Chicago Sunrise

There’s nothing like seeing the sun rise over Lake Michigan. The sun slowly shedding light over Chicago as the city begins to wake up. The Fullerton Avenue Beach has always been one my favorite places to not only see the sunrise but the views it offers of the city are simply stunning. It used to be quite rugged & natural and I think that is why I liked it so much. It disassociated itself from Chicago. I would see the rocky lakefront and completely forget where I was. There are still remnants of these urban boulders breaking through the water reminding me of when I first came here. Now concrete slabs cover the ground where rocks once laid but the sun still shines the same way.

Moments Like These

Moments Like These…

Moments like these; I get empty headed. It’s hard not to. Sometimes I get caught up in the whole seeing the world through a camera thing that I forget to see it first with my own eyes. My mind tends to be constantly moving 100 mph but there are these ‘speed bumps’ scattered along the way. These speed bumps, these moments, are a constant reminder to stop. Even if just for a moment. Just stop. See what’s around you, but really see it. Soak it in, live it and experience it. There are moments like these that wipe away the worries, the stress, excitement, the toll of everyday life; moments where my head becomes a total stand still, and I just drift away.

See more moments in Iceland Travel Photography

Clouds

Cloud Photography

Cloud photography is a creative way to explore nature. The sky is constantly changing offering a dramatic canvas that is at every photographer’s disposal. They are an integral element in almost every landscape picture while at the same time being simply beautiful on their own. I love to look at clouds as a way to pause for a moment. It is sort of ironic that something that floats so high in the sky keeps me grounded. Clouds are an infinite source of inspiration, and all a photographer has to do is look up.

A Poem about Clouds

Clouds.
They could be anything.
I remember looking up at the sky
Imagining.

Clouds.
They have endless possibilities.
The sun may shine through
While a storm can pass too
They fail to blink It’s an endless phase.
They grow & shrink
but keep moving through the days.

Clouds.
They’re shaped by nature and their surroundings
so their future is dependant on what’s presently happening.
They may be lost but they’ll always keep moving along
They’re living in the moment, and I see nothing wrong.

Clouds.
In fact I wish I was one.

Just A cloud.
Well that would be fun.

If you like any of my work, I would love for you to share it!

Cloud Poem by Chicago Writer and Photographer Paul Aparicio

Niagara Falls Travel

Niagara Falls Travel Photography

Niagara Falls. Three powerful waterfalls that are the very seam that separates the United States and Canada. I remember stories of people plunging over the waterfall in nothing but a barrel. Stories that built a reputation of a sort wonder of the world. I mean it’s Niagara Falls. Sometimes there’s places that I’ve seen countless pictures of and then when I get there, it’s like I’ve never seen it until I’ve seen it with my own eyes.

I will never forget my first visit to Niagara Falls; my first spontaneous trip. It was the first time I decided to just get in my car and drive and it was the match that sparked my desire to travel & adventure. Like the first, we drove throughout the night arriving as day broke. Walking towards the falls I could already feel it in the air; the mere power that pushes it’s mist, spreading, meeting me up at the end of the street. And then I see it and it’s as if I’ve never seen it before. I notice these small moments that I have never seen in photographs. The moment when the water returns to the Niagara River as if the the waterfall was a mere pebble in the road. Seagulls quietly float through the air just to dance in front of the waterfall.

These are the moments that is Niagara Falls for me.

See more Niagara Falls Travel Photography Here >

Lake Michigan Beach

Lake Michigan Recreation Area Photography

The smell of a Lake Michigan beach lingers in the air. I close my eyes and all I hear are the leaves being slowly pushed by the wind. This is where I am most at ease; the most myself. I enjoy it. Waking up with the trees above your head, cooking a meal over a fire, listening to the wood crackle as it burns, all while breathing in the fresh Michigan air.

A couple of weeks ago, I drove up to the Lake Michigan Recreation Area. There was no reason in particular, I guess it just seemed like a good opportunity to get away for a day; to keep it simple, no distractions and to just be. I knew I was getting close as all of the windows were filled with views of endless trees. Perfectly framing every passing moment. A bumpy, dirt road gently carves it way through the forest as to leave the least impact on nature. Once I opened up my door, there seemed to be a sense of relief. The air carried the soft sounds of laughter with a backdrop of Lake Michigan meeting the shore. A natural landscape. I smiled with every step closer to the beach, and as my feet hit the sand I felt like a child again.

Whenever I road trip, hike or just wander by myself, I always feel like I’m at peace; that I have the world in the palm of my hands. Maybe because I can clear my head of every thought and just live in that moment. Here are a couple of those moments that made me smile.