Svalbard

Back after a break 

If you think it has been quiet around these ramparts, then it is intentional. I decided to take a break from everything,including writing and social media. Instead, I picked up my camera, packed my bags, and went on a photo trip to Svalbard. 

I have not been on photo adventures for almost a year, mostly because I was losing my ability to imagine the landscapes. I really take photos from my mind’s eye. And unless I am ready mentally, I fail to commune with my camera, just as I dowhen it comes to writing. 

The trip has been good from a creative standpoint. I hope to share more about the trip, my photography, and my impressions of Svalbard from the perspective of climate change and how time changes everything. 

I hope you have not missed me too much. 

June 23, 2025.

Musings
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Snowstorm

Today, I was supposed to be somewhere close to Ny-Ålesund, a tiny little city on an island in the Arctic north from Svalbard. I was going to be part of a photo expedition led by my dear friend Chris Michel, who first took me there in 2017. Three years ago was a time of self-discovery and the beginning of a voyage into listening to my heart. It was a year of experiences: Japan, Iceland, the Arctics. By exploring these places and others, I was also able to explore myself. It was a year when words and visuals became interchangeable for me. It was the year I realized that I am what I think and feel I am — not who others think I am.  

And while I captured images as I roamed the planet, I was not yet able to fully interpret and render those feelings into photographs. The

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Musings, On Photography
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How I survived an Arctic Vacation

I recently took a trip to the Arctic North, traveling pretty deep into the Arctic Circle and was about 600 miles from the North Pole. It was frigid cold and windy, making it hard to make photos. My Leica SL performed like a champion but in order for me to use it well, I need to dress warm and keep the bone-piercing wind out and stay warm when deal with temperatures that dipped way below zero. Here is the kit I used. 

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Musings
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A summer in the Arctic

My recent trip to the Arctic North, prompted folks from Aether Apparel, one of my favorite brands recently, to run a photo-essay on their online Journal. These photos were made with my Leica SL, Fuji x100F and my iPhone 7+. They also asked me why I went to the icy wilderness. Thank you Aether, for also sharing a 15 percent discount code – FriendsofOm.

Musings
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Reentry 

Things have been silent around here! I went on an expedition to the Arctic North, accompanied by my trusted Leica SL. I took off the watch, deleted all apps from my phone, turned off the network and got off the grid. All I wanted was ice, snow and the Arctic cold — to cleanse my mind of the ugliness that has enveloped the modern society and instead focus on the gifts of the heavens. It was a meditative  experiences I am re-entering life, and you will hear a lot about the experience, places and things. Looking forward to sharing it with you.

May 31, 2017, San Francisco 

Photo by Chris Michel. 

Musings
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