long and arduous climb redeemed all the labor that went into reaching this summit. The shrouded summit of Mt Blanc stood in all its glory, along with the rugged Val Ferret, with hanging glaciers descending down every valley.
Tour du Mont Blanc
Italy