a8ctravel – Page 10 – In Photos dot Org

It’s better to be seen

A worker dressed in orange overalls and a hard hat inspects a device he's working on while standing at the edge of a busy road. Cars and busses behind him.

A worker on a busy road in Edinburgh, Scotland. It’s a busy road, so it’s a good thing he’s conspicuous!

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	28mm
ISO	320
Shutter speed	1/500s

Fifty Shades of Mountain

Mountains in the haze with forests and snow on them.

Mountains on the German/Austria border stretch off in the distance as the Alps cut through this region of Europe.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	169mm
ISO	200
Shutter speed	1/800s

The view from St. Peters in Munich

The view from St. Peter's Church in Munich. You can see the roofs of buildings, and the gothic church, Frauenkirche.

St. Peter’s Church, or Alter Peter, in Munich is the tallest building in the vicinity. Local regulations prohibited building taller buildings except for a few years a while back when ugly glass office blocks were built a few kilometres away. That’s the Frauenkirche, a large gothic church in the middle distance.

So, you get a great view of the city, and it was nice to go up there to wait for the sunset. Unfortunately, the sky was mostly clear so the eventual sunset wasn’t that amazing but I loved seeing the city from this vantage point.

Beware, it takes 4 minutes to walk down. I didn’t record how long to get up. My legs were like jelly afterwards!

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	24mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/250s

Selfies and Greetings

People taking selfies in Edinburgh Castle while in the background an older couple greet each other.

Edinburgh Castle in Scotland is a huge attraction for tourists and on the day I was there it was busy. It was a gorgeous day, with the sun beating down.

I really like this photo as I photographed two couples. One couple taking a selfie to remember the day, and in the background an older couple greeting each other and going in for a hug.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	28mm
ISO	250
Shutter speed	1/500s

Breathtaking Border Mountains in Germany

Mountains on the German and Austrian border. Dark clouds threaten rain and snow.

Here’s another photo from my recent team meetup in Germany, where we got to see these incredible mountains that span the border of Germany and Austria. We were up pretty high too, around 1500m at Bergstation Herzogstandbahn, which made for a wonderful view.

Of course, the weather wasn’t exactly on our side – those ominous black clouds overhead made it feel like it could start raining or snowing at any moment. But honestly, it only added to the atmosphere and the sense of adventure. It wasn’t too cold at first, but on the way back to the gondola, the weather turned, and it got noticeably colder up there. It was totally worth it to see this incredible natural wonder. I just can’t get over how powerful and peaceful nature can be at the same time.

Aperture	ƒ/6.3
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	172mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/1250s

Vineyard Vistas in Portugal

Blue skies over a vineyard in Portugal. The vines run off into the distance. A tree stands nearby while tall, thin, evergreen trees break the horizon up the hill.

Amidst the stunning scenery of Portugal’s Douro Valley, we found ourselves at Quinta da Roêda, a picturesque vineyard nestled under a breathtaking blue sky. As far as the eye could see, the vines stretched out into the distance, beckoning us to explore further.

A solitary tree stood tall nearby, while on the horizon, two tall, thin evergreens created a natural border against the rolling hills. It was a serene moment, a glimpse into the raw beauty of nature and the splendour of the Douro Valley’s vineyards.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	31mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/160s

Exhausted on Snowy Slopes

Two skiers prepare to go downhill, while in the foreground a sign warns "Halt" and "Skilift" pointing to the right but the sign is leaning precariously to the side

We had trudged up and down rugged hills, wearing snow shoes, until we finally came to a stop, feeling sore and utterly exhausted. The sun blazed down on us as we stood at 1500m on a crisp, clear day. Ahead of us loomed another hill, descending a valley and then ascending at a steep incline. At the bottom, we spotted two skiers preparing to travel further down the slopes.

In the foreground, a sign attached to a precarious, leaning pole caught our attention. It commanded us to “Halt”, but the sign pointing to the ski lift pointed upwards towards the sky, which was fitting because the ski lift itself ascended the side of a dauntingly steep hill.

Wisely, I believe, we decided to take a break for lunch instead of attempting that treacherous incline. 🙂

Aperture	ƒ/9
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	146mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/2000s

Descending through the Clouds

The view from the gondola station high up over a valley. Blue water of a lake is seen below as well as tiny houses, roads and trees surrounding green fields.

We stood atop the towering mountain, surrounded by billowing clouds, preparing to leave. As I gazed downwards, my eyes traced the steep slope all the way to the tranquil blue waters of the lake below. Tiny houses and buildings speckled the landscape, and a winding road traced the shoreline.

Having just dined at Berggasthaus Herzogstand, a restaurant nestled at nearly 1600 meters above sea level, we were eager to descend. However, the weather had taken a turn for the worse, with rain pelting down and the wind picking up. It was the last gondola ride of the day, too.

As we embarked on the journey, the gondola suddenly came to an abrupt halt. We hung suspended in mid-air for several minutes as the operator communicated over the radio. It turned out that some passengers had been left behind on the mountain, and we realized they were fortunate to have caught a ride down with us!

Aperture	ƒ/9
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	24mm
ISO	160
Shutter speed	1/30s

Prepping the Wing

A paraglider adjusts their wing on the ground on top of a mountain in Germany. A blue sky above and mountains in the distance.

One of the days during a team meetup in Germany recently was spent hiking across a mountain, up and down steep snow-covered hills. On the way, we passed by what is evidentially the launch site for people paragliding.

They would fling themselves off this slope and soar for I don’t know how long, catching thermals and circling far overhead.

Not for me, but the wings were very colourful!

Aperture	ƒ/2.2
Camera	Galaxy S23 Ultra
Focal length	2.2mm
ISO	50
Shutter speed	1/5200s

The Dog’s Nose Knows

A dog pokes his nose out of a caravan in Santa Cruz. I think he wanted to come play with us as we walked past.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	Canon EOS 6D
Focal length	96mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/400s

Dawn at the Bar & Grill

A restaurant in Santa Cruz in the early morning light. It says "Bar & Grill" on the side of the building

As the sun slowly rose over Santa Cruz, I found myself drawn to a quaint restaurant nestled along the beach front. The golden morning rays cast a mesmerizing shadow of a street lamp on the building, while inside, a diligent worker was already busy prepping for the day ahead.

Aperture	ƒ/4
Camera	Canon EOS 6D
Focal length	105mm
ISO	100
Shutter speed	1/1250s

Surfing on the Isar

A surfer on the River Isar sits on his surfboard

I had a fantastic time in Munich with my team recently. We explored the city and enjoyed its sights and sounds. But the most surprising and thrilling thing I saw was in the city park.

As we walked along a path, I heard a roaring sound of water. I peeked through the trees and saw two men in wetsuits carrying surfboards. They were heading back up the banks of the River Isar, where a crowd awaited them. I ran to the riverbank and witnessed a spectacular scene: surfers riding a fast and furious wave in the middle of the city! I quickly grabbed my camera, and snapped some remarkable shots of this incredible spectacle.

Aperture	ƒ/8
Camera	ILCE-7M3
Focal length	112mm
ISO	12800
Shutter speed	1/250s