Saturday, March 19, 2011
How Travel Has Changed
Check out these two websites:
http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/03/01/travel-then-and-now-through-photos/
and
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/travel-tips-and-articles/76543?affil=lpemail.
The AOL site shows side by side photographs of how travel has changed over the decades. The Lonely Planet page describes more recent changes in how we research trips. Both are insightful and worth a gander.
http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/03/01/travel-then-and-now-through-photos/
and
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/travel-tips-and-articles/76543?affil=lpemail.
The AOL site shows side by side photographs of how travel has changed over the decades. The Lonely Planet page describes more recent changes in how we research trips. Both are insightful and worth a gander.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Keep it Simple
I came across a great quote in a book I've just started entitled "Visual Poetry" by Chris Orwig. "The trick of great poems and photographs is to tell just enough." Keep the photo simple, minimize extraneous elements. I'm reminded of a sketch by Pablo Picasso that is made up of 4 lines yet makes its subject very clear. http://www.art.com/products/p10290468-sa-i724882/pablo-picasso-femme.htm?sorig=cat&sorigid=0&dimvals=5000016&ui=ecb7b2a7f81544fcb44931ec0686438a. Boil your subject down to its most basic elements; try to exclude extraneous elements, and your photos will be stronger for it.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Life Is Good - Arthur Meyerson
One of the great photographers of our time - Arthur Meyerson - discusses his art, his creativity and a life in balance - including the quote "Life Is Good." His color photographs are inspiring (at least to this photographer) - simple but memorable. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZWNwqkat4o
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
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!
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!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
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
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
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