Big Sur is a rugged and mountainous section of California's Central Coast, reaching from Carmel Highlands to San Simeon. It is frequently praised for its dramatic scenery. The Santa Lucia Mountains provide a starkly beautiful background to equally beautiful coastal views.

Big Sur has been called the longest and most scenic stretch of undeveloped coastline in the contiguous United States, a sublime national treasure that demands extraordinary procedures to protect it from development. Many consider it to be one of the most beautiful coastlines anywhere in the world, an isolated stretch of road, mythic in reputation.

It is also subject to rock and mud slides, often closing segments of the road for many months. The past two years have been particularly hard on portions of Highway 1 due to strong storms and heavy rain. The road is closed from Lucia to Carmel. Hopefully it will be fully open in autumn 2024.

We were fortunate to be able to drive north from Cambria to visit a section of this coastline we had not previously driven. This spot is notable for the contrast of dark cliffs and rocks that comprise most of the coast with the white rock in the background, which has probably served as a resting site for cormorants, pelicans and other sea birds. There are several rocks like this along the coast -- they certainly stand out against the dark blue water.

Thanks for stopping by!

© Melissa Post 2024

Valdez, Alaska, is largely defined by its dramatic glacial landscapes, deep-water fjords, and coastal rainforest. The environment is both stunningly beautiful and incredibly sensitive, as tragically demonstrated by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.

This imposing castle dominates de cityscape from atop its rocky perch. Located at the end of historic Royal Mile, its dramatic, medieval design remains largely the same unchanged since the 18th century.

Cet imposant château domine le paysage urbain du haut de son perchoir rocheux. Situé au bout de l'historique Royal Mile, son design médiéval dramatique reste en grande partie le même depuis le 18e siècle.

Badlands National park its dramatic landscapes span layered Rock formations, streep canyons and tavering spires

Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded.[1] They are characterized by steep slopes, minimal vegetation, lack of a substantial regolith, and high drainage density.[2] Ravines, gullies, buttes, hoodoos and other such geologic forms are common in badlands.

Badlands is een landschapsvorm, gekenmerkt door een sterk geërodeerde, uit klei bestaande ondergrond, voornamelijk in semi-woestijngebieden. Erosie door water en wind hebben tot gevolg dat in badlands geologische formaties als canyons, ravijnen en hoodoos veelvuldig voorkomen.

Kirkjufell, or ‘Church Mountain,’ is a strikingly shaped peak on the north coast of Iceland's Snaefellsnes peninsula, a short distance from the town of Grundarfjordur. It is often referred to as ‘Iceland's most photographed mountain’ due to its dramatic shape and perfect coastal location.

At 463 metres high, Kirkjufell is an impressive landmark. Over the centuries, Kirkjufell's distinctive slopes have served as a visual landmark for sailors and travellers. More recently, it has attracted both amateur and professional photographers.

Within walking distance of Kirkjufell lies the serene and perfectly situated Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall, or “Church Mountain Waterfall”, an excellent subject for photographers who can easily frame the mountain in the background.

Tåa and the Western Coast of Vestvågøy (lofoten Islands) 20250616

The small islet of Tåa lies off the western coast of Vestvågøy, one of the central islands of the Lofoten archipelago in Northern Norway. It sits in the narrow Tåsundet Strait, between the scenic beaches of Haukland and Vik, and just offshore from the towering cliffs of Veggen, a popular hiking destination.

This coastal area is known for its dramatic contrasts: White sandy beaches, turquoise Arctic waters and steep granite peaks rising directly from the sea. The "yttersida" (outer side) road , which connects Haukland and Uttakleiv, offers panoramic views over the open ocean and the rugged coastal landscape.

Though Tåa itself is uninhabited and small, it adds to the charm of this wild and windswept part of Lofoten - a favorite spot for photographers, cyclists and hikers seeking the essence of Norway's coastal wilderness.

The beautiful and now tranquil setting of Augustinian Lanercost Priory belies an often troubled history. Standing close to Hadrian's Wall, it suffered frequent attacks during the long Anglo-Scottish wars, once by Robert Bruce in person. The mortally sick King Edward I rested here for five months in 1306-7, shortly before his death on his final campaign.

The east end of the 13th-century church survives to its full height, housing within its dramatic triple tier of arches some fine monuments.

More photos of Lanercost Priory here: www.flickr.com/photos/davidambridge/albums/72157624989399623

Valetta is the capital of the island nation of Malta. The country is famous for its dramatic cliffs, stunning landscapes, and ancient buildings. I especially enjoyed photographing the historic fortresses and defensive walls that surround Valetta. I captured this shot as the sun was rising and the fog was lifting.

All photos copyright 2015-2025 by Gerd Michael Kozik No further use of my photos in any form such as websites, print, commercial or private use. Do not use my photos without my permission !

Phi Phi Ley ist eine unbewohnte Insel im Süden Thailands, bekannt für ihre dramatischen Kalksteinfelsen, türkisfarbenen Buchten und spektakulären Klippen. Berühmt wurde sie durch die Maya Bay, die als Drehort für den Film The Beach weltweite Bekanntheit erlangte. Die Insel steht unter Naturschutz, ist nur tagsüber zugänglich und ideal für kurze Bootsausflüge, Schnorcheln und beeindruckende Drohnen-Aufnahmen bei Ebbe. Der Magnet zog auch meine Drohne an...;) Es war etwas windig über dem Meer.

Phi Phi Ley is an uninhabited island in southern Thailand, known for its dramatic limestone cliffs, turquoise bays, and stunning rock formations. It gained worldwide fame through Maya Bay, the iconic filming location of The Beach. The island is protected as part of a national park, accessible only during the day, and perfect for short boat trips, snorkeling, and breathtaking drone shots at low tide. The magnet also attracted my drone...;) It was a bit windy over the sea.

Thank you for your visit!

The High Desert of Southern California can, on rare occasions, reveal its dramatic winter colors.

Shot with an old lens, the Sigma Zoom 28-70mm f/2.8

The High Desert of Southern California can, on rare occasions, reveal its dramatic winter colors.

Shot with an old lens, the Sigma Zoom 28-70mm f/2.8

I was really at the limit for my camera but this one was the only one that would let me anywhere near it. It was a dull day so went back 2 days later, blue skies & not one on the fence they were all on the ploughed field as it was a windy day.

That's wildlife photography eh 😉

RSPB info - This nondescript (a bit unfair I think) lowland farmland bird is the largest of the buntings and is most usually seen perched on a wire or post. It is a stout, dumpy bird brown which flies off with a fluttering flight and with its legs characteristically 'dangling'. Its dramatic population decline in the UK makes it a Red List species.

What they eat:

Seeds and insects.

Measurements:

Length:18cm

Wingspan:26-32cm

Weight:35-56g

The Great Blue Heron [a wading bird] is the largest North American heron, with a head-to-tail length of between three and five feet, a wingspan of between 6-1/2 and 7-1/2 feet, and a weight of five to eight pounds. This magnificent creature is notable not only for its size, but also for its dramatic appearance. The deep blue and blue-gray of its flight plumage contrasts with its white feathers, and orange bill and wing patches. Once you've seen one of these sizable avians, you won't soon forget the encounter!

Bluebird Estates

Second Beach is a scenic coastal area in Olympic National Park, Washington, located near the town of La Push. It is famous for its dramatic sea stacks and is reached via a short, 0.7-mile hike through a forest from the trailhead.

Khao Phing Kan, famously known as James Bond Island, is a striking limestone karst formation in Phang Nga Bay, Thailand. Towering cliffs, emerald waters, and lush greenery surround this magnificent island. Its dramatic landscape gained global fame from the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun.

Mount Kirkjufell, also known as Church Mountain, is a distinctly shaped peak found on the north shore of Iceland’s Snæfellsnes Peninsula. It is considered to be the most photographed mountain in Iceland due to its dramatic formation and perfect coastal location.

Don't tell Elon Musk, but you don't have to fire off into space to visit Mars. Just get on a plane — or a bus — to the Middle Eastern country of Jordan.

Jordan is a small, dry, mostly landlocked country that neighbors Israel to the east. Within its rugged terrain is Wadi Rum, a desert valley known for its dramatic sandstone and granite rock faces and the reddish hue of its sand.

The landscape is so otherworldly that countless filmmakers have used the desert as a location for films taking place on distant planets.

Most recently, the desert served as the backdrop for Mars in the Matt Damon-starring space-survival film "The Martian."

But "The Martian" is far from the only film to use the desert. Wadi Rum played the part of Mars in the 2000 film "Red Planet" and the

2013 film "The Last Days on Mars." It played the part of the alien world in the 2012 horror film "Prometheus" and the planet of Jedha in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story."

On a recent trip to Jordan, I decided to take a road trip through Wadi Rum. After barreling through the desert in jeeps, sprinting down sand dunes. I think I can say I've officially visited another planet.

soundtrack

The soundtrack to this one is one of my all time favs in classic music. – I only feel the need to listen to it in winter when it is really cold and snowy and stormy outside because to me it sounds like a perfect “translation” of deep deep dark cold winter in all its dramatic beauty into music. And at the same time it includes this wonderful idea of spring at the end. If you find the time to listen to the link above this final part starts at 9’:12’’ – feels like a little butterfly enters the room and lightness comes back again. – Utterly beautiful and like a reminder that every winter, even the darkest one, follows a new spring, always.

My website: www.uma-wirth.com

Dating back to about 1150 AD, All Saint's Church in Saltfleetby Lincolnshire, UK is largely 12th Century Church is no longer used for worship. It is notable for its dramatically leaning tower.

"Guilin at night" is today's theme. Guilin is a city in southern China known for its dramatic landscape of limestone karst hills. At its centre are 2 lakes, Shanhu (Cedar) and Ronghu (Banyan), remaining from a medieval-era moat that once surrounded the city. Boats travel through these and other lakes via connected rivers. On Shanhu Lake’s shore, twin pagodas, the Sun and Moon, light up the sky at night.

This shot of the Moon Pagoda was taken from an evening cruise boat on the lakes.

A view down Loch Duich to the five Sisters of Kintail on the far left, with the mountains of Glen Shiel in the distance. The Loch is situated on the western coast of Scotland, in the Scottish Highlands. The famous Eilean Donan Castle stands at the meeting point of Loch Duich, Loch Long, and Loch Alsh. Loch Duich itself is a stunning sea loch and is renowned for its dramatic landscapes and iconic landmarks. Surrounded by rugged hills and mountains.

Just a small wood in Emsworth, but part of the Wayfarer’s Walk which is a 70-mile, long-distance walking route.

The route will take you from its dramatic start, high on the chalk downs at Inkpen beacon to finish at Emsworth Harbour. You will walk over some of the finest chalk turf in Hampshire down to the mud flats and salt marshes along the coast, passing through these woods and down to the beach path which leads on to Emsworth millpond wall. Following this wall leads to the quay. The end of the walk.

Choose between high chalk downland with exhilarating views or chalk-stream valleys buzzing with wildlife, peaceful pubs in pretty villages or a busy market town. Or why not have a relaxing seaside picnic while watching the marsh wildlife.

Manchmal sind es genau diese Zwischenmomente, die die stärksten Eindrücke hinterlassen: Als das Licht noch zögerlich über die Landschaft fiel und der Regen schon am Horizont fiel, entstand dieses Bild. Die Sächsische Schweiz zeigt sich hier von ihrer dramatischen Seite – bewegt, weit, kraftvoll.

Es geht mir bei solchen Aufnahmen nicht nur um das perfekte Licht, sondern um das Gefühl, das bleibt. Um Kontraste, Stimmungen und diese kleinen flüchtigen Augenblicke, in denen Natur zur Bühne wird.

Ich freue mich über eure Gedanken, Feedback und den gemeinsamen Blick auf unsere faszinierende Landschaft.

Sometimes it's exactly those in-between moments that leave the strongest impressions: when the light still hesitated across the landscape, and rain was already falling on the distant horizon — this image was born. Saxon Switzerland reveals its dramatic side here – dynamic, vast, and full of natural force.

For me, photography isn't just about the perfect light, but about the feeling that remains. About contrasts, moods, and those fleeting moments when nature becomes a stage.

I’m happy to hear your thoughts, feedback, and to share this view of our fascinating landscape with you.

This photo captures a small waterfall tumbling through rocky terrain near the Col de la Cayolle, nestled between the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes. The landscape is rugged and mostly barren, with sparse alpine vegetation clinging to the slopes. Above, a partly cloudy sky stretches wide, its dramatic formations echoing the contours of the mountains. The water flows through a narrow crevice, adding movement to an otherwise still and mineral environment. Taken near the Mercantour National Park, this scene reflects the raw beauty of high-altitude wilderness — silent, sculptural, and untouched.

The end of the Siq, with its dramatic view of Al Khazneh ("The Treasury").

Petra, Jordan, was not chosen to be the setting for "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" for nothing. Do you remember when, in the final part of the film, "Indy" and his father, lived by Sean Connery, cross a canyon on horseback and are surprised by a huge building carved in a mountain? Yeah, it was there. Nothing, however, that surprises: Petra, after all, is a haven for both archaeologists and tourists interested in fascinating stories.

***

At the end of the canyon trek, in the midst of the sunshine, Petra's most famous façade: the Treasury. It's a breathtaking sight! Despite the name and grandeur of the place, the Treasury never housed a treasure. But the purpose of its construction has not yet been discovered. For some, it is a royal tomb. For others, a temple.

Many bullet marks can be seen at the top of the Treasury facade. The damage was done by thieves seeking a legendary treasure that would be hidden in the building. As they did not reach the top, they would shoot to destroy the sculptures and try to locate it. Also can be seen carved nymphs and other Roman figures, result of the domination of Petra by that empire after the fall of Nabateus. The interior of the building is closed to visitors.

Staldzene – an old fishing village with some homesteads surviving from the 19th century, lies to the North of Ventspils on the way to the Kolka point. Here fishermen can still be seen going out to sea, and on calm evenings the scent of dry-cured Baltic plaice wafts through the air.

Staldzene is popular with both townsfolk and tourists alike for its walking paths, swimming beach and its dramatic steep coastline. Staldzene steep coast is the highest in Latvia.

It is a typical abrasive-type coastline 4 to 8 m high, where deposits of various stages of the Baltic Sea development are exposed for approximately 400 m.

As a result of the erosion of the sea, the steep coast is washed away. Based on marine coastline monitoring data, the annual deviation of the coast is estimated at 1 m, because of which the area of the natural monument is reduced and is currently about 6 ha. Therefore, this outcrop has a limited lifetime, reports the information source of the Specially protected nature territory of Ventspils City. Its height has also decreased in the last decade. In the 70s of the last century, the height of the steep coast reached 12 m. Washing away of the steep coast is determined by the combination of several factors, including specific meteorological conditions – wind speed and direction, air temperature, sea level height, currents, waves, ice formation, etc. The Ventspils Port Piers and the deep fairway channel still have a significant impact, which completely stops the natural movement of sediments past the port to the north.

Staldzene steep coastline contains protected habitats of European and Latvian importance: wooded seaside dunes, boreal forests, calcareous sand meadows and gray dunes covered with herbaceous plants. There are also 8 specially protected plant species in the territory of the nature monument. Some plants are found only in Ventspils and Pape area in Latvia.

www.visitventspils.com/en/activity/staldzene-steep-coastl...

The High Desert of Southern California can, on rare occasions, reveal its dramatic winter colors.

Shot with an old lens, the Sigma Zoom 28-70mm f/2.8

That old sugar maple around the corner from my home is up to its old autumn tricks again. Gotta give it props for its dramatic performance. HTmT!

The beautiful and now tranquil setting of Augustinian Lanercost Priory belies an often troubled history. Standing close to Hadrian's Wall, it suffered frequent attacks during the long Anglo-Scottish wars, once by Robert Bruce in person. The mortally sick King Edward I rested here for five months in 1306-7, shortly before his death on his final campaign.

The east end of the 13th-century church survives to its full height, housing within its dramatic triple tier of arches some fine monuments.

More photos of Lanercost Priory here: www.flickr.com/photos/davidambridge/albums/72157624989399623

Male.

Species: Lanius collurio.

Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands.

Red-backed shrikes are slightly larger, but slimmer, than house sparrows. The male is unmistakable with a bluish-grey head, black mask, bright chestnut back and thick hooked black bill. Shrikes like to perch prominently on the tops of bushes, fence posts and telephone wires, where they have a good view of potential prey. Items caught are then taken to a larder where they are impaled on a thorn or wedged in a fork.

Its dramatic decline to virtual extinction as a UK breeding species make this a Red List bird. It is also listed as a Schedule 1 species under The Wildlife and Countryside Act. Info: RSPB.

Many thanks to people who view or comment on my photos.

Lofoten is an archipelago in Norway. Its known for its dramatic scenery, with peaks like the Svolværgeita pinnacle jutting up into the sky. Himmeltindan Mountain sits on Vestvågøya Island.

Surfing on Amalfi Coast

Amalfi’s waterfront, lined with pastel-colored buildings, radiates a lively atmosphere. Marina Grande, a charming harbour, is dotted with cafés and seafood restaurants inviting you to savor the region’s culinary delights while enjoying panoramic sea views. The iconic Torre dello Ziro, a medieval watchtower, stands guard over the town and offers breathtaking views of the coastline.

Surfing on the Amalfi Coast is a relatively niche but enchanting experience, as the region is more famous for its dramatic cliffs, historic towns, and crystal-clear waters than for big waves. The coastline, stretching along southern Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula, offers sporadic surf conditions—more suitable for longboarding or beginner to intermediate surfers, especially during autumn and winter when swells from the Mediterranean become more reliable.

The towns of Vietri sul Mare and Cetara occasionally see rideable waves when conditions align. Surfing here is less about chasing barrels and more about soaking in the unparalleled beauty: pastel-colored villages clinging to limestone cliffs, terraced vineyards, and the scent of lemon groves drifting on the sea breeze.

While not a global surf destination like Portugal or Bali, the Amalfi Coast offers a unique and soulful surfing experience—where the magic lies as much in the setting as in the surf.

Amalfi

© Knud Hald

The corn bunting flies with a fluttering flight and with its legs characteristically 'dangling'. Its dramatic population decline in the UK makes it a Red List species.

Langdon Cliffs Dover Kent

Cape Cornwall is a headland located on the southwest tip of England, in West Cornwall, near the town of St Just. It's a popular spot for its dramatic coastal scenery and views of the Atlantic Ocean. The National Trust owns most of the headland, and it's part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site.

- The last light of day paints the limestone ranges of Phong Nha – Ke Bang in shades of gold and shadow.

- Hidden in central Vietnam, Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its dramatic limestone mountains, mysterious caves, and pristine underground rivers. Home to the world’s largest cave, Son Doong, and the stunning Phong Nha and Paradise Caves, this destination invites travelers to explore untouched jungles, crystal-clear streams, and ancient karst landscapes. Whether you’re into adventure travel, cave exploration, or nature photography, Phong Nha is a true paradise waiting to be discovered.

Location: Phong Nha - Ke Bang, Bo Trach, Quang Binh

The Eglwyseg valley is an area to the north east of Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales; it is within the boundaries of Llantysilio Community. The name also refers to a widely scattered hamlet in the valley.

Formerly the old township of Eglwysegl or Eglwysegle, the area is now best known for its dramatic rock formations and unspoiled historic landscape.

Eskdale is a stunning, quieter valley in the Lake District, known for its dramatic scenery where mountains meet the sea, Scafell Pike at its head,

A series of spectacular waterfalls cascading down the valley, creating many beautiful swimming holes with water ranging from emerald to turquoise.

Iceland is known for its dramatic skies. The alternation of sun, clouds, strong winds, absence of wind, rain and snow can even occur in a single day.

It rains frequently, and sometimes you can see those beautiful dramatic skies that can take you into fairytale scenes.

I was really at the limit for my camera but this one was the only one that would let me anywhere near it. It was a dull day so went back 2 days later, blue skies & not one on the fence they were all on the ploughed field as it was a windy day.

That's wildlife photography eh 😉

RSPB info - This nondescript (a bit unfair I think) lowland farmland bird is the largest of the buntings and is most usually seen perched on a wire or post. It is a stout, dumpy bird brown which flies off with a fluttering flight and with its legs characteristically 'dangling'. Its dramatic population decline in the UK makes it a Red List species.

What they eat:

Seeds and insects.

Measurements:

Length:18cm

Wingspan:26-32cm

Weight:35-56g

It is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Bondi Beach is located 7 km east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council, in the Eastern Suburbs. Bondi, North Bondi, and Bondi Junction are neighbouring suburbs. Bondi Beach is one of the most visited tourist sites in Australia. The sweeping white-sand crescent of Bondi is one of Australia’s most iconic beaches. Reliable waves draw surfers while, nearby, hardy locals swim in the Icebergs ocean pool year-round. Trendy, health-conscious Sydneysiders head to laid-back cafes around Hall Street, while hip backpackers frequent the area's casual pubs. Walkers and joggers use the clifftop Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, with its dramatic scenery. 8029

Talisker Bay is a beautiful, secluded bay on the west coast of the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Known for its dramatic scenery, it’s a popular spot for visitors and families willing to make the 20-30 minute, easy walk from a small car park. The beach is a mix of sand and shingle, with black and white sand often blending together to create a marbled effect, particularly at low tide. Being west facing it offers spectacular sunsets for photographers, unfortunately on my visit recently the tide was out but I got amazing views out to the mysterious Isle of Rum which seemed to be suspended on a vale of mist.

Trollfjorden (Austvågsøya ) 20250617

Trollfjorden is a narrow, dramatic fjord located in the Vesterålen archipelago between the islans of Austvågsøya and Hinnøya in northern Norway.

It branches off the larger Raftsundet strait and is accessible mainly by boat or kayak.

Trollfjorden is famous for its steep near-vertical mountain walls that rise straight up from the weather, creating a stunning contrast between rock and sea. The fjord is only about 2 Km long but its dramatic scenery leaves a deep impression.

Wildlife.

Trollfjorden is one of the best places in Norway to spot white-tailed eagles (Europe's larges bird of prey). They often soar above the fjord or perch on the cliffs.

The cliffs are home to numerous seabirds, such as puffins, cormorants and gulls.

The waters around Trollfjorden are rich with fish like cod and herring and you may also spot seals, porpoises or even orca whales during seasonal migrations.

Medicine Lake and Mount Monkhead, with a family of Eagles looking on from their nest at lower left, all part of Jasper National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Medicine Lake is really just a long, wide stretch of the Athabasca River. Its dramatic seasonal variation in level—due to drainage through porous rock at the southeastern end—must have been as mysterious to the indigenous Stoney Nakoda people as it has been to visitors ever since.

Mount Monkhood, part of the Maligne Range, rises to 2,934 m (=9,626 ft). Probably was named by someone who thought it looked like one. It stands about 7km southeast of us, on the long axis of the lake, at the far end.

Patty spotted the two Eagles in their nest at lower left, more than a kilometer away. I got a better shot of that—first comment—from the bus looking southwest as we passed along the road to the left.

Happy Wing, Wind, and Wonder Wednesday!

Explore 68 on 11 Sep 24

Through life's every twist and turn

Along its path, we travel and learn

Under its trees filled with fate

Across the depths of its dramatic

lake

Up its mountains towards the sky

Where smiles and love, they do fly

Across its fields covered in dreams

Basking in the hope that streams

Down upon every twist and turn

Along life's path, where wild passions they burn

Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itsukushima_Shrine:

Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社, Itsukushima-jinja) is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima), best known for its "floating" torii. It is in the city of Hatsukaichi, in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan, accessible from the mainland by ferry at Miyajimaguchi Station. The shrine complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Japanese government has designated several buildings and possessions as National Treasures.

The Itsukushima shrine is one of Japan's most popular tourist attractions. It is most famous for its dramatic gate, or torii on the outskirts of the shrine, the sacred peaks of Mount Misen, extensive forests, and its ocean view. The shrine complex itself consists of two main buildings: the Honsha shrine and the Sessha Marodo-jinja, as well as 17 other different buildings and structures that help to distinguish it.

To design the Shrine of Memory, Architects Samuel J. Collins of Staunton and his nephew, Richard E. Collins, combined mid-century modernity with the timeless style of a Greek temple. The open pavilion fully embraces its dramatic site on more than four acres overlooking the James River and downtown Richmond – a view that’s seen through huge sheets of glass engraved with the names of the fallen.

With their names forever set against the backdrop of their capital city, they’re watched over by sculptor Leo F. Friedlander’s “Memory,” a 22-foot-tall statue of a woman in grief. An eternal flame flickers at her feet.

Having got the glitz and glamour of the NYC lights out of my system I'm now starting to look if my aimless snapping while in the big apple recorded anything of note. This was taken on a cruise around Manhattan (very highly recommended) of Bjarke Ingels’s so-called "courtscraper", catching the sunlight and thus enabling its dramatic form to stand out clearly from the more mundane structures behind.

Some light painting at Mono Lake in the Eastern Sierra. the background light is the town of Lee Vining.

Mono Lake is a shallow salt water lake located in the high desert on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, in California in the United States. The lake has no outlet to the ocean causing high levels of salts to accumulate in the waters. As a consequence of its high salinity, no fish live in Mono Lake, but there are plenty of brine shrimp that thrive in its waters. Over two million annual migratory birds use Mono Lake as a stop over and resting place as they fly to South America or the tropical oceans. They feed on the shrimps, lay eggs and hatch their young ones here.

The most unusual feature of Mono Lake are its dramatic tufa towers emerging from the surface. These rock towers form when underwater springs rich in calcium mix with the waters of the lake, which are rich in carbonates. The resulting reaction forms limestone. Over time the buildup of limestone formed towers, and when the water level of the lake dropped the towers became exposed.

View from Mt Difficulty Vineyard in Bannockburn where we are having lunch. April 27, 2016 Central Otago in the South Island of New Zealand.

The Cellar Door at Mt Difficulty Wines is known as much for its dramatic views of rugged rock and thyme landscapes as it is for its stylish wine and food.

The unique microclimate of the Bannockburn area is partially created by the presence of Mount Difficulty which overlooks the southern Cromwell basin, and is the namesake of Mt Difficulty Wines. Mount Difficulty is integral in providing low rainfall and humidity for the region. Bannockburn enjoys hot summers, a large diurnal temperature variation and long cool autumns; conditions which bring the best out of the Pinot Noir grapes. These conditions, along with soils which are ideal for viticulture, provide an excellent basis not only for Pinot Noir, but also for Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Chardonnay. The soils are a mix of clay and gravels, but all feature a high pH level; grapes produce their best wines on sweet soils.

For More Info: www.mtdifficulty.co.nz/aboutus/ourstory.html

The Great Torii on Itsukushima (Miyajima) Island near Hiroshima. Part of the Itsukushima Shinto Shrine UNESCO World Heritage Site.

From Wikipedia: Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社, Itsukushima-jinja) is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima), best known for its "floating" torii. It is in the city of Hatsukaichi, in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan, accessible from the mainland by ferry at Miyajimaguchi Station. The shrine complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Japanese government has designated several buildings and possessions as National Treasures.

The Itsukushima shrine is one of Japan's most popular tourist attractions. It is most famous for its dramatic gate, or torii on the outskirts of the shrine, the sacred peaks of Mount Misen, extensive forests, and its ocean view. The shrine complex itself consists of two main buildings: the Honsha shrine and the Sessha Marodo-jinja, as well as 17 other different buildings and structures that help to distinguish it.