The Union Depot in the Lowertown district of downtown Saint Paul, Minn. was recently renovated, and it’s a beautiful display of light, both inside and out. This picture was taken outside the Depot on my evening stroll through the neighborhood.
Category Archives: Photography
Photo 365
My friend Mykl proposed a 2013 photo-a-day project on Facebook, which intrigued me. I did a photo-a-day project several years back for one month, and it was challenging and equally fun.
So I’ve joined the project and know that posting to my blog will inspire me to write more, shoot more, and share more, using predominately mobile devices. Those are my quasi-New Year’s resolutions.
And today is the mundane – part of my breakfast, actually. Husband and I spent the weekend in Duluth, Minnesota, and fell in love with the breakfasts at Duluth Grill (the same grill featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives). Adhering to a vegan lifestyle can make travel a challenge, but Duluth has a host of restaurants with vegan selections, and Duluth Grill is a rock star for organic or locally grown food with plenty of vegan options.
My first picture of Photo 365 is “Red Hash” as it’s listed on the menu at Duluth Grill. The melody of pan seared sweet potatoes, beets, caramelized onions and green peppers is divine.
Street scenes
Recently I’ve been exposed to a lot of street photography, and the best thing has happened because of it. I’ve been inspired.
As I’ve mentioned before in this blog, I get very hung up on taking the perfect picture. Even though I never shoot the perfect picture, I still strive for it.
That also means that I don’t shoot at will, nor do I shoot often enough. I wait.
With departure for the Great Central European Vacation just three days away, I have talked my inner perfect picture freak into shooting madly during this holiday. I’m going to take pictures of everything. And I’m going to take as many pictures of street scenes as I can. It’s my favorite thing to view in a gallery, so why shouldn’t I take pictures of something I love? They might be blurry, have sun spots, odd facial expressions – but I’m still going to do it. (Okay, perfect picture freak?)
Results to come.
Taking photos in Antelope Canyon
During a quick trip to Arizona, husband and I visited the south rim of the Grand Canyon, then swung north to Page, Ariz. to photograph Antelope Canyon. I coined the trip “Our Rock Vacation” because when I came home, that’s all I had pictures of – beautiful vistas, soaring mesas and curvaceous rock formations.
For those interested in photography, here are a few tips about Antelope Canyon.
1. We read that Upper Antelope Canyon was more touristy and required a guided tour. While some believe the Upper Canyon is more beautiful, we opted for Lower Antelope Canyon to stay away from the crowds.
2. In Lower Antelope Canyon, if you show your SLR camera on a tripod, you are given a photographer’s pass for two hours that allows you to tour the slot canyon on your own.
3. SAND. The winds were 20-30 MPH when we were at the canyon, and sand was swirling in every direction. Make sure your memory cards and batteries are installed before you get inside the canyon.
4. In the upper part of the canyon, we were told light is best between 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. For the lower part of the
canyon, light is better after 1:00 p.m. We were at the canyon between 12:30-2:30 p.m., and the light conditions weren’t bad at all.
The entrance into the canyon is very narrow. Photo bags need a shove to make it through the slot, and sucking in your stomach might be required for some! I was without a tripod and just had a small day bag. While my pictures might have been clearer if my camera was mounted on a tripod, I was glad I didn’t have too much equipment on me.
Happy shooting!
Antelope Canyon is part of the Navajo Nation’s Parks and Recreation Service. Lower Canyon is located on Highway 98 outside of Page, Ariz. Driving from Page, the turn-off to Lower Canyon is on your left, and is not well marked like the Upper Canyon entrance. If you pass the power plant, you’ve gone too far.
Weisman Art Museum
On the campus of the University of Minnesota stands one of my favorite architectural wonders of the Twin Cities. The Weisman Art Museum, which is a Frank Gehry structure completed in 1993, rests on the edge of the Mississippi River between the East and West Banks of campus. The museum is currently closed to the public for expansion, but will reopen on Oct. 1, 2011.
The last time I was at the Weisman it was midday and overcast – not the optimal time for photography. But, as travelers know, you aren’t always at the Taj Mahal at the exact moment perfect golden light streams across the memorial. Even with bad light, I still think the Weisman holds up under many conditions. However, the best time to photograph the building is at sunset when she glows and casts off a fiery reflection.
The University of Minnesota is a construction war zone right now, with Metro Transit Light Rail tracks being placed through the heart of campus. The construction project won’t be finished until 2014. If you want to photograph the Weisman, park on East River Parkway and hike in. You can also dig out your long telephoto lens and shoot the building from across the river.
Happy picture making!
Weisman Art Museum
333 East River Parkway
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Rocky Mountain High
There are many things that impressed me about the Rocky Mountains over the last four days – the smell of pine trees, the wildlife roaming at every turn, the hiking trails. But one of the most majestic things about Colorado to me is the cloud formation. It’s almost like the clouds have to show up the mountains to get noticed, so they create big, puffy rolls that stretch across the sky for miles.
Denver
Husband and I are in Denver, ready to venture west to Boulder and then Rocky Mountain National Park later today. We spent yesterday roaming the downtown, and I was particularly impressed with the train station.
Garden of the Gods
Husband and I got up a little after 5 a.m. yesterday to watch the sunrise over Garden of the Gods. Breathtaking.
The pink school house
Husband saw the pink school house as soon as we turned from Hwy. 64 to Hwy. 285 outside of Taos, N.M. Perhaps the giveaway was a big mural painted on the building that said, “The Pink School House.” It looked photo worthy, the gate was open and there wasn’t a “no trespassing” sign, so we drove in.
We took a few pictures, and then I noticed them – an Igloo cooler, a grill, a hot tub. Holy bats. This was someone’s house! And there we were, snapping away in the front yard. We quickly packed up and sped out. Thankfully the owners weren’t home!
The mountains of New Mexico
Husband and I spent the morning in Fort Collins, Colo., and planned to cruise into Taos, N.M. by dinner time. On paper it worked, but then we hit these mountains. Hairpin turns and 25 mph zones put us in much later than expected, but the drive on Hwy. 64 was completely worth it. It was a surprise for both of us. A very beautiful surprise.
Travel Snapshots 