Sun, Snow, and Ice

If you visit Iceland during the winter, as we did a couple of years ago, you will certainly be surrounded by some harsh conditions. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t beautiful, though, as we found so many sights that were absolutely stunning. There is something about the sun shining through the wintery clouds and then reflecting off of the frozen tundra that is hauntingly attractive. Having just gone through the “bomb cyclone” here in Colorado where we were buried with snow and ice, it definitely brought back thoughts of our time in Iceland. As we drove around the countryside, we were constantly amazed by the incredible scenery and could only imagine what it would be like if we didn’t have the comfort of a car to return to. Here are a few of our favorite photographs of sun reflecting across the icy terrain.

Sunglasses Might Be Required Even Without the Sun
Combination of Sun, Clouds, and Ice
Just Enough Light to Reflect on the Ice
Not Quite Frozen
Almost Surreal
A Perfect Moment
You Don’t Want to Get Lost Here
Almost Like Another World

 

Glass Towers Around the World

We spend most of our time when we’re traveling focused on taking photographs of historic buildings and churches in the oldest parts of a city. While the architecture and style of these buildings are certainly quite beautiful, they aren’t always a true representation of everything about a city. Obviously, we always want to maintain the historic feel of the cities that have been around for centuries, but that doesn’t mean that the local people who live there don’t want to modernize and feel like they are part of the modern world. It is certainly a balancing act and you will often find the newer, more modern sections of a city, separated away from the old town sections in a way that almost creates a sense of two different cities, the old and the new. Obviously, most cities in the United States have skyscrapers with smooth glass windows creating unique reflections, but examples of these same styles can be found around the world. We’ll always be focused on the historic buildings when we travel, but that doesn’t mean that we won’t capture some of the new buildings as well.

Sunrise Reflecting on a Skyscraper in Frankfurt
Modern Hotel in La Paz, Bolivia
Glass Building in Cologne
One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower) in New York City
Glass Tower in Amsterdam
Reflections of Vienna
Reflections on Skyscraper in Chicago
Reykjavik, Iceland
Glass Building in Pittsburgh
Sunset Reflection in Cairo, Egypt
Las Vegas
Cityscape of Panama City, Panama

 

Weathered Over Time

Wherever we go, we enjoy seeing how nature changes the world that we live in over time. Whether it is water flowing over rocks for years wearing it away until it changes them over time or volcanoes erupting and creating new land where it didn’t exist before, the forces of nature are fascinating to see. These changes can be quite dramatic when viewed from a distance, but even when seen up close the textures reveal the effects of nature. We have chosen a few of our favorite photos that demonstrate the power of rock slides, waterfalls, and volcanic eruptions.

Rocks Smoothed by a Waterfall
Rugged Peaks and Rock Slides
Stones Eroding to Sand
Very Surreal Landscape in La Paz
Lava Field in Iceland