Is It Safe To Travel?

One of the questions I am asked whenever I travel outside of the US, Canada or Western Europe is: "are you sure its safe to go there?"  It was asked of me just before leaving for Turkey which, coincidentally, was just after the Oklahoma City bombing.  It was recently asked of me before we headed to Puerto Vallarta for a pre-Christmas trip - the Mexican drug wars were the big news story.  On the other hand, when the earthquake hits your home, or the tsunami strikes or the tornado sets down in your yard or the hurricane roars through, it might not be safe at home either.

Should you exercise caution while traveling?  Of course.  The US State Department website (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html) posts travel alerts that may frighten you - its their job to point out potential problems.  But its good to balance those alerts with other points of view.  One site worth checking is: http://safety.worldnomads.com/.  World Nomads specializes in travel insurance for folks taking longer than usual journeys in places throughout the world. Their site offers lots of advice on a variety of safety topics, as well as a question and answer forum. 

Would I travel to a Mexico border town right now?  No.  How about Somalia?  NO.  And probably the same for Afghanistan and good portions of Iraq.  But using common sense, some street smarts and armed not with a gun but with good current information, I feel that travel to almost anyplace else can be a safe and enlightening experience.  Journey On!

Distinctive Portfolio

A distinctive photographic vision is the key to success in photography.  The works of Ansel Adams, for instance, are readily obvious, even though the photographs were, for the most part, taken in places where countless thousands of other photographers have also practiced their craft.

Lois Greenfield also has such a distinctive vision.   One of her specialties is dance, a subject that vacation and travel photographers run into from time to time at a festival or street fair. Many are in sharp focus, while others use motion to convey action - one of my personal favorite techniques. Her photography of Sham Mosher, the 1st one in her "Airborne" portfolio, is one of my favorites.  And her entire portfolio is worth a gander for multiple examples of shape and design as key factors in dance and motion photography.  http://www.loisgreenfield.com/galleries/airborne/index.html

Journey On!

I've been writing this blog for nearly two years now.  Looking back over 88 postings I've made so far, the topics range from pure travel to pure photography to a mix of the two and, finally, to what's important in life.  It has all been part of my life's journey as a photographer, workshop leader, environmental consultant and a social being.  Today I changed the heading of the blog to "Journey On! Photography, Vacations and Life." The new title is more indicative of what has been posted and where I'm personally headed in my creative life. 

Workshops will still be listed, as will upcoming gallery shows.  And I will try on a more regular basis to discuss the nuances of vacation photography which I think is one of the more challenging genres out there given how wide ranging it is.  And I'll post, as I did earlier today, articles and musings on the importance of an integrated life where the creative arts, world culture and one's personal interests intermix. 

I hope you continue to enjoy the Journey!

A Good Read

Came across an interesting blog post this morning covering the pleasures of buying a book.  Its not really about travel or photography, though its set in Madrid; rather it's about indulging in what's important to you.  It also brings to mind running out of reading material while traveling and finding a bookstore with at least a limited English language section and buying a book regardless of price.  For a good read is important to me while traveling, even if I don't finish it until well after I reach home. 

http://www.travelblogexchange.com/profiles/blogs/one-morning-at-petras

Faster than the Speed of Light?!?

While I try to keep my blog posts focusing on travel and photography topics, I sometimes come across an article that just causes me to stop and go - woo.  Such an opinion piece appeared in this past Sunday's New York Times.  Brian Green's article is about the expanding universe - the speed in which its expanding (possibly faster than the speed of light!) - and how at some time in the future, most stars in the night sky will disappear from Earth's view.  And not because they are being extinguished - just that they are moving outward over time in an ever expanding (so far) universe.  A think piece that still almost triggers the "reboot" button in my brain.  I highly recommend reading it - followed by a Tylenol!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/opinion/16greene.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=darkness%20on%20the%20edge%20of%20the%20universe&st=cse

Always Someplace Else To Go

Last Sunday's New York Times Travel section had one of those articles that I usually despise - "The 41 Places to Go in 2011."  Based on what?  And 41?!?!  But, intrigued, I at least ran through the list of suggested places and came across two in my home state - San Juan Islands and Olympic National Park, and a number of other places I had already been to in my years of travel (Singapore, Melbourne, Miami, London, Oahu).  But there were also places I never heard of - and at least one of them sounds like my kind of place - Fogo Island, Newfoundland.  "A remote island off the coast of Newfoundland with a dwindling population of 3,000 residents..."  And a growing cultural scene. Having never been to Newfoundland but having always want to go, I now have a new incentive - a new place to explore.  So, in spite of the article's title, it was worth at least a glance - and may be worth a glance from you as well.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/travel/09where-to-go.html?ref=travel  

Photos to Convey Meaning

When I lead photography workshops, I talk about the importance of taking photos that convey not just the "stark image," but also the emotion behind the image. The f64 school of landscape photography, with all elements of the image in sharp focus as exemplified by Ansel Adams, conveys the beauty of the natural setting. 

A different type of landscape, that of the spirit of Varanasi, India, might not be well served by the f64 school.  Rather, fleeting images taken by Peter Bialobrzeski are used to illustrate the splendid and moving story by Pico Iyer entitled "Maximum India" in the January 2011 edition of Conde Nast Traveler.  Varanasi is where devote Hindus come to die and deal with their mortality. And the photos do an outstanding job of supporting the article, showing respect to the devote, and encouraging me to make my own pilgrimage to this most holy of cities. The following link will take you to the on-line story - BUT NOTE THAT THE PHOTOS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE PRINT EDITION.  Check it out at your local newsstand, bookstore or library. 

By the way, Pico Iyer's article is also one of the more evocative I've read in a while and probably provides a better insight into the experiece of visiting Varanasi that you would ever find in a travel guide. Whenever I wonder aloud whether I should eventually travel to India, I'll come back to this article and go for it.
    
http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/503351