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 :)

Punchbowl at Eagle Creek Trail

Eagle Creek Trail is just gorgeous and magical. The round trip hike is 12 miles, but it is definitely worth even to hike up just to Punch Bowl (round trip ~ 3.4 miles). A stop off at 1.5 miles let you get a peek at the lovely Metlako Falls too. There are a few narrow sections with 500 foot pl us drop offs. If you are worried about the height, several have a cable to hold onto on the uphill side. Punchbowl can be enjoyed from above or down below. When you finally get down to Punch Bowl Falls, the only way to see it from the end of the trail is to walk across the vast rocky stream and bingo – she is straight ahead with amazing view. Definitely plan on wearing waterproof boots or waders ! I was there around June and decided to venture into the water with bare foot. The water was still cold and the rocks slippery. It is neither a pleasant feeling to hike back 2 miles in wet shoes :) If you are in sync with nature, there is beauty even when things come crashing down, like the waterfall :)

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 !!!

The New Dawn

Purple Flowers by the Waterfall

Waterfalls are raging in terms of natural energy that can either carve through solid rock or smash huge logs. At the same time they’re also incredibly soothing to be around, sometimes even peaceful. As with everything in nature its the duality in play, may be :) Meenmutty Falls at 300 meters is a sight to behold ! At the same time, looking closer, revels the age, power of the flowing water and the intricacies and beauty that is visible only up-close. Weather it is the thunderous roaring of the falls or the enjoying the soothing flowers by the falls – this is the spot to be !

Let it be

Storm in the Skies

After driving for 14 hours, I thought, all I would want was to get some break and some sleep. But I was wrong ! As we reached the Smokey Mountain National Park and set the tent well into the darkness, the conditions were just ripe to explore some stars ! The moon was not up and it was one of the darkest skies that I had seen in a while. It took a while to drive around and get some spot safe enough to shoot shoot the stars with some interesting foreground. Being new to the place, the mystery of the night and the sound of the rushing stream near by added to the experience. The clouds were moving pretty fast, and helped set the mood of this shot to a great extent. As for the processing of this shot, it was achieved by the nifty Photoshop script – Creative Trails UI & Creative Effects UI. I wrote a whole article about these scripts and you can download them here (for free, ofcourse !) . If you are into photography do take some time to check it out.

Star Lit Orb at Cave Point

The trip to Wisconsin was awesome this past season. Not only was the falls colors great at door county, but got a chance to hike along the cliffs, capture a shooting star, shoot a moon rise, some star trails and opened some portals too :) The Gibbous moon lit the cliffs from behind the bushes !

Fireworks at Buckingham Fountain

Buckingham fountain had become a favourite spot for me when it operated during summer. It was amazing watching the water and light show. Lining up the fireworks was an added bonus. In Chicago - Navy Pier the fireworks go off pretty much twice a week (Wednesdays / Saturdays) in summers and for additional preplanned events. I am always on the lookout of interesting foreground for fireworks like this at Seattle or this one from St. Louis (my favourite). TPE helped with the initial planning. But with just a tentative navy pier area for fireworks, it was all a hit or miss. To add to it, that was one of the last weekend of regular firework show for this season (the next one for the year being on Halloween). After quiet a bit of planning and lot of uncertainty, decided to try out the shot I had in mind. The distance between the foreground and the actual firework show was not advantageous, but the bursts from the finale just made up for it ! At the end, it all came together. I love it, when a plan comes together – or may be I was just lucky ;-)

Autumn Harvest

Before the 16th century, harvest was the term usually used to refer to the fall season. As people gradually moved from working the land to living in cities, the word harvest lost its reference to the time of year and came to refer only to the actual activity of reaping, and autumn, as well as fall, began to replace it as a reference to the season. This scene from a Wisconsin county road seems to capture Harvest and Fall in a single frame. What do u think ?!

Through the Looking Glass

Life is truly a reflection of what we allow ourselves to See & Be ! Wisconsin Dells might be know as the Waterpark Capitol of the World, but it also very close to several state parks, know for its fall colors. Mirror Lake State Park is only a few miles from Devil’s Lake State Park and is often thought of as the “Overflow” park for campers who can’t fit in at Devil’s Lake. However, just visit once and you would realize that Mirror Lake State Park has a special beauty of it’s own. Though this is closest to Wisconsin Dells, it feels so far away from civilization. At the heart of the Mirror Lake State Park is a beautiful lake ... It is a great place to swim and paddle in. The evening was chill and the water was still. I just decided to stay out and enjoy the reflection, with just occasional birds accompanying me. The twilight from setting sun, the fall colors and the reflections were just complimenting each other. It turned out to be an amazing evening ! Now this is worth calling a Mirror Lake, right ;-) P.S : The entire dynamic range was possible with 7 exposure, thanks to Magic Lantern !

Draconid over Cave Point

After a long planning decided to head to Door County for capturing the palette of fall colors. As I was scouting the locations online, read about Cave Point to be a prominent spot. Being close to the the place where we stayed, decided to head there first thing in the evening to capture some stars. Reaching the spot after sunset did not help navigating in the dark. With the moon scheduled to come up, did not have much time either. The water, aided by the wind was crashing against the cliffs and caves. This bellowing of waves helped traverse to the edge of the cliff. But by the time my eyes got used to the darkness, the moon decided to come out. It indeed was a lovely moon rise across the Michigan lake. But the best was yet to come … I decided to use the moon light to capture the rugged cliff from below. The cool breeze, the sounds of the water crashing against the walls, the night sky … and just as I was exposing for the same, this lively meteor decided to adorn the sky. It took around 12 – 15 seconds to span across the sky before burning off. Given the waxing gibbous moon, I was not even expecting a meteor sighting. I could only imagine how bright it would have been, if not for the moon :) With my wife and kid atop the cliff (look keen), this definitely was a treasure of a moment captured ! Once I came back from the trip. looked up online and identified this as Draconids based on the date and direction. The Draconids owe their name to the constellation Draco the Dragon, and are created when the Earth passes through the dust debris left by comet 21 P/ Giacobini-Zinner.

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 a night, it was well worth stopping by at Jonsrud Viewpoint. With a view like this, just a few steps from the parking, this view never disappoints ! It was quiet cold for a summer morning, the was sun 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. This is what I saw, as I walked out that mid summer early morning !!!

Good Evening from the Bean

Cloud gate, also affectionately called by the locals as bean is a lovely spot amidst downtown Chicago to spend an evening. As if the bean by itself is not interesting enough, there are numerous areas of interest near by, all walk able. Be it the lovely architecture or the beautiful fountains or some interesting shows at Jay Pritzker Pavilion (mostly free), this spot has got it all !

A Mid Summer Afternoon …

Don’t wait all week for Friday all year for Summer and all lifetime for happiness …

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 the bushes, bridges and couple of streams. Spending the afternoon provided worth while, as I incidentally found this cave with a lovely framed view of the falls. Surprises are good :)

Sea horse, Skyline and some stars …

Buckingham Fountain at Chicago, is seriously beautiful. One of the favorite spots in the city, one can literally spend hours hours watching the fountain. The backdrop of Chicago or the lake, behind the fountain make it even more gorgeous. With 134 jets and a fountain capacity of 1.5 million gallons, it roughly pumps 14,100 gallons of water per minute. Water is re-circulated from the base pool after the basins are filled and not drawn from the outside except to replace losses from wind and evaporation. Some amazing engineering – be it the stupendous architecture or the the lighting at the dusk or the synchronous musical play that goes along with the lighting. The fountain located in the shores of Lake Michigan also symbolizes Lake Michigan, with four pairs of sea horses representing the four states that border Lake Michigan's shoreline. It was really lovely to see the Cassiopeia (Constellation) shining atop, even amidst all that man made city light. By the by, that lovely blue building, that u see there - that is where I work out of, lucky me … or not ;-) I present to you Sea horse, Skyline and some stars at Buckingham Fountain, Chicago. How do u like it ?

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 ?

Let yourself be

Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray

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

Vivekananda Memorial Rock, Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari, the southern-most tip of India, is around 90 km away from Trivandrum and is located in Tamil Nadu. Kanyakumari has now become a famous tourist spot and anyone who goes there does not miss visiting the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. Swami Vivekananda himself visited Kanyakumari in December 1892. It has been debated that Vivekananda plunged into the roaring waves and swam across to reach those large rocks. People, even today, dare the swim across, hence it definitely was a possibility. He spent three days and three nights on that rock. The roaring ocean was all the company he had. He saw religion to be the life-blood of India’s millions. He realized in the silence of his heart that India shall rise only through a renewal and restoration of that highest spiritual consciousness. He saw her greatness; he saw her weaknesses as well, the central one of which was that the nation lost its individuality. There is lot of controversy on the initiation of the memorial at this location, predominantly religious clashes (according to Wikipedia). Though ironical, it is really sad that many a time we miss the forest for the trees. Anyway, today you can take a ferry to the rock. Its peaceful, serene and well maintained. It definitely a place to sit and reflect, if you really wanted to :) And as you can see, it is a pleasure even watching this rock from the shore, once the sun goes down and it is all lit up. On right is the Thiruvalluvar statue. At 133 feet high, this depicts the 133 chapters of the Thirukural. You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul. – Swami Vivekananda

Be Silent & Listen

I was returning back from shooting stars over the night. Heading right back to office, was treated with this lovely sun rise. How can I avoid pulling over, running across the highway and getting a shot of the same :) The inspiration you seek is within- Be Silent & Listen

Bahai Temple of worship, Chicago

An architecture so white, so magnificent, so delicate and so close to Chicago, it has to be the Baha’i temple. The Baha'i Temple, Chicago is one of only, seven Baha'i temples in the world. It is actually the only one in all of North America. The place is enormous and has 9 almost identical entrances symbolizing the 9 major religions of the world and the fact that all are welcome to worship together at the temple. It's really a pretty fascinating place surrounded by sprawling grounds with manicured symmetrical gardens and fountains. If you had visited the place, you know that the entire temple is white pure white. But the twilight, bought in the golden shade and accentuated the intricate work on the walls. I also loved how the lilies complimented the setting sun :)

Come let us light up Chicago !!!

Learnt about a new plan that Mayor @Rahm Emanuel had put forward to make the city of Chicago as "The North American City of Lights". I love night sky, I love watching the stars & milky way. But I would also say I love lights and city skylines. It was a great experience shooting man made skylines like this @ Seattle. I love lights. Without them, the shadows would not be so beautiful. So I say come let us light up Chicago ! Lighting is not just about adding jarring halogens and LEDs to buildings. It also can be learning and designing a lighting systems at a really grand scale that is functional and beautiful, while keeping the light pollution low. Am sure we do have technology in place to achieve this. So if you are one of them who can make it happen – - do participate in this world wide competition and submit a proposal to light up Chicago - in a way we can all enjoy the milky way that is always there !!! Come let us light up Chicago - in a way to reduce light pollution & bring out the milky way that had always been there !!! This shot is a composite of the Chicago skyline from the Alder Planetarium. The milky ways is from Green River Wildlife area – a couple of hours away from Chicago. Hopefully we would be able to enjoy views like this without camera gimmicky or total blackouts.

Sunset - by the Tulips

Nothing beats a beautiful spring day like a trip to the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Just 30 mins away from downtown - nestled in Mary McDonalds woods – this well kept & curated garden, provides a deserved break to the Urban feel of Chicago. Are u tired of the concrete jungles, wanna breathe some fresh air – not tainted by pollution – just head down to Chicago Botanic Garden – a worthwhile place to get ur Zen back :) And did I say this is a lovely place to enjoy a sunset too …

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 existed. 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 (~100 / 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 !

Majestic Milky way @ Bond Falls

This is a single RAW shot processed for the milky way. The ambient light bought in the details of the falls and bit of reflections. Shot this while chasing the Perseids last year. I liked this shot for how this brings out the grandeur of the milky way. At the same time, it is amazing how walking couple of steps and lighting the foreground can bring in such a different feel. Here is the shot with a bit of light painting on the foreground. It is amazing how much camera’s can see these days. even far superior is what the eyes can see :) darkness of the night stillness of the forest rumbling of the falls twinkling of the stars grandeur of the milky way - adorned by a shooting star !

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.

Jewel of the Karnataka–Belur & Halebidu

Located around 140 miles from Bangalore, the temples of Belur and Halebid are one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture. These were built by king Vishnuvardhana in commemoration of his victory over the Cholas at Talakad. Legend has it that it took 103 years to complete and Vishnuvardhana's grandson Veera Ballala II completed the task. Belur is famous for its cluster of temples, the most beautiful being the Chennakeshava Temple. This shot in particular is that of the The Ranganayaki temple, a minor shrine in the Chennakeshava temple complex. Learnt that this temple along with Hoysaleswara temple in Halebidu and the Jaina monuments at Shravanabelagola are being proposed as UNESCO world heritage sites. But with such a rich history and ornate work, its a surprise that it is not already on the list of world heritage monuments !

Kennecott Copper mine

Starscapes

They are flying kites

“They are flying kites” – this was something that intrigued me as a kid at school. The same set of words that can be interpreted so very differently. May it was something to do with just realizing that things do have alternate perspectives. Things may not be always what they seem or hear to be :) Anyway, this shot is from the Oregon Coast. That sunny afternoon folks were enjoying the kite festival at Lincoln city. I used to think flying a traditional kite was difficult when the wind was not favoring. Imagine this kite being controlled, not one but six (yeah look closely) strings. You really need two hands with orchestrated harmony to get this thing in flight. But once up, it was a thing of beauty, what do u say :)

Golden Sunrise @ Mahabs

The trip to India was awesome. It was time well spent with the family and taking a break :) Though I was not able to shoot as much as I had intended, I was able to sneak in a stop for a sun rise at Mahabs. Am glad I did it :) Mahabalipuram is very famous for the shore temple. My plan was to shoot a silhouette of the shore temple. I had shot the same during twilight blues, but wanted to get the same with some vibrant colors this time. The plan started to fall apart when the start was delayed and the overcast horizon made the light questionable. And just as I just set up the tripod, realized I had missed the Neutral Density filters at home. I always like shooting a long exposures during twilight, as it gives the dreamy feel to the shot. Given these, decided to freeze the wave action. The foam was so fresh and the water was inviting. In turn, luck, as if to favor me, decided to help with the light. Just in time, the sun broke out of the overcast horizon, spreading the golden blanket across the sea. When I look at this shot, I was reminded of the below quote by Ansel. It really paid off getting in the water and shooting low :) A good photograph is knowing where to stand – Ansel Adams

What we see depends on what we are looking for …

Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.

Reflecting on Reflection

Everything in your life is a reflection of a choice you made. If you want a different result, make a different choice … Shooting reflections is an experience unto itself. There is something mesmerizing about reflections. It is not just about getting the final shot … From the point of scouting a location to waiting for the for the wind to take a break and the light to be just right – it all kind of gets you into a meditative plane ! May be that is what drives me to look out for perfect reflections while I am out shooting ! When things do not line up or, if the location is not very conducive for mirror reflections, occasionally I do try to achieve the same in post processing – like this shot – but the experiences from shooting a original reflections are far more soothing and satisfying :) This shot is from N Santiam Hwy. I was returning back from a failed attempt to capture some shooting stars. But luckily it was fall season and as the light broke, there was still lot of interesting things to shoot. I was glad that I pulled over the highway to capture this mesmerizing reflection.

Colors of Sunset

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. ― Rabindranath Tagore Sunsets are amazing – for there is no two alike. It could either burst into a million colors or turn out to be more subtle – the surprise element, as with life, makes it even more enjoyable. This shot was from a drive to Green river state wildlife area in Illinois. We were headed down there to shoot some stars for the night. As we were driving down the Highway 30, the sky was just lit up with the twilight colors. I just could not help but pull over and run across to capture the scene :)

Fall Colors Reflections @ Santiam Hwy

All that you see is a reflections of you ! 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 !!! It is always pays to take the road less travelled. Some beautiful fall colors, a blanket of mist, some drizzles and an occasional sunshine – it definitely turned out to be a memorable drive.

Haystack Rock at Twilight

You know that Haystack rock at Cannon Beach is one of my favorite for sunset. Today’s shot is a not so very popular view of the same. Nevertheless it is always breathtaking. Haystack Rock at Twilight shot from Ecola State Park. How do u like it :)

Sunset over the ocean

There's almost nothing more relaxing than the sound of the ocean as the sun sets over the water.

Come, Join for a drink …

Collect moments, not things ! Slow down, enjoy the view , have a drink :) There are several view points and highway pull outs from where views of Mt. Hood can be enjoyed. But Panorama view point is probably on the top of the list. It is not very well known, probably because the directions to the same are not well marked. But being so close to Hood River and the Hwy 84, you could just drive up to enjoy the view right from the car. Or just get down and plan to have a drink at the picnic tables while enjoying the view !

Shooting Snow Crystals

What do u do if there is no time to stand and stare. What if the work is so crazy, u can’t make that trip u had been planning for so long. What if the weather so cold & crap that u can’t get out, even when u get those half a day breaks. What do u do if the world is turned upside down and there is no way to get out, with that camera to shoot … What do u do ? If ur world is upside down, just turn the lens upside down ! Yes u heard me right - turn that lens upside down and start shooting macros. Let me set my rambling of work craziness aside, but u get the picture right :) This situation definitely nudged me to experiment, during the short short breaks, with what ever was available. It was amazing, how just flipping the lens could result in instant magnification. Stick a regular magnifying glass at the end and boom – even the mundane of things become so beautiful. This is nothing new and the technique has been used probably for ages. Though things are not tack sharp with this method, trying the same & seeing the results is definitely fun and exhilarating. The below shot is that of a snow crystal @ less than a millimeter. Even at that size, the precision & unique design of each crystal is lovely. Did u know , no two snow crystals are same – each one is unique, like our finger prints. If you like this, you will love the amazing shots of snow flakes and crystals from Chaotic Mind. And a very Happy New Year – 2014 to my Friends out here. Thanks for the encouragement and support ! Looking forward to sharing more in the coming year !!!

Even her goodbyes are ever so beautiful …

Sunset at Wizard Island

Will you hold me ?

I’m unique, just like everyone else :)

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. Goodbye fall – it was fun times - driving around, enjoying the colors bought by u ! Thank U !

And the Winner is ...

Abstract Expressions of Fall

The fall colors, driving thru miles and miles of majestic aspen, the dense fog that was weaving thru the trees, the sun peeping thru and trying to dispel the fog, the clean crisp yellow leaves, the barks that were still afresh, the reds and maroons from the bushes below – put them all together and this is what you get :) Though the colors were lovely, the forest was too busy to get a pleasing composition. This week’s shot is my attempt to express the sense of feeling that prevailed from that lovely fall drive in a single shot, without getting lost in the forest. How do u like it ? As for the processing, this is a composite of 3 shots - one for the normal exposure of trees, one with the camera panning vertically and a final one for the sun :) Getting the panning shot was the most difficult, at the same time the fun too. Shot atleast 40 – 50 before I could get it the way I wanted. But no worries if it does not work out, U can just apply a vertical motion blur in post processing too.