This Big Blue Ball

Pike's Place Fish and Noelani - Miss Island Mokihana 2010

2009-10-31T03:04:00.004-05:00

I seem to have a knack lately for being in the right place at the right time and that continued during my visit to Seattle this month and trip down to the famous Pike's Place Fish at the Public Market Center. I was hoping to get a glimpse of what I had only heard about and seen on TV AND maybe see a fish or two flying through the air.

So I got there and saw some of the most amazing seafood ever but the only thing that was flying through the air was crab and I wasn't too impressed; I could have done that myself. So I turned my head for just a MOMENT and there they went, two BIG fish flying through the air. Well I had only myself to blame and figured it would be a while before any other activity so I walked away and visited other parts of the market. Well when I got back I noticed a crowd and thought, you missed it again man. I did notice that there was a new person behind the counter who had dawned an apron and I just figured it was just a new or late arriving employee.

As I listed and watched, I noticed that the crowd was a bit too interested in this woman (who I affectionately referred to as the "fish lady") and they weren't budging. One of the guys at the market stood about 5 feet from her and through a fish to her, she threw it back, her threw it back to her and the cycle repeated itself. At this point I figured out what was happening or what was about to happen so I strategically inserted myself into the crowd and put my camera into high speed mode. The guy now moved out in the crowd with us and the lady he was playing catch with earlier was all the way behind the succession of counters and now he's about to hurl this fish to her in hopes that she's gonna catch it.

Up in the air the fish went, flexed a bit at the apex of the throw and down right into the "fish lady's" awaiting arms. There was a woman who was taking pictures and I could tell by the way the guys at the market were positioning and talking with her that she traveled to the market with the "fish lady". I talked with her and showed her the pictures I took and promised to share them once I got back home. She tried to tell me who the fish lady was but I wasn't paying attention for checking the quality of the shots I took. Well the "fish lady" got cleaned up and joined us in front of the market. I introduced myself and she again told me who she was and it was then that I realized why there was a crowd. The "fish lady's" real name was actually Noelani Kaui - Miss Island Mokihana 2010, Miss Garden Isle 2009 and Miss Hawaii USA (top 10). I guess patience and a BIG camera pays off in the end.

What a way to give this neglected Blog some lovin'.

The Palms

2009-08-02T16:17:00.007-05:00

Gotta give this Blog some love since I've been neglecting it lately. On a recent trip to California, I had this mild obsessions with Palm trees; I really miss California and I guess it was all about the Palms during my visit there. Please send me an email with the dimensions of your monitor if you would like any of these shots as desktop wallpaper.

David

Connections

2009-02-25T09:27:00.002-06:00

So how do I frame my quick trip to Tennessee? Well while it was short, I did get a chance to accomplish my primary business reason for going which afforded me the opportunity for everything else that took place during my visit including some great shots. I will update this post with them very soon.

My trip started with a visit to the Gaylord Opryland Luxury which is actually the oldest of the four Gaylord Hotels in the United States. I have had the pleasure and opportunity to visit 3 of the four hotels and two (Gaylord Texan and of course the Gaylord Opryland) within a 7 day period. You also may remember my trip last year to the Gaylord National Harbor and here's a link to that slideshow.

Secondly I was rushing back to the hotel after having dinner with a colleague so I could watch one of my favorite shows; 24. I saw some lights in the hotel lobby I wanted to photograph so I returned with my camera. My camera has turned into a magnet and sparks up a lot of conversation and opportunity for me. While shooting in the lobby a woman (Rose) commented on the size of my camera and asked me if I was a professional? I replied yes and two hours later I shot her daughter Alexia; "Ms. Teen Tennessee Latina 2009_2010". I told Alexia she made the trip for me and that I was honored to meet such a beautiful and focused young lady. She wants to be a lawyer with a focus on animal rights and I have a bead on a Latina attorney that can serve as a mentor for her. I am pretty excited about this possibility.

The next day I got up at sunrise and visited the Pantheon which I will admit was unimpressive but I did eek out a few cool shots. I also visited downtown Nashville and got some shots which are really cool and I believe are the true spirit of Nashville.

As I reflect back on the trip, I will remember the connections I made with the people and the state history. Everywhere I went I connected with people, learned more about the history and tried to make every moment memorable. I started this process while visiting India this time last year and it has spilled over into all of my subsequent travels; including this one.

On a slight side not, I need to thank Alexia's Mom Rose who gave me so much encouragement about my work and the possibilities. I am putting out to the universe to send me someone willing to help me with the marketing and presentation of my work. Taking a page out of the book "The Secret" as I want to open up additional possibilities for me in the very near future and allow everyone to enjoy some of the fruits of my travels.

I will post my favorite photos from the trip to Texas and Tennessee yet this week.

I'll be blogging you...

David

Rocket Man Cronicles

2009-02-15T21:15:00.003-06:00

I am in the air on my way to Dallas and have about another 90 minutes of flight time ahead of me in this flying gas can. Well I have gone through Jamie Fox's new album "Intuition" and now John Legend's "Evolver" is in my ear. Did I mention that this is one of the bumpiest plane rides ever; I feel like an egg in the carton and hope I don't crack.

Still wishing I was at WPPI with my mentors and other professional photographers I follow so that will be a 2010 goal of mine. I should have brought my laptop with me as I have two slideshows to finish and some editing to do but they will have to wait another week.

Today I shot two teens for our MIY project; the acronym puts me in the mind of Mission Impossible. Our teens for the project are Brie and Ashlyn. Brie is all over my website and blog banner; she's the half face young lady. I heard back from Brie's Mom that the girls had a great time meeting me; well who wouldn't, learning about the project and lightened up when I said "fashion" type shots. I made up a new term just because I could. I call it photojounalashion" - it's where photojournalism and fashion meet and when I get the pronunciation right I will let you know. Did I mention the flight was a little bumpy and that I wish I was at WPPI? Just checking and any mis-spellings in this Blog entry WILL be blamed on the pilot of American Airlines flight...

Well Brie and Ashlyn were a lot of fun and as you will see; very photogenic. I snuck in a few shots of Brie's Mom but don't tell her. We've been friends for a very long time so she get over it as long as I don't post the one where she looks drunk. LOL.

After today's meeting I believe we are just about done meeting and greeting our models and so ends the easy part of this project; now comes the hard stuff. Going through all the paperwork, release forms, data sheets, remembering the conversations, personalities, do's and don't, good sides, not as good sides, remembering how they responded in front of the camera, preliminary ideas for their shoots and the list goes on and on.

From here we will have individual meetings with some models where we will bring forward our ideas and possibly ask more questions about who these people are. I feel we have an awesome group and this is going to be a lot of fun.
Angel and I met with Phil and his wife Christine on Thursday of last week. They are a very fun couple with a fun story about how they met and how she stalked him until he said yes; she's going to kill me because it really didn't go down that way but it does make for a great story. I could go on and on about these two as she's a school teacher, he works by day and plays guitar by night and they sing karaoke together after a few umbrella drinks. We will be doing some road trips with these two to catch them in their environments.

Anyway, did I mention that the ride was bumpy? The pilot just walked by me and I thought to myself I really need you to get back up in the cockpit so handle your business quickly. The flight attendant is very funny walking around with her Walmart plastic bag picking up the trash. I need to make sure I have my receipt for my $15 check bag fee; pretty soon their be a fee for using their "air" on the plane and coins for the restrooms with the blue water and turbo flush; wonder where all that stuff goes after it's been..... Ok, I won't go there literally. You can tell I have a lot of time on my hands to write.

Being up so high and helpless makes me realize how blessed I am. For the opportunity to fly and to just be in my right mind with no health issues and a family that is well. So many of my friends and their family members have had their share of painful discoveries and loss and my heart and prayers go out to them BIG time. Sometimes we don't realize how blessed we are with our current set of circumstances until we find reason to count our blessings. Well I am on solid ground, in my hotel, re-energizing for Dallas tomorrow, my business and some great shots.

I'll be blogging you....

David

Reach

2008-12-12T12:11:00.000-06:00

From time to time, ok well almost everyday, I check my website and Blog statistics to see where the love is coming from across this Big Blue Ball we call planet earth. Provided I have taken my own visits out of the equation, yes I do like to look at my sites sometimes; I am blessed to report that in 2008 you have visited my website and blogs 5,000 times across 100 countries.

Now when I started my presence on the web, I never knew that it would grow to the level it has and that other photographer and Bloggers like Ross Oscar Knight would mention my blog on their blogs. This has definitely helped with the stats and the love. I also didn’t know that other Bloggers like Lisa Brady, Angel Sallade, and Doug Rutter to name a few would put links to my blog on their Blogs. AND to have such world renowned destination photographers like Ross Oscar Knight and Scarlett Lillian comment on my work has been an awesome compliment to my work. When I look at where I started the year and where I am ending it, I have definitely developed as a photographer and a student of the world. There is still much to learn and I have to send a “shout-out” to Ross for helping me figure out how to use my flash and the constant encouragement. Thanks to Scarlett for giving me many ideas on how to market the business and add “punch” to the photo’s. It’s been a amazing ride and it’s just the beginning of something wonderful. Thanks to everyone who’s supported me and sent some love my way; God knows I need it at times.

Stay Blessed!

David

My Book

2008-12-02T19:16:00.009-06:00

I know it's been a while since I've posted to this Blog but I have been working on a book of my best photo's from my trip to India earlier in the year. Not sure when I will have it completed but here are a few of the shots that will be included. Please stay tuned and thanks for being patient with me.

National Harbor

2008-09-24T20:13:00.006-05:00

Several months ago, I had the opportunity to go to D.C. for a conference. I previously blogged about the wonderful resort the conference was located on and now wanted to display it in a different slideshow format for everyone. I hope you like this format as I plan on using this venue again for my photography from and about India. I got some Indian music from a friend and plan on completing this project in the coming week.

David

Men of India

2008-08-19T06:34:00.004-05:00

What is a Man and how does this influence the people, culture and the future of the society. While in India and had the distinct pleasure to be in the presence of the strong, proud; the Men of India. More pictures coming soon...

Agra Fort

2008-08-17T21:15:00.018-05:00

It's been a while since I posted additional shots from my trip to India. How fitting to make an update to the Blog India series with what I consider to be one of the best kept secrets in India - Agra Fort.

The ride to the Fort was very interesting, hot, windy and filled with unexpected obstacles but our guide made sure we got there safely and with enough time to explore. Agra Fort is less than 2 kilometers from the Taj Mahal and the history dates back over 2500 years ago. The fort
is built alongside the Yamuna river and stretches almost 2.5 km. It consists of a wall built in red sandstone and several buildings inside. The wall has 2 gates, the Delhi Gate and the Amar Singh Gate.

After going through the gate you walk up this ramp and it's better to be on the side of attacking down the ramp versus someone who was trying to wage the battle uphill. The Fort was built by Shah Janan in 1628. Further you find the Royal Pavilions. It contains beautiful mosques, palaces and the Zenana Mina Bazaar. Several of the buildings are made of pure marble with beautiful carvings.

As you can tell from many of the inside shots, the Fort has seen better days but not bad for being over 2500 years old and of course it is a Fort. Taking nothing away from the Taj Mahal but Agra Fort in my opinion is every bit impressive. I hope everyone enjoys these shots and I apologize for my delay in getting these posted.

Beas

Yes that is a Swastika below and here's some information on its' context in Indian culture.

National Harbor Resort

2008-07-08T20:46:00.007-05:00

About a month ago I was in Washington, D.C. on business at the Gaylord National Hotel and Resort on National Harbor. I posted the shots in an earlier Blog post and have now turned them into a slideshow. I am looking to do more of this to showcase my photography and I hope everyone enjoys this.

National Harbor

Going to the Temple

2008-06-19T23:06:00.012-05:00

Another unique experience while in India was my visit to the Sri Radha Krishna Temple. While I don't understand a lot about Indian religion, I respect their workshop which meant I had to be very careful with my camera work as not to offend. Thankfully two of our hosts were very good about keeping me grounded in the rules as to what not to shoot and where not to take my camera.

I have to admit that the experience was MUCH different that what I was accustom to in US based worship. The crowds of worshipers was much heavier and obviously the rituals were different. The worship temples were HUGE and much more ornate with gold, architecture and I could have stayed for hours just admiring this as well as the detailed work from the ceiling to the floors. Oh how I wish I would have smuggled my camera into this temple because words can't describe the experience. I almost missed the night shot below thinking it was too dark to capture the shot (s) without a tripod but thanks to the photography workshop I attended, I did a spot meter versus evaluative; this part is for the photographers in case you find yourself in a similar situation.

I left the temple different from whence I arrived. I got my Bindi on the forehead, was blessed by Krishna and was exposed to yet another rich aspect of the Indian culture. By the way congratulations and best wishes to Rupkumar and Preethi.

Blow Horn - Don't try this at home.

2008-06-16T20:35:00.025-05:00

Traveling in India is an experience to say the least and there's nothing I've witnessed that can prepare you for what has got to be the 9th Wonder of the World. So hold on baby and you may want to get one of those bags you put your face in on the airplane because this isn't for the faint at heart. While you're at it grab a couple of bucks because that's how much the airline will charge you for your deposit; you're welcome for the visual.

Just close your eyes and imagine you're taking one of those lazy Sunday drives; you know the one where you went to the early church service and there's nobody on the road but you (King of the Road). Are you eyes still closed??? Well off in the distance but coming up on you fast is a large mass of mechanized machinery with a purpose and on the wrong side of the street. Horns a blazing, cows a mooing and by the way, did you get that wrong side of the road piece "chief"? Ready to open those eyes partner?

Not only are you not in Kansas anymore buddy; you're in India!!!!! Accident free discount, safe driver medallion are irrelevant here and yes there were five people on that motorcycle that just passed you and yes she was holding a baby while she rode side saddle. They start them off young because nobody in their right mind can get use to this; you gotta be born into it.

Let's recap, here's what just whizzed by you. Cars of all types, bicycles, rickshaws, auto rickshaws, motorcycles (two seaters and up), small trucks, large trucks, cows, horses, dogs, buses, and enough pollution to put New York and California to shame. Also, that thing in the middle of your steering wheel, yes the horn thingy, is getting a serious workout as are your lungs if you were stupid enough to have the window down. Been there done that and it's not a pretty site or sounds coughing your brains out while trying to get some fresher air back into those lungs. That was me with the window down so the Blog community could experience India as I did. So without any further adieu, I bring to you another little bit of India.

The Gaylord National Hotel and Resort

2008-05-27T07:19:00.034-05:00

Just two months, this is how long "The Gaylord National Hotel and Resort" in Washington DC has been open and they are putting on the finishing touches on an awesome place to stay. AND is didn't take me long (10) minutes to get the camera out. With being in class most of the day, I didn't get a chance to do a lot of shooting but I did get my time in. Here are several photo's that captured my experience that week at the Gaylord National Hotel and Resort.

First Glass Art Gallery

Lady who posed for me out of the blue

Wall Art

Reagan National Airport Ceilings

Lay Your Head on My Pillow

2008-05-08T06:11:00.013-05:00

If I must go this is the way to do it. On tour in India, we had the opportunity to stay at some very nice hotels and several of them. They don't beat the comforts of home but sometimes you have to open the shell to witness the pearls inside. If I would have stayed in my room without talking to the staff to better understand their culture and the other cultures in India, the shell would have stayed closed. If I would have just eaten the food without inquiring more about its origin, spices and preparation, the shell would have stayed closed. At one point the staff and I had paper napkin maps of the country, one that looked a lot like Texas to me, and their countries plotted for my understanding. I gave one of the staff such a hard time about it looking like Texas that she re-drew it for me to be a better representation of the country. Now that shell was wide open to demonstrating the pearls of graciousness of India.

On our first night into New Delhi, after 19 hours of travel I was to charged up about being in India that I took the first 60 minutes and shot the room. Yes I know that's loony but I wanted to capture it before I messed it up. There was one feature of every hotel room in India that they forgot to tell me that caused me to take my 5:00am shower in complete darkness in the room. To conserve power, the hotels we stayed at in India had a slot near the entrance of the door where you insert your room key. Inserting you key into this slot activated the lights and other power sources in the room. Well things (lighting and power) were fine after I did my shooting but in the process of turning the lights off to go to bed, I deactivated something and was in utter darkness until I checked out. Too proud to call for help, I fumbled my way to the shower and took care of business; not to worry I had this equipment for years and I know where everything is; LOL!

Back to pearls. Sometimes you have to search for them and other times you just need to be aware and pop the shell. I am so glad I opened the gift of pearls that were given to me and I have those memories to go along with the pictures to frame my experience in India. You don't need to travel as far as I did to get your pearls though. Many of them are right underfoot in your midst; all you have to do is open your eyes.

School Days

2008-04-29T20:24:00.009-05:00

Now a chance to mix things up a bit. On two occasions we timed our travels just right to see kids scurrying off to school. Oh to be young again. These kids were as happy as can be and you gotta wonder with the globality of everything, is your next boss among the kids in this picture? What invention or discovery will these young ones make? What sport will they dominate? Will they write a book that has a very profound impact on the world? Never say never and this is very real with the globalness of the world.

Women of India - Part II

2008-04-29T19:38:00.010-05:00

I was going through my pictures from the trip and came across some additional photo's I thought everyone might enjoy. It continues to tell the story about the women, the generations, beauty and how their status has changed over the years.

10,000 Feet Above Sea Level

2008-04-29T18:56:00.005-05:00

You ever wonder who measured all of this? They have these rules on planes where they don't want you to take out your photography equipment, well sometimes you gotta break the rules. There were some great opportunities to photograph the "grids" in India and Switzerland. The shots from Switzerland in an earlier Blog entry were really cool but I had this thing called a "wing" in my line of sight so I missed some incredible views as we ascended the mountains, broke through the clouds and reached our cruising altitude. As I looked down like a small child with a crayon, I was inclined to start drawing but those skills never matured in me from childhood. Nevertheless, I reverted to just thinking about my family and friends and what they were doing while I was flying high. Below are some pictures and thoughts of mine from 10,000 feet in the last couple of hours of the flight.

I am too lazy to get up and get my camera from the overhead compartment so you are going to do this imagery on your own. Close your eyes and think of a deep black canvas. Take out a letter opener and spoon and gently but purposely architect a 10,000ft view. For the lakes and rivers, use your spoon but be careful not to go too deep as not to flood the city.

On this to India, trek clear across the world (8,000 miles) you really get a sense of how small and fragile we really are. As I look at the map, grids of the world I have lived and am traversing, we are so small. So much to explore, so much left uncharted and so much to experience. God gave us this world as a gift of love and I am glad he blessed me with the opportunity to see so much of it in my lifetime.

I am looking out at Canada right now and I have an Ariel view of a road that goes on for 50+ miles. How many people are down there, can they hear the jets from the plane and is it lulling them to sleep ever so gently as white noise? Do they even know we are up here so far in the air? Is there anybody down there that we know that we are flying over right now? Are we over top of someone right now who is thinking of us? Someone who we are destine to meet, form a relationship, partnership, build a family with, etc.?

The world is so small and we are so fragile? Is someone down there laughing, crying and telling a bed time story to a young child? Are we literally watching someone die but unable to alert the authorities or do anything about it? Things were meant to go on just as they are without our intervention for now but the world is so small and we are all so fragile. There's a certain fragileness when you think of things this way. The patterns on the ground resemble leafs outlined by the snowy mountains below. The roads or passages if you will appear as if they are supplying or funneling the landscape with the richness needed to paint the artistic landscape below that takes our breath away. I wish you could see how small we really are and understand like I do the fragileness of the situation.

Can our friends, family and loved ones below hear our laughter, see our smiles and sighs of missing them. Is there a child down there who is taking their first step and if I cheer, can they hear me? Is there someone down there on the verge of a scientific breakthrough that could change the course of world events? I fear they could solve it today, bring it to market sooner if they could only see it from my point of view, 10,000 miles up.

Every man and woman was given their own instrument of "world" architecture at birth. Instruments for all sorts of intended and unintended world consequences. Time will tell and has told the story of your architecture. Your family and/or friends know if you've been using or abusing those gifts. Some have figured out that they need to turn over the spoon because they were using it the wrong way. Others have now realized that they left some of their instruments on the table which is the reason for their unhappiness or the answer to why the square peg would not fit the round hole. How small and fragile we really are.

In this global world we live in, we have the opportunity to touch so many lives in so many ways. My colleagues were giving me a hard time during the trip because I spent a lot of time talking to the people of India in the evening when I wasn't shooting. Some of these discussions were to relieve myself of any unbridled arrogance I brought with me from the United States. Other dialogue was to learn more about the culture and provide a little broader or maybe just another perspective and some encouragement. I hope some of the seeds I planted while in India take root. Was I successful? I may never know but I couldn't even contemplate this if I hadn't made the investment towards trying. In the global context of things we really are small and fragile beings but with the Internet and these powerful flying gas cans, I mean airplanes, we have the ability to impact globally and global just isn't for business anymore; I adapted that from the old Florida orange juice commercials.

Everything is not for everybody. Everybody will not bear witness to everything. Everyone will not understand everything I am saying about everybody but for those who do figure out what I am trying to say to everyone, I hope your "image processors" i.e. human brain, was able to do the complex math to produce your personal imagery at 10,000 feet above sea level.

Ouch, Diet, I'm Sorry

2008-04-16T21:01:00.016-05:00

Ouch, diet, I'm sorry, insulin shock, I feel you, I know it hurts but indulge yourself for a minute. You may want to post a guard on the fridge and have someone confiscate the car keys for the evening. Okay, I had a few after I shot these but I worked up an appetite doing all this shooting; yeah right have I convinced anyone yet?

These were delicious but it's one of those situations where they looked better then they taste; anyone buying this yet? Bring a BIG camera into a restaurant with a BIG lens and you'll convince just about anyone that you're serious and not a tourist trying to get a picture of himself with the chocolate cake. This was a restaurant in the Le Meridian hotel in Hyderabad India and the food was awesome; even the non-dessert items. I spent a lot of time with the staff in this restaurant getting some history on the different people and cultures represented in India from the north to the south. Climate differences, social issues from the fair skinned to the more rich in complexion. What to expect on our next stop, Bangalore, and what that experience would be like.

This little talk helped me stay "present" during the last leg of my visit and it speaks volumes to the graciousness of the people of India. Have I taken your mind off the desserts yet? I'll admit, not much artistic stuff going on here. Just basically "point and shoot"; hey I was hungry! I added a little food for thought at the end :)

The Women of India and their Sarees

2008-04-15T20:36:00.030-05:00

It's hard to separate the two in oh so many ways. Whether you talk about the beauty, pageantry or the way they take your breath away, it's all there and I am happy to present them with you.

I didn't know what to expect in so many ways when I got to India and started shooting. My focus was set on the Taj Mahal and not embarrassing myself but when I got to India, their sheer beauty caught my eyes. I must admit I had some reservations about shooting the women of India and making sure I presented and talked about them in a very respectful way. Just because you own a camera doesn't mean your intentions are honorable and that's what I had to deal with in my mind and the minds of the people who watched me as I went about capturing the women and their Sarees.

Most if not all of these shots were taken from a moving vehicle so I had to learn how to manipulate the camera so these shots would be in focus. Shooting from a moving vehicle where the lighting changed constantly was a huge challenge and my camera and I developed a mutual level of respect for one another. I anticipated the shots, it responded when I needed it to and we compromised on the exposure settings; I was right more often though.

The conditions in most of India were harsh through our American filters but you would never know it by looking at these women and their elegance. They had a awe about them that changed the air and mood around them. Their features were amazingly striking and the combination of their beauty and Sarees stopped you in your tracks. I never saw two Saree's that looked the same. I saw almost every color used in the rainbow and yes I broke down and purchased one for my lovely lady - the future Mrs. Beasley. It's going back to Hyderabad sometime this month with a friend to have the blouse cut out and other alterations that I was clueless about. I'll be honest with you, it looked like a beautiful but large piece of fabric and the ladies helping me had to explain the blouse situation to me three times before I understood what they meant. It's a guy thing ladies of which I'm sure you understand.

Anyway, I was and still am in awe by the many color combinations, intricate designs and detailed work on these lovely garments. If you have been to India or are in a work environment where the Sarees are worn you understand what I am talking about. Nevertheless I present to you the Jewels of India - The Women and their Sarees.

P.S. My next post will be on the "Men of India"

Even hard at work, they maintained their elegance

This Saree was so nice I had to shoot it twice

Checking the "celly" while waiting for the bus

Going to Market

Group of women waiting on the morning bus

Many women used umbrellas to combat the heat of the day

Off to class to learn a little C++

India Gate

2008-03-18T21:48:00.015-05:00

"I don't think that's a good idea" were the words I heard from our trip coordinator when I informed him that I was taking a solo trip to India Gate at 7:20pm on the evening of our 1:55am flight back home. I was told by the front desk that the hotel was 25 minutes away from India Gate. When I mentioned this to our coordinator he thought it was more like 45 minutes due to the unpredictable nature of India's traffic. Well I asked him if he thought I should pass on the trip and we mutually agreed that I would go, judge the time and make some smart decisions in route if it looked as if time would time would be an issue. And so it begins...

When I got in the cab I was told that India gate was about 45 minutes away which was different then what the concierge told me no more then 10 minutes before. As I sat in the cab debating whether I should still go, off we went. I told the driver that I needed to catch a flight, he asked me what time and then took the trek on as a personal challenge to cut the time in half and that he did. I think we did the entire round trip with pictures in a little over an hour. Now let me set the context for the rest of the story by telling you a little about India's traffic situation.

India's traffic is like no other traffic I have ever experienced in my life. Not even an IMAX simulation on a 50 foot screen could prepare you for "traffico del India". I am in negotiations with the Six Flags theme parks for a virtual reality ride about India; back to our story. On a typical days commute in India there are bicycles, rickshaws, auto rickshaws, mopeds, motor bikes, motorcycles, cars, SUVs, buses, cows and dogs occupying the road at the same time. Lanes and traffic lights are merely optical illusions and subliminal suggestion in our minds eye but the cows and cars coming at you in the opposite direction are real; especially if you don't move. Just close you eyes and imagine all of these vehicles sharing three lanes of traffic each way and it's not uncommon to drive the wrong direction against traffic. I was a passenger in the cab while one of the drivers provided us with this experience. It was kinda cool to try to figure out which way the vehicles were going to swerve as we came through. Also, blowing the horn on your car is not only a good thing but strongly encouraged to the point where it is painted on the trunks and backs of most of the vehicles in the country. I heard the cows fought this one pretty hard because it tickled and there was something about crying over spilt milk; I'm sorry I couldn't resist.

The speed limits in India are self-directed/self-imposed and with all those vehicles and animals sharing the road, you can only go so fast. The traffic rules, not sure if they are written down anywhere, works for India. People sort of drift to where they want to go and announce themselves with their horns in the process. There is no "road rage" as people understand and respect the drifting concept and you learn the difference between the "watch out for me horn", to the "your getting to close horn" to the "what are you blind" horn. Yes as you can imagine there are accidents and people do get hurt but I doubt if they are any greater then what we experience over here in the states. I'm not sure what the insurance process gets you in India as every vehicle had some type of scratch or dent and we saw shops along the street fixing the minor fender benders.

Okay now back to the trip to India Gate. Remember I mentioned the unwritten rules of driving in India, this drifting concept, well we broke those rules and others on the way to the gate. All that was going through my head was getting into an accident, being late for my plane back home and trying to explain my motives to everyone who would undoubtedly hear about my escapade. To take my mind off of things and more importantly the road, I looked through pictures on my camera from earlier in the day. At one point I started to put my seat belt on for safety and realized that there were no seat belts in this cab so I formulated my personal safety protection strategy in the event I received a premonition about an impending accident. My plan was to duck down, get into the fetal position and roll into the back of the seat in front of me, all the while protecting my camera and lenses. To hell with my personal safety but I needed to save my investment or at least the pictures I had taken to date; about 1, 810 at that point. Then I had thoughts of engaging in small talk with the driver but I was afraid to say anything to him that would be distracting in nature and more importantly take his mind off the road. All was well and we got to the gate so quick (22 minutes) that I had to ask him if he was sure that was it???

After I caught my breath, I jumped out of the cab, gave one of my lenses to the driver and started shooting. I was a bit concerned because I had no tripod and it was pitch black outside; I couldn't have asked for any better conditions as India Gate sort of glowed in the lighting that was placed at the foot of each of the legs on the gate. I ignored the street vendors, the driver shielded me from the people asking for money and took about 30 shots before it made sense not to push my luck any further not knowing what traffic going back to the hotel would be like. I had to hand it to my driver again as he drafted me from everyone so I could shoot uninterrupted. I tipped him handsomely for all that he did to allow me to get these shots and for an experience I will never forget as long as I live. The travesty in all of this would have been not trying at all in the context of staying out of the "stupid zone".

The India Gate is a war memorial in New Delhi commemorating the Indian dead of the First World War. The India Gate today also houses the Indian Army's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Amar Jawan Jyoti. I could have easily shot the gate for another two hours but that would have crossed into that "stupid zone" I mentioned earlier. There were many details still yet to capture but maybe for another time if I get the opportunity to return to India some day. I was able to fire off about 30 shots during my brief visit and here are a few pics of India Gate to go along with this story. It's amazing because it's been more then a week and the gate and the trek there are still so vivid in my mind. Think about the experiences we miss out on in life because of fear or the thought that we still have time. For some later never comes, for others so goes the "Days of Our Lives" but they only have "One Life to Live" "As the World Turns" but I am grateful for the experience which I will tell "All My Children" to encourage them so they don't become "The Young and the Restless". Sorry, it's late and I drifted into that "Stupid Zone" but not to worry, I live close to a "General Hospital" just beyond that "Guiding Light". Now you know "The Rest of the Story". Goodnight.

The Taj Mahal

2008-03-17T21:08:00.033-05:00

Approximately 6 hours after touching down in New Delhi India we were on the road to Agra and the Taj Mahal. It was a short 5 hour ride to Agra and for many of us a first look at India in the daytime. It was culture shock on steroids and after we got over India's unique traffic scenario, we got out our cameras and began shooting. We never really got over the traffic in India because it's like nothing you've ever seen or experienced before. It makes the traffic in California seem like a cool, easy and lemony fresh Sunday drive.

Our first stop in India was Fort Agra which is one of the best kept secrets in India and is almost as impressive as the Taj; I plan on doing a separate Blog entry just on Fort Agra. Actually the first pictures you see of the Taj are from a lookout post from the Fort across the river Yamuna. I got so much into the Fort that I forgot that I needed to save my energy and memory cards for the main course, the Taj Mahal.

After spending two hours at the Fort, we were a short bus ride to the Taj. Well, there's really no way to explain the feeling when you see the Taj Mahal in the flesh or I guess the marble to be exact. It's almost like when the bride removes the veil for the first time and all that love and devotion is staring you in the face; kinda takes your breath away. And there it is, that classic view of the Taj that you see on so many of the website and literature.

I was like a kid on Christmas, part of me wanted to just shoot everything and everybody in site while the other part of me wanted to savor the moment and look for the perfect shot. Well, after I got my breath back and the silly grin off my face, I went about my job to shoot the Taj in detail. I will confess that we didn't have a lot of time at the Taj and our tour guide was very diligent in explaining everything in exacting detail with historic accuracy and to this day I don't have a clue what he said. As soon as I got myself together, I started shooting. I shot standing up, from one knee, from the other knee, from my belly and on my back. Wanna get people thinking your nuts, try shooting in all sorts of weird positions in a land other then your own. Just kidding, they think I'm nuts over here too.

Well here it is, the Taj Mahal complex, Taj Gate, River Yumuna, the Towers, exquisite handcrafted inlaid marbling, etc. I will have to read up on everything I missed from our tour guide. These are only 1/3 of the shots I took at the Taj Mahal. Not bad for two hours worth of shooting. Enjoy.

Shot of the Taj from Fort Agra

Shooting from the hip, or should I say belly

Taj Gate

My Taj Mahal Post Card Shot

A little creativity with the camera's meter to create the effect
and nice rim lighting. - Thanks for the insight on how to
accomplish this Ross.

The rear of the Taj

Inlaid semi-precious stones

Koranic inscription

Roof vaulting over the front entrance

Taj Mahal Gate - a more distant view

Tower hides the impending sunset; another
play on the meter.

Tower along the River Yumuna

Another tower shot

More inlaid work

Floor of the Taj

More marble work

Wider view of the River Yamuna

Just inside the front gate of the Taj

Another angle

Framing the Taj

Spectators view the Taj from the rear

Thoughts from a Swiss Airlines Business Lounge

2008-03-11T13:25:00.010-05:00

In my recent trip to India, I was asked several times whether I wanted milk with my coffee; by the way I absolutely love the way the Indian people pronounce milk. Everyone has different taste and that's the beauty of the various world cultures. Sitting here in the business lounge in the Zurich airport for the second time in two weeks, I am witnessing a bevy of different world cultures who are off to places that only God knows. This is an international terminal and there are flights coming in from and leaving out to Paris, Germany, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Madrid, etc. These are all places I would love to visit as I get out of my American bubble. I just now realized that I am the only black person in the lounge which is very insignificant given the various countries and continents represented here in this lounge. The lounge is actually divided into two sections with a circular bar with black stools on one side, trapezoid shaped brushed steel outlined looking windows with a sky light in the center framed by a bridged pedestal serving as a common table for all the travelers as they pony on up to the bar with their laptops, coffee, OJ and muffins.

There's the man from Germany with dark glasses staring at me staring at him. Could be an elderly James Bond type so I'll have to watch him; "Never Say Never". There's the mature man from India with the long steel grey hair with his foot up on the chair who is very into his Blackberry. There's the a middle age Australian gentlemen who looks like he's not too long off the Barbie and then there's the Asian lady with the long sweater coat who was drawn to the Internet cafe like a paper clip to a magnet. Could be business thing or maybe just a place of comfort from the male dominated attendance here in the business center. Then in walks the young white metro-sexual who has a nerve to be on his Bluetooth I mean cell phone as he walks right by me disturbing the flow here in the lounge. He hasn't figured out that he's the only one in here on the phone and we don't care to be a part of his conversation.

This is what happens when you have a lot of time on your hands in the airport; you tend to think too much or really pay closer attention to your surroundings. I am going to go with this type of journaling as it will help me better remember the experience of sitting here in the airport. I am sitting in this beautiful and comfortable chocolate brown leather chair with the sun coming up just over the air traffic controllers tower hitting me on the left side of my face while I wonder if any other passengers are doing the same type of journaling and have made it to me; it would go something like this. There's this tall and somewhat young black male sitting near the windows feverishly typing on his blackberry. He looks up occasionally to see if anything has changed in the room in the last several minutes. The natural light coming in from the window is creating some excellent rim lighting on his face as if to show the seriousness of which he is undertaking on his Blackberry. Now he's gone and grabbed his camera; what the hell is he going to do with that monster of a thing?

Each of us has a way of capturing the memories in our lives. I use to go strictly from memory which would include key things and people from a particular adventure and/or sometimes the smells I can associate with a particular place. I have decided to move more to capturing memories through photography to help me associate pictures with places and memories.

If you look at the first scene you will see the imprint of my butt in the leather chair, I sat there for two hours relaxing and typing this Blog entry. You will also see my passport and document holder, Blackberry, lens case and the Swiss Universe magazine I am reading with the Lovely Sophia Loren on the cover. Very good article about some key parts of her personal and professional life; very nice family photo of her and her kids. Anyway, I am enjoying my experience here in the Zurich airport as I wait for my flight and also for my IPOD to charge; by the way, that guy is still on the phone and it's driving me crazy.

The activity here in the bar is picking up and the sunshine on my face is feeling pretty good right now. I need to get up and try some of this Swiss espresso to see if its' as strong as people have commented on; by the way, the coffee in India was wonderful and some of the best I've ever had. Back to the lounge; did I mention that one of the snacks in the lounge is gummy bears; for those who really know me these things and anything type of gummy candy is my favorite. I have tried to limit myself to two small helping but I think some of these little guys will find their way on to the plane with me.

Wow, this coffee is good and strong; I'll be bouncing all over this 10 hour flight back home and I have my tunes to help me stay grounded; I am going to get another cup of this stuff. The hostesses are so efficient in the lounge that my empty sugar packets, spoon and cup are already history. Not a problem as there is a freshly washed, steamed and warm cup awaiting along with more of that wonderful Swiss espresso.

We are at the gate and it just dawned on me that most of the airport or maybe our terminal is red and white like the Swiss army colors. Here's a shot I took of one of the airplanes and country side just across from our gate. This was taken through the terminal window and I hope to edit out the streaks of pigeon poop :). There's an even better shot of all the tales of the Swiss airlines planes but I don't want to push my luck with taking photo's in the airport; especially in another country which I'm sure has surveillance cameras all over the place.

In case you were wondering, I typed all of this on that blackberry you see on the table while waiting for my next flight.

This Big Blue Ball

2008-03-11T13:04:00.003-05:00

I am starting this new Blog for my thoughts and photography related to my world (domestic and international) travels around this big blue ball we call earth. I hope to expand your thought processes beyond your current state and geography through my photography and discussion. There are no rights or wrongs but I do ask that you keep an open mind.

I have just returned from a trip 8,000 miles away to a little place to the East called India; maybe you've heard of it? While on this trip, I took over 1,800 pictures which I am in the process of organizing and editing. I will commit initially to making bi-monthly post about this trip as I bring India to you from my perspective.

Welcome and Enjoy!!

David Beasley