Landscape, Nature And Travel Photography

Of my time in Switzerland I really enjoyed the scenery in and around Grindelwald most. It is a beautiful town in a beautiful valley. The towering Eiger mountain that stands above the valley is a legendary mountain climbing destination. Tough to believe people climb straight up its steep cliff face. If you ever visit Switzerland I highly recommend exploring Grindelwald and taking the train to Kleine Scheidegg above Grindelwald for lunch.

Grindelwald Homes Under the Shadow of the Eiger, Switzerland

Technorati Tags: photography, travel, Switzerland, Eiger, mountain, alps, stock picture

On the shore of Lake Geneva outside the city of Montreaux is the Château de Chillon. It is one of the more iconic and photogenic castles in Switzerland. I can only imagine what it would have been like to call it home. From my limited time in the region I can tell you the mountain and lake views were stunning.

Château de Chillon, Switzerland

Technorati Tags: photography, travel, Switzerland, Montreaux, Château de Chillon, castle, Lake Geneva

Upon first arrival in Geneva, Switzerland I went for a walk and happened across an overpass above a railroad junction near the main train station. I instantly decided to experiment with a new tilt-shift lens to create images with a miniature effect. Having had a train set as a child I thought applying a miniature effect to the scene would work well. The image worked out well in my book as far as tilt-shift miniatures go, but my interpretation of the image has shifted (no pun intended) since I first took it.

Railroad Junction - Geneva, Switzerland

Now when I look at this image the narrow focal plane and shallow depth of field highlights the rougher looking lines traveling through the frame. I see less a miniature and more parallel patterns to that found in tree bark and other photo subjects.  Perhaps this parallel comes to mind because of recent photographs I’ve been working on or that I’m staying up too late.   No matter what the reason, the observation is an important one to note as it highlights a key component of seeing. When looking for patterns, textures, lines, etc. you’re bound to find similar patterns and lines that follow a common geometry. Learning those patterns over time will enable you to see and compose images in a more timely fashion.

Technorati Tags: Photography, travel, Switzerland, railroad, track, tilt-shift effect, tilt-shift, stock photo, picture

This Weeks Friday Freebie iPad Wallpaper: Grindelwald Glacier, Switzerland
Friday Freebie features an image to liven up your iPad display with images from my travels… all for free.

Switzerland is one amazingly beautiful location. The extreme mountain-scapes and diverse history of each region makes for a fascinating time of exploration. I particularly enjoyed exploring the high country around Grindelwald, Wengen and Lauterbrunnen during my last trip. Standing atop mountains in the alps is an incredible feeling especially when looking down at the ever impressive Grindelwald Glacier. Large blocks of ice cling and forge down the super steep mountain walls virtually defying gravity. While Grindelwald isn’t as massive as other glaciers its steepness and jaggedness never ceases to impress those that see it. If you’re curious to see more of my landscape and travel photos from Switzerland look no further than this link. Thanks for checking in and enjoy this Friday’s Freebie.

Click here to download your free iPad wallpaper. Have a great weekend!

Note: This image is distributed for personal use only and all rights are reserved. If interested in using this photograph commercially please contact me.

Technorati Tags: Photography, nature, landscape, Free, Friday Freebie, iPad, Wallpaper

After witnessing this beautiful sunset at Lake Geneva near Montreux, Switzerland I felt as though I had been struck with inspiration in the same manner influential European painters like Gustave Courbet and Claude Monet had years earlier. This timeless moment exemplified a misty/smokey golden light that I had seen so many times before in classic paintings I’ve studied. Amazing how viewing the art work of another artists decades, if not centuries, later can seem both retrospective and prescient.

Lake Geneva Sunset, Switzerland

Technorati Tags: photography, landscape, travel, Switzerland, Montreux, Lake Geneva

This past week a few things have happened to help me put perspective in perspective.

1. My DSL connection stopped working which is always helpful in seeing the world strictly in an off-line fashion. It’s quite refreshing so make sure you reserve time to unplug and embrace the moments where perhaps that is forced upon you.
2. One of my dogs has been suffering from deteriorating health. Moe my 15 year old Jack Russell Terrier has always had some weird neurological issues, but nothing pressing. Lately he’s been experiencing atypical seizures at a frequency that has been nothing short of alarming. We’re hoping his new medications keep things in check and he can grace us with his very own brand of insanity for several more years to come.
3. I was recently a member of a jury deliberating a criminal case. To date I’ve never been on a jury and often tried my hardest to avoid being on a jury. My attitude about jury duty is quite different now. It was an amazing experience that really makes you appreciate the U.S. legal system. It may very well be flawed in some ways, but the process of being judged by a group of your peers rather than one individual under the precept of innocence is amazing. To come to any  conclusion all 12 jurors needed to be unanimous. To get 12 people to agree to the same thing is incredibly difficult and as a result finding a person guilty of a crime takes a lot of solid evidence and discussion.

How does this all piece together? This past week has left me feeling free to see the world beyond an LCD screen with fresh eyes. It’s been a reminder that many of the precious things under your nose require careful attention that shouldn’t be lost in distraction. It’s shown me that no one person sees the circumstances of every day life the same way. While I see each of these things individually as great reminders in how to live, photographically its also a reminder that what you see and document with your camera (even the most mundane of subjects) is an extension of your perspective on the world around you.

All these events made me rethink my perspective on perspective. Perspective isn’t just how you frame what you see, but how you interpret what you see, how you emphasize what you see, how you lead your viewers to interpret what you see and how you piece multiple things together to provide a perspective to something larger and more meaningful. Something to consider the next time you reach for your camera.

Bellevue des Alpes Hotel at Kleine Scheidegg, Switzerland

Technorati Tags: photography, philosophy, travel, Switzerland, Kleine Scheidegg, tilt-shift, toy effect

Last year this time I was exploring Switzerland at the peak of fall color. No matter the location seeing nature transform during Autumn is a magical experience. What made my experience in this one location so special was being able to fill my senses with the scene. Hearing the water rush by, feeling the light rain against my face and smelling the crisp fresh air made exploring the scene with my camera all the more memorable. While I enjoy entertaining the sense of sight to those that view my photos, I selfishly enjoy the moments in the field to experience nature with all my senses. It is this immersion that puts me in tune with my surroundings and renews my being. If I’m lucky the photos I walk away with capture that moment and feeling for others to enjoy and find inspiration from.

Fall Color in Switzerland

This photo was taken at the time I posted Finding My Happy Place some time ago.

Technorati Tags: Switzerland, fall color, autumn, fall, fine art, stock, panoramic, photography, photos

While in Switzerland on my last trip there I found a quiet brook running through the alpine countryside and was in awe of the fall color. The brook itself was a beautiful turquoise (I’ll post a photo of that in the near future) and the ceiling of color provided above it by the trees was a real visual treat. The gray rock cliff behind seemed only to enhance the color to my eye. When the rain began to fall that is when the trees seemed to glow. Moments like this where you’re not rushing around and can witness a picturesque scene unfold before you is one of the magical moments of being a landscape and nature photographer.  

This photo was taken at the time I posted Finding My Happy Place some time ago.

Technorati Tags: Switzerland, fall color, autumn, fall, fine art, stock, panoramic, photography, photos