Jul 30, 2012

Britishness


What makes you think ‘that’s really British’? I pondered this before I set off to the UK earlier this year.
The purpose of the trip was threefold: visit family, travel photography and photography capturing Britishness.  This was planned in the run up to the Summer Olympics, with all eyes set to be on London.   
 
Pictured from the top is the classic red phone box and letterbox. I looked high and low, with the help of cousins, to find one in a rural setting. There aren’t many left.
High Streets in the UK are what Main Street is to the USA. You’ll find them in London as well as villages and towns throughout the country.
It’s mandatory that all students wear school uniforms in the UK, even those still in kindergarten. They vary from region to region. Cardigans are typically worn in North Wales.
Patriotism can be expressed in many ways, even in the form of washing drying on a line in the back garden
Steak and ale pie is classic pub lunch fare. Shandies - half lager and half lemonade - often wash down pub lunches. The latter is fizzy in the UK.  And if you stay at the pub too long a classic English breakfast the next morning might help cure your over indulgence.   
I left out the ubiquitous fish and chips. That would have been too predictable, particularly after watching Danny Boyle’s epic and eccentric portrayal of all things British during the opening ceremonies. 

Jul 24, 2012

Street Scenes: La Suquet, Cannes


Cannes is usually associated with glitz, glamour and its world famous film festival. But enter the back streets of its old town, or La Suquet, and you’ve stepped into what feels like a small French village. 

If you climb up its steep alleys far enough you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of Cannes, the Mediterranean and surrounding mountains. The pedestrian street pictured above is a far cry from the hustle and bustle of the city center just a few minutes walk away.

Jul 5, 2012

Street Scenes: Dragon Clan New York City


When aspiring photographers ask me how to pursue travel photography I always tell them to start in their own back yard. No matter where you live there is always travel related subject matter. It could be a scenic view, quirky attraction or festival. This summer I am taking my own advice.

Pictured here are a group of folks who every year take part in the Gay Pride March held every June. This year they dressed in dragon-themed costumes for the Chinese Year of the Dragon. This photograph was taken after hours of preparation in a nearby apartment in Chelsea (which I also photographed) on the way to the march.
What do you like to photograph in your own back yard?