Sun(🌇=’set’, 🌅=’rise’) Time On The Canary Islands

Posted on 26. February 2018 by Anja

The blue hour is not only my happy hour :)

Before moving to the Canary Islands for 3 months, I had read in several travel guides that the Spanish archipelago is a perfect location to capture stunning sunrises and sunsets above the mountains and the sea. As you can see, I was not disappointed!

Here is my personal list of the best places on the Canary Islands to catch amazing, colorful and inspiring sunrises and sunsets. Happy shooting!
💛🧡❤💜💙

Puertito de Güimar, Tenerife: sunset above the Teide National Park

Puertito de Güimar, Tenerife: blue hour cloud formations above the Teide National Park

Puertito de Güimar, Tenerife: sunrise above Gran Canaria

Garachico, Tenerife: sunset through Iglesia de Santa Ana

Punta de Teno, Tenerife: sunset through the lighthouse

Punta de Teno, Tenerife: sunset above the lighthouse

Punta de Teno, Tenerife: sunset above La Gomera

Candelaria, Tenerife: blue hour as seen from the Teide National Park

Candelaria, Tenerife: taming the sea with a blue hour long exposure

East Coast, Tenerife: view from the Teide National Park

Teide National Park, Tenerife: Ermita de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves during sunset hour

Teide National Park, Tenerife: sunset behind the volcano

Teide National Park, Tenerife

Teide National Park, Tenerife: sunset above Roques de García

Teide National Park, Tenerife: sunset hour while cruising through the park

Las Casas, El Hierro: sunrise above the sea

Las Casas, El Hierro: sunset above the town

Artenara, Gran Canaria: sunset above the central mountains

Teror, Gran Canaria: sunrise above the town

Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote: sunset above Lanzarote and Fuerteventura

If you like this post you might also like The End Of Year Season On The Canary Islands…

Weekend Wanderings: Coastal Walk In Biarritz, France

Posted on 18. January 2017 by Anja

Biarritz, queen of beaches, beach of kings. I fell in love with this cute town on day 1 of my visit. I even remember exactly when it happened: at the very moment when I stepped out of one of the town’s narrow alleys, overlooking a long stretch of sandy beach from above with hundreds of surfers paddling their boards towards a magical sunset above the mountains of the Spanish Basque country in the background.

Here is what I enjoyed most while walking along the French Atlantic coast between Pointe Saint-Martin (Lighthouse) and the Plage de la Côte des Basques.

View from the Sea Museum Aquarium of Biarritz (Musée de la Mer Aquarium) towards the Hôtel du Palais and the lighthouse as well as the Miramar Beach (Plage Miramar) in between

The 74 meter high lighthouse on Saint-Martin Point was built in 1834 and is located at the northernmost point of Biarritz

The Fishermen Port (Port des Pêche), built in 1870, does host more restaurants than fishermen these days — a good place to eat seafood in Biarritz

The town’s main beach (Grande Plage) located between the Fishermen Port and the Hôtel du Palais

Surfing is probably the most popular water sport in Biarritz, attracting heaps of tourists each year

Surfing into the sunset at the Plage de la Côte des Basques, the main surfing beach of Biarritz (with mountains of the Spanish Basque Country in the background)

Dreamy sunset above the 6 km of beach that Biarritz has to offer

Rocks in the water are a signal that…

…the Rock of the Virgin (Rocher de la Vierge) isn’t far — a statue erected by fishermen after being saved from drowning in the sea

The bridge that connects the Rock of the Virgin with the mainland has been built by Gustave Eiffel, the architect of the Eiffel Tower

The Rock of the Virgin is an excellent sunset point…

…but also offers great views over Biarritz, like for example towards the Villa Belza

The clash of achitecture styles makes the town’s shoreline so unique

After the sun has gone down, leave the coast and enjoy walking through the streets of Biarritz

If you like this post you might also like Weekend Wanderings: Sunset Hour At St Leu d’Esserent.

Red

Posted on 14. January 2015 by Anja

People are just as wonderful as sunsets if you let them be. When I look at a sunset, I don’t find myself saying, “Soften the orange a bit on the right hand corner.” I don’t try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds.
~ Carl R. Rogers

Photo details (please click on the image for best quality):
Canon EOS 60D, 70mm, ISO 100, F32, 30 sec., no filter, no flash.
Location: Darwin, Australia.

If you like this post please have a look at more Wise Words And Quotes In Images…

Weekend Wanderings: Coromandel In Landscape Mode

Posted on 14. September 2014 by Anja

Coromandel is a small peninsula on New Zealand’s Northern Island. It’s a popular weekend destination for Aucklanders, especially during the summer months.

We went there in winter!

Coromandel in winter = empty beaches, peaceful walks, silent sunsets, pure tranquility. Have a look!

Beach shells landscapegroundshot Coromandel

Abandoned Beach in COromandel New Zealand

If you like this post you might also like Weekend Wanderings: Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium…

Photo Essay: Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Posted on 25. May 2014 by Anja

When winter is coming to New Zealand, a Kiwi’s biggest concern is How to make the summer last a little longer.

Top answer: “Fly to Raro, mate!”

No sooner said than done, the waterproof GoPro, Mr ae.i and I found ourselves back in a time travel machine (aka flight VA173, leaving Auckland each Friday at 7pm, arriving 4 hours later in Rarotonga, on Thursday shortly before midnight).

Being a Pacific Island, Rarotonga is all about white beaches, coconut palm trees, and stunning sunsets over a turquoise lagoon. But the island gets mountainous in the centre, with Te Manga exceeding 650 metres.

That peak is where surprisingly many rain clouds get stuck, which supported the creation of a dense forest (I will write up another article about the island crossing through that forest – stay tuned).

So if you find yourself under a grey cloud on one side of the island, grab your scooter and drive 15 kilometres (half way) to the other side. You will likely end up under blue sky and sun. We explored the lagoon each single day; by kayak, paddleboard or while snorkeling. Enjoy our Top 25 Paradise Photos below.

Sunset over Taakoka, a small coral islet at Muri Beach (place of our guesthouse)

The lagoon at Muri Beach couldn’t be more turquoise

Lagoon at Black Rock Beach, waiting to be explored

Fisherman enjoying a picturesque fishing location

Sunset over Rarotonga

Black Rock Beach

A long grey rain cloud which didn’t seem to move at all for over 1 hour

Walk for 5 minutes along Muri Beach and you’ll end up with a dog accompanying you for a few hundred metres; I don’t know where they come from or whom they belong to, but they are always there :)

The Rarotongan Beach

Curious fish, getting closer and closer from the GoPro

Swimming in the middle of a swarm

Typical sea star colour in Raro: blue (awesome!)

View towards the island centre

A first impression from the island crossing, leading through dense forest

Sunbeams made visible by a small fire in the woods

Taro field; typical Southeast Asian vegetable

Coconut palm trees everywhere

We had full moon during our stay, but I still managed to capture a few stars over Muri Beach

Getting prepared for the evening…

…enjoying a little cocktail…

…while watching the sunset (and the big waves at the reef)

Cultural show explaining the history of the country

A coral washed ashore (like every 5 metres)

This coral cemetery is close to the reef; you can walk there from Koromiri, another coral islet at Muri Beach

360° panorama of the Muri Beach lagoon entrance: left = open sea with big waves rolling in and hitting the reef; right = beginning of Muri Beach lagoon

If you like this post you might also like Photo Essay: New Caledonia…

A Smile Of Nature

Posted on 12. May 2014 by Anja

Never waste any amount of time doing anything important when there is a sunset outside that you should be sitting under!
~C. JoyBell C.

Photo details (please click on the image for best quality):
Canon EOS 60D, 17mm, ISO 100, F22, 1 sec., no filter, no flash.

If you like this post you might also like 10 Inspirational Travel Quotes I Love…

One Year Weather Photography Over Rangitoto

Posted on 6. April 2014 by Anja

Exactly one year ago, while updating my blog post “Sunrise Over Rangitoto”, I decided to keep on photographing the weather phenomenons over that volcanic island near Auckland – always from the same viewpoint. As of today, I created 37 panoramas over the past 12 months, all depicting some typical moments of a city by the sea. I uploaded them

as a collage with all photos in chronological order: photo 1 was taken in March 2013; the last photo in March 2014 (please click the collage to enlarge it)
as a gallery to browse all captures by theme: sunrise, cloudy, foggy, rainy, cloud free (please scroll past the collage for the gallery view)