In September of this year, we were fortunate to spend several days in the Serengeti in Tanzania. This time of year marks the annual wildebeast migration and the famous Mara river crossings, so the density of wildlife was amazing. Tenderness and tragedy, birth and death co-arising everywhere. Almost beyond comprehension. For a variety of reasons, I've chosen not to post some of the more graphic "kill" scenes, but you might notice that the lions and cheetah still have blood on their lovely faces.
The soundtrack is "Yesu Olchori Lai (choir)" from the album Rhythm of the Maasi, available on iTunes (used here under fair use rules, no rights inferred nor intended.)
Start the slideshow with your computer's sound on and your browser set to allow automatic music/sound -- step into the Serengeti, enjoy
karibu, karibu*
Jeff
swahili for "welcome, welcome"
We just returned from a short backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon. Beginning in a driving cold rain on the South Rim, we descended to the river at Hermit Rapids. The next day we hiked up and over to Granite Rapids, then sprinted across to Indian Garden campground, then out the next morning. This was my third trip on foot and by raft into the heart of this stunning, massive, natural cathedral. The images in the Collection are a mix of iphoneXS photos and Sony Rx100 VI images - when you're carrying everything, there's a premium on weight and portability. The soundtrack is "Bright Angel" by Paul Winter from the album Canyon which was recorded live in the Grand canyon itself.
Special Note: a number of browsers are shutting down automatic music. If you want to hear the soundtrack and it won't play, go to "Preferences" on your browser, scroll down and allow automatic music to play.
Walk with us, enjoy...
Jeff
In June of this year, we had a chance to spend two weeks biking and photographing in the Dalmation Islands of Croatia. Such an old and lovely place! After a week of riding, we joined a photography workshop co-led by Alan Ross (Alan Ross Photography) and Dan Burkholder (Dan Burkholder photography). The images in the collection, "Croatia," come from both weeks, but the majority come from the excellent workshop. Such a diverse set of experiences and images -- this was a difficult collection to curate.
The first half of the collection is in color; the second in black and white. The soundtrack is from a CD we bought from the singers in the Diocletian Palace in Split. The specific song is a traditional Croatian Hymn entitled "Blize, O Boze Moj"; in English, roughly, Come Closer, Oh My God."
As usual, click the Slideshow button with your sound on (toward the louder end as the original recording is not terribly loud); click the small icon in the upper right to view the images fullscreen.
I hope you enjoy it...
Peace
Jeff
On the way home from Yosemite last Fall we stopped at a really affecting place, the ghost town of Bodie, California. Bodie was a gold mining town that was actively inhabited into the 1960's. Now, the State of California maintains it as a state park in a form of "arrested deterioration," allowing the town to dissolve and maintaining it at the same time. We only had about an hour to shoot there, but it was a very interesting site- ghosts abound!
The soundtrack for this collection is "If No One Marries Me" by Natalie Merchant from her album Leave Your Sleep. I have no commercial rights to the song and use it under the "fair use" rules...
I recently had the great pleasure of spending a week or so in Yosemite attending a workshop at the Ansel Adams Gallery taught by Alan Ross. Alan, an awesome photographer in his own right, was Ansel Adams' full time assistant for five years and has hand printed the "Special Edition Yosemite Prints" of Ansel's photos for over forty years (these are printed from Ansel's original negatives and are stunning - see the link: Ansel Adams Gallery - Special Edition Yosemite Prints.)
This was my first time in Yosemite, and it surely will not be the last. Somewhat disappointing was the amount of smoke in the air from both a sizeable fire in the park itself as well as drifted smoke from the massive Santa Rosa fire. On the other hand, this pointed us to smaller details which are beautiful, if not of the scale of the "Grand Landscape" (though we did our best to sneak in a couple of those as well!)
At a time when our National Parks and Public lands in general are under assault by those charged with protecting them, it was great to see so many people enjoying this unique place. While crowded, if one is willing to walk as little as a mile, the solitude is great and the scenery sublime. John Muir was right that this place is sacred...
The music for this slideshow is "Crystal Silence" from the album No Regrets by Randy Armstrong. As always, I claim no rights to the music and use it under Fair Use guidelines - if you like it, you can purchase it here from Randy's website (randy armstrong) or on itunes.
Peace
Jeff