Neist Point Sunset

Neist Point is one of the most picturesque lighthouses in Scotland. It is located on the northwest coast of the Isle of Skye and is a well-earned reward for those willing to make their way out to the remote stretch of shoreline.

In addition to the walking path to the lighthouse, there are several paths in the area that take you up the surrounding bluffs. Great views are possible in all directions. This was my favorite spot, overlooking the entire peninsula and the lighthouse at the tip.

I was fortunate this evening, as the steady rain that had plagued my four-day visit was just beginning to clear. It was still raining on the eastern side of the island, but the western side had a beautiful view of the sunset. It was delightful to finally see a colorful sky as the sun descended to my right.

This image is a blend of two exposures. I intended to solely use one long 140-second exposure for the image to produce a soft sky and smooth water. However, the sheep on the hillside moved just enough in 140 seconds to turn into blurry white blobs. As a result, I also blended in a normal (sheep speed) exposure for the land.

Waterfall of the Gods

I consider Goðafoss to be one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland (or anywhere for that matter). It was the first large waterfall I visited on my initial trip to Iceland back in 2014 and I remember simply being awed in its presence. Watching/hearing/feeling the water flow into the 330-foot (100-meter) wide, horseshoe-shaped canyon from a height of 40-feet (12-meters) was breathtaking. I stayed there for hours, admiring it from both sides...it was my 2nd day in Iceland and I was already hooked.

I have since visited Iceland in 2015 & 2017 and each time I have returned to Goðafoss. Unfortunately, the weather was not the best during my first 2 visits to Goðafoss…not enough to hinder the experience, but enough to preclude me from capturing a good photo. My 3rd visit, however, was a charm and the sunset in June lasted well into the morning hours. 

There is also a legend attached to this waterfall (as with most waterfalls in Iceland). When Iceland officially adopted Christianity in the year 1000, rumor has it that Thorgeir, a pagan chieftain & priest, denounced his beliefs by throwing wooden carvings of pagan gods into the falls. From that point forward, it was known as the waterfall of the gods…Goðafoss. 
 

Silhouetted Skyline

Most tourists in Bagan spend their days visiting the largest temples…walking around the impressive structures and exploring the insides of those open to the public. As amazing as it is to experience these temples up close, it pales in comparison to finding a spot where you can look out over the entire valley and appreciate the sheer number of them. If you happen to get a colorful sky at sunset or sunrise, the experience can be magical. 

It was hazy and cloudless on our first day in Bagan. Given the conditions, I did not expect a colorful sunset. I was completely wrong…

We were facing the sun, and the light was harsh. Surprisingly, we started to see a glow developing in the haze in the distance...not high in the sky, but below the sun and just above the ground. I planned on a wide angle photo of the valley, but I quickly grabbed my longest telephoto lens to zoom in on the silhouetted skyline. The light was intense, but dropping the exposure setting to -2 protected the highlights and still left some of the detail in the foreground. The glow lasted for about 10 minutes until the sun fell behind the mountain in the distance. 

This is the first photo I took in Bagan and I ended up taking several hundred more as the light softened. I encourage you to also check out a previous post, Peaceful Paya, to see how the warm golden glow was replaced with cooler pink hues high in the sky on the same evening.

Even without clouds, I found this sunset to be spectacular. Perhaps we were just lucky, but since watching the sunset is heavily promoted as a must-do when visiting, I suspect sunsets frequently surprise in Bagan.

Peaceful Paya

Visting Bagan, Myanmar in December 2017 was an incredible experience. The plains near the ancient city are filled with over 2,200 Buddhist monuments (pagodas, stupas, monasteries, etc) of varying shapes and sizes.

Between the 9th & 13th centuries, Bagan was the flourishing capital of the Pagan Kingdom and over 10,000 monuments were built here. Sadly, after repeated Mongol invasions and numerous earthquakes, only a fraction of the monuments survived. Still, with over 2,000 remaining, a view across the plains is a mesmerizing sight.

This was taken on our first night in Bagan. We arrived only an hour before sunset and did not have time to venture out into the plains. Fortunately, there was this beautiful small pagoda (Paya, in Burmese) very close to our hotel. From this spot, you could see numerous temples in the background and it turned out to be a great place to watch the sunset. As the sun disappeared behind the mountain in the distance, the sky softened and the lights around the pagoda illuminated. A perfect, peaceful first night in Bagan.

Take me to Church

In late June/early July, I had the pleasure of returning to Iceland and exploring many new places that I had not visited before. However, there were several spots where I could not pass up the opportunity to return for a second or third time. This mountain, Kirkjufell, and its nearby waterfalls had a profound impact on me the first time I went to Iceland. Kirkjufell, translated from Icelandic means Church Mountain and I was excited to go back to Church!

At this time of year, the sun does not set until after midnight and rises again before 3 am. It is a strange feeling to be walking around Iceland at 2 am in light that is bright enough to read a book. While the lack of darkness plays tricks with your mind, the sunsets and sunrises last almost an hour instead of just minutes. This was fantastic as I was able to move around and capture several compositions during the same sunset! 

Kirkjufell and its waterfalls are one of the most popular destinations in West Iceland and, as expected, I arrived to find a crowd of tourists and photographers swarming all over the waterfalls. It was 10pm though, still 2 hours before sunset, so I expected the crowds to disperse as time passed. I noticed the sky had some real potential and some golden hues were already starting to show. I joined the crowd for a short time, but soon found myself wandering further away from the main waterfalls, looking for something different. When I found this small pool of water reflecting the sky and the mountain top, I settled in and waited for my first sunset after midnight. 

I did not have to wait very long. Around 11pm, the golden hues were replaced with red, pink and magenta as the various layers of Icelandic clouds captured the light in different ways. A heavenly show above Church Mountain. 

Shortly after taking this I made my way back to the waterfalls for other compositions. I will share those images with you in future posts. The crowds disappeared after midnight and so did the color in the sky. However, light remained and I had the falls and the mountain to myself, so I stayed…enjoying the  peacefulness of being alone in this place, alone at Kirkjufell.  

Red Rock Sunset

Sedona was just one of many places that amazed me during my trip to Arizona and Utah. The red rock formations here dominate the landscape in every direction. Some are more impressive than others, but all are beautiful.

Perhaps the most famous of these formations is Cathedral Rock (on the right side of the photo). It was my first stop after arriving in Sedona and I spent hours wandering around the trails and parks on its Western side. As sunset approached, I was in a position where Courthouse Butte was also visible, several miles in the distance and to the left of Cathedral Rock. Sedona is famous for its colorful sunsets, so I decided to wait here and hope for some great light. Needless to say, this sunset did not disappoint.  

I always enjoy the experience of seeing the sun disappear below the horizon. In Sedona, however, the main performance is in the opposite direction...watching the formations transform into vibrant towers. The red rocks come alive with color and even begin to glow as they reflect the warm sunlight.

Unfortunately, the show only lasts for 10-15 minutes and leaves you wanting for more. Fortunately, the rocks regularly reprise their role the following evening.

Ring of Fire

I finally got a chance to catch my breath on my trip through the Southwest U.S. and wanted to share a recent image with you. 

This is Horseshoe Bend near Page, Arizona. It is probably one of the most photographed places in the Southwest United States…and for good reason. This bend in the Colorado River is truly a spectacle to see in person. If you have the nerve, you can walk right up to the edge and peer over the steep cliffs to view the river, 1,000 feet below. 

I came to this spot a few times during my trip. The first couple of times, the weather was poor…so I did not get the image I was hoping for. However, on the third attempt, I was rewarded with one of the most colorful sunsets I have ever experienced. As the sun disappeared, it lit up the clouds with an intense red glow that reflected down to everything below. 

There were probably a hundred or more people near me at this lookout point. Numerous audible “oohs” and “aahs” were heard as everyone watched this unfold. It seemed that every time I thought I had seen the best part of the sunset, it actually got better!

I took hundreds of photos…some before the color started, some with the signature “sun flare” as the sun descended below the land in the distance, and many more as the clouds caught fire. I hope to share some of those other images in future posts. 

Unfortunately, the show had to end, but wow, what a performance!

Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Chedi Luang is a Buddhist temple in the historic center of Chiang Mai, Thailand. It was built in the late 14th century and was originally around 90 meters (295 feet) high before it was partly destroyed in an earthquake in 1545. Even in its damaged state, it remained the tallest structure in Chiang Mai for over 500 years. 

The chedi was restored by Unesco and the Japanese government in the 1990s, however, the restorers stopped short of finishing the spire, as apparently nobody could agree what the original design looked like. The result is this somewhat awkward shaped spire that I find very interesting.

From this angle, you can just make out the black jade Buddha sitting in the upper niche. It is a copy of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok and was placed here in 1995 to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the chedi.

I visited this temple in the late afternoon and waited until several spotlights illuminated the chedi in the early evening. During this time, with the golden lights and the darkening sky, I think the temple looks even more majestic. Fortunately the sky also cooperated with some great color as the sun disappeared.