Mortal Coil

It’s been a good year, again. A lot of travel (43 cities, 12 countries, 100K+ kilometers), a lot of laughs, a lot of good food. A promotion and the largest deal we’ve ever done closed at work. And, most importantly, a kind young lady agreed to marry me. I end 2012 feeling very fortunate.

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JANUARY
In January I returned to Scotland in winter, this time to the Isle of Skye, accompanied by my good friend (and accomplished photographer) Corin Dimoupolous and guided by local expert landscape photographer David Langan. We spent a long weekend exploring the island, and, weather permitting, shooting a few landscapes.

Glen Shiel Reflection

Torrin Beach – View of Loch Slapin and Blaven

Duisdale Beach, Sunrise

Duisdale Beach

Neist Point Lighthouse

Ord Beach (View of Loch Eishort)

Ord Beach – Rock Detail

Breakish Beach looking out over Applecross

Talisker Bay

Glen Brittle Fairy Pools

The Old Man of Storr, Sunrise

Elgol Sunset

FEBRUARY

The coldest month saw us on a mini-break to an even colder place: Berlin. Despite icy temperatures we had a great time exploring both the historic and modern aspects of this vibrant city. We ate well and drank better.

Berlin Wall at Topography of Terror site

Reichstag Dome Reflection

Sony Centre Roof, Potsdamer Platz

Berlin Abstract

Astronaut Mural by Victor Ash, Kreuzberg

Roa Mural, Kreuzberg

Moon and Fernsehturm, from Mitte

Star in the style of Shephard Fairey, Friedrichshain bar

Jewish Museum Staircase

Museum Island, Winter Light

Berliner Dom and Fernseturm

Berlin Holocaust Memorial in Winter

MARCH, APRIL, MAY

These months were fairly quiet, at least in terms of photography for me, as they consisted mostly of a series of work trips which didn’t allow much time for quality snapping. Must do better.

However, I did manage a few shots around London in the downtime.

JUNE

June saw another personal trip to France for a wedding in the Dordogne – but first stop was a few days in Paris. (More Paris shots can be found in the original blog post.)

After Paris we moved to the Dordogne and Limousin region for our friends’ wedding. This was a lovely few days in rural southern France, touring the medieval fortress towns along the river, and eating as much duck, pate, and Limousin beef as we could manage. Again, for more photos go and check out the original blog post.

JULY AND AUGUST

In the late summer, London was host to the 2012 Olympics and we were lucky enough to visit the Olympic Park as well as going to see the Men’s Hockey and the Men’s Basketball Final. It was a magical time in London, and I will always remember what it was like to be here in the thick of it.

Olympic Stadium, Late Afternoon

Spain wins against South Africa in Men’s Hockey, Olympic Park

Belgium fans watch Olympic Men’s Hockey: Belgium vs South Korea

R.U.N. Outside Copper Box, Olympic Park

Olympic Stadium and Orbit by Night

ArcelorMittal Orbit by Night

LeBron James makes a Slam Dunk

Olympic Men’s Hockey: Belgium vs South Korea

In late August I went back to Paris for the first of a series of work trips there, and I managed to catch a perfect summer’s day along the banks of the Seine.

SEPTEMBER

We began September with a lovely late-summer break to the Cyclades: a two-part trip to Mykonos, famed for its maze-like streets and raucous nightlife, and Santorini, land of a million postcard views. More photos can be found in the original blog post.

Old door in Ano Mera, Mykonos

Kitchen of Niko’s Taverna, Mykonos

Sunset at Little Venice, Mykonos

Harbour fishing, Mykonos Town

Typical Blue Church Dome, Imerovigli, Santorini

Nap time, Mykonos Town

Panorama of Oia at Sunset, Santorini

Inter-generational fishing, Ammoudi Bay, Oia, Santorini

Wedding Spot, Firostefani, Santorini

Oia, Santorini

Bougainvilla, Firostefani, Santorini

The morning after I returned from Santorini, I boarded another flight to Bangkok for work. Fortunately I allowed myself an extra day there to get reacquainted with this city, and to sample some of the myriad food delights on offer in its street stalls and markets…

Central Bangkok

Jim Thompson’s House, Bangkok

Food Stalls, Chatuchak Market, Bangkok

Pad Thai, Chatuchak Market, Bangkok

Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok

Wat Pho, Bangkok

Wat Pho, Bangkok

Wat Pho, Bangkok

Tuk tuk and monks, Bangkok

Wat Arun at Sunset, Bangkok

OCTOBER

Early October saw me on yet another work trip, this time to Ankara and Istanbul in Turkey, where I was fortunate enough to have a few free hours to myself here and there to wander the old town and the nightlife district of Beyoglu. It’s always good to return to Istanbul.

Hagia Sofia and Fountains

Fish Sandwich Boats, Golden Horn

Suleymaniye Camii Ceiling Detail

Blue Mosque at Sunrise

Desolate Alleyway, Galata

Sandwich Vendor, Galata

Phoning Home, Yeni Camii

NOVEMBER and DECEMBER

November and December were all about our trip to Japan and Hong Kong. Though I am only about a third of the way through processing the photos from that trip, what I have gone through thus far is encouraging and more photo reports from this trip will be gracing this blog over the course of January. Of course, this is the trip that hosted the aforementioned proposal, so it has a special place in my heart.

First up: Tokyo

Girl in traditional Seven-Five-Three dress, Meiji Jingu

Shinto Wedding, Meiji Jingu

Seven-Five-Three ceremony family, Meiji Jingu

Strangers, Tokyo Rockabilly Club, Yoyogi Park

Shomben Yokocho (“Piss Alley”), Shinjuku

Tokyo Sky Tree casts a long shadow

Main hall, Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa

Shinto Kami Statue, Asakusa Shrine

Frozen tuna waiting to be sawn apart, Tsukiji Fish Market

Worker filleting a saltwater eel (“anago”), Tsukiji Fish Market

Tuna knives, Tsukiji Fish Market

And, of course, the rural beauty of Hakone and Nara:

Mount Fuji from the Hakone Ropeway

Sulphur Egg Man, Owakaduni, Hakone

Hakone Detached Palace Garden

View of Lake Ashinoko and Mount Fuji from Hakone Detached Palace

Kami Statues, Nara Park

Steps leading through Kataoka Plum Grove to Sagiike Pond, Nara P

Ukimido Gazebo, Sagiike Pond, Nara Park

Dead tree and autumn colours, Sagiike Pond, Nara Park

Stone Steps, Autumn Colours and Leaf Fall, Yoshikien Garden, Nar

Flowing waterfall, Isuien Garden, Nara Park

That’s about all for 2012, photo-wise at least. I am happy that we’ve had a fulfilling year. Here’s to 2013 being bigger and better!

Happy New Year
Luke Robinson