Far and near…

 

I’ve often written here about the joys of discovery in your own backyard and neighborhood–and while I completely believe that artistic and visual creativity can be found under your nose, I’ll admit there is nothing so invigorating as exploring new and far away territory. Travel photographers have the ultimate luxury of making their living doing something they are passionate about–and the best of them certainly infuse their work with that passion. Many of us, however, only get to experience this sense of adventure a few times–maybe if we are lucky, a couple of times a year, when we leave our day jobs behind, pack up our gear, and go out to explore the world.

I recently did just that, on a seven-day excursion through the Western Caribbean, where  had the pure joy of exploring three new countries with my family. The image above was taken at Tabyana Beach on Roatan Island, the largest of the Honduran Bay Islands. The dramatic black rock, coral, and dense small palms, even a black iguana, certainly seemed exotic and were incredibly enticing to photograph. While it’s true there is no place like home–the yen to travel, and to find new inspiration through a lens… is pretty compelling as well. Hope you enjoy…

Postscript: I wanted to say I very much appreciate all the new followers and to all of you who like, share, and stop by with a comment. It’s gratifying to know that I am touching others with my work and my thoughts, and the continual addition of followers certainly helps keep me motivated and inspired to improve. Many thanks for your kind words and support!

Lost at sea…

 

You never really get a sense of how vast the earth is until you are in the middle of a body of water that has no visible bounds. No landmarks, no sights, not even a distinct horizon. My family and I recently took our first cruise, so it was the first time I had experienced the phenomenon of feeling like I was a tiny dot in the middle of an enormous, boundless sea. The first couple of days we set sail in pea soup–gray, misty, and damp;  hour after hour of nothingness. Initially, I was disappointed at not experiencing the beautiful tropics touted in the travel brochures, but slowly, this gave way to a feeling that was  just as strangely exhilarating–the feeling of being utterly alone in the middle of “nowhere.” Of course, it wasn’t actually “nowhere”… we were sailing across the Gulf of Mexico and  the Caribbean Sea on our way to Honduras, but emotionally, it felt like nowhere. It was existential and spiritual at the same time–looking out over a sea such as this certainly makes you reflect on the courage of the world’s early explorers or of anyone who was ever  lost at sea, and even more so, how your own, singular life fits into this huge, vast world. Eventually, I began to use this time to relax, let down, and simply breathe in the moment, which is one of the best rewards of any vacation. Hope you enjoy…

The Camel’s back…

 

The desert is a fascinating place to me. Its timeless existence, its inpenetrable hardiness, its sheer rugged beauty provides such fodder for composition. Perhaps the fact that it’s just so different from what I see day to day that makes it seem like exotic territory, but still… you have to wonder when you really look closely: How does life survive in such a place? And yet, the succulent life sprouting up from these rocky crags proves life is ever-present. This view of the side of Camelback Mountain was shot at dawn’s early light, when the flickers and woodpeckers were stirring to life along with probably hundreds of other life forms I couldn’t see, but I certainly sensed. It was a pristine moment, alone,  in wonderment, in the chill of the February air. Hope you enjoy…

Good morning Phoenix…

 

In my day to day life at home, things are usually pretty busy in the morning. I have teens to wake, lunches to prepare, emails to catch up on… the normal flurry of activity in a family household–all usually before 7 a.m. So the opportunity to step away, pack my gear, and photograph a picturesque scene like the one above is usually a nonstarter. But last week I traveled on business to Phoenix and had the pleasure of finding myself at the base of Camelback Mountain just before dawn. I am sure this photograph has been taken before; it’s not unique or ground breaking, but all that mattered to me was being able to witness those rich pink rays as they struck gold on Camelback’s eastern side. It was a pristine, silent moment. The kind you live for as a photographer of nature’s wonders. Hope you enjoy…

Behind the lens…

 

I don’t often (try never) feature myself in my photos, but I had a unique opportunity for a quick self-portrait this week during my stay in Phoenix. I’ll be posting some of my more ambitious shots in the days ahead, but just for fun, I thought I’d show you what’s behind the lens as well. I had a wonderful vantage of the gorgeous Phoenix sunset from my hotel patio, and was shooting from all angles, when I noticed my own image displayed right behind me.  A couple of adjustments, and voila: Portrait of the Photographer. More to come from the valley of the sun later this week…Enjoy!

Remember the human element…

 

Travel photography generally consists of gorgeous photos of faraway places that instantly transport the viewer to a locale that is generally more exotic/warm/inviting/peaceful (you fill in the blank) than the mundane place he/she is viewing from. It’s a wonderful way to experience the world through the magic and artistry of a talented  travel photographer. I subscribe to several photoblogs that concentrate on travel photography just for that reason, and have often thought that if I could walk away from my day to day encumbrances, the life of a travel photographer would be one of the most rewarding of all. However, in the real world, (where I have another full time job) I am actually lucky enough to have been able to travel with my family to see many new places, and, when I do, I live the life of a “travel photographer” to the fullest.

One thing that is important to me, when I travel and shoot, is to capture the small essences that truly make a place memorable and unique. The day-to-day living, the people, signs, businesses, language and culture.  That is to say, the human element. The photograph above is a great example of this. To me, it says: Paris. Why? Because it was taken outside the Notre Dame, where thousands of sparrows are known to gather and flock on a regular basis. The sparrows were so charming… nearly as captivating as the majestic cathedral itself, just steps away. The next couple of shots were taken at the same time–the little girl was unknown to me, but her sweet way of reaching out to the sparrows was the perfect characterization of my memory of the Notre Dame garden. Among other things, those sparrows are one special memory of Notre Dame–one I enjoy sharing, through my photography, to others as well. Hope you enjoy…

An outstretched hand…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sky candy…

I admit it. I am a sucker for gorgeous skies. Sunrises and sunsets are kind of like the golden retriever puppy of photographic images–things just look more beautiful, more poignant, when they are framed by a deeply striking sky. But while they are alluring, that is not to say the sky should do all the compositional heavy lifting. The sky may be the star of the show, but its supporting cast–that is the rest of the composition–must be strong as well, in order for the image to really work. This photo, for example, was the result of an early morning trek outside my hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona a couple of winters ago. I knew I wanted to capture the deep orange glow of the morning( and Mother Nature did not disappoint) but it took a while to settle on the balance between earthly and ethereal delights. This rock was actually a small, faraway hill, the palm branches on the resort property where I stayed deceivingly make it look as if everything in silhouette are relatively close. I loved the jagged edges and curves of the rock, as they carved a sharp line against the crayola morning sky. In the end, this is the frame that spoke to me. Hope you enjoy…

f/5.0, 1/60th sec, ISO 100, 85 mm

Tower of light…

 

Time to change pace… I’ve been posting images taken fairly close to home these days, but today I felt like something a little different. This was taken a couple of years ago, during my first visit to the City of Light. What a magnificent experience…I was completely taken with the sounds, light, and romantic atmosphere of this city. Tres magnifique! This shot was taken just an hour or so before we embarked on the experience every tourist must take part in when visiting Paris… yes, the long, arduous trek to the top of Tour Eiffel. In what seemed like days later, crammed elbow to elbow with several thousand fellow brethren, my family and I emerged to view what has got to be one of the most fabulous urbanscapes in existence.

 

Moments later, we traversed the elevator to the second tier, where we were rewarded, once again, with what has to be the pinnacle of the Parisienne experience…lights in every direction, sparkling like a million diamonds, at the top of the world. Hope you enjoy…

Ghost Arch …

Ghost Arch

I had some nice feedback from my earlier posts showing alternative views of the Saint Louis Arch so I thought I’d offer another one. This was a cool view of the Arch at dark… as you stand underneath it and look up, the floodlights below throw a spooky ghost shadow effect on the dark sky above. I composed this a couple of different ways, but really liked how the light gleamed off the steel exterior here–just enough to tell what you are looking at, but with a sense of mystery surrounding the haloed lights above. Hope you enjoy…

f/2.8, 1/30th, ISO 1600, 17 mm