A steep Alaskan ski descent
Climbers working towards the Summit of Annapurna -- reputedly the world's most dangerous mountain
Tyler Bradt at the lip of the 186 foot Palouse Falls -- setting the world record kayak waterfall descent
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and I think that pictures capturing adventure and danger are some of the best examples of this.
There is a certain unique allure to these photos. There is so much going on -- the planning and preparation, the fear and uncertainty, the risk and potential reward, the pushing of one's limits -- it is all caught frozen forever in a moment of beauty. The placidity of the still photo lends a calmness to what is taking place. Tyler Bradt's descent over Palouse Falls took just over 3 seconds -- an almost anticlimactic thing to watch as he conquers one of the most impressive and dangerous feats in history. However, the photograph of him going over the lip suspends this moment in time.
Similarly, the pictures of the climbers summiting Annapurna -- supposedly the world's most dangerous mountain -- captures the beauty amidst the danger. Many people have died trying to get to where they are -- the dangers they have faced and have still yet to face are immense -- but in this moment they are framed above the clouds and surrounding mountain peaks in an ethereal setting.
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