The fascinating Geology and Geography of Grand Staircase Escalante

           As I photograph different areas of the remote Grand Staircase National Monument in Utah, I am grateful that it was declared to be a protected area in 1996. It protects a huge area of southern Utah encompassing the Grand Staircase in the west, Kaiparowits Plateau in the east and the canyons of the Escalante. The Grand Staircase is a geological formation spanning eons of time and is a territory of multicolored cliffs,  mesas, buttes, and canyons.

           It seems sacrilegious to mine for coal in these beautiful cliffs, which is what had once been intended for this area.  The unusual rock formations at  Devil's playground and the painterly colors at Kodachrome Basin Park and the Toadstools are truly geological wonders.   It has been a real pleasure to wander through these varied scenes each representing a different geological time, in a small area.  This area will draw me back again and again.  I hope to both capture what I see and study this area's geology in more depth.

Kaui - rugged, untouched and beautiful

           The Hawaiian islands mean different things to different people.  To many the pristine beaches are wonderful for family vacations and swimming and surfing.  To others, the beautiful oceanside resorts are a place to decompress and escape from the vagaries of the everyday routine.  And to the outdoor enthusiasts, the rain forests and other rugged areas have a rich choice of hiking.  That is what I have always loved about Hawaii - that anyone can find something to love in these islands, and in spite of the occasional crowds in popular places, there is a place for everyone.
           Not being much of a swimmer myself, to me the beach is often a place for reflection and looking to photograph the best sunrise and sunset.  I have found Hawaii to have some of the best sunsets of all the places I have photographed.  On a recent trip to Kauai, I wanted to focus on the more untouched areas.  I am glad that a large part  of the Napali Coast has been preserved and one has to work a little hard to see parts of it.  Having always had a love of exploring canyons, I finally found a chance to hike around the less traversed Waimea Canyon in Kauai.  I found it to be very beautiful and different from the Grand Canyon, even though it is often called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.  It was carved thousands of years ago by rivers and floods that flowed from Mount Waialeale's summit.  With a lot more trees, varied vegetation and red volcanic ash, it has a character of its own.  It was well worth the strenuous hike to observe different parts of it.
            We often watch helplessly as many beautiful places in all parts of the world get destroyed with too much careless urbanization.  One can only hope that Kauai will remain as it is.

Nature's Spring Tapestry

         I enjoy my garden and carefully cultivate different flowers and vegetables in it.  I mourn the loss of a plant to frost bite or heat dehydration.  I tell myself I will try to do a better job next year caring for them.
        A wildflower does not get such tender loving care.  It learns to find the most conducive environment to grow in, and last as long as possible.  Its life span depends on the weather conditions - if it is too hot or there has not been too much rain, not many wildflowers will grow.  We are once again reminded of the laws of nature and survival of the fittest.  As I watch the breathtaking view of a bed of flowers in Carrizo Plains, a dramatic display seen after five years, I feel grateful that good rainfall this year made it possible.
         Carrizo Plains is a protected area with the highest concentration of threatened and endangered wildlife in California.  Driving through it this year in the spring season, there were flowers as far as the eye could see.  The palette of nature's colors looked almost unnatural. Goldfields, Owl's clover, and Lupine were prolific.  What was fascinating was that these flowers were found in different parts of the preserve within a twenty mile radius, each finding its ideal ecology.
          On my return to the Bay Area, I photographed the flowers at Alum Rock Park and found 22 varieties in a span of 3 miles.  Most of the flowers were different from those seen at Carrizo Plains.  It once again told us the story that each type of flower survived in a specific ecology and how fragile its existence can be.

Morocco - Mountains and Oasis

        "We will drive to the top of the Atlas mountains and then see the expanse of the Sahara stretched below us". That is how my husband had imagined it would be, having heard a lot about the varied scenery in Morocco. Well, we did have a truly breathtaking drive up the Atlas mountains. However we did not see the desert from the top, but oasis-like scenery. Of course that would make sense geologically, as the Atlas mountains act as a barrier between the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, and the Sahara desert.
       The drive from Marrakesh to Ouarzazate through the Atlas mountains was one of the most scenic drives of Morocco. Along the way we saw sheep dogs, cattle, and charming villages decorating the mountainside.We drove right to the top of the 1600m-high pass at Tizi n'Tinififft and got the most spectacular view. It was worth braving the cold winds of a December morning.  From this point we could see the oasis region of Draa Valley in the distance. On the way down to Ouarzazate,  one of most famous Kasbahs of Morocco, Ait Benhaddou gave us a rich tapestry of history. Kasbahs or fortresses, were built as protection from invaders from the south.
         Ouarzazate to Draa Valley gave a rare, untouched view of the oasis landscape with palm trees and cactus.  At Draa Valley we were welcomed by school children who were very curious to know more about us, even though we did not have a common language. Dates, fruits and vegetables could be seen in the farms. The doors of the homes were artistically decorated  made to welcome visitors.
         As our Moroccan driver proudly told us, every village has a school and a mosque. We learned to look for these distinctive signs as we drove through different parts of the Moroccan countryside.
          Our drive to Dades Valley, another oasis area, took us along the route of a thousand Kasbahs.  A young woman gave us an intimate description of  the Kasbah Ameridihl.  Though she told us she spoke only a little English, the language that was second nature to her was that of the internet.  She promised to stay in touch with Hotmail and MSN.  One again we were reminded of how flat the world was, and how easily boundaries could be crossed with today's technologies!

       Parts of the Dades Valley landscape reminded me of the American Southwest driving through Arizona or Utah.  What made this different were the numerous villages that dotted the countryside.  Our drive ended with a memorable Sunset over the  Dades Gorge.

      Watch a preview of various Morocco scenes or get the complete movie.

Capturing the shining spirit - without an SLR

             I have been lucky to travel to multiple beautiful places and capture what I see.  I have woken up early to catch the sunrise in sub freezing temperatures, carrying all the equipment to get that perfect shot at the perfect moment.  I have strained my neck trying to get a macro close-up of a flower or insect I have seen.  In the end I have felt a sense of accomplishment that I have come close to recording what I saw for posterity perhaps, or just personal achievement.
               On my recent trip to Delhi, I have for the first time done a different type of photography, capturing people whose shining spirit I would like to learn from, with equipment I used to be reluctant to use, because it 'did not have the advanced features I always used'.
             I do not know which moments and images I will remember more - my mother's 93 year old sister posing with her and refusing to smile because 'she did not look good with her teeth showing'.  Or my mother's younger sister seeing her older sisters' picture and remarking that my mother was wearing the same outfit today as she wore yesterday.  She has always had a keen sense of observation.
            Another intimate moment was my father (who also moves slower now, but has enormous determination and mental strength) meeting one of his closest friends.  His friend is coping with Parkinson's disease, yet the sight of my father made him jump up in excitement and clutch his hard warmly.  He also was thrilled to see me, and held my hand as if he never wanted to let go.  Having interacted with him as a young child, this was a precious moment.  As my aunt, his wife, looked on fondly, I saw an image of true love and dedication, as she strove to maintain the best quality of life for him every day.
            All these people are in their eighties.  They can no longer go for long walks, tell jokes as they used to, eat and sleep as they used to.  Yet to me, they are a shining example to younger people who have not yet had to think of aging('it can never happen to me').  What sets them apart is their indomitable spirit and determination.  Whether we like it or not, old age happens to everyone - if we can walk away with some wisdom from people like this, maybe we can handle aging more gracefully.
           I may not publish any of the images I took on my web site, or enter them in any competition.  But to me they will always remain a source of inspiration.  And I could not have captured any of the spontaneity if I had been carrying my favorite equipment with my favorite features.  I was able to do that with my smartphone.

The Cities of Morocco

         'I thought Morocco only had rugs' was a remark made by one of my photographer friends when they saw my photograph of the Dades river gorge.  This was an example  of the cocoon we often live in, not knowing enough about other lands.  I found out on my visit to Morocco that it had rugs and a lot more.  In fact I did not even buy a rug.
        Marrakesh is a city with a good blend of the old(the medina) and the new.  The famous square with performers, fortune tellers, crafts and food stalls has something for everybody.  Having grown up in Delhi, India, bustling and chaotic markets which one had to go to, to find that very special thing at a great price, were a familiar sight.  Still it was amazing to see the variety of people, trade and transport which moved in harmony with each other!  Cars seem to travel in all directions with pedestrians and cyclists deftly able to dodge them.  Performers eagerly approached tourists to have their photographs taken.  And of course negotiating the best price for an item in the souks(marketplaces) was a necessity of being in this place!
         But perhaps the high point of our trip to Marrakesh was watching the sunset over the Koutibia mosque while the muezzin made a call for prayer with 'Allahu Akbar'.  Rush hour traffic roared in front of the mosque, yet this was one of the most peaceful and beautiful moments of the evening.  We would be experiencing several of these peaceful moments of  'call to prayer' during our visit in the days to come.
         When we visited the oldest city Fez with its medina, we felt we had been transported to the fourteenth century.  People bustled though narrow alleys carrying on their trade.  Products being sold included live chickens, leather, crafts, food items, clothing, all displayed attractively for easy purchase.  Amidst the world of commerce, their was also the world of worship with various mosques.  As the call for prayer rang out,  people rushed through the alleys to get to the mosque on time.  A peaceful, spiritual atmosphere pervaded the mosque areas.  It was amazing to see so many different worlds co-exist in harmony.  The architecture of the most famous  Kairouyine Mosque and Senegalese Mosque was grand with intricate carvings and artwork.
More images of the Moroccan cities can be seen in this  preview of my DVD - Morrocco - The Magical Journey.

The Serenity of the Sahara Desert

         Growing up I remember learning about the Sahara desert being the largest desert in the world.  It sounded enormous, remote and unreachable. I feel lucky to have been able to see a part of it during a recent visit to Morocco.
        Today, the Sahara can be visited by staying in one of the hotels along the dunes.  It is easy to walk to the dunes close by at sunset or sunrise.
        We took a more adventurous route, riding on a camel five kilometers into the depths of the desert.  We were charmed and impressed by our guide who led the camel on foot and spoke five languages.  He laughed at our GPS device by telling us that he had a GPS in his head and knew exactly where to go.  He certainly did!
         On arriving in the heart of the desert, we were left awestruck by the vastness of the landscape and the serenity of the atmosphere.  We could picture travelers struggling through the barren terrain taking days to reach their destination on a camel.   Dunes were visible as far as the eye could see and we knew they stretched well beyond that .
        Coming on camel to the desert seemed to be in harmony with the environment that surrounded us.  But also disturbing to see was the polluting effects of modernization - dune buggies racing through the dunes. Clearly, allowing these buggies to ride though the desert provide economic benefits to Morocco.  But they will have to evaluate if the  destruction to their treasured landscape as a result of it, is worth it.  This is another example of trying to achieve economic growth without damaging the environment in the process.
         Words cannot really describe the awesome scenes at sunset and sunrise and I am not sure my photographs can.  But I kept photographing till the light had died with the hope that I was recording at least some of what I saw, for the future.  As we reluctantly had to leave after sunrise, I still tried to keep capturing the scenes holding on to the camel with one hand and using my camera with the other!  I found that it is possible to get some steady shots with the camera if the lens is not too long and a fast shutter speed is used!  Enjoy my slide show of some of my Morocco images.
        This panoramic view of the desert was taken at sunrise.  Our lone host was walking through telling us it was going to be time to leave soon, looking like an inconsequential  speck in the grandiose landscape.  I feel by capturing a panorama of a scene I am doing more justice to conveying the expansive beauty of the landscape.

Panorama of Capitol Reef Park at Sunset

Capitol Reef Park in Southern Utah is less popular than the more famous Bryce National Park close by.  Yet the serenity and untouched nature of the landscape is what makes it special.
        I have found Southern Utah to have some of the most beautiful and rugged landscapes in the United States.  The Delicate Arch at Arches National Park, is a state landmark seen on signs and license plates.  A Sunrise at the Mesa Arch at Canyonlands Park is a treat, and well worth braving the biting cold in the early morning.  The winter morning light at  the Turret Arch in Arches National Park looks almost unreal, making it all the more a pleasure to photograph.
    This Panorama at Sunset at Capitol Reef Park, was taken in the early part of a winter evening.  As we walked towards the vantage point, there was complete silence around us.  But we could see what appeared to be footprints of a mountain lion on the trail.  Clearly we were alone here in this creatures' habitat.  We were grateful to be able to enjoy and capture this scene of the rock formations in the park, with the La Salle mountains in the background.
      Enjoy a preview of my Travel Show on Southern Utah Scenes, available on a DVD.

A window into Georgia O'Keefe's abode

          One can almost imagine the versatile artist Georgia O'Keefe wandering through these grounds looking for the best spot to paint.  The area has a serenity about it.  In winter, when these photographs were taken, the skies were crisp and clear, and the light magical.  Not having too many people around made it all the more peaceful.
      On close examination, there is such a variety of plants, color and landscapes in a small area, that we can understand why this artist loved spending time here.
        Abiqui, around where these images were taken, is a small town.  Looking at the home of Georgia O' Keefe it is hard to imagine that such great work was produced from such a small place.  In these days of so much technology, we think we need the biggest and the most powerful machines to produce the best output.  But great creativity can also emerge out of simplicity, as we see here.
    Photography and painting are different forms of artistic expression and both can depict beauty.   When one sees such awesome displays of nature, it is impossible to recapitulate exactly what was seen, through a lens.  I have tried to photograph parts which held the most dramatic impact for me.
    O'Keefe applied her own visions to the scenes she saw in nature.  That is what made her paintings so powerful.
    You can check out my New Mexico Collection, which also includes churches and pueblos around Taos.  Hope it makes you want to go there and do everything to protect it.

Sandhill Cranes at Sunrise

      Watching these beautiful birds was almost a spiritual experience.  When we arrived in 20 deg F weather, about a thousand cranes were huddled together for warmth.  Watching their progress after that was a truly memorable experience.
       As the sun starts rising, there is a lot of stirring.  The first set of birds to take off are  snow geese followed by the first few adventurous cranes.  The cranes first stand up, call out to each other in a pleasant symphony, and start preparing to take off.  Their take off seems almost effortless,  First the wings start flapping.  As they start to rise, the legs are almost floppy and lifeless.  Then magically, as they gain height, they have the constant position of straight legs and spread-eagled wings.  They look truly majestic in this position.  One wonders if the Wright brothers when they first thought about their airplane invention, observed some birds like these to engineer their aircraft.  There really seems to be so much still that we can learn from nature, and it is humbling.
      Most of these photographs were taken at the Bosque del Apache National Preserve in New Mexico.   The Wilderness Society is working hard to make sure that the habitat of these birds is preserved.  Power lines need to be built for alternate energy sources, but we must keep them away from their stomping grounds.    After having watched this performance of nature, the thought  of these birds not existing anymore is truly disturbing.
          View my complete Sandhill Cranes gallery and share any thoughts you have.

The Great Egret takes flight

In the last few years I have found photographing birds challenging and rewarding.  They have an immense intelligence which can surprise us.  Their sense of sound and instinct for danger is much sharper than human beings. A small bird like a Warbler which loves the rivers in Wyoming, moves around with an energy which makes it hard to photograph!  The Sandhill Crane has a majesty and power which can leave one spellbound.  Watching  thousands of cranes taking off in unison at sunrise left me awestruck and this will remain a very memorable experience.

The Egret is found commonly in the Bay area and is less shy of humans compared to others like the White Pelican.  I was lucky to be quite close to this one and get a shot of it taking off from the water, which I have selected as one of the images for my blog.

As I keep photographing these wondrous creatures, I keep getting reminded of how fragile their existence is.  Their habitats are being damaged and climate change is making their migratory patterns different.  We get reminded of the crying need to protect them and the constant need to strike a balance between technological advancement and protecting natural resources.

Enjoy seeing more of my Bird Photographs.  I would love to get your comments and hear about any experiences you have.  You can also contact me through my website .