Vision is Nature’s gift to us and those who use such vision to really see the beauty around them and capture that perfect picture with their cameras, open a whole new world to us...
When you close your eyes, the world seems to emerge in all its true and beautiful colours, and you are reminded of just how beautiful the earth really is without the human population to mess things up. Nature’s never-ending wonders are available to us all, if only we pause for a moment to marvel at all the beauty. Photographs capture that sense of timeless beauty—in a combination of historical, cultural, architectural, landscapes and character-studies.
We share with you some photographs, the criteria behind their selection being their intrinsically unique quality. In an ever-changing world, the following places have consistently been the hottest destinations on the globe for camera-toting travellers.
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
I’m certain we have all heard of Rio de Janeiro, particularly after the statue of Christ the Redeemer got its status as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Located in the south-east of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro is a vibrant and modern city, and offers various subjects for photography enthusiasts. Perched on the coast with a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean, the city is famous for its stunning mountainous backdrop and the surrounding Tijuca forest, and not to mention, its man-made wonder—the statue of Christ the Redeemer—that’s, indeed, a site to behold!
The Statue of Christ is the perfect site for photography, offering extensive views over the city with a wide-angle lens. Behind the ridge running along the coast is the Tijuca forest, which is an area rich in wildlife, with many species of butterflies and birds. Perhaps, the most famous aspects of the city are the Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Also on the coast is the ‘Sugar Loaf’ Mountain, which can be accessed via cable car. One of the best ways to photograph the entire city and get fantastic panoramic views at the same time is to arrange a helicopter ride around the whole area—this giving you an advantage to capture the more interesting features than at ground level. Photographing at night with a long shutter speed can be a good way to capture the busy and colourful atmosphere of the city—try to get some interesting effects by techniques such as panning during the exposure.
Best time to visit: Nov–Mar
Leh-Ladakh (India)
Ladakh is one place where you can still get a glimpse of what Tibet must have been like before the Chinese invasion. The land of Buddhist gompas and the most spectacular monasteries in the world, also has the highest cold desert on earth. Ladakh, also called ‘Little Tibet’ has a peculiar fascination for photographers, being bordered by the Karakoram chain of mountains in the North and the Himalayas in the South. The land of toothed peaks and barren landscapes has the ability to take your breath away and leave you stunned with its incessant beauty. The mountains here are in a class of their own and with their unmoved character and spell-binding natural beauty, Ladakh attracts the more intense and adventurous of travellers and photographers.
Leh, with its abundant fascinating sights, changes its colours as you travel across its terrain. The Leh Palace, built in the 16th century is a miniature version of Lhasa’s Potala Palace and is still owned by the royal family. The Tsemo Gompa and Soma Gompa are monasteries situated above villages on a hill with spectacular views. Another wonderful sight to behold is the place where the Zanskar river and the Indus river meet, to be more precise, where the Zanskar enters the Indus—this where you can’t keep your hands off the camera. Then, Shanti Stupa is one of the few places in Leh offering an excellent view of Leh Valley: don't forget to capture some stunning sights of the barren but beautiful hills and the valley below.
Best time to visit: June–Oct
Napa Valley (Northern California)
If you’re looking for a great romance getaway and some amazing photography, it’s hard to beat a trip through Napa Valley Wine Country. Just an hour in the car north of San Francisco, Napa Valley is flanked by purple mountains to the west and sprawling countryside as far as the eye can see, to the east. The city of Napa is small and unassuming, but just travel the Napa Vallejo highway and you’ll run into some of the most beautiful vineyards and grounds that you can find anywhere. Elegant, old-world buildings dot the landscape and promise a unique experience behind every door.
Napa Valley is a bit of paradise on earth, not just for wine aficionados, but also for sports enthusiasts, children, art lovers, and anyone who appreciates great cuisine, not to mention, the ‘beyond vision’ looker. In the month of November, the vines and trees show-off their fall colours and offer one of the best opportunities for photography. A beautiful, first stop would be Opus One, an imposing and grand structure that is definitely an upscale extravaganza of architecture and scale. It is an experience for all of your senses and will not disappoint. Rolling hills and vineyards provide the perfect backdrop for a romantic getaway as well as a wining-and-dining experience of a lifetime. You will not only find world-class wines, but also special locally produced honeys, olive oils and fruit preserves grown in this fertile valley, and, believe me, they are just as good to photograph.
Best time to visit: Nov–Apr
Cinque Terre (Italy)
If you are planning a trip to Italy, and you like the sea, the sun and the silence of a world beyond time, you’ll find a holiday in the Cinque Terre an unforgettable experience. Cinque Terre means “The Five Lands” in Italian, and refers to five villages clustered over five rocky miles along the north-western coast of Italy: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Relative historic isolation has helped preserve the overwhelming beauty of both the natural landscapes and the individual villages. They are beautiful and peaceful places to spend a few days walking, just soaking in the rural atmosphere, and, of course, indulging in some photography. The five villages are about ten kilometres from La Spezia, the town of La Spezia itself being about halfway between Genoa and Pisa, along the Genoa-Pisa-Rome railway line.
Although each village has its own distinct charm and presents opportunities for architectural, cultural and landscape photography, Vernazza is often recognised as the most charming, and Manarola, with its rocky beach, the most scenic. Great views and colours, as well as charming harbours and fishing boats, are the key visual draws. Even though tourists have discovered the towns of Cinque Terre, there has been little detrimental effect to the environment, architecture or culture of “The Five Lands.” Character studies are imbued with sincerity and offer interesting juxtaposition with images of what little ‘glam’ there is here, centred on the few nightspots of Monterosso. The towns visible from the sea make for spectacular images that seem to come from a bygone era. You just can’t afford to miss this incredible site.
Best time to visit: Mar–May
Prague (Czech Republic)
It’s not for nothing that Prague has nicknames like the “Golden City”, “The City of The Hundred Towers” or “Rome, North Of The Alps”. Situated in the very heart of Europe, Prague is like one big open-air museum. Walking through Prague is like walking through history, with architectural splendours that span a thousand years. Everywhere you look, a story can be told, and definitely, no story is complete without some great images.
Wenceslas Square (Vaclavske Namesti) is one of two main squares in the heart of the city that was laid out 600 years ago and still looks the same. The beautiful St Nicalas Church, the Old City’s Town Hall with its famous astronomical clock, and the Kinsky Palace, are sites that you just cannot miss. Cross Karluv Bridge into Mala Strana, where Hradcany Castle is situated; it’s a place from where you can have the most wonderful and fantastic view of this breathtaking city. You could say that Prague consists of two parts: on the right side of the river is the old town—Franz Kafka’s Prague, the Prague of the Jewish community and the Czech Prague. On the left side of the river is the Baroque-Catholic Prague, the Prague with its palaces of the gentry, its many monasteries and churches. Hence, be prepared, as you’ll be clicking more and walking less.
Best time to visit: May – Sept
Sikkim (India)
Sikkim, the land of the Khanchendzonga mountain, orchids and spirituality nestles in the great Himalayan range. Beautiful Sikkim is, undoubtedly, a naturalist’s paradise. A tourist visiting Sikkim is all praise for the richness of natural wonders that can be seen. It is here that Khanchendzonga, the third highest mountain in the world, stands tall. Blessed with snow-capped mountains, lakes, rivers, flora (including huge varieties of orchids) and fauna, Sikkim is at par with other ecological hot-spots of the world; and one of the best places to capture all that exists in this fantabulous place. Another site that can be included in your itinerary is the recently opened Nathula Pass– a mountain pass located on the Indo–China border, connecting the Indian state of Sikkim with the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.
Best time to visit: Mar–May/Oct–Dec
Western Cape (South Africa)
If the Western Cape were a woman, she would turn heads. Affixed to the tip of Africa as it is, the town lies bordered by two oceans—the Indian Ocean to the south and the Atlantic to the west—that goes a long way to explain its allure. The wild Cape Agulhas coast, the Cedarberg mountains, the extraordinary magnificence of the Garden Route, the sparse, sweeping stretches of sand, punctuated only by rocky outcrops and fishing villages of the West Coast, notwithstanding, it is not the coastline alone that draws the travellers and photographers to this place.
The immense peaks form the backdrop to a land so lovely—from the emerald lakes and indigenous forests of the Wilderness to the sun-drenched vineyards of Cape Winelands, to the wide, windswept arid spaces of Klein Karoo—all seem part of a fantasy landscape and are a pleasure to the eyes of the onlooker and definitely a dream come-true for a photographer. Every season on the Western Cape offers its own enchantment, be it the flowers of spring, the ripening orchards of summer, the red and golden shades of autumn or the snow-capped mountain peaks of winter.
Best time to visit: Throughout the year
So, keep your eyes, as well as your camera focussed, to freeze-frame and keep with you forever a little piece of paradise...