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January 6, 2019 | Categories: City, Drone, Landscape, Photography, Switzerland, tourism, Travel, Zurich | Tags: alps, Drone, lake, Landscape, landscape photography, mountains, photography, photos, sunset, swiss alps, Switzerland, travel, Travel and Tourism, Zurich | 1 Comment
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January 6, 2019 | Categories: Architecture, City, Drone, Landscape, Photography, Switzerland, tourism, Travel, Zurich | Tags: City, Cityscape, Drone, photography, photos, sunset, Switzerland, travel, Travel and Tourism, Zurich | Leave a comment
Early Morning Beach in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria
September 1, 2018 | Categories: Drone, Landscape, Photography, Spain, tourism, Travel | Tags: beach, canary islands, dji, Drone, gran canaria, maspalomas, mavicpro, shadows, solitude, Spain, Sunrise, sunset, surf, yoga | 2 Comments
Birds-eye view of the Landiwiese on Lake Zürich
May 31, 2018 | Categories: Drone, Landscape, Photography, Switzerland, tourism, Zurich | Tags: creativity, Drone, landiwiese lake, Landscape, mavic pro, overhead, Sailing, sea, sunset, Switzerland, Travel and Tourism, water, Zurich | 1 Comment
Namibia Days 8 and 9 were spent exploring the massive Damaraland (Palmweg) Concession in north-western Namibia. Daily sunrise departures from our camp into the concession provided the best opportunity to enjoy the cool mornings and experience the wildlife as they completed their nighttime activities and began to settle in and take cover from the approaching scorching sun and high temperatures. Our afternoons were spent taking cover as well, mostly resting/reading and playing games in the shade at camp. Late afternoon and evenings consisted of additional drives to explore the surroundings and/or gin and tonic “sundowners” as the sun dipped beneath the African horizon.
Rhinoceros rubbing stone, which has been polished to a shine over the centuries by Rhinos scratching themselves.
Black-backed jackal
Baking bread in a cast iron pot over coals, a nightly ritual.
Oryx
Spotted Hyena
Creepy to think that if we stepped out of the vehicle these guys would tear us to shreds.
Rüppell’s Bustard
Welwitschia (Welwitschia mirabilis), the “National” plant of Namibia and endemic to the Namib Desert. Each plant produces only two leaves, which split into many segments as a result of the leaves being whipped by the wind. The largest plants are over 1500 years old.
February 27, 2018 | Categories: Africa, Landscape, Lighting, Photography, tourism | Tags: Africa, camping, concession, damara, Namibia, nature, palmweg, Safari, sunset | Leave a comment
The long day 7 drive through the concession area was a slow, difficult, and at times uncomfortable (very steep terrain mixed with heavy rains) journey. As we arrived and searched out a campsite, the clouds began to clear and we were treated to a spectacularly beautiful double rainbow sunset over the camp. We were now as far out of touch from the rest of the modern civilized world as I have ever been. Over dinner our guide Sasha described the “lion” protocol for the camp (imagine him telling us this at night as light from the small fire flickered on half of his face): Never leave your tent alone at night. Need to pee? Take the bucket from outside your tent door into your tent, pee, put the bucket back outside of the tent. Need to do a #2? Wake the three men up and walk as a group to the makeshift toilet as you scan the surroundings with headlamps for reflective “eyes” around camp. Hear something at night creeping outside your tent? Don’t move, make a noise, or turn on your light. Do not call for anyone. Follow these rules, and you likely will not get eaten. We all slept great after that. And for the record, we did hear some hyenas not too far from camp as we were falling asleep.
This is my favorite photo from the entire trip. Click to see it in full resolution!
February 9, 2018 | Categories: Africa, Landscape, Lighting, Namibia, Photography, tourism, Travel, Wildlife | Tags: Africa, camping, Clouds, concession, damara, Namibia, nature, palmweg, rainbow, Safari, sunset, tent | 1 Comment
Day 7 was when the adventure really stepped it up a notch. We were now headed out for three nights of wild camping in the Damaraland (Palmweg) Concession, a massive, roughly 5,500 km2 /2,200 mile2 conservation area in north-western Namibia. This open and wild region is the home to a large variety of species, including lion, elephants, mountain zebra, giraffe, and nearly 70% of the world’s free roaming black rhinos. Traveling and camping in the concession would allow us to experience these animals in their true open and untamed native habitat, unlike what we would later experience in the more commercial National Parks and Reserves. A long and arduous drive on little-used uneven roads, at times through torrential downpours, was worth the surprise we had waiting for us when the rains stopped and we arrived at our remote campsite (see next post!).
Two male Greater Kudo
February 8, 2018 | Categories: Africa, Landscape, Lighting, Photography, tourism, Travel | Tags: Africa, camping, concession, damara, Namibia, nature, palmweg, Safari, sunset | Leave a comment
The Day 6 Namibian agenda called for us to drive out from the Erongo mountains and head into the scenic Damaraland, a massive, untamed, and ruggedly beautiful region in the north-central part of Namibia which is home to one of the oldest nations in cultures in Namibia, the Damara people. Our Damaraland landscape starts with open plains and grasslands, granite hills and deep gorges, but changes dramatically to endless sandy wastelands. Somehow, though, the Damaraland is able to sustain a wide-ranging variety of animals which have all adapted to survive in this harsh and almost waterless desert. Two notable sites along the way were The Brandenburg aka “Fire Mountain”, Namibia’s highest mountain, as well as a tour of the San (Bushman) rock art in Twyfelfontein, a site that has been inhabited for 6,000 years and was used for a place of worship and a site to conduct shamist rituals. Throughout the rituals, at least 2,500 items of rock carvings have been created, and as one of the largest concentrations of rock art in Africa, has been designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Click to enlarge.
Himba woman in traditional clothing
The Brandberg ‘Fire Mountain’, from the effect created by the setting of the sun on its western face, which causes it to glow red like molten metal.
Twyfelfontein, one of the most extensive galleries of rock art in Africa.
Springbok grazing at dusk (one of my favorite pics from the trip)
Welcome to Aabadi campsite, guys!
Sunset over the Damaraland
January 30, 2018 | Categories: Africa, Landscape, Lighting, Photography, tourism, Travel, Wildlife | Tags: Africa, ameib, Bushman, christianity, Erongo, Erongo Mountains, Namibia, nature, picoftheday, Safari, southern cross safaris, sunset | 1 Comment
Our second hike on day 5 sent us straight into a rainstorm as it rumbled towards our afternoon sundowner (happy hour) destination, Bull’s Party rock formation. Bull’s Party formation stems from regional volcanic activity dating back 110-130 million years, followed by erosion of the earth’s surface, which resulted in massive granite blocks being exposed throughout the area. Millions of years of extreme day/night temperature fluctuations caused the blocks to chip off and form rounded boulders, which rolled down into the valley. The formation gets its name from the belief that the boulders resemble a group of bulls facing each other.
We enjoyed our anti-malarial Gin and tonics under cover of the massive granite boulders as the sky opened up and torrential rains created streams and waterfalls where seconds earlier there were none. The Gin Gods were smiling down on us though… for the rains ended as abruptly as they began, and, as the sun set below the clouds, our surroundings were illuminated by an unearthly yellow-orange hue. As we left the protection of the rocks and headed back to camp, the intense colors made it feel as though we were walking across a Martian landscape. As the eerie colors faded, the clouds gave way to the last rays of the sun and a magical perfect double rainbow over the Elephant Head cliff formation. As always, click to enlarge.
Baboons taking shelter from the approaching storm
Bull’s Party Panorama
Taking our medicine: anti-malarial Gin and tonics
Walking on Mars
Elephant Head cliff formation
January 21, 2018 | Categories: Africa, Landscape, Lighting, Photography, tourism, Travel, Wildlife | Tags: Africa, ameib, Bushman, christianity, Erongo, Namibia, nature, picoftheday, Safari, southern cross safaris, sunset | Leave a comment
Upon our arrival to Namibia, we were immediately whisked away for our first big drive into the Sesrium region of the Namib desert. Our first two nights were spent camping at the Little Sossus Campsite, where sweeping panoramic views of the surrounding Namib plains provided an exciting introduction to wildlife watching as well as a few epic happy hour sunsets. Click images to open hi-res version.
Our travel vehicle was a Unimog, a German vehicle built by Mercedes Benz which is designed to withstand the most challenging drivable terrain in the world. Ours had been totally stripped down to the chassis and built back up to be a super long-distance safari machine capable of driving days between fuel refills in the most rugged terrain in Southern Africa. Inside was passenger space as well as food, a small fridge, a freezer, and our luggage. Behind we pulled a trailer with all the cooking and camping gear.
Our accommodations ranged primarily between campsites like Little Sossus Campsite, which had running water and washing facilities, to remote wilderness camping, where for as far as the eye could see, there were no signs of civilization. We did make sure to finish the two weeks off with a few nights in proper beds.
Watching a small nearby watering hole adjacent to the campsite
Namib plains
Blue wildebeest visit the watering hole
Epic Namibian sunset
November 29, 2017 | Categories: Africa, Landscape, Photography, tourism, Travel | Tags: Africa, beauty, deadvlei, dunes, namib, Namibia, Safari, sand, sky, sossusvlei, sunset | 1 Comment
Sunset over harbor lighthouse in Hjo, a small picturesque Swedish town on the western shores of Sweden’s Lake Vättern.
March 26, 2017 | Categories: Landscape, Photography, tourism | Tags: Clouds, Hjo, lake, Lighthouse, sky, sunset, Sweden, water | 1 Comment
Zumikon, Canton Zürich, Switzerland
March 10, 2017 | Categories: Landscape, Photography, Switzerland, tourism, Travel | Tags: dusk, fog, Landscape, photography, sunset, Switzerland, Travel and Tourism, trees | 1 Comment
Goodnight Crete. Time to move on.
January 9, 2017 | Categories: Greece, Photography, tourism, Travel | Tags: Crete, dancer, girl, Greece, photo, photography, reflections, silhouette, sunset, water | 5 Comments
Casque traditional Greek fishing boat, Elounda Bay, Crete – 2015
December 15, 2016 | Categories: Greece, Photography, tourism, Travel | Tags: Boat, caïque, Crete, Elounda, Greece, photography, Spinalonga, sunset, water | 1 Comment
Spinalonga Venetian Fortress and Leper Colony, Crete – 2015
December 13, 2016 | Categories: Architecture, Photography, Street Photography, tourism, Travel | Tags: Crete, Greece, Spinalonga, sunset, Venice, Venitian | 2 Comments
Hjo, Sweden – 2015
November 6, 2016 | Categories: Photography, Travel | Tags: Hjo, shadow, Summer, sunset, Sweden | 1 Comment
2015
Beautiful flowing fields of golden grain on the outskirts of Hjo, Sweden. Perfect for long summer runs or bike rides.
November 4, 2016 | Categories: Photography, Travel | Tags: Barns, Hjo, photography, sunset, Sweden, travel, Travel and Tourism, Wheat | 1 Comment
Life preservers and ropes on the S/S Trafik, one of Sweden’s oldest and best preserved steamboats dating back to 1892.
November 4, 2016 | Categories: Photography, Travel | Tags: Hjo, photography, sunset, Sweden, water | 1 Comment
Top of the Rock
Next pic series is from a 2015 visit to NY, NY. We start with the view from the top of Rockefeller Plaza looking south over Manhattan.
September 8, 2016 | Categories: Architecture, City, Photography, Street Photography, Travel | Tags: Architecture, City, HDR, Manhatten, New York, Nikon D90, photography, Rockefeller Plaza, sunset, Travel and Tourism, urban | Leave a comment
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