Icelandic Autumn
Autumn is here and Iceland feels magical.
Iceland emanates a certain feeling through Autumn. You can hear its voice in the wind howling through the trees.
The leaves draw their last breath and smell like an ancient home, whispering words only few can hear.
The light fades day by day. But the long dark still seems far away.
There is a stillness that creates motion. A shift inward. As it is only through the stillness and the silence, offered by a place like this, a lone island in the cold far north, that you can truly listen to what's within.
Nature's Rare Spectacle: Volcano Eruption Meets Northern Lights
The stars aligned last night and I was able to capture an image I was waiting for a long time now, the erupting volcano with the Northern Lights, the rare phenomenon, where the fiery force of the Earth meets the celestial dance of the sky.
This extraordinary convergence is exceedingly rare. Volcanic eruptions, driven by tectonic forces beneath the Earth's crust, are unpredictable and often violent. In contrast, the Northern Lights are a delicate, atmospheric phenomenon caused by charged particles from the sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. For both to occur simultaneously is a unique event, requiring precise conditions—clear skies, high geomagnetic activity, and an active volcano.
Photographers and nature lovers cherish such moments, as they offer a glimpse into the incredible forces that shape our planet and beyond. This image of this dual spectacle, for me not only captures a fleeting moment of natural wonder but also serves as a reminder of the powerful and beautiful forces at play on Earth and in the universe.
A night to remember.
Merafjall volcano eruption in Reykjanes peninsula. Iceland, August 3rd, 2022.
A new volcanic eruption in the Meradalir valley in the Reykjanes peninsula has given rise to the newly formed Merafjall volcano. Footage from the first night of the eruption.
Intense seismic activity has lead to a new volcanic eruption in the Meradalir valley in Reykjanes peninsula giving rise to the newly formed Merafjall volcano.
Footage from the first night of the eruption. Available for licensing and further field assignments.
The Spectres of Mersin
A sea turtle (Chelonia Mydas) moments after laying its eggs in a beach near Mersin, Turkey.
A year has passed since the day I arrived in Turkey.
A year has passed since I witnessed beaches littered with amounts of plastics and garbage previously thought unimaginable.
A year has passed and so much has changed but also so little. The beaches still polluted, the turtles still struggling to access their rightful land and place to lay their eggs.
Like specters, they come out of the sea, crawling through the wet sand at night, pushing against bottles, rotten foods, cigarette buds, aluminum cans, diapers and all kinds of plastics to give lay their eggs. Pushing against all odds to create life.
I spent almost two months last summer, volunteering for the organization Third Eye Mersin, last summer, which works towards the protection of sea turtles and their nesting grounds close to Mersin, Turkey. Time to start sharing some of the images that we created and share the dramatic story of the sea turtles which come to lay their eggs in the Easter Mediterranean.
Image: A sea turtle (Chelonia Mydas) moments after laying its eggs.
Aurora Borealis In East Finland
Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) in the night sky of Nurmes, Finland - October 13, 2021.
A Glimpse Of The Sublime - Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) In East Finland
Last night a dream came true as we witnessed one of the most beautiful natural phenomenon our planet has to offer. Just after 11.00 p.m. the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) appeared in the night sky of Nurmes, Finland.
Nurmes is in central-east Finland and we were close to a camp with artificial lights when we first witnessed it so we couldn’t enjoy the phenomenon in its maximum display of colors and luminance at first but that changed when I moved closer to the forest. Running around with a camera and tripod on my hand to find a good spot where I could witness and capture the Nothern Lights I went just outside our camp and faced the forest. There, with nothing but wilderness in front of me, my eyes could marvel on that miracle that is called Aurora Borealis.
The light streaks of the Aurora look like curtains of greenish hues, changing in shape and form as if a soft breeze is blowing through them.
The solar wind particles light up in the night sky offering a glimpse of the sublime. It’s where two worlds collide. The sun’s electrons and protons with our Earth’s atmosphere.
The retina of the eyes feast on the indescribable beauty that lies before them and the mind races to understand what you see. A feeling of deep gratitude embraces you for having the chance to see something like this.
A dense cloud formation approaching from the west started covering the Aurora. I took a big breath in, enjoying the last green light streaks playing hide and seek with the clouds. As with everything good in life, this too had to end to fully appreciate its value.
I am now eager to see what the next two weeks in Finland will offer and how the next Northern Lights display will be.
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