Uploads from satosphere

The Pool of Dreams

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:28:15 -0700

satosphere posted a photo:

It was the last stop on our visit to Hearst Castle. As I made my way down to what seemed like an enormous warehouse-like building, I could already hear the noisy rumbles of the shuttle waiting to take us back. Time was running out....

But as soon as I entered the building, it just seemed as though time stopped. The cacophony of noises outside subsided to a whimpered whisper. And in that ensuing calm, all the tourists around me were soaking the scene that lay in front of them: a beautiful pool with a mirror-like surface bathed in a hues of royal blue and faded gold, a pool fit for a king.

I could already see the people around me envisioning a gilded era, an era in which they were the kings and queens, and spending a relaxing afternoon swimming around the pool while maids waited for their every wish.

But alas, that would mean disturbing the tranquil reflections in the pool. As a photographer, isn't that such a travesty?

3 bracketed images were shot handheld at F11 at ISO 6400

Hearst Castle
CA USA

Hidden California

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 23:33:42 -0700

satosphere posted a photo:

I was driving around in Central California when I came across a road marked Airline Highway. I looked around a bit, honestly hoping for an airline to land.

Why? Because this isn't the California I have known and lived in; there was no traffic for miles around. Rolling hills starting to lose their green matting dividied large open valleys dotted with rustic farmland and picturesque vineyards with the ubiquitous California black oak dotting this almost-barren landscape.

And this was the scenery for the next 90 minutes of the drive!

As the sun slowly settled lower into the sky, the shadows lengthened, lending a sense of depth that was conspicuously absent in the midday light when I drive there earlier. The golden yellows and vibrant greens started popping up in the last rays of the setting sun, highlighting the black oaks that prominently dotted the landscape.

It was such a blissful drive, and a sweet reminder of why I love living in California, where within an hours drive from bustling suburbia, one can find a pastoral paradise.

Airline Highway
CA USA

Carlsbad Caverns

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 00:41:02 -0700

satosphere posted a photo:

I still remember that cheerful voice that narrated useful information while going down on that elevator. An elevator that descended 750 ft below the vast desert that dominates New Mexico. But what I remember is not the actual contents of the speech but rather how much it left me unprepared for what was waiting for me when I got out.

I had never been in caves before, except for a couple of small jaunts to the Luray Caverns in Virginia and the Crystal caves in Sequoia National Park. But Carlsbad Caverns is a completely different beast. The enormity of the caverns, the variety of limestone formations and the creativity of the lighting patterns all made the place so mesmerizing.

And then I actually got to check out unlit caverns and I still vividly remember the amount of light or lack thereof!. Pitch blackness that would put any place above-ground to shame.

I was glad I dragged my tripod along to capture some of the formations, colors and unique shapes found nowhere else.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park
NM USA

Carlsbad Caverns

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 00:41:02 -0700

satosphere posted a photo:

Swirl of Moonlight

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:01:15 -0800

satosphere posted a photo:

I went in search of a truly rare natural spectacle.
I returned with another truly natural spectacle.

I went in search of a fire, of a fire falling from the sky, of a firefall where water tumbling thousands of feet glows yellow and red from the last rays of the setting sun.
I returned with images of a glacier-carved valley bathed in moonlight, of clouds swirling around a 3000ft piece of stoic rock, of a landscape that time forgot.

I went hopeful of capturing a once-in-a-lifetime event. I came back with memories of meeting some great friends and some amazing photographers. (Joe Azure, Chinniah Poosapadi, Sankar Salvady - it was great meeting all of you)

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown,
for going out, I found, was really going in - John Muir

These words echoed through my mind as I stopped by Valley view, a photogenic vista point, just as the moon, which had been hiding shyly behind the clouds, appeared again, bathing a beautiful scene into a truly memorable scene.

A 3 minute exposure captured the swirl in the clouds as well as some star trails. around the stoic piece of rock know as El Capitan

Yosemite National Park
CA USA

Sailing off into the sunset

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 23:00:13 -0800

satosphere posted a photo:

As the last light of the sunset faded away from the glowing clouds, an ever-darkening eerie spread on the horizon. The crowds gathered around slowly started to disperse after an hour of festivities, disappointed at the lack of any show of light.

It seemed anticlimactic,

But the few dogged photographers, including me, stuck around, perhaps miraculously hoping for something special.

Just as the last light seemed to leave the sky, a beautiful sailboat appeared on the horizon, its 3 sails silhouetted against the orange sky. And the scene transported me back to a gilded regal age where proud sailors criss-crossed the oceans, searching for the treasures that would bring fame and glory. And this sailboat on the horizon seemed ready for just an adventure.

Shot with a telephoto lens at ISO 800, 1/40s at F11

Key West
FL USA

Lighthouse of Last Resort

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 22:32:05 -0800

satosphere posted a photo:

The camera gear was packed. The tripod folded up. The key was in the ignition and I was ready to turn on the car. I took one last parting look at the sky behind me, a twilight blue melding to a deep orange expanse beautifully silhouetting the distinctive profile of the Pigeon Point Light House with its safety light slowly making circles around the horizon.

I couldn't bear the thought of leaving the place like this. And so, I once again grabbed my camera and tripod and headed back to my sunset spot, a small cliff overlooking the shoreline leading to the lighthouse, sprinkled with rocks both large and small. A rather large rock island a few feet away from the shore formed another nice structure to balance out the lighthouse.

It was getting dimmer by the minute and I was starting to lose my vision, but I knew my camera could capture the little remnants of the long gone sunset light. I dialled up the exposure: 2mins at F14 and ISO 400 provided just the right exposure when I included a 3-stop Singh Ray Reverse GND filter.

A Last Minute decision to stay back yielded a beautiful image!

Pigeon Point Light House
CA USA

Mallory Square Sunset

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 23:25:47 -0800

satosphere posted a photo:

The hue and cry of the excited revelers spread far and wide out onto the tiny town at the western edge of the Florida Keys. Its faint verocity from four blocks away became more frenzied as I got closer and closer. The reason for this celebration: the sunset fiesta at Mallory Square, a daily occurence on the harbor of Key West heralding the setting of the orange sun behind the blue waters of the Caribbean. Nowhere in this country is a sunset celebrated with as much reverly and joy as in this hour long fest.

I still had a couple more blocks to go, but already the sun was teetering dangerously close to the horizon: I would have only a few minutes to find a place, set up the camera and start shooting. Thankfully, I go there just in time. And one of the many compositions I shot included this one of a sailboat heading on into the horizon.

Key West
FL USA

Wild Colors of Dry Tortugas

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:51:16 -0800

satosphere posted a photo:

Under the auspices of cloudy skies, the clear waters around Garden Key was about as remarkable as the Pacific shore in Northern California: colorless, and seemingly lifeless. And the more time I spent atop the ramparts of Fort Jefferson, the more disappointed I became not only at this military abode 70 miles off Key West but also the expense of an entire day spent on this venture to the middle of the Gulf Coast. Losing hope, I retired back to the ferry, its gentle rocking slowly lulling me to a somber sleep.

But around noon, a remarkable thing happened: the skies started to clear up. And through the gaps, sunlight poured onto the sea, giving it life not unlike how a torrential downpour provides life to a parched landscape. The grey waters started shimmering again, taking on the azure blue so characteristic of the Caribbean waters.

I rushed back to the fort, and up the ramparts once again, hoping to capture this new bit of life and color. Here is one such snap, with the turquoise blue ocean on one side and the emerald green waters of the moat around the fort on the other.

Dry Tortugas National Park
FL USA

A Surprise in Alviso

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 22:41:00 -0800

satosphere posted a photo:

It was one of those rare occasions in the Bay Area: clear scenery with partly cloudy skies, reflecting just the right amount of light as the sun sets in a far-off land beyond the mountains. I was fortunate enough to get here just in time to freeze away an ephemeral instance into permanence with this colorful sunset image.

Shot a bracketed sequence of images at F11 and ISO 200 from the shores of Alviso Slough just near my homebase.

Alviso
CA USA

New Years 2013

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 22:01:27 -0800

satosphere posted a photo:

As the sun sets on the first day of a brand new year, I got a few moments of respite to reflect on all the changes, both in my life, and in the world, in the 366 days of 2012. It has been a dynamic year full of surprises, and a year that has profoundly changed my life.

After having been in a photography rut for the last few months, I began the new year shooting a big bang - the fireworks in San Francisco heralding the start of 2013. Shooting from the crowded clubs and clogged streets, away from the chaotic parties and confused revelers that predominates downtown San Francisco. I eschewed that popular hangout in favor of the photography spirit that seems to dominate the shoreline of Treasure Island where thousands of tripods and accompanying cameras were pointed towards the spectacle of light that started on the dot at midnight.

Here is one such image from Downtown San Francisco shot at ISO 125 at F8 for 8s.
Happy New Year folks

San Francisco
CA USA

A White Christmas

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 00:07:38 -0800

satosphere posted a photo:

My car seemed to be having a mind of its own. Either that or I seemed to have lost control of the car. It wasn't steering right.
It was going to be a loong day.

It was in the morning of Christmas day in beautiful Yosemite National Park. A few days of snow and rain had sprinkled a lot of snow in the valleys and much more so at higher elevations. It was a heavenly, wintry, white Christmas in the park.

The deceptively dry conditions on the drive so far negated any thoughts of putting on chains for my car. I was driving alone, and even thinking about getting out of the comfort and warmth of my car into the freezing weather outside and struggle to strap the chains to the front wheels unnerved me quite a bit!

It was about that that I steered my car up towards Tunnel view. It started out ok and the momentum kept me going. I stopped a bit to let another vehicle pass by and then tried to get going again. It was then that the full effect of ice on a steep incline hit me: my car wouldn't move ahead and started going into horrible whellspins, drifting and straying inexplicably in all directions. This was truly frightening as I had never lost control over my car so much!

I then decided that going up any further was foolhardy and promptly made a tight U-turn, thankfully without crashing into anything else!. I got down to the first turnout I could find, braved the freezing weather and painfully cold fingers and gingerly attached the chains. It was only then that the car gained traction and I was able to drive up.

Why so much effort? For scenes such as these. Late in the evening, once the mercury dropped, fog started forming over the valley floor. That, combined with the grey overcast skies, lent itself well for the classic Tunnel View scene. This was a single exposure at ISO 400, F11 for 25s.

Yosemite National Park
CA USA

Anonymous Waterfalls

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 22:45:12 -0800

satosphere posted a photo:

The lust verdant greenery around the Arenal Observatory Lodge was enough to incite my buddy and me to head out exploring the trails around the lodge. On and on we went, along narrow brick pathways inlaid onto trails winding its way through the forest.

The overgrown pathway reeked of life. Plants competed for every bit of empty space on the ground and up on the trees and on all the surrounding rocks. Having never seen such density of life, I was taken back by the sheer overgrowth like a carpet of green draped all over.

Every now and then, the sounds of gurgling water became apparent. I was getting closer to the falls. Descending down mossy slippery steps, wet from the morning mist, I came across this small, but intricate 20ft waterfall. Its spray fed the plant growth all around, while the sweet smell of wet earth permeated everywhere. Setting my tripod on the edge of a rocky shelf, I snapped away some exposures of this beauty for 4s at F16 and ISO 100.

Unfortunately, this nameless waterfall will forever remain Anonymous!

Parque Nacional Arenal
Alajuela, Costa Rica

Junction Meadow, Kings Canyon National Park, CA

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 22:52:54 -0800

satosphere posted a photo:

12 miles. 12000ft pass. 1500ft up and 4000ft down.
It was one of the longest days of backpacking that I have ever done. The sheer amount of effort involved in dragging 30lbs of backpacking gear and 10lbs of camera equipment made even that 12 mile journey on the 4th day seem like a torture test that seemed to last for an eternity.
And the fact that I fell down once and bruised my knee while also getting a splinter wedged into my palm didn't help either.

But finally, I did make it. I arrived at Junction meadow, the campsite for the last night of the 5-day backpack into the heart of Kings Canyon National Park.

Junction Meadow is a beautiful meadow set amidst the junction of two icy cold creeks. The grass, still green in the late summer, swayed lazily with the cool breeze, a breeze that breathed life into our tired souls. Tall conifers rose steadfast into the sky, a sky still partially covered with puffy white clouds whose bubbly spirit mirrored our ebullient selves for having found this paradise.

And the campsite we sought out had a gorgeous view of this tranquil scene and the surround granite crags within which this valley nested; the lush sound of the gurgling creek, the surprising lack of mosquitoes or critters of any sort and an evening in the national park sans the crowds made it a rather blissful paradise.

It was along the creek that I found this beautiful sunset scene, as the last rays of the sun caught the tips of the granite walls with a vibrant orange. The tough exposure required me to shoot bracketed images at F14 and ISO 100 and combine them in post-processing.

Kings Canyon National Park
CA USA

White Sands National Monument

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 21:33:27 -0800

satosphere posted a photo:

All the adjectives in the world could not describe the surreality of the scene I was experiencing. Perhaps the picture can do justice.

It was late in the evening as I trudged my way through the soft sand of White Sands National Monument. The last sign of civilization, a air control tower belonging to the White Sands Missile Range just started to dip below the top of a wavy dune. But my eyes were not focused there. Instead, it was scanning the place looking for good sunset spots and compositions. And it was an hour before I found the right spot.

The sun was getting ready to go behind the rocky hills in southern New Mexico. It was then that all the elements came together.
First was the subject: The head of a yucca crested the top of a clean undisturbed dune, angled in the right direction. A steady ground level wind ensured that our chaotic footprints would all but disappear and the thin layer of sand lifted by the wind was glinting with the near red light of the sun, softening the edge of the dune. Meanwhile the remnants of an afternoon cloud activity was starting to glow vibrantly.

The scene and the colors lasted for a few minutes, but under the zen conditions of photography, it seemed to last for an eternity. Or atleast long enought to get the right comps.

Shot with a tripod at F13, ISO 400 for 1/50s.

White Sands National Monument
NM USA

Not a Terrible Sunset

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 23:52:39 -0800

satosphere posted a photo:

Sometimes you just have to take a chance. All the hours of preparation and hours of anticipation go to waste if you don't take the plunge.

And photography is a great example of that. Imagine the number of hours put into planning a shoot, watching out for correct weather, scouting the right locations and so on. But all of that would go to waste if that inkling of doubt in your mind prevents you from taking the plunge!

And this particular sunset, from early October, exemplifies it very well. I was constantly monitoring the weather patterns and reviewing webcam images hoping that the right light of clouds would form at the right altitude. But 2hrs before sunset, I was rather confused on whether to make the hourlong drive. I did, and was glad that I did!.

Here is one of the images from a not so terrible sunset at Davenport State Beach, shot at ISO 400, 0.8s at F14 and 12mm, timing it just right to capture the sweep of the wave. I liked it so much that it made its way into the 2013 calendar, details of which I shall release shortly.

Davenport State Beach
CA USA

Tropical Playa

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 00:57:53 -0700

satosphere posted a photo:

The Whale's Tail: a phrase that immediately evokes imagery of a beautiful humpback whale that is lifting its tail out of the water in an ocean surrounded by majestic snow-capped peaks. This Whale's Tail, however, is not one of those. It is a piece of land that juts out onto the ocean, so named for the way it forks off from land. And after having seen its graceful shape on the satellite view, it was overwhelming to finally be there.
Hiking on that narrow isthmus, which is only possible at low time, I followed the wavy lines of sand on the beach onto its rocky end. While the view out into the ocean was not exemplary, I was blown away by the view facing the land: mountains ranges carpeted by thick tropical jungles extended on either side of the playa, abruptly dropping down into the ocean. Imagine the rugged California coastline, with a thick tropical growth all around.
This was the real Costa Rica, Pura Vida.

Playa Uvita
Punta Arenas, Costa Rica

Pastoral Paradise

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 11:18:28 -0700

satosphere posted a photo:

As the first rains of the winter drench the bay area, cleaning its air and water, moistening the surrounding hills and setting the right conditions for the next year, I look forward to the next spring, replete with green rolling hills, colorful wildflowers and serene landscapes all around.

It is this ever-changing transient cycle of form and colors, that while more mellow than other parts of the country, still enthralls me about California. Every vision of my paradise comes to a sylvan pastoral landscape surrounded by rolling green hills, blue skies and puffy white clouds. And come next spring, nothing would give me more joy to be hiking in such idyllic surroundings.

And when I was in Palouse earlier this year, I could see how such bucolic environs can inspire many a photographer. Here is one such vision that I framed while driving aimless through the rustic roads that line the wheat fields of Palouse.

Palouse
WA USA

Waterworld

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 23:14:17 -0700

satosphere posted a photo:

There is a whole world out there that 99% of us never get to explore: the waterworld. It is a world with very similar rules yet filled with diverse creatures. It is a world where the sun is not the only source of energy, but it is the predominant source of energy. It is world that occupies more than 70% of our planet!

And yet, we have hardly explored this fascinating diversity and have only managed to catch glimpses of its wonder through aquariums and documentaries. Perhaps that may be my fate as well, until I learn how to go diving, of course!

The Steinhart aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences is a great example of how that 99% can get to experience the wonders of the waterworld. Some eye-catching displays, walkways that tunnel underwater and giant aquariums combine to give a great time!

This is a shot of a random prawn at the Academy of Sciences, shot with a 50mm prime lens at ISO 800, 1/80s at F4.5

San Francisco
CA USA

Getting your feet wet

nobody@flickr.com (satosphere) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 01:16:35 -0700

satosphere posted a photo:

Remember the first time you got your feet wet? Not physically, but experientially?

I remember grabbing a small point and shoot camera (a big deal in those days) and biking (bicycling) around my home turf in the wee hours of the morning and freezing the moments that captured the slice of life and the essence of the city I was in. It wasn't just another snapshot, it was always about stopping time in my own little 800x600 view of the world. That was perhaps my first tryst with digital photography!.

It was one of those moments that occurred today as I was chasing an epic sunset. I had just picked up my camera, hoping to adjust a setting and raise the filter when a large wave rose from behind the rocks and in a split-second, it was ready to crash on me. I resisted every temptation to run back on the moss-covered slippery rocks, knowing that a single fall would be the end of the camera, and probably my head. So I just waited it out, waited for the mass of sea-water and sand to swirl all around, taking its time to completely soak my shoes, socks and my feet with freezing cold water.

If I were a big fan of walking in soaking wet shoes, I wouldn't have minded this experience, but I am not. It was a miserable 45 minutes before I could get back to my car.

So here is an image in celebration of getting your feet wet, physically and experientially. Shot yesterday evening with a wide angle lens at 11mm, F14, ISO 400 for 0.6s (just to get the wave right) with a Singh Ray 3-stop Reverse GND filter strapped on.

Davenport
CA USA