Posts

Kurama-dera Temple Info, Tips & Review

Kurama-dera (鞍馬寺) is a mountain temple in Northern Kyoto that is one of the most beautiful places in Japan. In this post, I’ll share photos I took at Mount Kurama, info & tips for visiting Kurama-dera, and thoughts on my experience of hiking from the village of Kurama up the mountain and over to Kibune. […]

Yosemite Firefall Snowy Weekend Photo Report

This year, I opted to visit Yosemite National Park during “Firefall Season” over Presidents’ Day Weekend. In this post, I’ll share my Horsetail Falls photos, plus commentary and tips for those planning on shooting the Firefall this year or in the future. Note that while this offers advice, it’s not comprehensive. For that, refer to […]

Hiking Kyoto Trail: Fushimi Inari Shrine to Tofukuji Temple

Fushimi Inari is our favorite place in Kyoto, Japan. It’s a huge mountain shrine famous for its thousands of torii gates, but that’s just scratching the surface. It’s also home to myriad sub-shrines, natural beauty, and great hiking options around the mountain–and to nearby temples–via Kyoto Isshu Circuit Trail. In this post, we’ll detail one of […]

Tips & Things to Do in Fall at Mount Fuji

If you want to see Japan’s famous fall colors, the Fuji Five Lakes region is an excellent destination. Here, you’ll not only get some of the best autumn foliage from late October through early December, but you’ll also have photogenic scenes with vibrant momiji in the foreground and Mount Fuji in the background. In this […]

My Sunrise Hike at Pinnacles National Park

Pinnacles National Park is a U.S. National Park in Northern California, south of San Francisco and an hour inland from Monterey Bay. It’s known mostly for its stunning rock-spires formed by an extinct volcano and an abundance of California Condors. Pinnacles was established as the United States’ 59th National Park, elevating it from a National […]

10 Beautiful Canadian Rockies Photo Spots

Thanks to craggy peaks, pristine lakes, and more, the Canadian Rockies is one of the most iconic photography locations in the world. Yoho, Jasper, and Banff National Parks feature Canada’s finest mountain ranges, making these places a bucket list destination for many photographers. Even after visiting all of these places, the Canadian Rockies remain on […]

Tips for Trollstigen: Norway’s Troll Path

Trollstigen (also known as the Troll’s Path or Road) is a winding mountain drive in Norway’s Reinheimen National Park that takes visitors through hairpin turns of the Trolltindene mountain range. In this post, we’ll share our report from the Troll’s Path, tips for Trollstigen, and our photos from deep within Norway’s troll country! If you’re unfamiliar […]

Grindelwald & Lauterbrunnen: Majestic Swiss Villages

Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen–and really, all of the villages scattered around the alpine valleys of Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland in the Interlaken district–are some of the most picturesque places I’ve ever visited. From the Swiss alps towering above the villages, to the rolling green hills, to the cascading waterfalls, and even the chalet architecture, everywhere you look […]

Hiking Switzerland: Bachalpsee Lake

The hike from First (via Grindelwald) to Bachalpsee Lake in the Jungfrau region of Switzerland is one of the best “value” options for mountain experiences in the Bernese Oberland. It has a mountain lake, glaciers, breathtaking peaks, and even wildflowers. In this post, I’ll share my experience doing this hike, and what led us to […]

Third Man on the Matterhorn

This covers our visit to Zermatt, Switzerland, where we spent approximately 85% of our time gazing longingly at the Matterhorn, which is arguably one of the most recognizable mountains in the world. Along with a recap of our trip, we’ll offer a few tips for seeing Zermatt, and thoughts on Switzerland, in general. As for […]