Sheltered camp

Paddling along the Northern outer fringe of the Åland archipelago we always looked for a campsite that would offer shelter from the wind and potentially increasing swell.


M.Zuiko 14-42mm EZ    f5.0  1/160sec

Reflection on Saggö ön

We spent 3 days camped in just one location because the granite coast had too much to offer, visually.
Every evening we would wait for the sun to get closer to the horizon before our evening "photographic walk".


M.Zuiko 9-18mm  f5.6  1/160sec
The endless low soft light was a visual feast for me, used to sub tropical abrupt sunsets.
The open spaces, gently curved shapes of the polished granite devoid of visual clutter reminding me vaguely of the American South West sandstone desert.

Boulder hopping

Endless hours can be spent exploring the granite shores polished by the glacial action.
High above the shore large boulders lay in the crevices where only winter storm waves can reach them to tumble them.


M.Zuiko 9-18mm  f4.0  1/320sec

Journal writing

The therapeutic act of journal writing at the end of the day, time to reflect over the day's events.
The air just a bit too chilly to lay on the rock, a sleeping bag provided the comfort to feel cozy.


M.Zuiko 40-150  f8  1/100sec

Finally winning

After a day of loss finally the sun won over the clouds, just before sunset.


M.Zuiko 14-42mmEZ  f3.5  1/320sec

Pond on the granite coast

“There are some places so beautiful they can make a grown man break down and weep.” Ed Abbey


M.Zuiko 9-18mm  f4.5  1/160sec

Alfresco dining

No restaurant with fancy service can match the feeling that I get from preparing and enjoying a meal outside, with minimal utensils, away from civilization.



M.Zuiko 14-42mmRII   (at 14mm)   f4.5  1/125sec

Day 23 of the sea kayak trip from Trosa, (Swe) to Marienhamn, Åland (Fin)

The reason

The reason for this blog.
For years I have been publishing on my main blog: Gnarly Dog News.
My primary interest was to publish my finding about sea kayaking and less about backpacking, often going deeply into the technical aspect of gear and its modifications.
I have a passion for tinkering and designing, and Gnarly Dog News is my outlet to share it with others.



But there is part of me that values highly the aesthetic streak I have, particularly photography, stills and motion.
I call it type B personality, where form is more important than function.
For too long I have been mixing it up at GnarlyDog News: fibreglassing and pumps with poignant images of sunsets. The two often didn't gel.

At GnarlyDog VIEWS things are simpler: a site dedicated to my best photographic efforts. No tech talk; well unless it takes a life of its own and I suddenly start to rant about cameras, lenses and such.


M.Zuiko 12-50mm (at12mm) f6.3 1/80sec  photo: Petra Ries ©
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Åland sunsets

The light was so incredibly soft and the shadows long.
The summer of 2014 was an exceptionally warm one on the Baltic sea and now I was walking around barefoot close to the Arctic Circle.
The rock warmed by the sun while the air had a light chill: the sunset was approaching.



Olympus E-M5 and E-PM2 with M.Zuiko 12-50mmEZ and 14-42mm IIR


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