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Posts tagged as:
Photography
My cousin Fernando, who inspired me to appreciate Asbury, took these pictures below. I love the way our differing posts show how a photographer’s perspective affects the outcome of the photographs (not to mention the effects of a muggy day versus a bright sunny day). The same images take on a completely different feel, depending on who is behind the lens.
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My cousin forced me to see Asbury with different eyes. He loved Asbury Park, even at a time when I would roll my eyes at the suggestion of spending an afternoon there laying on the beach. Before talks of development and building restoration projects, he was a fan of this beach town because of its conflicted history, not despite of it. Another perk is that it is less crowded than other favorites along the coast, although that is quickly changing.
There is something intriguing about going to a place that has fallen off most people’s radar. Off the beaten path, some people call it, when you decide to explore somewhere not in the travel guides. There are many perks to this philosophy, for one you avoid the crowds and you get enjoy an experience a place few others have.
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Well the rest of my life lay in front of me
I was pedaling down the road
When I saw nell gwynne and her oranges
And I’ll have one of those
She said move over busker, don’t bang your drum
Move over busker, your time will come
-Paul McCartney
After posting about street performers, I perused through my photo collection and picked out some more of my favorite busker photos.
In the southern Spanish city of Granada there is a rich amalgamation of three very different cultures, histories, and religions: Islam, Catholicism, and Judaism. Home to the Moorish palace La Alhambra, Granada has a flavor that sets it apart from the rest of Spain. The Mirador de San Nicolas (lookout point) faces the magnificent Alhambra, and I highly recommend to anyone visiting this small city to go here just before sunset. The lookout is located in the Albayzin, a neighborhood with small winding streets and white-washed houses with colorful gardens. Set upon a hill, the Albayzin is a perfect location to view the old palace.
At Mirador San Nicolas there are always people singing and playing guitar. The group we saw this particular day really epitomized every stereotype I was looking forward to: the raspy voices (most certainly due to years of heavy smoking), the incredible strumming of the Spanish guitar, the rhythmic clapping, and the melodic improvisation of flamenco singing. Those c
ouple of songs, played to accompany the sunset, were enough to send a chill down my spine, and toy with the idea of quitting my day job in order to sit around these hills, smoke cigars, and learn to play flamenco guitar.
No one else could wear a mullet and a white turtleneck cutoff and still look as badass as this man right here.
One of my favorite things to do in Mexico, or in any place for that matter, is to roam around the local markets. They are full of life and delicious food. I also find that they are a great way to see the people of the city go about their daily routine. I took this picture in Tepotzlan, Mexico around the time of the Day of the Dead. You can see a bushel of marigolds in the foreground of the photograph. These neon orange flowers are prevalent around this time, when people use them to decorate altars and pay homage to those who have passed. Right after I took this shot, the guy in the bright yellow shirt chased me down for a small tip and some friendly flirtation.
Just outside of Vancouver, about an hour or so on bus, you will find Capilano Park, home to the 450 ft long and 240 ft high Capilano Suspension Bridge. When we finished crossing the bridge and exploring the park we noticed a 3 person band getting ready to play. They weren’t buskers in the traditional sense, (look at the name tags) but rather park employees. Nonetheless people gave them tips after they sang some Elvis, Johnny Cash, and other crowd favorites.
Barrio La Boca in Buenos Aires is known for its brightly colored facades, its Italian immigrant population, and a slightly dodgy reputation. If you ignore the obvious tourist traps and souvenir shops, you can almost imagine the immigrants painting the houses bright colors, in order to give life to this rundown part of town. Nowadays it has become somewhat commercial, but you can still enjoy the tango performances at one of the many cafes.
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is exactly what you picture it to be, tacky, commercial, over the top, and just a bit uncomfortable. My discomfort is mostly due to an overzealous Elvis impersonator who got a little handsy. Nonetheless there is probably no other place you can see Jack Sparrow, Elvis, Zorro, Spiderman, Minnie Mouse, Jessica Rabbit, and even Chucky (you know the maniacal, homicidal plush toy that made you fearful that your toys would come to life in the middle of the night) all in the same place.
Olvera Street in Downtown Los Angeles provides quite the contrast to the massive structures that crowd around the business sector. The performers, street vendors, restaurants, and cafes serve as a taste of Mexican culture a small tribute to a community with such a large population in this city. It is small and unassuming, but I tend to love areas such as these. I really enjoyed the fact that I could get a peeled mango on a stick, a massive dulce de leche stuffed churro, and agua de jamaica at one of the nearby vendors. The headdress of the performer below was amazingly massive, and from what I can tell there are many performances such as this one taking place nearby.
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In the summertime Montreal is alive and full of color. This year I was unfortunately unable to attend the festivals, which makes me very sad; fortunately one of my dear friends and talented photographer Jean-Baptiste Duthu, took these wonderful photos at the various festivals held this year. Now I can pretend I was at the festivals with him.
The International Jazz Festival of Montreal is one of the most popular festivals in Montreal, in fact it is one of the biggest jazz festivals in the world. Hundreds of artists perform and there are over 500 shows, some of which are completely free for the public.
Some of my favorite summer festivals include:
The International Jazz Festival of Montreal
Just For Laughs
Les FrancFolies de Montreal
Fashion and Design Festival
Montreal World Film Festival
It seems like Montreal is always celebrating something, not only in the summertime. For a full list of all the festivals in Montreal that take place all year round click here.
These performers give tribute to the British flag by donning the flag as *cough* undergarments.
The Just For Laughs Festival is probably one of the most fascinating festivals for people who like to stroll and people watch. Walking down St. Denis was one of the highlights of the festival. I admit I’m not a big fan of stand up comedy, although many Quebecois comics are much funnier than the comics I have seen in the past; however, the festival provides more than merely stand up comedy. The streets are lined with performers in costumes whose main purpose is to involve the crowd. If you are nearby you are fair game. It is not uncommon to have a close encounter with a man inside a massive inflatable ball that takes up half the street. Also beware of becoming victim to the Just For Laughs TV show. The parade that marks the close of the festivities is no doubt interesting, if not a little strange. The year I attended a huge mechanical figure of a person (the size of a small building) creepily marched down the avenue.
This picture is my favorite of Jean-Baptiste’s photographs, undoubtedly taken during the Just For Laughs Festival. I love the expression on the performer’s face!
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The small mountain of Mont Royal is located smack dab in the middle of the island of Montreal. The mountain is more like a hill in terms of size, but compared to the rest of the city it is an impressive centerpiece, a remnant of an eroded volcanic complex. In the summer people walk, jog, and bike up to the top. In the winter you can go cross country skiing, sledding, snow shoeing and other snow friendly activities. It is very fitting to have this outdoor playground in the middle of a city with such active inhabitants. The streets are just as filled with people riding their bikes and walking around as they are with cars.
There is a beautiful view from the lookout point at the top of Mont Royal, just a short walk from Beaver Lake. You can see downtown Montreal, the bridges that connect to Montreal island, as well as Island Sainte Helene, where you can visit the biosphere or La Ronde amusement park. If you look closely at the picture below you can see a red roller coaster. During the summer there is a firework show every Saturday that you can watch from Sainte Helene and the Old Port. A different country hosts these shows each week. Sadly I have yet to see any of these shows.
Watching everyone with their bikes made me really nostalgic for my tiny, blue, city cruiser I used to ride last year.
This woman decided to get some sun after a ride to the top.
There is another lookout point at the opposite end side of Mont Royal. The only way to get to it is by car, or through a more discreet path from the middle of the mountain. The road less traveled if you will. Last year I stumbled upon it by accident with a few friends. The lookout itself isn’t too impressive (it is basically an extension of a small parking lot) however the view is worth it. You can see eastern Montreal, including the Olympic stadium in the distance. Also the sunset is much prettier from here, in my humble opinion. A couple times when I went up Mont Royal at night I noticed that people tend to convene here with wine and other alcoholic beverages, which I assume they do before going out. I’m not sure what the legalities are behind this practice, therefore it is probably safer if you enjoy a bottle of wine at a close by cafe.
I took this picture at Beaver Lake while the sun set last fall.
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I recently entered a photo book contest at Photography Book Now. The book I entered is a compilation of photographs I took while traveling throughout Mexico. Winners will be awarded in the categories of Fine Art, Editorial, and Commercial. Along with the judges categories there is also a People’s Choice Award. Please take a look at my photo book and if you like what you see, vote for it! Just press on the orange ribbon above. It was a lot of fun to create the book, and as always it was a lot of fun to travel and take pictures.
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Gadhimai Mela Animal Sacrifice
by Elena on November 27, 2009
Photo Courtesy: Gemunu Amarasinghe/AP/Courtesy WSJ-All Rights Reserved
Images like this man leaping in the air with a machete swung over his head, are what make photojournalism such an affecting medium. It garners discomfort because the viewer knows that seconds after this picture was taken the man’s machete made its way through the animal’s flesh. The story behind the man and this goat elicits a dichotomy between supporters and critics from people around the world. Each year millions of worshipers in Nepal and neighboring India watch the killing of more than 250,000 animals. This festival is in honor of the Hindu goddess of power Gadhimai, where participants offer sacrifices to her.
The thought of sacrificing thousands of animals for what most Westerners would consider insufficient reasons, can make any person cringe, not just vegetarians and animal activists. My initial reaction was of discomfort, but after reading a post by The Travel Photographer, my initial criticisms were stunted. Is sacrificing 250,000 animals to the goddess Gadhimai any different than sacrificing 45 million turkeys for the tradition of Thanksgiving? Admittedly the semantics of the slaughter is like comparing apples to oranges. One ceremony is in your face with blood staining the streets and carcasses laying lifeless. For anyone outside this culture it is very hard to stomach. The ceremony we celebrate here is more subtle. We kill 45 million turkeys, but it is behind the scenes, nicely hidden before we go to the supermarket to buy Thanksgiving dinner.
Growing up in a household where meat is a constant staple in our diet, has made me desensitized to many images that others might find offensive. On trips to Galicia I have witnessed farm chickens being killed, as well as relished the efforts of pig slaughters in the form of chorizo and blood sausage. Like many other cultures, we use every part of the pig, a tradition passed down from people who were poor and had to use every part of the animal. There is an enormous amount of importance placed upon meals and mealtime as a family. For me this is normal, for a vegetarian, probably not so much.
Globalization has made distinguishing what is ‘right and wrong’ slightly difficult. It is a big world and we certainly don’t agree on everything. I consider myself a tolerant person, however there are certain things that I am staunchly against without question ie female mutilation, honor killing; and other things that I am more ignorant and uncertain about such as covering the female form with hijabs and burkas. So where is the line of understanding and injustice? After looking at the picture above a second time, I still feel uncomfortable, but also because maybe I shouldn’t be judging so quickly.
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