Sultan Mosque (Masjid Sultan) Arab Street, Kampong Glam, Singapore

Sultan Mosque (Masjid Sultan) Arab Street, Kampong Glam, Singapore, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

“He who does not travel does not know the value of men.” – Moorish proverb

Sultan mosque, also known as Masjid Sultan, located along Arab Street in the Kampong Glam area is the traditional heart of Singaporean Muslim life. The grand Sultan Mosque has the familiar onion dome and Moorish styling of the Arabic Muslim influence.

The street leading up to this impressive view is lined with sidewalk cafes, restaurants, fashionable boutiques and souvenir shops.

Check back for more of my Singapore adventures!

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Waiting for a soul to drift up into my view at the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque - Little India, Singapore

Waiting for a soul to drift up into my view at the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque - Little India, Singapore, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

“A picture can express a universal humanism, or simply reveal a delicate and poignant truth by exposing a slice of life that might otherwise pass unnoticed.” - Steve McCurry

73 Dunlop Street in Little India is the location for The InnCrowd Hostel and my temporary address while I was in Singapore last year.

Just footsteps from the hostel, also on Dunlop Street, is the Masjid Abdul Gaffoor (Malay) for the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque. I would walk by this beautiful mosque everyday to and from the hostel. I would have my camera at my side but never found the perfect moment to make a photograph either because the light was terrible or maybe it was due to my obsession to always look for those “Steve McCurry” moments.

One afternoon I walked by the mosque and the elements of light and composition (I crouched down low to frame the mosque with the footwear in the foreground (when entering a mosque one must be barefooted)) happen to come together. The only thing missing was the human element to portray a “slice of life.”

I remembered a quote from photojournalist Steve McCurry when he learned to watch and wait on life. “If you wait,” he realized, “people will forget your camera and the soul will drift up into view.”

I waited patiently for a “soul to drift up into my view” and I was rewarded with this storytelling image as this young girl ran across my frame.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Photobombing Thomas Jefferson - Tidal Basin, Washington DC, USA

Photobombing Thomas Jefferson - Tidal Basin, Washington DC, USA, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

No, I am not an impostor! This is Sam Antonio Photography’s official travel photography blog.

For my friends and for those for some odd reason who follow me and my second rate photography, know I love to shoot in saturated colors. So what is this black and white photograph?

I love going out to the Jefferson Memorial because it is not swamped with tourists as other memorials and it has gorgeous views of the tidal basin since it sits on prime real estate. Besides, Thomas Jefferson is considered one of America’s most intellectual president, just showing up at his memorial makes me that much smarter.

I love this anecdote of President Jefferson. Reflecting on Jefferson’s broad-based knowledge, President Kennedy once welcomed a group of forty-nine Nobel laureates to the White House with these words:

“I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.” (Address to Nobel Laureates, Dinner for Nobel Prize Winners of the Western Hemisphere, 29 April 1962.)

The inside of the memorial has very dull colors so I went with black and white to give it more of an artistic flair. I jumped into the frame of this long exposure shot at the last minute. I just love photobombing Tommy Jefferson!

I’m Sam Antonio and I approve this photograph.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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The Garden Isle of Kauai Shines Brightly - Kilauea Point Lighthouse

The Garden Isle of Kauai Shines Brightly, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

The Kilauea Point Lighthouse is a postcard-perfect landmark perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The lighthouse, located on the island of Kauai, represents the northernmost point of the main Hawaiian Islands.

I waited here at the overlook for about twenty minutes to get a decent even lit shot as the sun peeked in and out from the clouds. I was shooting with my medium range Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS lens. when I decided to switch to my Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens to get a tighter shot. Of course the moment I did that some heavenly light descended on the lighthouse. I quickly composed this shot before the light disappeared. Shortly afterwards, it started to lightly rain and so I headed back to the shelter of my car.

Ten minutes later as I headed toward Princeville, storm like conditions set in as heavy rains started to pour down. When I reached Hanalei a couple of miles down the road, the rains stopped and once again the sun made a dramatic appearance, albeit briefly.

That’s Kauai in a nutshell.

This will be the last photograph from my Kauai series. I hope you enjoyed it and if you plan to visit the Garden Isle please be sure to pack your swimsuit, your camera and a big smile.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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There are no Snow Blowers in Paradise

There are no Snow Blowers in Paradise, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

This photograph is for to all my friends who live in areas where winter is defined by freezing temperatures, bleak skies and the sound of snow blowers.

This is the beach at Tulum which is located in the Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. White, limestone sands and crystal blue waters all dramatically situated by ancient Mayan ruins.

Paradise found!

I was born and raised in San Diego, California where the sun shines year around. When the weather dips below 60 degrees we call that freezing temperatures in Southern California.

A couple of years ago, for some odd reason that I can’t explain even today, I decided to take a job promotion in Appleton, Wisconsin. So I traded in the sand for the snow and left the sunny shores of California for the Midwest.

Big mistake.

One winter day in December a blizzard greeting us by dumping an enormous amount of snow. Later that evening, after work, I was out in my driveway shoveling snow. I didn’t have a snow blower for two reasons: (1) I thought I wouldn’t be in Wisconsin very long (I ended up being there for two years). (2) I thought shoveling snow would be great exercise. My neighbor next door saw I was getting nowhere fast so he came over with his snow blower to help me out.

Mind you this was in the evening where the temperature dropped down to about twenty degrees. This California boy was bundled up in my thickest down jacket with five layers of REI’s best synthetic clothing. My neighbor kept warm with just camouflage sweat pants and a Green Bay Packer hoodie.

“Are you warm in that?” I asked.

“Oh this is nothing. December is when we get all the snow, but in January is when the temperature really drops, sometimes below zero,” he replied, “you know, you should really buy a snow blower.”

I never did buy that snow blower.

I ended up buying a round trip ticket to the Philippines where I enjoyed nearly three weeks of sunshine in January.

I never did see a snow blower in the Philippines nor in Tulum, Mexico and I don’t ever intend to see one ever again.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Five Reasons why I prefer Photographing Sukhothai, Thailand over Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Five Reasons why I prefer Photographing Sukhothai, Thailand over Angkor Wat, Cambodia, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

Photographing Angkor Wat in Cambodia last year was a dream come true. It is an amazing place, but I found the ancient capital of Sukhothai, Thailand much more enjoyable to photograph. Maybe it had to do with the name when translated, “The dawn of happiness.”

Sukhothai was the first capital of Siam founded by King Ramkhamhaeng during the 13th Century. The province's temples and monuments have been restored and is now the Sukhothai Historical Park and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here are five reasons why I enjoyed photographing Sukhothai Historical Park over Angkor Wat.

1) Cost: Cambodia is a very budget friendly country, but admission to Angkor Wat is expensive ($20/day USD). I found Sukhothai ($4-8/day) a much better value.

2) Crowds: Angkor Wat is Southeast Asia’s top destination so be prepared for the hordes of crowds even in the low season (when I visited). Most tourists visit Thailand’s other ancient capitol, Ayutthaya, since it is only an hour from Bangkok. Sukhothai is about a four to five hour bus ride from Bangkok so it doesn’t see as many tourists.

3) Cleanliness: With Angkor Wat’s steep admission price you would think it would go toward the upkeep of this magnificent place. Unfortunately that’s not the case. It was sad to see trash around most of the temples. On the other hand, Sukhothai, with its meticulous manicured grounds, is Disneyland with a Southeast Asian twist (hot and humid).

4) Conveyance: At Sukhothai I was able to rent a motorbike and take it in the park. In the city of Siem Reap, where Angkor Wat is located, they do not allow foreigners to rent motorbikes. As an independent travel photographer I find having a motorbike allows the maximum flexibility for taking photos.

5) Clerks: I was trying to think of a word that starts with the letter “c” that is similar to hawker and clerk was the only word that came to mind. The vendors at Angkor Wat bring persistence to another level. Little girls and boys will besiege you to buy bracelets, water or postcards. At Sukhothai the very few street vendors kindly ask for your business and a simple “no” will signify you’re not interested and you both can walk away with a smile.

This may seem like a bit of a rant against Angkor Wat, but it is not. If you have a chance to visit the temples please do so because you will be amazed.

Just be sure to dispose of your trash properly.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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The Real Voyage of Discovery

The Real Voyage of Discovery, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” - Marcel Proust

Taken at the Bac Ha Market, Vietnam.
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Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 70-200 f/4 L
Big smile

Happy Travels!

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Reflections on Washington, D.C.

Reflections on Washington, D.C., a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

On my last night in Washington, D.C. I returned to the Lincoln Memorial, not necessarily for photography, but to reflect on my journey.

When I was a political hack many years ago I would frequent the Lincoln Memorial steps at night to take in what I believe, in my humble opinion, is one of the most inspirational views in the United States of America. From the memorial steps you can take in the views of the entire National Mall: the Reflecting Pool, The National World War II Memorial, The Washington Monument and The U.S. Capitol.

The last two years I visited the memorial the view from the steps were to say the least very uninspiring since the Reflecting Pool was undergoing structural improvements, which meant it was drained of all its water and a big, hideous fence enclosed the entire area. Without any water in the pool the iconic shot of The Washington Monument reflected in the pool was not possible. It was here at the pool that one of the most famous scenes in American cinema was filmed. Remember when Forrest Gump and Jenny ran across the Reflecting Pool to embrace one another? Now that the water was gone so was the magic.

In the two weeks I was in Washington, D.C. I would always walk past the eyesore formerly known as the Reflecting Pool. One day I was doing research for photo locations around the city when I came across a news report that the construction on the pool was done and they would start refilling the pool with water on the day before I would depart D.C. The speed of the U.S. federal government moves slower than a handicapped snail, so likewise I was not expecting them to meet their deadline.

On my last evening in D.C., I took a stroll across The National Mall toward The Lincoln Memorial. To my surprise the fence was taken down and the pool was partially filled up with water.

I sat there just enjoying the views when suddenly a tour group of high school girls approached the memorial steps and were taking pictures. I overheard one of them say, “Why is there a swimming pool there?”

“Well, like, you know, it gets hot in D.C. during the summer,” replied one girl.

I had to take this photograph just to remember the huge laugh I had that evening.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

To purchase prints, use an image for your site or to license an image please contact me at www.SamAntonio.com or leave a comment.

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