Ether

connecting with Ether...
I have won a photo contest only once in my life. Well, I have participated in a photo contest only once, too. Freshly baked from college, I joined a large outsourcing company in Kharkiv, and when they announced the annual photo contest, I submitted a couple of photos I had taken the previous year. I thought the winning photo was completely lost. But to my surprise, a few days ago, I found tons of archives on an external disk I had completely forgotten about (it’s like a USB flash drive with mp3 that’s been sitting in your car for the last ten years, but even cooler). Because the contest was held right after the 2008 crisis, I received a 128-MB USB flash drive as the prize (yikes, the year before they gave away laptops at the company party). I’m sure I can find that flash drive too if I dig deep enough in my wardrobe.
Early fall colors in Glacier National Park.
While a long exposure during high tide can create the effect of thick fog instead of water, a long exposure during low tide turns the sand into a magical mirror.
There were dunes. And there was silence. Daunting silence. Then came the roar from two fighter jets performing their routine exercises in the sky above. Then the planes disappeared and the silence returned. Even louder than before. Then there came the sunset and shadows. And when it got almost dark, there came a cloud of utmost beauty and color I had never seen before… I know those all are totally unrelated. Or maybe...
The next level in landscape photography, after waking up early and hiking far, would be carrying a couple of bags of fallen leaves to throw into a waterfall pool if there aren’t enough floating there for the composition.
“Sleeping is a way of dying or at least of dying to reality, better still it is the death of reality, but reality dies in love as in dreams. The life of man is entirely occupied by the bloody osmosis of dreams and love.“<br/>- Salvador Dalí
I was ready to ask my wife to drive our car up and down the road to create the effect I was looking for when, finally, a few cars passed by and gave me what I needed. As for my wife, she didn't get her chance to escape and had to keep pretending she liked the silly process she was involuntarily involved in.
What can a person camping right by the ocean with no access to the Internet for 24 hours do? Right, watch the breathing of the water and take occasional pictures. While at some coastal locations, changes to the scenery brought by low or high tide are hardly noticeable, here on Shi-Shi Beach the in-water rocks become barely visible during high tide, but almost all the water retreats during low tide. Living through every minute of these slow changes is a truly magical experience.
I didn't have a remote shutter release with me that day, so I had ten seconds between hitting the camera button and sprinting to the spot where I was going to stand and express something profound. And I had to repeat this entertainment a dozen times. Luckily, the dense fog meant nobody could see this idiot with his bizarre morning exercise.
One of my favorite pictures taken in Ricketts Glen State Park. The peak of October foliage brings lots of colors and opportunities for artistic long-exposure photos.
Something that often irritates me about American parks is that many of them have opening hours between sunrise and sunset, which hinders photo opportunities for people trying to aim at the precious blue or golden hours. After sitting in front of the closed gates for thirty minutes, I almost gave up on any chances to photograph that morning. Luckily, the stormy clouds meant the best time for pictures was after sunrise.
This park might not offer the grand sceneries that many places on the West Coast have, but I love it for its compactness, coziness, and diversity of landscapes and seascapes. Except for one remote part of the park, everything is reachable within fifteen to thirty minutes. Lakes and mountains, meadows and rocky coasts, sunsets and lighthouses. Ah, and breweries too!
One of those photos where I didn't initially expect anything to play out. Only after looking at it on a big screen and applying some post-processing magic did it reveal its complexity and beauty.

Ether, also known as Aether or Spirit, represents the space in which all other elements exist and interact. It is the most subtle and intangible element, symbolizing the essence of life and the universe. Ether is associated with unity, the infinite, and the interconnectedness of all things. It embodies the concept of the divine spark within each of us and the underlying reality that connects all existence.

Ether helps us understand the interconnectedness of all things and the bigger picture of existence. It encourages spiritual growth, awareness, and the recognition of the unity that underlies all diversity. This element invites us to explore the mysteries of life, seek higher knowledge, and connect with the divine. Working with the Ether element through practices such as meditation, prayer, and contemplation can lead to a deeper sense of peace, oneness, and a connection with the divine. Ether reminds us that while we are individual beings, we are also part of a greater whole, and our actions and thoughts have far-reaching impacts on the world around us.

Other elements:
Earth gallery
Earth
Water gallery
Water
Fire gallery
Fire
Air gallery
Air