Landscape & Travel
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Breathtaking beauty of Zion
First snow on Long Island
Canyonlands National Park
At times you have to go to the extreme to get the shot that you envisioned. Canyonlands had an unusual amount of snow this year. The panoramic shot of the canyon promised to be interesting. Usually, the off-road driving turns into tacky mud during these conditions. Equipped with courage and a special vehicle, we decided to drive through the night when the mud is frozen. It was tough. The plan worked. Mother Nature reworded us with an epic sunrise. This is a panoramic time blend.
Tre Cime by night
This is a one 20 sec exposure, which was taken an hour after the sunset during a relatively bright night.
DreizinnenhutteTre CimeVitaly GladDolomitesDolomitiLong Exposure
The Windows
Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are The Window through which you must see the world. Bernard Shaw
Arches National ParkTurret ArchWilson ArchWindowsUtahVitaly Glad
Sunset at Santa Maddalena
It did not feel like much happening during that evening. Low clouds were covering the mountains, while the light was slipping away. Suddenly the mountains lighted up for a split second. It was almost like someone turned on a switch. All I had to do is to press the button.
The Organ
If you are wondering how Mars would look like after we colonize it, go for a hike at Arches National Park. Fresh air and some of the best sceneries will entice your imagination.
Arches National ParkCourthouse TowersThe OrganUtahVitaly Glad
Together until the end.
Throughout my life, I have been fascinated with the trees. Unlike us, trees take a lifelong stand. Unlike us, some of them are strong enough to withstand thousands of years. Some of us enjoy their aesthetic landscaping appeal, other consider them “things”. If trees could express themselves more vividly, they would likely consider us as pests.
It was during my recent solar eclipse trip to South Carolina, when I witnessed this scene. At the South Carolina global warming frontier, the mighty ocean keeps on claiming more and more land. Erosion eats up the coastline; with not much choice left, the trees keep their stand. The well-rooted oak tree is holding, a once beautiful, currently faded palm tree. I can almost hear him saying: ‘Don’t worry. We are not down yet. I’ve gotten you.' Together until the end.
Totality - diamond ring
Totality was the most memorable shot of 2017 for me. It was all about light. It was different: the light was bending, slipping away, hiding, and sneaking back out again. It felt like I was part of something bigger. It surely was an out of this world experience. I recommend everyone to try to shoot the full eclipse. This shot was taken in South Carolina. Used equipment: d810, Nikkor 500 mm, filter Flrecrest IRND 18 stops, gitzo tripod. These are two exposures: one for moon texture, and second one for the diamond ring.
Shooting star
Kluchevskoi Volcano 🌋 also known as Klyuchevskaya Sopka at 15 580 ft is the highest active volcano in Eurasia. While I was photographing its eruption, a shooting star 🌠 passed by. It was surreal. This is one frame - long exposure.
Sunset voyage
Needles
Composition and other technicalities.
At times I work hard at including pieces of the landscape puzzle into my frame, other times I work on taking things off. One way or another, I am always at the mercy of Mother Nature. Here is how I built my story here:
I noticed there were two layers of clouds. The lower layer was slightly darker. I used the darker clouds as the top of my frame. At the bottom I had two different types of stone as well. I used darker reddish stone as the bottom of my frame. There were two leading lines to the center piece: lines of snow in the bottom right corner, and slightly stretched clouds in the top left corner. I found the center piece interesting. However, the left center side was higher than the right one. I needed more light at the right center side to balance the center piece. I waited for it. As you can see, I finally got more light at the right center piece than at the left. Also, I had a nice white cloud on the right center side to counter balance the higher left center piece. In addition to all of these, I liked the horizontal and vertical line patterns: red and white stones on the ground, dark and bright clouds in the sky. In order to get a nice soft light and texture revealing shadows, this shot had to be taken during the sunset. The light and the position of the sun had to be calculated in advance. The weather could be predicted with only some degree of certainty.
The colors of this photo are within complimentary color theory.
This is one exposure.
Everything is fine in Haven
Bryce Canyon
If you are ever going to visit Bryce Canyon, do not forget to bring oxygen tanks with you. At a hundred thousand feet altitude there is absolutely no oxygen there. The only time you can visit it is during the six months long polar night. During the six month polar day the radiation from the sun will kill you within minutes. Even if you come during the polar night, you still need an air tight suit. Make sure you do not have any leaks in it; a tiny hole will suck all the humidity out of you in milliseconds. Carrying razor sharp particles, dust storms will cut through any equipment you bring. A Kevlar case with a gorilla glass visor will be necessary for your camera. Unexplained magnetic fields prevent one from the use of any type of electronics. I recommend bringing a large format mechanical camera for quality shots. The sunrises and sunsets last for weeks there. This is the best time to take a shot. Being so close to the moon, you can also use a moonlight to fill up your exposure.
Bryce Canyon is a truly magical place. Three hundred feet tall pine trees are overshadowed by a thousand foot tall Hoodoos. Thor’s Hammer is the biggest of all. Millions of years ago, Thor dropped his hammer into the canyon. Over time, with the help of the sand storms, it has gotten completely covered with red dust.
It seems nothing can survive in these drastic conditions. Yet these magnificent pine trees adapted to the environment. The trees get their oxygen through the roots. Hundreds of feet underground, the roots touch the Mossy cave. Mossy cave is the longest cave in the world. It starts hundred miles away in Sin City. Mormon warriors guard the gates of the cave. Mormons have thousands of wives, so the excess of men are turned into the warriors. Mormon warriors learned how to use the sun light as energy. They do not need food or water. They have been guarding the Mossy cave for thousands of years.
Only with recently passed legislation, this beautiful world is in danger. Cannabis. Mighty winds bring cannabis smoke from Sin City to the gates of the Mossy Cave, and put Mormon guardians to sleep. Random visitors from far away Asia come to the cave, and steal the roots of the pine trees. In ancient Asian rituals, roots of Bryce Canyon pines are used to inforce manpower and extend ones lifespan. The pine trees are dying. Without the pine trees’ root system the Bryce Canyon Hoodoos will surely collapse into the Mossy cave. The once beautiful world will ceased to exist forever.
Independence day NYC
Shadows of Long Island
Quiet morning at Kaindy
Sand storm at Altyn-Emel
Atoll
Supermoon Full Lunar Eclipse
Kluchevskoi volcano
Also known as Klyuchevskaya Sopka at 15 580 ft is the highest active volcano in Eurasia.
Fire Island Inlet
Horseshoe Bend
Lonely Boat
Swan lake
Altstadt
Fire Island Light House
The K21 in the Ständehaus
Fire Island Lighhouse
Ritza lake
Storm at Long Island Sound
Spring on Long Island
New York
Azhek waterfall
Long Island Classics
Saint Basil's Cathedral
Foggy Morning
Harvest Moon
Fall colors
