The Fairy Pools
Earlier this month I had the opportunity to visit the Isle of Skye on the Northwest coast of Scotland. The scenery here is spectacular! Mountains, lakes, waterfalls, seaside cliffs and beautiful valleys are found all over the island. You just have to get a bit lucky with the unpredictable and often changing weather, so that you can enjoy all that there is to experience.
This image is from the Fairy Pools, an amazing series of cascading, crystal clear, blue colored pools that are fed by a stream coming off of the Black Cullin mountains. I was surprised how many separate pools there were...I figured there would be 4 or 5, but there are easily dozens that step their way down the gentle slope. Most of the pools also feature a waterfall and the water is so clear that you can see every pebble and stone under the surface. If you are brave enough, you can swim in the larger pools. I did see a few people strip down to their bathing suits and jump in for a short time, but they climbed out quickly. The water looks appealing, but it is very cold coming down from the mountains.
This shallow pool is one of the furthest upstream. There were hundreds of people hiking that afternoon, but most of them stopped and spent their time at one of the lower pools. As I walked, each pool seemed more appealing than the last…so I kept going until I arrived here...a picturesque spot with the mountains towering directly behind the waterfalls. I had it all to myself for about 30 minutes before some others joined me.
It was such a peaceful place on a beautiful afternoon. I didn't want to leave, but after three straight days of wind and rain, I decided to take advantage of the great weather and check off a few more places that I wanted to explore. It turns out that leaving was a good choice as I photographed a beautiful sunset that evening at Niest Point. I am looking forward to sharing that image in the coming weeks.
Escher in Berlin
I hope some of you are fans of M.C. Escher…he is easily one of my favorite artists. His works always grab my attention and then hold it, as I admire his creativity and how his lines and angles constantly change your perspective and play with your mind.
As I wandered through this shopping mall in Berlin, specifically this atrium, I immediately thought of his ‘Impossible Construction’ works. This place was just filled with dizzying shapes, lines and patterns. My eyes seemed to jump all over the place…from the escalator over to the stairs, circling the floor until a pillar takes me up and it starts all over again! It was so similar to what my eyes do when viewing something by Escher…
To capture this, I grabbed my widest angle lens and leaned over the balcony so that nothing obstructed the floor below. I decided that, to me, the beauty was really about the chaos…so I settled on a perspective that included all of the pieces that kept my eyes bouncing around.
I would be interested in hearing what you first notice in this image…or where you end up. Bonus points will be awarded if you can find the man having coffee. Yes, there is a man having coffee in this image…or perhaps it is Escher’s ghost. :)
For any of you interested in having a look at Escher’s Impossible Construction works, you can check out some of them on the M.C. Escher Foundation's website.
The Neue Wache Pietà
On this Memorial Day in the U.S., I thought I would share this photo of a war memorial in Berlin. After German reunification, the Neue Wache (New Guardhouse) became the "Central Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Victims of War and Tyranny."
In the center of the memorial is this large sculpture "Mother with her Dead Son" by Käthe Kollwitz. Placed directly under an oculus in the ceiling, the statue is exposed to the rain, snow and cold of the Berlin climate…symbolizing the suffering of civilians during World War II.
It had rained earlier in the day and the statue and surrounding tiles were still wet when I arrived at the memorial. The sun was breaking though the clouds and light was finding its way in through the oculus above. This provided a great natural vignette, focusing your attention directly on the statue.
While I do not normally photograph this type of subject matter, I was moved by the sculpture and the surroundings…and thought it was a poignant scene that should be saved.
Speicherstadt
The Speicherstadt (translated as City of Warehouses) is not your ordinary warehouse district. It is actually the largest contiguous warehouse complex in the world and an amazing site to explore. Built in 1883 near the main port of Hamburg, the area consists of 17 Gothic style warehouses featuring numerous gables and turrets that are all connected by canals, as well as by land. Truly an interesting place! In July 2015, the area was awarded the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site
While it is wonderful to explore during the day, it takes on almost a fairytale atmosphere at night. The red brick façades, multiple bridges and circular turrets are illuminated by spotlights and create shimmering reflections in the canals.
It had just started raining when I arrived at this bridge over the Wandrahmsfleet canal. As you can imagine, it is a popular spot for photographers, but I was the only one there on this night. The scene and the colors were just fantastic. The golden lights were lit on most of the turrets and reflections were everywhere in the water. The light even reflected off of the low clouds overhead, casting a purple hue and making it a little more of a dreamy scene…well worth getting a little wet while taking this image.
Divers Down
This image was captured inside one of the largest shopping malls in the world…the Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates. I am not an avid shopper…in fact, I had no interest in visiting any of its 1,200 shops, but I did want to wander through the numerous atriums and art displays that make this a fascinating indoor space.
This is from the human waterfall found inside “The Grove”. It is an immense, curved waterfall, cascading down four stories (the entire height of the building). Human sculptures (representing pearl divers) with their hands spreading sideward are positioned across the falls. Although the sculptures are stationary, the cascading water behind them gives them a sense of motion that is captivating…and is what I was hoping to capture in this image.
To give you some perspective, each of the statues are about 5 feet tall from head to toe…so this shot spans more than 25 feet in each direction. I found the symmetry I wanted by going up to the second floor. At this height, was even with some of the statues and there was minimal distortion from looking up or down. I experimented with a few different shutter speeds, settling on this one where there is some movement in the water while still providing some great texture in the image.
Garching Ghost
Last week I ventured back into the Munich U-Bahn to capture some images. I always enjoy photographing these stations and since it snowed almost every day here last week, it was a good time to explore the underground again.
I had photographed this station, Garching, once before. However, I didn’t love any of the images I captured and wanted to try some different compositions.
This station is at the end of the U6 line far north of the city, so there are never many people here and it is empty most of the time. It is also predominantly white, so while it is futuristic and cool, it is also a bit sterile. Fortunately, it has some colored tiles scattered about (mostly red and yellow) and in this particular corner, you have these bright green tiles that provide some nice shapes & contrast.
I liked the empty station, but wanted a subject to make a more interesting image. So, I set up at the far end of the station and waited for the next train to arrive. I started a long exposure just as the train was entering the station. The end result was this “ghost” train…just the subject I wanted. :)
Zig-Zag
While wandering around Barcelona, I walked past this concrete structure and it caught my eye. It is basically a wall-like structure made of concrete planks that are laid out in a zig-zag pattern. I am not sure what purpose it serves…perhaps it is only there for decoration. Regardless, I found it unique and spent some time walking around it and viewing it from various angles.
It was shortly after sunset and the street lights and city lights were just turning on. As the sky became darker and the city lights became brighter, the dull gray concrete started reflecting the color of the nearby lights. I thought “now this is getting more interesting” and captured a few different compositions.
This view is my favorite…looking in-between the horizontal planks with the lines zig-zagging smaller and smaller in the distance. It seems to me that M.C. Escher may create something like this!
It is a little gritty and dirty, but I actually like that…otherwise it may pass as a computer generated graphic design. :)
A Hvítá Runs Through It
This is one of the Hvítá rivers in Iceland. I say one of, as there are multiple rivers called Hvítá in Iceland (I think there are three). Hvítá means “white river” in Icelandic and since many rivers here originate from glaciers, they contain glacial flour that can make the water milky white.
This river is near the Hraunfossar waterfalls that I featured in an earlier post. Although the surrounding area is rather flat, the water flows violently though this section, cutting an “S” shaped path in the basalt columns and providing a striking contrast to the dark volcanic rock.
Some of the water splashes out of the confines of the river and ends up in crevices and hollows. In these puddles you can see that the water has a milky appearance…even in relative stillness.
Tunneled
One of the things I have noticed in Germany is the importance given to staircases in their architecture. Some staircases are proudly displayed in a grand atrium, while others, like this one here, are tucked away in the back of the building and only seen by those who work there. Regardless of their placement, the attention to detail given to the design of these staircases is impressive.
I often find the staircases to be the most interesting architectural aspect and I regularly now search them out when visiting a building for the first time. I have photographed many of them and while sometimes they can look similar, they are all unique in some fashion…much like snowflakes, I suppose.
I found this staircase while going to an appointment in an office building in Munich. I was running late, so I went first to the elevator. It was being serviced so I had to take the stairs…a fortunate detour.
The Troll at Skógafoss
Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls, as well as one of its biggest. The falls span a width of 82 feet and drop an impressive 200 feet, producing a constant cloud of mist that swirls around the base. Due to the spray, a single or double rainbow is often visible on sunny days.
In addition to its striking beauty, Iceland is host to an extensive amount of legend and folklore. A major part of the lore are the trolls…large, evil monsters that live in caves and feast on both people and livestock. Fortunately, trolls only travel by night as they are immediately turned to stone when exposed to sunlight. You can see several remnants of trolls as you drive around Iceland…in hillsides, mountains and cliffs…and here overlooking Skógafoss.
I have to imagine this troll was simply transfixed by the beauty of the waterfall and did not pay attention to the fact that the sun was rising. Although now a piece of stone, at least he has an amazing view.
While the constant spray allows for rainbows like the one in this image, it also plays havoc with camera gear. I protected my gear with a large plastic bag while waiting for a rainbow to appear and had to constantly wipe water from my lens before capturing this image. The mist also coats the ground, so the narrow path was slippery getting to this point and I was a little nervous about my footing. Everything ended well though and after toweling off my camera at the car, I was ready to hunt down more waterfalls…and trolls.
If you would like to see roughly where I was when taking this image, check out my other Skógafoss post.
Spotted
This was captured in the atrium of the MACBA modern art museum in Barcelona. In addition to hosting a collection of over 5,000 works, the building itself is piece of art. It is almost devoid of any color with white walls and black floors, but the various pillars, ramps, stairs, shapes and lines make the interior very striking.
After making my way through various exhibitions, I leaned over the edge of the third story balcony and looked down into the atrium. Immediately this splash of color caught my attention. I didn’t notice the red spot on the floor when I entered the building. Apparently, I was too busy looking upwards to admire the lines and curves and shadows inside the space.
Looking up has become somewhat of a habit for me when photographing architecture. We spend so much of our lives looking straight ahead, that we often neglect the view above us (myself included). This time, however, looking down allowed me to see what I had missed…a perfect combination of shapes and tones and color. Simple, clean, pleasing.
This was not part of any exhibit. Nevertheless, it ended up being my favorite part of the entire museum.
spot•ted
adj. - marked with or characterized by a spot or spots.
verb - to detect or recognize; locate or identify by seeing:
Hraunfossar
This was captured in Iceland on the last day of my visit there in 2015. I find Iceland to be an amazing place and so much fun to photograph. You have incredible “big” views all over the country…enormous waterfalls, mountains & vistas that go on for miles and miles. Sometimes I find it hard to focus on one thing to photograph as there are beautiful views in almost every direction competing for your attention.
This is Hraunfossar, or perhaps a better description would be one of the small waterfalls that make up Hraunfossar. Hraunfossar consists of dozens, possibly hundreds, of waterfalls stretching across an area of several hundred meters. The waterfalls appear out of nowhere…seriously. Small fissures in the lava rock allow for water to escape, but you see no river or body of water above the falls, the water just comes out of the rock!
There is a viewing platform where you can see most of the waterfalls that make up Hraunfossar. Standing on the platform I tried composing various images, but found the numerous falls more distracting than pleasing. Don’t get me wrong, it is an amazing sight, but difficult to photograph. After several minutes, I zoomed in and focused on one single waterfall…eliminating all of the falls that surrounded it. The simple beauty of one 4 foot waterfall was enough.
After a week of gazing at some of the largest, tallest and most powerful waterfalls in the world, the last photo I took in Iceland was of one of the smallest.
The Birth of an Idea...
While wandering around the Old Town of Prague, I walked into a building called the House of the Black Madonna. Why?…because anyplace with this name must be cool, right?
Actually, I went in because this building currently houses the Czech Museum of Cubism and is the first example of Cubist architecture in Prague (built in 1912).I saw some images of the building and the exhibits on the museum’s website and thought there may be some interesting things to see here.
After walking through the Grand Orient Cafe located on the ground floor I arrived at this staircase and I looked up…I thought the curves & lines tracing the shape of a light bulb all the way to the top of the building was so unique. This staircase ended up being my favorite part of the entire building.
Strangely, in researching the building after I left Prague, this staircase is not mentioned in any materials I could find online. I assumed it would be featured as part of the architect’s design, perhaps even named, but I was not able to find anything significant mentioning the staircase. I find it somewhat sad that this place is hidden away in the interior of a building thousands of people walk by everyday and never see. But now you know, and I recommend you stop inside if you ever get to Prague.
Oh, and if you are curious, the building was named after a stone statue that originally adorned the facade and still remains to this day.
Looking Down On Darwin
This amazing place is the Natural History Museum in London. It is easily one of the most interesting buildings I have had the opportunity to visit and photograph. This is the massive main corridor filled with arches upon arches upon arches.
I arrived when the museum was opening and was one of the first in the door. I thought it would fill up with people quickly, but I had time to walk around for 10-15 minutes as one of the only people inside. I took several photographs from various spots and kept climbing the flights of stairs until I reached the top platform. From here you have a great perspective of the entire hall, looking down and seeing all three levels. If you look closely, you will see a white statue at the far end of the hall…that is a statue honoring Charles Darwin.
I did not have a tripod, so I had to take this handheld…which presented a bit of a challenge. Aligning a camera properly to avoid distortion in lines, shapes and arches takes a steady hand and careful positioning. It has taken me a lot of practice, but I have become better at this technique was able to get the symmetry that I wanted for this image.
I could hear several people entering the hall as I finished shooting. Moments later, a group of about 30 elementary kids came charging up the stairs. All of them were wearing the same bright yellow “field trip” t-shirts and shouting Harry Potter phrases. Looking back, I probably should have taken a picture of that scene as well. :)
Karlův most (Charles Bridge)
Anyone who has been fortunate enough to visit Prague will instantly recognize this landmark…the Karlův most (more commonly known among English speakers as the Charles Bridge).
It is an impressive structure spanning the Vltava River and was completed in the early 15th century. Towers sit on both sides of the bridge and Baroque statues of religious figures have been placed along the entire length. Currently, it is a pedestrian only zone and is often filled with local artists, musicians and souvenir vendors catering to the tourists.
Only a fraction of the people that visit the bridge during the day are there at night, so it is a much more peaceful place to wander about. Every night I made my way along the river and admired the beautifully lit structures on the opposite side…and each night I stopped and photographed the Charles Bridge from various vantage points.
I never got tired of spending time here. On my last night in Prague, I took some take-out with me and sat here for hours on the river’s edge…just taking it all in as the sun disappeared and the lights lit up the city.
The Sun Catcher
This is once again Sólfar, the steel sculpture on Reykjavik’s waterfront that resembles a Viking ship.
Some of you may remember that I shared a different image of this back in November, 2015. You can see that image & a little more background on the sculpture in this post.
The day before I captured this, I visited the sculpture and scouted how I wanted to compose the image at sunrise. My original plan was to shoot from the opposite angle looking East towards the sun. However, once the sun broke the horizon and I saw how brilliantly the sculpture reflected the sunlight, I immediately changed to this position. The glowing steel looked as though it was on fire and provided a striking contrast to the cooler Western sky.
I hope the artist, Jón Gunnar Árnason, does not mind the liberty I took with the sculpture’s name. Sólfar is translated as “Sun Voyager”, but I found The Sun Catcher to be more appropriate...at least during a beautiful, clear sunrise.
Swhirling
I have always had an affinity for interesting architecture. When I visited Barcelona in 2015, seeing the numerous buildings designed by Antonio Gaudí was high on my list. His work is prevalent all around the city in both residential and community structures. He is probably most famous for the incredible Sagrada Família (to be featured in a later post).
I captured this image in Casa Batlló, considered to be one of Gaudí's residential masterpieces. The floor plan features hardly any straight lines or flat surfaces…it flows and weaves, creating a sense of fluidity everywhere.
You may have been asking yourself “What is this?” when you first saw the image. If you knew right away, good for you! If not, here is your answer…it is actually a light on a ceiling with wavelike swirls spiraling out from the light’s base. Easily a one of a kind ceiling light!
I am sure I got some odd looks as I positioned myself for this shot…standing directly under the light, bending over backwards and trying to place the light & swirls in a pleasing composition without falling over. It was fairly crowded in the room, but oh well, I got the shot I wanted. :)
I took a lot of images while as I walked through the house, so I thought I would include a second image below of the the main staircase. What a crazy, cool place…Alice in Wonderland anyone?
Black, White & Blue - Jökulsárlón
Several weeks ago I shared this image taken at Jökulsárlón, the glacial lagoon in Iceland. This image was taken nearby at the black sand beach just downstream from the lagoon. Chunks of ice regularly wash ashore here after floating out to sea.
On this particular morning, the fog was so thick that it created a very dreamlike scene. There was literally no color in the sky…it was just white in every direction. In fact, the only color to be found was in this chunk blue ice. You can’t tell from the photo, but this piece of ice is about the size of a SUV. There were several smaller pieces scattered on the beach, but this one immediately captured my attention and was begging to be photographed.
White skies, black sand and blue ice…it was co cool (pun intended) to be here with this unique backdrop.
The Tiger's Nest - Paro, Bhutan
Almost exactly one year ago today, I hiked up to one of the most amazing places in the world…the Tiger’s Nest. It is a monastery built into the sheer cliff face 3,000 feet above the Paro Valley in Bhutan. It’s real name is Paro Taktsang and it is sacred Bhuddist temple built in 1692. According to legend, Guru Padmasambhava flew to this location from Tibet on the back of a tigress and is said to have meditated here in a cave for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours in the 8th century.
When you are on the valley floor, the temple seems unreachable…you see it only as a small spot on the cliff wall. Fortunately the climb is less intimidating than it appears. Ugay (my guide) and I started the hike early in the morning and were able to reach the top in just over 2 hours.
As one of the first people to reach the top this particular day, we experienced the temple in almost sheer solitude. Taking in the site from a nearby vantage point, I pondered how much labor it took to build it, the engineering behind it, and the peace and serenity I felt gazing upon it. I remember the stillness and the silence…it made a lasting impression on me.
The light for photographs was not the best, so we continued forward to enter the temple. Once inside, we made our way to the most sacred place…the cave entrance where Guru Padmasambhava landed and meditated. The resident monk sprinkled us with water and gave us a blessing. Later we wandered around the various rooms of the temple, investigated the many Buddhas located here, meditated and, lastly, spent time at an overlook taking in the view of the valley below.
Upon leaving the temple,I took several photographs from various vantage points. Somewhat reluctantly, I ventured off of the walking paths to take several images…beyond the wooden rails that provide some safety from falling off of the cliffs (unfortunately, people die here each year while making the trek to the top.) Ugay, perfectly surefooted, made sure I did not fall while I set up my tripod and took the image that you see here.
Bhutan, in general, is a magical country and visiting the Tiger’s Nest was the highlight of my time there. I did not want to leave, so Ugay and I sat here for some time taking in the view and listening to the colorful prayer flags fluttering in the wind. An amazing experience. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Bhutan, I encourage you to go…and take me with you!
Exit the Frame - Hamburg
While exploring around the port of Hamburg, I walked past this modern building with an open atrium and a floor to ceiling glass wall. Being a fan of architecture, I walked in just to take a look around and immediately gravitated to the symmetry of the grid pattern on the wall and how it framed the port scene outside.
It is rare to have such straight lines in a landscape image and capturing them without any distortion took some time to compose. It was a unique scene…the cranes in the middle were perfectly framed by the door, the clouds were dramatic & moving quickly across the sky and the grid pattern, well, was just cool! That said, it was still a bit sterile…it needed a subject…and then a man walked by, and that made all the difference.
