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Photography Travel

24 Hours in Zion

Posted on February 18, 2016

While on a trip to Las Vegas last month, I decided to get away from the strip and all the glam of the city and head out into nature.  I rented a car, loaded up my cameras, and headed to Zion National Park, Utah, about a  2.5 hour drive from Las Vegas.  Being late January, the park was not crowded at all and the traffic was minimal. The weather was cool, but not cold, so I enjoyed spending the day photographing the beautiful landscapes in the canyon.

I booked a room in Springdale at the Hampton Inn (very nice and in a gorgeous setting) and spent the night so I could shoot more images the next morning. I was treated to a light rain and low clouds the next morning so I was able to photograph the landscapes in totally a different light and mood.

I enjoyed my 24 hours in Zion and definitely plan to go back again when I’m in Las Vegas, but I will stay longer so I can explore the park on foot as well as by car.

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Photography Travel

A Rainy Day in Hungary

Posted on January 11, 2016

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”

— Rabindranath Tagore

Dedicated to Timea.

Images photographed on rainy days in Budapest and Debrecen, Hungary.

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Travel

Vancouver in November

Posted on January 4, 2016

I decided, on short notice, to surprise my youngest daughter on her birthday. So I hopped on a flight to Vancouver, BC, Canada in early November. I booked an apartment in Yaletown with a great view.  Despite the weather being typically rainy and cold, I still enjoyed my week there because I was able to spend some quality time with my daughter. I love Vancouver anytime of the year. Fall color was starting to appear in the city as evidenced by some photographs I took from the apartment.

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Photography Travel

Tuscany – Week 1

Posted on June 1, 2013

Oh Toscana, it’s been four years! I didn’t realize how much I missed this place until we arrived a week ago.  Our base is Casa Bel Posto, just outside of Cortona in the middle of Tuscany. It’s rained pretty much everyday, but that hasn’t stopped me from photographing whenever I can.  Here’s a set of favorite images from my first week here, all taken within an hour’s drive:

Photography Travel

Barcelona – Oh My Gaudi!

Posted on April 1, 2013

During our Spain trip we made a quick overnight trip to Barcelona via high-speed train from Valencia. In 3 hours, we were in the playground of famous architect Antonio Gaudi. I planned our itinerary around his famous buildings. It was nothing short of amazing. Being in Basilica de La Sagrada Familia was magical. I have never been to such an spectacular place. I was in awe the entire time I was there. It’s still being constructed and is expected to be complete in 2026. I will plan on going back again when it’s done.

Here’s a series of infrared photographs of the works of Gaudi in Barcelona including La Pedrera, Parc Guell and Basilica de La Sagrada Familia (sans cranes). Color images and video will follow in upcoming posts.

 

Photography Travel

O Valencia – Ciudad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias

Posted on March 26, 2013

I’m in Valencia Spain right now. I’ve only been here one day and I can tell that I’m going to love it here. I decided to post a travel update of digital infrared images I shot at Ciudad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias. We had some interesting clouds coming off the coastline and it rained slightly, but let up so I could continue to photograph.  Here’s a dozen of my favorites from today.

Photography Travel Video

Paris Street Art – Vitry-sur-Seine

Posted on November 30, 2012

While in Paris, we took a day trip out to a suburb of Paris called Vitry-sur-Seine to check out the street art and murals.  Here you’ll find work of very well known stencil artists such as C215 and Alice. The town council has made it a local culture policy to encourage the proliferation of streets art and even bring the artists into the local schools to teach their craft. Here’s my documentary images from an afternoon in Vitry-sur-Seine. Be sure to watch the video!

 

Here’s a video that contains many more images I shot in Vitry:

The Street Art of Paris: Vitry Sur Seine from Carol Watson on Vimeo.

 

 

Photography Travel

Digital Infrared in Paris: Père Lachaise Cemetery

Posted on October 26, 2012

There is something mystical about the large cemeteries in Europe. There is so much history buried there from famous composers and political figures to movies stars and rock stars. Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Paris and is the resting place of  over a million people including Chopin, Rossini, Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, Marcel Marceau and Sarah Bernhardt. As you can imagine, if you’re a photographer, there is no way you can cover it in one afternoon (which was all the time I had during my first visit there). I look forward to spending more time there during my trip to Paris next month.

I tend to shoot cemeteries in infrared mainly because of IR’s ability to highlight both the vegetation and the textures of the masonry and statuary. Here’s a few images from Père Lachaise I took last year.

Photography Travel

Ghosts on the Red Coat Trail

Posted on September 30, 2012

The Red Coat Trail runs along the southern portions of three provinces in Canada: Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. This route is the same route taken by the North West Mounted Police in 1874 as they tried to bring law and order to the Canadian West.  One of my personal projects is to photograph the vanishing relics of rural life along the Red Coat Trail.  A few years ago, I photographed along the Red Coat Trail in Saskatchewan. On my recent trip to Alberta, I headed out on the Red Coat Trail south of Taber and headed east to Foremost. I was able to capture these images to add my series.