Standing at the entrance to the White Desert is an impressive moment. Agabat Valley stands out amidst this already extraordinary desert due to its narrow, steep-sided canyons and towering rock formations. The name "Agabat" translates to "miracles" in Arabic, which aptly describes the breathtaking and almost magical scenery found in this area. This unique desert landscape and its chalky-white rock sculptures have been shaped by wind and sand erosion. I invite you to take a visual tour with me through 24 hours in this otherworldly and surreal environment during the full moon in October 2023.
Stonehenge, situated on a hill near a busy road, has a rich history that dates back thousands of years. Its construction began 5000 years ago, preceding the construction of the pyramids in Egypt. The stone circle we see today was erected in the late Neolithic period around 2500 BC. Recognizing its cultural and historical significance, Stonehenge has been a legally protected monument since 1882 and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
Stonehenge holds the distinction of being considered a Solstice temple, with a focus on the mid-summer and mid-winter festivities. Its design incorporates solar and lunar alignments, making it a complex calendar that allowed its builders to track time and the changing seasons. Through Stonehenge, the ancient people were able to predict solstices, equinoxes, and other celestial events, enabling them to coordinate religious and agricultural activities based on these astronomical phenomena. The dual functionality of Stonehenge as both a solar and lunar calendar reflects the profound understanding the ancient builders had of celestial rhythms, as well as their ability to create a magnificent architectural masterpiece that incorporated this knowledge.
One of the most significant events at Stonehenge is the summer solstice, which typically takes on June 21st in the Northern Hemisphere. During this time, the rising sun aligns with the Heel Stone located outside the main structure of the henge. This alignment marks the longest day of the year, when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky. Each year, thousands of people gather at Stonehenge to witness this phenomenon and celebrate the arrival of summer.
On the night before the summer solstice, the gates open to the public at 7pm. This provides a rare opportunity to be among the stones without a private viewing. The festivities commence with a traditional Druid ceremony, followed by continuous drumming throughout the night until 8am when attendees are asked to leave. The atmosphere is incredible and often imbued with a sense of spirituality, and even tribal energy. The sound of the drums will echo in your ears for days. Watching the sun rise through the stones, surrounded by a sea of people, is a breathtaking sight that makes the lack of sleep entirely worthwhile.
Video is coming soon!
The people that know me well understand that Egypt has long been a part of me. Adventures with my family made me feel at home in this country at a young age. Egypt is a rich and complex tapestry. Where some see the chaos of Cairo's streets, I see beauty in the traffic. I fall in love with every image I take in this country. Each tell their own story.
Images have been selected by National Geographic for the photo assignment "The Walk" and SeeMe's exhibition in the Louvre in Paris.
A glimpse at the magic of Britain.
Beautiful British Columbia. So much to miss. During lockdown I had time to sit through all my hard drives and collate some new galleries. This is the latest I've put together. I spent 11 years falling in love with the province as it's such a photographers playground.
Armed only with the Huawei Pro 20.
The old town of Bettles is located seven miles from Bettles Field and sits on the Koyukuk River in the Alaskan Arctic. It was founded in 1898 during the gold rush by Gordon Bettles who built a trading post here. He sold supplies to the Koyukuk stampeders who came in search of gold and it soon became the northern terminal of the Koyukuk River barge line. Local history tells of an early freeze that led to sixty steamboats getting stuck and left over nine hundred people stranded for the winter. Three hundred of them decided to stick it out, very few ever returned to endure another but the town was firmly established through the incident. The trading post was in operation between 1901 to 1956.
In the summer a twenty minute boat ride from the new settlement brings you to the mosquito friendly place where the Arctic forests all but take over. In the winter its a different story, accessible only by snow machine, the town lies buried under a blanket of thick snow. Old artifacts peak through cracked windows and the snow pushes through the open doors of the cabins. The temperatures at the height of winter can go dip as low as -60. This is no place for the faint of heart.
Since my first venture to the Arctic in 2010 to photograph the Northern Lights, I’ve been captivated by their beauty and the thrill of chasing them. What began as a small trip one winter turned into a lifelong pursuit, as the magic of the auroras continues to call me back time and time again. There is truly no experience like it—watching the lights dance across the sky is the perfect antidote to the chaos of the modern world.
Technology has made hunting the Northern Lights much easier, and even your mobile phone is likely to capture a great shot during a strong solar storm. Over the last fifteen years of aurora hunting, I have been fortunate enough to witness them across the lower mainland of Canada, as well as in Alaska, USA. Now, as we continue through this Solar Maximum, I am excited to catch them in the UK, particularly in Oxfordshire and around the ancient sites of Silbury Hill and Avebury in Wiltshire.
I hope you’ll be inspired to go out in search of them the next time there’s a solar storm in your area.
Capturing places at night while everyone is sleeping is one of my favorite times to shoot. Minus all the crowds and the traffic, our streets and buildings offer a large canvas to draw upon and feel completely different to how they do in the day. I prefer the shooting challenges of shooting in low light. I like to say I’m a bit like a cat and can see in the dark. Here is a selection taken in London, Vancouver, Calgary, Portland, Amsterdam, New Orleans, Milan, Athens and Giza.
Long roads and endless skies were my expectations for a photography trip I took through Las Vegas and Reno. I wasn't expecting it to turn into something mildly supernatural or ghostly.
Driving towards Vegas I came across a solar energy field. It looked like something out of the Martian movie or a portal into another dimension. It even had a light ball suspended in mid air.
Las Vegas feels like another dimension usually so it's fitting this site is close by. It's a wildest dream driving yourself through all the glitzy lights and casino hotels, lined with all you can eat buffets and breakfasts.
North along the I95 is Area 51. We drove through and stopped at the alien center. There are always hidden gems to find along the road. Still there was no sign of any abnormal activity just yet.
Just over the halfway mark is Tonopath. The town is known as the Queen of the Silver Camps and has a rich history in mining. Away from the cities it boasts some of the clearest skies around for star gazing in the region and was once voted #1 star gazing destination by USA today. That's not all it's famous for.
The Clown Motel lies to the far edge of town and as the name suggests is completely clown themed. Not the best place to stay if you've a clown phobia but I quite like them. Their reception area is crowded with clowns and visitors bring their own to add to the collection. What makes this motel even more interesting is that it sits next to the Tonopath Cemetery. I'm not going to lie, it was a little creepy, especially when talk from the town filters in of ghostly apparitions.
We caught up with a long term resident who stays at the clown motel for months at a time while he works at a nearby energy field similar to the one I drove past. He tells us of his experiences of strange knocks at his door in the early hours of the morning but each time he answers, nobody is there.
About five hours drive from Vegas and two hours from Reno is the area of Hawthorne. Endless rows of what look like underground bunkers go on for miles. The sign reads "Naval Undersea Warfare Centre" but the only water we are near is Walker Lake, miles from the any sea. Some sites say these are ammunition bunkers, where ammunition is made, tested and stored.
The site certainly felt significant amidst it's isolated location. For a small state Nevada has a lot going on it in and some of it a little wacky. I put my foot down on the accelerator and drove off into a full moon.
Fireworks are only legal for one week of the year in Fillmore, California. It’s the only place in the county that allows them and people come from far and wide to partake in the festivities. As soon as the sun goes down the streets erupt and clouds of smoke fill the sky. Children of all ages light firecrackers and sparklers. It's a real family occasion and I was overjoyed to be part of it.
Egypt is not unique in that it is home to just about as many stray animals as it is residents. Around every corner, under each car and through every alley are sets of eyes watching you.
In 2011, I had the pleasure of shooting the team from Wild and Free. They were in Bettles Field Alaska leading an expedition for a Norwegian dog mushing school who brings over students each year to train in the wilderness. The trip involved 18 students, eighty dogs, pulling fourteen sleds through some of the most remote and beautiful areas of Alaska.
The team was led by American dog mushers Brent Sass, Josh Horst and Thom Walker. Brent Sass and the team has since gone on to win the 1,000 mile Yukon Quest international sled dog race from Whitehorse, Yukon to Fairbanks, Alaska in 2015, 2019 and 2020.
