https://arjungupta.photography/about daily 0.75 2019-12-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574343292352-R8HM07ZNAMFPS3ZCN794/Profile.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588383587788-ZN7X0O15OMDBPJ9K3RI3/Profile.jpg About https://arjungupta.photography/legal daily 0.75 2021-01-18 https://arjungupta.photography/contact daily 0.75 2019-12-03 https://arjungupta.photography/astrophotography daily 0.75 2021-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/c671ebb2-ebc5-43f8-b916-0dfb8f2c2c5c/The+Pursuit.jpg Astrophotography - The Pursuit An image showing the Milky Way Arch rising over the wrecked ship Ocean Pursuit at Oregon Inlet while the SpaceX 2nd stage flies overhead. Also visible is the Falcon 9 first stage making its way back down to earth for an ocean landing on board the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You". https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1611627909717-6U8EXCR7RAN1E1POL7CF/Bodie+-+Panorama.jpg Astrophotography - LET THERE BE LIGHT A panoramic image of Bodie Island Lighthouse with the entire arch of the Orion Arm of the Milky Way captured at North Carolina's Outerbank islands near Oregon Inlet, Manteo and Nags Head. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1611015279682-CEB3TNQHWBK4JC2H3CO2/Draper+Sunflower+Neowise.jpg Astrophotography - Interstellar An image of Comet Neowise over sunflowers captured at Draper Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina near the town of Rock Hill. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1605036473697-WOFOF489L255LMYP4GIX/Draper+Sunflower+Milky+Way.jpg Astrophotography - The Garden Of Eden An image of sunflowers with the Milky Way above taken at Draper Wildlife Refuge near the border of North and South Carolina near the cities of Rock Hill and Charlotte https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1595259276012-QN9718YJQB0LG40OD373/Mattamuskeet+with+Comet.jpg Astrophotography - A Celestial Visitor An image of Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) over Cypress Trees on Lake Mattamuskeet in North Carolina captured before sunrise https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1594933796660-18SONP2ZBG3FKU0BG20K/Roan+Mountain+Pano.jpg Astrophotography - The Path Less Traveled A landscape picture of the night sky featuring the Milky Way Orion Arm arch over Roan Mountain at Carvers Gap in the Smoky Mountains at the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. Also visible is the planet Jupiter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1576085058687-8KXJR9UC5P1XF84RM8XG/Life%2Bon%2Bthe%2BEdge.jpg Astrophotography - Life on the Edge An image of the night sky showing the stars of the Milky Way Orion Arm over the Elk River waterfall on Elk River in Avery County in the Smoky Mountains at the border of North Carolina and Tennessee in the United States. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1580178097446-M5NFVWGVQL2NSLXAW6RG/Heaven+and+Earth.jpg Astrophotography - Edge Of Tomorrow The Milky Way spiral arm and stars rising over Otter Cliffs and Boulder Beach in this image taken in Acadia National Park near the town of Bar Harbor in Maine, United States https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1578524311419-KJRQEAHP0A7GF3EZK1BO/The+All+Seeing+Eye.jpg Astrophotography - The All Seeing Eye The Milky Way's Spiral Arm and Jupiter rise over rocky cliffs near Thunderhole near the town of Bar Harbor, Maine in Acadia National Park, United States. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990175215-ICTHYJJFF8YXU5HU4XB4/Joshua+Tree+NP+Arch+Pano.jpg Astrophotography - The Double Arch An image of the Milky Way Orion Arm arching over Arch Rock in Joshua Tree National Park at the borders of San Bernardino and Riverside counties in California, United States. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588382953209-QHBS55UOKNP8OCEMV8XZ/Blissful+Serendipity.jpg Astrophotography - Blissful Serendipity The Milky Way rises over the Sierra Nevada Mountains in this night sky image captured at the Little Lakes area near Mosquito Flats Campground near the town of Mammoth Lakes and Lake Sabrina in California. Visible in this image are Mt. Gabb, Mt. Abbot and Mt. Morgan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990103103-U9GGAXG6GB6LNWO87CUX/Sierra+Waterfall+MW.jpg Astrophotography - The Babbling Brook (2018) An image of the Milky Way spiral arm rising over Rock Creek in the Little Lakes Valley Area of the Sierra Nevada Mountains near the town of Mammoth Lakes in California, United States. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989956752-NCECCQCEX86CLVB4Y8FH/OBX+Lone+Tree+Redux.jpg Astrophotography - Surreality An image of a lone tree with the Milky Way spiral arm showing Sagittarius and other nebulae taken near the town of Stumpy Point and Engelhard in North Carolina's Outerbanks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990034956-6DH525MY35TRH67MCQQ7/Boat+OBX+Panorama.jpg Astrophotography - The Final Chapter An image of the Milky Way Spiral Arm showing Antares, Sagittarius and nebulae over the wreck of "Bella", captured on the shore near Oregon Inlet along Pea Island Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina's Outerbanks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989240496-OH0XLFWXIEXXRYU2MWLJ/Cape+Hatteras+Panorama.jpg Astrophotography - The Guiding Light An image of the Milky Way Spiral Arm showing the star Antares, Sagittarius and other nebulae, captured at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina's Outerbanks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989040473-L19EYWN08A0BNYNXL5MQ/Bodie+under+Stars.jpg Astrophotography - Ephemeral An image of the Milky Way spiral arm captured at Bodie Island Lighthouse at North Carolina's Outerbanks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1585875007899-H9FP83XKQ6KL0RU5TI5N/Light+of+my+life.jpg Astrophotography - Light Of My Life The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) dances overhead in this image captured in Iceland near the Keldur Turf House. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1582240702567-IHHK3L4X9D2DUJ1UYB6N/Is+there+anybody+out+there.jpg Astrophotography - Hello Hello Is There Anybody Out There? The Milky Way spiral arm rises over one of the radio antenna of the Very Large Array (VLA) radio observatory as a lightning storm rages in the far distance in this image captured in the desert of New Mexico near the town of Socorro in the United States. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1597960293963-0FDHHS5A2S7XBNHW3PPO/Friday+Night+Lights.jpg Astrophotography - Beam Me Up, Scotty An image of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) over a frozen Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park in Maine, United States. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1589933138562-IHSSD4JXYT3J5CETMXAN/At+Worlds+End.jpg Astrophotography - At World's End The Milky Way rises over Otter Cliffs and the Atlantic in this image captured at Acadia National Park in Maine, near the town of Bar Harbor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1587518868624-UEQ5RYBIJJB8PFWYHVSC/Our+Place+Amongst+the+Stars.jpg Astrophotography - The Lone Survivor The Milky Way Spiral Arm rises over "Little Blue", an abandoned cabin along the old Cabin Road in Huntington Island State Park near Hilton Head, at the border of South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia, in this night sky image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1596633964354-8D9MS2D2W4S504ES84KT/Celestial+Fireworks.jpg Astrophotography - Celestial Fireworks The stars and Milky Way's Orion Arm rising over a dead tree in this night sky image taken at Folly Beach in South Carolina's Charleston County in the United States. Also captured in the image are a couple of fireballs from the annual Perseid Meteor Shower. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1613700690908-LXRXWBOMKYLRB4SRHJ1K/Bridge+To+Nowhere.jpg Astrophotography - Bridge To Nowhere The Milky Way Galaxy rises over the battered remains of the Cape Hatteras Fishing Pier near Frisco along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina’s Outerbanks Islands. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588382030128-N29J38E2TPI5P11CC61S/Blissful+Serendipity.jpg Astrophotography https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-final-chapter daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990034956-6DH525MY35TRH67MCQQ7/Boat+OBX+Panorama.jpg The Final Chapter THE FINAL CHAPTER (2018) < Previous | Next > Out on North Carolina’s coastal shores lies Belle, marooned years ago and left to the elements. I had read an obscure mention of the stranding online and decided I had to see it for myself. Spending countless hours poring over satellite images of the coast trying to pinpoint it’s exact location, I was so happy when I found it! Luckily, it aligned perfectly with the direction of the spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy in order to make this composition possible. I feel a strange sense of respect for Belle in her last resting place under the starry skies. And while the harsh elements of the coast have taken their toll on her in her final chapter, to me, she still exudes character. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990034956-6DH525MY35TRH67MCQQ7/Boat+OBX+Panorama.jpg The Final Chapter https://arjungupta.photography/images/ephemeral daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989040473-L19EYWN08A0BNYNXL5MQ/Bodie+under+Stars.jpg Ephemeral EPHEMERAL (2017) < Previous | Next > “After every storm comes a calm”, or so they say. After a pretty big storm had cleared from over the NC coast, I saw my chance for this photo as the clouds gave way to a brilliantly clear sky in which stars were vividly visible. There were challenges for this shot, as the foreground in front of the lighthouse is a grassy area which floods only when there is a significant amount of rain. Capturing a large enough puddle for the reflection, with a new moon and clear skies was a big ask. I was at this location well before sunset and was happy to see the water exactly where the galactic core was supposed to be later that night. However, between the sunset and the Milky Way rise, the water started seeping into the ground and the puddle slowly began to disappear. When I had initially setup my camera, the entire lighthouse was visible in the reflection but by the time I got the Milky Way as I wanted in the frame, what you see is all that remained of the reflection. Within another hour, the puddle of water was all but gone. It was the transient nature of the reflection that inspired the title of this image. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989040473-L19EYWN08A0BNYNXL5MQ/Bodie+under+Stars.jpg Ephemeral https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-guiding-light daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989240496-OH0XLFWXIEXXRYU2MWLJ/Cape+Hatteras+Panorama.jpg The Guiding Light THE GUIDING LIGHT (2017) < Previous | Next > The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is another one of North Carolina’s iconic landmarks along the coast that has served as a navigational beacon for years. While this image was captured on my 3rd visit to this lighthouse, I vividly remember my first night photographing at the lighthouse many years ago. I had just started dabbling in astrophotography and my senses were heightened at being alone at night in unfamiliar territory and my lack of experience. The rustling of leaves in the breeze, coupled with the sounds of the deer in the woods were standing the hairs on the back of my neck upright. However, there was something deeply reassuring in the glow of the light from the lighthouse, every time it shone towards me. It helped allay my angst through the experience. I have always remembered that experience and can only imagine the relief sailors from long ago must have felt when seeing the familiar glow of this lighthouse at night, using it to guide them safely around North Carolina’s treacherous coastline. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989240496-OH0XLFWXIEXXRYU2MWLJ/Cape+Hatteras+Panorama.jpg The Guiding Light https://arjungupta.photography/images/surreality daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989956752-NCECCQCEX86CLVB4Y8FH/OBX+Lone+Tree+Redux.jpg Surreality SURREALITY (2018) < Previous | Next > I am fascinated by lone subjects and capturing them as part of a landscape. I guess subjects like that are a reflection of my own self, experiencing this life in their own subjective ways. This is a theme that occurs commonly in my images because it’s something I’m naturally drawn to. Taken in the swampy grasslands of Eastern North Carolina, where trees are not very common, this one tree seems to be an exception in what is otherwise a marshy grassland. The skies here are wonderfully dark, devoid of the pollution of big city lights. The mist in the air, along with the Milky Way Galaxy, the airglow, and the streaking meteor together give the whole image a very surreal and impressionist feel. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989956752-NCECCQCEX86CLVB4Y8FH/OBX+Lone+Tree+Redux.jpg Surreality https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-babbling-brook daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990103103-U9GGAXG6GB6LNWO87CUX/Sierra+Waterfall+MW.jpg The Babbling Brook THE BABBLING BROOK (2018) < Previous | Next > I chanced upon this view as I was walking back to my car after shooting another scene in the Sierra Mountains. The way the stream lined up with the tree in the middle ground and the starry background of the Milky Way offered a perfect visual composition with the stream’s soothing sounds providing the finishing touch. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990103103-U9GGAXG6GB6LNWO87CUX/Sierra+Waterfall+MW.jpg The Babbling Brook https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-double-arch daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990175215-ICTHYJJFF8YXU5HU4XB4/Joshua+Tree+NP+Arch+Pano.jpg The Double Arch THE DOUBLE ARCH (2018) < Previous | Next > Taken at Joshua National Park in June, my friends and I had to not only navigate through a small crowd of people, but had to work quickly in the wee hours of the morning to capture the Milky Way before the Earth’s rotation pushed it out of frame. This proved a bit stressful, but the allure of the stories these rocks have to tell from centuries of weathering captured my fascination. It’s mind-boggling to imagine the number of night skies these rocks have rested under, holding fast, but losing small parts of themselves to the same skies come the next night after the erosion of the day. These experiences often lend themselves to personal reflections in what I’ve weathered in my life, night sky to night sky, and the vulnerabilities I expose to those around me. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990175215-ICTHYJJFF8YXU5HU4XB4/Joshua+Tree+NP+Arch+Pano.jpg The Double Arch https://arjungupta.photography/images/life-on-the-edge daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1576085058687-8KXJR9UC5P1XF84RM8XG/Life%2Bon%2Bthe%2BEdge.jpg Life On the Edge LIFE ON THE EDGE (2019) < Previous | Next > Shooting the Milky Way over a waterfall has been a long held dream of mine but for many reasons, over the years, this shot remained unfulfilled — that is, until the day I hiked to Elk River Falls in the North Carolina Mountains on a recce. Not only was there a good sized opening over the waterfall but it also faced the proper direction so that the Milky Way lined up over the waterfall’s opening perfectly. Then came the waiting game. From that hike, it took over a year for weather conditions and the logistics to drive the four hours to capture this shot, to fall into place. The presence of campers at the spot was an unexpected surprise but one must learn to accept the opportunities you’re given and to recognize the glow of living life on the edge. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1576085058687-8KXJR9UC5P1XF84RM8XG/Life%2Bon%2Bthe%2BEdge.jpg Life On the Edge https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-all-seeing-eye daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1596731054167-U078E061ON3IJ8K1OOY4/The+All+Seeing+Eye.jpg The All Seeing Eye THE ALL SEEING EYE (2018) < Previous | Next > Sometimes a different perspective can be discovered at the most common locations. Taken in Maine at the quite popular “Thunderhole” area, I wandered off to explore the cliffs when a crowd of people with bright flashlights made it impossible to capture the view I was seeking on this night. As I decided to explore around, I stumbled upon this little nook in the cliffs where the puddled water resembled a giant eye peering into the depths of the galaxy. Thank you for stopping by! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1578524311419-KJRQEAHP0A7GF3EZK1BO/The+All+Seeing+Eye.jpg The All Seeing Eye https://arjungupta.photography/images/edge-of-tomorrow daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1580178097446-M5NFVWGVQL2NSLXAW6RG/Heaven+and+Earth.jpg Edge Of Tomorrow EDGE OF TOMORROW (2018) < Previous | Next > One of the Easternmost points on the contiguous United States, this area heralds the dawn of a new day well before the sun’s rays shine on the sleeping Eastern Seaboard. Years ago, I’d read an account of a group of photographers who had taken a boat to one of the islands off the coast of Maine, north of Acadia, and had been the first to usher in the start of that brand new year. I remember feeling a wonderful sense of awe reading that account and vowed to visit the area. I’ve been to Acadia on four separate occasions and have had numerous adventures every time, including my first ever view of the Northern Lights - this is indeed a very special place. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1580178097446-M5NFVWGVQL2NSLXAW6RG/Heaven+and+Earth.jpg Edge Of Tomorrow https://arjungupta.photography/images/hello-hello-is-there-anybody-out-there daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1582240637931-LEOBWMZLHU0WZ73SBBQU/Is+there+anybody+out+there.jpg Hello Hello Is There Anybody Out There? HELLO HELLO IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE? (2016) < Previous | Next > Space exploration and the search for other intelligent lifeforms in the known universe is something I am deeply excited by. When the chance came to visit New Mexico on a photography trip, I just had to stop by the Very Large Array in Socorro. I'd envisioned visiting these hallowed grounds ever since I read the book "Contact" by Carl Sagan and that desire was fueled further with my growing love of astrophotography. New Mexico is a fascinating state for a photographer with a great landscape and vast tracts of wilderness. The one thing I will forever remember is the sight of how quickly summer storms develop and the awesome power such storms can unleash on the land in the form of lightning. Devoid of any trees, you can see storms brewing far away, including cloud to ground lightning strikes up close and personal, which is an adrenaline rush for me. On this same trip, my friend and I were caught by surprise at how quickly a storm developed and had to hightail it out as fast as we could back to our car, with the storm rolling dangerously upon us. On this night, even though the weather wasn't great for astrophotography due to the clouds obscuring the Milky Way, I managed to snag a picture of one of the enormous VLA antennas as it went about its all important task of listening to the cosmos, undisturbed by the storm in the background and oblivious to our presence. This setup is a testament to humankind's limitless potential when it is harnessed in the pursuit of constructive enterprises. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1582240695795-C42T9YJI7LUNO3N0K5JA/Is+there+anybody+out+there.jpg Hello Hello Is There Anybody Out There? https://arjungupta.photography/images/light-of-my-life daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1585875216824-8CO88VB96L8ES0ALDT1P/Light+of+my+life.jpg Light Of My Life LIGHT OF MY LIFE (2017) < Previous | Next > In preparation for my premier trip to Iceland in 2017, I found this location while browsing Google Maps - the horseshoe bend in the foreground caught my attention but to my surprise, the location in person was even more magical with the way the river flows towards the mountains in the background. This was also the first time I’d brought my girlfriend (now wife) along, so I really wanted this to be special. Once we finally got there after an hour drive from our B&B, we crossed our fingers for the night sky we had envisioned. Although we didn’t know if it would be visible, the cherry on top was the visibility of the Aurora Borealis, which is essentially what attracted me to Iceland to begin with many years ago. For added adventure, not only was this well off the beaten path, but we stood on the grounds of the Keldur Turf House to capture this shot, with a few dozen sheep nestled for the night a mere hundred feet away, surely wondering what we were doing staring at the sky! So there we sat in the wee hours, taking in the northern lights at one of the oldest houses in the world, discussing who and what may have come before us to see these (mostly) untouched lands. The expression on her face was priceless, and I have to admit myself, it was pretty magical to share the Northern Lights with the Light Of My Life. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1585875216824-8CO88VB96L8ES0ALDT1P/Light+of+my+life.jpg Light Of My Life https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-lone-survivor daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1587518868624-UEQ5RYBIJJB8PFWYHVSC/Our+Place+Amongst+the+Stars.jpg The Lone Survivor THE LONE SURVIVOR (2016) < Previous | Next > On Hunting Island stood "Little Blue", one of the most iconic and the last remaining beach houses along the island's Cabin Road when I took this picture in 2016. The ravages of the relentless ocean along with climate change and sea water rise contributed to the beach erosion that claimed all of the cabins bar one that once adorned this coastline. This last remnant of yesteryears withstood that relentless onslaught until the local government finally demolished it around 2017. In spite of the light pollution from the city of Charleston, the night sky here was magical to watch and enjoy. On that night, I found myself wistfully thinking about the families that must have enjoyed the view, the peace and the solitude from atop the little cabin. Battle scarred and weary, the cabin still managed to retain a quiet dignity and character about it. I’m personally very glad I got to enjoy this location with the structure still standing. I’ve visited this location after the cabin was torn down and while the night sky was still brilliant to observe, the presence of that plucky cabin was sorely missed. Thank you for stopping by and for the support. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1587518868624-UEQ5RYBIJJB8PFWYHVSC/Our+Place+Amongst+the+Stars.jpg The Lone Survivor https://arjungupta.photography/images/blissful-serendipity daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588382656189-IB6T2KWKOKKSIU79KXBU/Blissful+Serendipity.jpg Blissful Serendipity BLISSFUL SERENDIPITY (2018) < Previous | Next > This image is from one of my best nights photographing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. It’s hard to believe that I’d never been to this location in person before this night - I’d stumbled across this location on Google Maps by accident while searching for a different spot I’d had in mind. Usually pulling off a night shoot requires a lot of planning, including location scouting and the logistics of making it there on a favorable day, so to show up the “day of” is not something I normally would do. I love everything about this image: the reflection, the stillness of the water surface, the foreground lines leading to the mountains and most importantly, the cloud free and dark skies of the Sierras. Growing up in major urban areas, I had never even seen a 100 stars in the sky, so seeing this entire kaleidoscope of our home galaxy is a wonderful experience for me every time. The fortuitous manner of stumbling upon this location and walking away with a winning composition is what makes this “Blissful Serendipity”. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588382936196-B08CRI99WADV9L537I0I/Blissful+Serendipity.jpg Blissful Serendipity https://arjungupta.photography/images/at-worlds-end daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1589933138562-IHSSD4JXYT3J5CETMXAN/At+Worlds+End.jpg At World's End AT WORLD’S END (2016) < Previous | Next > Another image from Acadia National Park at Otter Cliffs taken on a cold and virtually cloudless winter morning. It was on this trip that I also observed the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis for the very first time in person as well. It was sheer luck that my visit here coincided with an unusually large solar storm that pushed the auroral envelope well down South and made activity visible near Maine. Until this night, I had only seen pictures of the auroras and had always wondered what it would be like to see this phenomenon in person - it was everything (and more) than I’d hoped it would be. The cliffs staring out over the ocean with the galaxy rising over the horizon inspired the title of the image. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1589933138562-IHSSD4JXYT3J5CETMXAN/At+Worlds+End.jpg At World's End https://arjungupta.photography/landscape daily 0.75 2021-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1614304204796-ARG6PZTC101PXD3QCUAN/The+Old+And+The+New.jpg Landscape - The Old And The New An image of the old Life Saving Station at sunset, captured over the dunes at Oregon Inlet on Pea Island in North Carolina's Outerbank Islands near Rodanthe and Bodie Island. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1594338866283-RX2BAWY8MZTIUG3G63NW/Fire+and+Ice.jpg Landscape - Valley Of Fire A landscape image showing the reflection of the snow covered Sierra Nevada Mountains at sunset taken at Owens Valley near the town of Bishop in California, USA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1634478901816-COF6UPZNKF9KDZJ93TBL/Parched.jpg Landscape - The Drought An image of the famed mud cracks in Death Valley National Park in California taken on one of the rare days the park gets any rain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1608060385294-VFM0TJJPUZQ315QDI86W/Salt+Lines+Color.jpg Landscape - The Mirage An image depicting the sun setting over the Panamint Range and the salt flats at Badwater Basin in California's Death Valley National Park as storm clouds roll through. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607105856920-YGYX6TXB90BV9JLGG8FK/Joshua+Trees+and+Dunes.jpg Landscape - Land Of The Giants An image of Joshua Trees silhouetted against the setting sun in front of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Death Valley National Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1604545778569-KL5QJMQG7L61P7EOV3MA/Cactus+Mt.+Whitney.jpg Landscape - Can't Touch This A picture of cactii framing Mt. Whitney and the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, near the town of Big Pine, as the sun is about to set behind the mountains. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1590712243002-TL9FX60WRSS4M7S6OA0X/The+Lenticular+Wave.jpg Landscape - The Lenticular Wave An image of the Tufa towers from Mono Lake near Yosemite with lenticular clouds overhead and a view of the Sierra Nevada Mountains nearby https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588118555202-0VFEPE4VYYTFXQFJE5YO/A+Case+of+the+Blues.jpg Landscape - A Case Of The Blues An image from Hot Creek Geothermal Area near Mammoth Lakes, California showing the Sierra Nevada Mountains at sunrise https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989911114-AP5E9P2VKJ6KQ93DQIAF/Kerr+Lake.jpg Landscape - The Chase An early morning fiery sunrise capture at Kerr Lake State Recreation Area at the border of North Carolina and Virginia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989872003-GQ47XODBETKGAIV4JDBH/Falls+Lake.jpg Landscape - The Timely Burn Winter Sunrise captured at Hickory Hill Boat Ramp near Durham in the Falls Lake State Recreation Area in North Carolina, United States https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1609470368069-YWP3E6SQ0LRKT19T4P2M/Bar+Harbor+Light.jpg Landscape - A Beacon Of Hope An image of the Bass Harbor Lighthouse near Acadia National Park in Maine, captured at sunset. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1596148415614-2N8YY5662SXHA6PCIL9K/Light+my+fire.jpg Landscape - Light My Fire An image of a fiery sunrise at Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in Maine, United States. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1592357858132-M6Y4BQ5NRV9DWUE8JCZ0/Million+Dollar+Home.jpg Landscape - Einfalt A landscape picture of a house on a hill, in front of a glacier, taken in Iceland with the sun beams highlighting the valley behind. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990064131-GSBG8ESE1P3RMJRHYDLY/Pennsylvania+Fall.jpg Landscape - Dawn's Early Light Early Autumn/Fall morning sunrise capture at Ricketts Glen State Park in Pennsylvania, United States https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990136260-D7YNRJLPWFH7TTVCSBLM/Sparks+Lake+Sunrise.jpg Landscape - When Sparks Fly A fiery sunset captured at Sparks Lake near Bend in Oregon, United States in Deschutes National Forest with Broken Top and one of the Sisters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1581387010381-VDBPA8E2CY9BT4BDKBS6/The+Unveiling.jpg Landscape - The Unveiling Click on the image for more details.. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1592357724879-MI0IR9O5WSMQIMX4MIT2/Sands+of+Time.jpg Landscape - Sands Of Time An image of ripple patterned sand dunes at Mesquite Dunes in Death Valley, California captured at Dawn. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989996714-6910KICCXAILWZCYZ53L/Lake+Crabtree+Boat+Sunset.jpg Landscape - The Calm After The Storm A colorful sunset captured at Lake Crabtree County Park near the towns of Cary and Raleigh as a big storm was clearing away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1615127518949-702SUH8P837M4KX1CXML/Under+the+Pier.jpg Landscape - Tunnel Vision An image of a colorful sunrise captured at Frisco Pier at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina's Outerbank Islands near the towns of Avon and Rodanthe https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607184489172-ZCQ6TOGWSLW2VH4G7105/Dichotomy.jpg Landscape - Dichotomy An image of (the now removed) Frisco Pier along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore on North Carolina’s Outerbanks Islands taken at sunrise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1591748147312-YZ0Z5DTRCVP4LNZ4VU7H/Inferno.jpg Landscape - Inferno An image of a fiery sunrise captured at Bodie Island Lighthouse at the Outerbanks in North Carolina, United States https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1590712243002-TL9FX60WRSS4M7S6OA0X/The+Lenticular+Wave.jpg Landscape https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-calm-after-the-storm daily 0.75 2021-03-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989996714-6910KICCXAILWZCYZ53L/Lake+Crabtree+Boat+Sunset.jpg The Calm After The Storm THE CALM AFTER THE STORM (2016) < Previous | Next > Taken at Lake Crabtree after a big storm had just moved through the area, the lake levels were substantially higher than usual, causing this normally beached boat to float idyllically. It’s hard to imagine that just two hours prior, it was raining heavily - these are the vagaries of nature I love capturing. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989996714-6910KICCXAILWZCYZ53L/Lake+Crabtree+Boat+Sunset.jpg The Calm After The Storm https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-unveiling daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1581387010381-VDBPA8E2CY9BT4BDKBS6/The+Unveiling.jpg The Unveiling THE UNVEILING (2016) < Previous | Next > I was able to capture this beautiful view of the majestic Mt. Thielsen while camped at Crater Lake, Oregon on a blustery, cold October morning as the sunrise colors peeked out to greet me. The swirling clouds and the warm glow cast by the rising sun really made this a special and unexpected sight to behold. I captured this image with my telephoto lens at maximum focal length of 500mm. I usually don’t lug my telephoto lens around on strenuous hikes for landscape photography but boy, was I glad I had it on me this day to catch “the unveiling”. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1581387010381-VDBPA8E2CY9BT4BDKBS6/The+Unveiling.jpg The Unveiling https://arjungupta.photography/images/when-sparks-fly daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990136260-D7YNRJLPWFH7TTVCSBLM/Sparks+Lake+Sunrise.jpg When Sparks Fly WHEN SPARKS FLY (2016) < Previous | Next > “When Sparks Fly” was taken at Sparks Lake in Oregon and is undoubtedly one of my favorite locations to visit. I absolutely love the snow covered peaks of the western United States and when the weather co-operates, the views here can be so inspiring. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990136260-D7YNRJLPWFH7TTVCSBLM/Sparks+Lake+Sunrise.jpg When Sparks Fly https://arjungupta.photography/images/dawns-early-light daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990064131-GSBG8ESE1P3RMJRHYDLY/Pennsylvania+Fall.jpg Dawn's Early Light DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT (2016) < Previous | Next > The Glens of rural Pennsylvania and upstate New York are a delight for many photographers. Countless waterfalls and lakes make it a great destination, especially in the Fall and Spring seasons. Throw in a colorful sunrise/sunset and you’ve got the ingredients for a beautiful image. This particular location is about a 10 hour drive from my home. I tried to time my visit to coincide with fall colors, but on the evening of my arrival, I was disappointed to see that only a few trees were showing the vibrancy I was expecting. That night happened to be a very cold night and when I showed up the next morning - to my immense surprise - dawn’s first light showed a lot more color than the previous evening. While the primary reason for my visit was to shoot the waterfalls of the Glen, this sunrise on the lake offered a view I couldn’t pass. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990064131-GSBG8ESE1P3RMJRHYDLY/Pennsylvania+Fall.jpg Dawn's Early Light https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-timely-burn daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989872003-GQ47XODBETKGAIV4JDBH/Falls+Lake.jpg The Timely Burn THE TIMELY BURN (2018) < Previous | Next > Colorful Sunrises and Sunsets are what landscape photographers live for. Unfortunately, more often than not, the quest for them turns out to be fruitless. Modern day satellites and weather predictions have gone a long way towards improving the odds but there’s still a science and skill to being able to predict when one will be happening. I’ve had the pleasure of learning that skill from some of the best artists out there. This was the first time I was able to put that knowledge to good use and predict 48 hours in advance when and where a colorful sunrise might initiate. One of my photographer friends put his faith in me and we drove to this location on an almost unbearably cold day and waited around freezing just for Mother Nature to put on a show. The result - we witnessed one of the most amazing sunrises either of us had ever witnessed in our lives. Not only were the colors brilliant but the warmth from the sun beat back the cold before it broke our spirits — and hence you have, “The Timely Burn”. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989872003-GQ47XODBETKGAIV4JDBH/Falls+Lake.jpg The Timely Burn https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-chase daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989911114-AP5E9P2VKJ6KQ93DQIAF/Kerr+Lake.jpg The Chase THE CHASE (2019) < Previous | Next > “The Chase” was photographed at Kerr Lake on what turned out to be a perfect early Fall Morning after future satellite models predicted the likelihood of good sunrise colors along a long stretch from Virginia to South Carolina. However, it was not to be — at 3 a.m. it appeared that the opportunity was fading with the clouds that were clearing faster than anticipated. It was just our luck that there was a small patch along the North Carolina/Virginia border that looked promising and thus began the chase - a chase to catch the perfect light. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989911114-AP5E9P2VKJ6KQ93DQIAF/Kerr+Lake.jpg The Chase https://arjungupta.photography/images/a-case-of-the-blues daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588114542916-2CHR803915QGVVNVAMLJ/A+Case+of+the+Blues.jpg A Case Of The Blues A CASE OF THE BLUES (2020) < Previous | Next > The Sierra Nevada Mountains of California have never failed to amaze me with the sheer, natural beauty they have to offer, calling me back year after year. On this particular day in Hot Creek, the skies didn’t have much to offer - there was not a single cloud. However, the cold temperatures and lack of wind did make something else feasible - the rising steam from the superheated waters of the creek floated around long enough to make interesting patterns before dissipating. The blue skies do represent something else to me, personally. It’s been around 2 months since my trip to California earlier this year, right on the brink of the COVID-19 shutdown. The world seemed a different place back then, so much more accessible and full of adventures and possibilities. As I reminisce about the trips and wonderment nature has to offer, particularly in the springtime, I can’t help but feel a little blue at times, myself. This image is also special for that very reason, as a reminder to be thankful of every single opportunity one has to enjoy this journey through life they’re on and really live it to the fullest. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588118555202-0VFEPE4VYYTFXQFJE5YO/A+Case+of+the+Blues.jpg A Case Of The Blues https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-lenticular-wave daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1590712243002-TL9FX60WRSS4M7S6OA0X/The+Lenticular+Wave.jpg The Lenticular Wave THE LENTICULAR WAVE (2020) < Previous | Next > Taken at Mono Lake in California on a day when an unusual weather pattern in the Pacific pushed these gorgeous looking lenticular clouds towards the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Tufas at Mono Lake never fail to provide great compositions everytime I visit them. The tufas of the lake, combined with the waves of lenticular clouds gave the landscape an otherwordly appearance and made for a wonderful evening of photography. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1590712243002-TL9FX60WRSS4M7S6OA0X/The+Lenticular+Wave.jpg The Lenticular Wave https://arjungupta.photography/images/rivendell daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1586825593306-KA7S1SQXWTM6GY0BLONF/Rivendell.jpg Rivendell RIVENDELL (2015) < Previous | Next > I’m a pretty big fan of the Lord of the Rings franchise and I have New Zealand marked on my bucket list of trips to go on sooner than later. However on a trip to upstate New York some years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon what I can only describe as a place straight out of fantasy land. Stone Bridges, sheer cliffs, narrow rocky passages and flowing waters make this place truly seem like something straight out of a fantasy book. There are plenty of gorgeous locations in this place but this hands down is the most beautiful of them all. Coupled with the soft golden light streaming in from the canopy above on a cool late spring morning, this location reminded me of the Elven town Rivendell in its magnificence. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1586825593306-KA7S1SQXWTM6GY0BLONF/Rivendell.jpg Rivendell https://arjungupta.photography/images/perpetual-motion-machine daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1578966050343-2NTD3ZP6OXH69DFEIRHQ/Swirlies.jpg Perpetual Motion Machine PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE (2016) < Previous | Next > There’s something about the energy at a waterfall that I find mesmerizing. The never-ending stream of water flowing rhythmically across the landscape not only presents unimaginable beauty in the right light but also bears testament to nature’s awesome powers of creation. I have had the pleasure of visiting many waterfalls across many states/countries and each one has a personality of its own. This visit to one of the several falls at the Rickets Glen State Park in rural Pennsylvania really stood out on account of the impressive swirls I witnessed. At a previous visit, the water flow was too voluminous for the sustained nature of the swirls but on this occasion, I really lucked out - the foreground adds a sort of dynamism to the image. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1578966050343-2NTD3ZP6OXH69DFEIRHQ/Swirlies.jpg Perpetual Motion Machine https://arjungupta.photography/images/in-sync daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1585186130047-9B8CNJKLVXX50UYW9U32/Synchronized+Ballet.jpg In Sync IN SYNC (2016) < Previous | Next > Seeing not one but two swirls at the base of a waterfall is extremely rare. It requires rock formations on either side to provide a backchannel for water to flow away from the central channel as well as the right volume of water to prevent overwhelming the backflow. Being so unusual, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter this on my waterfall hike. The morning light also reflected a warm glow in the swirls, as the beginning of Autumn had taken root at Ricketts Glen State Park. Capturing the image required me to stand in ankle deep chilly water for about 30 minutes. Although wet and very cold, seeing the fall colors sent me home very happy that day. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1585186130047-9B8CNJKLVXX50UYW9U32/Synchronized+Ballet.jpg In Sync https://arjungupta.photography/images/peering-into-the-looking-glass daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1589236389417-760R0NVR6N8FWYL4VWFA/Looking+Glass.jpg Peering Into The Looking Glass PEERING INTO THE LOOKING GLASS (2017) < Previous | Next > I am fortunate to live in a state that is adorned with many beautiful waterfalls. Looking Glass Falls in the Pisgah National Forest is one such waterfall. Given its relative ease of access and proximity to Asheville, it is one of the most popular waterfalls to visit in North Carolina. Spring is a great time to visit these falls with the new foliage and gushing water levels from the springtime rains. On this cold and misty spring day, I had the waterfall all to myself for a good long period. The mist was thick and provided a wonderfully moody atmosphere coupled with the warm aura of the rising sun, as it fought to penetrate the layers of circling mist. The falls are named after the rocks around the falls on which water freezes in the winter and the ice reflects the incident sunlight resembling a mirror. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1589236389417-760R0NVR6N8FWYL4VWFA/Looking+Glass.jpg Peering Into The Looking Glass https://arjungupta.photography/images/an-unexpected-visitor daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588982872864-GQ3TMTJJ77Z97M1Y98ZB/Unexpected+Visitor.jpg An Unexpected Visitor AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR (2018) < Previous | Next > Let me start off by saying: wildlife photography and I haven't had a very successful partnership, which can be aptly proven through the sheer number of blurry, out of focus images I have accumulated on my hard drives over the years. Some of those might be attributed to the equipment but most are largely because I bumble about on such expeditions with the stealth of a hippo, startling everything within earshot. Maybe someday I'll figure out how to assimilate these images into some form of masterful abstract art. Every now and then, however, my luck changes. On this day, as I was leaving to pick up my wife (then partner) from the airport after a long 2 week overseas work trip, I looked outside as I was locking the back door and saw this beautiful broad winged hawk perched right on my property's fence line. The next few minutes were a panic stricken blur as I raced around the house trying to find the camera and the unwieldy telephoto lens whilst simultaneously hissing at the dog to shut up his barking (who was riled up from my hustling about) and doing mental arithmetic on how much time I had to spare before I'd be late to the airport. To my immense surprise, the hawk continued to stay perched on the fence even as I slowly inched closer to it. It looked at me with curiosity a few times but otherwise was totally dismissive of my presence there. He was rightfully more concerned about the mouse activity in the leaf litter that surrounded us. After a good 20 minutes or so, the hawk finally flew off, but by then, I had captured the best moments of this unexpected, yet welcome visit. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588982872864-GQ3TMTJJ77Z97M1Y98ZB/Unexpected+Visitor.jpg An Unexpected Visitor https://arjungupta.photography/galleries daily 1.0 2021-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1611627909717-6U8EXCR7RAN1E1POL7CF/Bodie+-+Panorama.jpg Galleries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588382936196-B08CRI99WADV9L537I0I/Blissful+Serendipity.jpg Galleries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989956752-NCECCQCEX86CLVB4Y8FH/OBX+Lone+Tree+Redux.jpg Galleries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989872003-GQ47XODBETKGAIV4JDBH/Falls+Lake.jpg Galleries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1589236389417-760R0NVR6N8FWYL4VWFA/Looking+Glass.jpg Galleries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989996714-6910KICCXAILWZCYZ53L/Lake+Crabtree+Boat+Sunset.jpg Galleries https://arjungupta.photography/nature daily 0.75 2021-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/a680b350-e60d-4749-b381-43d134064aa8/Complement+Deux.jpg Nature - Complementary An image of a blue indigo bunting perched atop a sunflower stalk in the early morning light at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607980270150-MC86P04KKI3C2UOS9DD9/The+Intimidator.jpg Nature - The Enforcer An image of an hummingbird in flight captured against the backdrop of a rain soaked forest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1597348513112-FXQE17TIR66Q6BJ86J25/First+Kiss+Goodnight.jpg Nature - Love's First Kiss An image showing two squirrels sharing an affectionate moment while sunning. Captured in the woods near Hillsborough in Orange County in North Carolina. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1593722193608-N5CBMAPBZVFXS9ASYUK8/Speed+Demon.jpg Nature - The Green Enterprise An image of a hummingbird in flight in a beam of sunlight taken in North Carolina, United States. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588982872864-GQ3TMTJJ77Z97M1Y98ZB/Unexpected+Visitor.jpg Nature - An Unexpected Visitor An image of a broad winged hawk captured in North Carolina, United States https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1589236389417-760R0NVR6N8FWYL4VWFA/Looking+Glass.jpg Nature - Peering Into The Looking Glass An image of Looking Glass Falls in Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina, United States, taken at sunrise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1585187025342-9CGD7D5WJJ09NCVFFDUX/Synchronized+Ballet.jpg Nature - In Sync An image showing twin foreground swirls of Wyandot Falls in Ricketts Glen State Park in rural Pennsylvania taken on an autumn day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1578966050343-2NTD3ZP6OXH69DFEIRHQ/Swirlies.jpg Nature - Perpetual Motion Machine An image of one of several waterfalls along the falls trail in Ricketts Glen State Park in Rural Pennsylvania taken on an autumn day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607709418033-C55PYFC9WKT1IQ4BRFA3/Dry+Falls.jpg Nature - Irony An image of Dry Falls in the Nantahala National Forest in Western North Carolina near the town of Highland, captured on an early fall morning after heavy overnight rains. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1586825593306-KA7S1SQXWTM6GY0BLONF/Rivendell.jpg Nature - Rivendell An image of Rainbow Falls from Watkins Glen State Park in upstate New York near the town of Ithaca. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1589236389417-760R0NVR6N8FWYL4VWFA/Looking+Glass.jpg Nature https://arjungupta.photography/recent-work daily 0.75 2021-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/c671ebb2-ebc5-43f8-b916-0dfb8f2c2c5c/The+Pursuit.jpg Recent Work - The Pursuit An image showing the Milky Way Arch rising over the wrecked ship Ocean Pursuit at Oregon Inlet while the SpaceX 2nd stage flies overhead. Also visible is the Falcon 9 first stage making its way back down to earth for an ocean landing on board the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You". https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1634478901816-COF6UPZNKF9KDZJ93TBL/Parched.jpg Recent Work - The Drought An image of the famed mud cracks in Death Valley National Park in California taken on one of the rare days the park gets any rain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1614304204796-ARG6PZTC101PXD3QCUAN/The+Old+And+The+New.jpg Recent Work - The Old And The New An image of the old Life Saving Station at sunset, captured over the dunes at Oregon Inlet on Pea Island in North Carolina's Outerbank Islands near Rodanthe and Bodie Island. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1611627909717-6U8EXCR7RAN1E1POL7CF/Bodie+-+Panorama.jpg Recent Work - LET THERE BE LIGHT A panoramic image of Bodie Island Lighthouse with the entire arch of the Orion Arm of the Milky Way captured at North Carolina's Outerbank islands near Oregon Inlet, Manteo and Nags Head. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1605036399887-TBBZV319WV15I97ZASWR/Draper+Sunflower+Milky+Way.jpg Recent Work - The Garden Of Eden An image of sunflowers with the Milky Way above taken at Draper Wildlife Refuge near the border of North and South Carolina near the cities of Rock Hill and Charlotte https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1611015279682-CEB3TNQHWBK4JC2H3CO2/Draper+Sunflower+Neowise.jpg Recent Work - Interstellar An image of Comet Neowise over sunflowers captured at Draper Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina near the town of Rock Hill. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1595259224467-ZVM5UEBP6V9MPCOIY2Q2/Mattamuskeet+with+Comet.jpg Recent Work - A Celestial Visitor An image of Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) over Cypress Trees on Lake Mattamuskeet in North Carolina captured before sunrise https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607980270150-MC86P04KKI3C2UOS9DD9/The+Intimidator.jpg Recent Work - The Enforcer An image of an hummingbird in flight captured against the backdrop of a rain soaked forest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1593722193608-N5CBMAPBZVFXS9ASYUK8/Speed+Demon.jpg Recent Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1597348513112-FXQE17TIR66Q6BJ86J25/First+Kiss+Goodnight.jpg Recent Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1594933796660-18SONP2ZBG3FKU0BG20K/Roan+Mountain+Pano.jpg Recent Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1608060385294-VFM0TJJPUZQ315QDI86W/Salt+Lines+Color.jpg Recent Work - The Mirage An image depicting the sun setting over the Panamint Range and the salt flats at Badwater Basin in California's Death Valley National Park as storm clouds roll through. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607105856920-YGYX6TXB90BV9JLGG8FK/Joshua+Trees+and+Dunes.jpg Recent Work - Land Of The Giants An image of Joshua Trees silhouetted against the setting sun in front of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Death Valley National Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1604545778569-KL5QJMQG7L61P7EOV3MA/Cactus+Mt.+Whitney.jpg Recent Work - Can't Touch This A picture of cactii framing Mt. Whitney and the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, near the town of Big Pine, as the sun is about to set behind the mountains. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1594338866283-RX2BAWY8MZTIUG3G63NW/Fire+and+Ice.jpg Recent Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1590712243002-TL9FX60WRSS4M7S6OA0X/The+Lenticular+Wave.jpg Recent Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588118555202-0VFEPE4VYYTFXQFJE5YO/A+Case+of+the+Blues.jpg Recent Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1611627909717-6U8EXCR7RAN1E1POL7CF/Bodie+-+Panorama.jpg Recent Work https://arjungupta.photography/personal-favorites daily 0.75 2021-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1608060385294-VFM0TJJPUZQ315QDI86W/Salt+Lines+Color.jpg Personal Favorites - The Mirage An image depicting the sun setting over the Panamint Range and the salt flats at Badwater Basin in California's Death Valley National Park as storm clouds roll through. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607980270150-MC86P04KKI3C2UOS9DD9/The+Intimidator.jpg Personal Favorites - The Enforcer An image of an hummingbird in flight captured against the backdrop of a rain soaked forest. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607184489172-ZCQ6TOGWSLW2VH4G7105/Dichotomy.jpg Personal Favorites - Dichotomy An image of (the now removed) Frisco Pier along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore on North Carolina’s Outerbanks Islands taken at sunrise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1605036537087-SZI3A1TCFUK6Z5T41WN7/Draper+Sunflower+Milky+Way.jpg Personal Favorites - The Garden Of Eden An image of sunflowers with the Milky Way above taken at Draper Wildlife Refuge near the border of North and South Carolina near the cities of Rock Hill and Charlotte https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1595259309556-4G3T7HY31QH5B0FMIUW1/Mattamuskeet+with+Comet.jpg Personal Favorites - A Celestial Visitor An image of Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) over Cypress Trees on Lake Mattamuskeet in North Carolina captured before sunrise https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1594933796660-18SONP2ZBG3FKU0BG20K/Roan+Mountain+Pano.jpg Personal Favorites - The Path Less Traveled A landscape picture of the night sky featuring the Milky Way Orion Arm arch over Roan Mountain at Carvers Gap at the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. Also visible is the planet Jupiter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1593722193608-N5CBMAPBZVFXS9ASYUK8/Speed+Demon.jpg Personal Favorites - The Green Enterprise An image of a hummingbird in flight in a beam of sunlight taken in North Carolina, United States. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1590712243002-TL9FX60WRSS4M7S6OA0X/The+Lenticular+Wave.jpg Personal Favorites - The Lenticular Wave An image of the Tufa towers from Mono Lake near Yosemite with lenticular clouds overhead and a view of the Sierra Nevada Mountains nearby https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1586825593306-KA7S1SQXWTM6GY0BLONF/Rivendell.jpg Personal Favorites - Rivendell An image of Rainbow Falls from Watkins Glen State Park in upstate New York near the town of Ithaca. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989956752-NCECCQCEX86CLVB4Y8FH/OBX+Lone+Tree+Redux.jpg Personal Favorites - Surreality An image of a lone tree with the Milky Way spiral arm showing Sagittarius and other nebulae taken near the town of Stumpy Point and Engelhard in North Carolina's Outerbanks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1594338866283-RX2BAWY8MZTIUG3G63NW/Fire+and+Ice.jpg Personal Favorites - Valley Of Fire A landscape image showing the reflection of the snow covered Sierra Nevada Mountains at sunset taken at Owens Valley near the town of Bishop in California, USA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588118555202-0VFEPE4VYYTFXQFJE5YO/A+Case+of+the+Blues.jpg Personal Favorites - A Case Of The Blues An image from Hot Creek Geothermal Area near Mammoth Lakes, California showing the Sierra Nevada Mountains at sunrise https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1588382936196-B08CRI99WADV9L537I0I/Blissful+Serendipity.jpg Personal Favorites - Blissful Serendipity The Milky Way rises over the Sierra Nevada Mountains in this night sky image captured at the Little Lakes area near Mosquito Flats Campground near the town of Mammoth Lakes and Lake Sabrina in California. Visible in this image are Mt. Gabb, Mt. Abbot and Mt. Morgan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990103103-U9GGAXG6GB6LNWO87CUX/Sierra+Waterfall+MW.jpg Personal Favorites - The Babbling Brook An image of the Milky Way spiral arm rising over Rock Creek in the Little Lakes Valley Area of the Sierra Nevada Mountains near the town of Mammoth Lakes in California, United States. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1591748147312-YZ0Z5DTRCVP4LNZ4VU7H/Inferno.jpg Personal Favorites - Inferno An image of a fiery sunrise captured at Bodie Island Lighthouse at the Outerbanks in North Carolina, United States https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989240496-OH0XLFWXIEXXRYU2MWLJ/Cape+Hatteras+Panorama.jpg Personal Favorites - The Guiding Light An image of the Milky Way Spiral Arm showing the star Antares, Sagittarius and other nebulae, captured at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina's Outerbanks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574990175215-ICTHYJJFF8YXU5HU4XB4/Joshua+Tree+NP+Arch+Pano.jpg Personal Favorites - The Double Arch Click on the image for more details.. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1574989872003-GQ47XODBETKGAIV4JDBH/Falls+Lake.jpg Personal Favorites - The Timely Burn Winter Sunrise captured at Hickory Hill Boat Ramp near Durham in the Falls Lake State Recreation Area in North Carolina, United States https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1615127518949-702SUH8P837M4KX1CXML/Under+the+Pier.jpg Personal Favorites - Tunnel Vision An image of a colorful sunrise captured at Frisco Pier at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina's Outerbank Islands near the towns of Avon and Rodanthe https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1590949497334-2UMBLZXFHOKRRWJKIVBR/Rivendell.jpg Personal Favorites https://arjungupta.photography/images/inferno daily 0.75 2021-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1591748147312-YZ0Z5DTRCVP4LNZ4VU7H/Inferno.jpg Inferno INFERNO (2014) < Previous | Next > Just another insanely early morning shot taken on Christmas Day at Bodie Island Lighthouse in North Carolina’s Outerbanks. The colors were breathtaking - the clouds looked like flames shooting across the sky. The marshes, mirroring the sky, looked like they were on fire. It all seemed otherworldly, like I had transcended across realms into Dante’s Inferno, except this one was filled with beauty and wonder instead of suffering. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1591748147312-YZ0Z5DTRCVP4LNZ4VU7H/Inferno.jpg Inferno https://arjungupta.photography/images/sands-of-time daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1592357724879-MI0IR9O5WSMQIMX4MIT2/Sands+of+Time.jpg Sands Of Time SANDS OF TIME (2016) < Previous | Next > An early morning sunrise at Mesquite Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park. The sky was alive with colors and the warm glow off the sand was truly spectacular. Mesquite Dunes has some truly majestic sand dunes and the backdrop provided by the mountains makes it a great location for photographers - The compositional possibilities are limitless here. This area is extremely popular with tourists and most times, it is hard to find undisturbed patterns in the sand without a large number of footprints in the foreground. I was lucky that it was the middle of the week and a dust storm the day before had blown over the footprints from earlier and created this nice pattern in the sand. It just goes to show - our footprints on this planet and the universe will also one day likely be smoothed out by the sands of time. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1592357724879-MI0IR9O5WSMQIMX4MIT2/Sands+of+Time.jpg Sands Of Time https://arjungupta.photography/images/einfalt daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1592357858132-M6Y4BQ5NRV9DWUE8JCZ0/Million+Dollar+Home.jpg Einfalt EINFALT (2017) < Previous | Next > In 2017, I’d decided to go for it and take a trip to Iceland. I’d seen images of the night skies, and the mountains and something was just calling me, incessantly. That year my coworker had really been struggling with a personal life change. We’d been friends for a while, so I knew how hard she was taking it. She told me she was looking into travelling with a group to somewhere in Northern Europe for a getaway, and we laughed about how groups of people and tour buses just weren’t her style. I went out on a limb and invited her to come along with me to Iceland later that year. After a few months of thinking about it, she agreed to go, albeit a little reluctantly. “What’s there to see in Iceland?”, she quipped. We started dating some time before we left, and laughed how we may not be on speaking terms once we returned. I’d only seen pictures before arriving in Iceland, but it absolutely astounded me with it’s natural, raw beauty. Driving around the Ring Road (the perimeter of the country), there is no glitz, no adulteration. It’s just simple...einfalt. We’d experienced so much adventure before we got to this point in our drive, including surviving the dangerous Oxi Pass. Yeah, the stories are real - it has left many drivers in tears, huddled in prayers, and vowing to live their lives differently if they don’t roll off the mountain. I was cursing, while she was crying, but we made it through. This house sat unassuming, nested in the mountains of volcanic sediment and ice. This was along the Ring Road itself, but there were no other houses around. She saw it, and shouted to stop, so we pulled over as close to the ditch as possible. I was a little grumpy, at first, but her awe and the excitement on her face was too much for me to keep driving. Iceland roads aren’t packed with traffic necessarily, but I had to dig my camera out of my bag, and walk down the road a good quarter of a mile to get a decent view. I had to use my telephoto lens due to our distance, but it started speaking to me once I started to really focus on the moment. Just as I started taking the pictures, the sun started to shine through the dense layers of clouds, providing the perfect lighting for the valley, illuminating the glacier behind the house brilliantly. Solitary structures like this really resonate with me. I was somewhat solitary for so much of my life, and there’s something familiar about a lone house, surrounded by mist and muted colors. Iceland has a lot of grays, blacks, and browns in it’s landscape, but it’s still one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been fortunate enough to visit. As for the coworker I once dated...well, we got married this year. It was January, with gray skies, a little rain and it reminded us of Iceland. It was perfect. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1592357858132-M6Y4BQ5NRV9DWUE8JCZ0/Million+Dollar+Home.jpg Einfalt https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-green-enterprise daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1593722193608-N5CBMAPBZVFXS9ASYUK8/Speed+Demon.jpg The Green Enterprise THE GREEN ENTERPRISE (2020) < Previous | Next > Nature photography has been something I’ve been eager to start doing more frequently, but with the lockdowns in place and the closure of parks, it’s been a little more difficult to get out and about. I’m fortunate to live somewhat remotely with a backyard, and until recently, had never seen a live hummingbird. My wife, flabbergasted at this news, purchased a hummingbird feeder, as a gift. It’s become such a loved hobby, especially in times of home confinement, that we now have three feeders. I’m enamored with their size and velocity, and can’t help but think of the Star Trek Enterprise as they fly away from the feeder at astronomical speeds, chittering as they go. We’ve learned to identify their calls, and look up instinctively when we hear one, trying to see if they’re engaged in battle mid-flight, red throats flashing, and who will win the tussle to claim the feeder as their own. They somewhat trust me, as they’ve learned my early morning habits of sitting out while the air is cool (the only time mosquitoes are at bay), while I sip my coffee; nevermind the camera 30x their little, palpitating bodies. I can’t tell you how many photos were blurred failures, out of focus and not good for anything other than summoning my curses. But, when I finally landed the shot of her coming in for a feed, it was all I could do not to shout, “Things are only impossible until they’re not”. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1593722193608-N5CBMAPBZVFXS9ASYUK8/Speed+Demon.jpg The Green Enterprise https://arjungupta.photography/images/valley-of-fire daily 0.75 2021-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1594338866283-RX2BAWY8MZTIUG3G63NW/Fire+and+Ice.jpg Valley of Fire VALLEY OF FIRE (2020) < Previous | Next > Taken at sunset in Owens Valley, California overlooking the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the month of March, before the world changed. As we collectively navigate the challenges thrown our way through this pandemic, I can’t help but reminisce back to this trip, one that was full of learning and fun at times and overshadowed by moments of anxiety and worry around the news. Moments like this however, afforded great solace and comfort - they allowed our hearts and minds to truly take pause and enjoy the many wonders and healing powers nature has to offer. I look forward to the day when I can return to these lands to continue having many more adventures. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1594338866283-RX2BAWY8MZTIUG3G63NW/Fire+and+Ice.jpg Valley of Fire https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-path-less-traveled daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1594933796660-18SONP2ZBG3FKU0BG20K/Roan+Mountain+Pano.jpg The Path Less Traveled THE PATH LESS TRAVELED (2020) < Previous | Next > Although the first mountains I saw in the US were on the west coast, with their rugged youth on proud display, I've come to appreciate the aged and refined Appalachians. Not too far from my house, I was out exploring Roan Mountain, NC on this particular evening to explore her take on the Milky Way. With neighboring mountains in the distance, surrounded by warm city lights, I was surprised to capture Jupiter in all her glory. Brightly she glows, kindly reminding us that no matter how big mountains can seem, they're still so small compared to the grand order of life. It never ceases to amaze me that the light millions of miles away can outshine our attempts, ever so humbly, to illuminate our own universe. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1594933796660-18SONP2ZBG3FKU0BG20K/Roan+Mountain+Pano.jpg The Path Less Traveled https://arjungupta.photography/images/a-celestial-visitor daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1595259149314-GFC9FJP6INOKTQOCZBQ3/Mattamuskeet+with+Comet.jpg A Celestial Visitor A CELESTIAL VISITOR (2020) < Previous | Next > I remember seeing Hale Bopp as a fuzzy blob in the night sky back in 1997 while travelling through the rural countryside onboard a train. I had never seen anything like that and it was only later that I realized in science class that I had spied a long period comet, one that would never return in my lifetime. It was a thrilling experience during my formative years and cemented my love and curiosity for the exploration of the cosmos. The years followed and one after the other, several potential celestial visitors did not get bright enough for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere (Can I also say - people in the Southern Hemisphere seem to have great luck with these - what gives?). There was Comet ISON in 2014, which was hyped to be the comet of the century but was only visible with great difficulty using optical instruments. It was followed by others, Comet SWAN, Comet ATLAS, Comet Lovejoy and so on. Each time, I would get excited at the prospect of capturing a glimpse of these celestial visitors from unimaginable distances in person, only to have the hopes dashed. Then came NEOWISE (named after the observing instrument that discovered its existence). I only learned of this Comet in the news after it had passed Perihelion and had survived its close encounter with the Sun. Saw a picture or two of it from out West and it seemed to be a real beauty with a definite possibility at visibility to the unaided eye. That ofcourse brings us to the next big variable in the equation - Weather! North Carolina is blessed with lush green landscapes and plentiful trees - that does mean that there are often days where banks of clouds will just sit overhead making astrophotography nigh near impossible. Maddeningly some of the forecasts were always calling for too many clouds at around dawn (when this shot was taken) with clouds clearing later. The locations with clearer skies were too far out for me to drive on a workday. On this day however I decided to test both those hypothesis - Drove to a location about 3 hours away from home on a weeknight with chance of a clearing in the general direction of the cometrise. My heart sank when I saw the low bank of clouds at the horizon but I figured I’d capture some shots anyways before heading back home. This bank of Cypress trees out on lake Mattamuskeet is very well known to photographers in North Carolina. I had this composition in mind and with that, I setup in an area away from the general viewing area that looks out over this landscape (I disturbed quite a few night creatures in the process - Thank heavens for Gaiters). Using a 50mm lens, I captured the trees and the moving clouds. I was almost getting ready to head out when on my last frame, I caught sight of the Comet’s tail rising out from behind the clouds. The shot of the comet was taken with a much higher focal length to exaggerate its size overall for a bit of artistic effect. The two frames were then blended in post processing to render my encounter with this Celestial Visitor. Needless to say, that was a long day at work but my excitement at seeing the results kept me going through it! If you haven’t had a chance to view the Comet in person yet, there’s still a possibility for us dwellers in the Northern Hemisphere. NEOWISE is making its closest pass to Earth on July 22nd and is now visible at a more palatable time about 40 minutes or so after sunset, for about two hours (Northern Latitudes have a much bigger viewing window). Although not as bright, it can still be viewed with binoculars in a North Westerly direction. So head out there as far away from city lights as possible and grab a view of it - it won’t be back our way for almost another 7000 years! Happy gazing! Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1595251347598-I0TA5MWRLXA32IWMJL41/Mattamuskeet+with+Comet.jpg A Celestial Visitor https://arjungupta.photography/images/light-my-fire daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1596148415614-2N8YY5662SXHA6PCIL9K/Light+my+fire.jpg Light My Fire LIGHT MY FIRE (2018) < Previous | Next > The coast of Maine is unlike most of the coastline on the eastern seaboard of the United States. While most of the shoreline along the Atlantic comprises sandy beaches, the coast of Maine is rocky and is lined with cliffs and all kinds of rock formations that make for very interesting foreground compositions. Along with that, Maine also has one of the highest numbers of coastal lighthouses of any other state that I have visited and these provide great photographic opportunities. On this day, I happened to be at Pemaquid Point Lighthouse after having spent a few (photographically) fruitless but very enjoyable and relaxing days in the town of Bar Harbor with my now wife, then partner. She’d flown back home the previous evening and I was to meet up with some friends and spend a few more days seeking out photography adventures. After a few days of no real luck with the weather, I was running a little low on creative motivation. So while scouring various weather apps, my desire to drive to this location on the basis of a small window of opportunity at sunrise was not very high. In the end, I’m glad I put in the effort to go to the location - the sunrise was just what the doctor ordered to cure my lethargy. It was also the best conditions I had for the rest of the trip and allowed me to walk away with a keeper of an image and fond memories. Thank you for your support! Technical Details: Nikon D750 with a 14-24mm lens at 14mm. 5 second exposure at f/16 and ISO 100 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1596148415614-2N8YY5662SXHA6PCIL9K/Light+my+fire.jpg Light My Fire https://arjungupta.photography/images/celestial-fireworks daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1596633964354-8D9MS2D2W4S504ES84KT/Celestial+Fireworks.jpg Celestial Fireworks CELESTIAL FIREWORKS (2015) < Previous | Next > One of my best nights of watching a meteor shower during the peak of the annual Perseid Meteor shower in 2015. I’d driven about 5 hours away that day to the town of Folly Beach in South Carolina, There’s a huge stretch of oceanfront beach that is undeveloped that allows for pretty decent viewing of the night sky. As I walked the beach area, I came across this dead tree standing by itself in the sand. The tide had started to recede and the foreground was filled with water, casting a great reflection of the tree and the sky. I set up and waited in growing anticipation of what my first ever night of meteor shower watch would surface. And it was absolutely gorgeous. As twilight faded and the skies darkened, the night sky was alive with bolts of light that flashed across the skies. Most of the meteors were out of the frame of my camera since the constellation of Perseus is pretty much diametrically opposite the milky way just after sunset. However there were a couple of bright fireballs that I managed to capture in my camera’s frame and one even made it into the foreground reflection. The lone tree just completed the image by personifying the experience of being in the moment to catch this spectacle. Sadly the tree is no longer there - it was knocked down by one of the several hurricanes we’ve had since the time of the shot. Thank you for your support! Technical Details: Nikon D750 with a 16-35mm f/4 lens. 20 second exposure at ISO 5000. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1596633964354-8D9MS2D2W4S504ES84KT/Celestial+Fireworks.jpg Celestial Fireworks https://arjungupta.photography/images/loves-first-kiss daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1597348513112-FXQE17TIR66Q6BJ86J25/First+Kiss+Goodnight.jpg Love's First Kiss LOVE’s FIRST KISS (2020) < Previous | Next > Travel restrictions during the current Covid-19 pandemic has given me greater time to pause and appreciate the beauty in my immediate surroundings in my own backyard. I had spied this tree trunk opening a few months back and I had always hoped that I would capture an interesting moment here. On this day, that wish came true. The sun was softly shining through the canopy of trees and had illuminated the opening perfectly when I spied these two squirrels sharing playful moments. This moment came after almost 20 minutes, when one of the squirrels softly nudged the other, who was sitting and enjoying the warmth of the sun. It was a really tender moment and I feel lucky to have captured this. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1597348513112-FXQE17TIR66Q6BJ86J25/First+Kiss+Goodnight.jpg Love's First Kiss https://arjungupta.photography/images/beam-me-up-scotty daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1597960293963-0FDHHS5A2S7XBNHW3PPO/Friday+Night+Lights.jpg Beam Me Up, Scotty BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY (2016) < Previous | Next > My first time ever watching the Northern Lights at Acadia National Park up in Maine on a trip where everything came together. Maine is pretty far south for the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis to be visible under usual circumstances. However on this night, Kp activity shot up from its usual levels of 2-3 to a 7 and that meant the Auroral Oval extended all the way down to the New England States. Prior to this night, I’d only ever seen images of the Northern Lights and had never experienced them in person. Words simply cannot do justice to the experience of seeing them in person - for someone who grew up in the tropics in the midst of city lights where it was difficult to even spot stars on most nights, the Aurora represented something otherworldly. Growing up as a kid, I remember seeing episodes of the original Star Trek series - I would be mesmerized by the thoughts of the landing party beaming down to the surfaces of strange new worlds and experiencing novel phenomena. To me, this night just made me relive those moments! Experiencing the Northern Lights with my wife in Iceland probably is my favorite memory of our times together and of memories created through the pursuit of photography but this moment ranks right up there too. Thank you for your support! Technical Details: Nikon D750 with the 14-24mm lens. Two exposures, one at F/5.6 ISO 1600 for 480 seconds for the foreground and the other at F/2.8 ISO 6400 for 10 seconds for the lights blended together in Photoshop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1597960293963-0FDHHS5A2S7XBNHW3PPO/Friday+Night+Lights.jpg Beam Me Up, Scotty https://arjungupta.photography/images/cant-touch-this daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1604545778569-KL5QJMQG7L61P7EOV3MA/Cactus+Mt.+Whitney.jpg Can't Touch This CAN’T TOUCH THIS (2020) < Previous | Next > Taken in March, 2020 in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, somewhere near Mt. Whitney. This patch of cacti framed the Mountain Ridge along with the setting sun in a very unique manner. I have usually limited myself to shooting landscapes more around sunrises and sunsets but scenes like these make shooting at other times of the day a truly gratifying experience. Technical Details - Shot with a Nikon D750 with a 14-24mm lens at f/16, ISO 100 with a tripod. Several frames focus stacked for sharpness through the frame. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1604545778569-KL5QJMQG7L61P7EOV3MA/Cactus+Mt.+Whitney.jpg Can't Touch This https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-garden-of-eden daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1605036309088-9BYAADE1PK7591CAQVBR/Draper+Sunflower+Milky+Way.jpg The Garden Of Eden THE GARDEN OF EDEN (2020) < Previous | Next > The realization of a concept after 3 years of planning. Sunflowers at the Draper Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina bloom around mid to late July, which also coincides with peak hurricane activity. Tying in a night of no moon with cloudless skies, no wind and the blooming flowers requires a lot of variables to be just right and on this July night in 2020, all the stars aligned for this scene to be captured. Not only that but I was able to capture an image of Comet Neowise earlier in the night as well as a bonus. Walking amidst these flowers on a night of pretty near perfect weather conditions, with the stars shining brightly overhead reminded me of the proverbial “Garden of Eden”. Thank you for your support! Technical Specs: Captured using a Nikon D750 with a Nikon 14-24 mm lens at F/2.8/ 15 seconds/ISO 6400 for the stars and multiple exposures for the foreground flowers at 30 seconds, focus stacked for greater sharpness in the overall image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1605022511710-TB1A7JH9EJVG7ZSEVDYO/Draper+Sunflower+Milky+Way.jpg The Garden Of Eden https://arjungupta.photography/images/land-of-the-giants daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607105856920-YGYX6TXB90BV9JLGG8FK/Joshua+Trees+and+Dunes.jpg Land Of The Giants LAND OF THE GIANTS (2020) < Previous | Next > Joshua trees are some of the most amazing species I have encountered in my life. Their ability to grow in some of the harshest conditions in the world, like Death Valley National Park where temperature swings of 40 degrees in the same day is pretty common and where temperatures can often exceed a soul baking 115 degrees Fahrenheit, is pretty amazing to me. In areas where water is scarce, these trees can sometimes grow to astounding sizes - measuring 30 feet or higher. It is indeed a sight to behold to come across them in an otherwise barren landscape that stretches as far as the eye can see. These trees are ubiquitous in the South West United States, especially in and around the Mojave Desert area, so much so that one of America’s most famous National Parks is named after them. The blowing sand on this day created a soft, diffused environment through which the sun glowed and bathed the landscape in ethereal looking light. The trees stood out against the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and their impressive size coupled with the interesting shapes inspired the title of this image. Technical Specs: Captured using a Nikon D750 with a Nikon 14-24 mm lens at F/16/ISO 100 and exposed for the highlights. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607105856920-YGYX6TXB90BV9JLGG8FK/Joshua+Trees+and+Dunes.jpg Land Of The Giants https://arjungupta.photography/images/dichotomy daily 0.75 2021-03-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607184489172-ZCQ6TOGWSLW2VH4G7105/Dichotomy.jpg Dichotomy DICHOTOMY (2015) < Previous | Next > An ode to the vagaries of nature, at one instant so tranquil, serene, calm, beautiful and the very next, a raging tempest bent on destruction. This image is that of (the now removed) Frisco Pier along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore on North Carolina’s Outerbanks Islands. The pier was damaged by Hurricane Isabell in 2003 followed by Hurricane Earl dealing it the final death blow in 2010. While I have managed to captured Nature’s beauty in several of my images, only a few relay the dichotomous “Beauty and the Beast” characters of Nature in a single shot - this is one of them. Technical specs - Captured using a Nikon D750 with a 16-35mm lens at 16mm/f16/ISO 200/5 second exposure to smooth the ocean water out. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607184489172-ZCQ6TOGWSLW2VH4G7105/Dichotomy.jpg Dichotomy https://arjungupta.photography/images/irony daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607709418033-C55PYFC9WKT1IQ4BRFA3/Dry+Falls.jpg Irony IRONY (2015) < Previous | Next > One of the most visited and iconic waterfalls of North Carolina, the ironically named Dry Falls near the town of Highland in the Nantahala National Forest, captured here on a misty Fall Morning after heavy overnight rains. The waterfall is so named because it allows visitors to walk behind the falls while managing to stay relatively dry. That definitely wasn’t the case this day - the volume of water was kicking up quite a spray and the wind was drenching anyone who dared walk behind the waterfall. Still the spray provided for a wonderful atmosphere through which the sunlight streamed in and bathed the entire view with soft, dappled light. Fall is one of my favorite times to be out in nature and this was a very special fall day. Technical Specs: Captured with a Nikon D750 16-35mm at 16mm at F/16/ISO 100/15 second exposure. Overlayed with a second, faster exposure to capture leaves with less motion blur. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607709418033-C55PYFC9WKT1IQ4BRFA3/Dry+Falls.jpg Irony https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-enforcer daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607980270150-MC86P04KKI3C2UOS9DD9/The+Intimidator.jpg The Enforcer THE ENFORCER (2020) < Previous | Next > I spent a good part of Spring and Summer 2020 locked away in my house on account of the pandemic. To get away from it all, I would often spend hours in my backyard, watching the frenzied activity of the wildlife as they scurried about their busy day. It was a welcome source of relief at times to get away from reality. Hummingbirds in particular enthrall me with their antics - having never seen one growing up in India, I was (and still am) absolutely fascinated by these little birds that zipped around my yard at light speed. They each had a personality of their own and I learned to distinguish one from the other (I may/may not have given them names). This one in particular was my favorite of them all. It was the most brazen of the 7 or so hummingbirds I had in my yard this past summer. It laid claim on not one but two of the feeders and was vocal and bossy about protecting its treasure. There were times when it would allow another hummingbird to access the feeder but more often than not, the others had to distract it and then dart in for a quick sip before it would fly in and chase them off, chittering loudly. Not only that, it would chitter loudly at me when the feeder would run dry. I am not quite sure what it was about this particular bird that endeared it to me - maybe it was the spectacular colors it gave off when it was at its most vocal or maybe it was its antics as it exerted its dominance with an iron will over the other birds. On this day, after a good amount of rain, the clouds cleared out and as the sun dazzled through the foliage, I was able to capture this little thing in full flight as it chased off one of the other birds. Technical specs: Captured with a Nikon D750/Sigma 150-500mm at 500mm/ISO 800/1/640th shutter speed at F6.3 Thank you for your support. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1607980270150-MC86P04KKI3C2UOS9DD9/The+Intimidator.jpg The Enforcer https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-mirage daily 0.75 2021-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1608060385294-VFM0TJJPUZQ315QDI86W/Salt+Lines+Color.jpg The Mirage THE MIRAGE (2020) < Previous | Next > When you’re standing at one of the driest places on Earth and see storm clouds rolling through, that’s one of the thoughts that goes through your mind. The salt flats at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park in California do experience some torrential downpours but they are very rare. On this day in March, I was lucky to be at the right place at the right time. These salt flats never cease to amaze me everytime I visit - all sense of scale is lost in the vastness here. The Panamint Range (visible in the distance here) climbs to almost 10,000 feet while the flats are below sea level. Technical Specs: Captured with a Nikon D750/14-24mm at 14mm/f-10/ISO-100 at 160th of a second. Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1608060385294-VFM0TJJPUZQ315QDI86W/Salt+Lines+Color.jpg The Mirage https://arjungupta.photography/images/a-beacon-of-hope daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1609470368069-YWP3E6SQ0LRKT19T4P2M/Bar+Harbor+Light.jpg A Beacon Of Hope A BEACON OF HOPE (2017) < Previous | Next > As night falls on the final day of 2020, it’s time to reflect on what has been one of the more difficult periods of our lives that we’ve had to navigate collectively as a species. Just as the many coastal lighthouses, like this one in Bass Harbor in Maine, presented hope and symbolized the end of a long and arduous ocean journey to many a sailor, so too does modern science provide us hope to overcome this ongoing pandemic through the miracle of vaccines. It’s humbling to think of all the individuals who’ve banded together and come to society’s aid throughout this entire unfolding saga, from the healthcare workers to the essential workers to the researchers and scientists who’ve raced against the clock to provide us with the means to defend ourselves from this virus. They truly represent the best of humanity and a beacon of hope to us all to guide us through these dark times. Wish everyone the best for the year 2021! Thank you for your support! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1609470368069-YWP3E6SQ0LRKT19T4P2M/Bar+Harbor+Light.jpg A Beacon Of Hope https://arjungupta.photography/images/interstellar daily 0.75 2021-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1611015279682-CEB3TNQHWBK4JC2H3CO2/Draper+Sunflower+Neowise.jpg Interstellar INTERSTELLAR (2020) < Previous | Next > Another capture of Comet Neowise as it streaked across the sky in the summer of 2020, this time from Draper Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina. This was captured in the same area as the image “The Garden Of Eden” was captured at - albeit at a different time, very close to the night when Neowise was at its brightest in the sky. I was lucky enough to capture the Ion Tail of the Comet faintly, in addition to its more prominent tail. Thank you for your support! Technical Specs: Multiple exposures for the foreground stacked to get sharpness across the frame with the foreground captured at 14mm/f2.8/ISO 5000/25 second exposures. The shot of the Comet is at 60mm and has been blended in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1611015279682-CEB3TNQHWBK4JC2H3CO2/Draper+Sunflower+Neowise.jpg Interstellar https://arjungupta.photography/images/let-there-be-light daily 0.75 2023-05-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1611627909717-6U8EXCR7RAN1E1POL7CF/Bodie+-+Panorama.jpg Let There Be Light LET THERE BE LIGHT (2020) < Previous | Next > Another image from one of my favorite locations to go to in North Carolina - Bodie Island Lighthouse. It was here that I first dabbled in Astrophotography many years ago. This location is a crowd favorite and very easily accessible, so it can get tough to get a composition here without stray lights or subjects in the frame. Add to that, a celestial event like a Comet being visible in the skies and a pandemic that’s all but severely limited travel options and you can imagine when I say it that this image was one of the hardest I’ve had to work on to get it to where I like the end result. I did have luck on my side. Comet Neowise was in the Western Skies when I captured this image (looking east directly behind the lighthouse) - there was a whole melee of photographers trying to capture the Comet. I happened to turn around and noticed the nearly cloudless skies and the milky way resplendent in the sky. It had never occurred to me to try a panorama at this location before but on this night, something clicked and I decided to give it a whirl. It took me over 45 minutes to capture all the frames without any unnecessary artifact that I couldn’t remove later in post processing. Even then, stitching such disjointed frames together was a challenge in of itself but once the effort was put into it, the light did shine bright from this one. No matter how old I get or how many times I see it, the sight of a star studded sky, with our home galaxy will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for your support! Technical Details: 14mm/f2.8/20 second/ISO 6400 exposures for the sky (About 8 of them) with a 30 second frame at f/5.6 for the lighthouse and foreground. Individual frames merged with Photoshop and then sized and resized to fit togehter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1611627909717-6U8EXCR7RAN1E1POL7CF/Bodie+-+Panorama.jpg Let There Be Light https://arjungupta.photography/images/bridge-to-nowhere daily 0.75 2023-05-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1613700690908-LXRXWBOMKYLRB4SRHJ1K/Bridge+To+Nowhere.jpg Bridge To Nowhere BRIDGE TO NOWHERE (2015) < Previous | Next > The Milky Way rises over the battered remains of the Frisco Pier in this image captured at the Outerbank Islands of North Carolina along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The pier was damaged by Hurricane Isabell in 2003 followed by Hurricane Earl dealing it the final death blow in 2010 until finally in 2018, it was demolished and removed by local authorities. While I actively avoid artificial lights in my nightscapes, on this occasion, the lights from the nearby beach houses seemed to accentuate and shine the spotlight on the impact of human activities on our planet’s climate. Storms along the Atlantic have become more damaging and frequent in the past few years and sights like these damaged piers and abandoned homes have become more common along the coastal shores. Images like these help reinforce that all of humankind’s progress will be a “bridge to nowhere” if we do not take collective action to live in better harmony with nature and reduce our footprint. Thank you for your support! Technical Specs: Captured with the Nikon D750 with a 16-35mm at 16mm/f4/30 seconds/ISO 6400. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1613700690908-LXRXWBOMKYLRB4SRHJ1K/Bridge+To+Nowhere.jpg Bridge To Nowhere https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-old-and-the-new daily 0.75 2021-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1614304204796-ARG6PZTC101PXD3QCUAN/The+Old+And+The+New.jpg The Old And The New THE OLD AND THE NEW (2020) < Previous | Next > The Life Saving Station at Oregon Inlet near Rodanthe in North Carolina’s Outerbanks is a visible landmark as you drive across the bridge from Bodie Island over to Pea Island. At one point in time, this building housed members of the Coast Guard who would help out mariners in distress. The harshness of the coastal climate has taken a toll on it but like the plucky young sapling, the old structure continues to persist, much like its occupants from years past who watched over the treacherous North Carolina coaslines. Thank you for your support! Technical Details: Captured with a Nikon D750 using a 14-24mm lens at 14mm/f16/ISO 200. The image has been focus stacked for greater sharpness throughout. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1614304204796-ARG6PZTC101PXD3QCUAN/The+Old+And+The+New.jpg The Old And The New https://arjungupta.photography/images/tunnel-vision daily 0.75 2021-03-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1615127518949-702SUH8P837M4KX1CXML/Under+the+Pier.jpg Tunnel Vision TUNNEL VISION (2015) < Previous | Next > A majestic sunrise captured on a balmy Winter’s Day under the damaged (and since removed) Frisco Pier in Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Winters in North Carolina are mostly mild but this 70 degree December Day provided an unusual opportunity. It was caused by a late season storm in the Gulf that pushed warm air further up north. The combination of the leading edge of the storm and the winter sunrise unleased a dizzying array of colors. I captured another image from this day that is a more typical perspective of the location but I was glad I did not get stuck with that “tunnel vision” and experimented with various other compositions. Thank you for your support! Technical Details: Captured using a Nikon D750 with a 16-35mm lens at 16mm,f/14,ISO 100 and 10 seconds of exposure time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1615127518949-702SUH8P837M4KX1CXML/Under+the+Pier.jpg Tunnel Vision https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-drought daily 0.75 2021-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1634478901816-COF6UPZNKF9KDZJ93TBL/Parched.jpg The Drought - Make it stand out THE DROUGHT (2020) < Previous | Next > Taken at the famed mud cracks in Death Valley National Park on one of the rare days that the park sees rain in a year. The landscape here is an example of extreme aridification over centuries and with California and parts of the United States Southwest in the throes of yet another severe drought, scenes like this are sadly becoming more common across other portions of that area. Even in all the barrenness, there is immense beauty to be found. 2021 has been a difficult year on the creative front for me personally due to a variety of reasons. Here’s hoping that this “drought” has an end in the near future. Thank you for your support! Technical Details: Captured using a Nikon D750 with a 14-24 mm lens at f/16 ISO 400 with several frames focus stacked for overall DOF. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/1634478901816-COF6UPZNKF9KDZJ93TBL/Parched.jpg The Drought https://arjungupta.photography/images/the-pursuit daily 0.75 2021-10-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/c671ebb2-ebc5-43f8-b916-0dfb8f2c2c5c/The+Pursuit.jpg The Pursuit - Make it stand out THE PURSUIT (2021) < Previous | Next > A concept image that’s been 3 years in the making. That spear like structure in the sky is the SpaceX 2nd stage boosting aloft a payload of SpaceX’s next generation Starlink satellites to low earth orbit on the 9th of May, 2021. The orange glow to the far right of the image is actually the Falcon 9 first stage on its way back down to land on an ocean barge. The boat in the foreground is the “Ocean Pursuit”. It ran aground near the Oregon Inlet at the Outerbanks early on in 2020. I was out in California at the time when I saw the news and by the time I made it back, the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown had been initiated and the Outerbank islands were closed to all visitors. By the time the restrictions were lifted, the milky way arch was too high in the sky to get this image. In 2021, I finally had this chance to make this image happen with the promise of clear skies on this night. About 24 hours before, I learned of the proposed SpaceX launch and was thrilled to see that it was a night launch happening at around the perfect time for this image to be made possible. Making this image was challenging. The location was a 3 hour drive one way from my home and even though the skies were clear, offshore winds were whipping around with 40mph wind gusts blowing sand all around. On top of it, I would have exactly one attempt to make this image happen because once the rocket launched and came into view, it would progress very quickly through my frame. I also did not know the exact trajectory of the rocket and had to make a best guess assumption with an old school compass oriented in the direction of Cape Canaveral. I was also worried about being caught up in the moment (This was my very first time watching a night launch in person) and forgetting something basic like taking the lens cap off (which I had to put on to protect the lens from the flying sand). About 10 minutes before the time of launch, I fired off the horizontal panorama of shots to capture the foreground and the milky way arch. Then I pivoted the camera back towards the direction I assumed the rocket would arrive from and waited with bated breath. I almost forgot that there would be a delay between the rocket launch and it coming into view - a minute into the launch window, when I didn’t see anything, pangs of disappointment started to wash over me and I started to wildly scan the skies. But right as I was about to give up, I saw the red glow of the Falcon 9 break above the horizon and start to climb. Mesmerized as I was, I fired off a shot just as the Falcon 9 separated and the 2nd stage’s Merlin Engine kicked in. I quickly swiveled the camera and fired off a 2nd shot with the boat in the center and what I hoped would be the 2nd stage in the frame. Stitching the various frames especially the ones with the rockets in them was time consuming since I did not have a lot of time to setup once the rocket appeared and the alignment of the foreground in the two images was off. But after many hours of painstaking processing, the final result is beyond what I could have hoped for - a lot had to happen perfectly for this “pursuit” to end in success. This image is dedicated to the memory of the vessel - “The Ocean Pursuit”. The National Park Service is working to remove the wreck from the shore and sadly there will be no more images of what I assume was once a plucky vessel. Thank you for your support! Technical Details: Captured using a Nikon D750 - 14/24 mm lens at f/2.8 with 15-20 second exposures. The panorama was made of 7 different images and 2 frames were overlayed with the first and second stages of the SpaceX launch vehicles in flight. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/c671ebb2-ebc5-43f8-b916-0dfb8f2c2c5c/The+Pursuit.jpg The Pursuit https://arjungupta.photography/images/complementary daily 0.75 2023-05-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/a680b350-e60d-4749-b381-43d134064aa8/Complement+Deux.jpg Complementary - Make it stand out COMPLEMENTARY (2022) < Previous | Next > There are a few scenes that characterize a summer morning in North Carolina. Blue skies with cotton candy clouds, the melody of countless songbirds filling the air and sunflower fields. This image above was taken on one such summer morning at Dorothea Dix Park. In the world of optics, there is a concept called complementary colors, which are colors on the opposite side of a color wheel. Blue and Yellow happen to be just those and just as in the world of optics, the Indigo Bunting’s cool colors “complimented” the warm tones amidst a sea of yellow sunflowers that morning. Thank you for your support! Technical Specifications: Nikon D750 with the Nikon 200-500mm lens at 500mm/f 5.6/ 1/640 at ISO 250. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5dd1f6f14a8bbc000a79a77c/a680b350-e60d-4749-b381-43d134064aa8/Complement+Deux.jpg Complementary