A piece of heaven

------------------------- This is another shot I made in the Swiss Alps during a hike with friends when we were looking for new spots. I made it during the evening hours at this wonderful mountain lake when the sun was disappearing behind some mountain slopes. Well, this will be my last post for this year. I wish everybody Merry Christmas and of course a Happy New Year. Take care everybody and I hope you will enjoy the time with your dears. See you next year :-) -------------------------

At Dusk

------------------------- Well, a shot I made in the Swiss Alps weeks ago when I was hiking this area with friends. A very challenging day in terms of photography as I can remember. Very strong wind, coming and going clouds and towards the evening at sunset I could just in time capture some last light of the sun. I was very lucky at this time of the day as the sun showed its glory only for some short time. -------------------------

Light of Fate

Several times already I have shown pictures from this magical place here. And once again, I cannot resist to show you another one … first of all, because the place is epic and for sure I love to be here and secondly, because the light mood here can be truly unique in certain situations. This shot here is one of those special moments I’m talking about!

Hope for Light

„Hope for Light“ Hi everyone. I’m just back from my vacations and I hope everyone had a good time in the meantime. Well, just wanted to show another wonderful shot from an iconic place called „Seealpsee“ located in the middle of the Swiss Alps were I had a great time with my buddy Markus Brandstetter. In the first week of September we will guide a photographic workshop there and there are still spots available … so if you have the desire to have some great shots from this amazing and iconic place just hope over to the following Link with further informations: Workshop — Seealpsee

Beautiful Seealpsee

"Announcement: Brand Ambassador Kase-Filter" The year 2018 has been an incredible year for me with so many good and new experiences till now and therefore I want to announce also this news as well: It is a great pleasure to say that I started together with my new photography partner Markus (MB Lichtbild / Fine Art Photography ) a collaboration as a brand Ambassador with Kase-Filter ( https://www.facebook.com/Kase-Filters-Deutschland-1935460…/… ; Kase Filters ) , a new and emerging brand of photographic filters. I’m looking forward to an exciting future with my new system and if you are curious what great products Kase-Filter has to offer just have a look at the following Links: Kase-Filter Germany: www.kasefilters.de Kase-Filter: http://www.kasecn.com/en/index.aspx I hope you all are enjoying the week ahead.

Last light over Reichenau

Just a shot from my visit in Reichenau, an isle in the lake Bodensee on the German side, I made some time ago. The evening was really bombastic and the sky so promising when I arrived at this location. I hope you enjoy this vista here.

Thunderstorm light show

Well, it’s been a while since I was here some years ago. But it seemed that nothing changed at this wonderful lake in the Swiss Alps. And it was the perfect morning when I made this shot here some weeks ago. The night towards the morning began with a thunderstorm and when I reached this lake quite some time before sunrise the thunderstorm was disappearing. Perfect weather for a shot I thought. A bit of rain, a proper atmosphere, amazing reflections and finally the sunrise illuminating some rainy clouds. So all the ingredients for my soul.

Mystic magic

At first I had not the desire to show this shot here, but the longer I look at this photo the more I like it. Maybe it’s because of the low hanging clouds and the fog that were partially broken through the light of the sunset. It has something magical and melancholic at the same time. For me a real atmospheric image and an experience that was incredibly beautiful when I stood there at about 2’050 meters on this wonderful mountain lake and admired this fantastic view.

Sunset at the Seealpsee

For sure one of the very popular locations in Switzerland. A beautiful lake surrounded by stunning mountains and called „Seealpsee“ in the Canton Appenzell Innerrhoden. I really should visit this area more often, as it is just around the corner from my home! I hope you like this image here … can’t wait to the next week as autumn vacations are just in sight and I hope to enjoy again the Swiss Alps!

Light Transformation

A work from my last trip in the Swiss Alps. I reached this area long before sunrise and could experience how the entire area were transformed from something dark and not visible into something so magical and charming. Every sunrise has its own beauty and as I was not so often in this area I was running to all places I knew to capture the wonderful and unique moment of this special light! It was so exciting to observe how the light was touching gently only some areas and I felt a great happiness when I found this little pond here.

Reflections

Well, another shot from my small walk with a good friend to this amazing and picturesque lake in the Swiss Alps. As we were shooting like fools I noticed this rock part on the shore and it was clear that I used it to make the composition as a guiding line to the other end part of the lake.

Silence

Silence

From the Fairyland

A couple of weeks ago I decided to visit this place in the middle of the Swiss Alps with my buddy Olaf! A fantastic small walk to get at this location … well honestly I have to say that the small walk felt like a strong and long hike under a pitiless and hot sun in the afternoon to get there for the sunset ha ha ha :-) Man we were slow like a snail with rheumatism … carrying a heavy backpack with too much equipment. Even older people overtook us with ease during out trip to the location he he he ;-) But it was a lot of fun … to shoot with a friend is really so cool ;-))

Sunset’s embrace

This is another shot I made from one of my favourite spots in the Swiss Alps. Here I positioned my cam directly towards the end of the lake and I was trying to catch the last rays of the day. I was really lucky because just only 30 minutes before the area was completely invisible due to a dense fog.

Sunset dreams over the lake

Well, some weeks ago I was at this wonderful place with two friends of mine (Olaf and Nadia). We had the idea to chase the sunset over the lake „Bodensee“ on the isle Reichenau. For me it was wonderful to have the chance to make shots without hiking for hours … it was just a trip of one hour by car … and hey, after that we were there he he he! But, it was easier said than done! First of all we had absolutely no idea about the location as it was a spontaneous idea to visit this place and second … almost every beautiful spot was a private facility … and therefore not much access to the shore. For me completely a new situation because normally where I’m hiking everything is free for mankind ha ha ha! And third … now I know what the real death squads are!!!! MOSQUITOES!!! Small poisonous beasts coming through every clothing and driving us three to madness!!! But hey … we survived. And we had a lot of fun and a fantastic sunset … and this is the only important thing. Olaf and Nadia … I have to thank you for the wonderful time fighting together against small soldiers and for all the laughs we had together! Thank you for your time and interest in my photos, your visit is most appreciated :-) _________________________ All my photos are copyrighted, © 2016 Manuel Martin (All rights reserved) - please don't download or print any of them without my permission and don't use my images on websites, blogs, facebook or other media without asking me. My posts are also on Facebook | 500px | Twitter | Google+ | Prints and Downloads are available at my Homepage _________________________

Lai Da Rims

This is the name of this gem in the mountains … the lake called „Lai Da Rims“. I’ve been saving this place for my final hike in the Swiss Alps after climbing every night a mountain for one week to photograph sunrises. Compared to my other hikes to 3000 meters this wonderful place at only 2400 meters should have been a piece of cake! Well, this was what I was thinking. But the truth is, that I had made however the calculation without the host. This night it was a bit harder for me to reach my paradise place, since my legs were hurting more after that week and my body felt that my usual job is not exactly beneficial for such adventures he he he :-) And also my way up to this place in the middle of the night was also very sporty, but hey … to experience such a place at sunrise was really worth every effort! Can you imagine the expression of my face after going up for hours a mountain seeing only rocks, stones and steep slopes and suddenly reaching this plateau with this amazing lake surrounded by fresh and lush grass? I stood there like a stupid … looking around and thinking I was in another world. I was thinking this is now the „Lai Da Rims“ … a wonder in the middle of the mountains, a small deep blue lake! A lake which depending on the light conditions changing the color from emerald green to cobalt blue. And anyone who has seen him, feels attracted to him!! The path to this lake is indeed bumpy and steep, and one should take one step to the other with enough time going up there and for sure looking forward to the unexpectedly appearing surprise … this deep dark blue and crystal clear water in the middle of mountain peaks. By the way … the water felt pleasantly soft and so tasty ;-)

Night and day at the lake Husemersee

The beginning of this years winter was really strange in Switzerland because we had to wait a very long time till the moment to see the first snow. Anyway … I was again at one of my favorite lakes one month ago. And as you can see … far and wide no one sign of the white thing. And although it does not look like it was quite cold and during several weeks we barely saw one single cloud in the sky. So I decided once again to take a photo at the end of the night. I made this photo here one hour before sunrise and I was happy to have the last stars sparkle, while on the right side the first light of an imminent sunrise was gaining the field. And among us … I love the sunrises in winter more than those in the summer season. They are not so pompous and huge in the winter season, but I can say from my experience that in winter the air is cleaner and clearer, and the colors are more varied than in the summer time. It’s really a special moment on a winter morning to experience such a spectacle if you decide to get up early … and I can recommend it to anyone ;-)


Night is vanishing over the „Cresta-See"

After I walked through a beautiful and enchanted forest, I finally reached the lake „Cresta-See“. It really was still dark and everything was quiet and beautiful. And every now and then a cracking noise from left or right … noises, which approached me like floating sounds from the darkness. I could see nothing, but there was an atmosphere like those found only in storybooks. And suddenly this lake appeared out of the darkness. The first light of the morning fought their way through the darkness and revealed this beautiful spectacle of a steaming lake. I’ve visited this lake many times in the past, and I never ever was disappointed by the magic of this place. I hope you like it.