The Big Picture

Hiking. That's what we do on the weekend, every chance we get - time and weather permitting.
I told you the last time - I'm addicted to the mountains.
We live in the beautiful region called the Allgaeu. We're at the foot of the Alps, surrounded by lakes and forests and pure nature. I think we live in paradise. Constantly, I hear the mountains calling me to come. :)
Being in the mountains is a special feeling. You really need to work hard to get to those amazing vistas, but the reward for the effort is enormous. A good hike not only makes me feel strong and alive, it also connects me to nature and "The Big PIcture" in a special way. It puts everything in perspective and is very humbling and rejuvenating.
These are images taken from the Alpspitz Mountain in Nesselwang. Because these hikes are quite strenuous, I've stopped carrying my Canon and only take my iPhone with me. I think that the images are quite good, nonetheless. With a RAW image, I would have been able to bring out the shadows more, I know. But believe me, those extra 2.3 Kilos that my camera, lens and accessories weigh really get to me after about an hour or two. I plan to buy a lighter mirrorless camera soon.
I've added a CI and a pano (also, of course, done with the iPhone and definitely not flawless), so that you can take a virtual hike. Hope you enjoy it. :)

Awesome scenery with the Alps in the background. Allgäu is a very inspirational place and you are a lucky person to have this place for your weekend hikes.
Pretty amazing what a iPhone ca do, huh?

I can relate to everything you say here Linda. Living in the Himalayas for a few years, breathing the fresh air and enjoying the amazing scenic and every changing views was a joy, and now we live in the Netherlands ;). But vacations take us away to hills and mountains often, just returned from the Drome and pre-Alps of France.
I can also relate to you not carrying your camera, it is something i do less and less now and either use hubbys camera (which he carries:) or my iphone.
Anyway, this is all part of the big picture that you so wonderfully describe and show us here.

Hello Linda
Gorgeous mini series. Mountains, always a pleasure. But moutain as the ocean needs some respect and better to be careful, specially about weather.
here we got the first snow fall on jura's summits (>1400 m alt).
A+
JMarc

Hi Linda,
It must be wonderful to have such a beautiful backyard. All three images are delightful. In this image, the two hiker silhouettes make a fine focal point with the layers of mountains fading into the distance with the grassy foreground make this one my favorite of the three. We have lots of space here but lack the green of your area. I know what you mean about camera weight. Both my son and my friend has moved to primarily cell phone photography. It's pretty much the only thing that allows posting the day of shooting and I am particularly envious of the pano feature. I still have a lot of trouble framing with my pixel phone. HLJ, Pat

Hallo Linda!
Das sind Fotos, bei denen einem das Herz aufgeht. Ich musste an Ludwig Ganghofer denken, der einmal geschrieben hat ..."wen Gott liebt, den lässt er fallen in dieses Land". Hier zu wandern muss wie Medizin sein, ein großes Aufatmen. In dem Panorama kann man wunderbar mit den Augen herumwandern und immer wieder Neues entdecken. Zusammen mit Deinem Kommentar ein schöner und "runder" Beitrag. Das mit der Kamera kann ich wirklich nachvollziehen. Mein jüngerer Sohn schleppt 2,6 kg durchs Gelände ...
Grüße aus dem heute feucht-grauen Westfalen!
Frank

Hi Patricia

Pure air, mild cold temperature, small breeze, but a splendid landscape discovered by the 2 walkers. I always carry my camera and 18-200 zoom even when mountaining, it's my eye extension.

All three images are wonderful showing the essence of hiking in the mountains. It is not just hiking but it is the Alpine culture that makes it so special for me personally like the hut we can see in the main image, the owners probably spending their summers there making cheese and watching their animals ... or maybe it is a restaurant serving hearty meals. Well I don't mind the extra kilos that much but it is more the extra care for it that is a hassle especially when it is raining or you're all sweaty or you're eating somewhere on the ground having greezy fingers, all not very camera-friendly. I am pretty sure I have read that there is raw available, at least it is in the pipeline.

My Dear Cosmo,

Nice to see you out and about in the mountains, posting something here and, er, me commenting on them !!

Love the misty blue line of mountains in the main posting. As you say, pretty amazing what you can get from a phone these days. (Then again most of these phones cost considerably more than my camera). Hardly surprising that fewer and fewer "normal" (never knowingly more than six inches from a phone) folk even bother carrying a dedicated camera - although they do seem to photograph everything and anything, incessantly, 24 hours a day.

All the best
Colin

linda

amazing these curves of the mountains ahead in the far horizon and inclusion of personages in FG. very beautiful panorama.

take care

jorge