Views From Our Readers —

“Mauna Kea Observatories are the only structures at 13,790 feet near the top of Hawaii's tallest mountain. The main peak – just behind the viewers vantage point – is 7 feet higher at 13,797 feet. Thinner air and being above the cloud cover are key for worlds–best observing.”

“Afternoon up at Snoqualmie.”

“One of those romantic cotton candy sky & warm breeze through my hair kind of evenings.”

“When people ask why we live in the North, we speak of the kindness of the people who have called it home for generations, about the opportunities for reinvention, and about the light and colours we see when the rest of the continent is dark.”

“All this nature is making me forget the 5 a.m. wake ups and that babies actually have no idea how to sleep in a van.”

“Day 37/100. I think and think and think, I’ve thought myself out of happiness one million times, but never once into it. | Jonathan Safran Foer”

“A rainy evening on 42nd Street.”

“A carefully hand rolled cigarette hung from his bottom lip and sun–weathered skin crinkled tightly around his scouring eyes. His uninterested demeanour captivated me, as did the carefree tapping of his dusty black flip flop against a calloused heel with a harmonious ‘flap flap flap’ matching each steady plodding camel stride.”

“Where would you go if you could?”

🌆

“Can’t believe this magnificent forum was the marketplace for Romans back around 500 B.C. It’s so special to witness the sun casting beautiful colours onto the Forum.”

“Castello Aragonese.”

“Last January, something very unexpected happened to me. I completely fell in love with Cape Town from the minute I landed. It really has everything that I’m looking for. The mountains, the beach, a zillion hike options, endless scenic road for running and biking, the amazing food, legit everything that I need to be happy. I am pretty sure I could call that place home!”

“You can never forget a Santorini sunset.”

“It may look like Abu Yousef is leading his flock... but what’s actually happening is that the baby goats are running away from my love.”

“18 kilometres south of Batumi, right on the border between Georgia and Turkey stands the town of Sarpi – home to a cliff–dotted pebble beach where locals like to jump into the Black sea.”

“Ghandi’s ashes were sprinkled in one of the 52 bathing ghats in Pushkar, India, a Hindu pilgrimage town where visitors bathe in sacred waters and pray in ancient temples.”

“One of my favourite images from India. Taken at less–photographed Fatehpur Sikri during a stop–off on our drive from Agra to Jaipur. We hesitantly accepted a driver’s offering to take us to Fatehpur Sikri as we left Agra, extremely tired after waking up so early to catch the Taj in morning light. When we arrived to the villages, we haggled our way onto a bus that was filled with locals hoping for the best. When we arrived at our destination, we were approached by a tour guide who spotted we were lost, and immediately he took us under his wing and led us to this incredible spot where locals come to pray. This is probably my favourite shot I took in India, and before we arrived, we didn’t even know it existed. India is full of hidden beauties, and Fatehpur Sikri might just be the most beautiful of all.”

“A most memorable morning.”

“I grew up in a Buddhist household and have always been fascinated and inspired by the philosophy of Buddhism. I have actually shaven my head once in my life when I was a in my 20’s, wasn’t because I was ordained, I did it because I wanted to know what it was like to have no hair (haven’t done it since). Buddhist monks shave their heads as a symbol of giving up worldly possessions, as well to show one’s freedom from the awful grip of worldly desires. I can understand that. Let’s be honest, how many of us spend the morning dreading about our hair? How to style it, how to wear it, should I just cover it by wearing a hat? In this image, two novice monks helping each other to shave their heads at Chuang Tha beach in Myanmar, 2011.”

“Ahhh, Magic Hour! The brief time when the ambient sky illumination is equivalent with the artificial light illumination in the city streets. This roughly 15 minute timeframe creates a lovely blue/yellow tonal combo that can’t be beat.”