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PHOTO STORIES
 

There is a story behind every photo - the location of the photo, the creation of the photo, sometimes also the path the photo has taken since its creation. With all my photos, I want to take you through these stories. Today we start with the first larger batch of them. PS I give names to photos only when absolutely necessary. I leave the name imagination up to you. Still, to understand which is photo which, they have numbers.
8/11/2022, Dan

A dead tree in the middle of the Fall's explosion

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A dead tree in the middle of the Fall's explosion

This tree may be dead, but it stood out in the explosions of colors around... making it a single spark between the Fall and the Winter..

Western Highlands , Czech Republic

Deep Fall in the forest near Prague

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Deep Fall in the forest near Prague

As you can see of my other photo of this tree at a road - already in the winter time - it was most resilient to winter and really didn't want to let her in.

This was my favorite place of 2024 - late in the Autumn, the myriad of red and orange leaves created an incredible scenery, visible especially from the air.

Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

Deep Fall in the forest near Prague

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Deep Fall in the forest near Prague

The bright sun combined with the abundance of red leaves created this eerie scene.

I love how abstract and full of mysteries this photo turned out.. And this was my favorite forest of 2024 - late in the Fall, the myriad of red and orange leaves created an incredible scenery, visible especially from the air.

Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

Deep Fall in the forest near Prague

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Deep Fall in the forest near Prague

The bright sun combined with the abundance of red leaves created this eerie scene.

This was my favorite place of 2024 - late in the Fall, the myriad of red and orange leaves created an incredible scenery, visible especially from the air.

Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

First snow in the forests nearby Prague.

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First snow in the forests nearby Prague.

The last standing trees with leaves.. surrounded by the coming winter.

The most magical and shortest season: the first snow. It's the season when everything gets just a thin veil of white cover, which doesn't manage to hide everything though - especially some of the last remaining colors of the soon to be fully defeated Autumn. I was extremely lucky to catch this season in good conditions in November 2023 near Prague.

Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

First snow in the forests nearby Prague.

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First snow in the forests nearby Prague.

The last standing trees with leaves.. surrounded by the coming winter.

The most magical and shortest season: the first snow. It's the season when everything gets just a thin veil of white cover, which doesn't manage to hide everything though - especially some of the last remaining colors of the soon to be fully defeated Autumn. I was extremely lucky to catch this season in good conditions in November 2023 near Prague.

Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

First snow in the forests nearby Prague.

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First snow in the forests nearby Prague.

The last standing trees with leaves.. surrounded by the coming winter.

The most magical and shortest season: the first snow. It's the season when everything gets just a thin veil of white cover, which doesn't manage to hide everything though - especially some of the last remaining colors of the soon to be fully defeated Autumn. I was extremely lucky to catch this season in good conditions in November 2023 near Prague.

Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

Misty ranges of Austrian Alps

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Misty ranges of Austrian Alps

A view above the tops of Austrian Alps south from Salzburg, straight against the sun.

Wagrain, Salzburg region, Central Austria

A bird flying over large streaks of river grass.

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A bird flying over large streaks of river grass.

The Kura River is one of the most important in Georgia and here

The river in a deep canyon which also features on of the largest cave monasteries is a home to many visual treats... but I did not expect to bring home this one!

Mirashkhani, Samske Jakavkheti, Southern Georgia

Sediments coming from a hill at the outskirt of the Great Caucasus.

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Sediments coming from a hill at the outskirt of the Great Caucasus.

About a 100 meter steep hill, on the top of which there are mineral springs falling down. Over the years, it created these sediments right next to the Military Highway, connecting Tbilisi with the Russian border on the north.

Travertine Mineral Springs, Mtskheta-Mtianeli, Northern Georgia

Around the highest peaks in Madeira.

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Around the highest peaks in Madeira.

A soon to come sunset to the clouds around the highest peaks of Madeira in the central part of the island.

Pico do Arieiro, Madeira, Portugal

A rural country in the remote region in Southern Georgia

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A rural country in the remote region in Southern Georgia

This large highland region at the borders of Georgia with Turkey and Armenia without virtually any tourist infrastructure is a true gem to visit. You'll meet real life cowboys, various Georgian communities and country which partly looks very rural, partly is undeveloped and has almost a nordic feel.

The night before, we fell with our van into a mudhole and it took quite a bit of time for another van to pull us back. We decided to stay in the area overnight and in the morning I took my drone to look what's around. And I found this incredible patch!

Samtskhe-Javakheti, Southern Georgia

A beach filled in with kite surfers.

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A beach filled in with kite surfers.

The controversial Rosignano beach features turquoise water but it's because of a dump from an adjacent factory...

The dump is from soda ash factory operated by company Solvay . It has been authorized to manage this site for over a century, where they've had the allowance to pump up to 250,000 tons of industrial waste directly onto the beach​. Despite the alluring visuals, the underlying pollution presents a significant issue and s source of controversy surrounding the beach.

Rosignano, Tucsany, North Western Italy

A little patch of trees and grass (a "remízek") among fields.

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A little patch of trees and grass (a "remízek") among fields.

These little patches play an important ecological role in the rural country. Unfortunately, many of them were removed during the mass agriculture of the communist era.

near Kolín, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

A spring in the autumn...

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A spring in the autumn...

This geothermal area is straight from a different planet, even if Iceland itself looks otherworldly. I can still smell some of my photos!

Mývatn Geothermal Area, North Eastern Iceland

Waterfall in the Stuðlagil canyon in the late autumn.

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Waterfall in the Stuðlagil canyon in the late autumn.

The canyon was until recently "undiscovered" by people - a very strong river used to flow there and the area around the eastern inland highlands is very inhospitable even for weathered Icelanders. But 13 years ago, the river level dropped by almost 9m due to a nearby power plant and a completely unsuspected canyon full of basalt columns appeared. The canyon is now on side 2, may be 3, of all Icelandic tourist catalogs, less so this waterfall.

-- The day was a pretty bad light, it was a cold winter, it was raining with snow (which my drone especially likes) and I was still a long way from my accomodation far up in the mountains. So I'm glad that this photo came out quite well and I can present it to you now.

Stuðlagil, Eastern Iceland

A frozen pond near its shore.

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A frozen pond near its shore.

Nakri, Southern Bohemia, Southern Czech Republic

A surfer at the wild coastal waters.

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A surfer at the wild coastal waters.

Madeira, Madeira, Portugal

A frozen pond near its shore.

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A frozen pond near its shore.

Nakri, Southern Czech Republic

A surfer at the wild coastal waters.

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A surfer at the wild coastal waters.

Madeira, Portugal

An ice structure appx 3 meter in diameter at the melting pond.

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An ice structure appx 3 meter in diameter at the melting pond.

I went to the pond to try to photograph sunset and ice... and this is where they meet!

Nakri, Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic

A surfer navigating the wild coastal waters.

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A surfer navigating the wild coastal waters.

Madeira, Portugal

The central Iceland highlands a few days before the first snow came.

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The central Iceland highlands a few days before the first snow came.

Highlands, Central Iceland

Hop fields

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Hop fields

Slaný, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

An orchard in bloom in the Břevnov monastery garden.

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An orchard in bloom in the Břevnov monastery garden.

Břevnov Monastery, Prague, Czech Republic

The eye of the geysir that gave the name to all of them

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The eye of the geysir that gave the name to all of them

Geysir, South Eastern Iceland

A sudden storm coming to central Highlands on the beginning of the winter

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A sudden storm coming to central Highlands on the beginning of the winter

Highlands, central Iceland

A little forest in the middle of the fields

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A little forest in the middle of the fields

Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

Two windsurfers before catching the wind

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Two windsurfers before catching the wind

Rosignano, North Eastern Italy

A kite surfer jumping in a strong wind.

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A kite surfer jumping in a strong wind.

Rosignano, North Eastern Italy

A kitesurfer on a turqoise beach in Italy

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A kitesurfer on a turqoise beach in Italy

Rosignano, North Eastern Italy

A fallen tree during the Autumn

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A fallen tree during the Autumn

Třeboňsko, Southern Bohemia Czech Republic

A wide glacial braided river delta in an agricultural valley, a few kilometers before entering the ocean.

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A wide glacial braided river delta in an agricultural valley, a few kilometers before entering the ocean.

Central North, Iceland undefined

Fallen leaves and algae on the top of Slapy dam near Prague in the Autumn.

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Fallen leaves and algae on the top of Slapy dam near Prague in the Autumn.

The colorful pattern is created by a combination of leaves fallen down from the forests of the surrounding hills and various colored algae that grew massively during the summer. A fisherman makes his way through it to land shortly on the shore.

Slapy Dam, Czech Republic

The Lužnice river flows between two ponds.

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The Lužnice river flows between two ponds.

This unique sight is caused by the river entering a pond system in Southern Czech Republic and flowing through it for a couple dozen kilometers. On some places, like this, it's more water than lands...

I took this photo originally in 2020 on the end of October and keep returning there in the same week every following year because I wasn't too happy with it - even though it won the 3rd place in the Landscape category Czech Nature Photo in 2021. In 2021, the light conditions were bad and worse then, during that photoshoot I actually crashed my drone (entirely my fault and recklesness... good learning for me). That weekend wasn't good at all on so many other levels, too. In 2022, things got better! I was lucky to have a bright day without sunlight that would create unnecessary shadows, yet with dramatically painted sky over the ponds around the river. But yes, I'll keep coming there every year...

Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic

Thousands of gulls during the blue hour on the largest Czech pond

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Thousands of gulls during the blue hour on the largest Czech pond

An incredibly large flock of white-headed gulls was getting together right after the sunset at the largest Czech man-made pond Rožmberk.

You can also check a video from this incredible scene here: https://youtu.be/XdsouIa7G7s

Rožmberk pond, Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic

An island on a pond during the Fall

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An island on a pond during the Fall

Several species of birds have home on this pond.

I was lucky to capture this view during the sunset... when the sun was illuminating the birds and the islands, but only partly the water. A fairly dramatic color and contrast effect was created...

Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic

A tree fallen to a dried up pond in the Fall

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A tree fallen to a dried up pond in the Fall

The Nadějská rybniční soustava ("the Hope pond system") is a part of a large medieval man-made pond system in the Southern Czech Republic. In any time of the year, it's a spectacular location for aerial vistas. The Fall, however, is definitely the best time to come for a flyover.

Rybník Naděje (the pond Hope), Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic

A tree fallen to a dried up pond in the Fall

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A tree fallen to a dried up pond in the Fall

The Nadějská rybniční soustava ("the Hope pond system") is a part of a large medieval man-made pond system in the Southern Czech Republic. In any time of the year, it's a spectacular location for aerial vistas. The Fall, however, is definitely the best time to come for a flyover.

Rybník Naděje (the pond Hope), Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic

A tree fallen to a dried up pond in the Fall

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A tree fallen to a dried up pond in the Fall

The Nadějská rybniční soustava ("the Hope pond system") is a part of a large medieval man-made pond system in the Southern Czech Republic. In any time of the year, it's a spectacular location for aerial vistas. The Fall, however, is definitely the best time to come for a flyover.

Rybník Naděje (the pond Hope), Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic

Last remaining leaves in an oak forest

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Last remaining leaves in an oak forest

The beautiful forest is spectacular in the late Autumn, when the leaves cover the ground entirely and the white branches of the trees create a fantastic contrast with it.

Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

A structure on a wastewater pond.

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A structure on a wastewater pond.

A structure of an unknown kind for me over a wastewater pond in an industrial zone.

I visited this place a few times during a different times of the year. Interestingly, the water color varies greatly, depending on the season, the color of the sky and perhaps the composition of the waste. This was taken in June. In the Fall, the water is more bluish..

Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic

A little island with a house during the Fall.

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A little island with a house during the Fall.

The lake is a home to several small islands, some of them with houses.

I was lucky to catch a good time with the tourist boat around... the day was bright and sunny and created the epic contrast scenery.

Žernošecké jezero, Northern Bohemia, Czech Republic

A tiny island on a little pond in the Autumn.

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A tiny island on a little pond in the Autumn.

South Bohemia is a region with hundreds of man-made lakes and ponds dating back to the medieval era. These ponds are scattered by many muddy islands, often providing home to many bird species.

This photo was taken during one of the most colorful autumn days .

Třeboň area, South Bohemia, Czech Republic

"Remízek", the ever so important piece of animal refuge among the fields

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"Remízek", the ever so important piece of animal refuge among the fields

Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

A braided river entering the sea in a weather changing between sun and storm

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A braided river entering the sea in a weather changing between sun and storm

South Eastern Iceland

A lone tree on a field shortly after harvest

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A lone tree on a field shortly after harvest

Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

A road crossing a vast area of sand and glacial rivers near the shore.

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A road crossing a vast area of sand and glacial rivers near the shore.

Central Southern Iceland

A tree in a late evening sun on a post-winter grass

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A tree in a late evening sun on a post-winter grass

A place of a former Soviet military base during their occupation years in Czechoslovakia. Now the bush took over.

Milovice, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

A river mouth to an Austrian alpine lake on a winter day.

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A river mouth to an Austrian alpine lake on a winter day.

Austrian Alps, South Austria

Fallen leaves and algae on the top of Slapy dam near Prague in the Autumn.

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Fallen leaves and algae on the top of Slapy dam near Prague in the Autumn.

The colorful pattern is created by a combination of leaves fallen down from the forests of the surrounding hills and various colored algae that grew massively during the summer. A fisherman makes his way through it to land shortly on the shore.

Slapy Dam, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

A boat pier at a lake.

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A boat pier at a lake.

Lago Maggiore, Northern Italy

A dump into a wastewater reservoir in an industrial area.

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A dump into a wastewater reservoir in an industrial area.

The liquid waste is being dumped from the pipes on the bottom into a pond with already sedimented waste.

These dumps are very uninspiring from the ground and nobody comes to visit. However, from a bird's perspective, a wholly different realm opens up. I love flying, whenever possible, above these areas - definitely being avoided by an average tourist. But again, if you look at them with a different perspective, and a different attitude, perhaps, they reveal flowers of a wholly different kind.

Chomutov region, Western Bohemia

_Something_ on a wastewater pond.

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_Something_ on a wastewater pond.

I fully admit I have no idea of the functionality of the device, neither the real cause of the green color. With this blissful ignorance, I really loved how the colors and shapes played out in the sunny June day.

Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic

A classical era sail in the afternoon sun

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A classical era sail in the afternoon sun

A Dutch old-time sail ship cruising between the Croatian Islands of Brac and Hvar.

Island of Brač, Croatia

A glacial river canyon between two snow covered mountains.

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A glacial river canyon between two snow covered mountains.

Friðland að Fjallabaki highlands, Central Iceland

A former volcano filled in by a little glacial lake.

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A former volcano filled in by a little glacial lake.

That day, the weather was crazy even for Icelandic standards, with changes from sunny day to snow storms in less than 20 minutes. So I was quite lucky to capture this high-resolution panorama under just right light conditions.

Friðland að Fjallabaki highlands, Central Iceland

Braided river on a day of the first snow.

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Braided river on a day of the first snow.

That day, the weather was crazy even for Icelandic standards, with changes from sunny day to snow storms in less than 20 minutes. So I was quite lucky to capture this high-resolution panorama under just right light conditions.

Friðland að Fjallabaki highlands, Central Iceland

A cruise boat at the tip of the beach in the early morning

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A cruise boat at the tip of the beach in the early morning

The Zlatni Rat is one of the world's most famous beaches. This photo was taken very much right after the sunrise, when only a few people were there. Soon, thousands and thousands of people flock in.

Zlatni Rat Beach, Island of Brač, Croatia

A boat at the shallow sea waters near the shore

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A boat at the shallow sea waters near the shore

The wonderfully chaotic sea bed of white sand, cliffs and sea weed makes a perfect backdrop for the little boat.

Island of Brač, Croatia

Cliff covered by autumn moss

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Cliff covered by autumn moss

South Western Iceland

A boat anchors close to the rocky shore

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A boat anchors close to the rocky shore

The white rocky cliffs of many Croatian Islands, including Brač, are an awesome snorkeling location... and due to the pristine clear water, also a fantastic place to photo from the top.

Island Brač, Croatia

A sand drill, bringing a sand on the carrier to create a cone of various segments of a diverse colored sand.

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A sand drill, bringing a sand on the carrier to create a cone of various segments of a diverse colored sand.

A part of a larger industrial area and a port.

The places which we deem ugly, even toxic, places that we associate with destruction of Earth – even those have a hidden side where a new kind of beauty emerges. I love exploring these places, almost giving them a chance to shine, to tell their story, to let them contribute at least some beauty to the world of natural beauty in which they seem to be the opposite.

Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

Just a lone tree in a backyard

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Just a lone tree in a backyard

This photo is one of my favorite examples how a totally mundane area - here, a nondescript backyard in a suburban country area near Prague - can contain true gems, if only you're lucky enough to spot them.

Also, this is not a typical drone photo.. the height is low and the angle unusual for my photos.. but I really love it, so enjoy it with me.

Slaný, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

Not really an island.. just a flock of may water lillies

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Not really an island.. just a flock of may water lillies

Novozámecký rybník, North Bohemia, Czech Republic

A very unfrequented track... with a girl observing clouds from them.

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A very unfrequented track... with a girl observing clouds from them.

Návarov is a little village in a foresty area on the way to the Krkonoše mountains. Not very touristy, it provides very nice hikes outside of the beaten path... and almost abandoned railway tracks.

Vitalina was my couchsurfing guest from Ukraine, staying with me for a while in 2017. Later that year, she was housesitting a cottage in Navarov and I was her guest for a change. On one of our hikes, we discovered this track with zero traffic. She lied on it and counted the clouds... while I watched her from the top and guarded for any coming trains (none came, indeed).

Návarov, North Bohemia Czech Republic

Mud and waste substances from mining operations mix with water in a freezing wastewater pond

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Mud and waste substances from mining operations mix with water in a freezing wastewater pond

Odkaliště Venuše (“Sludge pond Venus”) is probably the last place where you’d look for beauty in the Czech Republic. In the middle of a land destroyed by mining and industrial activity is a pond with a content you don’t even want to think of. Yet - here we are presented with a magically pretty flower… an acid flower, perhaps.

Odkaliště Venuše, Mostecko, North Western Czech Republic

Mud and waste substances from mining operations mix with water in a wastewater pond

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Mud and waste substances from mining operations mix with water in a wastewater pond

Odkaliště Venuše (“Sludge pond Venus”) is probably the last place where you’d look for beauty in the Czech Republic. In the middle of a land destroyed by mining and industrial activity is a pond with a content you don’t even want to think of. Yet - here we are presented with a magically pretty flower… an acid flower, perhaps.

Odkaliště Venuše, Mostecko, North Western Czech Republic

Gulls over a dried out pond

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Gulls over a dried out pond

Hodonín area, Eastern Moravia, Czech Republic

Outlet of a dam

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Outlet of a dam

Eastern Moravia, Czech Republic

Two dead trees among early Autumn colors

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Two dead trees among early Autumn colors

Koněprusy, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

A canyon of one of the most beautiful European rivers

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A canyon of one of the most beautiful European rivers

... further photo context coming later ...

Socha River, North Western Slovenia

The tiniest iceland, just for an old defunct power line, on the end of the Autumn.

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The tiniest iceland, just for an old defunct power line, on the end of the Autumn.

... further photo context coming later ...

lake Mývatn, Northern Iceland

A tiny island close to the shore.

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A tiny island close to the shore.

... further photo context coming later ...

Mývatn Lake, Northern Iceland

A former quarry filled in with water deep in the mountains.

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A former quarry filled in with water deep in the mountains.

... more context about the photo coming soon ...

Rychlebské hory, Northern Moravia, Czech Republic

Last group of trees with leaves amidst a deep autumn forest

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Last group of trees with leaves amidst a deep autumn forest

-- I was concerned that I may not get great photos, coming to the area so late in the autumn with most trees already having shaken their leaves down. However, some patches still could be found and especially in the bright sun of that day they created incredible views.

near Koněprusy, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

Cross Country skiers on a cold January day.

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Cross Country skiers on a cold January day.


This particular region on the top of Krušné Hory mountains is hugely popular among cross skiers and many international competitions take place there regularly.

Krušné hory Mountains, North Western Bohemia, Czech Republic

A highland creek floating over a ferrous soil.

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A highland creek floating over a ferrous soil.

On the top of Krušné hory, you can find many meadows with highland bush and vegetation. It’s also where many creeks originate, join each other and perhaps disappear somewhere in the woods again. When adjusting contrasts of this image, the reddish color of the ferrous soil became immediately visible.

Krušné hory mountains, North Western Bohemia, Czech Republic

Blind stream Musík of the Slapy Dam near Prague in early autumn.

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Blind stream Musík of the Slapy Dam near Prague in early autumn.

-- The Slapy dam - created to protect Prague from previously devastating floods - is another popular destination for my photo trips. Both the water surface as well as surrounding hills and forests and almost an endless source of surprises.

Slapy dam, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

A forest on the top of a mountain ridge.

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A forest on the top of a mountain ridge.

-- I found this place by a pure coincidence - as is the case of quite a few other photos here - when flying from a site that actually didn’t prove to be as appealing as I’d have guessed from the online “satellite” maps (this also happens quite often). But I’m glad I did. And after seeing this photo in large prints, I understand why people sometimes take this part of the forest to their homes!

Krušné hory Mountains, North Western Bohemia, Czech Republic

More photos and stories will be added continuously.

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