Looking for Sunshine at Sentosa Island - Singapore, Southeast Asia

Sentosa Island

Looking for Sunshine at Sentosa Island - Singapore, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

At my hostel I got to talking to a group of guys and after I found out that they were from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia I mentioned to them that after Singapore I was going to fly into their city.

“Why do you want to go Kuala Lumpur” they asked?

“Well, to see the Petronas Towers, visit the Batu Caves and try out some of the local food” I replied.

“You won’t find our city that interesting,” one of the guys pointed out, “Kuala Lumpur is just like Singapore, but dirtier.”

When I asked what they were doing in Singapore for the weekend they all exclaimed in unison, “Universal Studios!”

Being a native Southern Californian, theme parks is just a part of the California lifestyle and something I was always accustomed to as we would spend our family summer vacations visiting Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, Universal Studios, etc. Walt Disney pioneered theme parks (not amusement parks) when he opened the original Disneyland (and the best one in my humble opinion) in Anaheim, California in 1955.

When I told the guys I was from California and I use to visit Universal Studios in Hollywood all the time because I use to be an annual member, their mouths nearly dropped to the floor.

I was immediately elevated to rock star status.

“The original Universal Studios,” they asked?

“Of course” I nonchalantly replied, “everything we do in California is original, those other versions in Florida are just cheap imitations.”

I then told them I use to live in Newport Beach which was minutes away from Disneyland where I was also an annual member to the park. At that point they were ready to get on their knees and worship the ground I walked on.

And walk away I did as I had to leave the hostel that morning to meet fellow Flickr member Charlie Kwan as he graciously took me on a photo tour of Singapore. Charlie was a wonderful host for he arranged for a friend to drive us around so we could get off at various places around the city conveniently and without having to worry about parking. Thank you Charlie! Be sure to check out his photostream Charlie Kwan

The last stop of the photo tour was Sentosa Island where Charlie dropped me off as he had a prior engagement that afternoon. Sentosa Island is located about fifteen minutes from the city center and features beaches, golf courses, resort hotels, spas, a marina and Southeast Asia’s first and only Universal Studios theme park.

It was overcast that day and the sun made an appearance ever so briefly. I did get a glimpse of Universal Studios Singapore from this lookout tower.

I never did go inside the theme park. Why? I have been to the original one in Hollywood, California!

Check back for more of my Singapore adventures!

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Facebook | Google + | Twitter | Pinterest | Photography Blog

Korean War Veterans Memorial - Washington, DC

Korean War Veterans Memorial - Washington, DC, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

“The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” - General Douglas MacArthur, Commander-in-Chief of the United Nations Command in Korea

For me personally I have always found the Korean War Veterans Memorial one of the most profound and at the same time saddest memorials on the National Mall in Washington, DC. It may have to do with the fact that it is often overlooked by the nearby memorials of the ever so popular Lincoln Memorial and emotional Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Korean War has been nicknamed, “The Forgotten War” since it has been overshadowed by World War II and the Vietnam War. It is unfortunate that most Americans still overlook this period of our history.

The memorial consists of nineteen stainless-steel soldiers on combat patrol marching through rough terrain. It was dedicated in 1995 to honor the nearly 37,000 Americans who gave their lives in the 1950-1953 war (or conflict as some may call it).

As a photographer I have alway found it difficult to photograph the Korean War Veterans Memorial from an artistic point of view. It doesn’t have the grand Parthenon-inspired architecture like the Lincoln Memorial nor does it have the majesty of the World War II Memorial. Also, the lighting on the statues can be very contrasty and not consistent from statue to statue. I have been at this memorial many times and I have always had a hard time looking for a creative angle. One morning I walked down to the memorial before sunrise and circled around the soldiers before I eyed this composition.

I was playing around with Nik HDR Efex Pro 2 and I came up with this unique color scheme. It reminded me of those old Korean War film footage that were shot in black and white and later converted to color.

2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the ending of the Korean War. In light of the Memorial Day holiday, which in the United States is a day to honor and remember the fallen who have given their lives in service to their country, I wanted to pay tribute to these soldiers and let them know they have not been forgotten.

Honor the Fallen!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery

Painting the renewal of spring and the ephemeral nature of life -cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC

Painting the renewal of spring and the ephemeral nature of life - cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

"The only thing that could spoil a day was people. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself.”
Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

“No man can taste the fruits of autumn while he is delighting his scent with the flowers of spring.”
Samuel Johnson

"I had always planned to make a large painting of the early spring, when the first leaves are at the bottom of the trees, and they seem to float in space in a wonderful way. But the arrival of spring can't be done in one picture."
David Hockney

“Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'”
Robin Williams

A local artist paints the arrival of spring of the pale-pink cherry blossoms in bloom along the Tidal Basin in the nation’s capitol of Washington, DC.

Spring is here and it is time to party!

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Facebook | Google + | Twitter | Pinterest | Photography Blog | Travel Photography Gallery

Major General Gouverneur Kemble Warren - "Hero of Little Round Top" andthe Guardian of the Gettysburg Sunset

Major General Gouverneur Kemble Warren - "Hero of Little Round Top" and the Guardian of the Gettysburg Sunset, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, General Gouverneur Warren realized the importance that a position known as Little Round Top would be during the battle and...blah, blah, blah!

If you want to learn about some not so boring history you can read his Wikipedia entry. I am not diminishing the importance of the battle of Gettysburg nor the brave men who fought and died in the largest battle ever fought in North America. I have been to Gettysburg Military Park many times and love learning about this period of American history. Heck, I am the type of guy that watches “Gettysburg” just for fun and that movie runs over four hours! Come to think about, if not for General Warren’s initiative at Little Round Top the Union Army would have lost that battle and perhaps the entire war. Maybe you should read more about him.

General Gouverneur Warren is a very dedicated soldier because every time I come to Gettysburg he is always there defending Little Round Top or perhaps he just loves watching those spectacular Pennsylvania sunsets.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Facebook | Google + | Twitter | Pinterest | Photography Blog | Travel Photography Gallery

Springtime at the U.S. Capitol - Washington, DC

Springtime at the U.S. Capitol - Washington, DC, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

"I love to go to Washington - if only to be near my money." - Bob Hope

The U.S. Capitol Building’s distinctive dome stands as Washington DC’s famous landmark. The 19th-century neoclassical building has served as the seat of American lawmaking since the first Congress in 1800.

If the bright colorful flowers don't bring a smile to your face then maybe this will:

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. - P. J. O'Rourke

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Facebook | Google + | Twitter | Pinterest | Photography Blog | Travel Photography Gallery

Let’s Run into Spring with the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC!

Let’s Run into Spring with the Cherry Blossoms!, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

The best nonpartisan event in Washington, DC is the annual bloom of over 3,700 cherry blossom trees. The cherry trees were a gift from Japan in 1912 as a commemoration for the 1854 Treaty of Peace and Amity which officially established formal relations between the two countries.

The arrival of the cherry blossoms also marks the arrival of spring to the nation’s capitol. The most photogenic groups of cherry blossoms are located around the Tidal Basin which is a man-made inlet adjacent to the Potomac River. Here photographers can frame the vibrant pale pink and white flowers with iconic landmarks such as The Thomas Jefferson Memorial and The Washington Monument. With the recent addition of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, photographers have yet more opportunities for creative compositions.

Photographers are not the only ones who enjoy the cherry blossoms in the morning. Joggers have a scenic view as they circle around the Tidal Basin. I took this photograph the morning the National Park Service declared the official peak bloom for the cherry blossoms. I used my external flash for fill light on the passing jogger (you may see a hint of her shadow). I composed this composition with the joggers and the path of the Tidal Basin serving as leading lines to the beautiful Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

Spring was a little late in arriving into the nation’s capitol so I had to wait an extra week for the bloom. When it finally did arrive, what a grand entrance it made!

Goodbye winter and hello spring!

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Facebook | Google + | Twitter | Pinterest | Photography Blog | Travel Photography Gallery

How do you say yellow in Spanish? Searching for color in Izamal, Mexico

How do you say yellow in Spanish?, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

Mexico has designated 83 towns and villages as Pueblos Magicos (Magical Towns) throughout the country. To achieve such a designation a town must demonstrate natural beauty, historical significance and cultural diversity.

70 km east of the beautiful colonial town of Merida in the Mexican state of Yucatan, is the enchanting “Magical Town” of Izamal, nicknamed La Ciudad Amarilla (the Yellow City) for the glowing yellow paint that covers the colonial buildings. Izamal is a beautiful place to experience the diversity of three cultures: Maya, Mexican and Spanish.

In the middle of the town plaza is the brightly colored Franciscan convent of San Antonio de Padua which contrast well against the Yucatan’s blue skies. The convent was built in the 16th century on the remains of a Mayan pyramid and if you look closely you can see the Mayan stones integrated into the stonework of the monastery’s arcade walkways. I framed the monastery’s main church, the Santuario de la Virgen de Izamal, with the arcades of the enormous courtyard.

Buenas tardes mi amigos!

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Facebook | Google + | Twitter | Pinterest | Photography Blog | Travel Photography Gallery

Lost in Social Media and in the Jungle of Palenque, Mexico

Lost in Social Media and in the Jungle of Palenque, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

I thought I had posted this photo here on this blog.

I lost track since I am involved in a million social media sites like Facebook, Google +, Twitter, Pinterest....

I think I am losing touch with reality since my life has been enveloped by social media.

Just the other day I received the biggest shock of my life, my Apple iPhone rang! Nowadays, everybody uses their smartphones for everything but talking on the phone. It was a good friend of mine who wanted to know if we could meet for lunch. I scolded him for calling me on my phone and told him to leave a message for me over at Facebook.

I think I need to take another trip to have some real human contact.

=================

Palenque, along with Chichen Itza and Uxmal, ranks as one of the most magnificent example of Maya architecture in Mexico. Located in the tropical jungle of Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico, Palenque is the type of playground befitting Indiana Jones. The dense jungle covering these hills forms an evocative backdrop to the exquisite Maya architecture.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Facebook | Google + | Twitter | Pinterest | Photography Blog | Travel Photography Gallery

Making Photographs at the Day of the Dead - Oaxaca City, Mexico

Making Photographs at the Day of the Dead - Oaxaca City, Mexico, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

I had a great time talking with Tosin at TIA International Photography on traveling the world and making photographs. You can read my interview over here . It makes for great bedtime reading since it will quickly put you to sleep. You have been warned!

==================================================================

There it was shattered on the ground in three pieces. Three pieces was all that was left...countless memories captured for a lifetime laying on the ground.

I stared at my broken Olympus Stylus compact film camera with stunned disbelief. Just a moment before I handed it to my brother, Rick, to take a photo of me and he jokingly fumbled with it to pretend it was going to slip out of his hand...unfortunately it did.

So there we were at the Rock of Gibraltar on the Iberian Peninsula with a broken camera and one angry brother.

Unbeknownst to me this would be my beginning into digital photography. The year was 2000 and in 2001 I would buy my first digital camera, a Canon PowerShot S100. I would never load another roll of film in a camera again.

In subsequent years I would buy bigger and more expensive Canon digital SLR cameras to parallel my growing understanding in photography. As with most budding photographers I started out taking snapshots, then progressing to “postcard” images and now I find myself involved in expressive travel photography. Photography with meaning and emotion.

When I first started to get serious with digital photography my primary focus was landscapes and cityscapes. One day I was in a cafe with a friend showing my photos from a recent trip. After I was done he said, “Great photos of buildings and landscapes, but what of the local people? Where is the soul of the country?” That comment has stuck with me ever since.

In 2008 I started to change my focus from beautiful sunsets, cityscapes at dusk, and national parks to people photography, in particular, street photography.

Henri Cartier-Bresson said, "You don't take a photograph, the photograph takes you."

That is the essence of street photography. You never know what is around that next corner, who will step in the frame or how your subject will react.

Photographing people in my travels has always been difficult. I have no problem delivering a speech before hundreds of people, but approaching strangers and asking for a photograph was a whole different story.

The great photojournalist Robert Capa once stated, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re probably not close enough.” To understand the people you are photographing you must be in proximity to them. It’s not the camera equipment that makes a successful photograph, but rather the connection you make with people that makes all the difference.

On my recent trip to Mexico last year I wanted to take “good pictures” by getting “close” to the Mexican people.

Ansel Adams once said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”

In the beautiful colonial city of Oaxaca, Mexico the vibrant celebration of Day of the Dead celebration was pouring out on the streets. I saw this photogenic young girl and wanted to make her photograph. Ten minutes earlier there were clouds in the sky making for even, diffused light, suddenly some of those clouds dissipated which made for uneven light. I spotted one of the parents holding an umbrella as part of their costume and I asked them if I could borrow it for a moment. I handed it to this young girl to shade her face and to cut down on the bright light.

I didn’t take this photograph, I made it.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Facebook | Google + | Twitter | Pinterest | Photography Blog | Travel Photography Gallery

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

Facebook | Google + | Twitter | Pinterest | Photography Blog | Travel Photography Gallery

You can take a crappy shot of Paradise - Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii

You can take a crappy shot of Paradise, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

In Kauai, Hawaii you have sunshine and rain and then more rain. That’s fine with me as long as there isn’t any snow in the forecast. Remember there are no snowblowers in paradise.

Last month I was on the beautiful island of Kauai, Hawaii (The Garden Isle). This photo I took of Hanalei Bay, in the North Shore of Kauai, is straight out of the camera (and Santa Claus is a real guy). It was raining and overcast when I took this shot so I had to do some tweaks in Apple Aperture. The photo was in bad shape.

Maybe I can blame it on my camera lens. Look closely and you can see that most of the scene isn’t very sharp. I attribute that to my beaten up Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS lens. I think it is in need of calibration, but I am too lazy to bring it in to the local Canon repair center.

I am trying to remember when my lens when out of whack. Was it when I took it along on an ill-advised horseback riding trip in Costa Rica where I was nearly thrown off my horse? Maybe when I was photographing on top of an elephant in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Riding an elephant is fine for the first ten minutes, but then all the swaying back and forth gets old and besides, it isn’t the safest thing for an expensive camera lens. Perhaps it was when I was in the back of a motorbike in Vietnam. I kept hearing this clanking noise and I thought it was the motorbike about to fall apart. Only did I realize since I was carry my camera with a Black Rapid camera sling, that the lens was banging against the motorbike. Not a good thing.

Or perhaps I suck as a photographer.

I seldom make Flickr Explore (has anybody figured out how that works) and I rarely win any photograph competitions (maybe it would help if I submitted some photos).

Okay, is there a Un-Suck filter in Apple Aperture?

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery

What famous 1980s movie was filmed nearby the Oceanside Pier?

What famous 1980s movie was filmed nearby the Oceanside Pier?, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

Maverick: I feel the need...
Maverick, Goose: ...the need for speed!

Charlie: Excuse me, Lieutenant. Is there something wrong?
Maverick: Yes ma'am, the data on the MiG is inaccurate.
Charlie: How's that, Lieutenant?
Maverick: Well, I just happened to see a MiG 28 do a...
Goose: We!
Maverick: Uh, sorry, Goose. *We* happened to see a MiG 28 do a 4g negative dive.
Charlie: Where did you see this?
Maverick: Uh, that's classified.
Charlie: It's what?
Maverick: It's classified. I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

If you haven’t guessed it already those quotes are from the 1986 classic film “Top Gun” starring Tom Cruise as Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, Anthony Edwards as Lieutenant (junior grade) Nick "Goose" Bradshaw and Kelly McGillis as Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood. Top Gun was filmed mainly around San Diego and established Tom Cruise as a Hollywood superstar.

“Charlie’s House” or the “Top Gun House” is located at 102 Pacific Street in Oceanside, California, just walking distance from where I photographed this pier. The house sits on a prime location with a million dollar oceanfront view.

In the movie Maverick (Tom Cruise) rides up from a hill in his motorcycle to the front of Charlie’s (Kelly McGillis) house for a dinner date.

Here’s a link of that scene from Top Gun of the seaside house with a golden sunset and palm trees in the background.

=============================

Measuring a distance of 1,954 feet, The Oceanside Pier is the longest overwater pier in Southern California. The pier is a popular fishing spot for locals and located at the end of it is a 50’s style diner called Ruby’s Diner.

Technical notes:

Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera
Canon EF 17-40mm f4L lens
Manfrotto Tripod
Maniac Photographer

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery

Being a tourist in my own hometown - Oceanside Pier, CA

Being a tourist in my own hometown, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

Robert Frost wrote that, “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.”

So here I am playing tourist again in my hometown of San Diego, California.

The Oceanside Pier, located in Oceanside, in northern San Diego County, California, is one of the longest wooden piers on the western United States coastline at 1,954 feet.

Have you been to San Diego? If you have, what was your favorite travel moment?

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery

Come and enjoy a Windansea Sunset in La Jolla, California

Come and enjoy a Windansea Sunset in La Jolla, California, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

I spent most of last year photographing in foreign countries. As a result, sometimes I forget how beautiful my hometown of San Diego, California really is. So this will be the start of my new San Diego series. I hope you enjoy it.

Windansea Beach is located in La Jolla which is a community of San Diego, California. It’s very popular with local surfers (who happen to be very territorial) and is one of the best places in San Diego to watch a sunset.

Windansea is a hidden gem of San Diego and I do mean hidden. For those visiting from out of town it maybe a little difficult to find. No problem, just follow the La Jolla coastline until you find the famous palm-covered surf shack.

I photographed this young woman watching the sun kiss the Pacific Ocean as time transcended once more from day into night.

By the way, that’s the famous palm-covered surf shack to help orient yourself if you decide to visit my lovely hometown and seek the sunset at Windansea.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery

Maybe the world was upside down before, and now it's right side up!

Maybe the world was upside down before, and now it's right side up!, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move."  - Robert Louis Stevenson


The feeling of not knowing where you are and where you are going is indescribable. No plans, no reservation, no itinerary.

I love to travel because it is all about the people you meet and the things you see along the way.

I suffer from a serious case of wanderlust.

After six months in Southeast Asia I headed back home to San Diego, California. After two months I was itching to get back on the road, so I packed my bag, dusted off my camera lens and headed south of the border, down Mexico way.

Tulum is a Pre-Columbian Maya walled city located on spectacular cliffs, along the East coast of the Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico.

I photographed this woman doing a headstand on the beautiful beach of Tulum with the Maya ruins and the turquoise water of the Caribbean in the background.

After all the media hype last year of Maya apocalypse end of the world scenarios you would think the world was turned upside down. Maybe the world was upside down, but this woman’s handstand has and now made it right side up!

So where is your wanderlust taking you this year?

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery

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.
----------
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 70-200 f/4 L
Big smile

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery

Goodbye Mr. Green Square, Hello Mr. Aperture Priority!

Goodbye Mr. Green Square, Hello Mr. Aperture Priority!, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

The day I left the green square behind was the day I started to get serious with photography.

You know the full auto mode on Canon cameras that is indicated with a green square or what I call the dummy mode. That may sound harsh, but why spend hundreds of dollars on a DSLR camera so you can operate it like a simple point and shoot? That is why we have smart phones with cameras.

I soon discovered other modes like “AV” (aperture priority) and “TV” (shutter priority) which would open the creative flood gates.

The AV mode led me to the expressive world of “blue hour” photography, that certain time of the day that creates a surreal environment with natural light. The blue hours provide photographers with fantastic overcast lighting across a scene, giving your photographs deep saturation of colors and great detail. The time just before sunrise or after sunset, also known as twilight, gives off a blue/purple hue that is truly unique.

I started to photograph cityscapes during the “second” blue hour. I love it when the light in the sky would balance out with the light of the office buildings. To get longer exposure times and depth of field I had to say goodbye to Mr. Green Square and hello to Mr. Aperture Priority.

I always wanted a clean composition so I hated it when people would walk into my frame or refuse to get out of it. Most of the time it wasn’t a problem since I would shoot at long exposures (20-30 seconds) and they would “disappear” into the night, but there were always those people who for some reason would stand still and end up in my frame.

Annoying.

Many years later I would find myself standing on the edge of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon freezing and waiting for the sunrise. I finally hit a brick wall with landscape and cityscape photography and wanted to try something new.

Photographing strangers on the street always frightened me, so of course that was the direction I wanted to go!

Cityscapes aren't just about buildings, but also the people who inhabit the city, besides National Geographic says photos are always more interesting with people in them. Who’s going to argue with National Geographic? I now photograph cityscapes with people in them to tell more of a complete story.

Now that I want people in my cityscape photos I can’t get seem to get them in my shots. In Guanajuato, Mexico I wanted to take a blue hour photo of the city cathedral, but I also wanted to portray the nightlife of this exuberant colonial town.

I set up my camera tripod at this sidewalk cafe hoping to get people in the foreground with the city cathedral in the background.

Easier said than done.

Every time people would walk by they would either stop and stare at my camera or duck down and apologize for walking in my frame and then quickly run off. It took ten shots to finally get this one.

The waitress in the doorway was courteous to stand still long enough to “freeze” her in the frame. Once she turned around and saw my camera she apologized for disrupting my photo and went back inside the restaurant.

Putting my camera in aperture priority, the exposure was set just long enough to take in those saturated colors and to blur the passing people to give a hint of the vibrant nightlife of Guanajuato, Mexico.

Now take your camera off that green square and take some blue hour photos.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery

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.


Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

The University of Guanajuato is located right in the historic center of Guanajuato, Mexico which gives the city a youthful atmosphere (there are over 30,000 enrolled students).

I photographed this young woman along one of Guanajuato’s cobblestone streets and her laugh reminded me Steve Jobs' Stanford commencement speech where he told this story to the graduating class.

“When I was young, there was an amazing publication called ‘The Whole Earth Catalog,’ which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960′s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: It was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.”

“Stewart and his team put out several issues of ‘The Whole Earth Catalog,’ and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: ‘Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.’ It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.”

“Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

As a wandering travel photographer I have to constantly remind myself to Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. To wander a city as a temporary local and seek new experiences and not have it handed to me from a formulaic tour package. To photograph people as human beings with fascinating stories and not as a cultural backdrop.

I guess this is why I love to travel and photograph, to tell compelling stories and to Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery

Day of the Dead in Xoxocotlan Cemetery, Oaxaca, Mexico 2012

Day of the Dead in Xoxocotlan Cemetery, Oaxaca, Mexico 2012, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.

I am still processing the photos from my amazing time in photographing the most Mexican holidays, El Dia del Muertos or The Day of the Dead, in Oaxaca City.

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 stood off in the distance observing this family before I approached them and asked permission to take a photo.

“¿Photo, por favor?”

The two gentlemen responded with a nod of approval all the while the two young ladies were completely unaware of my presence since they had their complete attention towards their cell phones and texting as fast as their fingers would allow.

Finally, the older gentlemen on the left started to speak of their deceased relatives and the two young ladies quickly put away their cell phones and gave him their undivided attention.

Of all the photographs I took that evening this one happens to be my favorite. This photograph embodies the essence of El Dia del Muertos with the portrayal of generations of families coming together as one to celebrate, learn and respect the spirits of their deceased relatives.

Photographed with my Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 24-105 f/4 L IS lens at 6400 ISO using just the ambient light of the surrounding candles.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
I'm over at Pinterest too!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery