Pattern of pines

I went to Adirondacks for Easter, but this time not so much photographing.

However, just passing on the road, I managed to spot a nice, contrasting pattern of pine trees on the hill. Wintery landscape, hopefully one of the last opportunities this year!

Nikon 7100, 75mm, 1/640s @ f/5.6, iso 100

When the lights go out...

The evening view form one of the restaurants - even though I've already covered the sunset experience, it is something you can go back over and over again. The sky is different every day and you can experiment with angles and lenses.

Now that I'm back to Montreal, I not only remember this beautiful sight, but also lying on a mat, sipping a fresh watermelon smoothie and enjoying the cooling breeze from the water.

Sony RX100M3, 24mm, 8s @ f/11, iso 80

Low-hanging fruit

Another very typical view from Vang Vieng: mountain ridges in the background, hint of a river in the foreground, afternoon golden time and some kind of activity the visitors love to try there. This time it is a hot-air balloon allowing to admire all the beauty from above.

I did not try it personally - was too busy kayaking and hiking, but I've heard the view was indeed breathtaking. 

Nikon 7100, 75mm, 1/80s @ f/16, iso 400

Morning rush

Back to Laos...

I exhausted the pictures from the Kong Lor Cave area already, but there is so many more from the other places. Vang Vieng was already mentioned once, so I will not repeat myself telling why this place was so awesome.

But it only takes one look at the picture below to see why it was an ideal spot for a photographer: water, mountains and amazing colours. It is hard to take a "peaceful river" kind of shot in this area though - the people are getting busy quite early. Most of them rushing to do "sunrise cruises", but also setting up their nets or just going up river with some supplies.

Sony RX100M3, 24mm, 1.3s @ f/11, iso 80

Crops

And the last (at least for now) picture from the Kong Lor area. Less related to the cave, more how do people live there. It seems like not everybody is into lodging and transport business.

I saw photos of those fields when the crops are fully grown. I wish I could be there at that time...

Sony RX100M3, 24mm, 1/8s @ f/11, iso 80

Just lie down and watch... "Friends"

Nikon 7100, 75mm, 1/80s @ f/16, iso 640

iPhone 5s, auto, VSCOCam

Vang Vieng was the place where we stopped to "refuel" after the cold of Luang Prabang. Not so long ago this spot was a serious drug scene, now cleaned up (within reason), is for partying in the night and doing cool stuff during the day. The activities include: hiking, mountain biking, swimming in ponds, kayaking, tubing, rock climbing.

The activity, which seems quite popular there is watching Friends (as in TV series). You go to a restaurant, order food and drinks, lie down on a mat and enjoy the show.

For obvious reasons I was more interested in the view "outside". So I chose to go to restaurants on the river, hunting the sunset. And - oh my gosh - it was a beautiful sight!

We spent total four days in Vang Vieng and - when every restaurant felt the same and the next day wasn't particularly different from the previous one - we left for Vientiane.

Grace in the move

Fujifilm X100s, 1/150s @ f/2.8, iso 800, B&W+Green filter film simulation

Fujifilm X100s, 1/170s @ f/2.8, iso 400, B&W+Green filter film simulation

Fujifilm X100s, 1/210s @ f/2.8, iso 800, B&W+Green filter film simulation

Ok, where should I start?

There is this Shambhala Japanese festival going on in Chiang Dao, Thailand every year since 2009, getting bigger and bigger each year passing. Lots of Thai people, even more foreigners (how do they even know about it I wonder).
I had an utmost pleasure to be there for one night only and it was fantastic! The atmosphere was anything short of amazing. Nice events, cool music, good food & drinks and great crowd.
On the pictures, a girl practicing in the daylight for the later light dance performance. In the background: Chiang Dao Peak - the second highest mountain in Thailand.

Hallelujah!

Fujifilm X100s, 1/150s @ f/16, iso 800

And back to Mont-Tremblant... Just when it stopped to be all sunny, it started to be interesting. This shot was taken from the top of the peak and shows a trail down, which - in winter conditions - is designated as one of the most difficult there. In the background - Lac Tremblant.

Follow that boat!

Nikon D5100, 35mm, 1/200s @ f/6.3, iso 100

This time it's the nature, not people, that is the main subject of the picture. 

Even though the vignetting draws an eye to the small motorboat in the centre, if you follow its path you'll reach hills of Taquile Island on the horizon. And you may be surprised that the bright white cloud on the horizon is indeed Cordillera Real, part of Bolivian Andes with peaks above 6,000 m.