Author: Patrick Carroll

From Somerset, England, Patrick Carroll is a celebrated author with a penchant for vivid narratives. An Oxford alum, his writings echo his European travels and UK hiking adventures. Outside of his literary pursuits, Patrick is passionate about photography and Somerset's ciders.
October 16, 2024 Photography Post a Comment

Night-Time Photography

I never thought I’d become someone who sets alarms for 3 AM, but here we are. This shot of Delicate Arch with the Milky Way behind it required getting up before dawn, hiking through Arches National Park in complete darkness, and then waiting for hours for the perfect alignment. But when you see the galaxy stretched across the sky like this, framing one of nature’s most iconic formations, every bit of lost sleep becomes worth it.

Night photography has completely changed how I see the world around me. During the day, we’re surrounded by artificial light that washes out the sky and makes us forget what’s actually above us. But get far enough from city lights, wait for the right conditions, and suddenly you’re standing under the same sky that has inspired humans for thousands of years.

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September 2, 2024 Travel Post a Comment

A Video Post

stumbled across this incredible Arctic icebreaker footage and had to share it. There’s something mesmerizing about watching this massive ship carve through ice that looks solid enough to walk on. The perspective from above really shows the scale of what these vessels are designed to do, pushing through frozen landscapes that seem completely impassable.

What struck me most was the contrast between the industrial power of the ship and the pristine, almost alien beauty of the Arctic environment. The ice formations create these intricate patterns that look like abstract art from this aerial view. You can see the wake the ship leaves behind, a dark line cutting through this white expanse that stretches to the horizon.

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August 12, 2024 Lifestyle, Travel Post a Comment

Dream Drive

Sometimes you come across a road that makes you understand why people fall in love with driving. This stretch of coastline in Western Australia captured from above shows exactly what I mean. That ribbon of asphalt cutting between pristine white sand and impossibly turquoise water, with absolutely nothing else in sight for miles. It’s the kind of drive that makes you want to rent a car just to experience the solitude and the views.

I took this shot during a road trip along the Coral Coast, flying my drone at sunrise when the light was soft and the colors were at their most intense. From ground level, you’re aware that you’re driving next to beautiful water, but from above you can see the full scope of how isolated and pristine this stretch really is. Not another car in sight, just endless coastline stretching in both directions.

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July 12, 2024 Travel Post a Comment

Finding Zen in Tokyo

Tokyo feels like it should be the last place on earth you’d find peace. Thirty-seven million people, neon everywhere, trains every two minutes, vending machines on every corner selling things you didn’t know existed. But after spending two weeks there, I discovered that this massive city has mastered something that smaller places often struggle with: the art of finding calm within chaos.

It started at Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa. I expected a tourist trap, but arrived early one morning before the crowds and found myself in this pocket of stillness that felt completely removed from the city around it. The incense, the quiet prayers, the careful movements of people preparing for their day. It was meditation disguised as everyday routine.

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June 12, 2024 Lifestyle Post a Comment

Hopper & Burr Soft Opening

The Mission gets a lot of new coffee shops, but most of them feel like they’re trying too hard to be different. Hopper & Burr, which just opened quietly on 18th Street, takes the opposite approach. Clean lines, serious equipment, and a focus on craft over concept. I stopped by during their soft opening week and immediately knew this was going to become one of my regular spots.

What caught my attention first was the La Marzocco machine taking center stage, but what kept me there was watching the barista work. Every movement deliberate, every shot timed precisely, every milk pour done with the kind of attention that turns coffee making into performance art. This isn’t someone who learned latte art from YouTube videos. This is someone who understands that good coffee starts with respecting the process.

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May 12, 2024 Lifestyle Post a Comment

A Trip to the Market

There’s something about the golden hour light hitting a busy market that makes me slow down and actually see the people around me. I was wandering through the weekend market in Prague last month when I spotted this woman completely absorbed in browsing through old books. The way the late afternoon sun caught her hat and coat, the concentration on her face, the stacks of books creating this perfect frame around her – it was one of those moments where everything aligned.

Markets are some of my favorite places to photograph because they’re authentic in a way that tourist attractions can never be. People are focused on their actual lives, not performing for cameras. This woman had no idea I was there, completely lost in whatever book had caught her attention. There’s something beautiful about that kind of genuine engagement with the world around you.

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