Years, lovers and glasses of wine must never be counted
Another year has
passed. My quest to seek the meaning of life and true source of happiness
continues. A question oftentimes pop up my mind, what would you do if you get a
chance to design your life the way you want. Would you still choose to do the
same work? Would you prefer more friends or solitude? Who would you want to
wake beside to? Would you stop chasing money and start earning experiences
instead? Possibilities are endless.
I wish life had a
pause button so that I could enjoy precious moments longer. It has been said
that when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to make
it true. I wonder why it never works with me.
If I paint the picture of 2019 highlights, it would be rendered quite vivid and colorful. 5 countries, few photography accolades (invited for guest talk at photography exhibition and others) and encounter with a sweet girl. Experiencing coldest day of my life, -13 degrees Celsius in the Swiss Alps and much awaited family vacation after 16 long years were icing on the cake.
However, there weren’t only sunshine and roses. I had my own share of rains and thorns too. There was a time when my life became directionless. I didn’t enjoy the work like I did before. The girl I was talking to vanished. Photography didn’t fascinate me anymore. There was nothing much to look forward to. I vividly remember spending days staring at the ceiling of my room doing nothing. These are the kind of days when you contemplate on missing aspects of life, chances you took, opportunities you missed, decisions you regret, people you lost, moments you wish to relive, successes, failures, so on and so forth.
Here is a list of 21
things I learned in 2019:
People always leave
You don’t find excellence. You build it and then it takes you places
Financial knowledge is something you can’t ignore. You are gonna need it at some point in life. And when you do, you would regret how much you have already lost
Sometimes you give your best and yet you fail
Things can go well when you least expect it
Sooner or later you succeed. You just need to keep trying
Some things in life are inevitable. You can’t change them no matter how hard you try. But you can always prepare to minimize surprises
Never lose people who were with you in the dark times. That’s when you know their true colors
Life of chances always trumps life with regrets. Wear confidence, take calculated risks and be expressive. Had I done it 5 years ago, my life would have been different
Trust is a rare thing in this world. Truth is, people who harm you are the ones you put most of your trust in. They change and so do their behavior towards you
If you have a secret, don’t tell anyone
You can be a nice guy and yet lose the girl
When you feel left out, there is always a community out there you can connect to
You always sacrifice one thing at the expense of other. It’s a zero sum game
You are human. You can’t work with the same efficiency all the time. But people would expect you to
Sometimes you don’t measure up to your own past performances
Family trips are awesome. You should do it whenever you get the chance
Buy only what you need
Car is not an investment. It’s an expense at the cost of comfort and luxury
Family, friends, work, hobbies — You get to choose any three
Life rarely unfolds the way you plan and anticipate
Happy new year! And remember, Years, Lovers and Glasses of wine… these are the things never to be counted.
Few years ago, a personality test revealed that I am an INFJ, the rarest of 16 personality types that exist in this world. Most of the time I was in senses, I used to ponder on why my brain is wired differently from the people I hang out with. Words that describe me are conscientious, determined, organized, planful, creative, thoughtful, introspective, value-driven, private and altruistic.
I don’t quit. I work on my growth relentlessly until I achieve the goal I have in mind. I am my biggest critic. I always have a burning desire to achieve more. For me, it’s never enough. I have a purpose in life — To become better in my abilities and sharpen my skills with each passing day and I strive to make it happen no matter how long it takes.
I choose friends carefully. I have few friends whom I trust. I don’t regret it. Less people I sit with, less bullshit I would have to deal with. And this gives room to pursue my hobbies and expand my horizon in personal development.
More than people, I find solace in solitude and art. Be it writing or playing piano or do photography. But I also find it torturous to spend long time alone.
I don’t share my knowledge in person unless asked. Instead my curious mind often comes up with zillion of questions for the problem the other person discusses. And sometimes, it helps them out. My contribution to the Tech community (GeeksforGeeks) is pure altruism.
I give time to people who are worth my time and energy. Selfish, self absorbed, judgemental and negative people turn me off. I prefer to spend time on my hobbies instead.
I am an easy going person because of good listen quotient and great understanding nature. I have been seen from many people at work as a great team player. Rarely have I met someone who didn’t enjoy a face to face conversation with me. From English literature to urdu poems, from politics to fantasy, from finance to technology. I can talk it all except sports. I don’t very much like talking about politics with serious people. I have seen it turning relationships sour.
I choose who to travel with. Good companions make amazing trips.
I walk out of an argument when it’s getting worse and not going anywhere. I cut off people when they sound judgemental and make comments unless they know me personally. It makes people think of me as a rude and arrogant person.
I take constructive criticism very seriously and use it in my benefit. It has helped me in every aspect of personal and professional development in life so far.
I am on open book if you know how to read well. Otherwise I might be the greatest mystery.
Precaution is better than cure. I try my best preparing for a situation before it disturbs my calm mind and sleep. I like plans and value punctuality. I tend to be more of a meticulous person than a spontaneous one. My brain works like a decision tree and it likes to ponder on the various possible outcomes of a decision and decisions of that decision.
I appreciate talent. You might not be the greatest pianist in the world. But if you play good, I feel fortunate to know you in person.
I care for people I am close with. I usually put thoughts and conscience before saying something.
I am fascinated by high quality things — Good food, nice cloths, great ambiance. I appreciate beauty and craftsmanship. I might disagree that looks don’t matter to me. But that would be a lie. I like beauty around me. Minimalistic by nature, I prefer to dine at finer restaurants twice a week than chilling out in below average eateries every alternate day.
I am quite social and often come out as charming. I make friends instantly when they share some mutual interest.
What is your personality type? Have you tried rewiring your brain to improve it?
I am working on #8 and hope to come out of it soon.
While flipping through the pages of the book he had gifted her on her birthday which she didn’t care to open until now, she found a paper folded in the heart shape. Imprints of the writing in blue were peeking at her. On the top, words were penned in glitter sparkling ink, “Happy birthday to the most beautiful person I’ve ever known”.
She opened it carefully. It was a letter.
Mary,
I’m quieter than quiet most of these days for I have no words left to say. Without you, minutes make me feel like years. Each clock tick hammers my heart increasing the wish to see you multifold. O dear! If only I could, I would have written hundred books on love and yet it won’t be enough to justify the strength of enchantment you’ve casted upon me. If only I could, I would have crossed universes and brought the brightest star for you and yet it would be nothing as compared to the glow of your smile. If only I could…
The letter became engrossing and more & more intense as she read. Each sentence was so beautifully crafted that if the words could take the shape of sound, it would have possessed the power to enchant the darkest of souls. And he had penned all this for her. Only her. The letter was like flowers to be kept between pages of the book for eternity. That night, she read the letter again before dinner, and before going to bed, and when she was not getting the sleep. She spent the next hour contemplating the words before reading it all over again.
A thing in particular I don’t like about life is that sometimes, you get to know someone only to realize later it wasn’t bound to last and a time comes when you have to let it go. It all starts as fun. You screw up sleeps only to live an extra hour in that enchantment. Slowly it grips you in its storm and before you know, it throws you to the other side of the emotional landscape where golden sunshines are annihilated by gloomy thunderstorms, pleasant autumns are taken over by harsh winters and rays of hope are veiled by incessant rains.
I never ceased to marvel at the astounding beauty of the nature. Of all the wonders in the world, night sky intrigues me the most, for it obscures the path I walk on, yet it shows me the reason to do so. That’s life, isn’t it?
Stars and milky way have fascinated me since I gazed the sky the first time. As a child, I always fantasized about far away untouched lands, bright night skies and galaxies millions of light years away. The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart. Night skies, as dark and gloomy as they may sound, reminds me of the pleasing childhood routine to lie down on the roof and gaze the stars, slowly drifting in space at the peak of night until I fell asleep. The time when gadgets were less and skies used to be darker. I must say I found that curious child in me again in these cold dark winter nights.
It’s been a long time since I penned my last post. Few incidents in life wound you so deep that take lifetime to recover. The pain goes away. But the scar remains. And that’s what hurts the most. You are not YOU. Things aren’t the same. The coffee shop you loved stepping into, become your reason of mood swings overnight. All it takes a moment to tear your precious small world apart.
I travel because it reminds me that nothing in life holds permanence. One who is very close to you today might not be tomorrow. Life is a journey. You meet someone. strike a conversation, drink a peg or two, laugh and fall in love unknowingly. You see, falling in love is very easy. It happens at the speed of lightning. You don’t think much. You know why heart breaks are so painful? Simply because you think you are the luckiest. Thousands of unlucky people you have read about, yet you think your love is for life. And one day, she leaves you, with her wonderful memories.
Travel has enlightened me that I ain’t alone. There are many unlucky souls wandering in the beautiful world with their rusty heart.
I travel because there are memories I don’t wanna live with. I travel in the hope to reset my brain cells which home those memories. Each travel rejuvenates me with new positive energy to help me become a better individual and a more compassionate person. Meeting strangers and acquaintances on the way and listening their stories helps me forget mine.
I travel to feel alive, to see the unseen, to hear the unheard and meet noone whose story holds no value, yet it feels so connected. I travel to stumble upon another me, to share my happy moments, to share my grief, to talk about her. And it all starts with, “About her? Where do I start? I haven’t known a more perfect person in my life. She is crazy. The weather changes and the flowers bloom wherever she goes. She has the power to awaken the deadliest of souls and blow into them a purpose to live. Meeting her would make you realise that you reached the unreachable, achieved the unachievable and fathomed the unfathomable. You feel strong and weak at the same time. You know love to be the deadliest of all weapons, yet you don’t hesitate to put your neck under it. That’s her.”.
Twelve days. Twelve people. Three cars. An anticlockwise road trip of 3500 kms in “The land of Fire and Ice”, the third windiest place on earth where weather changes every hour of the day.
When we leave our homes, when we step out of our comfort zones and escape to places we imagined only in our dreams, with bunch of people we never met before, walking in the foreign mysterious land in complete wilderness, in the quest of finding the unexplored version of us, to fathom out what’s in control and what’s not, that’s when we truly realize the gigantic possibility of unimaginable and get acquainted with vivid landscapes of life.
There is a saying in French, “Rester, c’est exister; mais voyager, c’est vivre”, which translates to “To stay is to exist but to travel is to live”. Travel, as it may seem, reminds me of train journey of life. We meet people, sometimes familiar, sometimes strangers. We talk a thing or two, share smile, share meals, share experiences, share wisdom and eventually they leave. We may not see them again. But we have to keep going to reach the destination. The essence and fun is in the journey itself. People we encounter leave a part of them in us, marking our souls forever.
Iceland was no less than a dream came true. A dream destination I had in mind since a very very long time. There are things in your life which are just beyond words. No matter how many adjectives you use to describe the magnificence and grandeur, they always fall short. Landscapes I witnessed were majestic and breathtaking. There were times I literally felt myself being teleported to one of the movies. It was fantabulous to be away from the IT world and witness the gigantic nature, beautiful mountains and humongous waterfalls. A fairyland where we experienced everything, from strong wind to spine chilling cold, from golden sunshine to dark cloudy nights, from incessant rain to misty fog and most importantly lights of the north aka Aurora Borealis. We even had a over-speeding ticket.
Like every good thing, the trip has come to an end. I wish to go back there in foreseeable future in a different season with someone I love, when fall colors will be prominent all around
The most amazing thing about Iceland is not that it’s the third windiest place on earth. It is that hardly anyone lives on the first two places.
Though Iceland is often coined as The land of Fire and Ice, there is much more to it. Black sand beaches, gigantic waterfalls, lustrous rainbows, dramatic geyser, hot springs, giant canyon, pristine mountains and the most exciting, northern lights.
Icelandic weather is enigmatic. It’s not the winter that matters much. It’s the wind.
Driving in Iceland can at times be insanely exhausting. Sitting at the edge of seat, with eyes glued out of the window in the fear of missing out untouched landscapes and capturing photos every five minutes until you understand you can’t keep on doing this, is the story of every new traveler there. Every scene is a photo opportunity. It is soul satisfying, breathtaking and refreshing. A day can never be the same in Iceland.
“Infinity”
On our way to the hotel, we stopped the car to capture this narrow water stream leading to the pristine mountain range. Everything in this picture is just perfect. Water resembling a stream of mercury, enough drama in the sky, the warmness in grass and the mystery in mountains.
October was a good time to visit Iceland because of couple of reasons. It was Aurora season. Days and nights were equally long. And there was less chance freezing down to death in cold.
As much awestrucking as Iceland was to me, it has left me wondering if I’ve ruined all of my trips in coming time, because I might have traveled the most beautiful place on earth. Chances are higher that a new location may not astound me the way Iceland did.
People call it Iceland. I call it Narnia.
The magnificence of Iceland lies in its vivid landscapes. Sometimes, it would freshen you up with memories of Narnia, while the chilly glacier would render you speechless reminding you of the epicness of Game of Thrones. It’s like a flight of fantasy has landed right in front of your eyes.
If you are a Bollywood fanatic, you will feel romance in many scenes. Shahrukh’s (aka King of romance) Dilwale was shot here.
“Fairy Pool”
A visit to Iceland is incomplete without this ingredient. Seljalandsfoss, probably the most reachable waterfall in Iceland attracts a lot of tourists because of one reason. It’s the only waterfall where you can walk behind and witness the beauty of the sunshine through its vertically falling crystal clear water.
Resembling the kind of pool where fairies take shower, it showered me with the epicness of Narnia.
It was a very bad day for us. 90% of the time we shot went in removing mist, flying water droplets and avoiding people in the frame. The walk to the spot where I positioned my tripod itself was very slippery and muddy
“Ice age”
Jokulsarlon Glacier is iconic because of its unique and brilliant icescape, giving a feeling that you have set foot in an ice painting. Spine chilling wind, clean fresh air and ice mountains are something you can’t take your eyes off. This beauty was delightful and life affirming. Few scenes of Game of Thrones were shot here.
Traveling to Iceland
Traveling to Iceland is easy. You just need a plane ticket to the capital city of Iceland, Reykjavik, Schengen visa, warm clothes to withstand the harsh winter and chilly wind and healthy dose of crazy mindset to explore it in full glory.
Planning and Execution (20th Oct – 1st Nov)
I flew from Hyderabad on 20th October, 2017 and reached Reykjavik on 21st. Sequence of flight was:
Hyderabad > Bombay > Amsterdam > Oslo > Reykjavik > Rental Car (Blue Car Rentals)
It’s pretty chilly in Norway. At 5 degrees celcius, dark sky, the wind whistling in unguarded ears and the Icelandair airlines having picture of northern lights carved over its body, this place seems promising.
Geyser
Strokkur (Icelandic for “churn”) is a fountain geyser in the geothermal area beside the Hvítá River in Iceland in the southwest part of the country, east of Reykjavik. It is one of Iceland’s most famous geysers erupting about every 7 minutes, sometimes 15 – 20 m high.
PS:Shot by my friend Saurbh Chugh in Iceland.
Chasing Northern Lights
Aurora is one of the most beautiful phenomena of nature. The sole reason to choose October to travel was to chase Arctic Lights. And luckily we had Aurora activity 4 out of 11 nights we wandered. Apart from the green color, we were fortunate to see purple band too. You can expect the disappointment and frustration when you don’t see for what you traveled so far the first 4 days. It was spectacular to see the sky bath in northern lights. I had never seen something like this before, the green lights swirling and dancing all around. Vedur app showed good Aurora forecast.
“The day the earth stood still”
Even 23 hours of continuous driving, photoshooting and 2 sleepless nights in a row couldn’t dampen our excitement of shooting Aurora Borealis. That night, sky was beaming with the collision of sun particles and oxygen in the atmosphere. Before leaving Vestrahorn, I captured this picture as a memory that I finally lived my dream. No matter how many more places I visit, Iceland will always remain close to my heart, because now I believe that that green light is real.
This capture reminds me of some extraterrestrial environment and a suited alien preparing to invade.
“Eyesland”
My first day in Iceland wasn’t as fruitful as I expected. I was disappointed with the results I was getting. After hunting down aurora for 4 nights and not having a good sleep for 2 days, we drove to Jokulsarlon glacier for shooting aurora. This was a crazy exhausting day. 23 hours of continuous driving and photoshooting in which we visited the Glacier twice and Vestrahorn mountain thrice. We drove around 60 kms from our stay to witness this beauty. It was terribly chilling cold. Even 5 layers of clothing wasn’t working. But what I saw there is beyond words. The whole sky was illuminated with green lights and the lake under the glacier was showing beautiful reflection.
While capturing this magnificence, a car slowly inched towards the glacier with its headlights on, illuminating the icy peak of the mountain.
“The three elements”
Presenting to you, my most favorite breathtaking capture from Iceland trip. Jokulsarlon Glacier is probably one of the most iconic places in entire Iceland. Mainly famous for ice-peaked mountains, floating ice-bergs and crystal clear water formed from melting glacier. Later, it gained popularity because of Game of Thrones and DIlwale shooting. We drove there at 11:30 PM to shoot the green lights. Spine chilling cold and tough weather. The view was spectacular and literally rendered me awestruck and speechless. For a moment, I forgot that I have to take pictures. Aurora Borealis was dancing like crazy and the sky was bathing in green lights. I didn’t see anything more beautiful than this my whole life.
Challenge:
It was kind of difficult to get the perfect lighting as there were many photographers and tourists lighting up their torches here and there. This picture is the result of multiple attempts and right timing. Northern lights is volatile and it annihilated after 45 minutes or so.
Nights can never be boring in Iceland 🙂
“Green smoke”
Third day of aurora activity in Iceland.
Last night I was watching a mutant TV series where a genetically changed couple were holding hands and green, purple light was coming out. The girl said, “See how beautiful it is. You know, Aurora Borealis is the most beautiful thing in the world”.
Had I not seen the green lights myself, I won’t have understood the essence of what she said.
“The purple band”
Aurora Borealis is probably the most beautiful natural phenomenon on earth. When sun particles enter earth’s atmosphere near poles because of weak magnetic field, it collides with Nitrogen and Oxygen to form dancing purple, blue and green bands of color. Purple and blue bands are seen less often. Out of 4 nights I witnessed Aurora, purple band was seen only once.
I was probably in deep sleep when Nakul knocked the door at 4:30 in the morning. There were signs of some Aurora activity. Vestrahorn was 80 kms away from our stay. We stopped for a while near a lake on the way. The sky was beaming with dancing purple and green colors and the lake was having beautiful reflection.
Aurora is highly volatile. When we reached Vestrahorn, the activity was gone. This was one of few good pictures of that morning.
Majestic Waterfalls
It won’t be an overstatement to say that Iceland is full of hundreds and hundreds of waterfalls. And each of them is unique in its own sense.
“Waterfall of the Gods”
There’s an Italian painter, named Jean-Albert Carlotti, and he defined beauty. He said it is the summation of the parts working together in such a way that nothing needs to be added, taken away or altered. I couldn’t agree more with Carlotti when I saw this waterfall.
The Goðafoss waterfall is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland. The water of the river Skjálfandafljót falls from a height of 12 meters over a width of 30 meters.
Godafoss is not very tall or powerful; but admirers point to the separate cascades forming an elegant semicircular arc, the swirling patterns in the blue-green (or sometimes brown) water, and the strange bubbliness of the surrounding lava.
Godafoss is closely connected with one of the most important event in Icelandic history, the conversion to Christianity from heathendom or “the old custom” in the year 1000.
“Waterfall of the Gods – Part 2”
The top angle of the famous waterfall. I am in love with vibrant colors in the frame.
“Devil’s eye”
The first day in Iceland started with shooting 3 beautiful waterfalls. Brúarfoss was eye catching because of its blue-ish water and looked like a giant devil’s eye. The weather was just perfect and sky had a bit of drama.
“The destroyer Part 1”
Gulfoss is the largest waterfall in Europe. Standing there on the edge and witnessing the power nature holds to destroy anything that comes its way, can’t be explained in words. Even big apartments could have fallen apart. Taking this picture was extremely difficult. Wind was whistling like hell. Water droplets and mist were all around. I had to take my glasses off to see the camera LCD and continuously keep on wiping it to avoid any droplets in frame. Slippery stones and muddy trek further bumped up the challenge. Out of around 15 shots, I got only this one which looks slightly better. It was kinda once a lifetime opportunity to witness such beauty.
I showed this picture to my friend and first thing that came to her mind was:
“It’s serene, but gloomy. It’s beautiful, but dangerous. It’s infinite, but alone.”
I couldn’t have explained it better.
Such is the beauty of a photograph. It lets you imagine as if you’re standing right there, seeing with your eyes.
“The destroyer – Part 2”
Another angle of the Gulfoss, the largest waterfall in Europe. I liked the way water was falling down with huge force, generating mist smoke.
“Misty path”
Another misty waterfall from Iceland. Dettifoss waterfall is present in Northeast Iceland with 44 meters fall height. The sky was dull and had no drama when we visited there. I like the mist being formed when the water strikes the rock with force and the misty path beyond.
I missed Selfoss Waterfall due to lack of time which is situated close to it.
“Dreamland”
This is not just a picture. It’s a feeling. Capturing this scene was the toughest thng I did in Iceland. 2.5 kms of steep trek in chilly wind followed by another 500 meters of trek down. By mistake, I chose the wrong path to reach there which made it even more challenging. I had never seen rocks that slippery. It was hard to stand still at one position and take sharp picture. It was getting darker every single minute. Returning from there was one hell of a task. Luckily, my tripod came to rescue acting as old man stick. I was literally praying for life that evening. One of the biggest challenge to shoot waterfall bed is that it is hard to know the depth of running water. First step, it is 5 inches and the next, it might be 1 feet. What I like about photography is that if put efforts, it rewards you well.
“180 degrees of miracle”
Skógafoss is another beautiful waterfall in Iceland. What makes it more charming is that when sun shines over the horizon, it forms a rainbow across the falling water. Seeing the thick stream of crystal clear water fall from a height of 60m and colorful 180 degrees rainbow was eye-popping. Since, it is just few minutes walking distance from car parking, this waterfall sees a lot of visitors. I had to wait for quite long to capture the half rainbow with no people. Due to the hide and seek nature of the sun in Iceland, the rainbow kept on eloping every now and then. The rainbow was clearly visible only when closer to it, which means inviting more mist.
To be honest, this was the most beautiful rainbow I’ve witnessed in life.
Challenge: Visitors, mist, Intermittent rainbow
PS: As a matter of fact, part of Gerua song was shot here 🙂
“Big bowl”
Seeing this picture still gives me chill. It was one of the windiest evening in Iceland. Wind strong enough to tremble legs, leave alone the tripod. While standing on the edge to capture Aldeyjarfoss, I was in constant fear to not fall down. I liked the big bowl shape of this waterfall.
No matter how good a picture is, it’s not worth your life.
“Rainbow land”
The first day in Iceland started with witnessing Öxarárfoss waterfall. This might look very ordinary now, since you have seen far better landscapes, beachscapes and Aurora pictures of Iceland. But believe me, the moment I saw white water singing and gliding down the small rocks, I was awestruck.
Did you notice the small rainbow on the right of waterfall? 🙂 PS: The vignette you see on the top-left frame is the result of wrong choice of variable ND filter. I realized it on the third day of my trip when It had already screwed up several of my captures.
Beaches and Black sand
“Fire and Ice”
It was one of the brightest day in Iceland. While sun was playing hide and seek, we had our tripods dipped inside the black sand for stable capture. This place is famous for big floating ice-bergs. A bit risky because of crazy sea waves, and the ice-bergs.
This picture is unique, because it shows the 5 elements of the nature ( EARTH, FIRE, AIR, WATER, & SKY)
The warm color in this picture symbolizes hope. No matter how dark your day might be, sun will always shine and darkness will annihilate.
“The plane wreck”
This picture is perfect example of how film industry is helping bloom the tourism and making the life difficult for photographers at the same time. This location peaked popularity right after Shahrukh shook his legs with Kajol in Dilwale’s Gerua. Due to extreme popularity, cars are not allowed to park nearby and we had to walk 2.5 miles to witness this beauty. As a matter of surprise, this is the first picture from my trip that is not gloomy and depicts that Iceland oftentimes sees the sunshine in early winter.
In 1973 a United States Navy DC plane ran out of fuel and crashed on the black beach at Sólheimasandur, in the South Coast of Iceland. Fortunately, everyone in that plane survived. Later it turned out that the pilot had simply switched over to the wrong fuel tank. The remains are still on the sand very close to the sea.
The scenery of this white abandoned DC on the totally black sand is quite cool and surreal and the landscape around is pretty amazing too. The sight is actually like from a science fiction movie and is of course a photographer’s paradise in every way.
“Dreamscape”
An escape from a normal day to mysterious fantasy dream. That’s what this picture is all about. Reporting from Diamond beach, Iceland.
“No man’s land”
While flying from Norway to Iceland, I read a PDF which had a page on Dyrhólaey. The first question that itched my mind was, “Does Iceland have a place like this?”. The moment we set foot on that small peninsula after a visit to the black sand beach, Vik, I saw those ghost stones standing tall at a far away distance, with white waves continuously hitting it as if they were trying to destroy and carry with them.
This picturesque view reminds of the famous scene from “Harry Potter and Half Blood Prince” where Harry and Dumbledore go to a cave to fetch Horcrux.
“The hugging stone”
This is another picture from Dyrhólaey, famous black sand paradise. If you take a close look at the stone in the front, you will feel that it resembles a couple with their faces close and getting ready for an intimate, yet beautiful dance, like Kizomba.
I saw those ghost stones standing tall at a far away distance, with white waves continuously hitting it as if they were trying to destroy and carry with them.
This picturesque view reminds of the famous scene from “Harry Potter and Half Blood Prince” where Harry and Dumbledore go to a cave to fetch Horcrux.
Setting foot in Game of Thrones
North of the wall – Part 1
Kirkjufell mountain is probably the most famous location in Iceland. If you have seen Game of Thrones, you must be knowing why. This location was shot in season 7 in North of the wall.
Just 10 minutes drive from our stay and 10 minutes of hiking, witnessing this beauty was a treat to eyes. I always pictured a dark mood in my mind while thinking about this location. Iceland is the third windiest place on earth and Grundarfjördur showed us the power of nature. The hardest wind I experienced in my life. Our legs were shaking, keep aside the camera and tripod. It was tough to get a longer exposure. I also broke my camera there because of wind.
My dream shot was to capture aurora dancing above the “Church Mountain”. But due to wind, cloud, rain and void of luck, I couldn’t get it.
North of the wall – Part 2
Another angle of Kirkjufell mountain
“The church mountain”
While returning from Kirkjufell mountain in wind-chill weather, we saw this beautiful lake beside the mountain which was showing nice reflection. We decided to pay it a visit later that day. It was around 5:30 in the evening that I got to capture the heavenly sky, the church mountain and the lake in the blue hour. It was getting darker with every passing minute.
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. This photograph renders me with peace, as if I am in some other world, serene and solumn. It reminds me to stand as calm as that mountain and hold strength to face tough winds. The beauty of strength is that neither the sky is high enough nor the ocean deep enough.
Iceland Itinerary
If you are planning to fly to Iceland, this (will be adding soon) itinerary might be helpful.
Car and Hotel booking
We rented Kia and QashQai from Blue Car Rentals and booked hotels through booking.com.
Get that Schengen Visa (Check list)
Iceland falls under Denmark Embassy. I applied for visa on 20th September, got call from the embassy on 25th and Visa was delivered to my address on 29th.
Documents required to apply for Visa:
Flight booking
Hotel booking
Transport booking (Car rent)
Travel insurance
NOC letter from office
Tour itinerary
2 photographs measuring exactly 3.5 cms x 4.5 cms
Color xerox of all pages (including blank pages) of passport
Salary slip of 4 months
Employment letter
Bank statement of 6 months, signed and stamped by bank
ITR return of 3 years
Leave permission from office (NOC would work here)
Cover letter requesting Embassy for Schengen Visa, depicting your reason for travel
What to carry?
Passport
Waterproof gloves
Good quality thermals
Waterproof and windproof jacket
Down jacket or vest
Fleece jacket
Long sleeve shirts
Outdoor/hiking pants (waterproof recommended or quick dry)
Good quality wool gloves and hat
Hiking boots, better if they are waterproof.(No sports shoes)
Gumboots
Dryfit T-shirt: another piece for layering
Poncho
Woolen socks and cap
Swimsuit : There are many hot springs and if time permits, you may go to Blue lagoon or secret lagoon
A reusable water bottle, no need to buy water in Iceland, just fill it up from any stream or tap
Medicines : Bring in your necessary medicine like crocin, or any other cold medication
Power bank
Electric Kettle
Food (Noodles, Soup, Ready to eat vegetables)
Camera gear
Camera
Wide angle lens (preferably f2.8) for waterfalls and northern lights
Zoom lens (70-200mm) for close landscape/portrait shots
Sturdy tripod to withstand strong wind
Remote cable for camera
ND filters (10 stop and 6 stop)
GND filter
Extra batteries (at least 3)
Rain cover
Cleaning kit
Memory cards (128 GB)
Card reader and External Hard Drive
Battery charger
Tips:
Dress in layers to insulate you better (4-5 layers)
Rain protection for camera is must. A lot of mist flies around waterfalls.
Pack wisely and light, with all your essentials, don’t take more than one suitcase/bagpack and one Camera bag
Food: Reykjavik is 8th most expensive city in the world. Food in Iceland is costly and it would be good to carry some food. Many Bonus outlets are there in Iceland where you can purchase things that can be cooked easily.
Get shoes with good grip for hiking
Time lapse and night shots eat a lot of battery
Before going out, check Vedur for aurora forecast and cloud movement
Iceland is one of the most beautiful places I have visited. More than anything, I would like to go there again. Because going there won’t make you a spendthrift junkie for sure. If you ever get a chance to go there, don’t miss it. After all, who doesn’t like Narnia or Game of Thrones or pristine landscapes. Reasons are endless. 🙂
My photography work
I was short on gear in this trip. I felt the void of a full frame camera to reduce noise and a 10 stop filter to cut more light. Gear I carried:
Camera: Nikon D5300
Lens: Tokina 11-16 f2.8,Nikkor 35mm f1.8, Nikkor 50 mm f1.8
If you liked my photography work, please follow my social media profiles. There are many more pictures which couldn’t fit here. As much as I wanted to put all of them, I also didn’t want to explode the post. Each of those pictures has a story of its own.
Thanks to the acquaintances who served as the best travel buddies and who later became friends to cherish for years to come. I learned many things both from photographer’s perspective and as a human being. Not in any order: Nakul Sharma, Abhinav Pratap Singh, Hymakar Valluri, Saurbh Chugh, Sharadh Srivastava, Divisha Srivstav, Hiran Mayee, Florence Chemarin, Heena, Zurich Shah, Eric Follows
Special thanks to Nakul and Abhinav for making the trip memorable. It was worth each minute. His next Iceland trip is here.
If you like this, you might like other posts in the Hack your life series. Please subscribe to my page for updates from my upcomimg book, “Wake up, It’s your life”.
Clock didn’t tick for long since my first visit to US and I got a chance to visit Redmond again. Another high priority work, short deadline and huge expectations.
August 11, 2017
Hot summer evening and snacks break. A kind of perfect time to gossip about things around you. I was discussing entrepreneurship journey with my friend who was in Hyderabad for a startup conference. His zeal and passion to build something was making me go crazy and it hooked me in no time. Suddenly, my phone rang. It usually flashes name of the person at the other end only when something important comes up. Last time it did was when I had a trip to US and the second time, I got promoted.
“Hey Aashish! How are you doing man?”, my manager asked.
“It’s good”. While I was talking, another thread in my mind was trying to find clue on what might be the reason for this urgent meeting.
“Some urgent work has come up. We have to start on this immediately. Before I tell you the specifics, let me warn you that the timeline is quite aggressive and you have to be really efficient in delivering it. We have carefully chosen two engineers with strong debugging skills who can fix and unblock issues quickly.”, he explained the situation in one deep breathe.
“What is the ETA?”, I asked.
“YESTERDAY”, he smiled. “One thing that can be of your interest is that there is an opportunity to visit Redmond. I know that you love traveling. Based on the peer feedback and the work you have been doing, you have proven yourself to be the guy who gets the work done.”, he continued further.
“You can think over the weekend and tell me if you are interested in taking up this opportunity. I would like if you say yes”, he was done with talking.
Well, I didn’t know if I had a choice to press the NO button. Nevertheless, there were multiple reasons on why I wanted to work in that area. There was high visibility and sole ownership. I wanted to work on something new. Plus visiting Redmond was the icing on the cake. I didn’t need a weekend to make up my mind.
“I see it as a fantastic opportunity from the visibility perspective. I am in”, I was excited.
“Thanks man! I will let you know the dates”, he looked happy.
August 25, 2017
I wrapped up the work I was doing and started getting myself familiar with Applescript, a Mac automation language. 2 weeks later, I came to know the exact date to travel.
In my last visit to US, I missed shooting Seattle the way I wanted because of last minute ticket booking and not bringing the right gear. Two things I did over the weekend. I started a mail thread in Microsoft Photography Club about the best places to shoot and if anyone wanted to accompany me. Second, I booked tickets in my favorite airlines, Emirates.
Technical bugs can snatch away your happiness. Just before 4 days of travel, I received mail from American Express Travel Agency saying my ticket in Emirates was not booked because of some technical glitch. The front end and back end were not in sync and there was a problem communicating my ticket booking request. What I received was the itinerary and not the flight tickets. They were in continuous talk with Emirates folks for 2 days. But no luck. I, finally booked tickets in British Airways.
Based on recommendations from my friends in company, I created a list of places to shoot in Seattle. The list topped with capturing Space Needle from different view points.
September 1, 2017
“Good morning, Mr Aashish!”, the gorgeous lady at the Checkin counter greeted. “Would you like a more luxurious and comfortable journey.”, she asked and explained the business class etiquette.
“Is it a free upgrade?”
“I’m sorry. But No”
“I think I will do just fine”, the happiness was gone in the split of a second.
The same lady was wandering around after an hour looking for me.
“May I see your boarding pass please”, she asked.
“Is there a problem?”, I asked and handed over my pass to her.
“Not if upgrading is an issue for you. Make sure you travel business next time by yourself”, she smiled.
I couldn’t believe it. Last evening I was reading some blog for free upgrade and their tips worked. This was first time I was traveling with British.
It didn’t feel any different until she asked, “Would you like to have some Champagne sir?”
Their menu never changes
I stayed in the same Marriott hotel I chose last time. I must say, they don’t like a change. Nothing had changed in 8 months. Same California grapes, juicy pineapple and waffles with chocolate chips.
My schedule in US was simple. Wake up at 4:30 in the morning, take hot water bath in bathtub, reach office by 8-8:30. Mornings are best when you want great productivity and efficiency. I got 5 free evenings dedicated to photography.
Day 1 – Kerry Park and Alki beach
I met Vijay, a Microsoft engineer and a wildlife photographer. We planned to shoot sunset at Kerry Park and skyline at Alki beach. It was a sunny day and there were chances to get good drama in sky and Mt Rainier in the behind.
The blue hour beauty
This is another picture from my Space Needle series captured in blue hour. 10 points to those who noticed Mt. Rainier in the background before reading this.You have to be really lucky to capture it from Kerry Park. The day has to be clear and sky has to be smoke free to frame the beauty of Space Needle and Mt. Rainier in one postcard shot. When I was in Seattle, due to some wildfire, whole Seattle was in smoke and haze. Mt. Rainier was visible on only 2 days.
Technique:
I took 3 pictures in different exposures when the sun was about to set. One, for the Space Needle, second for the Mt. Rainier, and third for the rest. I then blended these pictures in Photoshop to bring what I witnessed there.
PS: Did you know that Space Needle is the 8th most photographed subject in the world?
Lonely Space Needle under the moon
Kerry Park in Seattle is very famous among photographers for its postcard view of Space Needle. On a good lucky day when the sky is clear, part of Mt. Rainier can be seen too just behind the Space Needle. Vijay and I had planned for shooting sunset, blue hour and of course moon as we were shy of just 3 days from full moon. We reached Kerry 2 hours before sunset and found that there was some construction going on and it was making our frames look not as good as we planned. Making up early there came to our rescue as we were able to grab the best spot to avoid the cranes. We could feel the envy of fellow photographers.
The moon stood high above Space Needle at around 8:30 and I captured two pictures with different exposures, one with the moon in focus and the other with the Needle. I then blended those two pictures in Photoshop to get closer to what I witnessed there. Photography is about patience. We had to wait 4 hours for few good pictures.
Technique used: Exposure bracketing and blending
Day 2 – Waterfront Park
Serenity
This picture reminds me of the serene beauty, I oftentimes wish to visit. The place where there is a bridge and a big lake around. A fusion of man made and nature. Waterfront park in Seattle is quite pictureque and you can’t go wrong anytime in evening. I wanted to shoot sunset, but ended up capturing blue hour as the sky was not dramatic that day because of smoke.
Technique:
I shot two pictures at different exposures, one for the bridge and the railing on right and second for the rest. Due to dark, there was noise in picture which was corrected using longer exposure. I then blended those pictures in Photoshop.
Day 3: Columbia Skyview tower
The Great Wheel teleport
Seattle Great Wheel from 73rd floor of Columbia sky tower looked like a toy. I wondered what would it look like if it were to be teleported. I pulled out 35mm, slowed shutter to 13 seconds at f14 and pano’ed while capturing. It took 20 minutes and multiple shots to bring the wheel to perfection. The result was no less than what we get to see in sci-fi movies.
Technique: Single capture pano.
Day 4: Waterfront park
Waterfront Park was something I fell in love with. I visited there again to shoot the beautiful fountain.
Tomorrowland
Capturing this frame was like a dream come true. Ever since I owned a camera, I had this routine of checking famous photographers’ portfolio and their work. The smooth flow of waterfall and fountains always intimidated me. Their gigantic beauty and mesmerizing views has the power to render anyone spellbound and speechless.
The moment I set foot in Waterfront park in Seattle, I had this composition in mind where the fountain would be in foreground hiding part of Great Wheel in the back. I wanted to shoot sunset. But due to some wildfire, whole Seattle was in smoke and haze. The sunset was very dull and unfortunately there was no drama in the sky. There were two challenges in capturing this picture. One, the wheel rotates every now and then. Two, the wheel changes color thereby casting different color shade onto the fountain. I shot two pictures, one with 25s exposure to give smooth flowing feel to the water and brighten the foreground and the other with 10s exposure to lit the wheel. To make sure this blends in a perfect one picture, I waited for the right moment when wheel was not rotating and there was enough time to capture two pictures without the change in color of lights.
Follow me on Instagram to see more of my work:instagram.com/aashishbarnwal/
Day 5: Gasworks park
Guns in the air
Gasworks Park in Seattle is famous for its cylindrical structures. One can get one of the best views of Skyline there. A part of it looks like big guns pointed to the sky when shot during sunset. This is a composite picture. Birds have been added in Photoshop.
Love birds
Seattle is the most beautiful city I have visited so far. From magnificent skylines to gigantic mountains, from beautiful lake to green valley, from big shopping complexes to small huts, your eyes can never stop wandering. Sunset would make you wonder if this is real. I have just fallen in love with the city. I had plan for visiting Gasworks Park to shoot skyline and the large gas cylindrical structure. What I didn’t know was that it also offers a clean green valley where you can see a lot of couples roaming around. This looked like a perfect spot for photographers and love birds alike. When the sun was about to set and the sky changed its color, I saw this lovely couple holding hands and walking towards the sunset horizon. Although the park was full of people, I got lucky to frame only what I wanted.
The Piano Store
Being a Piano fanatic, I visited Classic Pianos in Bellevue. More than anything, I wanted to own a Piano since quite long. I tried many Pianos, ranging from 5k to 25k dollars. I really liked one from Yamaha and longing to get it.
Photography or Shopping?
Last day in US was annihilated in shopping at Seattle Premium Outlets. It was a tough decision as I wanted to visit the majestic Mt. Rainier and shoot the Paradise and Reflection view points. But due to some wildfire, whole Seattle was in smoke and haze. Parts of Mt. Rainier were closed until the wildfire settled down. I heard that there was some view point which was open and I was desperate to go there. But my friend wanted to buy things for his family. Premium Outlets was 35 miles from our stay and we spent whole day shopping stuffs for our families.
