There is something unique about the urban life in many of the Western European cities. The activity and urban life I witnessed during my few brief jaunts to different cities left me longing for such a similar hub of activity. And I wondered what it was that created that feeling.
I realized that it really centered around exploring the old-towns in the country, replete with timber-frame housing dating back centuries, listening alternately to the harsh clanging of church bells and the melodious sounds of the choir, the vibrant street-music and colorful shops, and sipping on refreshing tipples in biergartens and wineries.
While not every place I visited had the entire gamut of experiences, most did. And Colmar, pictured here, came pretty close. And I was often torn between being a photographer documenting the scene, and enjoying the moment.
Colmar
Alsace, France
Of Distant Lands
The very first time I had seen photos of the Köln cathedral and the Hohenzollern bridge, I knew that I would want to see it in person. It took me a long time to get there, but the vision of the scene kept me focused.
This is true not only of photography, but other aspects of life as well. As long as the vision is concrete, and the path is clear, the objective can be achieved. The one thing to keep in mind is one has to enjoy the journey, or process, of getting there.
I truly enjoyed the contrast in culture and scenery I had experienced in my journey through Germany. For my young mind, it truly felt like I was in a land very distant from home.
Köln
North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany
Last Light
Climbing high above the clouds puts one in a special place, a place where your only concern is survival. It seems like a place removed from the realities of everyday life and humdrum work, of politics and power struggles, and of the pressures of time and place. Out here, you can sit and admire the slow changes in the sky as the sun sets, and of the blue mountain ranges giving way to the twinkling lights of cities far in the horizon.
Eventually, the cold takes over, forcing you to settle in for the long night, but not before capturing one last look.
Mount Adams Wilderness
WA USA
Blue and Yellow Tribute
Weekday photography means dashing to the fav spots to seek out the twilight sky.
Seattle
WA USA
Colors to Remember
There was not much holding me back from heading back to the comfort of my parked car that evening.
I was freezing on that beach and the best of the light had already left the skies. I was looking forward to a warm meal on that winter evening, but my gut instinct kept me back. Thankfully my instinct proved right, and the burn lasted for a long time
Olympic National Park
WA USA
Twilight Dreams
A few winters ago, I explored the Pacific coast of Olympic National Park on a rare sunny weekend. One of those days a colorful sunset which did its best to not betray the freezing gusts of wind hounding the coast.
Olympic National Park
WA USA
Lights of the holidays
Wish you all a very merry holiday season.
Don't forget to buy my 2022 calendar benefiting the Sierra Club Foundation.
Key West
FL USA
A National Parks Journey - Haleakala National Park
My primary reasoning to choose Maui over the other islands of Hawaii for a winter trip to the tropical islands was Haleakala National Park. It was November of 2019 and I hadn't visited a single new National Park in that year. Covid was barely in the news at that time, and travel concerns seemed far on the horizon. Thus, when we were choosing the islands, we ended up settling on Maui. Due to the throngs that visit Hawaii during the month of December, our Last minute planning meant that we couldn't stay the hotels we desired. However, I was willing to sacrifice all that for a chance to stay within the crater of the National Park.
We snagged the walk-up permits by being first in line at the Park HQ - thankfully very few others had ideas of backpacking while in Hawaii. Hiking into the core of a volcanic crater and viewing the desolate moonscape of volcanic ash mingled with dry vegetation made for a memorable backpack. The icing on the cake was waking up in the middle of the night to watch the star-studded night sky that denizens of the main towns of Maui would hardly be able to experience. This alone makes the National Park a worthwhile visit for any traveler to Maui.
This particular scene is a silhouette of the various tourists posing against the setting sun at the rim of Haleakala.
Haleakala National Park
HI USA
Beyond Sunset
I almost didn't get this shot.
It was getting dark and cold at the summit of the peak near Mt Baker. My shoes, having been soaked in slushy snow for the better part of the evening, was starting to freeze over. And I didn't relish the thought of walking down on snowy trails in pitch black.
But last light of twilight wasn't done yet. As a dark blue hue enveloped the sky from the eastern horizon, the western sky transitioned from bright yellow to a deep orange the likes of which I had never seen before. And against this backdrop, the unmistakable cone of Mt Baker rose up framed by a gradation of colors. And I knew I had to stop and get this.
Mt Baker Wilderness
WA USA
Urban Jungle
The heart-throb of a vibrant urban jungle, which I tried to capture here, seems a far cry from the shutdown induced isolation. The bustling streets of Toronto, pulsing like arteries and veins, moving people and commerce all over the rectangular grid of the cityscape I visited a few years ago, seems a distant memory, representing a moment I may never get to revisit.
Toronto
Ontario Canada