We spent the last few days driving across the plains from Denver to Virginia with our new dog, Tally. There wasn’t much to photograph while driving:
iPhone, edited in Snapseed
Archive for the ‘travel’ Tag
Driving Miss Tally Leave a comment
A no-photo post from India 2 comments
You came here to see photos, I know. But let me tell you what you’d miss if you saw my latest pictures from India, where I am now:
Before I took up photography, I used a journal to record my impressions of the faraway places I visited on business: Rio, Singapore, Taipei, Caracas. But like many of us, I’ve succumbed to the immediate gratification of a snapshot taken with a phone.
Unfortunately, pictures don’t do India justice. They may convey the shimmering colors of women’s silk saris, or the deep azures, vermillions and magentas of ceremonial powders displayed in such perfect cones that one doesn’t dare disturb them through a mere purchase.
But pictures can’t convey the constant honking of cars, cabs, trucks, buses, motorcycles, scooters, and the ubiquitous yellow-and-green autos (aka tuktuks, everywhere else) as they all jockey for better positions on crowded boulevards or as they wind their way through streets so narrow that pedestrians have to escape into store entryways to make room.
Pictures don’t transmit the shouts and hawks of vendors in the market as they invite attention to their wares with melodic bellowing or urge buyers to make up their mind with the staccato-like hectoring of ‘balla-balla-balla-balla’.
Pictures don’t portray the close proximity of people, the constant brushes against others as you try to pass on too-narrow sidewalks or enter too-narrow doorways.
Pictures don’t let you smell the mix of spices, rotting fruit, exhaust fumes and wet asphalt, the fragrance of burnt nuts and corn-on-the-cob wafting in clouds above the rolling food carts that meander through traffic, the aroma of fresh flowers being weighed using hand-held brass scales, the occasional whiff of cow manure, the bouquet of spicy coffee served in paper espresso cups from corner stalls no bigger than a coat closet.
Pictures don’t let you feel the invisible dust that covers your skin as soon as you step outside, or the cool air wafting out of stores fortunate enough to have a fan, or the heat that stings your skin as soon as the sun breaks through the monsoon clouds.
Pictures don’t convey the drizzle that threatens to turn into a monsoon downpour that never comes, or the screech of a bird that is so jarring because it is so rare, or the dogs slinking through the throngs of people looking for scraps of food and getting no affection, or the thousands of smiles flashed at you in the hope of a bit of charity.
Pictures don’t let you feel the flakyness of a barota dipped in masala sauce, or the crispness of a roti served with an assortment of chutneys, or the softness of a slightly charred naan combined with butter chicken.
Pictures don’t convey the near-misses between cars inches apart in heavy traffic, or the flow of traffic around pedestrians crossing the street without any sign of hurry or panic, or of commuters boarding a bus that has already pulled away from its stop, its doors left open to allow stragglers to jump aboard before picking up speed, or the haggling that precedes the boarding of any conveyance.
All that is lost with photography. What’s also lost is our attention span — we see something, we snap a picture, we move on. Gone are the days of quiet contemplation triggered by a desire to ‘remember the moment.’ Our memory has been outsourced to photo storage in the cloud.
I don’t recall the few pictures I took so many years ago in Rio, Buenos Aires or Provence, but my recollections are nevertheless vivid, indelibly stored in my mind through the act of writing them down. So if you want lasting memories of your travels, maybe it’s time to put down the camera and pick up a pen?
Bananas in Bangalore Leave a comment
Ronald consoles a lonely traveler Leave a comment
Captured at Burlington, VT airport.
iPhone, edited with Snapseed
Taxi ride in Bombay Leave a comment
Some street views while driving through this vibrant, manic, exuberant, fascinating, and thriving city.
Captured with iPhone, edited with Snapseed
Vintage Motel Signs Leave a comment
Captured in West Yellowstone – throwbacks to the Fifties!
Virginia City General Store 4 comments
Grocery shopping, 150 years ago. I can only imagine what wonderful sounds that old cash register made when used (see last pic).
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF16-35mm lens, edited with Nik Color Efex
Veteran Rider 2 comments
Captured this Air Force veteran at a motorcycle rally in Ennis, Montana this past weekend. Loved his jacket. And had a nice chat with him and his wife.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM, edited in Adobe Lightroom
South of the Border 1 comment
Stopping at South of the Border (between N. Carolina and S. Carolina on I-95) is like a trip back in time. This giant truck stop is definitely a 50’s throwback! Click on any pic to see them all in slideshow format. I especially liked the restaurant shaped like a sombrero.
“Your wate and your fate” Leave a comment
Found this fortune-telling machine (and scale) in Selma, NC:
Canon 5D Mark II, 16-35mm
ISO 125
f/7.1
1/320
Whitaker, NC Leave a comment
2 views of Whitaker, NC (along route 310). This bank clearly has been closed for a while:
And this house hasn’t been occupied in a while, either:
Canon 5D Mark II, 16-35mm
Fresh produce? Leave a comment
Found this abandoned produce stand near Enfield, NC:
Canon 5D Mark II, 16-35mm
ISO 125
f/7.1
1/800 sec
Selma, NC 4 comments
Stopped in this small town while driving through North Carolina. Here are 3 views of Main Street. Click on any pic to see in slideshow mode.
Canon 5D Mark II, 16-35mm
Paris couples Leave a comment
Paris is great for all kinds of couples. Here are just a few examples.
The kissing couple:
The ‘I’d rather spend my time with my cellphone’ couple:
The fashionable tourist couple (with matching hats):
All kinds of couples, basically:
Crooked Paris 2 comments
So many streets in Paris feature buildings that seem to lean against each other, each one at a different angle.
A visit to the Bois de Boulogne 4 comments
This lovely park contains wonderful distractions: lakes with row boats, a childrens’ amusement park, endless trails through sun-dappled woods, the new Louis Vuitton Foundation building, and much much more.
Paris Passages 4 comments
On a recent trip to Paris, I strolled through several of the beautiful covered shopping arcades that were built in the early 1800’s. Click on any picture to see them in slide show format.
I was inspired by this lovely post on a blog I follow, which has great insider tips about Paris. Thanks Theodora!
Scenes of Montreal Leave a comment
Captured these on a recent business trip to Montreal:
Canon 5d Mark II, EFL-24-70mm
Scenes of a flight Leave a comment
Shot these on the way to Montreal.
Preflight check:
Outside the window:
Arrival:
Birds Eye View of Manhattan 3 comments
Captured these while descending towards LaGuardia airport in New York on a gorgeous sunny summer day.
iphone, edited with Snapped
The Commute from Hell 2 comments
Well, maybe it’s the commute TO hell, given that this is a shot of the platform going from Long Island TO New York.
Vermont Vietnam Veteran Memorial Leave a comment
I always drive by here on my way to Stowe, VT. This time I decided to take some pictures:
Canon 5D Mark II, EF 16-35mm
Captiva Moment 2 comments
This heron joined us for watching the sunset at Captiva Island.
Big Sky Vistas 3 comments
Driving through Montana I am always fascinated by the wide open spaces, probably because there aren’t many in Connecticut. The bottom one is of the battlefield of the Little Bighorn, site of Custer’s Last Stand.
Holiday Greetings from Burma Shave Leave a comment
I spotted this take on the classic 40’s roadside billboards from Burma Shave right here in Connecticut. Well done, whoever did this, and happy holidays!
To learn more about this iconic advertising campaign, check out the wikipedia page.
Canon 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm
ISO 400
f/8.0
1/100 sec
Have Airstream, will travel 7 comments
Found this old battered and slightly crumpled Airstream trailer on a vacant lot in Vermont. What places this thing must have seen!
iPhone, Hipstamatic
Are we there yet? Leave a comment
This trendy girl was very eager to get to the airport and onto her flight home. Captured on rental car bus at LAX.
Arenal Volcano Leave a comment
Fond memories of warmer weather in Costa Rica.
Canon 7D, 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5
ISO 100
f/5
1/1000 sec
Modern Cowboy 3 comments
Caught this cowboy checking his cellphone at the Bozeman airport in Montana.
Canon 7D, EF24-70mm f/2.8L
ISO 100
f/7.1
1/500 sec
enhanced with Nik Analog Efex Pro
Ready for Take-Off Leave a comment
Shot at JFK while waiting for take-off.
iphone, edited with Snapseed
World Cup Fever in the Favelas 1 comment
On a tour of the Rocinha favela in Rio we watched these boys showing off some amazing footwork with a beat-up football. Click on any one of them to see them in slideshow format.
All images shot with Canon 7D, 40mm f/2.8 lens
World Cup Fever – part 6 2 comments
The Brazilian fans are the best and happiest fans (maybe because their team keeps winning). These were from the Brazil-Cameroon game, caught in the Rio de Janeiro Fan Zone on Copacabana Beach.
World Cup Fever – part 5 Leave a comment
Yesterday we watched the Uruguay – Colombia match in the Maracana stadium on our last day in Rio. We drove to the stadium during the second half of the Brazil – Chile game, and the streets that are normally clogged with traffic were completely empty. We felt like we were in a Sci-Fi movie where we are the last survivors on earth. Very eery! But as a result, we got there in record time and were able to watch the penalty shoot-out of the Brazil game while sitting in the stadium with thousands of other fans who had arrived early. Since we had tickets in a Uruguay block, we decided to wear the Uruguay colors, but to no avail: Colombia won 2:0, one of the goals the best of the tournament. But we were glad that the game didn’t go into overtime, as we had to leave right at the end of 90 minutes to get to the airport and catch our flight back to New York. What a wonderful vacation it has been. More pictures from beautiful Rio to follow in other posts.
World Cup Fever – part 3 4 comments
No wonder Brazilians are great at soccer (futebol), they start early and on the beach, which is much harder than on grass. This kid was already delighting onlookers with impressive shooting skills.
Canon 7D, 40mm f/2.8
ISO 500
f/2.8
1/1000 sec
World Cup Fever, part 1 Leave a comment
Never mind that this was at the Belgium-Russia game — these fans were cheering for the US, who were playing later that day, in a totally different stadium and city.
The Tiny Streets of Bruges 7 comments
Bruges is full of small streets, unexpected views, and gorgeous canal scenes. It’s definitely my favorite small city in Europe. Plus, the chocolate and fries are to die for.
Badlands Drive 12 comments
From a trip across the country, after a storm in Badlands National Park, South Dakota.
Beautiful Curves 2 comments
Yes, there’s even beauty in freeway overpasses:
iphone, Hipstamatic
film: BlacKeys
lens: Lucifer VI
Windmills 250 Years Apart 1 comment
You come across all kinds of windmills in Belgium – old ones from the mid 1700s to new ones towering over the freeway.
Morning in St. Charles 4 comments
On a recent business trip to St. Louis I took advantage of sunrise to take some pictures on historic St. Charles’ Main Street. Click on any picture to see them in slideshow format.
Montana Fall Vistas 3 comments
I spent a day last weekend in Montana with my son and we spent the entire day taking pictures. Here’s the first batch, of the scenery while driving from Bozeman to Virginia City.
Canon 7D, 12-20mm lens, adjusted with Nik HDR Efex Pro
Belgian Chocolate is the Best 4 comments
Many country claim to make great chocolate (Switzerland, Germany, Italy), but none have as much variety as Belgium. Here are just 3 of the dozens of chocolate shop windows I drooled over in Bruges.
Velomobile 2 comments
This guy won’t get wet when it rains in Amsterdam, but how he squeezes in there is a mystery to me. You can find out more at velomobiel.ne.
He didn’t seem to command much attention among the other bike riders:
Canon 7D
ISO 125
f/11
1/80 sec
My New Favorite Bakery 3 comments
This little bakery is called Hinkel and is in the ‘Altstadt’ (old town) of Düsseldorf, Germany, where I recently bought some delicious sweets. I wish I had enough room in my luggage to bring back some of that tasty bread. Here’s my last post on bakeries.
Canon 7D
Google Location
DC Impressions Leave a comment
Covered a lot of territory in DC over the weekend, here are some miscellaneous impressions:
iphone & Hipstamatic app
DC Monuments – Take Two Leave a comment
I enjoyed the challenge of taking pictures of the memorials on Washington, DC’s Mall that are different from the millions of pictures taken there every day.
Washington Monument, from Lincoln Memorial
Click on any picture to start the slide show.
-
- Lincoln Memorial
-
- Lincoln Memorial
-
- Vietnam War Memorial
-
- Korean War Memorial
-
- Korean War Memorial
-
- Korean War Memorial
-
- FDR Memorial
Don Quijote’s Nightmare 4 comments
These windmills look pretty indestructible to me, and are about 20 times bigger than an old-fashioned windmill.
I’ve started using Nik Color Efex to enhance some of my photos. This is a good example what that software can do for a mediocre picture (original below):
Canon EOS 7D, EF-S 15-85mm
ISO 100
f/5.6
1/800 sec
Indian Head 2 comments
I photographed this gentleman at an Indian pow wow near Little Bighorn Battlefield in Montana:
Canon EOS 7D, EF 70-200mm
ISO 100
165mm
f/9
1/25 sec
B&W conversion in Nik Silver Efex
Red Barns of Vermont 3 comments
This color is ubiquitous in Vermont and really stands out, especially in the snow.
iphone Hipstamatic
Above the Clouds 1 comment
Summer storm, shot from above during a flight across the New Mexico desert.
iphone
ISO 64
f/2.4
1/24 sec
