Mukhin Gorge, Teberda, Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Russia

Dombay: Playing at Altitude and from Above

Yekaterinburg also has mountains, the Ural Mountains, but the mountains of the Caucasus are another level of greatness. In Dombay, the camera itself searches for these giant ridge lines. My main advice, suffered while waiting for the right light: Use the variability of the mountain weather as an ally. A morning haze or a cloud running into the sun is not a problem, but a tool for creating a mood. A mandatory point is the ascent by cable car. The panoramic view opens from the height, where you want to freeze. Don’t forget to wear warm clothes (the mountain wind is treacherous) and be patient to wait for the very moment when the light falls perfectly.

The Shoan Temple: A Portrait of Eternity

  After Dombay’s dynamics, there is a sharp change in the atmosphere. The Shoan Temple (10th century) on the spur of the mountain is a place of silence and strength. As a photographer, I saw in him the perfect “model”: a concise form, adjusted by vectors, placed in an endless natural context. Here I want to shoot not only the temple itself, but also the details that say more than the general plan.: The light in the temple, the roughness of the stones, and the smoke from the candle create an amazing peaceful atmosphere.

Mukhinsky Gorge: The silk of water and the magic of the forest

 If you, like me, like secluded, meditative photography, then Mukhinsky Gorge is your destination. After the grandeur of the mountains, the sounds of water and the smell of moss reign here. The cascade of waterfalls is an ideal object for creative experiments.  Lake Shobaidak, the heart of the Mukhinsky Gorge, is still surrounded by snow in June. And beautiful mountain flowers bloomed all around.

Also, you can film a real pastoral here. Summer pasture. Horses, goats, cows, sheep graze on the green lower reaches of the mountains. I was touched by a calf with a black tongue drinking water from a stream flowing among flowering grasses. Blue forget—me-nots, white and pink yarrow, and many other plants bloom along the stream. Please note that these are already summer flowers, unlike the primroses on Lake Shobaidak. It’s much warmer in the lower reaches of the mountains, and summer is coming on time.

• Karachay-Cherkessia is beautiful at any time of the year. In summer and autumn — for color, in winter — for graphic black and white images, in spring — for the power of the elements. Lenses range from wide—angle to TV lens. And most importantly, comfortable shoes and readiness for sudden changes of plans, because nature is the main director here.
• Karachay-Cherkessia gave me not just pictures, but a state of dialogue with the planet in its most grandiose manifestation. I highly recommend this location to photographers who want to add air, height and history to their portfolio.

If this view of photography is close to you and you are looking for an author for your story in Yekaterinburg or on a trip — I will be glad to meet you!