After more than 3 years I finally had enough time and inspiration to process a freehand panorama photo taken at the volcanically and geothermally still active Krafla region in the northeast of Iceland »»

When magma, which is usually entirely covered by the Earth’s mantle, rises up to the surface and gets in direct contact with water, then experts are only speaking soberly about phreatomagmatic eruptions but the rest of the world gets confronted with an all too often catastrophic explosive power being that immense like a couple of Hiroshima nukes. Back in 1883 such an epic volcanic eruption happened in Indonesia, between Java and Sumatra Islands. More than 20km3 of rocks and ash got tossed into the air followed by an up to 40m high Tsunami that erased all villages framing the Sunda Strait. The old volcano got almost vaporised but its offspring is already waiting in the wings, the Anak Krakatoa; a place that gets reconquered by life under as well as over the waterline »»

Why seeking far afield when the good could not be any closer? More and more I am acquiring a taste for taking photos at my own doorstep. The series Impressions from Berlin consciously contains colour as well as black/white images. It is meant to provide a new perspective on already known things and quarry some surprising new insights, for example to reveal that the world’s tallest minaret stands in Berlin »»

People travelling a lot are always able to tell a story, also when it comes to the actual transportation process. It comes as no surprise that many airlines are treating their customers like paying cattle and the service aboard is a very good indicator how airlines are seeing its passengers. However things can become even more insolent than a sticky sandwich unkindly thrown on your tray table. For example in February 2011 the airline British Midland International (bmi) gave proof how they are appreciating the people paying their salaries »»

The huge cloud packages carried by the south-east trade winds over Papua New Guinea are regulars in the sky spanning the world’s third largest insular state. Unbelievably impressive and beautiful light moods emerge when the sun and clouds are dancing together while letting in particular the small strato volcano Tavurvur, being located inside the Rabaul caldera, appear very photogenic; even that photogenic that it is worth to experiment with a black & white conversion of some already known images »»

To many people the Pacific paradise of the South Seas islands was and still is one of the most exciting dream destinations. There is no question that experiencing typical advertisement-like stereotypes such as snow-white beaches, coconut palm trees and crystal clear blue-turquoise water in person is a lifetime experience par excellence. Though the South Seas true gem is a varicoloured dialogue taking place between the locals, their fascinating tribal culture and a diverse unique nature that is captivating above as well as below the sealine. That beautiful togetherness gets only disturbed when the Earth’s most powerful forces get unleashed, when at the Pacific side of our planet all things called tectonics and volcanism are literally setting the place on fire as Oceania is part of the highly active circum-pacific Ring of Fire »»

Rabaul, a settlement in the East of magic exotic Papua New Guinea, has literally one of the hottest chronicles worldwide. On the one hand the equatorial sun is frying everything at temperatures around 30°C and air moisture of ~90%, on the other hand during World War II. Rabaul was caught in the middle when Japanese and US Americans were battling against each other and for dominance in the Pacific Ocean. That’s only the most recent history though. The biggest imminence was and still is the forces of nature as within living memory they ever emerged at that remote spot of our planet. In particular the eastern end of New Britain Island is at the mercy of volcanism and tectonics; there Earth’s most powerful forces are clashing at top speed and get all too often fully unleashed. Earthquakes are a daily occurrence and being powered by a magma chamber located only 3 to 4 kilometres deep, even two fire mountains – Vulcan Crater and the pretty explosive beast of Tavurvur – are letting off their infernal steam. Although this sounds like hell on Earth life, nature and humans are always coming back to this place and in particular wildlife under water could develop to worldwide unique undersea beauty »»

The islands of Palau are an archipelago being located some 1500km to the east of the Philippines. Several thousand years ago a tectonic uplifting process elevated its 356 islands literally to the second storey making them now looking like as if a sloppy painter was at work somewhere amidst the turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean and left dozens of green patches behind. The rock islands of Palau are forming a large lagoon housing a worldwide unique variety of submarine life. Doesn’t matter if going below the waterline by snorkel or scuba, unavoidably you’ll become eyewitness of toilet sized giant clams, sharks en masse and countless fish being painted in all possible colours. Palau’s most amazing miracle of nature is a small stand-alone pond full of thousands of golden jellyfish drifting around in time with the shining sun at the Jellyfish Lake »»

The Indian subcontinent stands for long distances, is home to millions of people and was once the cradle of a unique early civilisation. In particular the dynasty of the Great Moguls and their sophisticated comprehension of Indo-Islamic culture and architecture formed the country. On a more than four thousand kilometres long journey through North India sights are literally lining the streets. Starting in Calcutta, the journey lead to the sacred city of Varanasi and further on to Indian classics such as the Agra-based Taj Mahal or Fatehpur Sikri, the abandoned former capital of Great Mogul Akbar. In the West scenery is getting more and more meagre, though the wealth of cultural treasures is still on a high level, if even not higher. For example Jaipur’s and Jodhpur’s world of palaces and forts gives an idea how highly developed India’s civilisation once was. The ride’s grand finale was a visit to Abhaneri’s superbly symmetric step well, Deshnok’s bizarre rat temple and Amritsar, home of the amazing Golden Temple and heart of Punjabstate that is bordering with Pakistan in more or less peaceful way; the special border closing ceremony being held every evening near Amritsar gives proof of that »»

The way to a human’s heart is through its stomach; maybe that is why every second Indian restaurant is named Taj Mahal nowadays. The actual name giver is located in North Indian Agra and was built by Great Mogul Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. His intensive and eternal love as well as the abilities of Persian architect Abu Fazel left the world a unique gem of Indo-Islamic architecture behind »»