Ottsworld Travel Experiences » Photography

Photo of the Week – Netherlands

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:26:18 +0000

The land of windmills and bikes

This week I bring you a shot hot off the presses – from my current trip in Amsterdam. I felt like this picture captured quintessential Holland quite well; windmills, beautiful clouds, bicycles, and marshland. I took this shot while on a rest break from my own bicycle ride in the countryside near Amsterdam. A gorgeous day to ride into the the breezy, green flatlands.

Remember – you can purchase any of my photography of course!

If you want to see more travel photography this Friday – then check out Briefcase to Backpack’s Photo Friday!

Photo of the Week – Boston

admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Doing something a little different this week and instead of one photo, I’m bringing you a photo walk I did while staying in Boston this summer. I walked around the historic neighborhood of Beacon Hill where cobblestone streets and gas lamps take you back in time. Then I took a wander through the famous Boston Common; a historical gathering spot for all of Boston. The park was bursting with color and some new life this summer! Enjoy!

Gas Lights Burn all day

Cobble Stone Streets of Beacon Hill

Flowers at the Market

Beacon Hill Homes

Bike Beacon Hill

The Grand Lawn of Boston Common

Hanging Trees

Swan Gracing the Lake

Purple Pods

FREE Trial – Trust your most precious memories to SmugMug, upload your photos today.

To view more travel photos this Friday – check out Briefcase to Backpack’s Photo Friday!

Photo of the Week Egypt

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:39:17 +0000

In the Spotlight – Egypt

I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t even know where this was shot. Sure, I know I was in Egypt in yet another temple, but I had my overdose of temples much earlier in my stay, so I stopped really keeping track. As I wandered around yet another temple I turned around to look for my friend and that’s when I saw this perfectly lit shot.

The ancient Egyptian Gods provided a single ray of light to shine on this lucky man. A natural wonder.

To see more travel photography – check out Briefcase to Backpack’s Photo Friday

SmugMug.com – Serving up crisp, clear photos – without the side of Spam.

Photo of the Week – World Cup Fever

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 04:50:27 +0000

Balancing Act

Balancing Act – Rome, Italy

I don’t know how it happened, but I’ve been transformed into a football fan. Yes, that’s right, I said football, not soccer; just to prove how authentic the transformation is. With the World Cup championship coming up this weekend, I felt like I better give this new love of mine visibility on my Photo of the Week. One of the constants as I travel and live around the world was the presence of the beloved game of football. From Thailand to Turkey to Italy to Kenya – it is the world’s sport.

I snapped this shot in a park in Rome. Teenage boys were walking on one of the many paths and this one decided to show off some skills. Who knows – maybe he’ll play in the World Cup one day…

To see more photography from Rome, visit my Global Photography website where you can view and purchase photography from around the world.

To see more travel photography check out Briefcase to Backpack’s Photo Friday or to see more World Cup photography check out Wandering Educators World Cup photo of the week.

SmugMug.com – Serving up crisp, clear photos – without the side of Spam.

Photo of the Week – Langkawai, Malaysia

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 05:11:36 +0000

Unsettled Seas – Langkawi, Malaysia

I did something a bit different this week, I asked you what you wanted to see for Photo of the Week. Actually, I asked my Twitter followers what they wanted to see this week! They had the choice of Kids, Action, Landscape, or Gory Photo topics; Landscapes overwhelmingly won out! Never mind the fact that I chose a beachscape as opposed to a landscape shot…

Experience sunny Langkawi, Malaysia. Tourists flock to the stunning beach in northern Mayalsia; however even in paradise there are storms. You can’t escape Mother Nature! This storm quickly rolled in as I was taking a beach walk. The waters were full of energy and the sky grew dark; needless to say – it rained pretty hard moments after this shot.

Read about my Langkawi travel experiences.

To view more travel photos, check out Photo Friday at Briefcase to Backpack or Delicious Baby.

Want to vote on the next weeks category? Follow me on Twitter -> @Ottsworld

Have a great 4th of July!

SmugMug.com – Serving up crisp, clear photos – without the side of Spam.

Photo of the Week – Milford Track

admin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:30:53 +0000

Colorful Carpet - Milford Track New Zealand

The Milford Track (Kiwi speak for hike) is called the most beautiful hike in the world. It received this accreditation when an English journalist walked it and wrote about her journey titling it “Milford Track, Possibly the Most Beautiful Walk in the World”. Her editor looked at it and crossed out the word “Possibly”. After that Frommers, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides as well as many marketing brochures has used the quote to describe it.

I hiked this 3 day 32 mile trek in November of 2006; certainly one of the most beautiful walks in the world! Waterfalls and colorful landscapes surrounded us making one feel that they had been transported to another world.

Like what you see? View and purchase my other New Zealand photography!

SmugMug.com – Serving up crisp, clear photos – without the side of Spam.

Photo of the Week – Morocco

admin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 04:36:04 +0000

Tough Stain – Fes Morocco

This isn’t what you think. This man is holding silk thread and is in the process of dying it a bright red color. I took this photo while I toured around the most miraculous medina in Morocco. Here’s my excerpt of my fist impressions:

The moment you entered the big arched gateway you inhaled the smell, taste and sound of the markets. We were surrounded by the sounds of people and music, we could smell the rich spices intermixed with the smell of olives, and your eyes were entranced by the rich colors and textures that surrounded you. I think I honestly walked for the first 20 minutes with a dumb stare on my face as I took it all in.

I loved Fes…a truly cultural experience – and a treasure trove of photography.

Photo of the Week – Rio De Janeiro

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 04:38:04 +0000

Beach Balls - Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

An early morning stroll on the beach in Rio provided a unique scene - calm. Rarely do you find the beaches in Rio de Janeiro empty, except in the early morning. This beach ball vendor sat and waited patiently for customers to show up, enjoying some peace and quiet.

To see more travel photos this Friday check out Briefcase to Backpack’s Photo Friday and Delicious Baby Photo Friday.

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A Disappearing Town

admin — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 04:23:47 +0000

This says it all...

I remember the streets crowded with people for Pilger Days, a weekend celebration which happened once a summer. There was cotton candy, music, families walking hand and hand, a cake walk (my personal favorite), a dime toss and a myriad of other carnival games. However, now I walk through the streets of Pilger looking at the run down buildings, closed businesses, houses for sale, and the empty main street; it feels like all of the air has been let out of it, and it’s on it’s last breath. It feels like it’s dying.

Pilger is a small town in Northeast Nebraska with an ever decreasing population of 328 people. It’s your typical farm town; a gas station, a main street, a church, the grain elevator, a small park, and a big water tower. There’s one school serving 5th and 6th grades, there’s a brand new town swimming pool ,and a ball field. I guess that actually sounds like quite a lot of a population of 328.

The feeling is a bit eerie....

However it’s missing something crucial, there are no kids running around playing. The park is empty and the main business which is actually still open and running on main street seems to be the Senior Center. The population of Pilger is aging.

Why do I care about Pilger, Nebraska? It’s my parent’s home town – sort of. It’s actually the closest thing to a home town they have as they both grew up on farms about 3 miles outside of Pilger. But for them, Pilger was their ‘big city’. Back then it had a population of 537, and farmers from all around the area gathered there to conduct business, attend social functions, provide their kids an education, and of course to worship.

My parents went to high school in Pilger and had a graduating class of 11 people. My dad played sports there, and my mom was on the cheer squad. The school was brimming with excitement and life. However a number of years ago they moved the high school to a bigger town as there just were no longer enough students in Pilger to keep it running. Pilger now struggles to keep its grade school running. They split up the grades and share the overall schooling with neighboring towns

I found myself in Pilger recently visiting my aunt and took the opportunity to walk around it with my camera. I of course had a few locals stop me and ask me what I was doing…they don’t see strangers walking around with a big camera every day…or ever!

Photography from my Pilger wanderings

The cemetery on the edge of town seems to be getting bigger and the town seems to be getting smaller. The decreasing population in Pilger has left it with an empty feeling. As I walk around, it feels no different than a town in a foreign country. In fact the lack of energy in the town reminds me of villages in the Gobi Desert. I find the whole thought a little depressing as I see this small town farming culture disappearing in the US – right before my eyes. Is this happening to all small towns in America as the big farmers/companies/cities take over?

The tallest structure - the water tower

The remaining population of Pilger is gearing up for it’s 125th year anniversary in 2012 and my aunt is on the planning committee. I am hopeful my vision of the ‘old PIlger’ will come back to life; the main street full of people and pick-up trucks, a cake walk, and farmers walking around socializing. I have a hard time imagining it now, as I walk around the edges of town surrounded by corn fields. I can’t help but wonder how long it will take for the corn fields to eventually take over the town. All that will be left is the water tower and fuzzy memories.

If you ever find yourself in Northeast Nebraska – I suggest you stop in the small towns and have lunch at the local cafe – it will be a truly cultural experience you won’t forget. You’ll meet some really nice people and probably learn a little history too! Heck – you may even make it into the local paper! In all honestly – I find Northeast Nebraska’s rolling hills to be one of the most gorgeous landscapes I’ve encountered in the world. Yes, not all of Nebraska is flat plains!

Some links on Northeast Nebraska:
Northeast Nebraska History and Culture
Northeast Nebraska Travel Council

If you’d like to read more about small towns in America you can check out some of my other posts:
Farm-sitting – a Cultural Adventure in Owatonna
Corn and Cowboys – Mitchell, South Dakota
Sex in The City Small Town Style – Twin Brooks, South Dakota
Chasing Wabbits in Ozark, Arkansas

Tree near the cemetery

Photo of the Week – Manhattanhenge

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 05:43:25 +0000

Apocalypse Now on 34th St – New York City

Two times a year the Sun God works it’s magic on Manhattan in a spectacle called Manhattanhenge. The rare occurance when the sun sets in exact alignment with the grid of streets in Manhattan. This 15 minutes of illumination on the cross streets of New York City provides an Apocalypse Now feeling with people shading there eyes, armed with their camera standing in the middle of 34th street trying to get the perfect photo. Last weekend, I was one of them trying to get the perfect sunset picture of the Empire State Building.

If you missed it, you’re in luck; the next Manhattenhenge is July 12th. Get that camera ready and grab some sunglasses!

You can read more on the spectacle of Manhattanhenge on Hayden Planetarium’s website.

Can’t get enough photo Friday? Then check out Briefcase to Backpack Photo Friday and Delicious Baby Photo Friday!

SmugMug.com – Serving up crisp, clear photos – without the side of Spam.

Photo of the Week – Vietnam

admin — Fri, 28 May 2010 13:34:58 +0000

Hard Hat – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

While on a cyclo ride in HCMC, I encountered this guy hanging out of a little motorized tuk tuk in HCMC. I found his choice of helmet funny – a throw back from the war. Granted, sometimes I felt like driving in Saigon was similar to going into combat!

To see more travel photos, check out the Briefcase to Backpack Photo Friday!

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Photo of the Week – Ao Nang, Thailand

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 05:08:42 +0000

Paddle Through – Ao Nang, Thailand

While traveling solo in Ao Nang, I decided to take a kayak trip and was treated to an adventure of caves and monkeys…and a few bats. I loved the small town of Ao Nang, a little beachy tourist community that I would have loved to spend a few extra days or weeks in.

If you want to view more Photography this Friday, then check out the Briefcase to Backpack Photo Friday

Photo of the Week – Sinai Egypt

admin — Fri, 14 May 2010 05:17:26 +0000

Color Canyon Hike in the Sinai Region of Egypt

The wind had formed the sandstone of Color Canyon in Sinai Egypt is a memorable hike. The canyon floor ‘trail’ was sometimes wide and sometimes very, very narrow. As you walked through the cannon and followed the path of the wind, you saw the various colorful rocks weaving through the sandstone as if it were a Paint –n-Swirl work of art. The canyon got so narrow at one point that we had to crawl through a small opening blocked by a boulder.

Read further about adventurous travel through the Sinai Region at Ottsworld!

If you want to view more photography this Friday – check out Photo Friday at Delicious Baby

Photo of the Week – Agra, India

admin — Fri, 07 May 2010 04:17:12 +0000

Squaring it Up – Agra, India

View of the Taj Mahal from the Agra Fort; a different perspective of the famous and often photographed site. It was just as spectacular seeing it from the walls of the old Agra Fort.

To see more Photo Friday around the web – check out Delicious Baby for more travel photos!

Photo of the Week – Mongolia

admin — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 05:30:18 +0000

Gobi Desert Trifecta

I am in Louisville this weekend for the Kentucky Derby so thought I would choose one of my favorite horse photos from Mongolia – the land where horses roam free. We were driving through the Gobi Desert when we came across a pack of horses near a well. The wind howled across the desert as we got out of the car and intermingled with them. They seemed tame, but I know they yearned to run.

View more Mongolia Photography

View more travel photography at Photo Friday on Briefcase to Backpack

Photo of the Week – Barbot, Nepal

admin — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 05:05:43 +0000

Who’s Back There? – Barbot, Nepal

Going to villages that are off the tourist trail in Nepal are the most rewarding to me. So when the principle of the school I was volunteer teaching at invited me on a 4 hour hike (actually it took 7 hrs) to his village of Barbot for the weekend – I said yes! Barbot was perched high on a mountain and full of amazing scenery and people to photograph. What made it better was my personal ‘guide’ and friend who took me around the village and surrounding areas providing me access to great photography opportunities.

This young mother and son had just left the local market when I was able to capture them. I think the young boy was as curious about me as I was about him!

Read the complete story of my weekend in Barbot.

To see more travel photography – check out Photo Friday at Briefcase to Backpack!

Kathmandu Photography – Pigeons

admin — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 12:18:14 +0000

Venice thinks that it has the corner on the market when it comes to pigeons, but don’t discount Kathmandu’s pigeon population! They were everywhere, intermingled with each other, people, and of course the holy cows!

A walk to school among the pigeons

Coming in for landing

Diversification - In Dubar Square the pigeons and cows intermingle happily

Kathmandu Photography – Boudhanath

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 12:55:14 +0000

The Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath is one of the largest in the world. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is one of the most popular tourist sites in the Kathmandu area. Everytime I’m in Kathmandu it’s worth a stop not only for the stupa itself, but for thetemples, buildings, and people surrounding it. Monks, tourists, and locals intermingle as the holy Buddha eyes peer down upon you.

Boudhanath peers out over it's visitors

Praying Clockwise

Monks reciting spiritual lines in front of Boudhanath

Colorful gong inside the temple waits for contact to be made

Boudhanath Decor

Photo of the Week – Kathmandu

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:06:39 +0000

Modern Nepal

Kathmandu is a town full of old buildings and history. The whole place feels dusty, like my grandmother’s attic. However as I was out shooting one day I came across this young boy and felt transported to modern times. He was more than willing to pose for my photo. The phrase “One of these things is not like the other” kept running through my head. He seemed so out of place. I wondered if I was in Queens or Nepal? It left me wondering if this was the direction of Nepal to come? With a sigh and a heavy heart, I continued on in the dust filled streets exploring the old buildings; sometimes modern is not always better.

I’m highlighting Kathmandu Photography all week on Ottsworld!

View Markets, People, and Dubar Square Photography

To see other Travel Photography around the web, be sure to check out Briefcase to Backpack’s Photo Friday!

Kathmandu Photography – People

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 05:10:59 +0000

Kathmandu is a great place to photograph people. Most locals are excited to have their photo taken if you ask their permission. However I prefer catching them in their daily activities as opposed to posed shots.

Nepalese! Old, young, sleeping, working, spiritual, and happy – a broad spectrum of the people of Nepal.

Rickshaw business can be slow, so naps are frequent

Enjoying the morning with a smile

Gazing over the square

Peanut vendor waits for some customers

The Godfather look...

Colorful Sadhu roams the neighborhood

The morning news is displayed and read in the public square

Commuting through the back alleys of Kathmandu

Kathmandu Photography – Markets

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 05:05:52 +0000

The city of Kathmandu is filled with markets everywhere you go. The morning is especially active as kids make their way to school by foot and adults get their fresh produce and meat for the day. Everywhere you look it feels as if someone is selling something; produce, flowers, jewelry, peanuts, and guiding services! The one thing you can always count on is that it will be colorful!

Women choose product in the middle of a busy road

An apple vendor wheels around his goods on an old bike

Colorful powder for sale used for tikas (forehead markings)

The food of Nepal - Dhal for sale

Bracelets come in every color - you can't buy or wear just one.

A woman surrounded by her colorful produce in Dubar Square

Malla (flower necklaces) are made and sold near the many temples

Kathmandu Photography – Dubar Square

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 05:16:33 +0000

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dubar Square in the heart of Kathmandu is a must see. Yes, it’s full of tourists, however locals do go here too and that mixture of tourists, historical buildings, statues, and locals is what makes the site so amazing. You’ll see many Kasthamandaps or “Wooden houses” which gives the city its name. The architecture and statues are stunning; but make sure you leave yourself a lot of time to wander into the crevices and corners, and don’t forget to look up – you’ll find some great surprises!

Cars, motobikes, rickshaws, and people crowd the square during their morning commute

The Eyes of Buddha

Ancient Rooftops

Colorful Offerings

Weathered Statue

Off the beaten path, this little square had character

Learn about the Square’s surprising ’sexy side’; these buildings have more surprises to them than expected!

Travel Wonders of the World – Dubar Square

Photo of the Week – Monument Valley Utah

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:08:17 +0000

Monumental Road – Utah, USA

Spring is in the air in the US. It’s time to start thinking about summer road trips! The National Parks in the Utah/Arizona area are abundant; however I like to find some of the ones off the beaten path and Monument Valley in Utah is one of those. This Navajo Indian Park was my favorite in my road trip across America. Massive rock formations that seem to come out of nowhere.

It is located on the southern border of Utah with northern Arizona, near the Four Corners area. The valley lies within the range of the Navajo Nation Reservation, and is accessible from U.S. Highway 163.

Monument Valley is part of the Grand Circle, which includes popular National Parks such as the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon, Capitol Reef, Natural Bridges Monument, Hovenweep, and Arches National Park. I saw most of these on my US Road Trip in 2008 and they are all worth a stop!

Want to see more Travel Photography? View my National Parks Photography or check out Briefcase to Backpack’s Photo Friday!

Photo of the Week – Nepal

admin — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 05:33:31 +0000

Piggy Back – Lamjung District Nepal

I spent a few weeks volunteering in the remote mountain village of Puma in 2008; an experience that was truly eye opening. While teaching English in the small village of 40 homes I came to know many of the kids well. This boy wasn’t old enough for school yet, but he and his grandmother were always hanging around school in hopes of having their picture taken. This day I obliged them. Communities like this all around the world don’t have the means to have personal pictures of themselves. I don’t know that the kids learned much English from me, but I was able to send the people of the village all of the photos I took thereby providing them some recorded memories that would last a lifetime. Giving back comes in many different forms.

View more Puma village photography or read about my volunteering experience in this remote, leach filled village!

To view more Photo Friday around the travel blogsphere – check out Briefcase to Backpack Photo Friday and Delicious Baby Photo Friday!

Photo of the Week – Ubud

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 05:10:27 +0000

Hot Feet - Ubud on the island of Bali Indonesia

There’s a variety of cultural shows to attend every night in Ubud. This photo is from the Kecak Fire and Trance Dance. It consisted of about 50 men all chanting this tune with no accompaniment while the story of the dancers played out in front of us. At the end they lit a big pile of coconut husks on fire and let them burn high like a bon fire. A man is put in a trance by the 50 men choir of chanting. He then can walk through burning coals. He didn’t just walk through once, but at least 10 times. A colorful, and HOT show.

Read about my travel adventures in Bali

Photo of the Week – Delhi

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:05:03 +0000

Bucket Bath

Delhi, India

While volunteering in India, I often walked around the slum neighborhoods to see the family culture. Family homes don’t have bathrooms, and baths are taken outside in front of the house with buckets. It didn’t seem to phase the kids, as this was a great way to cool down on a hot Delhi afternoon! True to form, the kids were always smiling when I put my camera up to my eye; even a bath didn’t stop them from smiling!

Read about my volunteer work in Delhi – a series of posts entitled the Spice Diaries

To view other great photos on Photo Fridays around the web check out:

Briefcase to Backpack Photo Friday

Delicious Baby Photo Friday

Photo of the Week – Philippines

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:14:51 +0000

Puzzle of Green – Banaue Philippines

In honor of the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day – I thought I’d go GREEN with Photo of the Week. These are the luscious Rice Terraces of Banaue Philippines (UNESCO World Heritage Site). People think the Philippines is only about beaches – well think again. This northern part of the Philippines is home to some of the oldest and most stunning rice terrace culture in SE Asia. Actually, these terraces are my favorite terraces in Asia!

You can also trek from village to village along the terraces learning about the village culture along the way and staying in ‘home-stays’ – a fabulous 3 day hike you’ll never forget!

To read more about the Philippine’s rice terraces and hiking in the area – check out my posts:

Rice Culture – Travel in the Philippines

Girl Power – Trekking in the Philippines

Ups and Downs – Trekking to Batad

Photo of the Week – Cambodia

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:40:43 +0000

Oodles of Noodles

Siem Reap, Cambodia

On the streets of Siem Reap, this mother gave a helping hand. The young girl would have rather been playing, but she had to eat lunch instead! I had a fun day exploring the city realizing that Angkor Wat is just one of many great things to photograph!

View more Siem Reap Photography

Photo of the Week – Tokyo

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:14:36 +0000

Tokyo, Japan – Vending Machine Blurs

In Tokyo you can find practically anything in vending machines – they are high tech! Walking down the street you’ll find them lined up pimping the familiar and not so familiar! Can you imagine buying beer or sake from a vending machine?

View Additional Tokyo Photography

Photo of the Week – Zanzibar

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:12:03 +0000

African Sushi – Zanzibar

I love markets, they never disappoint. This man in the Stonetown Market looked like had been carving up fish for hours. A few minutes earlier I saw a man drag in a huge hammer-head shark – amazing. Read the entire Zanzibar market story on my post from 2006.

View all of my Tanzania photography

Photo of the Day – California

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:52:42 +0000

Rock Hard Love
San Francisco, California

Considering Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I thought I’d try to embrace it this year. Hell, if a love can find it’s way into a rock, then maybe there’s hope for me!

View other San Francisco Photography

Photo of the Week – Mongolia

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:13:38 +0000

Mongolia Herds

Gobi Desert – Mongolia

Grazing Goats

I chose this photo this week in order to bring more visibility to the current state of emergency in Mongolia. There are a lot of weather disasters happening around the globe right now, and Mongolia is no exception. The extreme cold weather has been the cause of death to 1.7 million heads of livestock. Herding in Mongolia is the main way of life. In a country where life is already difficult, this blow is crippling. Livestock is the main source of food and business for most of the 2.6 million Mongolians.

Some herders have lost more 50% of their livestock. This saddens me greatly because I stayed with herder families in the Gobi Desert, learning their way of life was a highlight to me. My interaction with these families made my trip to Mongolia a moving experience for me.

Hopefully as the summer months arrive, the Gobi will be a scene like this photo once again. Teeming with life and color, and never-ending landscape.

Read more about the current Mongolian Weather Crisis , Mongolia’s Severe Weather Threatens Lives

Read about my experience living with Herders in Mongolia

See more Mongolia Photography

See more Photo Friday pics at DeliciousBaby.com

Photo of the Week – Singapore

admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:00:41 +0000

Thaipusam Festival Singapore

The Tamil Hindu festival of Thaipusam is only celebrated in 5 places in the world. I was lucky enough to experience it in Singapore in 2007. With my camera I was able to capture a close up view of the body piercings which are meant to show a family’s devotion to the god Murukan, the personification of wisdom. In this photo, the man was pulling a heavy ‘offering’ for 5km via these back piercings. Participants carry offerings for the Gods as an act of penance. However, to me it appeared as one of the most painful processes I’ve ever seen!

The unique and painful festival is celebrated this weekend on Jan. 30th in Singapore, Batu Caves, Penang, Jahor Baru, and Ipoh. (the last 4 locations are in Malaysia) If you are anywhere near these locations, I implore you to go check it out; it’s a day you’ll never forget!

To learn more about the Thaipusam, you can read my original post on my Thaipusam experience.

See other travel photos at Photo Friday with Delicious Baby

Photo of the Week – China

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:54:35 +0000

On Display

Xi’an China

Home of the Terra Cotta Army. This one was protected and encased in glass. I thought it would be really interesting to see the scene through his eyes.

View more Xi’an photogrpahy

View other Travel photography at Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday

Photo of the Week – New Zealand

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:21:31 +0000

Wai-o-tapu thermal Park New Zealand (2006)

Near Rotorua on the North Island

Read about my New Zealand Travel Adventures

Photo of the Week – Brazil

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:40:35 +0000

Cable Car Queue

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil: Sugar Loaf Mountain 2006

Before I started long term traveling around the world, I used to be like 80% of you out there – a working stiff. I saved away for my week of vacation and tried to get as far away as I could from my job. Back in 2006 this took me to Rio De Janeiro for a sailing trip with Gap Adventures. I was just starting to get serious about photography at the time and I was planning my eventual career break and around the world travels. This shot was from a cable car queue/boarding line on Sugar Loaf Mountain; one of the most popular tourist attractions in Rio. Sugar Loaf is an icon in Rio, defining the well known Rio landscape. I always loved to play with reflections in photography, as well as circles; in this shot I was able to incorporate both!

View Brazil photography

Travel Photography Tips

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:00:30 +0000

I’ve taken thousands and thousands of photos. I’ve carried my 2 cameras and 3 lenses to heights of 18,000 ft. It has been with me every step of the way to over 31 countries. I feel like at this point I’m qualified to give out a little photography advice! I do a lot of candid people photography as well as some landscape photography. Both have its challenges when you are on the road and at the mercy of Mother Nature, geography, and human nature. I’m sure that as a traveler, you want to capture what you’re seeing and experiencing, so here are a few tips to get the exceptional shots you want on your next trip.

Nice! Except for power line in the upper right!

Scan

Before you click the shutter button, take one last look around your frame; especially the corners. Look for pesky power lines and other distractions. There’s nothing worse than trying to get a great shot of the simplicity of village life in remote areas and there are power lines running through your shot! If power lines are in your frame, then go to another vantage point (squat down or stand on something) so you can get a nice clean shot. Right before I shoot I move my eye around the perimeter of my frame to make sure it’s clear – then take the shot.

Wide

Capture your surroundings with a wider angle

I know everyone likes to have these super zoom cameras, but the more powerful photos are the ones where you can see the people relate to their environment. Your photography will improve by widening your view. Not only will you get the environment around a person, but by using a wider angle and not relying on the crutch of a zoom lens, it will force you to get up closer to your subject. This means that you’ll interact more with your subject and that ALWAYS makes a better picture. Don’t simply zoom in and ‘steal’ pictures, they are never as good. If you use an SLR, use a wide angle lens for a day and see how your photography improves!

Memory

If you are using an SLR camera make sure you get to know your main controls by feel BEFORE the trip. While you have the camera up to your eye looking thru the view finder, make sure you can find and switch the ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and focal points by feel (without removing the camera from your face to look for the buttons!). Practice these things before you leave on your trip. Set up a shot and see if you can change all of these things quickly by feel. It may be tough at first, but with practice, you’ll get to know the locations of these buttons and wheels just as you know your shutter button and zoom. Knowing these features will help you to react quickly to the ever changing situations around you.

Crouch

Get to their level

If you don’t want to stand out as you are taking photos, then try to blend into the crowd more. I do this by crouching down/squatting and taking photos from a lower viewpoint. This way I don’t stand out as much (I normally travel in Asia where I seem to tower over everyone!). If you are photographing children, then crouching is a must to get to their level and interact more with them. It helps put them at ease. Plus crouching has added benefits – it normally offers a more unique perspective.

Wait

When you see someone doing something you want to capture, how do you go about asking permission to take their photo and not have them stop what they were doing and pose/grin into the camera? You wait. And wait. It’s inevitable if you ask someone to take their picture while they are playing an intense game of cards, they will all stop and look at the camera and smile; not quite the shot you were looking for. However take that shot of their cheesy grins and then show it to them…they will all laugh and smile be satisfied. Then they’ll go back to their game of cards. That’s when you can now wait around and get the real shots you want. Your newness will wear off and they will forget you are there and go about their intense game. Now you can start clicking.

Me up to catch the morning sunlight

These are just a few tips that you can digest for your next trip. But the best advice I can give you is to PRACTICE!
Do you have a travel photography tip to share? Speak up and help others improve their shots!

View Sherry’s Photography Portfolio

Porters of the Annapurna Circuit

admin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 06:19:12 +0000

Porters taking a break

Porters in Nepal don’t use any fancy equipment to carry their large loads. You see them wearing hand me down clothing and shoes from trekkers past. Flipflops and shoes that don’t fit; but it doesn’t matter because everything is appreciated here. I bet Converse never designed their canvas sneakers to trek to 17,000 ft. in the Himalayas, but they should know that they are being utilized to do so!

In fact, their simplicity of the porter’s gear is what amazes me; if you give them a backpack to carry, 99% of them wouldn’t even consider wearing it on their shoulders. All of this high tech gear meant to protect us from back and shoulder pain are instead introduced to low-tech solutions – a basket and some rope. This is hard for those of us in the western world to understand; but the traditions are strong in Nepal; and so are these porters.

Men and women (and sometimes teenagers) do this thankless task of transporting unimaginable things up and down mountains, on narrow trails, and through streams. There are no/few regulations and their salaries are minimal. They carry items that traditional Nepalese way, using their forehead and neck muscles, hunched over to put the weight on their back. They rest on the boulder ‘benches’ along the trail which are set up at just the right height to gently ease the load off their forehead without bending over.

As most people were busy taking photos of the scenery, I spent a few days just concentrating on the culture of the porters and taking pictures of them. They seemed surprised that I would come up to them and ask to take their picture while simply standing there; but they loved it. They often get attention as they walk by, but few stop to spend time with them.

These photos show their burden.

To see these photos all at once, simply click on the image and it will take you to my photography site.

Or view this link Porters Documentary

Photo(s) of the Week – Dec. 11 2009

admin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:34:10 +0000

I chose some pictures this week from my recent trip back to Puma Nepal. One of my favorites is of this woman and young boy because I took a similar picture of them exactly one year earlier. There are some subtle differences, but what I found astonishing is that these two seemed attached at the hip; they were always together when I was there last year. This year I was only there for one short day, but this woman sought me out to take a picture with the boy in tow.

Photo taken in 2008

Photo from 2009 - changes?

The Sky Glows

Pigtails!

Sunrise in Puma

Photo(s) of the Week – Oct. 29, 2009

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:27:37 +0000

Hire Wires

Every person who comes to Vietnam is either mesmerized or scared to death. First they notice the traffic and motorbike culture; appearing as chaos. However the second thing they notice is the mangled electrical wiring above their head; which leads to the question – how do they fix a wiring problem if something goes wrong?!

The electrical poles often look like a birds nest, thrown together with no real rhyme or reason. As you stare at it you can’t help but wonder how they could ever work on this dizzying maze of wires with any success. Then again, while living in Vietnam we would have power outages about twice a week which says quite a bit about the actual infrastrucutre in Vietnam; I guess that’s why they call it a ‘developing country’.

For those of you who haven’t yet been to Vietnam (what are you waiting for?!), here are a few photos of what you can expect when you look upwards.

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Travel Photography Tips

Nice! Except for power line in the upper right! Scan

Wide

Memory

Crouch

Wait

Nice! Except for power line in the upper right!

Scan