Motley Crew

Frequently spotted along the ring road, Icelandic horses always draw my attention with their flowing manes. When time allows, I will often stop and admire their beauty. Sometimes they are curious and approach me, other times they keep their distance...either is enjoyable and peaceful. Proudly rocking the style of hair-metal bands of the '80s, they stole the show on this otherwise dreary day.

I was experiencing my second straight day of snowstorms. No sunrise, sunset, or Northern lights were visible. Hardly anything was visible, even in the middle of the day. I spent most of the time cooped up in my campervan, monitoring the forecast and road conditions. It was becoming clear that the end of my visit would not be as I had hoped. I had to return to Reykjavík tomorrow, while the roads were still passible.

This is what much of southern Iceland looked like for 3 days and my view for most of my drive. Lots of white…

I started driving at first light (if you can call it light), knowing speed would be severely limited. I did see a few cars traveling in the opposite direction, but mostly I saw nothing except markers suggesting there was a road somewhere under my tires. Clouds became visible after about three hours, and the weather calmed. It was a welcomed relief for me and a small herd of horses that I spotted up ahead.

Needing a break, I stopped to rest and appreciate the horses. They were in their full furriness, having developed a second coat for winter. They were also curious, perhaps surprised to see a stranger given the weather, and approached me. We kept each other company for about twenty minutes, while another storm was brewing in the distance. As the sky darkened, I enthusiastically grabbed my camera for the first time in three days.

A splash of color, a bit of contrast and, a lot of hair saved the end of my trip. Keep rockin' Icelandic horses!

Mattina di San Marino

A country within a country, San Marino is an off-the-beaten-path destination inside Italy. A sole survivor of Italy's once powerful city-state network, it is the world's oldest surviving sovereign state and its oldest republic (since AD 301).

Situated mainly on the top of Mount Titano, the city and its three fortifications dominate the principally flat surrounding area. The Guaita tower (shown here) is approximately (2,424 feet,739 meters) above the valley below, providing outstanding views along the coast. Facing east, it is also the first structure in the area to greet the sun rising over the Adriatic.

Overshadowed by more famous Italian destinations, it casts its own shadow over parts of central Italy. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008, it is well worth a day trip for the views and photo opportunities.

Looking at the world from the bottom of a well.

During a road trip through Italy in 2018, I made a stop in the beautiful hilltop town of Orvieto. After spending the morning hours viewing the numerous churches and piazzas in the city center, I walked a series of narrow streets to investigate the famous well on the outer edge.

It is known as the Pozzo di San Patrizio (St. Patrick’s Well) and is a triumph of Renaissance engineering. It was commissioned by Pope Clement VII in 1527 while taking refuge in Orvieto during the “Sack of Rome.” He chose Antonio da Sangallo the Younger to design and build the well as a city water supply in case of siege.

It features two staircases in a double-helix design. Circling the center opening, you can descend to the bottom, and then ascend to the top without encountering any traffic in the other direction (perfect for donkeys hauling buckets up and down). Lighting is provided by arched windows along the two staircases and reaches the bottom depth of 72 meters (174.4 feet).

Incredibly functional, but also surprisingly beautiful when viewed from the bottom.

Albarracín

On my last road trip through Spain, I focused mostly on visiting and photographing lesser-known towns that are not on most tourist itineraries. One of my favorites was Albarracín.

I truly enjoyed hiking through, around, and even under this sleepy town in the Iberian mountains. The oldest part of the town is the elevated walled city dating back to the mid-1100s. However, there is also a lower part straddling the banks of the Guadalaviar River that flows underneath the walled city. It is not visible here, but there is an archway with a road and walking paths that allow you to travel under the old town.

It only took 20 minutes to wander through town from one side to the other. The streets were narrow and hilly and did not offer many scenic viewpoints. As a result, I spent most of my time hiking outside of the walls to find a vantage point where I could see the entire village.

When I arrived at this overlook looking eastward, it was late afternoon. The higher peaks to the West were already casting part of the valley in shadow, but parts of the city were still harshly illuminated. As I only had 90 minutes until sunset, I decided to set up and wait for softer light. Once the mountains behind me blocked all of the direct light, I started shooting.

The valley was all in shadow, but the ambient light bouncing off the atmosphere still rendered the details below. When the pinkish hue arrived in the East, I think it also added some saturation to the reddish rooftops.

It takes a commitment to visit Albarracín. It is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Valencia, perhaps 3 hours from Toledo, partially on narrow and winding mountain roads. In my view, it is worth the effort and one of the most picturesque hill towns in Spain.

Rising From The Depths

During the past three years, I have photographed several buildings designed by Santiago Calatrava. I discovered his work accidentally when I visited the transportation hub in New York City. Since then, I have sought out his other projects in Europe. I suspect that his work can be divisive, but enjoy his combinations of architecture, art, and whimsy. They almost always present multiple photographic interpretations. When I discovered that he designed the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, I immediately started planning a trip.

There are four structures in this image. The closest structure is L'Hemisfèric (an Imax theater) and is meant to resemble a large eye. The next structure is the Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe, a science museum with a bone-like exterior. The Assut de l'Or Bridge is the third structure with the final building being L'Àgora, a concert and event hall. All are different in size and shape, yet from this angle, they blend together into one piece. Add in the pools of water that surround much of the project and a creature emerges, rising from the depths.

I hoped to photograph the structures at night, as Calatrava often illuminates them in interesting ways. I positioned myself on a bridge overlooking the area, as the elevated view better revealed the wonderful reflections. The water is shallow and choppy during even mild winds, but the dark scene allowed me to soften it with a long exposure. The dynamic range of light in the scene was more than my camera sensor could process. As a result, I blended this long exposure with both a regular exposure and an under-exposed image (for the very bright lights).

More to come from Valencia & Calatrava...here are links to my interpretations of his other designs.

Golden Sentinel

Skeleton Key

Baleen

Staring at the Ceiling

During these strange times, I assume many of you are spending more time than usual at home, sheltering-in-place, and/or social-distancing. Over the last several weeks, I have discovered myself unintentionally staring at the ceiling as my mind wanders or I simply lose focus. I recently discussed this with friends and was relieved to hear that they too are having similar occurrences. Perhaps our minds are doing their best to roam mentally, while physically we are limited to do so. Anyway, these discussions brought to mind a time when I purposely & intently stared at the ceiling...to capture a photograph.

This was taken in the Pinakothek, an art museum in Munich, Germany. It is a wonderful place filled with brilliant paintings and sculptures. Yet, every time I visit, I find myself examining the building itself more than the artwork around me. There is something about the convergence of lines and shapes throughout the various halls & rooms that I find more gratifying than what is hanging on its walls.

Its atrium is one of my favorite areas. As you look upward, a multi-paneled glass ceiling exposes light upon the surrounding circles & shapes. This particular day was very cloudy, which allowed me to expose for all light in the scene. In the absence of direct sunlight and harsh shadows, the symmetry can be enjoyed without distraction.

The most challenging part of the capture was getting low enough to capture the entire scene. Even with a wide-angle lens, I had to get the camera to floor-level to get all of the details I wanted. You may remember I had a similar challenge in Naples while photographing a staircase (The Hidden Galaxy). My solution here was the same...lay on my back & press the camera to my face...then try to produce a symmetrical composition. So there I was, staring at the ceiling, much like the last few weeks…but with full concentration and focus.

This is the second image I have posted from the Pinakothek. My previous image (The Road to Enlightenment) can be viewed here.

Bookworms

This building has been on my photography wish list for a while. After seeing several images posted by other photographers, I did some research to find out what it was and where it was located. When I discovered it was the main city library in Stuttgart, I immediately starting planning the two-hour drive to visit.

Not only is it an incredible place, but the staff exhibit generosity toward photographers that is rare. On their website, you can request a photographer pass for a specific date in advance of your visit. Upon arrival, you sign in and they give you a camera sticker that you place on your shirt. This identifies you as a registered guest and allows you two hours to use tripods and other camera equipment that otherwise would not be permitted. They ask you to be considerate, respecting the space and privacy of other visitors during your stay.

The ability to use a tripod here was crucial. While I have improved my ability to capture architecture handheld, there is no substitute for being able to patiently align and frame rectilinear spaces. The system worked beautifully, as the security guards allowed me to maneuver up & down floors and in & out of corners trying various viewpoints while being mindful of other people. This image is one of many favorites. I hope to share several more from this experience in future articles.

I wish more locations would employ a similar photography policy, rather than banning tripods outright (or even cameras altogether). There were two other photographers in the library that morning and everyone was respectful to each other, the staff and the visitors. Stuttgart is deservedly proud of its library and I am grateful they allow photographers the freedom to capture and share its incredible design.

Angelic Aurora

In late February, I ventured back to Iceland for a week-long road trip. My previous visits were always in warmer months, but experiencing it in the winter has been a goal for some time. Primarily, I hoped to witness and photograph the northern lights. Within 6 hours of arriving, I was fortunate to accomplish both.

Shortly after arriving, I picked up my vehicle and drove 4.5 hours (at night) on snowy/icy roads to reach the area with the best chance to witness the spectacle. There was no guarantee that the weather would allow a glimpse of the northern lights, but the forecast was promising.

I arrived here at 10 pm and the skies started to clear around 11 pm. I eagerly awaited the appearance of any aurora activity, and at midnight the first glimpses started to be visible. Their activity increased over the next 45 minutes and it became a genuine light show. Despite the freezing, windy conditions, I was immune to the cold as I witnessed the dancing and swirling over Kirkjufell (Church Mountain). Around 1 am the clouds moved in, the show came to an end, and I started noticing the tingling in my fingers and toes.

As I packed up my equipment and walked back to my vehicle, I reveled in what I just experienced. Having been to Iceland 5 times, I have come to appreciate these precious moments when the weather cooperates. All you can do as a photographer is give yourself the opportunity for a great image.

The next 6 days were dominated by winter storms, "white-outs" of blowing snow (where driving was impossible), cloudy night skies and few, if any photo opportunities. I continued to put myself in position for photos, but during one 48 hour stretch, I did not even take off my lens cap.

This can be Iceland...frustrating, unpredictable and sometimes unforgiving. However, when everything aligns, it is magical…and why I keep coming back.

Alquézar Alight

This past spring, I went to Spain to explore some lesser-known areas. Alquezar was near the top of my list as it is situated near the Pyrenees adjacent to the Sierra de Guara national park. The area has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, but it is much less visited than the amazing cities of Barcelona, Toledo, Madrid & Valencia...this is both a shame and a blessing.

The castle or citadel was built in the 8th century and served as a defensive position for the surrounding area in a strategic and beautiful location. The village was built up around the castle in the 11th century and features multiple narrow streets that all wind you up in the direction of the castle. All of the buildings are built of the same stone and roof materials that make the village resemble one large, multi-faceted structure when viewed from above.

It is a rather small village...I think I walked all the city streets in about an hour. It was a joy to explore and find the various views over the cliffs into the canyon and beyond. Tired of the narrow streets, I decided to hike up a nearby hill to find a view of the village itself. Once I reached this spot, I knew I would come back here to capture a photo.

During sunset, the sky showed glimpses of color, but it never really materialized. The clouds, however, were dynamic and since I love the blue hour, I waited for it to come. As the darkness crept in, more and more lights lit up the medieval town. Very few tourists, if any, are here to witness this. Regardless, the village lights up the streets and the castle for the benefit of the locals and anyone (me) who happens to stick around.

I thought to myself, "what would the builders of this castle think if they saw it lit up at night?" Can you imagine what this town was like in 700AD without electric lights? Of course, there was the random torch or lantern, but nothing like this!

A great spectacle in a serene place...and a great stop for anyone visiting eastern Spain…add it to your list. :-)

Majesty

This is not new...the location or the image. It is, of course, Kirkjufell in Iceland.

While I have previously shared 2 other images of this majestic mountain, this image has been lingering in my library for years. It is one of my favorites from my first trip to Iceland, but I was reluctant to share it until now. The main reason for the delay is that this location is one of the most photographed places in Iceland. Most of you have undoubtedly seen similar images on Instagram or online. With so many images floating around already, I figured there was no rush to post another. However, I saw the image the other day and it made me smile, so I reasoned it was time to share it.

I was blessed with a beautiful sunset that lit up Kirkjufell as it fell beneath the clouds. As I often do, I tried my best to take it all in as the colors formed in the sky and the sun slowly disappeared. It was the first of many moments I have spent in the presence of what I now consider to be my favorite mountain.

Yes, there are seemingly countless images online of this iconic scene. None of them, however, can replicate the splendor of seeing it in person. Everyone (photographer or not) who has stood here will agree with me on that. It is a special place.

You can see more evidence of this by revisiting my previous posts on Kirkjufell here and here.

Golden Sentinel

The Opera House (officially named Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía) is a magnificent structure by architect Santiago Calatrava. It is one of several modern & unique architectural designs that comprise the City of Arts & Sciences in Valencia, Spain.

I was not able to go inside during my visit, as part of it was being renovated and entry was only allowed for those with event tickets. However, I did walk around the building several times admiring the lines & curves and wondering how Calatrava dreamt up such a structure.

It is completely colorless on the outside...only blacks, whites and shades of gray can be found. As a result, I expected that if I did capture a perspective that I liked, it would best be suited as a Black & White image. But something unexpected happened one evening as I was waiting for sunset...the monochrome facade transformed into complementary colors!

For a brief period, the setting sun was low enough on the horizon to shine golden light on the underside of the exposed roof, where it was reflected in some parts of the interior. There were no clouds in the sky, so it remained mostly blue in the direction I was facing and cast down its hue on the normally white exterior. I was in the position I had scouted earlier in the day and was able to capture the conversion as it happened.

I don't know if Calatrava designed this building to have this effect, but if he did, he deserves even more accolades. I suspect he did not, as I have not seen a similar image posted online with these color characteristics. I think it was a combination of the correct time of year, time of day & weather conditions that allowed it to occur.

Then again, perhaps Calatrava is a fan of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Remember that scene where Indiana Jones is in the ruins holding the staff? At the correct time, the sun shines through the hole in the roof, hits the gemstone and reveals the location of the Ark...makes you wonder.

Cité de Carcassonne

I recently completed a road trip through parts of Spain. On my way, I made one stop in France to see the fortified city of Carcassonne.

I spent the afternoon inside the walls, walking the ramparts and visiting the cathedral. It was more impressive than I had expected and I thoroughly enjoyed wandering and getting lost in its narrow streets. It is no wonder UNESCO designated this place as a World Heritage Site in 1997. As pretty as it is inside the walls, in my opinion, the best view is from a hillside just south of town.

There is not any parking near this location, so I left my car by the city and hiked out until I reached this hillside vineyard. Once I found this spot, I set up my tripod and watched a colorless sunset turn into the blue hour. I always hope for a vivid sunset, but the illuminated walls provided a nice alternative and a pleasant contrast to the darkening sky.

For the photography geeks...While it looks fairly close, the spot where I took this is a couple of kilometers away from the city. I used a telephoto lens (approximately 210mm) and while I could have captured the scene in one image, I decided to zoom in as much as possible and take several images. I then stitched them together in Photoshop to create a high-resolution panorama.

The Jester

Built as an astronomical observatory in the 17th century, the Rundetaarn (Round Tower) is a must-see for anyone visiting Copenhagen. You enter on street level and spiral your way up nearly 150 feet on a gentle ramp. While it provides a great view of the surrounding city from the top, the inside design was what caught my eye.

I stopped about halfway to the top to take this image. There was a small alcove behind me where I sat down and waited for the area to clear. I found the complexity of the design to be magnificent for something built in 1642. While the floor slowly spirals up, the ceiling does not just mirror the spiral. Instead, it features repeating triangular sections that catch the light and cast shadow from the surrounding windows.

Beautiful shapes that, to me, resemble an eccentric cap & bells hat of a court jester.

Escape from the Death Star

This was an unexpected discovery during a visit to Vienna, Austria. We were traveling to our next destination via the Vienna U-Bahn, and upon exiting the train, found ourselves in this space-age underground station. The monochrome platform with its bright red accents was begging to be photographed, so we waited a short time for the station to empty and started capturing images.

It was such a contrast from the ornate halls found in the Viennese palaces. Alone within the artless walls, it felt like we were transported deep within the Death Star. I could picture Darth Vader, flanked by Stormtroopers, descending the escalator in front of us. Lacking any blaster rifles to defend ourselves, we did not stay long...there were many more lavish palaces to be seen in this amazing city.

Encircling the Sky with Quadrilaterals

Munich is full of traditional Bavarian architecture in and around its city center. However, once you travel further away from its core, you often find interesting modern structures. I walked past this office building one day and noticed sunlight illuminating the ground near the center of its footprint. I suspected there may be an an opening or atrium, so I decided to investigate. A few steps later I was looking up at the sky and wishing I had my camera.

I made a note of the location and revisited it with my camera several days later. I chose a Sunday morning when the offices were closed to ensure I would not be a disruption. It was a beautiful day with white clouds and Bavarian blue skies. This was an added benefit, as the reflections in the windows added some color and contrast to the gray concrete.

I wanted to capture as much of the opening as possible, but his proved to be a challenge even with my widest lens. The only option was to lay on my back and press the camera tight against my face. It involved a lot of scootching/sliding/repositioning to find the true center of the opening, but it was worth it in the end.

You may recall I used a similar solution when I photographed this staircase in Naples in a very tight space. So if you see a guy with a camera and dirt on the back of his shirt, there is a reasonable chance that it is me…Please say hello. :-)

Turbine

This is another perspective that I found interesting inside the Bell Tower in Antwerp, Belgium. A few floors up from where I took the horizontal Helix image I shared a few weeks ago, this is a vertical view straight down. It took several attempts to get the alignment correct in the camera, as I had to lean over the railing and extend my arms to get the camera centered over the staircase. It was not dangerous and there was no risk of me falling…just the camera. :)

However, composing a vertical composition while looking horizontally at my camera’s 45 degree LDC tilt-screen was challenging. It involved a lot of hand/arm/feet repositioning and trial & error before I had what I felt was a suitable image.

Standing at the bottom of spiral staircases and shooting upward is much easier. I did that here also, but the view from the bottom is not near as cool as this view from the top.

Helix

This image was taken in the main administrative building of the city of Antwerp, known as “The Bell Tower.” There is not an actual bell to be found inside the tower (at least, I could not find one), but there is an amazing spiral staircase that stretches 14 stories. Being a public building, it is open to visitors and easy to reach the staircase behind the main lobby. The staff in the reception area told me it was no problem to take some photos of the staircase, so I walked up to the top and took images at several different angles…looking up, down and this one, straight on.

As you know by now, I am drawn to how various shapes and lines interplay in photography. From this perspective, you find squares, diamonds, triangles, circles, repeating patterns, symmetry…and, of course the helix. All this variety, and yet I found it to be rather simple and pleasing.

I later learned that the building derived its name from its previous owner, Bell Laboratories…so perhaps there is not an actual bell to be found here after all.

The Milky Way & The Matterhorn

Astrophotography is something that I have become very excited about over the past 2 years. My recent trip to Zermatt was planned specifically to take advantage of the dark skies in this area. I had researched the position of the Milky Way in relation to the Matterhorn and coordinated my arrival during a time when there would not be a moon in the night sky. In addition, I booked a room in a mountain hut near Stellisee. The lake is about 10km away from Zermatt and 1,000 meters higher in elevation, where there is very little light pollution. All I needed was for the weather forecast calling for clear skies to be correct…and fortunately it was.

In fact, the sky was perfectly clear. I do not think I have ever seen so many stars…they were everywhere! I was thoroughly entertained for about 2 hours, watching the Milky Way slowly move across the sky from left to right, getting closer to the Matterhorn every few minutes. I captured this image just before the galactic center started to fade down and away behind the mountains.

Even in this environment you still find some light pollution. The lights from Zermatt below as well as lights from the Italian side of the Matterhorn were enough to illuminate up the lower part of the sky. I think this actually worked to my advantage though, as you can more clearly see the silhouette of the Matterhorn and the surrounding peaks.

The Matterhorn is massive and normally dominates the skyline as you walk/hike around the area. However, in comparison to a galaxy of over 25o billion stars towering overhead…it appears much smaller.

It was an amazing night and after getting a few hours of sleep (only a few), I was back at this same location to capture the sunrise image I shared a few weeks ago - Candlelit.

Entering Warp Drive

This is another image taken in the Toledo Metro Station in Naples, Italy. Earlier this year, I featured an image of the escalator banks at the far end of this hallway - In an Octopus’s Garden.

The passageway features various shades of blue and continues the water theme with light panels of ocean waves. In my opinion, the best feature is the light fixture above. To me, it resembles the USS Enterprise just as it enters warp drive.

Warp speed, Mr. Sulu…

Reading List

A few weeks ago I applied for permission to photograph the Stuttgart Library. It is a beautiful, modern structure that I have been wanting to photograph for some time. As a result, I was excited when they granted me permission to photograph the library for 2 hours. They also granted me permission to use a tripod, which is normally prohibited. This proved essential, as the structure is filled with right angles and lines that would be very difficult to capture hand-held without distortion.

I waited outside the library, so that I could be one of the first people to enter once it opened. After showing the security guards my permission slip, I made my way up into the main atrium and got busy taking numerous compositions. Since I was one of the only people inside, I was able to photograph for about 30 minutes before other people started entering the atrium. I had scouted the library the previous day, when the library was full of people. Seeing it empty was completely different. I did like the person in this composition though…:)

I have several images from this day that I will share in the coming weeks. If you ever get a chance to visit Stuttgart, I highly recommend you spend some time here.