Sight Unseen : The Photography and Musings of Eric Baumann

Boylston

2009-12-19T23:09:00.001-05:00

Boylston
Originally uploaded by baumannphoto

I'm having a lot of fun with this lens...

Back Bay Boston

2009-12-17T17:05:00.001-05:00

Back Bay Boston
Originally uploaded by baumannphoto

Took a few tilt shift shots from the roof of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel this morning. It was extremely cold up there.

Katamari - Cat : August 22, 2009

2009-08-23T14:28:00.007-04:00

Yesterday I competed in my first "alley cat" race and I have to say, even though it was incredibly tiring (one speed, 40lbs of crap, varied terrain, cardboard box baskets taped and tied to my bike, 90 degree sun) it was also very fun and satisfying. I didnt have a little trip computer on me, but I mapped it out on google last night and from my best estimation I rode probably about 24.5mi all told (23.7 + riding around hunting for objects to fulfill each checkpoints challenges)

Here was the route:

View Larger Map

It was a scavenger style race with checkpoints throughout Boston and the surrounding neighborhoods. At each checkpoint you would be given a task to perform "find 5 pounds of stuff, carry it to the finish," "find 10 pounds of stuff," "find something that cant fit into this envelope" etc etc. The idea was that by the end of the race we and our bikes would be covered in random objects and whoever had the most interesting stuff and the MOST stuff by the end of the race would win a prize.

In the end, I finished the race 7/52 racers in about 3 hours with 40lbs of crap on me--which turned out to be good but not nearly enough to beat the eventual winner, Joshua, with an amazing 100lbs of junk hauled in on his cargo bike.

The race was followed with a BBQ and bike games, all in all a very fun time that I hope to repeat again in a few weeks at the next race!

Here are a couple photos from the race:

Check out more photos here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bosgood/sets/72157621995686275

http://www.flickr.com/photos/armoryourheart/collections/72157621995421307/

Banksy in Bristol : Holy Sh*t

2009-06-14T15:24:00.006-04:00

Banksy and the Bristol Museum have recently unveiled a ground breaking installation that features a ton of new work from one of the greatest working artists in the world today. I am seriously considering making the trip to check this one out...it looks absolutely stunning.

Just watch these videos and you'll see what I mean.

More videos here

Photos of the exhibit

Finally, 5D2 Video Firmware Update!

2009-05-26T21:20:00.001-04:00

Big news for 5D2 video shooters, Canon has finally given us full manual control of exposure during shooting, well not just yet. Read more here...

5D Mark II : In Stock at B&H

2009-02-26T13:10:00.002-05:00

Free shipping too, nice nice.

B&H Student Advantage Program

2009-02-16T15:59:00.003-05:00

Calling all students, calling all students...yesterday I discovered a tiny link at the top of B&H's home page that sends you to the "student advantage" section of the website; something I didn't even know existed. There are a whole bunch of different benefits to this program, including discounts on all sorts of stuff, pretty sweet eh?

Click here to check it out

Concert Shooting

2009-01-31T16:15:00.005-05:00

I used to shoot concerts all the time but in recent years, as I have gone to less and less concerts, I have taken less and less photos. I mention this because I have shot 3 concerts in the past 3 nights, and I had a great time doing it! Thanks to my new internship at The Boston Phoenix, I was able to shoot, and enjoy, fantastic concerts by The Roots/Antibalas on Thursday night and Andrew Bird last night.

Photos of The Roots can be found on my flickr photostream or here.

Photos of Andrew Bird can also be found on my flickr photostream and soon on the Phoenix's live review section of their website.

Snow

2009-01-11T20:08:00.002-05:00

It snowed quite a bit last night, so I took a few photos today. Thinking about printing it up for class on tuesday in addition to the silhouettes.

Project 1 : Contrast

2009-01-09T03:20:00.002-05:00

I toyed around with a few ideas for this one but, faced with a fast approaching deadline for placing my order, I decided to do some silhouette profiles and be done with it. Came out pretty neat I think...

Anyone looking to buy a 5D?

2009-01-07T13:55:00.001-05:00

Adorama has an awesome deal on refurbished 5D bodies.

This is an amazing price for this camera!

5D Mark II : First Impression

2009-01-06T21:58:00.006-05:00

Within 5 minutes of relieving the UPS man of his parcel, I finally had a 5D Mark II gripped firmly in my hand. This camera represents a dream come true for me, and then some; I have been hoping for a camera like this for a long time now.

The 5D Mark II is a perfect balance of power and portability; at home in both the studio or on the street. There are, of course, some new features and design elements that will take me some time to get used to, to quickly name a few:

The button placement on the back of the camera. I am used to just sliding my finger down onto the last button on the left side to playback my most recent image, not so anymore. The trash button is now the southern-most button on the 5DII's posterior.
The AF-On button. I am so used to hitting the "star" button on the back to focus that it took me about 2 hours of shooting to train my thumb to float just a little further left to hit the focus button.
The ISO adjustment has a new partner in the form of flash exposure compensation. Formerly paired with the drive adjustment, the ISO button is no longer in the center of the 3 main buttons on the top of the camera. I was regularly poking the wrong one trying to change ISO; this might take a little getting used to.

These gripes aside, the camera feels very natural in my hand, almost identical to the old 5D; which is a very good thing. Also, for those who care...the shutter has a very nice click to it, very different from the clunk-slap of the old 5D. It sounds tighter and more precise; very pleasing.

Live View is a new feature for me and I'm still kinda wrapping my mind around it. I used it a few times today to make some pictures from tight angles where I could not get an eye on the viewfinder. A welcome addition and a very necessary one when using the new video mode.

What I am most impressed with, beyond all else, is the image quality produced by this camera. It is better than good at 1600 and good at 3200. I have not tried out 6400 yet, or 12800, OR 25600. It is just beyond me that this camera still has 3 more gears to shift through if needed, simply astounding. Beyond ISO performance, the new 14-bit files are noticeable easier to manage while editing and the dynamic range seems to have significantly increased as well (compared to old 5D).

Overall, I am extremely pleased with the camera and I look forward to making many memorable images with it in the coming years.

Here are a few of the first shots I took tonight:

$0 for an 8GB Lexar CF Card, what?

2009-01-05T00:02:00.004-05:00

The latest way my new friend the recession has manifested itself:

8GB Lexar CF Card Giveaway at Adorama, get em while they're hot!!

Brian Dettmer

2008-12-15T01:59:00.002-05:00

Brian Dettmer Book Sculptures

Really, really, time consuming. Amazing as a result. Check em out.

Boylston

2008-12-14T15:14:00.001-05:00

Boylston
Originally uploaded by baumannphoto

Nice view from a roof I discovered yesterday...

Silhouette Masterpiece Theater

2008-12-10T01:31:00.003-05:00

This is pretty funny stuff.

Jeff Bridges : Carpenter

2008-12-07T18:33:00.003-05:00

Check this guy out.

C215 - Amsterdam

2008-12-05T21:44:00.001-05:00

C215 - Amsterdam
Originally uploaded by C215

My god.

C215

2008-12-05T12:46:00.004-05:00

Amazing portraits + Precise execution = Great Street Art.

LOOK AT HIS FLICKR PAGE, riDONKulous.

AND HIS MYSPACE, I am in awe...

Our Pets (A non-photo related thought)

2008-12-03T14:47:00.008-05:00

Just 5 minutes ago on my way home from class, I stumbled across a grisly scene. Ok, maybe it wasn't that grisly, but it got more of a reaction out of me than a normal roadkill run-in would have. The victim was feline, a beautiful white/black longhaired cat, someone's pet.

It's not everyday that you come across something like this: a pet run down on a busy roadway. It seems that our dogs and cats usually manage to stay just a step ahead of their rodent cousins who all too often find themselves beneath the wheel of a motor vehicle. Squashed squirrels are a dime a dozen in the roadkill world, we hardly blink anymore when we see one of those poor little guys. A cat is a different story. Somehow it just grips you in a different way, you can instantly relate.

There is probably a lot of love wrapped up in the now cold body of that animal. An owner who will be wondering for the next few days where their companion has gone, the sadness that will follow when the truth is learned. I think of my cats back home, of which there are 5. I think of how one of my cats recently escaped a similar fate, suffering a broken spine and rear leg after being clipped by a car.

Seeing that dead cat really hit home somewhere inside me. It drew into sharp focus the reality and indiscriminate nature of animals and the road. So, with that, love your animals, keep them safe.

And now, time to make this post photo related. Here are 4 of my 5:

Chris Jordan's intensely detailed art...with a message

2008-11-20T22:44:00.007-05:00

I have stumbled across this project a few times before, this time I thought I would share.

I can't imagine seeing this stuff in person...

Asus Eee PC for $329!

2008-11-19T21:04:00.001-05:00

What is the world coming to.

I might just have to buy one of these little bad boys, cant really beat it for $300!

Awesome tool for travel...think about it.

B&H and Adorama

2008-11-19T02:57:00.006-05:00

In the past 12 hours, I have been contacted by representatives from both B&H and Adorama in response to the comments and links that I posted here yesterday.

I just wanted to commend B&H and Adorama for their commitment to customer service and for their impressive attention to details on the blogosphere. I was SHOCKED to hear from B&H yesterday and even more shocked to see a comment posted from an Adorama representative just a few minutes ago.

So, well done, both B&H and Adorama are running upstanding companies and I look forward to enjoying their high standards of service in the future.

Build Your Own 1Ds

2008-11-18T17:07:00.002-05:00

Don't have $8000 to plunk down on Canon's flagship DSLR? No problem!

Carve your own with these instructions!

40D Holiday Special

2008-11-18T16:13:00.004-05:00

B&H has the lowest price I have seen on the outstanding Canon 40D.

If you were thinking about getting one, now is the time.

Jeff Riedel Interview with A Photo Editor

2008-11-18T12:27:00.004-05:00

Huge 32 page photo essay on the election from Jeff Reidel in the most recent issue of GQ. Thats a huge amount of re-estate for one photographer. Kudos to GQ for being cool enough to do that.

Read all about it, and see it, here.

There is a cool series of portraits of Jimmy Kimmel, of all people, in there as well.
Check out the shots here.

Lexar Deals at B&H Now, WTF?

2008-11-18T12:19:00.012-05:00

Something big must be in the pipe...Lexar is clearing out inventory at the two largest photo retailers on the east coast.

Well, kinda wish I had waited to buy from B&H, I probably would have my cards by now if I had. Adorama is OK, but they still have a little ways to go before they are swingin with the big dogs over on 9th Ave. I have yet to be able to track my package on UPS.com, almost a full 24 hours later. Lame.

Here are some links to B&H, where the cards are EVEN CHEAPER.

How is that even possible? They were already dirt cheap over at Adorama...

Lexar 8gb 133x CompactFlash Card for $7.95 after rebate

Lexar 4gb 133x CompactFlash Card for $4.95 after rebate

Lexar 2gb 133x CompactFlash Card for $2.95 after rebate

GET EM WHILE YOU CAN!

Recession Blowout on Lexar 133x CF Cards!!!

2008-11-17T16:02:00.014-05:00

UPDATE: Looks like the 8gb cards are all sold out!

Check out the 4gb ones instead, still a good deal

--------

In other news...here's a photo I have been meaning to take for a few weeks now. Shot last night during my 45 minute trip from South Station back to my apartment.

And the Best Use of Neon Tape award goes to......

2008-11-16T14:52:00.002-05:00

VIDEO (link in comment)
Originally uploaded by aakash nihalani

AAKASH NIHALANI!

Check this dude out!

AAKASH <3 CUBES

For photographers in search of advice:

2008-11-15T18:36:00.002-05:00

I know I sure could use some right now.

My Attempt to Capitalize on History - Why Not?

2008-11-05T02:32:00.004-05:00

WHAT THE HELL, LETS SEE WHAT HAPPENS!

Prints on eBay...

Obama in the Streets - Boston

2008-11-05T00:36:00.003-05:00

BOSTON STUDENTS TAKE TO THE STREETS IN CELEBRATION

-------------------------

Congratulations President Obama

2008-11-04T23:24:00.003-05:00

Well, that is that. Obama wins!

I have never been more proud to be an American...TO THE STREETS!!!

Election Day 2008

2008-11-04T13:24:00.006-05:00

While I have always known that this was going to be a historic election, the real weight of it didn't fully hit me until I picked up today's copy of the Metro. The issue was almost entirely devoted to election features and sported "AMERICA SPEAKS" on the cover in bold black lettering. I had a sudden urge to save this Metro, for history's sake. I have never felt an urge like that before. Not since elementary school when I collected newspaper articles about the MetroStars(my favorite MLS team at the time).

The gravity of the historical significance of today and tomorrow finally came crashing down on my head. I raced to find a copy of last month's Rolling Stone, which had a photo of Barack Obama on the cover and an interview with him inside. I made a mental note to wake up early tomorrow and get in line for the (hopefully) historic editions of every paper I could get my hands on.

I also felt somewhat disappointed that I wasn't going to be able to vote at a polling station, having sent in my absentee ballot a week ago. I now crave that experience! To close the curtain behind me and take control of a machine that holds within it the hope of a nation.

Today is the day history is made, today is the day America speaks. If we all go out and cast our votes, I have no doubts that come tomorrow morning there will be a newspaper worth saving.

Two long years of campaigning have all led up to this day, now its up to us. That said...

GET OUT AND CAST YOUR VOTE

There has never been a more important time to care.

Hindsight: Now Available

2008-10-29T00:40:00.008-04:00

Just published on Blurb, my newest collection of photos: Hindsight: 2006-2008

The book is a retrospective of sorts. A collections of some of my favorite photos from the past 2 years.

The book is 120 pages, 7x7 inches, and only $22.95 for the softcover edition with PREMIUM paper! The premium paper is new at Blurb, but its 35% thicker than the old 80lb paper and has a "silk" finish to it, so I'm thinkin its pretty nice.

Also, little secret here: when you checkout, enter "hewlettpackard10" in the promotion code spot to get $10 off the Imagewrap Hardcover Edition! (order over $39.95)

Enter "hpfreeshipping" for free shipping on the softcover or the dust jacket hardcover. (order under $39.95)

Thanks in advance for looking, let me know if you like it, or if you buy one!

Hindsight

2006-2008

By Eric Baumann

Book Preview

I just like this picture...

2008-10-25T21:46:00.007-04:00

Meadowlands - East Rutherford, NJ

Photo Plus 2008

2008-10-25T18:33:00.008-04:00

Today I spent a couple hours wandering around a seemingly endless expanse of photo-industry related vendor booths. It was my third consecutive Photo Plus and at first glance everything was, more or less, exactly as I remembered it from last year, except for one huge absence...

Apple has always had a significant presence at Photo Plus and I could not understand why there wasn't a huge glowing Apple logo visible anywhere in the place. It was weird, to say the least. I thought there must be a mistake, "I must be blind," I decided, reassuring myself in a not so reassuring way.

First stop, Canon booth. I needed to get my hands on the 5D Mark 2 if it was the last thing I did. It was easier than I expected and I had a nice amount of time with my future best friend. Unfortunately, the Canon folks wouldn't let me stick a card in it but I was able to snag a few shots off a 1Ds3 with the new 24L on it. It looks like it gets a little wonky towards the corners but overall a nice piece of glass for sure.

Next stop, Leica. I wandered into the Leica-zone unsure of exactly what I was doing there. Then a glass case full of oversized 35mm lenses caught my eye. They belonged to the S2, Leica's latest entry into the high-end digital market. I have to say, first impressions were not favorable. That thing is not something I would want to carry around with me, for the same reasons I don't own a 1D and then some. It's just big and clumsy looking, a true BRICK. I think Leica should have just gone all the way and made it a full-fledged medium format camera. No photojournalist is gonna want to lug that crap around, no sir.

Next up, the old Epson booth, I wanted to check out prints from the new HDR inks and I had heard they were having print signings throughout the day. Stopped in at Lexar first to see when Mr. Laforet was going on, saw I had a half hour to kill, then went and stood in line for the print signing. I looked at the list and almost cried, Steve McCurry had been there signing (I'm assuming) prints of his "Afghan Girl" shot from 1230-130, It was now 230. I punched myself in the face. In my imagination.

I was in line for a signed print from a Mr. Vincent Versace. I thought to myself for a minute "I wonder if he's a fashion photographer?" Guess I figured it ran in the name. Turns out he is a photojournalist who had prints from Morocco and Vietnam up in the Epson gallery...go figure. I asked him when it was my turn for a signature where the photo was taken. He told me it was taken in Morocco, in Marrakech. I told him I had been there in May of this year, he told me he was also there in May, then I started replaying my days in Marrakech in my head.

I could almost swear that I had seen him when I was there. I mean, I saw guys who looked like him roaming around with D3's and other enormous cameras. I laughed at those guys when I was there, but I guess thats just how some people like to do it...

So, it was from one Vincent to another. I got to Lexar just as a screening of Reverie was finishing up and Vinny started taking questions and talking to some other interested folks. I waited my turn, shook his hand and congratulated him on Reverie. He was, of course, just as friendly as I remembered and it meant just as much to be able to meet him again.

So, two Vincent's, both nice guys. Good stuff.

I resumed my search for the Apple booth and eventually go my hands on a show guide that had all the exhibitors listed. No Apple. What the hell is this! ARE THEY REALLY NOT HERE?! They weren't, no Apple this year. How freakin bizarre. I checked out a couple more cameras just for the hell of it: the Olympus E-420 and the Sony A900 -- (which I kinda raved about here)

I spent about 30 seconds with the E-420, I really just wanted to see how small it actually was. Its pretty damn small. So is the viewfinder. Not sure how I feel about it.

The Sony A900. I think I was actually more impressed with the lens they had strapped on this thing (Carl Ziess 135mm f1.8) than the actual camera itself. I told the Sony guy that, he didn't seem amused. The camera was pretty cool, not really my cup of tea though. It was kinda heavy and had a lot of fiddly switches and knobs and features that nobody will really ever use. It was a camera that seemed like it was built by a major electronics company, not by photographers.

What I was impressed with, in regards to the Sony, was the output of the thing. They had some monster sized prints hanging up around the booth and I have to say, they were EXTREMELY nice. The color and sharpness was there in a big way. Personally, I wasn't really sold on it but I'm sure it will be a competitor.

Anyways, I think I'm done jabbering for now. Here are some pictures I took out in the rain/wind on my way from Photo Plus back up to 116th.

Talking Heads

2008-10-22T01:13:00.004-04:00

I have been suffering lately from a severe lack of creative output. It's depressing.

I ended last week in a blur of linoleum and ink but had since stalled out; both in carving and in photography.

So, tonight, it was time to take action. I put off the school work (it's been dragging me down lately), picked up the 5D and pointed it at the TV.

Within 5 minutes I had a plan...

2 hours later, I had THIS.

LINOLEUM!

2008-10-19T21:56:00.006-04:00

Last week I did something for the first time in my life:

I had an idea and in the same day did everything I needed to see that idea through.

Sounds simple right? But think about it for a second, when was the last time you did that?

My idea, was to take up a new hobby: linoleum carving and printing

Sounds a little weird, if you aren't familiar with it, but I can assure you that it is surprisingly calming while also intensely tedious. Something about that combination appeals to me.

Here are a few examples of my early attempts. Each took about 3-4 hours start to finish.

Peter's Tie

Marc Bolan

Jon Stewart in Matthews Arena

2008-10-19T12:38:00.005-04:00

Comedian Jon Stewart was greeted by a standing ovation as he took the stage friday night in Northeastern University's Matthews Arena. Stewart cracked jokes about the expected topics (religion, politics, economy, technology) but also treated the crowd to some unexpected, and especially hilarious, interaction with the ASL interpreter on the side of the stage.

During the Q&A at the end of the performance, Stewart was asked if he would give Northeastern a shout-out on monday night's Daily Show. He responded with a speedy "Of course!!.....If you guys beat BC tomorrow night." Considering BC is the #1 ranked college hockey team in the country, it seemed like he was safe from following through with the shout-out...then we beat BC last night 4-3. Seems there will be a lot of Northeastern students looking for a shout-out come 11pm tomorrow night.

Some pictures from the show. Snuck the camera in under a shirt in my backpack.

My favorite from the night:

Pay What You Wish

2008-09-27T00:31:00.013-04:00

Tonight was "Pay What You Wish" (so long as you wish to pay) night at the Guggenheim here in NYC. Julie had wanted to check out the Louise Bourgeois exhibit last weekend but I suggested we go this week because it ended up costing us $2 instead of $30. I'm a bargain hunter, what can I say.

I didn't know much about Ms. Bourgeois before tonight-only that she was responsible for the enormous spider sculpture in Paris. The first thing you come across in the exhibit is a smaller version of those same spiders, this made me happy (they are personal favorites of mine).

Moving up the spiral from the ground level, there were several spaces full of Louise's sculpture, which was quietly captivating. I say quietly because the beauty and creative genius in her work can be easy overlooked by a hurried eye.

A particularly interesting shape hung suspended from the ceiling of the museum:

Heading further up the spiraling interior of the beautiful Guggenheim, I came across this little beauty.

I chuckled to myself for a moment before reading the accompanying ID card. It was made entirely of latex. Interesting.

It quickly became apparent that Louise was an artist who embraced natural form, human or otherwise. One piece appeared, to me, to be two enormous yams overlapping each other. I loved it! The two forms looked exactly like real yams, the texture and coloring was perfect. They were in fact made of plaster and latex, but I was still fascinated by them.

I wish I could have taken more pictures of the work but security was fairly tight and I was told on multiple occasions, once on each "floor," that photography was not allowed. I eventually just gave in and shouldered my camera.

I guess it would also make sense to inform you that this was my first visit to the Guggenheim. I had driven and walked past it on many occasions, but never gone inside. It is an absolutely fascinating building, one of the most perfect spaces for viewing artwork I have ever experienced. It really was an experience. All at once you feel like you are both viewing artwork and also moving through a work of art, and you are. Frank Lloyd Wright, I take my hat off to you sir.

As we reached the upper levels of the museum, the work began to transform into bigger "installation style" pieces involving enclosed spaces formed by the most incredible doors attached one after another by their hinges. It was by far my favorite part of the exhibit. I didn't take any pictures of them but there are a few on the exhibit page here.

Sadly, the exhibit is packin it in this Sunday, Sept. 28, but if you are in the city tomorrow, looking for something to do and have $15 to burn, it's worth checking out.

The was also an exhibit of photography by one Catherine Opie, which just opened today. What struck me the most about the exhibit was the presentation. Prints ranging in size from around 2" x 4" to a larger-than-life size of about 9' x 3' (I'm guessing) full length portraits. Every print had an amazing amount of detail and every portrait was intensely lifelike. It made me want to buy a large format camera even more than I already do.

While I can't really say I'm a huge fan of her portraits, I did enjoy her more photojournalistic environmental work in which she created a very intimate connection with the subject using a camera system that doesn't generally lend itself to that style of shooting.

Her work is definitely not for everyone, but check it out if you want to see prints and framing of the absolute highest quality, along with some unconventional, and sometimes uncomfortable, subject matter.

Coming out of the museum at closing time, we were in for a little surprise. There were enormous words being projected onto the face of the museum! What was this?! Of course I started snapping away like a madman.

It seemed some folks had set up shop across the street and were projecting some sort of nonsense text (according to Julie, I never actually stood there and read it) onto the side of the building. Brilliant!

UPDATE: Since I published this post, I did a little research and discovered the source of the projected words. They are the most recent project of conceptual artist Jenny Holzer, designed to feature the restored white finish of the museum's exterior. Pretty cool.

My personal favorite shot from the night:

What do I love about this photo? Well...

The text on the museum. Both projected and the amazing Guggenheim lettering. It's very graphic and bold and eye catching, I like that.
The tonality of the B&W conversion. It just feels very vintage. It complements the subject matter nicely I think.
The umbrella wielding figure in the foreground. Just enough blur to capture the motion without losing the amazing profile of the man as he passed by.

I think that just about sums it up...

I absolutely love shooting in the rain, and at night. Everything changes.

Nikon Coolscan 9000

2008-09-18T03:07:00.002-04:00

I recently discovered the hidden Nikon 9000 here at Northeastern.

Tonight, I decided to spend some quality time with it.

Here are some of the first scans.

Taken during a road trip out west in July.

5D Mark II : Canon Eats Canon

2008-09-17T00:51:00.005-04:00

IT'S HERE!! IT'S HERE!! IT'S HERE!! IT'S HERE!! IT'S HERE!! IT'S HERE!! IT'S HERE!!

If you couldn't already tell, I am positively elated by the news.

$2,699 for a 21.1mp state of the art STILL AND VIDEO machine. BARGAIN!!!

FULL HD VIDEO at 30fps!! WHAT!!

21.1mp 14-bit files!! WHAT!!

SELF CLEANING (been craving this one for awhile haha)

Start scraping your pennies together folks.

THIS is EVOLUTION, THIS is CANON, THIS is what we have all been waiting for.

But, in all this excitement, where does the 1Ds Mark III get left?

As a scrap in the bottom of the 5D2's bowl it seems...

The Evolution of Canon's Evolution Ad

2008-09-11T13:10:00.003-04:00

So, it seems Canon has been updating their "Moon" teaser leading up to the full moon on the 15th and the suspected announcement of the 5D's successor on the 17th.

You can now see just a little bit more of the camera in the ad.

There sure know how to drive you crazy don't they?

R.I.P. Photoshelter Stock

2008-09-11T13:09:00.000-04:00

Sad day folks, sad day.

The Announcement.

Damon Winter. Holy Sh*t.

2008-09-09T12:36:00.001-04:00

Watch This

I am Speechless.

Leaps and Bounds in the DSLR world...

2008-09-09T11:40:00.004-04:00

Today, Sony announced the A900.

Normally, I don't really care enough about this kinda thing to announce it here, but this camera represents the crowning of a new king in the DSLR world, a post that Canon has held for around 6 years.

The A900 FULL-FRAME sensor clocks in at a whopping 24.6mp and has in body image stabilization--a feature some thought could never be implemented in a full-frame body.

Sony has stolen, for the time being, the megapixel crown off of the 21.1mp 1Ds Mark 3, Canon's current $7,999 flagship.

And, get this, it did it for $5,000 less. The A900 will cost $2,999 when it hits the shelves sometime this winter. Crazy.

Now, of course, the A900 is no 1Ds. But the word "tank" was used by DP Review in describing its build quality, a comparison once reserved only for the top dogs of the DSLR world. Standards are climbing with every generation of cameras and it seems that Sony has taken this to heart.

When the A700 was introduced, it represented Sony's first real plunge into the DSLR market. The A700 was nothing special, it felt cheap and breakable, I doubted that Sony would ever be able to carve out a piece of the Canon/Nikon pie.

But, low and behold, it seems that with this new A900 and an INCREDIBLE line of Zeiss lenses being churned out for it, Sony might be a real contender after all...

Only time, Canon, Nikon, and Photokina 2008 (Sept 23-28) will tell whether the A900 will be a real force in the DSLR market. Personally, I think Canon has an ace up their sleeve. It's been 3 years since the release of the 5D and with the recent "Moon" teaser, it seems a Photokina announcement is imminent.

Either way, buckle up your seat belts (all who care), it's going to be a pretty exciting month.

Photos on Flickr

2008-09-08T00:14:00.002-04:00

Check out Flickr for the latest shots from the past few weeks.

Hanna

2008-09-07T20:40:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, Tropical Storm Hanna rolled through Montclair, NJ. I just happened to be home for the day visiting and was able to not only enjoy the pitter-patter on my roof, but also get out in the sh*t in search of some flood pics.

On my way around town, I noticed that the "brook" that normally trickled through my high school's amphitheater/park was now surging over its banks at incredible speeds! I stopped to document the mayhem. As you can see in the picture below, the water had risen over a bridge that normally has about 3 feet of air between it and the riverbed. Pretty crazy.

Making a Difference

2008-08-22T19:58:00.005-04:00

Every now and then, someone will ask me something along the lines of "what did you do today?"

Of course what they really mean is "what did you ACCOMPLISH today?" To be truthful, I haven't accomplished all that much this summer. I spent most of July getting together prints and a book for my show which opened a week ago and since then I have just been on cruise control, kickin' it, relaxing before heading back to Boston.

There are parts of me that feel this period of rest is ok, acceptable, after so many long months of activity. Then there are other parts that are brimming with creative energy, ideas and projects bubbling up within me, waiting to be realized.

Then, there are those moments that fall into your lap when you least expect it. Those rare opportunities to make some sort of difference in the world--in someone or something's life. For me, that moment began last night and finished today when I handed over a shoebox to a kind older woman named Claire in Butler, NJ. Inside the shoebox sat two baby rabbits.

These two fragile lives were brought to me by the instincts of my cat, Mothra, late last night. For the past month or two, a small family of rabbits had been living in our front yard and I knew it was only a matter of time before Mothra got her paws on one of them.

We kept the little guys in a shoebox overnight and my dad spent the morning searching for a place to take them. He eventually found a woman about 30 minutes from Montclair who seemed to be an expert in wild rabbit rehabilitation. Only problem was that he didn't have enough time to go out there on his lunch break and by the time he finished for the day, it might be too late to save the pair.

Enter me.

The guy on the couch, kickin' it.

It was time for me to do my part.

I happily volunteered for the job and hopped in the car. These rabbits needed me and I was ready to do anything in my ability to give them a second chance. I read somewhere that 95% of wild rabbits die within their first 6 months of life. I was determined to make these 2 little guys part of that 5%.

That trip made my day.

Today, I accomplished something special. I helped save 2 young lives.

Thanks Everyone!

2008-08-13T11:46:00.002-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came out for the opening at Gallery 51 saturday night!
It was really great seeing all of you there, thanks for supporting my work, it means a lot.

The show made it on to Baristanet, sweet.

Check out Tumblr!

2008-08-03T18:53:00.002-04:00

For all of you who have always wanted a blog but haven't made one because it's just "too much work," there is no longer an excuse.

A new blog website, Tumblr, has now made it easier than ever to have a blog. With super fast sign-up, super easy posting and some pretty sweet layout options, it's the hassle free blog for everyone.

CHECK OUT TUMBLR HERE

I have this blog and I still decided it was too cool not to make one of my own.

Seriously, check it out, it's sweet.

JPG Magazine

2008-07-25T17:52:00.007-04:00

So I have kinda made it my mission to get a photo published in this mag.

You can help by creating an account and voting for my latest submissions (if you feel so inclined).

***Voting is over, check out JPG though, great magazine.

Gallery Opening Info

2008-07-25T03:23:00.005-04:00

Quick Announcement:

25 +/- images of mine have been selected to be a part of a group show opening in August at Gallery 51 in Montclair, NJ.

There will be two opening parties for the show.
Both parties begin at 5pm and will take place on August 2nd, and August 9th (Saturdays)

The address of the gallery is:

51 Church Street
Montclair, NJ 07042

Hope to see you there!

Sight Unseen Book Release!

2008-07-19T23:02:00.007-04:00

Sight Unseen

Now available for purchase on Blurb.

Sight Unseen

By Eric Baumann

Book Preview

Thanks for looking!

Pictures

2008-07-16T22:34:00.002-04:00

First batch of photos are out of Lightroom and onto Flickr.

CLICK HERE

I will post some on the blog another time, just wanted to get the word out that they were up.

Enjoy!

The work begins...

2008-07-15T09:31:00.002-04:00

17 rolls of 120 and 40gb of CF later, I have returned from my latest, and hopefully last for a little while, photo trip.

My only problem now is that with 34mb of HD space, I don't really have any way of sorting through/editing the photos I took, bummer. Best Buy will fix that shortly. In the mean time, I will give a brief recount of the trip, followed up with some pictures later on today.

We flew to Denver the morning of July 5th and immediately set out to our first national park: Rocky Mountains National Park. It went from balmy to straight up COLD in a matter of minutes as we began to climb into the Rockies. The scenery was spectacular, I had no idea that such natural beauty still existed in our country, it was a refreshing experience for sure and a great way to start off the trip.

From Colorado, we headed due west to Salt Lake City, Utah where we spent our second night. The following day we sped out onto the bleak, perfectly straight Rt. 40. Destination: The Bonneville Salt Flats. It was 120 miles out, 120 miles back. That's just under 4 hours of driving for the mathematically impaired. It was worth it though, every minute. It was hot, it was salty, it was barren. It was the remnants of an ancient sea, long since evaporated, that people now love to drive their cars really fast on. Makes sense I guess, not much else you can do with it. For the record: I tasted the Boneville Salt Flats. They are indeed salt, flats.

After our salt adventure, we headed south from Salt Lake City to the little town of Binnell. It was a long, long drive, but with awesome scenery all along the way, nobody was complaining. We spent the night in Binnell, then headed for Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce Canyon was awesome, go see it. Totally freakish rock formations, think drippy sand castles, called "Hoodoos." It was great, you'll see the pictures later.

After Bryce Canyon we headed further south to Page, Arizona. After a night in Page, we began our long awaited Grand Canyon day. For my dad, this was a big deal, he has always wanted to see the Grand Canyon and now it was happening. For Peter and I, this was our big chance to freak out my dad by climbing out onto as many rock outcroppings as possible. Looking back, I understand his concern, and I probably should have been more concerned myself--I was, after all, literally inches away from a 5,000 foot drop to my doom--but it was just so incredible being perched up there looking out over such an amazing landscape.

From the Grand Canyon, it was on to Vegas baby! Yea woo! Cards! Show Girls! Money! Alcohol! Slots! FUN! Sike. We were too exhausted to do much of anything by the time we got there. Peter and my dad were passed out in the room by 10pm(photo coming soon) leaving me and the TV to spend some quality time together. When midnight rolled around, I decided to go out and shoot some Vegas lights, or whatever else I could find within a few blocks that looked interesting. It was, for lack of a better term, a veritable shit show out on the street. I lasted about an hour before I decided it was time to hit the sack.

Next stop: California! Woohoo! Beaches, celebrities, palm trees and tiny dogs! Sike. It was time for Death Valley National Park. In case you don't know, or if the name doesn't give it away, very few things live in Death Valley. Why? Because it is RIDICULOUSLY HOT there. The USA's record temperature was set there on July 10, 1913. It was 134F on that lovely summer day. Fast forward 95 years, to the day. July 10, 2008: It was 127F. Ok, no records broken, but 127F is freaking HOT, trust me. Every time the wind would blow, it would feel like an enormous dog was breathing on you. The air, blown from over the hotter ground, was superheated to temperatures approaching 200F. It was crazy, don't go there unless extreme heat, dryness, lifelessness, or being 282 feet below sea level appeals to you.

Interesting Death Valley Tidbit (2 actually):
- The only water we saw in Death Valley exists in a small pool at a spot called, appropriately, "Badwater." This spot also happens to be the lowest point in the valley, and the western hemisphere. Go figure.
- As we headed(ran) back to the car to escape the heat, a morning dove flew out over the edge of a nearby mountainside. It soared majestically out over the road and the sand before DROPPING LIKE A STONE TO ITS DEATH. Apparently this poor bird didn't get the memo: Things DIE in DEATH Valley. It was shocking to see.

Heading out of Death Valley, we ran into some bizarre little towns that looked like they were built around huge factories decades ago. We speculated that the inhabitants were all descendants of the original factory workers and that all of the abandoned houses were from those who moved away without bothering to sell their home--because nobody would ever be moving into these towns and all of the people who lived there already had family homes that had been used for generations. My brother put on a little Tom Waits as we drove through. There are few things that Tom Wait's vocals/lyrics/music are appropriate for--a drive through Trona, California is one of those things.

We stopped in Bakersfield for a night, then headed to Modesto for the following evening/night. We had originally planned to drive the Pacific Coast Highway between LA and San Francisco but the recent forest fires shut down that whole stretch. It was a bummer but it did give us some more time to just take it easy before reaching San Fran.

We drove through San Francisco the following day, across the Bay Bridge and then the Golden Gate. We then headed north on the stretch of Pacific Coast Highway 1 that follows the coast above the city. We headed into wine country after a brief drive up the coast, stopping in Petaluma, CA. It was a shockingly nice city, I must say. We had a nice hotel room, a nice dinner, a then saw WALL-E(which I was thrilled about, even though I already saw it, GREAT movie).

From Petaluma, it was back to SF for 2 days of chillout and walkin around with the cam--something I had been sorely missing at this point in the trip.

I love San Francisco. Good vibes in that place. Must be all the burnt out hippies.

Plane ride home last night/this morning was well, the red eye. I am dead tired but this needed to be written and film needs to be dropped off, emails replied too, checks mailed, hard drives purchased, etc. etc. etc.

The work begins...

It's Roadtrip Time

2008-07-06T23:35:00.003-04:00

Just when I thought my travels had come to an end, my dad suggested a 10-day roadtrip on the west coast, starting yesterday. Since landing in Denver yesterday, we have driven west through the Rocky Mountains into Utah, to Salt Lake City, where we are now.

The landscape so far has been very dry and barren with a lot of small bushes and shrubs but not many trees. It is so beautiful, the pristine condition of the west--I was afraid that untouched land like this had become a thing of the past.

Tomorrow we are headed out to the Bonneville salt flats, which I am very excited about, then to the Great Salt Lake and finally south in the direction of Arches National Park. It will be a lot of time in the car but the photos will be more than worth the ride.

Also, I have been shooting a lot of film over the past 2 days. My good friend Daria Amato was kind enough to let me borrow her Hasselblad 500 C/M, the perfect camera for a trip out west. I have already fallen in love with it, as I knew I would. Like my Leica M6, it is a joy to use and the negatives it produces are stunning. I will certainly be purchasing one of my own in the very near future.

Check back soon for more updates, no photos until the 15th though--laptop stayed at home this time.

Back in NYC

2008-06-29T01:28:00.002-04:00

It's a little weird being home. It is a feeling that is entirely new, surprising, and yet I feel like I should have anticipated it before I even set foot on the plane in Frankfurt. There is just something about American cities that falls slightly short of the charm and aesthetic beauty found in their foreign counterparts. This could just be a phase I'm going through, but there is no denying that the structured grid of NYC really can't hold a candle to the spider web of Paris and the medinas of Morocco in terms of aesthetic intrigue.

Moving on from that little whine...I went to NYC yesterday for an interview at the Christian Oth Studio. I found the ad on craigslist and was shocked/surprised/delighted to get a response with this link at the bottom (http://www.christianothstudio.com). I'm not a huge fan of wedding photography usually--because most of the photos I see are the same old cheesy crap just with a different couple--but this studio was actually doing it right! The photos were beautiful photos in their own right, not just a photo of a happy couple, an INTERESTING photo of a happy couple. I hope I get a chance to work with them in the future.

So, the interview was over fairly quickly and I had already paid to get into the city so I figured I should make the most of it. I called up my friend, Mr. Adam Abada, and arranged a lunch meeting. On the way I took a few photos.

Also, its worth posting a couple shot from my window seat on the flight from Munich to Frankfurt. More amazing clouds!

As always, there are more posted on flickr HERE.

All in all, it is good to be back, to be with my family again and to see some of my friends. I miss Germany a lot but I am confident that I will return sooner than I expect and that when I do, I will hopefully have a much better grasp of the language.

Until next time...

DEUTSCHLAND!!!

2008-06-26T11:42:00.002-04:00

Online Videos by Veoh.com

I was on a plane for 10 hours while this was happening. It was an incredible game with a spectacular finish-Germany pulled it out and put themselves in the final.

I can't wait to see what happens on Sunday...

Trip to Strasbourg

2008-06-24T04:45:00.003-04:00

We went back to Strasbourg, France this past weekend to pick up some luggage that Julie and I had left behind at her host-mother's home. Neither one of us were prepared for what we saw when we got there.

A city that we had only known in the colder times of the year had completely transformed. Sun, flowers, people, everywhere. It was also the weekend of a huge music festival and there were local bands playing on every other street corner all over the city. For those of you familiar with it, think Serendipity Cafe on a citywide scale. It was a great energy to be a part of.

Here are a few pictures from the trip.

Julie and I are leaving tomorrow morning bright and early from Munich, heading back to NJ. It has been quite a trip, 6 months that I will surely remember for the rest of my life. I just wanted to take a minute to say thanks to all of you who have been following along and commenting--it kept me shooting, posting, and writing.

I couldn't have done it without all of you, thank you.

The Lake

2008-06-22T18:56:00.002-04:00

I felt in the mood for posting some pictures, so I decided I would do just that.

A few shots from a trip to the lake the other day:

Julie Mit Grass

Fussen and Pfronten in Nesselwang, Germany

Sharpness is Overrated

Blulie

Bavarian Graffitti

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That's all for now, I'll put some more up tomorrow.

G'night folks.

As Promised : More Sunrise Pictures

2008-06-19T18:38:00.002-04:00

I have never, in my current knowledge, witnessed anything as breathtakingly beautiful as this morning's sunrise.

I have seen a lot of sunrises, and sunsets for that matter, and this one was by far the most unique and stunning of the group. The pictures only begin to scratch the surface of what it was like to be standing there, under it all, watching the day begin in a blaze of orange and blue (and everything in between).

I've been waking up really early in the morning recently, usually around 5:30am. I always sit up and look out the window over the fields and forests that surround Schwarzenberg. Only the soaring Alps disturb the continuous flow of green that blankets the rolling landscape I see before me.

For the past week or so, the morning have been especially rainy...and foggy. That combo makes for less than expansive views during the hours when the sun begins to climb. So, today when I glanced out of the window and saw this...well you can probably imagine how I reacted--although I guess you don't have to seeing as how there are pictures.

Anyways, I have begun working on a short story about this little habit I have developed and I will be sure to post it here when I have something worth showing. For now, just photos and my lame attempts to convey to you how beautiful Germany is.

Its late, Goodnight.

Sunrise

2008-06-19T15:06:00.001-04:00

Woke up at 5:25am to see this out my window...

More to come later...

Recent shots, poll alert and CLOUDS, GLORIOUS CLOUDS!

2008-06-17T11:15:00.008-04:00

Julie and I made a quick run to the grocery store today before dinner and tonight's Eurocup feature (France v. Italy). On my way out the door, I was floored by what I saw in the sky: clouds unlike any I had ever seen. There were examples of every formation I could think of, converging and combining to create a visual feast in the sky above my head. I ran back inside and grabbed my camera, then headed out onto the balcony for some shots before we left.

When we finally dragged me off the balcony and into the car, I couldn't stop shooting. The sun was setting and beams of light were shooting through the gaps in between clouds to illuminate select areas of the hillsides. It was like someone was up there shining a spotlight around, directing me to my next photographic opportunity.

We made it to the store just around the time Julie was starting to get fed up with my incessant "LOOK AT THESE THINGS!! THEY ARE AMAZING! AREN'T THEY BEAUTIFUL?! JULIE LOOK AREN'T THEY INCREDIBLE!!" I had officially lost it. I was obsessed with the puffy white mountains in the sky, my neck permanently craned upwards, snapping away happily with an enormous smile on my face. By this time we were in the parking lot of the Penny Markt/Getrankmarkt and people were starting to stare, I was too far into the zone to care...

LOOK AT THESE THINGS!!

So yea, the clouds were amazing and I lost it. I took a bunch of handheld panoramas also, I'll post one if any of them do the clouds justice.

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Also, I probably should have said something about this when I posted it, but there is a little poll on the sidebar just under the "Friends" section. Just a little survey to see how you folks like to receive imagery. Check it out and pick an option if you have the time, thanks.

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And now, a few recent shots from a walk around the neighborhood yesterday...

More on flickr as always...

Thanks for looking!

Curse of the Black Gold

2008-06-16T17:43:00.005-04:00

Photojournalist Ed Kashi just launched a new website to accompany his newly released book, The Curse of the Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta. There is a massive amount of material on there and it is all very worth looking through.

Be sure to check out the Curse of the Black Gold movie in the multimedia section. Hearing the words of the local people affected really adds something to an already powerful collection of images.

http://www.curseoftheblackgoldbook.com/

Biting My Cheek

2008-06-15T08:13:00.005-04:00

I just bit my cheek. I groaned and folded over on the couch in a cruel mix of pain and surprise. A second earlier I had been happily crunching away on my rice cracker, as dry as it was. I was content, sitting, watching Julie type an entry on her own blog, but now I find myself in a whole new world of pain. Why? What is this cruel device that always seems to act when we are enjoying a moment of culinary bliss? After regaining a feeling of normality in my mouth, I declared that I was going to go write a blog entry about the experience--I can only assume I was inspired by watching Julie type one of her own.

The biting of the cheek. Centuries old and still plaguing mankind. Can a man not enjoy his food without having to walk that fine line between pleasure and pain? Will a day come when I can chew freely, happily, without the possibility of searing, unexpected pain? Sadly my friends, I think we all know the answer.

This may seem like a silly topic to write about, but I think that the larger, karmic overtones in the act of biting ones cheek deserve to be noted--a possible metaphor could exist there, unseen, just below the soft inner layer of your cheek...

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Some links if you feel my pain:

Cheek Bite Preventer
Stop-biting-my-cheek-Arghhhhhhhh

Mother Nature
They Want Answers

Yousuf Karsh

2008-06-10T11:12:00.001-04:00

Just got linked to this amazing body of work from a true master of portraiture.

Thought I would share with anyone reading...

over 15,000 sittings...wow.

Flickr Update : Munich and Sulzberg

2008-06-08T17:29:00.001-04:00

The latest from Deutschland.

Munich
Sulzberg

Comments are always welcome. Thanks for looking.

Munich

2008-06-08T12:54:00.002-04:00

Day trip to Munich yesterday with half of the Bakshi clan. We visited the BMW museum, the English Garden/Biergarten, watched a couple Euro Cup games and had some great sushi at a spot called Sushi Soul. It was a great day and I was happy to finally see a little bit of Munich and a little too much of something else...

More from Munich on Flickr shortly, stay tuned...

Bhalil, Fes, Hassan, Safron

2008-06-04T16:33:00.002-04:00

The train from Tanger to Fes was fairly quick and painless, not to mention cheap as dirt—only around $15. Julie and I boarded with time to spare and set to finding an empty compartment. We had hoped, foolishly, on having a cabin to ourselves. Within 5 minutes of sitting down, the four remaining seats were filled by Moroccan students talking loudly amongst each other. They were speaking an odd mix of Arabic and French, which was more than enough to make my head spin.

For those of you who have traveled a bit in countries where you don’t speak the language…doesn’t it always seem like other languages are spoken at a much higher volume and with more aggression than English? It becomes all the more apparent when you meet someone who speaks English as well as say, Arabic, and who often switches back and forth between the two. Just something I have noticed over the months…

Anyways, these students were like that. Their conversation was very loud. Add in a laptop playing the latest Moroccan pop charts and you have yourself a very interesting train ride. To be fair though, after a few hours the music died down and the conversation slowed to a point where communication was attempted. They were nice, offering us a snack and some helpful advice about Fes. We all got off when the train finally came to a stop at the Gare du Fes. It was raining.

I had made plans with our host, Hassan, to meet at the train station near the ticket booth.

“I’ll be the one with the huge bright blue backpack,” I had told him.

“I know what you look like, I have seen your facebook, I will find you,” was the response.

Fair enough. I don’t really think we could have blended into the crowd had we tried.

We waited for about 5-10 minutes with no sign of Hassan. I thought he would have been waiting for us, as our train was late. I was about to go look for a pay phone when a slim fellow about my height wearing a white and black striped sweater walked up to us and enthusiastically introduced himself. Conversation was slow to start as we made our way to the petite taxi stand. As expected, we were waved off as Hassan attempted to get a ride on the meter. Although illegal, it is very common for petite taxi drivers to refuse service on the meter if there is a good amount of tourists in the area.

We walked 1km or so to a parking lot full of larger, tan, taxis that were headed to Sefrou, a small but large city about 30km from Fes. We through our things in the back of the old Mercedes, I paid the driver in advance and went to climb into the backseat through the door opposite where Julie and Hassan had entered. As I reached for the door handle, my eyes met with a face staring back at me. It was not Julie. It was not Hassan. It was the face of a Moroccan man.

“Ok,” I thought, “I guess I’ll go sit in the front seat.”

I took another step and reached for the passenger door handle. Two more faces peered out from the passenger window at me. I can only assume they were as confused by my actions as I was by their presence in my taxi.

I looked up, the driver was smiling and waving me around to the other side of the car, to the door Julie and Hassan had entered moments earlier. There was a mixed look of warmth and urgency about the wave. I obliged, circling around the vehicle to the open door. I looked in and discovered Julie and Hassan contorting their bodies to make room for me as the fourth body in the backseat.

“Seven in the car,” Hassan explained the obvious.

I closed the door snugly against my hip and got as comfortable as possible. The engine started and lively Moroccan music began to drift from the ancient car stereo, I smiled at Julie. We pulled out of the parking lot and began the short but long (when you are one of four in a backseat) trip to Sefrou.

Upon arriving at the Sefrou taxi stop, we retrieved our bags from the trunk and immediately transferred to another 7-man taxi headed to Bhalil, Hassan’s hometown where we would be staying for a few nights. Before we even reached Bhalil, Julie and I had begun to look at each other with a similar sort of excitement. We both knew the exciting reality of our current situation: we had finally gotten off the beaten track.

We arrived in Bhalil, mounted up, and began the climb. It was a small village set in the hillside of Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. The “streets” of the village were primarily steps with cement ramps for any wheeled contraption daring enough to attempt an assent.

After what seemed like an eternity—a 35 lb. bag on your back and another 20 lb. bag on your shoulder does wonder for your perception of time when climbing stairs—we reached the entryway to Hassan’s home. It was directly opposite the entrance to one of the village’s mosques. Julie and I looked at each other again, both dreading the possibility of the fabled 5 A.M. call to prayer.

Hassan lives in what is known commonly as a “cave house.” That, obviously, can mean a variety of things. In this case, it means that he lives in a house that has 2 sleeping chambers carved into the mountainside—one on top of the other—with a front room/kitchen built onto the front of the mountainside which also serves as the front façade of the house. Kind of hard to imagine, but here is a picture of the primary “cave” room where we slept every night.

The day after we arrived, Hassan showed us around his village and took us on an amazing hike over the mountains and down into Sefrou for dinner. The landscape was breathtaking.

On our hike, we stopped in a complex of man made caves, carved from sandstone, that were used by shepherds to shelter their sheep in the event of a sudden rainstorm. While we were there, there just happened to be a rainstorm and, sure enough, the sheep and cows began to appear.

The following day we took a day trip back into Fes to see the world famous tannery—the oldest and largest in Africa—and to pay a visit to a Berber pharmacy and surrounding souks that Fes is known for. The medina of Fes is said to have over 900 streets. I believe it. Without Hassan as our guide, we would have been hopelessly lost 6 times over. We got a bird’s eye view of the tannery from an enormous leather shop in the heart of Fes.

"Moroccan Adidas"

We exited the leather shop, Julie with a couple of purchases, and headed a few doors down to the pharmacy where we were given the grand tour but a very enthusiastic/entertaining shopkeeper. After 10 minutes, my wrists smelt like everything that smells like anything and the bottles and creams seemed endless. The guy was really going through the whole song and dance for us, tea and everything. I felt bad because I knew I had no use for any of his wares, except an amazing chunk of musk (which I almost bought), but I didn’t want the show to end. Thankfully Julie bailed me out with several purchases of various spices, including a 5g baggy of the illustrious Safron.

Back out into the streets of Fes. People were everywhere and anywhere, selling everything you can imagine. The sights and sounds, the smells, it was a lot to take in at once but I loved every moment.

We stopped in a small local eatery with a terrace and had some dinner before exiting the walls of the medina and heading back to the peace and quiet of Bhalil.

More Fes HERE.

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Stay tuned for the next installment of…Le Chronicle du Maroc.

Congrats Barack - Time for Change

2008-06-04T11:14:00.009-04:00

Before these past 8 years of my life, I was pretty indifferent to politics. I was 13 when Bush was sworn in for his first term. I was still a child then, as much as I would have denied it, I didn't know what that election meant. I had no idea the impact it would have on the future of our country, our world, and my own life--then again, I don't suppose any of us ever thought it could get this bad.

What we have all seen happening in the world and to our country over the past 8 years has been appalling. I guess if I can thank George Bush for one thing, it would be for making me care.

I never thought I would know what it felt like to be ashamed to be an American. A country which once stood for freedom and opportunity has all but lost it's former luster.

I never thought that I would have to tell someone that I was Canadian so that they would give me a fair price for my food.

I never thought that I would have to apologize abroad for the actions of my country's government.

I never thought I would care so much about a candidate for the Democratic Party, a Senator from Illinois.

I suppose what I see in Barack is a chance for CHANGE, proof that there is still HOPE. Two words which have come to define his campaign but also remain very much alive and real in all of those who wish for a brighter future.

As the economy sinks deeper everyday and the war on terror persists, what are we as Americans left with? We are afraid to travel because of what we fear other people of other nations think of us, because of what "our" president has done. We are afraid to own up to our nationality when we do travel, because we are afraid of the response. But at the same time, in hiding who we are, we deprive those who meet us of seeing what a real American is like--what America still is, even if it is hidden underneath the veil of the Bush administration. It is a frustrating game I am forced to play: Who to tell? When to hide?

The nomination of Barack Obama as the Democratic candidate in the upcoming election does represent hope. He has given us all a light at the end of the tunnel, a sense that after these years of darkness and even in this time of economic hardship, there are better times ahead.

Thank you Barack, congratulations and good luck, you have my vote.

Photo Updates!

2008-06-03T17:34:00.004-04:00

There are 60 new photos spread around the sets.

Here is a handy link that takes you to only the new ones!

Enjoy!

Comment & Critique is very welcome and very cool.

Maroc : Tanger

2008-05-30T12:30:00.002-04:00

After 2 weeks in Morocco, I am certain that I will return. I was blown away by the fast paced old-world medina atmosphere, the hospitality of the people, the silent beauty and serenity of the Sahara, the laid back atmosphere of the beach/fishing communities--the entire country is a feast for the senses.

There were highs and lows along the way. We were ripped off, hustled, yelled at and even stung(more on this later). But even after all that, I left Morocco with a certain sadness, I knew that I had only scratched the surface of an amazingly complex society. I had only just begun to understand, to connect, to immerse myself in a world so unlike my own.

The following is the story of our first day in Morocco.

---

Tanger: The Rough Start, Lessons Learned

We began in Tanger after taking a ferry from Tarifa, Spain. I was expecting a crowd of taxi drivers and hustlers to be waiting for us as soon as we stepped off the boat (like in Cambodia or Vietnam), but there wasn't a crowd really--they were smarter than that. After we exited, they began approaching us one at a time.

Now, in SE Asia, it is fairly easy to fend off tuk-tuk drivers, tailors and other vendors by simply responding with some english they don't understand. I was used to this. I liked this. It was even fun. But these taxi drivers and hotel promoters were of a slightly different caliber. They often responded with better english and more sincerity than most of my graduating class. They were professionals.

Upon exiting the ferry, we had a destination (Socco Chico), but no idea how to get there. We knew only that, eventually, we would need to get in one of the little light blue "Petite Taxis" and hope they were straight with us. After being approached for the 5th time for a ride, we finally agreed to a 5 euro ride to our destination. First rip-off.

2 minutes later we arrive in "Socco Chico" a small square in the heart of the Tanger medina. The ride should have cost 5Dh( around .50 Euro). We learned our first lesson.

After exiting the taxi, we were in need of a place to stay. We barely had time to pick up our bags before we were approached again by another man who offered to take us to a good, cheap hotel only a few steps away. We figured the hotel was paying him a commission so we followed him.

The Hotel Olid: a barely clean, barely standing building with patchwork vinyl flooring held in place with nails and staples is one of many cheap hotels in the area and the place our lovely friend Hassan took us.

At first glance, it seemed nice enough. There was a decent amount of natural light in the rooms and everything seemed neat and clean. The price was around what I had expected to pay (10 euro/night per person), so we agreed to stay there. We learned later from a few other people that we talked to that we should have been paying 2/3 of the price we were quoted, if not half. Second rip-off.

We put our bags down in the room and went downstairs. Hassan was waiting.

He asked us what we were looking to do. We told him we were hungry and wanted to get some bread to eat. He said that he would show us to a local bakery and, on the way, give us a little tour around the medina. Warning flags began to wave.

Coming to Morocco. I had read a lot about what to expect. I read again and again about the kindness and the hospitality of the people. Was Hassan merely trying to be friendly and hospitable?

I had also read about people who try to appoint themselves as tour-guides for any travelers they might find. Was Hassan trying to be our tour-guide?

I immediately explained to him that we didn't need a tour guide, that we would like to explore on our own. Julie reinforced this, telling him that we did not have any money to pay him and that we didn't want him to waste his time if that was what he was looking for. He assured us that he didn't want any money, only to welcome us to Morocco. We bought it and followed him into the maze of streets that was the medina of Tanger.

After we were thoroughly lost, Hassan came to a stop at a shop entrance.

"There is a great view of the entire city on this rooftop! The owner will take you up there while I wait for you here." Hassan pointed to a small, round man who was eagerly waving for us to follow him. We did.

After seeing many rugs and no view, we got up and left; much to the displeasure of the rug salesman. Julie let Hassan have it when we got outside. She said what needed to be said, that we didn't appreciate him taking us there and that we wanted to go back, but remained friendly. I wish I knew how to do that. Hassan yelled something in Arabic at the shop owner and we continued on to the bakery. We got some amazing fresh bread and headed back to the hotel.

When we made it back to the hotel, Hassan turned to us and said with a smile "so, now you give me a little something. 20 euro, 10 each, that is good, thank you, thank you." We stared at him in amazement. I was fairly certain, as was Julie, that we had made it clear to him that we had no money for him and yet here he was, asking for 20 euros. We told him no, we weren't paying him anything, that we were sorry if we wasted his time but we could not afford a guide. He looked shocked. We all stared at each other with confused, bothered looks on our faces.

A grim reality occurred to me in this moment. He knew the owner of the hotel, he knew we were staying there and we had already paid for 2 nights in advance. If we didn't pay him, if we pissed him off, what did that mean for our safety? For the safety of our things? I realized that we really didn't have a choice in the matter, we had to give him something or risk our security. I ended up paying him 7 euros. Third rip-off. Second lesson learned.

We climbed the stairs to the roof of the hotel, advertised as the hotel "terrace," and began to eat our bread. We felt defeated. The bread did little to raise our spirits, its soft warmth serving only to comfort us after 2 hours of being taken advantage of.

We resolved then and there to never let it happen again. To absorb the blows dealt and move on from them, stronger and smarter. We finished our bread and went out into the city with a revised state of mind.

---

Over the next day and night in Tanger, we met loads of friendly, interesting people. Michael Tomlinson, a photographer from England living/working in Tanger, showed us around to some of his hangouts. Mohamed, a waiter/host at a local cafe, welcomed us every night with mint tea, conversation and a huge smile. After that first day, everything changed. We met the right people and went to the right places, our journey was back on track.

After Tanger, it was off to Fes. Our original host had backed out so we had to scramble to arrange for another place to stay. I came across Hassan Bouaouina's profile on couchsurfing.com and arranged to spend a few nights with him and his family in Bhalil, a small village about 30 minutes from Fes. It seemed like a great opportunity for us to experience some real Moroccan hospitality and get a taste for the way a Moroccan family lives.

More on Hassan and Bhalil to come...

----

Time for some photos! (some photowill work shortly)

There were some good shots from Madrid that I never had a chance to edit, until now. So here those are:

MADRID : where wild birds land on your finger

And, by city, links to photos from Morocco:

FES : tanneries and farmacies, 900 streets of medina bliss

BHALIL : cave houses, colors, scenery, nice old ladies

RISSANI/MERZOUGA : the desert, rugs, kittens, the desert, sand, dunes, the desert, you get the idea

MARRAKECH : a crossroads of morocco, the square, the kasbah, culture, sights and smells

ESSAOUIRA : kick back, beach, fishing, sunsets

many MANY more to come, keep checking flickr for updates!

Enjoy.

Madrid - Sevilla

2008-05-12T06:44:00.003-04:00

So long Asia, hola Spain!
I few days ago, I flew to Spain and met up with my lovely girlfriend, Julie.

We spent a few days in a uncharacteristically cold and rainy Madrid before hopping on a bus to Sevilla in hopes of better weather and tapas--we got both.

Sevilla's mild temperatures and party-cloudy skies were perfect for me, even if Julie had been hoping for temperatures in the mid-90s. And as for the tapas, they have been plentiful and delicious--just the kind of eating I had been missing.

While this morning has been pretty rainy, but we did manage to get out for a nice walk yesterday around the older part of the city. Some pictures from yesterday can be seen at the link below.

SEVILLA - DAY 1

Photo Essays on Flickr

2008-05-03T04:10:00.000-04:00

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to let you know that I have put together 3 photo essays on Flickr for your viewing pleasure.

I am still working/developing these 3 topics and will continue to edit and refine them over the next 3 days that I will be in Bangkok.

What I would love from you guys is a little feedback!

Please, please, please let me know what you like, what works, what doesn't work, etc. I have 3 days left to shoot and edit these groups so please, if you have a though, share it!

HERE IS A LINK TO ALL 3

Thanks for looking!

Updates on Flickr

2008-04-30T01:05:00.002-04:00

Got a big update of shots onto flickr yesterday, here are the links:

Enjoy!

The End - Hanoi

2008-04-28T09:20:00.007-04:00

And so, my group trip with Intrepid has come to a close today. While I have never been more sure that group trips are not right for me, I have to say that it did provide me with a great overview of the region and a lot of memorable experiences. Even though it was not exactly what I was hoping for, it was something else that I will value just as much. That being said, this photo is long overdue.

That is the group, or rather the group minus Paul and our group leader, Serey, who took this shot with my camera. This was the group that I spent two weeks in Cambodia with. After crossing into Vietnam we lost 6, then gained 6 new group members...

This picture is funny. I was off somewhere else snapping shots of something 50m or so down the road when I was called over for a group shot. It was only after this picture was taken that I realized there was a blue helmet theme...oh well. It was taken during a pit stop on our motobike tour of the Hue countryside--which was a LOT of fun.

All in all, it was a great trip with a great bunch of people. I took a lot of great pictures that I'm very happy with and I have a week left in Hanoi/Bangkok on my own to work on my last project in Asia-more on that in a week...

To speak a bit on what I have been up to this past week...

Street Games - Nha Trang, Vietnam

After Nha Trang, where we were for a day, we traveled to Hoi An, the so called "Ancient City." It should probably be called the "Garment City" as there are endless amounts of tailor, fabric and shoe shops where you can have whatever you like made just to your measurements in a matter of 1 or 2 days. Impressive, but pretty boring for me as I had no interest in a cheap tux or new pair of loafers.

Central Market - Hoi An, Vietnam

Thankfully, there was a good amount of alternative activity, including a great countryside bike ride and an afternoon at the beach (I finally caved and bought some swim trunks).

Friendly Cow - Hoi An, Vietnam

Last Harvest - Hoi An, Vietnam

After Hoi An we moved on to Hue where we took an AWESOME motobike ride through the city and parts of the surrounding countryside. Along the way, we stopped at a 400 year old covered bridge near a local market to take in the surroundings. On the bridge there was a fortune teller who dazzled all the ladies with predictions of good men, marriage and children.

Fortune Teller - Hue, Vietnam

After a couple days in Hue, we travelled by overnight train to our final city, Hanoi. The small streets of the old city teem with life. Scooters and people are everywhere, vendors and restaurants compete for business--it can be a bit much to take it at once, but a welcome change from the subdued, civilized chaos that was Saigon.

Old Town Vendor - Hanoi, Vietnam

After a night in Hanoi, we cast off on a cruise around Halong Bay--which was absolutely stunning and more than worthy of "Wonder of the World" designation. Along the way we stopped off at one of the bigger caves within the 366 islands that make up Cat Ba National Park.

Caves - Halong Bay, Vietnam

Imperial Junk - Halong Bay, Vietnam

After our cruise, we hiked up a steep trail through dense jungle to the summit of a 300m peak, home to the forest service lookout tower. When we reached the top, the 5 first of us eagerly started up the staircase of the tower. That enthusiasm was quickly replaced by terror. The tower, while solid and stable, was covered in rust. The whole time it felt as if I was climbing a giant rusted tree, on the top of a very high, very remote, mountain.

It was a battle with my mind all the way to the top and once we reached the platform, it didn't get any easier: the top platform consisted of planks of wood laying, un-fastened, across the metal skeleton of the structure. It was scary as hell for the first 5 minutes I was up there, then I got used to it...just in time to go down. Every corner, like the one below, made your eyes pop out of your head and your stomach churn a little.

Long Way Down - Cat Ba Island, Vietnam

When we finally made it to the bottom, a wave of relief watched over me, the adrenaline subsided and was replaced by a immense feeling of accomplishment and happiness--it was worth the mental battle.

"Solid As A Rock" - Cat Ba Island, Vietnam

After all that and a night on the island, we spent this morning kayaking around the islands of Halong Bay(pics coming soon) before it was back to Hanoi for our last night of the trip.

Currently, my uploader program for Flickr is giving me all kinds of trouble so I'll have to wait to post the rest of my photos from the past couple weeks--just know that there are many, many more on the way soon.

Tomorrow, its out of the hotels and back to the hostels for 2 nights in Hanoi before heading back to Bangkok and then to Spain and Morocco!

Stay Tuned.

Saigon --> Nha Trang

2008-04-19T14:00:00.001-04:00

26 hours after we left Saigon, we arrived at our hotel in Nha Trang.

While everyone was asleep, a typhoon apparently tore up part of the track ahead of our train, stranding us somewhere in no-mans-land, Vietnam. We sat in the train, stationary, for around 8 hours before finally getting picked up by a bus from Nha Trang that our leader had called for us. After that, it was another 3 hour ride to the city which, as it turns out, is just another tourist beach town. Yay.

I really hope we go somewhere other than the beach. Seeing as how I don't currently own any form of bathing suit and I am not eager to leave my camera, and whatever else I might be carrying with me, unattended on a beach crawling with a bunch of randos, these beaches have little to nothing to offer me.

Today as I was writing this, one of the 6 new group members asked me if I was doing work. I stopped to think about it for a second, then I realized that yes, yes I am doing work. I am not on vacation, I am not here to go swimming, I don't want to be swimming. I want to be taking photos, and so far this leg of the trip has been coming up slightly short of my personal goals.

Saigon was less than inspiring, to say the least. I rarely ventured more than 10 minutes from the hotel. It was due in part that I had a lot of planning to catch up on, but mostly because of the general atmosphere of the city. It just wasn't inviting or welcoming, it was just there. Everyone seemed like they had somewhere to go, something to do. There was an overwhelming aura of takin-care-of-business surrounding every person who flew by on a scooter or marched down the sidewalk; and there were a lot of those people.

There were, of course, those who decided to take some time to themselves amidst the chaos:

It was a very western city. Lots of English, lots of American and western culture infused into the city. Huge buildings were going up everywhere. I realized that the one thing that bothers me more than America, is countries that try to be like America.

Now don't get me wrong, America is fine and I am happy to live there, but it is what it is. America is America, no need for Vietnam or anywhere else in the world to attempt an emulation. I think there is something to be said for staying true to your cultural roots, to what YOUR country is, not what you think the world standard wants it to be.

For example, I am sitting now listening to Celine Dion belt out MY HEART WILL GO ON for the third time in 14 hours; keep in mind I was sleeping for 9 or 10 of them. Not only that, but the girl at reception is singing right along with Ms. Dion, similarly to our group leader at dinner last night.

Am I in Vietnam or am I back in Ms. Thompson's class, back in 5th grade?

Please, let there be something real around the corner. I am tired of walking down the street and seeing "Italian, French, Indian, Western, Espanol" all with a tiny "and Vietnamese" stuffed underneath.

Hopefully I'll be able to break away from the beach area and have some more shots to post from my walk this afternoon.

UPDATE (2:49PM): Celine's heart is going on for the 4th time as I type this....

Good Morning Vietnam!

2008-04-15T12:03:00.003-04:00

So after a couple days in Saigon, here are some observations:

- It is a very clean city, much cleaner than I expected and MUCH MUCH MUCH cleaner than Phnom Pehn in Cambodia--like night and day.

- A little more laid back. Nobody harassing you to buy stuff as soon as you step off the bus.

- NO TUK-TUKS!! what?!

- SCOOTERS EVERYWHERE. I think there is probably a scooter for every person in the city.

- Effects of Vietnam War on people and the land remain present, slightly awkward to be an American.

----

Today we went to the Cu Chi tunnels about 30 miles outside the city. They were tunnels used by militias in the countryside to defend against American G.I.'s looking to secure the land surrounding Saigon. It was pretty incredible to see.

They had a shooting range there with a variety of exotic fully automatic weapons, it was too much to pass up. How often do you get a chance to shoot an AK-47? In Vietnam. It was something, let me tell you.

There are a bunch of new photos on flickr, check em out!

PHNOM PEHN, Cambodia

SAIGON, Vietnam

The Real Sihanoukville

2008-04-11T11:48:00.003-04:00

Just when I started to lose hope in breaking free from the “beach holiday” scene, I decided to go for a little walk into a different part of the city--I knew there had to be more here that I wasn’t seeing.

I walked into town and made a right, then ventured off the main road into a sprawling dirt road community. I walked all of 50 feet before bumping into my first group of kids eager to practice their English with the strange westerner who had wandered into their neighborhood. They didn’t want money, only to talk, and even requested that I take their picture. I obliged and then showed it to them on the LCD screen; they were delighted.

Eventually, after countless twists, turns, hellos and goodbyes, I came to the end of the tiny road and realized that I was not where I wanted to be. I wasn’t worried, there were plenty of people around to point me in the right direction, but they all spoke Khmer. I set to work trying to communicate, mostly using the kids as translators for the adults, and eventually got pointed in the right direction. I made it all the way back to the first group of kids I met, who proceeded to draw me a map in the sand of how I was to get to the top of Sihanoukville Mountain, and the Buddhist Wat that sat atop it.

It was a long walk to the top of the mountain, and it was hot. After 30 minutes or so, I made it to the top and wandered into a shady little gathering of huts and Buddhist sculptures. I stayed there for a bit, enjoying the shade and breeze, before moving on down the road to the temple.

On the stairs leading up to the temple, I came across a small group of very friendly children. They spotted me and came running, yelling as they descended the stairs.

“Hello Photo! Hello Photo! Photo! Photo! Hello!”

Something along those lines. The surrounded me, introducing themselves one by one before asking me to take some pictures of them. Again, nothing to sell, no demands for “1 dolla,” nothing at all. They were genuinely interested in playing with me and posing for photos.

I couldn’t stop smiling.

They were so happy, so real, so untouched by the tourism of the rest of the city. They were the real Sihanoukville I had been searching for since arriving here 2 days ago. I spent almost an hour with them, taking pictures, laughing, playing. They spoke very little English so I had to make an effort to communicate without words, it was interaction at a most primal level. I connected with them and they with me, no words needed.

Eventually their parents called them back home for dinner and I headed up the stairs to the temple, waving goodbye to the group. When I made it to the top of the stairs, a pair of young monks greeted me. Smiles across their faces, they took my hand and pulled me towards one of the buildings in the complex. I soon realized that the building was full of other monks, all eating dinner. I motioned for my guides to leave me behind; I didn’t want to intrude. Ignoring my reluctance, they continued to laugh and smile, tugging on my arm—I removed my shoes and followed them inside.

I ate dinner with an entire community of Buddhist monks.

During the meal, one of the younger monks, probably around my age, approached me and began to explain, in English, what was going on. He told me that it wasn’t often that a westerner walked up from the city to visit them and that when someone did come, especially during meal times, they made an effort to be as hospitable as possible.

Today I discovered a part of the real Sihanoukville. I took a step off the beaten path and was rewarded with an experience I will never forget.

Photos from my walk today can be found in the new Sihanoukville, Cambodia set on Flickr.

CLICK HERE

Cambodia: Part 2

2008-04-10T06:24:00.003-04:00

When you are in the moment, living a life changing experience, you often forget to appreciate the magnitude of it. Fortunately, this blog had given me a rare opportunity to reflect on my daily experiences while I am still living them. Cambodia had been an incredible experience for me--a glimpse into a culture unlike any I have ever seen.

All is not sunshine and roses though. The two phrases that I will take with me from this country are evidence of the dichotomy that exists here. Those phrases are: "1 dolla" and "hello!"

One of the first things our guide said to us in the hotel in Bangkok, was that the Cambodian people were more than happy to share their culture with tourists...for 5 dolla. The tourist attractions are rife with children asking for money and selling bananas...it's cute at first but soon begins to wear on the nerves. The children were clearly told to never accept NO for an answer.

Even when we went to visit a floating village out in the largest lake in Cambodia, kids in boats would pull up along side our boat and BOARD it trying to sell drinks and bananas. It was really something, I have to say.

We are currently in Sihanoukville, a little beach community just south west of Phnom Pehn(the capital city, where we will be returning in 2 days). This city, or at least the areas of it nearest to the coastline are very VERY much a beach destination for all sorts of westerners. Resort is too strong a word, but lets just say that there is probably more tourists here than locals, which is less than encouraging for my work but atleast I get to enjoy a little break from the action.

I have managed to post a healthy amount of photos in both the Bangkok set and the new Cambodia set (which will later get sorted according to city).

They can be found at the following links:

BANGKOK (just a few new ones at the end)

CAMBODIA

Comment if you feel so inclined, it's always nice to hear what you guys think.

Coming Attractions: Entering Vietnam on April 14

Cambodia: Part 1

2008-04-06T09:57:00.003-04:00

A few days ago we crossed the border, cleared immigration and entered the Kingdom of Cambodia: it was like traveling back in time 80 years. Suddenly the roads were unpaved and bumpy. Clouds of dust from the wheels of cares ahead obscured my view out of the front windshield. We bounced along for a couple hours, stopped to stretch and drink, then continued on for another two hours before reaching our destination: Siem Reap.

I cannot explain in words what goes through your mind when you first witness a way of life so far removed from your own that you feel as though you have stepped into a movie; that it can't possibly be real, but it is. Naked children swimming in the muddy water along the sides of the dirt road, houses on stilts to beat floods, dried rice patty fields, strange cobbled together vehicles bouncing along the road--it was simply staggering.

When we arrived in the city center at our guest house, it was late in the evening and we all decided to go out for dinner together--which was quite tasty. We hit the sack early that night in preparation for the next day, yesterday--we would be getting up at 5am in order to get to Angkor Wat in time for the sunrise. I was afraid I might have to do this on my own, I wanted to get a few photos, but the rest of the group had the same idea and eagerly suggested it before I could even open my mouth. Great bunch, my group.

We got to the temple before sunrise. So did about 100 other folks looking for the same experience. Even in the dark, this temple was one of the most impressive structures I had ever seen. As the sun rose and the sky began to shift into the soft hues of an Angkor sunrise, I smiled as I heard the shutters snapping away around me. I didn't care if I was there with a ton of other people, or that I might be taking the same shot as the guy next to me. We had all come there to share in the same moment, and that was exactly what happened. It really was something special and I hope that all of you guys can maybe have that same opportunity.

After the sunrise we moved into the temple and began exploring. About 2.5 hours later, I had had my, and my memory card's, fill of the massive temple complex and headed back out to meet up with the rest of the group, who were waiting for me at one of the local restaurants. Angkor Wat is a testament to human achievement and capability. The shear size of the complex and the amount of detail contained within it are something that is lost on words.

I am expecting a very important phone call in a few minutes from a very special girl so I must run, but I will be writing more and hopefully posting photos ASAP.

Hello Bangkok!

2008-04-03T02:13:00.003-04:00

Bangkok is a city unlike any I have ever experienced or even imagined. The heat, the people, the air pollution, the endless cars and scooters and buses, the markets, the presence of American culture(however faint), the tangled power lines, the vendors and the animals--all things that have jumped out at me since being here.

First off, I have never been so hot in my entire life.

The World Meteorological Organisation says:

Bangkok, Thailand is the world's hottest city. Other cities like Rio may reach higher temperatures but Bangkok rarely cools down, tending to remain largely above 30 deg C from day to night, summer to winter.

Also, according to almost everything I have read, April is the hottest month to be here...lucky me right? I managed to get over the heat and get out for a walk this afternoon after getting into the coolest clothing I had: rolled up jeans and white T. It wasn't ideal, but it worked.

In addition to being the hottest city on Earth, it is also probably one of the most congested and polluted. The air is thick with car exhaust. Walking down the sidewalk feels as though you are walking through an endless cloud of exhaust. Add a little REAL humidity and you begin to feel as though it is about 10-15 degrees hotter than it actually is (93 degrees).

The air is marginally better once you get off main streets but still, very bad. I now understand why so many Asians where face masks over their nose and mouth; they aren't paranoid, they are just smart.

As mentioned before, the traffic here is intense. There are too many cars for the streets to hold and the lights are too long. Add that up and it spells one thing: congestion. It can take hours to move a mile during the peak rush hours of the day.

Crossing the street is like playing dodge ball, with cars.

Even in the markets, men and women on scooters weave their way through the pedestrian walkways that are barely big enough for 2 people, let alone a scooter AND a person. Just today I witnessed a small child begin to wander into the path of an oncoming scooter only to have his head grabbed by his father--pulled back to safety just in time. The child reached for his mother, crying. As scary as the scene was, I got the feeling that it was an everyday thing; just part of growing up in Bangkok.

I walked over to Prakanong Market today. I had scene the entrance streets from the bus on my way in from the airport and decided it was worth further investigation. It was huge, street after street, alleys and passageways winding around the interior of some of Bangkok's busiest blocks. Fake Rolex watches, cell phones, insane stereo systems with more buttons and knobs than I had ever seen, clothing, vegetables, sweets, meat, LIVE fish, dead fish: all for sale. It was something; to walk along these stalls, browsing with the locals. All of this so new and interesting to me, to them: everyday activities.

Today I was introduced to a world I had never known before. A world I had only heard about from friends, from movies and TV. Every expectation and idea I had about what it was be like to actually BE HERE was shattered within 5 minutes of getting on that bus at the airport.

I have seen a tiny part of an enormous city. A tiny part of the world.

My experiences have just begun.

PHOTOS HERE

Berlin

2008-03-27T13:11:00.002-04:00

Hello All,

I did not have any internet in Berlin and my days were simply JAMMED, so I did not have much time or means to update this lovely little blog of mine.

For those of you who commented looking for a new entry, here it is...sort of.

I don't have much time to write about my experiences in leaving Prague and in Berlin right now but I will make a point of doing so tomorrow.

For now, I offer up a new set of PHOTOS HERE.

I did not have as much free time to shoot as I might have liked, but I am fairly confident that I will be returning to Berlin, probably in June, and will have another round with the city.

Coming Attractions: Taking off for Bangkok on Monday.

Prague - Day 2

2008-03-16T21:07:00.002-04:00

I went for a short walk today, just a couple of hours into the city...a slightly different route this time: through the Prague Castle. It's really more of a small city than a castle with shops and restaurants lining the inner roads. For someone like me, who hates tourists, I suppose this was probably the worst route to take, but I had a plan.

Yesterday evening I realized the potential for a small series of portraits. I decided that I would photograph the 4 (or more) castle guards everyday until I leave. They are easy subjects--unable to move or speak--and with a little creative depth of field and arranging, I think these guys could produce a nice group of images. Here are the first 4:

After moving through the castle I headed across the river and into a slightly different part of the city. Even MORE tourists than yesterday! They are spreading. It started to rain and so I decided to head home, on my way capturing some fairly stunning sunset photos which can be found on flickr!

MORE PHOTOS HERE

Prague - Day 1

2008-03-15T21:15:00.002-04:00

For my first day in Prague, I decided of course to go for a nice long walk--just to get a feel for the city.

First Impression: This city is old, REAL old, and very beautiful. There is a lot of history here--a lot of culture and character. There are also a TON OF TOURISTS. It was pretty annoying having to come to a complete stop for almost 30 seconds on the Charles Bridge because of the tourist congestion. Aside from the tourists, I like Prague quite a bit. There is a feeling in the streets here of something different, something detached every so slightly from western Europe. It really feels like you are on the fringes of the eastern block; I like this feeling.

Tomorrow there will be more exploring. For now, there is a new set started on flickr of shots I took walking around today.

As always, please feel free to comment if you see something you like!

I love to hear back from any and all who are reading.

Thanks!

Milan - Strasbourg

2008-03-13T15:28:00.002-04:00

I left Milan early tuesday morning with 12 hours of train ahead of me. I had my book, Life of Pi, in my hand and Lost In Translation queued up on my iPod: I was ready for the journey.

I began reading after a short nap early on. By the time we reached the Italian/French border, I was deeply absorbed in Pi's fight for survival and didn't even notice that we hadn't moved in over an hour. We were delayed for almost 2 hours at the border due to what I can only assume was a backup in the long tunnel through the Alps. I resigned myself to missing my next two trains and pushed on in my book.

The Alps are extraordinarily beautiful. Every twist and turn of the train revealed a different village hidden away on the mountainsides of these enormous mountains. Snow fell outside the train as I watched the smoke curling out from the tops of chimneys and the clouds floating low through the mountains--it was just too picturesque.

I made it to Lyon around 16:00. The next train left for Strasbourg at 17:08, getting in at 22:23--three hours later that I had originally planned. In the end, it didn't matter much. Julie was waiting on the platform for me and my journey was finally over. I had two days to relax in Strasbourg with Julie before continuing on to Prague early tomorrow(Friday) morning.

A quick update about my last post: I never got to go up on the Duomo. As I finished typing that entry and gathered my things to leave, I looked out the window and noticed that it was pouring rain. I guess it was a sign.

There are a few new photos in the Milan set on Flickr.

Also, I just wanted to wish my brother a happy birthday. He turned 19 yesterday, March 12, and I wish I could have been there to celebrate...actually, I wish he could have been here to celebrate! Either way, happy birthday pete!

Last Day in Milan

2008-03-10T13:42:00.001-04:00

Milan turned out to be a period of rest for me. I have gone out every day shooting but not in the same style as before--I have traded in my 10 mile walks for metro rides and strolls. I finally reached that point where my body just can't keep up with the pace I have set for it, I needed a few days of rest to get things back where they should be.

Good news is, my lack of energy has not necessarily translated into lack of images. I have managed to come away with at least one or two images a day that I am more than happy with--which is all I can really ever hope for.

Bad news is, we had internet here at the apartment for less than 24 hours before it mysteriously cut out again, that means no new pictures.

And so, that brings me up to today, my last day here in Milan, and also Italy. I hope to one day be able to return to Italy to see more of what it has to offer. I know it is a beautiful country and I really feel like it deserves more time than I gave it...one day. Today I will be climbing to the roof of the Duomo, as I have been told it is worth the price of admission and is a "MUST-DO" when you are here in Milan, so I'll check it out. Then I'll be walking down to the "canal district" to see what that is all about. I figure by that time it will be cold, wet, and dark enough for me to come home and make myself something to eat. And so ends my time in Milan.

8am train tomorrow. Looking forward to another 12 hours of trains and transfers as I make my way back to Strasbourg. Unlike my marathon trip to Barcelona, this time I have someone waiting for me :) I can't wait.

Coming Attractions: Prague on Friday

Milan Update

2008-03-08T02:57:00.001-05:00

Some new photos are up here.

I am too tired to write anymore right now, but enjoy the shots and I'll post again real soon.

Milan

2008-03-06T23:34:00.000-05:00

It was a rough night on the train, but I got to Milan early Wednesday morning as planned.
After an exhausting and less-than-inspiring day yesterday, I decided to take a break today and catch up on editing pictures and plan out the next few portions of my trip.

I needed a break from the non-stop action and adventure, just a quiet day to myself, thankfully I got what I needed.

A quick word about the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia: it is an INCREDIBLE building, or will be, when it's finished. I was awestruck by Gaudi's vision and designs, and I felt very privileged to be able to witness the construction of such a monumental building.

When I was in Paris, I was talking with some friends about how buildings like the Sacre Coeur or Notre Dame could never be built today--that there is not enough devotion or patience for someone to design, let alone build, a structure such as these beautiful basilicas. But it is happening, right now in Barcelona it is happening. Yes, the first stone may have been lain in 1882, but the work is still far from over. When completed, it will be a structure 150 years in the making and a true testament to Gaudi and his creative genius.

That said, here are a few shots from my last day in Barcelona (went to La Sagrada Familia) and my first day in Milan.

As always there are some more on flickr. Enjoy.

La Boqueria, La Pedrera, and Hector

2008-03-03T23:25:00.004-05:00

I started off the day today with a visit to the infamous Mercat de la Boqueria in downtown Barcelona. It is one of Europe's oldest functioning markets (if not THE oldest) and a true sight to be seen, or rather, experienced. Just about every food product you can imagine can be bought from one of the market's numerous vendors-everything from gummy bears to animal brains in tuperware is up for sale.

After the market, it was off to La Pedrera, one of Gaudi's numerous architectural attractions here in the city. At first, I was skeptical about the buzz surrounding Gaudi's work, but after visiting and learning a little of the history behind it I am a firm believer that he more than earned his spot amongst the architectural elite. The most impressive thing about his work is not only its beautiful organic shapes, but also the fact that most of his buildings were constructed around 1900. Gaudi was a man working far ahead of his time, creating things unlike anyone else could have even dreamed. I greatly admire his creativity and vision and strongly recommend you see as much of his work as possible if you ever come to Barcelona. He is one of the all time masters of architecture.

Throughout the day I had been corresponding with a friend of mine, Mr. Hector Soto, who I met in a hostel while I was in Paris back in early February. I hadn't heard from him in quite some time when I left La Pedrera, but I had told him I was there. Sure enough, as soon as I stepped out of the building, Hector came walking right over, sandwich in hand, smile on his face.

We sat down on a bench and began to chat about life, travel and Barcelona. Mr. Soto is a 30 year old singer/dancer/artist hailing from Guadalajara, Mexico. After his recent divorce, he hopped on a plane to Rome, then Paris and now Barcelona-where he is living. After catching up, we decided to head back to Yalda's apartment for dinner and drinks.

We had a fun dinner together with Yalda, whom I had told all about Hector prior to her meeting him. As Hector and I began to head out the door, Yalda volunteered to take a photo of us. You can't go wrong with a thumbs up.

Hector and I struck out for Placa del Sol, a spot not far away where a lot of locals go to hang out. It was a monday night so we figured there probably wouldn't be many people around but we decided to go check it out anyway. We bought a couple Estrella's and sat down on a bench next a few other 20-somethings. Turns out there were two other Mexicans in the group, both named Jaime, and Hector struck up a convo. By the end of the night we were all friends, especially the Jaime's and Hector, they just couldn't get enough of Hector's jokes, only half of which I understood (my spanish is mediocre at best).

I took a shot of the three of them before heading home for the night.

I have to say, I will miss Hector. I hope we can meet again soon somewhere else in the world.

Tomorrow is my last day in Barcelona. I will be trying to climb up in La Segrada Familia and also visit MACBA and/or the Picasso Museum. Then it's off to Milan!

Updated Barcelona Set

2008-03-02T19:14:00.000-05:00

New pics up, check em out HERE.
They are the ones at the bottom, the last 30 or so.
Stories coming soon...

Montserrat

2008-02-29T23:46:00.006-05:00

Four years from now I will look back and smile as I remember that four years previous I spent my day 4000 feet up on Montserrat looking out over miles and miles of Spanish countryside. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my "2/29" then right where I was, it was absolutely beautiful.

My day started early. I had to get up, shower, eat and check out of the hostel before heading to the famed Montserrat, a stunning set of mountains an hour(by train) outside of Barcelona.

I had heard of these mountains before, but nothing could have prepared me for what I saw as we rode the tram (and subsequently a cable car) up the side of mountain. The views were spectacular and there was a blanket of fog over parts of the mountain, adding to that "above the clouds" feeling already created by the stunning views. We set out on a hike from the cable car station. We picked the hardest and longest one available, to the summit: Sant Jeroni, just around 4000 feet up. We set out, enjoying numerous vistas as we walked, eventually reaching the summit a couple hours later. At the top, we found an unofficial viewpoint which offered incredible, and sometimes pretty dangerous (no railing) vantage points. We sat down and soaked it all in for 20 minutes or so, all the while tossing around ideas of what it might be like to jump off. It's weird how you think about stuff like that when you look over the edge of a couple thousand foot high cliff.

One thing we all noticed was that the mountains were unlike any mountains we had ever seen. They seemed very much like they had been formed underwater years ago and over time been revealed as the continents shifted. The mountains themselves were made of conglomerate rock, giving them a very unique look, shape, and feel.

We made it back to the cable car literally minutes before it made its last departure of the day and began our descent. We all sat down on the train back to Barcelona feeling very happy with ourselves, it was a day well spent.

Pictures up HERE. (in the updated Barcelona set)

Barcelona, Day 1

2008-02-29T00:47:00.000-05:00

So, I started the day off kinda slow, but atleast I had a plan.

I sat down to some free "breakfast" here at the hostel, consisting of a medium sized bowl of cocoa crispies(?) and toast--the breakfast of champions. After that, I grabbed my camera and marched down the to train station, determined to sort out my next train ASAP to avoid any more 2 day journeys.

I was forced to book an overnight, first class reservation to Milan because my Eurail pass isn't valid for travel through Switzerland (the only other route had a transfer in Geneve). 40 euro gone, whatever, I would have had to pay another 20 euro to stay in a hostel that night anyways, at least it will save me a day on my pass and give me a direct route to Milan and a free place to crash for a few days.

After that, I came back to the hostel, dropped some stuff off and picked other stuff up, then went out into the city.

i came to Barcelona with a lot of expectations and as I walked, everything I saw and heard was filtered through these pre-conceived ideas. I think I built it up too much in my mind, I expected to LOVE Barcelona. The "Spanish Paris" I told myself, that was what I was expecting; but that's not what it is.

Barcelona is something else, it is something all its own, and I like it, I like it a lot. I walked a lot today, saw a lot, but it was only a small part of a much larger whole. I am just getting started.

PICTURES HERE (in case you didn't notice the other link)

Barcelona, I made it

2008-02-27T20:06:00.000-05:00

3 trains, 12 hours and 3 snickers bars later, I have made it to Barcelona.

It came together pretty seamlessly with only an hour or so between each train. I got to see a good part of the French countryside/southern coast as well as all of the small little spanish villages north of Barcelona.

I made it to the hostel, got a bed and a locker, a map, and most importantly...WIFI!

Right now though, I need something to eat. Off to the supermarket!

Updates later.

Paris at Night: a 1 hour walk

2008-02-27T00:30:00.000-05:00

This city never disappoints.

What I love about Paris is that it doesn't matter if it's a Tuesday night, that it was raining all day and its wet everywhere, that it's 8 or 9 o'clock at night-- people are out doing things! The cafes and bars are full, the sidewalks busy, cars in the street. The city is just so ALIVE.

I could shoot here for a long time, hopefully one day I will get the chance.

Off to sleep and then more train tomorrow, hopefully Barcelona tomorrow night...

Paris (again)

2008-02-26T13:23:00.002-05:00

I'm back in Paris, just for the afternoon/night, en route to barcelona (hopefully) tomorrow.
Bout to go out and do some night shooting, I love this city.

big ups to miss paola ramos, came through big time with a floor for me to crash on tonight, THANKS PAOLA!

updates later I am hoping, this city tends to lend itself to photography.

Frankfurt

2008-02-24T23:03:00.005-05:00

Julie and I sadly departed Athens yesterday, the weather had finally come around and we were getting some of the sun we had been looking for. We visited the Parthenon before taking off around 6pm; just in time to witness a beautiful sunset from the plane window. The flight passed quickly and we landed roughly 3 hours later in Frankfurt.

Side Note: For the record, airplane food (at least on United and Lufthansa) is NOT bad, it is actually quite GOOD and usually just what the doctor ordered. Just had to say that. I am sure most of you already know that its just that I have been living my life under the impression that the food on planes was gross and I was shocked to discover the contrary.

We get to Frankfurt, exhausted and ready to crash at the hostel I had looked up early in the day. We were all set to hop on the S-Bahn when I suggested we call ahead and make sure that there is actually room available. We called and were informed that they were booked solid, not even a SINGLE dorm bed was available. With no backup in mind, we entered into a brief state of shock followed by a frenzied search for hotel info somewhere, anywhere! Both of us were not into the idea of spending another night in an airport.

I found a Frankfurt welcome brochure thing that had hotel listings inside. I called 3 and soon had 3 different sets of rates and directions scrawled out in front of me. I was not in the mood to go hunting for a rando hotel at this time of night with this big ass backpack on my back--we had to find something closer.

I found an information computer and discovered that there was a hotelservice desk upstairs, we ran to it. Another 15 minutes passed and we were on the shuttle bus to the Express by Holiday Inn for 67 euro. Shuttle to and from the airport, buffet breakfast, HOTEL room, shower...thats more like it! Tragedy turned triumph, a perfect way to wrap up our trip together.

Julie hopped on the 11am airport bus back to Strasbourg this morning and I suddenly found myself on my own again; the feeling hit me pretty hard as the bus pulled away. I went back inside the airport and made my way to the way-too-nice set of reclined benches that Julie and I had discovered a week earlier waiting for our flight to Athens. I sat down, scribbled out a new itinerary for my the next month, then had a sudden urge to write. I grabbed my pen and a scrap of paper, this is what came out:

February 24th, 2008

Today marks the day of my first thoughts of home; the day that the magnitude of the trip I have undertook really begins to set in. I have been on the move for just over a month now. I have been both alone and with Julie. I am starting to miss the security and comfort of home, of a place to stay at night, of food to eat. Every meal is a struggle, every Euro reluctantly placed on the counter of the super market, the reception desk. Every movement calculated and scheduled by the almighty dollar. The pressure of a budget, of debt, of a draining bank account-it makes life hard to live. It makes you yearn for a home, a place to return to after an adventure where all is calm, where you can reflect on the days past and lessons learned.

We take a lot for granted in our lives. Luckily, we usually realize what those things are before we lose them. Today I have realized one more of those things, and it has left a feeling inside me that no amount of time in a reclined airport chair or in the lounge of a hostel can soothe. It has been a month and yet it feels like an eternity, a million faces have crossed my path; few familiar. This life on the road, in airports, in train or bus stations surrounded by languages foreign to my ears-is this what I dreamt it would be? I am beginning to realize that my destiny is not to travel, it is to live. I am most happy when I have a home, a place of my own, a place that I can create and mold into something I love, in a place that I love. Week to week travel is not me. It is exciting and tiring, stressful and exhilarating all at once-but it's not me. I want to travel and live, travel and live! I want to sample the world in months not days. I miss the feeling of home. The world is my home, but right now I am drifting, worried and tired.

OK, OK kinda heavy I know but don't worry, really I'm OK, I promise. I was feeling a lot of different things when I sat and wrote that, it's real, it was in the moment, it happened--that is why I decided to include it in this entry. Life on the road is not easy and it is nowhere near as glamorous as I thought it might be. That said, lets get to some pictures! Yaaay!

Keeping in mind that I was walking around the city on a Sunday afternoon, here are my initial observations (likely to be proved false tomorrow when the work week begins)

Frankfurt is an interesting city. It seems like a city that was built just a little too big for the population it contains--there is a lot of space here. Sidewalks aren't crowded, streets are wide and mostly quiet, and skyscrapers! Haven't seen those in awhile. It seems almost like an American city in a lot of ways, just with sex shops and peep shows around every corner. Like I said, it was a Sunday afternoon, so I didn't really expect many people to be out and about, but we'll see tomorrow.

I just want to take a minute before this next photo to talk about street shooting, I promise to keep this brief.

Photography on the street is photography in its rawest form, it is beyond capturing a moment, it transcends the traditional bounds of what photography is. It is a game. It is instinct driven.

There are 2 ways of shooting on the street:
1) Compose and wait
2) Dive in and react

There are however, rare instances when the two overlap. When you see a shot, position yourself, and suddenly, without warning, the exact elements you want appear and you have but a split second to react.

Henri Cartier-Bresson said it best, 3 different times:

Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again.

Photography is an immediate reaction, drawing is a meditation.

The creative act lasts but a brief moment, a lightning instant of give-and-take, just long enough for you to level the camera and to trap the fleeting prey in your little box.

And so, I present my photo of the day.

Athens, Take 2

2008-02-22T20:32:00.000-05:00

Ok, so maybe I was a bit quick to judge Athens yesterday. This city is ENORMOUS.

Our host, the gracious Olivia Cerf, described the city as being "unconquerable" due to its massive size, but I really had no idea how huge it really was until Julie and I climbed up on the Acropolis today. From the mountainside, you have a sweeping view of probably half of the city, which stretches on for miles. After taking this in and realizing the tiny little speck of Athens that I have seen, I have decided to reserve any judgement I could possibly make.

Today was also the day of the neighborhood street market where vendors from all over Athens, and maybe further, set up tables of all kinds of fruits and veggies for next-to-nothing prices. The scene could only be described as chaotic as vendors took turns verbally advertising their goods over the hum of the shoppers in the street. People young and old had come to peruse the offerings, most with wheeled baskets in tow ready to be filled with bags of oranges, lemons and olives.

Julie and I walked the length of the market once, then she sat and had a coffee while I went back into the mix to see what I could capture. I spent about 20 minutes, just milling around the stands. It was tricky because all of the vendors seemed to know each other and I would hear "greek greek greek photografia!" whenever I would put my camera to my eye. I figured they were giving each other the heads up that there was a camera pointed in their direction as a few times I had a vendor shoo me away with a flurry of greek streaming from his mouth only seconds after the word "photografia!" was shouted.

Not all was bad though, a few vendors posed for me and most went about their business without so much as even sending a glance my way. I returned from the market minutes later with a good batch of photos and a few fresh oranges to snack on; 3 oranges for .20 euro, not bad!

The oranges were DELISH, seriously some of the best I have tasted.

Here is a group of shots from the market and a few from elsewhere around the city today. More on flickr in the updated Athens set.