Posts tagged ‘Travel’

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July 27, 2015

The Celestial Alignment

When life knocks you down, just roll over and enjoy the stars :)

This shot is from a few years back, when I was out at Trillium Lake to enjoy the Perseids Meteor Shower. Being my first night-out shooting, I consider myself lucky to have captured the Perseids. It really did not start out that way. The first half of the night was more of hide and seek, as the meteors were adorning the skies, especially where the camera was not pointed at. I was much worried that the possibilities would only go down, as the moon was coming up.

As the night was wading, the moon was coming up the horizon. But only after I decided to stop chasing the Perseids, did I notice that the moon brought in Venues and Jupiter along, in a lovely celestial alignment. As I zoomed in to capture the night sky along with the Moon, Venue & Jupiter – a Perseids – decided to join the show too. I couldn’t be more glad, when all things came in alignment :)

Perseids Meteor Shower is one of the more consistent meteor showers in the northern sky. Its coming up in a few weeks (Aug 12-14, 2015) and the waxing crescent (3%) would not be hindering the same. Have you planned where you would be enjoying the show from for 2015 ?!

Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 1600 : 19 mm : f5.6 : 15.0 sec

   Trillium Lake
Mt. Hood, Oregon, USA

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July 15, 2015

Rugged Terrain of Mt. St. Helens

The most fertile lands were built by the fires of volcanoes – Andrea Gibson

35 Years later, Mt St Helens is still recovering. It was interesting to read that time of the day (8:32 AM local time) and the season of the event play a lot in its recovery. Many nocturnal animals were already bedded down for the day and so were more likely to have been protected in burrows and to have survived the explosion than their neighbors up and about during the daylight. You just don’t think about that; that’s a chance event – But then nothing else is by chance either :)

Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 100 : 12 mm : f22.0 : 30.0 sec

Buy Print    Mt. St Helens
Mt. St Helens National Volcanic Monument, Washington, USA

Posted in photography, Washinton | 10 Comments »

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May 10, 2015

The Last Kiss

This was from the lovely viewpoint at Sandy, Oregon. I love this spot for its accessibility. Just drive, get out of the car, and you are greeted with this view. Jonsurd Viewpoint is a hidden jem in Sandy, Oregon.

This was a incidental shot. It was all about being prepared when the opportunity presents itself. As  I was awaiting for the blue moon to raise from behind that majestic Mt. Hood, the sun was setting behind us. It was such a lovely scene, the shadows running ahead – first over the trees, then over the Sandy river, then the plains and then over Mt. Hood itself.  For a spilt second, the last rays of the sun, kissed the tip of Mt. Hood – creating this surreal scene !

 

Canon 7D : Tamron 18-270 mm : ISO 100 : 25 mm : f22 : 4.0 sec

Buy Print   The Last Kiss
Sandy, Oregon, USA

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March 29, 2015

Falling Star … Falling Star …!!!

This was from the night, few moons ago, when I was shooting the camelopardalis meteor shower. Clear nights are nice to shoot the milky way. But a little bit if mist, actuates and gives a good nice glow to the stars. I love the Green River Wildlife Area for the night sky watching. It provides ample dirt roads and parking spots where you could set up base ! For this shot I set up the camera and decided to drive around and the set the car, so the head lights could light up the trees :)

It is fun to shoot the milky way. It is even more enjoyable when my family joins in the party. My son (8 yrs) is equally intrigued by the night sky. Along with the shot, just wanted to share something he wrote during one of our trips to catch a glimpse of a meteor shower.

Falling star Falling Star
Sliding down the Sky
I will catch You when I fly.

Falling star Falling Star
You have a Shiny light,
Which makes you very Bright
You go swiftly
– My Dad takes snaps of U quickly.

Falling Star Falling Star
We see U barely,
So come out early
We see U in dark starlit midnight
Hoping to see U tonight. – Pranav :)

Canon 7D : Canon 10-24 mm : ISO 2500 : 10 mm : f3.5 : 30 sec

Camelopardalis Meteor, Green River Wildlife Area
Harmon, Illinois, USA

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January 26, 2015

Magical Sunset by Mount St. Helens

Getting to Mt St Helens by itself is fun. The Highway 504 enroute is just perfect – be it bicycle, motorcycle or a casual car drive. It has some sweeping turns and plenty of turn offs at viewpoints to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Pacific North West. The drive up takes you to the Johnston Ridge Observatory. A little rustic building filled with history and even more adored with a picture perfect view of the Mt. St. Helens.

The volcanic eruption of the 1980 created a huge crater, losing almost 14% of its elevation and resulting in the flattened top. The debris spurred around for ~250 miles, impacting the entire ecosystem. Even today, after decades, one could still witness the ashes on some part of the wilderness trees. Each element around – the landscape, the deteriorating but majestic trees, the mountain, the fissures of lava – each remind us of the power of nature.

The sun actually sets behind you as you enjoy the mountain view. But this particular evening the light was just magical and it was fire across the sky. Given the vicinity to the visitor center and the concrete paved walkway, it lends itself well for night photography, especially if ur worried to hike up in the dark. It is amazing to view the milky way above St. Helens. Additionally the expansive view also opens up possibilities for some creative panoramas too :)

Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 100 : 13 mm : f22.0 : 20 sec 

Buy Print   Sunset by Mt. St. Helens
Mt. St Helens National Volcanic Monument, Washington, USA

Posted in LandScape, photography, USA, Washinton | 2 Comments »

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January 11, 2015

Hail the New Dawn

Cave Point is a little park – off the beaten track with beautiful views of the rock ledges along Lake Michigan. This probably is the most beautiful areas in Door County, WI. The hiking was fabulous and allows to enjoy the thrill of climbing down the rocks to get close to the waves crashing against them. Make sure you wear good shoes as the rocks can be a bit tricky especially if you want to climb down towards the water. The effects of water and wind erosion on these cliffs is very prominent, leading to the creation of carved pools and caves (hence the name).

Witnessing a lovely sunrise from one of these caves, as the high waves and the cold water was splashing across, along with the early morning breeze caressing the face – It was just serene & breathtakingly beautiful.

I strongly believe, what we feel while looking at a photograph is proportional to what the photographer felt when making it :) the idea is that connection transcends the photograph.

Looking forward to witness, capture and share many beautiful sunrises and more in 2015 !!!

Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 100 : 10 mm : f3.5 : 1/350 sec

Buy Print Sunrise @ Cave Point
Door County, Wisconsin, USA

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September 24, 2014

As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning

The perks of shooting out the whole night is that you don’t need to wake up early to catch the sunrise ! After chasing the perseids over the night, it was well worth stopping by at Jonsrud Viewpoint. With a view like this, just a few steps from the parking, this spot never disappoints !

It was quiet cold for a summer morning, the sun was coming up in the horizon and kissing the valley with its golden light. And as if to respond the blanket of fog started rolling, without haste to reveal the Sandy river below. As I walked out that mid summer early morning, this is what I saw !!!

Canon 7D : Tamron 18-270 mm : ISO 100 : 13 mm : f4.5 : 1/750 sec 

Buy Print Jonsrud Viewpoint
Mt. Hood Scenic Byway, Oregon, USA

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August 25, 2014

Cascade Falls – framed

Matthiessen State Park is an Illinois state park located a few miles south of the more famous Starved Rock State Park. The main entrances to both parks are located on Illinois State Route 178. The park is centered around a stream that flows from Matthiessen Lake to the Vermilion River. This smaller park is often overlooked, being in the vicinity of the larger Starved Rock park.

But the Cascade falls is nevertheless pretty scenic. The hike to the falls itself, is interesting as it meanders thru bushes, bridges and couple of streams. Spending the afternoon proved worth while, as I incidentally found this cave, with a lovely framed view of the falls. Look close and you would get to realize the size of the falls :)

Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 100 : 22 mm : f27 : 6 sec

Buy Print   Cascade Waterfalls
North Utica, Illinois, USA

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August 5, 2014

Volcanic Fall Colors

The Volcanic scenic byway – It is one of the strangest places where I have seen some amazing fall colors. The Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway skirts lakes, diverse wetlands, and scenic ranches, all against a stunning backdrop of volcanic landscapes. On second look, it felt like the lava was out flowing again :)

In the making for several thousand years, how do u like the fall colors juxtaposed amidst the rocky volcanic remains ?

Canon 7D : Tamron 18-270 mm : ISO 100 : 130 mm : f5.6 : 1/60 sec 

Buy Print   Fall Colors by Volcanic remains
Enroute to Mt Bachelor, Bend, Oregon, USA

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July 13, 2014

Life is all about the journey …

We all choose different journeys to take in life. The choices we make and the experiences of the journey enriches us. But it is never about the  destination, it never has been.

Are you trying to convince yourself that life will be better after you complete some thing … or that doing xyz will make you happy or give you a purpose ? Stop worrying, Start living – Happiness is in the now … in this moment … doing what you are doing without worrying !

Encourage others on their journey, and cherish yours. How are you enjoying your current journey !

The journey is what brings us happiness, not the destination. – Dan Milman

Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 200 : 22 mm : f4.5 : 1/30 sec 

Buy Print Countryside Sunset
Enroute Green Riven, Illinois, USA

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June 15, 2014

Kennecott Copper Mine

This shot is from my archives, from back in 2008, a massive view of the Kennecott Copper mine from near salt lake city, utah.

Following a massive April 2013, landslide that resulted in about 165 million tons of rock plummeting to the bottom of the Mine, this no longer looks the same.  Here is how it looks after the land slides – Detailed Google Maps current view. Photos from when the slide actually happened – courtesy of KSL News.

Luckily no one was injured, accounting to the continuous monitoring that has been set in place for this 107 year old mine.  The mine is estimated to produces 25 percent of the copper used in the United States – and they recognized signs of increasing instability in the months before the slide, closing and removing a visitor center on the south edge of the 2.8-mile-wide, 3,182-foot-deep open pit. It is amazing to see how technology and continuous monitoring helped avoid a major mishap, but also resulted is so much of data that helped study the landslides later.

This is probably one of the world’s largest man-made excavation.

Bingham Copper Mine
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Posted in Photoblog, photography, photos | 6 Comments »

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May 24, 2014

209P/LINEAR’s handshake with earth – Camelopardalis

As you would have read from the news, the new meteor shower – Camelopardalis – was expected to adorn the skies during the early morning of 5.24.2014. When I heard about this meteor shower, I was pretty excited. Time of the event being a weekend – check. Location – northern continental US – favorable. Clear skies – check. May be the stars just aligned for this :)

Camelopardalis – I was wondering about the name, as it has been as long as the giraffe’s neck, when I came across this !

The giraffe’s species name, camelopardalis (camelopard), is derived from its early Roman name where it was thought of as a composite creature, described as having characteristics of both a camel and a leopard.

 

The forecasted peak time for the meteor shower was from 1 –3 AM CST. It was not as much as hyped (~200 / hr ?), but the night was still clear and Milky way was magnificent. Around 4 AM, took out my flash light and started playing to get a star war style crisscross with the milky way. Just then the celestial gods decided to bless – look – a shooting start in the same direction my camera was positioned, as if to slice the Milky way.This was not one of the shooting star i saw in person. I was busy walking up & down and playing with the flash light. But I will definitely settle for this shot instead :)

Lesson to self : Never given up, just go out and do what you like, you never know when the stars will align :)

Note: Are you just getting started with night photography ? Do check out this article !

Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 2500 : 10 mm : f3.5 : 30 sec

Buy Print Camelopardalis Meteor (05.24.2014) Green River Wildlife Area
Harmon, Illinois, USA

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May 18, 2014

Rockefeller Chapel @ UOC

The Rockefeller Chapel was designed and erected to be the center and dominant feature of the University of Chicago. Located in the University of Chicago, this beautiful building has become an integral part of the campus.

Rockefeller Chapel is an incredible place and don’t let the term "chapel" fool you.  It’s huge and simply magnificent, with one of the largest if not the largest pipe organs in the state of IL. During sunset the light shines through the stain glass and lit up the interior. As the sun goes down the exterior too, is equivalently beautiful. It is definitely worth checking out in full screen.

Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 100 : 10 mm : f3.5 : 30 sec 

Buy Print   Rockefeller Chapel
Chicago, Illinois, USA

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February 2, 2014

Fall Colors Reflections @ Santiam Hwy

All that you see, is a reflections of you !

It always pays to take the road less travelled.

This is from N Santiam Hwy. The route from Stayton to Bend thru Detroit was just ablaze with fall colors. Parked off the highway and wandered into the misty morning without destination. Luckily came across an unmaintained trail path that led me down to this view !!! Some beautiful fall colors, a blanket of mist, some drizzles and an occasional sunshine – it definitely turned out to be a memorable drive.

Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 100 : 21 mm : f19 : 3 sec 

Buy Print   Willamette National Forest, N Santiam Hwy
Detroit, Oregon, USA

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December 5, 2013

Even her goodbyes are ever so beautiful …

During this past ID4, after lot of planning zeroed down to shooting the fireworks at St Louis arch. It definitely did not disappoint. But as the head would have it, when driving 5 hours with the available long weekend, I was also looking to see what else could be packed up into the trip. Though it was a state (MO) I was visiting for the first time – not many places were appealing due to the dry weather. I did like the Cathedral and the Missouri Botanical Garden – but was longing for some landscape to get a chance to capture the summer sun.

The plan was fluid as the weather was kind of bleak, with overcast skies. Late Sunday afternoon after a good lunch – the potential forecast looked better – if we were to head 2 hours down south. But that also meant driving for 7 hours to reach back home, if we headed for that sunset. After a short debate decided to hit it straight to the Garden of Gods @ Shawnee National Forest. We reached the trail, just in time – and as if to take some pity on us for the long drive – the clouds parted to create this beautiful view. It lasted for – may be less than 10 minutes – but was well worth it :)

Even her goodbyes are ever so beautiful …
Is it because – she would be back again tomorrow ?!?!?!

Canon 7D : Canon 10-22 mm : ISO 100 : 10 mm : f22 : 3 sec

Buy Print   Garden of Gods, Shawnee National Forest
Herod, Illinois, USA

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November 17, 2013

I am Unique

I am Unique, just like everyone else !

The fall is gone and the winter has begun. The leaves are gone and the snow is around. This shot is from the beginning of the fall, when the colors were just beginning to adorn the pacific northwest landscape. The floating fog made for one memorable experience. Goodbye fall – it was fun times – driving around, enjoying the colors brought by u ! Thank U !

Canon 7D : Tamron 18-270 mm : ISO 100 : 155 mm : f38 : 2 sec

Buy Print   Willamette National Forest, N Santiam Hwy
Detroit, Oregon, USA

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October 24, 2013

Autumn Waterfall from Cottonwood Canyon

A whiff of crisp and cool breeze, water cascading down the rocks, lovely fall colors – now that is a scene that would rejuvenate any mood. Something I definitely needed now :) Ultimately, fall is about the inevitability of change. The beautiful colors of the season is a reminder to embrace change.

This is from couple of years back, when I used to shoot with Canon Powershot S2 IS. It was and still is – a lovely camera :) It was a lovely drive up the Cottonwood canyon near Salt lake city.

Canon S2 IS :  ISO 200 : 18 mm : f5.6 : 0.3 sec

Buy Print   Unnamed Cascade @ Little Cottonwood Canyon
Sandy, Utah, USA

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October 9, 2013

Capture the Color

I missed the last year Capture the Color Contest just by a day. Luckily this year I got to know abt the same just in time to make the submission. Capture the Color is a content by Travel Supermarket involving submission to 5 categories – Yellow, Blue, White, Green & Red. The theme is open to interpretation and is judged by folks whose work I follow and admire ! It definitely was not an easy task to go over the archives and identify shots for this challenge. Learning abt the contest in the last week did not help either :)

Will stop my rambling and let you enjoy the shots. Check this if you would like to preview the entries from others for the Contest.

Yellow

Little Explorers at Latourell Falls

Latourell Falls in the Columbia Gorge is one of my favorite falls. It has a beauty of its own – be it rain or shine. This particular day – along with the rain, the spray from the falls was so much that I could not even get my camera out.  Having the falls to myself, I decided to let the camera rest and enjoy the serenity of the scene. Just then these two little guys came in – well equipped – to explore the falls. There was no stopping them be it the rain or the spray from the falls. This is not predominantly yellow. I still wanted to go with this shot, as the yellow in the shot – the little explorers – is what that make this click. For me all elements from the terrain to the water to the rocks – all lead to those little guys :)

Blue

Twilight Colors at Sunset

It was one of the strongest & vivid sunset that I had witnessed.

Twilight – the time of day between light and darkness, whether that’s just after sunset or just before sunrise – is one of the best times to enjoy nature’s splashing of colors. The sun’s rays from below the horizon are scattered by atmosphere and clouds to create the colors of twilight. This twilight shot is from a sunset, just after the afternoon thunderstorms. These are rare – since they have the potential to burst into a million shades or just blend out flat into the horizon. This particular day I was lucky :)

White

Peace, Pride and Beauty

Peacock is known for its beauty ; The color of white is generally soothing, spiritual and has a special beauty of its own. A peacock in white – it was not easy to capture this shot as it was all pure white, but watching the angel dance was definitely a moment of joy !

Green

Meanwhile at a Trail in Oregon

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in tune once more.

This shot is from the Mirror lake trail at Mt Hood. As we were heading up the setting sun decided to accompany us. Any hike in pacific northwest is so peaceful, so serene and so close to nature. U can’t go wrong, just get out and enjoy nature.

Red

Just Around the Corner

Sweet Ride. Some of the trips are amazing, because of the destination. Some because of the company you have. Some because of the car you drive. But many a times we don’t realize that the enroute journey itself, is quiet fulfilling and sometime much more than the destination. This is from one more of my impulse drives, around the pacific northwest. And it did not disappoint ! What are you waiting for, get a break… take ur car, just drive :)

And now for the Nominations

As part of the Contest, I also get to nominate 5 of my friends who have amazing portfolio themselves ! Sorry folks, being the last day , not sure if you would make it to the submission. I still would go ahead and take the opportunity to share ur awesome work with my readers here :)

Josh Kulla : An amazing photographer from PNW. Lovely captures from waterfalls to lush greens to the Coast. Interacted with him a lot, a down to earth person, looking forward to shooting with him some time.

Gary Randall : If you had been following my work, you already know abt Gary or that I a big fan of his work. Mt Hood is his backyard. But don’t let that think he is confined to PNW. He has some amazing collection – be it the Utah deserts or the Eifel tower or the lava of Hawaii :)

Michael : Is from Florida focusing more on high dynamic range photography. Some of his favorite subjects to photograph are architectural objects, nature, and classic and antique cars.

Nandini :  Day to day shots from Himalayas to Hyderabad. She has a knack of writing, along with the shots – capturing and conveying the daily feelings in small nuggets !

Ram :  I presume he carries the camera to locations where he get to work, like me ! Check out his work for some lovely shots from Singapore. Am looking forward to his London shots as he recently moved out there :)

P.S : Cut off Date for Submission : Oct 9, 2013 ; Just so to be clear – you do not need to be nominated to participate in the competition. Check out this link for Contest details. Hope you enjoyed my collection for this year. Looking forward to travelling more, together :)

Posted in Contest, photography, photos | 12 Comments »

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October 4, 2013

Butterfly Flutter by

What the caterpillar knows as the end
The rest of the world knows as a butterfly – Lao Tzu

Shooting tip : Shallow depth of field or creamy bokeh can be achieved by shooting at real low apertures (eg. 1.4 , 1.8). But if you do not have such a fast lens, shooting with a long zoom and positioning the subject appropriately can help achieve the same effect, like in this shot :)

Canon 7D : Tamron  18-270 mm : ISO 100 : 270 mm : f6.7 : 1/10 sec

Buy Print   TigerWing Butterfly
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

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September 29, 2013

Colors of Autumn

autumn colors, bushes on fire
a light drizzle, the fog rolling in
and the photographer goes – click !

Canon 7D : Tamron  18-270 mm : ISO 100 : 18 mm : f22 : 8 sec

Buy Print West Cascades Scenic Byway
Estacada, OR, USA

Posted in Photoblog, photography | 4 Comments »

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