The lovely town of Salzburg

I love coming to this cute town. In every season it looks so beautiful as in a fairy tale. I enjoy walking on it’s nice little streets, crossing the bridge, going along the river, hiking up the hill to admire a cool panorama of the city and waiting until it will get dark and the lights will start to turn on and Salzburg will look even more beautiful.

From the gallery: professional images of Salzburg, Austria

Winter in Innsbruck

Innsbruck is a unique city. It is quite big and it is situated in a tight valley between high mountains. I think there is no other big city like that: so close to such high mountains…

While we were driving from Rosenheim nature was performing different miracles with light for us. There was a blanket of fog hanging between the mountains and from time to time sun was beautifully passing it’s rays through it.  So nice. I was so happy being there and with a such a wonderful company.

Right after we arrived in Innsbruck we went to the Nordkette train to enjoy some beautiful views of Innsbruck in the snow. First the train took us to Hungerburg – the highest part of the city where every citizen has a perfect view of Innbruck from their window.  Then we changed to a cable car and arrived to Seegrube – a paradise for skiing and snowboarding with a nice area for relaxation and bronzing, restaurant with a tasty wheat beer and a fantastic view of the Alps accompanying that all. And the last stop was Hafelekar – from there Innbruck was seen like from the airplane: a clear curve of the river Inn and mountain tops all around.

The light day was coming to an end very quickly and soon it started to get dark. We went down to our cozy hotel to get ready to our tomorrow’s snow shoe trip. That was a very new wonderful experience for me. My childhood dream came true: I always wanted to run in the snowdrifts but my parents never allowed me saying that I will get my feet wet and catch a cold. So now I could have full fun in the snowdrifts running up and down and making splashes from the snow. The special clothes protected my feet from getting wet. It was such a wonderful time in the mountains of Innsbruck! I really want to come back. In spring, summer, fall and then in winter again…

From the gallery: beautiful images of Innsbruck

Several warm days in Florida

It was a wonderful business to trip to a beautiful place – Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida. My balcony overlooked the ocean and each morning going through my work emails I was enjoying the sunrise and the sound of waves hitting the shore.

The most beautiful houses in Florida are located on Pente Vedra Beach. I’ve found that out when I rode a bike through the surroundings. It was very neat around: palm-trees, flowers, ponds, tiny bridges… and huge sandy beaches on which from time to time I met a man walking with a dog or a  cute couple.

Ocean was inspiring me. I enjoyed the way it was gently covering the shore with it’s big waves leaving on it wonderful shells and stones… I just adored going out to the ocean during short breaks and lunch pauses, looking at it, listening to it, smelling it… I could do that forever. But I needed to go back to work.

When the working day was over and it was already dark outside I was watching from my balcony how the moon was rising. I spent there around 10 calm minutes and then I started receiving calls, emails  and went out for dinner to try delicious local seafood. These several days were like a fairy tale to me, they were a never ending sequence of interesting events, meeting, knowing something new.

From the gallery: beautiful images of Florida

Buckingham Fountain in Chicago

I somehow missed this fountain when I was in Chicago last time. Yes, it’s really difficult to miss this beauty but I’ve managed to do that. But that’s even better. So this time I had an opportunity to see something new.

Buckingham Fountain looks really cool. It is situated on a perfect spot: right next to the lake Michigan, all surrounded by skyscrapers. From this spot there is a beautiful panorama of the city and the fountain looks like an excellent addition to it

The fountain symbolizes the lake Michigan. And each of the four sea horses on the it’s sides represent four American states that border the lake.

From the gallery: professional images of Chicago

Architecture of Chicago

The thing that fascinates the most in Chicago is it’s architecture. In this city it’s unbelievably beautiful. Each building has it’s own unique look and history and at the same time they all form a wonderful skyline of the city that gives an impression of a real style.

There is a river that goes through the center of Chicago. Some time ago sewage went directly into the river and then went further to the lake from which the citizens took drinking water. That was the cause of many diseases and people didn’t like the river and tried to live away from it. But then the engineering marvels turned the river backwards so it started to flow away from the lake. So Chicago acquired clean drinking water and its happy citizens started to move their homes closer to the river.

Now when there is no need to dump anything into the river it is very prestigious to build houses on it. And you can see the most beautiful skyscrapers while walking along Chicago river or while sailing on it on a boat.

There is a rule in Chicago: if you want to construct a house downtown you need to do something nice to the city. Following this rule, for example, there appeared a nice green walking waterfront against the Trump Tower.

Actually wealthy people in Chicago have constructed a lot of wonderful things. For example, an owner of one skyscraper have planned his building that way so he could drive this car to the top of it where he had his penthouse and just park it there.

A lot of houses are constructed as big complexes, they are called buildings-cities. Such buildings contain in themselves offices, residential apartments, shops, parking lots for cars as well as for boats, kindergartens, gyms, pools, beauty salons … everything that a man can need for a full life, so  he can never go out of such building. But if I were to live there I would definitely go out. Because walking on Chicago streets is such a pleasure!

From the gallery: professional photos of Chicago

Chicago skyline

There are big waves on the lake Michigan today. I walked to the Lincoln park and went out on the pier. If the wind was not so strong I could sit here with a book from time to time looking at the skyscrapers of the city and watching the background of clouds becoming more and more interesting. I like to come to such places and spend there a couple of calm hours.

But today is not calm. There are big waves today. They loudly hit the pier and spill out into the shore touching some incautious passers-by. The wind is strong.

It is starting to get dark. I am watching the waves and I am starting to envision the picture that I would like to make. I need to go down to the sand, try to catch the moment when there will be no wave and capture Chicago skyline with the reflection of the city lights in the water. Then I need to return to the safe place where the wave can’t reach me.

I try to follow this process and the photos do look similar to what I’ve pictured in my mind. Then at the moment when I have finally captured the perfect composition my legs get hit by the wave all the way till the knees. I take my tripod and ran away.

I ran to the subway and get home. A glass of red wine helps me to overcome the cold. I look at the pictures on the preview and some of them I really like. Tomorrow I’ll try to meet the sunrise.

From the gallery: professional images of Chicago

Chicago

It’s cold and windy, heavy clouds gathered above the city… I am walking by the waterfront looking at the skyscrapers around and I am so glad that I am here again. This is my city. Beautiful, cold, big. Chicago.

What plans do I have for today? Walk to the Oak street beach, check out a couple of shops on the most busy street of the city  - Magnificent Mile, relax on the lake shore watching the waves, warm up a little bit at the nearby Starbucks, ride the unique subway that is elevated above the streets and enjoy the beautiful cityscapes from it’s height.

From the gallery: professional images of Chicago

Remembering Prague

In Prague there is a really record-breaking concentration of beautiful buildings in one square meter.  I will not describe them here, they are really well-known. I will just refresh my memories about this picturesque city looking at the bright photos of its famous places

This city is really popular and there are always a lot of visitors here. Sometimes I hear that even at the sunset at 5 am on the Charles Bridge there are always at least 6-7 photographers. Interesting: is there a time when there is absolutely nobody on the bridge? May be in the pouring rain, at night… I would like to sit somewhere above with a good overlook and wait until the last tourist will go to the other side of the river and the bridge will become absolutely empty. And then make my unique photo.

But actually I have in my archives a pretty nice picture of Charles Bridge at the sunset. And this picture is already 6 years old…

I also have several new, bight and colorful photos form my last year’s trip. A lot of things changed in my photographing technique, but the love to the cities is the same.

From the gallery: beautiful pictures of Prague

Night panoramas of Lugano

Lugano is a very beautiful city in Switzerland. It is situated on a lake and is surrounded by mountains. You can go up in the mountains and admire fantastic views of the city from above.  The views are really breathtaking. I just stood on the mountain till the evening watching how down below the lights were slowly turning on. Wonderful sight. The photos are lacking that strong wind and that slightly dizzy feeling of the height… But they do refresh the memories. It is so nice to look at these panoramas and envision myself standing on the mountain again with strong wind playing with my hair…

And here is how Lugano looks from the water. Golden city.

From the gallery: beautiful photos of Swiss cities

Annecy, a fairy tale town in France

I have a lot of photos from Annecy. But most of them are of a one single object taken from different angles and at the different parts of the day.  This object is a prison… Not the most romantic building. But it looks so picturesque in the middle of a cute canal, just like a fairy tale ship!

Annecy – is the most recommended by me place to visit if you are somewhere around Geneva. The easiest way to come here is by car. But there is also another way that I’ve already tried – by bus. They go right from Geneva airport and also from the bus station that is close to the main train station of the city.

Annecy is a beutiful town situated on the banks of the Annecy lake. There are two nice canals going through the center of the city. In summer every house on the canals is decorated with flowers. There are a lot of cute cafes and restaurants offering tasty French cuisine.

Following the canal you can go out to the lake and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding mountains. You can also sail a boat and view different picturesque places on the lake.

Above the town there is a medieval castle (Château d’Annecy)  and from its height there is a beautiful view of Annecy. But I haven’t taken pictures from there. I was focused only on one object – the castle-prison Palais de l’Isle that stands in the middle of the canal. This building is just so unusual and picturesque!

From the gallery: professional photos of Annecy, France