The Georgia Street Bridge, which crosses busy University Avenue between Park Boulevard and Florida Street, has become a key symbol and artery for residents because it links Hillcrest to North Park. Initially constructed in 1914 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

The Georgia Street Bridge, North Park, San Diego, California

I flew over 20 hours from California to Singapore to see the world’s largest surfboard?!

Marina Bay Sands

I flew over 20 hours from California to Singapore to see the world’s largest surfboard?!, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

My first night in Singapore and the heat and the humidity became unbearable. The back of my shirt felt like it was superglued to my skin. This was not Southern California with its Mediterranean climate.

My introductory walk around Singapore invariably led me to Marina Bay Sands. I looked up and glimpsed at a gigantic surfboard on top of three hotel towers.

Did jet lag cloud my perception?

Did I just fly for over 20 hours from California to Singapore to see the world’s largest surfboard?

No, it was just the world's largest public cantilevered platform, part of which overhangs the north tower by over 219 feet.

The three 55-story hotel towers of Marina Bay Sands are connected by a 2.47 acre sky terrace on the roof, named Sands SkyPark. The SkyPark is home to the world's longest elevated swimming pool, with a 478 ft vanishing edge.

In California we say, “Surf's up!” What is Singapore’s version of that?

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Back to the Future with Lincoln and Washington

Back to the Future with Lincoln and Washington, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

Back to the future (or history) at the Lincoln Memorial. Make sure you drive 88 miles per hour and make Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown proud! For those not in the know this is in reference to the classic 1980s movie Back to the Future

The cherry blossoms finally bloomed in Washington, D.C. and that made me a very happy man. In between photo ops with the President Obama and investigating the truth behind Area 51 at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (where’s Agent Fox Mulder) I kept busy while in the nation's capitol.

If I ever make any money from my travel photography, hopefully one day I can retire and cruise around in my DeLorean at 88 miles per hour.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Happy New Year...Now Let’s all Drive Off the Fiscal Cliff

Happy New Year...Now Let’s all Drive Off the Fiscal Cliff, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

I was going to write a 2012 end of the year blow out blog post, but before I knew it 2013 was already at my doorstep.

But 2012 didn’t end with a whimper.

Between Maya “end of the world” prophesies and America’s drive toward the economic “fiscal cliff” (for my friends in foreign countries and those not politically inclined the “fiscal cliff” refers to a combination of year-end spending cuts and tax increases that would have gone into effect had the U.S. Congress failed to act) 2012 ended on a dramatic note.

I spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve in the United States capitol city of Washington, D.C. visiting my sister. I took this photograph along Pennsylvania Avenue where at one end is the U.S. Capitol (as seen in the photo) and the other is the White House.

This was similar to another shot I took a couple of months ago that has become one of my best selling stock image best selling stock image

Putting the drama aside I wanted to wish everybody a Happy New Year and hope 2013 brings you great photographic opportunities.

Happy Travels!

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The Dead Come Alive in San Agustin Etla!

The Dead Come Alive in San Agustin Etla!, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

One of the highlights of photographing El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico was visiting the small town of San Agustin Etla about ten miles outside of Oaxaca. The town is known for their wild celebrations, outrageous costumes and nonstop Banda music.

Most of the world is familiar with Halloween since it is a huge commercial enterprise, especially in the United States. While death is treated as something to be feared in Halloween tradition, the exact opposite holds true with the Day of the Dead where death is looked upon as a source of celebration.

The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday and is celebrated throughout Mexico. Family and friends get together to pray and remember their loved ones who have passed away. The celebration takes place on November 1–2, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2).

The Day of the Dead celebrations are embodied in the town of San Agustin Etla where my five senses were duly assaulted by outrageous costumes, deafening music, enticing street food and a boisterous party atmosphere.

The evening’s festivities culminated in a friendly town rivalry in which the neighboring town paraded over to San Agustin’s central square to begin a face to face show down. I knew the atmosphere was going to be unhinged when I saw a security squad of men with batons form a human barricade between the two towns.

For a good hour or so the two towns partied on their respective sides of the street trying to outdo one another with flamboyant costumes, riotous dancing and piercing Banda bands. Of course, I happen to be right in the middle of all of it.

I set my camera on a low ISO setting and fired my Canon 550 EX Speedlite flash to “drag the shutter” which gave this scene a sense of motion to convey all the commotion that was happening around me.

After experiencing the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico, Halloween will never be the same.


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Day of the Dead in Xoxocotlan Cemetery, Oaxaca, Mexico

Day of the Dead in Xoxocotlan Cemetery, Oaxaca, Mexico, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

The Mexican people believe that the spirits of the dead come back to visit the living on earth, usually this occurs on the 1 and 2 of November and on these nights and others, many families gather in local cemeteries to celebrate the dead. They cover the gravesites with colorful flowers and thousands of candles. Many generations within a family sit around the gravesite and have a party for dead family members. They eat their favorite foods, drink mescal, a liquor made from the agave cactus, and they sing while the mariachis play the deceased’s favorite songs.

Just outside of Oaxaca City is Xoxocotlan Cemetery where you can truly experience The Day of the Dead festivities. On the night of October 31, many local families begin their nightly vigils in this small cemetery, that is densely packed, as they sit by the tombs and wait for the return of the spirits.

I photographed this little boy as he was placing a candle on his deceased relative’s grave. I shot this handheld at 6400 ISO using just the ambient light of the candles.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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