Caprice De Dieux

------------------------- Again and again the whim of nature is amazing. I planned to come to this valley and according to the weather forecast, the morning would be perfect for shooting. Cloudy and varied it should have been. And so it was everywhere, except in this valley here. Not a single cloud far and wide. Oh boy!!! As soon as I reached the gates of the valley, I noticed that the weather made its own rules here. Well, that’s just how it is! Take it or leave it I told myself. Therefore I decided to go for a twilight shot at the shoreline of this mountain river. -------------------------

Fallen Tree

------------------------- Look at this scene I found in a wonderful hidden valley. Well, I call this valley hidden because I can’t remember ever having seen any picture from a photographer of this valley in any Social Media portal. I was so fascinated like a little child when I saw that fallen tree in the middle of the little mountain cascade. I had to make a shot of course, but the composition was not very easy. The result was that I had to position me with one leg into the cold and icy water. As I was completely alone here it was obvious that I had to take off my pants (lol). I think this would also have given cool scene (lol). But honestly, what would you have done in my place? -------------------------

Symphony of the mountains

A shot I made last year during the summer season in the mountains. I was trying during several days to capture something similar like this shot here. Some days there were no one single sign of a cloud on the entire area and some days the sky was too overcast with one single color …. I mean grey without any structure in it. But this morning here I was lucky enough to have the right amount of clouds in the sky and as I knew exactly the position where the sun will come out and show the entire power of the light I had only to wait to the right moment! I hope you like my vision here and I wish everyone a cool coming week ahead.

Cascades

Nothing special, just a shot I made last year in the Swiss Alps when I was visiting this area with a cool spot of several cascades one behind the other. I think I must visit this area again sometime in future but I hope you like this vision here!

Feeling the Mood

Several weeks ago, I visited this area located in the Swiss Alps. I found this enchanting place last fall and I couldn’t wait to visit this place again. And how lucky I was to experience bad weather. Even more the day I made this shot here I found both, rain and fog, and not too little of it or too much, but just enough to experience a special atmosphere. As the bad weather was coming down the mountains to my place, the sun could still shine through the dense fog and created in my opinion this wonderful glow.

Maitagarrien urjauzia

It’s always so relaxing to make a small walk in the forests of my hometown. And especially in spring when, after a long and barren winter, the vegetation shows its full splendor again. I found some time ago this little but beautiful place and I was fascinated about how everything was illuminated by the light here!

Autumn Matineé

Well … you see here a shot I made this Autumn season during one of my hikes. In this valley I found so many spots last year … like some small but picturesque waterfalls, amazing forest places and not to forget a wonderful riverbed just one kilometer in direction of that mountain in my image here. And like one year ago I made a lot of shots this year as well and for sure I will return in autumn next year. I hope you like my vision here.

Revival

A shot I made last year in the autumn season on a very cold morning in the Swiss Alps. As the title of my shot here already says … after waiting in the dark for the light is seemed to me as a revival of the entire area after a dark period of the cold night. The light conquered the land back and everything looked fresh and clear! I hope you enjoy my vision here and wish everybody a fine weekend.

Urrezko Adina

I couldn’t wait to finally revisit this fabulous but small waterfall after one year wait. It all looked exactly like last year. It was as if time stopped here and far and wide no soul in sight which was very cool. I love this wonderful royal paradise … also because in the social networks I haver never seen a picture of this youthful spectacle of water. It was unbelievable how everything looked yellowish and autumnal. From time to time nature brings these little wonders to me and I feel like a little child with a gift in my hands. I know, for many out there it may not be the spectacular wonder of the world that you absolutely must have in a portfolio. But right now this one here is my little wonder of the world ;-)

Breath of Autumn

Last year I found this place during a hike and despite I already made some shots that time it was clear for me that this year I would revisit this area in Autumn. And in fact, two weeks ago I was there again, in this beautiful valley between forests that showed their autumn dress in all their splendor. Those who follow me on FB could see a video I made two weeks ago in the early morning hours where I was playing with my dog Giorgio while I waited for the sunrise. The cool thing was that I found this huge stone which I could use in my foreground composition to align it with the first rays of the morning light. And in fact it worked what made me very happy.

Rusty-leaved Alpine Roses

Here I’ve done a time blending … otherwise it would not have been possible to do this in one shingle shot. The idea was to have a very sharp image from front to back and to capture three things. The land part, the light of the moon and finally the partial Milky Way. When I arrived at the spot here I positioned my tripod and waited for the beginning of the twilight. I made a focus stacking image and even more I used my polarizer (and don’t ask because I don’t know why in the hell I used it with that light). Then I made a beautiful fire and made some few sausages … mmmmhhhh very delicious he he he. Later I made another shot by the setting of the moon to capture the moonlight and finally … a lot time later I made another shot of the night sky trying to capture the partial Milky Way! And in post process I tried to put together all the pieces and I hope you like it.

Epic Autumn Morning

Well, in my last post I mentioned that I not only should make shots at sunrise and sunset … and this is so true but … he he he … the sunrise was indeed very epic and fabulous the morning I made this image here. At first I was a little worried because there was no cloud in sight that morning. But when finally that light came … ho ho ho … what a sunrise. For sure I was prepared to everything and was waiting a long time in the dark and cold … but finally I was rewarded with this! What an area here at one of my preferred spots in the mountains. I can always find something new in terms of composition … there are so many possibilities here. It is not surprising that I always visit this place again and again. I hope you enjoy this vista and vision here!

Three Cascades

In fact you can only see two cascades here … the third one is not visible in this shot due to the rocks on the right part. But what a cool area I visited here. As it was a location very easy to access I didn’t had to walk a lot to reach this waterfall here! Therefore an easy and beautiful walk in this gorge with the final surprise of this cascade here! I hope you like it!

The Sound of the River

One thing that I really love when I visit such places is the wild power of the water of such mountain rivers. I could experience this when I was there with my kids enjoying the time there. And despite it was really cloudy … I could catch this moment when there was a cloudburst for a very short moment, and the light could flood this dark valley.

Golden light over a small waterfall

How low the water level was some weeks ago when I returned to this place to see how everything was looking like in spring. I was really disappointed about the low water level. But nevertheless I made this shot here just at sunrise and tried to get something useful to show! I hope you like it and I wish everybody a fine weekend :-)

Source of Life

This is a place I’ve seen so many times in the galleries of other Swiss photographers. And I was never there!!! Well, I have now changed this situation. Now I am also a member of those who visited and photographed this place as well he he he! And I must admit … what a place and what a power you can feel standing in front of such a scene. I have read many stories from the source of life … from adventurers who were looking for such a place in the jungle and all of them disappeared on their quest. When I was standing in front of this cascade I could really understand and feel how such legends could arise!

Small Waterfalls

Last year I had a visit from my good friend Sam from the USA. Since we only knew from the Internet I was very excited to see him finally in person. Unfortunately he could only stay 2 days and the weather was not exactly the best to go to the mountains. But it was perfect to visit the famous „Rheinfall“ and also this place in a very small but enchanting forest and to take a few images with our cams of the many small waterfalls along our way. It was really exciting and wonderful to spend time together and I hope we can repeat this at some point in future ;-)

Spring Awakening

I must confess that this year’s spring season is really strange. The weather is changing a lot from cold to warm and back to cold and I also experienced some crazy snow storms in a time where I should see a lot of flowers and wearing only a shirt. But I tried to walk with my eyes open through the world and from time to time I did have some luck however. Like the day when I made this shot here! The mud already reached areas of my legs far over my ankles but it was worth to reach this area here. I was really smiling when I saw this wonderful piece of earth with flowers and I tried to make something like a beautiful shot … I hope ;-)

Hidden Waterfall

I found this wonderful place last year in Autumn when I was hiking in a for me completely unknown valley. After capturing the sunrise in a frozen river bed I made my way back home. And what a surprise I had when I reached this area here. For sure it was too dark to see this place when I passed by in the morning hours in search of the river bed. But I could not resist to make some shots despite the bad light conditions. Well, a place more to visit again and I market it in my small black book with the name „Locations to shoot before I die“ he he he ;-)

Icy Path

This is another shot I made during my last stay in the mountains in a for me unknown valley. While I was making some shots at sunrise in this river bed I noticed an area where the ground was reflecting more light and I found this spot here :-) It was logical, because we had minus temperatures and a part of the water was frozen … this was so cool he he he. To leave this place without making a shot of this here would have been a crime. And said and done … here it is and I hope you like my vision here.

Beginning of a waterfall

Hello everybody. During my stay in the Swiss Alps in Summer I could find this place here on a high plateau. What you see here is the beginning of a huge waterfall. Well I could not see him when I was going up the mountain in the middle of the night, but I could hear the rushing of the water. And after I made some shots of the wonderful lake that is also located here (I already posted a shot of the lake in the past few weeks) I was wondering where the discharge of the water was! And I found the place as you can see here! So I decided to make this shot here during the sunrise. I hope you enjoy this image and wish everybody a fine day.

Dark Autumn

My feet have touched this ground for the first time in my life during my last stay in the Swiss Alps. I had no idea that this valley would be so beautiful and my heart began to beat faster when the first light of the morning began to reach this area here. I was standing in the middle of a river bed and it was so cold that even the sandy ground was hard like a rock. And when finally the light came I could see the beautiful autumn colours of the trees while my soul was smiling. I will certainly return to this paradise in future, because this valley still offers so many more spots.

Beyond the dawn

It’s every year like a miracle to see how the vegetation changes in autumn. All the colors change from lush greens and rich glowing reds and yellows to subtle brownish autumn colors. And if you are hiking in the mountains like me the morning I made this shot here you can even have the encounter of a small snowfall with temperatures near and below zero degrees. But despite the cold it is so wonderful to experience this spectacle of different colors. I was hiking along this small mountain stream with my dog till to the point when I decided to make a break because the time of sunrise was approaching and the area was really nice. And of course I wanted to freeze this moment at this area and I hope you like this vision here I experienced.

Clash of clouds

Not far away from our tent there was this small but wonderful waterfall. And I could see this piece of area several times a day during one week and of course in every light condition. And the evening I made this shot here the time was perfect for a picture as a thunderstorm was approaching the area at sunset! From the distance I could already hear the roar of the thunderstorm. And every minute it got louder and louder as the sky darkened slowly. Sunset time was close and I grabbed my backpack just to reach the small waterfall at the right time. And as you can see in my image I had enough time to catch the sunset and the approaching thunderstorm at the same time! How lucky I was that evening ;-) I hope you like my vision here.

Light Burning over the Rhine

Hello everybody. I’m back from my vacations and I really hope everyone is enjoying the summertime. Well, I’m still in the post process workflow of my shots I made in the Swiss Alps and therefore I thought I show you in the meantime this image here I made last year. I was having a short walk with my dog along the Rhine before sunrise and I was searching for new spots and found this location here! And I must say that the sunrise was really epic and for nothing in the world I would want to miss this moment. I hope you enjoy my vision of this moment here :-)

Shimmering veils of light

I do not remember exactly when I began searching for waterfalls with my kids in the woods of Switzerland. But our little adventures developed into a family hobby. At some point in time my children have begun to say to all people we met on our trips „We are waterfall chasers!“. Well, a few weeks after I had found this little waterfall here, I also led my friend Sam form the USA to this place in a fairytale forest. And the clan of „Waterfall chasers“ has grown by one member from overseas.

Emerald waterfall

Well, those who follow me on Facebook already saw my post of this location here. It was a selfie made at sunrise with my buddy Olaf and Nadia. We were here on Sunday before last and it was such an enchanting place! Both Olaf and me we were ready to hike some time through forests or mountain slopes. But nothing of this happened. I must confess, I was never in my life so quick at such a beautiful waterfall without walking. We parked the car on the roadside in a forest, went down about 80 steps of a stairs … down a ravine … and voila … we were at the location! What … so quick? I couldn’t believe that such a place was so easy accessible! Well, more time for the preparation before sunrise he he he. And I must repeat … it’s always such a great experience and great fun to shoot with friends. After some time Olaf and Nadia began to make some portrait shootings and I took the chance to explore more the grotto from the inside! And thanks to the light of the sunrise and the wonderful green tones of the water the grotto began to shimmer in yellow and green tones in a subtle way. It was like in an Emerald Cave! This was the perfect moment for me to make this shot here. I hope you like it!

Chasing waterfalls across a fairytale-like forest

Well, a couple of weeks ago I had the great pleasure to finally meet my friend Sam from the USA. We know each other from the Internet … sharing the same passion for landscape photography. And finally after such a long time he could visit me in my country Switzerland. Wow! That was so exciting and cool :-) It was clear that I showed him our forests in front of our home, the amazing Rheinfall (bad having too much tourists and bad light) and of course a wonderful and enchanting small forest but with some outstanding waterfalls as you can see in my image. Sam, my dog Giorgio and I arrived at this place in the afternoon. But since the weather was bad anyway, the location was perfect to make some shots in the forest. He he he … I remember that I said to Sam: „Hey Sam … be careful because the ground is very very slippery!“. If only I had not opened my mouth!!! My next words were: „Woahhhhhh!!!!“. Next I saw the world from a completely different perspective … and by the way … the moss-covered stones are very nice from below he he he. But fortunately my little baby (my cam) was safe! Thanks Sam for the wonderful time and I hope we can repeat this :-)

Aumühle-Tobel in Frauenfeld

In the wonderful canton of Thurgau, near the town of Frauenfeld and yet out of nowhere, you can find a place called Aumühle on the map. Here I could park my car behind a barn and continued my search for the Aumühle-stream and its ravine of the same name by foot. I followed only for 10 minutes a steep forest path to just leave it and to pierce through the thicket. So I followed the small creek for a while to finally find this location. The stream gurgled softly and above me the birds were praising the coming spring season. Small insects from uncertain kind crawled into my clothes and Giorgio our dog stretched his nose in the air, because he was sensing the close wild game. The rustle of the leaves and the cracking of woods accompanied me all the time. In other respects … I was far away from the noise of civilization. For a while I made a break, savoring the sights in every direction: the bare slope on one side of the stream, opposite the dense forest, black roots, moss-covered tree trunks and wildly rampant ivy. And just for one moment I believed to see them; the hidden shapes of the forest. Fairies dancing over the water, dwarves and gnomes who ducked behind mushrooms, the Faun disappearing silently behind the trees. If you look closely, you perhaps can see them in the picture. But just maybe!

The view to the mountain Schijenflue

The weather was just great and I already guessed that the sunset would be fantastic. Thus I made my way because near our house in the mountains there is an imposing gorge. The plan was to photograph the sunset from this gorge! But unfortunately the plan remained only plan, because the way down into the gorge was blocked. And even Elvish nor the one Ring were a help he he he. I wanted to climb over the barriers, as a farmer caught me doing what I was doing! He cried „I wouldn’t do that. It’s too dangerous, you can’t go down to the gorge! There was a landslide in spring and the area is really not very safe!“. Not 5 minutes later I was already invited by him and his wife to have an espresso. Very very friendly people in Graubünden he he he :-) I enjoyed the time with this fine company. My plan failed and I wondered what I should do then. So I said to myself … simply start walking, and let fate decide where it leads you. Sometimes these are the best adventures!! During my hike towards Mount Schijenflue I noticed that I never was in the riverbed of the Schanielenbach. It was time to change this he he he. So I went down to the river, set up the tripod and waited for the dawn. I hope you like the result. Thank you for your time and interest in my photos, your visit is most appreciated :-) _________________________ All my photos are copyrighted, © 2015 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 | Blog | Twitter | Google+ | Prints and Downloads are available at my Homepage _________________________