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Why travel photography can be dangerous to your health

February 11th, 2016

Why travel photography can be dangerous to your health

Taxco de Alarcón, Mexico

A night view of Taxco’s Zocalo (city plaza) and its beautiful Templo de Santa Prisca.

Taxco ("tass-ko") de Alarcón is considered Mexico’s silver Mecca. It is a beautiful Spanish colonial town at the foot of the Sierra Madre Mountains.

Since the town is located on a steep hillside the locals use Volkswagen Beetle (Bug) taxis to navigate the steep streets. They constantly roam the streets in a single file as if they were on an assembly line. You never have to wait more than a couple of seconds to flag down a taxi.

In the afternoon I wandered around the labyrinth of steep streets looking to photograph the town’s zocalo from a high vantage point. I found this very narrow street and returned in the evening for the “blue hour.”

It was a tight squeeze to setup my tripod along the very narrow street without being road kill as Volkswagen bug taxis were speeding behind me. If that was not enough concern, it started to rain and I was getting nauseated from ingesting all the car fumes.

I wanted to pack up my gear and leave, but I was waiting for the floodlights to illuminate the church. I finally asked a local about the lights and he said they only turn them on over the weekend. I took this last frame you see here before it started to really downpour. I packed up my gear, strapped on my photo backpack and headed downhill back to the plaza.

Here is a really important travel tip if you ever visit Taxco: Do not walk in the rain on a wet and slippery cobblestone street that has a steep decline.

As you can imagine, I lost my footing and was going to land on my back, but as any good photographer would do I protected my gear! With cat like reflexes, I quickly turned my upper torso and landed on my chest as if I was going to do a pushup (the locals were probably thinking who is this crazy foreigner doing pushups in the rain).

With a bruised wrist and ego, I quickly gathered myself up and ducked into the nearest bar to grab a beer.

Photography is not only an expensive habit; it can be dangerous to your health.

Happy Travels!

All Rights Reserved. Photos and Text ©Sam Antonio Photography 2014

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Hawaii is not a state of mind, but a state of grace - Paul Theroux

February 5th, 2016

Hawaii is not a state of mind, but a state of grace - Paul Theroux

The sun sets along Ali’i Drive on the beach town of Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. The steeple is of Moku’aikaua Church, the oldest church in Hawaii, built in 1837. It was my first time visiting the Big Island and it certainly will not be my last.

What is your favorite island in Hawaii?

Happy Travels!

All Rights Reserved. Photos and Text ©Sam Antonio Photography 2015

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Practicing Delicate Diplomatic Relations at Delicate Arch

February 4th, 2016

Practicing Delicate Diplomatic Relations at Delicate Arch

Feast your eyes people! This is a rare photograph I captured of Delicate Arch, the iconic symbol of Utah, in Arches National Park. Okay a simple search on Google and you’ll find more photos of this freestanding natural arch then all the inhabitants of China.

Why is this a rare photograph of Delicate Arch?

Because there are no tourists posing under it!

No, I didn’t “clone” anybody out in post-processing, I simply did it the old fashion way...I screamed at them to get out of my frame (I had some help too).

A 1.5 mile hike from the parking lot will deliver you to the signature arch of the park. The 45 minute hike is easy to do but carrying two camera bodies, five lenses, a point and shoot camera, tripod and water made for a challenge. But if you get here right at sunset you will be rewarded with one of nature's best light show.

You will also be in the good company of hundreds of budding photographers and oblivious tourists. Of course, many of those tourists want to get a photo op under the arch thus angering many of those budding photographers which included myself. In unison we politely asked them to get out of our frame momentarily but to no avail.

As I was standing shoulder to shoulder of what looked like a firing squad of photographers with our tripod mounted cameras, I grew frustrated by the moment. So I took the initiative and grabbed my tripod to get a closer shot and a couple of photographers followed me (I love playing follow the leader). I then politely asked the “Arch” models if they would please move temporarily and again they ignored my pleas.

Finally one of the other photographers next to me pointed out that they were European tourists who didn’t comprehend my English speaking pleas (in reality most Europeans speak and understand English perfectly so they probably just wanted to piss off another American).

So the German photographer to my left said something in German and the German tourists moved. The French photographer to my right said something in French and the French tourists moved. I then said something in my parents native language, Tagalog (the national language of the Philippines for those not in the know), and the rest moved (okay I made that last part up...I’m an American and I only speak one language).

In the end everybody left happy. Hiking back to the parking lot with Bud, the German photographer (yes, that was his name), he shared with me his travel stories of four months of traveling solo in America.

“This was the first time I was traveling to America and I was confident my English was good enough to communicate with the locals,” Bud paused for a moment to reflect “but what I wasn’t prepared for was all the Spanish speakers I’ve encountered.”

“Bud, this is America,” I replied “Spanish is our national language.”

Adios my amigos!

Equipment used:

Canon EOS 5D, Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD IF, an overpriced Manfrotto tripod

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Six Travel Tips to Photographing Arches National Park

February 3rd, 2016

Six Travel Tips to Photographing Arches National Park

Arches is a great little National Park to photograph. Unlike Yellowstone, which requires hundred of miles of driving, Arches is a manageable park with most of the classic sites within reach of parking your car.

Photographing Arches is also made very pleasant since nearby is the handy gateway town of Moab, Utah. This also makes it a great base to photograph nearby Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park.

Some photo and travel tips regarding my trip to Arches National Park and vicinity:

Think small: Fly into a smaller regional airport. Rather than flying into a big airport hub like Salt Lake City and driving five hours to get to Moab, I flew into Grand Junction, Colorado and drove an hour and half along a scenic highway to get to my destination. In addition, the much smaller regional airports are a breeze for travelers as opposed to the behemoth airports that require miles of walking and tons of headaches.

Get an alarm clock: Many people have e-mailed me asking how I get such brilliant colors in my photographs. Get up early and stay out late to photograph at sunrise and sunset when nature's light returns the favor of your early rising with deep saturated colors.

Read before you see: Before I even click my shutter button I do extensive research of the places I photograph. I read guidebooks, magazines and photo website forums for advice on the best shot locations. Also, I'll read books that feature my trip destination to give me a better appreciation of the places I'll discover. For example, for my trip to Savannah, GA I read John Berendt's "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil." For this trip I read the classic, "Desert Solitaire: A Season In the Wilderness," by Edward Abbey.

Rock Steady: To get those super sharp photos you'll need a tripod. I travel with a very lightweight carbon fiber tripod that is small enough to fit into my carry on luggage. Good landscape photography requires shooting in weak light (sunrise and sunset) and small apertures. Canon "L" lenses will deliver some great shots for you but if your camera isn't steady you will get blurry photos. Invest in a good tripod before you invest in quality lenses.

Seek Inspiration to be Inspired: In downtown Moab, UT you can visit Tom Till's photography gallery. Yes, you can duplicate his classic shots but this will inspire you to search deeper to find your own "classics" while improving your photography skills.

What a Bargain: Invest in a National Park Pass. If you want to meet Europeans there is no need to go to Europe just visit your local National Park. I have met many more Europeans than Americans in the many National Parks I have visited. There's a reason why so many foreign travelers visit our parks because the wondrous beauty of our national treasures are unparalleled. Visit our National Parks before some of our national treasures are gone.

This is a sunrise shot of Turret Arch looking through the North Window. Get here early to catch a spectacular light show. In the Windows section of the park take the trail toward the North Window and hike right under it until you see a trail that you can scramble up on to get to a ledge. From here you can shoot the classic photo that you see above. That little white speck you see on the upper left hand side is the moon.

Be a Traveler not a Tourist!

Equipment used:
Canon EOS 5D ,Tamron SP AF 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di LD IF

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Abandoned Wagon, Bodie State Historic Park, Bridgeport, CA

February 2nd, 2016

Abandoned Wagon, Bodie State Historic Park, Bridgeport, CA

“And now my comrades all are gone;
Naught remains to toast
They have left me here in my misery,
Like some poor wandering ghost.”
–Unknown

There are touristy ghost towns like Tombstone, Arizona and uncommercial, authentic ghost towns such as Bodie, California. Although five percent of the original town remains, the town is eye candy for amateur and professional photographers alike.

Located in the Eastern Sierras of California, Bodie once boasted a population of 10,000 people thus making one of the largest towns in California during its time. With a combination of gamblers, miners, prospectors and corrupt politicians it was rumored a murder took place once a day in the town. To keep Bodie unique and authentic, the state park service has maintained a policy called arrested decay; the original buildings will remain as they are with little or no maintenance from the park rangers.

A walk through the town is literally a walk into the past...only this time as visitors you have a good chance of coming out alive.

I got this shot by lowering my tripod until my camera was literally inches off the ground. Lying on my belly I set the proper hyperfocal distance setting to gain the greatest depth of field (basically everything from front to back is in focus and sharp).

After I got done taking this shot a couple of photographers "were in line" to get a similar composition. I laughed and moved on to my next shot.

Notes: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

Happy Travels!

All Rights Reserved. Photos and Text ©Sam Antonio Photography 2006

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Often Imitated, Never Duplicated

February 1st, 2016

Often Imitated, Never Duplicated

Scripps Pier in La Jolla is a popular place for surfers, researchers and photographers. This composition under the pier has been done countless times. While the composition may look the same, the wind, water and light never remains constant. This is just my humble take on this San Diego landmark.

The original Scripps Pier was built in 1915 and funded by Ellen Browning Scripps. The pier was a means for aquariums and the university labs to acquire clean seawater. A new pier was built in 1988 right next to the aging Scripps Pier, which was later removed.

The official name of the pier is The Scripps Institution of Oceanography Pier, operated by The Scripps Institution of Oceanography and a department of the University of California, San Diego. That’s a little wordy so we locals just called it Scripps Pier.

Happy Travels!

All Rights Reserved. Photos and Text ©Sam Antonio Photography 2015

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Sunset Crossing at the Coronado Bridge

January 30th, 2016

Sunset Crossing at the Coronado Bridge

A spectacular sunset from Cesar Chavez Park in Barrio Logan with a view of the Coronado Bridge.

This little park is a hidden gem of San Diego. Its concrete pier extends out into San Diego Bay, which allows some unique shots of the Coronado Bridge. To the left of the pier are various commercial tug boats and the 32nd Street Naval Base which happens to the be the largest base for United States Navy on the west coast and the homeport of the Pacific Fleet.

The park sees very little visitors and the couple of times I have been there I was the only individual standing on the pier. That night I was actually in the company of another photographer. After all, who could resist photographing a sunset like this one!

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography 2014

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Finding Peace At Wat Mahathat

January 29th, 2016

Finding Peace At Wat Mahathat

The ancient Thai capital of Sukhothai (translated means “dawn of happiness”) was the first capital of Siam founded by King Ramkhamhaeng during the 13th Century. The province's temples and monuments have been restored and is now the Sukhothai Historical Park and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The 13th century ruins of Wat Mahathat (translated means “temple of the great relic”) is perhaps the most popular and photogenic of all the temples in Sukhothai.

I would love to return there one day.

Happy Travels!

All Rights Reserved. Photos and Text ©Sam Antonio Photography 2012

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Finding Happiness in Sukhothai, Thailand

January 28th, 2016

Finding Happiness in Sukhothai, Thailand

“In a person’s lifetime there may be not more than half a dozen occasions that he can look back to in the certain knowledge that right then, at that moment, there was room for nothing but happiness in his heart.” - Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

The ancient Thai capital of Sukhothai (translated means “dawn of happiness”) was the first capital of Siam founded by King Ramkhamhaeng during the 13th Century. The province's temples and monuments have been restored and is now the Sukhothai Historical Park and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wat Sra Sri is a beautiful wat located on an island surrounded by a pond. Just entering the wat is a beautiful experience, as you have to cross a bridge in anticipation to the immense beauty. On the island you will see a Sri Lankan-style mounded chedi and walking Buddha in Sukhothai style.

I had only one day in Sukhothai and I was hoping for an amazing sunset. It never did materialize, but one thing I learned from traveling this great, big world of ours is to be appreciative of the things we have in our lives and not to dwell on the things we do not have.

I took this shot about ten minutes after sunset (the blue hour) and after taking a couple of frames, I stepped out from behind the camera to just simply appreciate this magnificent structure with my naked eyes. It was then I realized there was not another soul around and I was simply filled with nothing but happiness in my heart.

Happy Travels!


All Rights Reserved. Photos and Text ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Why making this photograph cost me hundred thousand dollars

January 27th, 2016

Why making this photograph cost me hundred thousand dollars

Just two hours drive from San Diego is Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The park occupies over 600,000 acres making it the largest state park in the lower 48 states. The desert comes alive in late February to early April when the wildflowers bloom, but it wasn’t just the wildflowers that brought me to the desert.

Located next to the state park is private land, called Galleta Meadows, which is free and open to the public. Here you will find 130 fully-sized outdoor metal sculptures by artist Ricardo Breceda. They vary from dinosaurs to elephants to a 350 foot-long serpent.

I really wanted to make a great night photograph of this serpent’s head so I had a Hollywood production company truck down an enormous mobile lighting system normally used for making major motion pictures. The light was so powerful I had them tone it down a bit (you can still see the shadow it cast on the ground). I then had my buddies from the Academy Award-winning motion picture visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic add in some awesome fire breathing special effects. Not bad for a $100,000 dollar budget.

In reality, I didn’t need an artificial lighting system since the entire scene was nicely lit by the full moon behind me. “Special effects” consisted of a 30-second exposure, two Maglite flashlights and your intrepid photographer running around like a little kid. After setting off the shutter button I used my baton size Maglite to briefly light paint the serpent’s head and then ran into the frame and used a mini-Maglite to add in the squiggly fire breathing effects. After doing that for a couple of seconds I ran back behind the camera and used my big Maglite to finish light painting the sculpture. I did this a number of times to get the exposure right and at the same time got in a great crossfit workout!

Instead of spending $100,000 dollars, I expended 100,000 calories in getting this shot!

Happy Travels!


All Rights Reserved. Photos and Text ©Sam Antonio Photography 2016

 

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