Sometimes nature provides the most wonderful images, and all you just have to do is be there to capture them. As the sun dipped behind these clouds during my boat ride from Burano back to Venice, I caught these amazing rays of sunlight. It was a beautiful sight! A little treat for those watching the transition between day and night.
You just have to be there. Get out with your camera, and see what nature presents to you.
After a long day of work, a gondolier heads home in Venice. The first of my night images from our one-night trip to Venice this week, this was one image that I knew I would love when I took it. As with any image, I hoped it would turn out well, but you can’t always tell at the time. I’m sure there will be more photos that I missed, and more that surprise me as I go through them. In the meantime, here’s the sneak peek for a Friday – have a great weekend!
This may not look like a blissful photograph to you, but it is to me. Photographing Venice in the day is wonderful, photographing Venice at night is blissful. I’m so excited to be going back for a one night visit for a special session of night photography, I’ll be absent here for a couple of days. After the last visit I knew I had to get back for this while I’m here in Italy. It called to me.
What about you? Do you follow your bliss? Do you feel the little tugs on your heart that pull you in a certain direction? How do you respond?
Take photos anyway! This photo is from a back alley in Orvieto, a hill town in Umbria. I love the old scooter, the textures of the wall, the greenery and the reflections of the wet ground. A peaceful little scene, I can almost feel the cool, damp air.
The two days we spent in Orvieto on our April were rainy. I found that I wasn’t as inspired to take photos – have you ever tried to take good photos with a two handed camera while holding an umbrella? Not the easiest thing to do. But the photos I did take, I find that I like. They have a very different mood than the sunny, perfect weather photos. Maybe even a little more character.
As we travel around, sometimes only a day or even less visiting a new place, I have to make the most of that time. Regardless of the weather, my goal is to capture some essence of that place. I don’t have the luxury to visit again and again, to study a certain place in all light, all weather, all seasons. And you know what? I find that’s ok. I’ve learned that when life gives you rain, you take photos anyway.
As usual, another life lesson we can take beyond photography or our other creative endeavors. Today, here in Italy, it is rainy. I think I’m going to make the most of it!
Go Lance, Go! Lance Armstrong riding by in the time trial of the Tour of Switzerland.
We spent the weekend in Lugano, Switzerland to watch the Prologue of the Tour de Suisse bicycle race and explore the area a little bit. Patrick got to see lots of cyclists he follows, Brandon got some autographs and I got to play around with photographing cyclists in motion. It was fun to do something out of the ordinary and explore the settings on my camera. Everytime I do something like this, I learn more.
Below is Fabian Cancellara, last years champion and this years time trial winner. I think the cameramen on the back of the motorcycles are awesome! Imagine riding around like that!
I have no clue who these riders are, but I love the look of intensity on their faces. 
I have some pics from other locations on the course, but this was my favorite spot to photograph. No distracting background and on a hill so they were slowing down. I won’t bore you with the gazillions of photos I have that are similar, but if you have a favorite rider or team and want a pic let me know the team name and I can email the ones I have of that team. Patrick will have more on his blog too!
I came to a surprising realization this morning, that somewhere, sometime in the last year I have made a fundamental shift. I can see this shift in several ways…
In my photography, I have moved from the idea that I’m just capturing our travels to share with family and friends and remember later, to the idea that I’m creating art.
In this blog, I’ve found my voice, sharing my unique vision of the world around me and my creative journey.
In my self, I have moved from identifying myself as an engineer (my day job for the last 18 years) to identifying myself as an artist.
I am an artist.
Photography is my medium.
I have a unique vision to show the world.
Wow, that feels great to put out there. This is an exciting realization for me. I hope you continue with me on this journey, because who knows where it will lead.
(Photo is the entrance to the Marksburg Castle, outside of Braubach, Germany in the Rhine River Valley.)
