Light and Dark

The clouds lapped above me, carried by the cool yet constant breeze sweeping over the valleys and mountaintops. With the clouds came the dynamic interplay of shadow and light, constantly changing over the canvas that was the rugged landscape all around - dozens of canyons, hundreds of peaks, and an endless moving panorama of breathtaking alpine scenery.

I could spend an eternity at top of this rifugio, but I had to move on to the next amazing destination in the heart of the Italian Dolomites

Cortina d'Ampezzo

Italy

Last Rays

“Hark, now hear the sailors cry,
Smell the sea, and feel the sky,
Let your soul & spirit fly, into the mystic."

A wave swooshed over the rock in front of me, erasing the thousands of footsteps that ambled along that warm sandy beach along the Pacific shoreline of Las Penitas in Nicaragua. The last rays of the sun cast a deep orange glow in the sky, signally the end to a wonderful week of traveling around the beautiful country.

When I look back at this photo, I can still hear the sound of crashing water from every wave, and the sweet smell of salty air with every breeze.

Las Penitas
Nicaragua

A Figment of Color

With a winter armageddon bearing down on Seattle, where a few inches of snow can bring the city to a standstill, it was time to look ahead a couple more months to spring. And nothing heralds the arrival of spring in Seattle more than blossoms of tulips in Skagit Valley.

Last spring, I managed to take an early morning trip to the colorful fields of Skagit Valley where vibrant unopened buds were getting ready to be plucked out. This was one such quiet scene from a gem of the Pacific Northwest.

Skagit Valley

WA USA

After the Storm

I was driving through what seemed like the most uncooperative of weather: moody grey skies, thundering rain and freezing winds. And in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, it was a travesty that I couldn't step out even for a mere moment to enjoy the remarkable landscape all around. And with sunset approaching, I was losing hope of getting a good shot.

And then in a few moments, the storm passed by, and I was in driving through the wet aftermath: glistening trees on a sun-drenched landscape under glowing billowing clouds. I found a small turnout where this beautiful creek wound its way through the mountains. It was then I wished I had more time to explore this beautiful part of Spray Lakes Provincial Park.

Hopefully another time.

Spray Lakes Provincial Park

AB Canada

Ice Age Remnants

There was a remarkable change in terrain. Gone were the thick conifers on rocky slopes with gurgling creeks carrying fresh snowmelt. The slippery scree of the glacial moraine was unmistakable, and up the U-shaped valley, I could spot the tail of the Victoria Glacier and the thin icefield it originated from.

Time and climate change had definitely taken its toll at the Valley of the Six Glaciers in the heart of Banff National Park. Where the six glaciers used to converge was now a vast debris field left behind by the glacier as it had retreated. Barren hillslopes sans vegetation were evidence of where the glaciers had originally risen up to.

While it is unfortunate that this glacial terminus won't revert back to its glorious self in my lifetime, I do hope that other glaciers around the world won't reach this same fate.

Banff National Park

AB Cananda

Horses of Kyrgyzstan

High in the Tienshan lies several beautiful grassy meadows that serve as the summer pastures for the majestic Kyrgyz horses. Life in this terrain yields one of the most hardiest breed of horses, walking on treacherous terrain with an unparalleled ease. But the one thing they lack in this high terrain is salt.

While in Arslanbob, I hitched a ride with a local herder who maintained his stock in the high alpine meadows. Crammed into SUV with 8 other folks wasn't a pleasant experience, but I was grateful for his hospitality as it saved a precious few hours of hiking. Upon reaching his pastures, the herder opened up bags of salt and spread it around. And all it took was a whistle to attract a few dozen horses galloping in from all over the valley to eat salt. To see the majestic equine beasts thundering about the thin mountain air was like nothing else.

Arslanbob

Jalal-abad Region, Kyrgyzstan

The calm before the storm

I stood on the shores of Lake Sherburne watching the awakening of Many glacier in Glacier National Park. A gentle morning light fell on the rugged Rockies lighting up the numerous glacier carved valleys. The still waters of Lake Sherburne reflected this tranquility while the delightful sounds of passerine birds enveloped the shoreline. I can still remember the pleasant scent of morning pine carried over by the calm breeze.

It lasted but for a fleeting few minutes. No sooner had I finished capturing this beautiful scene than I heard the loud clap of distant thunder. And within moments, the morning light was replaced by a raging thunderstorm. I had barely gotten back to my car when the clouds broke, and the calmness was broken by rain like I had never seen before.

With each passing year, my memories of this trip to Glacier National park over 10 years ago slowly fade away, but looking at photos of that day instantly transports me back to that wonderful sunrise, and leaves behind a yearning to go back once again to recreate this wonderful memory.

Glacier National Park

MT USA

Cratered Lake

"Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn..."

Looking back, I am glad my curiosity for what's around the corner peaked at the right time: when I had both the income to travel and when my passion for photography grew. The travel has given me a rich treasure trove of memories and experiences that, accumulated over time, I value more than income I have earned.

Waking up that early morning a few years ago on that tiny village perched over the lip of Laguna Quilotoa proved to be a fortunate choice: I was able to witness a truly amazing spectacle in Ecuador: a glistening blue lake amidst the rugged Andean terrain forming the volcanic spine of the country. This, along with the day-long hike around the lake, is one such experience I will never forget.

Laguna Quilotoa

Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador

Sunstars on the Bay

Summers in northern California are dominated bluebird skies with not a speck of white, a balmy sun and glistening waters. The is why the Bay Area has such a sunny disposition. But the occasional winter storm does roll in, and when it does, it peppers the sky with beautiful clouds that, at sunset, is the canvas over which nature paints vibrant yellows, oranges and reds.

This was one such sunset a few years ago at the Alviso Marina in the southern part of the Bay.

Alviso Marina County Park

CA USA

The High Atlas

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that had made all the difference"

The spring of 2017 found me driving on one of the most remote roads in the heart of Morocco. That lonely highway crossed the high Atlas that formed the spine of Morocco. It cut through spectacular montane terrain, deep river canyons and antiquated mud-brick villages. Every new turn in the road brought about more unforgettable imagery.

This was one such amazing scene that awaited me on that memorable journey.

Tislite

Morocco