This is the famous Ponte Vecchio (means "old bridge") as seen from an upstairs window in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. The Ponte Vecchio is a covered bridge across the Arno River in Florence which is packed with shops (originally butcher shops, but now jewellers, art dealers and souvenir sellers). It's the oldest of Florence's six bridges, going back to Roman times. For many years it was the only bridge in Florence across the River Arno and during World War II it was the only bridge across the Arno that the fleeing Germans did not destroy.
It had been a stormy day in Florence as we browsed through the Uffizi Gallery, and then for a moment the sun broke through the clouds as I was peering out the window towards the Ponte Vecchio just down the river, so I quickly grabbed this photo before the rain started again.
You may also be interested in my other Florence photos: River Arno Rower photo taken the same day a bit farther down the river, and Piazza Del Duomo at Sunset with Baptistry photo.
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March 19, 2012 10:47 am Permalink
These are the moments that last forever - this couple had the cafe all to themselves this particular evening on the shore of Lake Como. I don't know the name of this lakefront restaurant, but it was in the town of Como on the south end of Lake Como, Italy.
My other Lake Como Photos: Villa del Balbianello Lake Como Villa, Storybook Land Lake Como Villa, and Italian Man Drinking Espresso on the Narrow Streets of Como, Italy
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March 13, 2012 9:36 am Permalink
These Filipina women were full of joy in the midst of hard work in the rice paddies of northern Philippines (Bagabag, Luzon, Philippines)
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February 7, 2012 10:05 am Permalink
With this interior photo of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey I tried to capture the scale of this gigantic structure. But even with my wide-angle lens, you're only seeing a small corner of this remarkable building. The Hagia Sophia is an interesting mix of Christian and Muslim art and architecture since it was first a Byzantine church, then an Ottoman mosque, and now a museum, and has been rebuilt multiple times. When I was there, much of the interior was being restored.
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January 24, 2012 11:47 am Permalink
This is the "Blue Mosque" in Istanbul, Turkey, which is really called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. It doesn't look blue at all in this photo, but it has blue tiles adorning the inside. It's right next to the Hagia Sophia which doesn't look at impressive from the outside.
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January 23, 2012 8:23 am Permalink
This is my favorite portrait from the trip so far. I find myself looking at him just as intently as he is looking back. I've been trying to come up with a good title for this photo, but don't really know what to say. I guess it doesn't really need a title.
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July 22, 2011 8:01 pm Permalink
If you're a fisherman, why not live on stilts at the edge of the harbor? This family seems well equipped with several fish nets, a boat, outboard motor, and various other gear which you can see on their porch. I took this photo in Serui, Papua, Indonesia.
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July 15, 2011 8:10 am Permalink
The fish/seafood section of any Indonesian market is always interesting (and full of smells). This fisherman was eager to show off his best catch of the day. I think this is a tuna or mackerel.
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July 14, 2011 8:03 am Permalink
This grandmother was sitting on the porch of the house she lives in with her son and grandchildren. Her face and pose caught my attention as I walked through the village. I never got a chance to talk to her, but after I took this photo she smiled and turned away as if shy. Her son was pleased that I took her photo and proudly explained that this was his mother. This photo was taken in Papua, Indonesia.
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July 9, 2011 8:00 am Permalink
This Buddhist monastery & temple is not only the largest in Singapore, but seems to have the longest name as well: Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery of Singapore. Katie and I visited this monastery in 2006 on a photojournalism trip to southeast Asia.
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March 15, 2011 11:22 am Permalink
This is the beautiful view we enjoyed while hiking through the rice terraces in Buscalan Village near Tinglayan (Cordillera Mountains), Kalinga Province of Luzon, Philippines.
More rice photos: Bayyo Rice Terraces, Ifugao Rice Terraces, Rice Planting, and Gathering Rice Shoots.
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February 2, 2011 2:57 pm Permalink
Portrait of a Filipina smiling, taken in Bontoc, northern Philippines (island of Luzon). It seems that not everyone uses Filipina to indicate a female Filipino, but I think it's correct given the Spanish influence in the Philippines.
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January 31, 2011 10:20 am Permalink
Three men carrying a live pig hanging from a pole in Bontoc, Philippines (Luzon). This is the preferred method of transporting your pig (especially when still alive) along the edges of rice fields where there are no roads. Though the "bringing home the bacon" phrase does seem to fit, I don't remember ever eating bacon in the Philippines. Certainly we ate pork (lechon baboy), but not usually as bacon.
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January 28, 2011 9:53 am Permalink
This photo seems to say "I am Italian." It shows a typical scene in Italy: narrow cobblestone streets between stone buildings, the Italian flag, a man on the street drinking his espresso, and a bar. I took this photo in the town of Como at the south end of Lake Como.
I processed this photo as an HDR from a single RAW image, then converted to black & white (with some sepia), and then mixed back in some of the original colors to highlight the Italian flag, sign for the bar, and the man.
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January 20, 2011 10:18 am Permalink
Take a good look at this old Filipina's face; she has a lot to tell. No doubt she's spent years working hard in the rice fields of Bagabag, Luzon, Philippines. Along with the other women in her working group, she is picking young rice shoots, which will be later re-planted in different rice fields farther apart. Astute viewers may notice this is the same lady in my Gathering Rice Shoots photo I posted a while back, taken from above looking down (though you can't see her face in that photo).
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December 9, 2010 9:37 pm Permalink
I bet you never thought you'd see an action shot featuring rice. Here's our friend and helper Rina winnowing rice in front of our house in Tomohon, Sulawesi, Indonesia. You may also be interested in some of my other rice photos: Bayyo Rice Terraces (Philippines), Ifugao Rice Terraces (Philippines), Gathering Rice Shoots, and Rice Planting.
You can buy this photo here, with many options including standard prints, canvas gallery wraps, gift cards, mugs, T-shirts and much more.
December 8, 2010 11:16 am Permalink
A mother and her son wait for customers at their mini gas station in front of their house. This is a common scene in many parts of Indonesia: a tiny roadside gas station using liter Coca-Cola bottles to store the gasoline. They mostly fill up motorcycles & scooters, usually 1 liter at a time, by pouring the gasoline out of the coke bottles. I took this photo back in January 2008 while visiting my parents in Tomohon, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
More Indonesian Photos of mine which you may be interested in checking out: Bendi (horse-drawn carriage), Hanging out at Dusk, Returning from the Garden, Village Buddies, Smiling through the Window.
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December 7, 2010 9:05 am Permalink
This Amish buggy was parked outside a country store where we tried some yummy home-made root beer. The ever-present Amish buggies around Lancaster Pennsylvania were hard to photograph on the road, so I was happy to find this one parked in a nice location.
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November 15, 2010 11:25 am Permalink
These civil war cannons on Seminary Ridge overlook the fields where Pickett's Charge took place during the Battle of Gettysburg. Off in the distance is Cemetery Hill which unfortunately is a fitting name. It was sobering to stand in this place and think about what happened here during the Civil War. If you haven't already seen it, check out the poem excerpt and photo of Irish Brigade Monument also from Gettysburg.
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November 11, 2010 1:09 pm Permalink
This is one of my favorite monuments at Gettysburg National Military Park. The granite monument topped with a traditional Celtic cross commemorates the Irish Brigade that fought in several key Civil War battles. At the base of the cross you can see an Irish wolfhound (symbol of loyalty) waiting for his master's return.
At the start of the Gettysburg campaign, the Irish Brigade (including the 116th Pennsylvania Infantry) numbered 530 men; 198 became casualties during the battle within these woods.
"Of those who in their manhood died to blot out Slavery's stain,
And rear aloft in all its pride, fair Freedom's flag again!
'Tis ours to raise this cross on high above the Irish dead,
Who showed mankind the way to die, when Truth and Freedom led."
-from Our Fallen Comrades, by William Collins, 1888.
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November 5, 2010 2:40 pm Permalink
I took this photo out the car window as we drove through Amish country near Intercourse, PA (no, I'm not making up that town name). Scenes like this are still very common in this part of the US, though I felt like I was in a different country. I find it interesting that their hay baler is horse-drawn, but the baler machine itself is automated. If you look closely you can spot their dog tagging along.
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November 3, 2010 8:41 am Permalink
The backside of the Taj Mahal is just as stunning as the front. This Taj Mahal reflection photo was taken from the other side of the Yamuna River which almost serves as a moat to the Taj.
I took this photo just before sunset. This is a first for me since I've never applied textures to a photo before. Let me know what you think. This photo was partially inspired by Trey Ratcliff's excellent work, especially with textures. He also has a shot similar to mine, though I didn't realize that until later.
You can buy this photo here, with many options including standard prints, canvas gallery wraps, gift cards, mugs, T-shirts and much more.
More of my Taj Mahal photos: Bare Feet and Colorful Saris, Face of the Taj Mahal, Flowing Color on Marble, and the traditional Taj Mahal photo taken from farther away.
July 1, 2010 7:52 am Permalink
Most visitors to the Taj Mahal go barefooted which adds to the experience since you're walking on smooth marble. This detail photo shows some women wearing their colorful saris walking in front of the main entrance to the tomb.
You can buy this photo here, with many options including standard prints, canvas gallery wraps, gift cards, mugs, T-shirts and much more.
More of my Taj Mahal photos: Taj Mahal Reflection, Face of the Taj Mahal, Flowing Color on Marble, and the traditional Taj Mahal photo taken from farther away.
June 30, 2010 8:51 am Permalink
The goal of this photo is to show you the intricate details of the Taj Mahal, but at the same time give you a sense of scale to realize the incredible size of the Taj Mahal. Bonus points for those who spot the 2 people perched on high.
As with my previous post, this image is from a single RAW photo processed as an HDR from 3 images outputted 1.5 stops apart.
You can buy this photo here, with many options including standard prints, canvas gallery wraps, gift cards, mugs, T-shirts and much more.
You may also be interested in my previous Flowing Color on Marble photo or my traditional Taj Mahal photo taken from farther away.
June 28, 2010 9:38 pm Permalink
A woman and her bright sari form a perfect foreground to the exquisite Taj Mahal in Agra, India. I stood here for quite a while waiting for this photo, while our guide got restless. I had an idea of what I wanted, but there were so many people that it was hard to get a clean shot.
This image is from a single RAW photo processed as an HDR from 3 images outputted 1.5 stops apart.
You can buy this photo here, with many options including standard prints, canvas gallery wraps, gift cards, mugs, T-shirts and much more.
You may also be interested in my traditional Taj Mahal photo taken from farther away.
June 28, 2010 8:04 am Permalink
Four characters converge in this early morning scene from New Delhi showing movement and motionlessness. I took this while waiting for the train to Agra to see the Taj Mahal (Nov 13, 2008).
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June 25, 2010 4:17 pm Permalink
The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics cauldron in downtown Vancouver. We braved the crowds yesterday to check it out and I was quite impressed. I love the combination of ice and fire with the stormy clouds behind. It's fun being here in Vancouver during the Olympic games since the whole town seems to be celebrating.
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February 28, 2010 11:34 pm Permalink
Two school kids walking home in the mountainous town of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. These kids live amidst ubiquitous tea fields and beautiful himalayan peaks in the distance. The mountain visible on the horizon is Kangchendzonga (or Khangchendzonga depending on who you ask), the third tallest mountain in the world (Mount Everest is farther west). This region of India is quite distinct since it lies so close to Nepal.
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February 25, 2010 10:13 am Permalink
This child's life is a world away from most of us. It's hard to imagine what her days are like in rural India helping her family work in the fields.
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February 24, 2010 9:40 am Permalink
Indian School Bus - a bunch of kids piled on a cycle rickshaw on their way to school - Bihar, India.
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February 23, 2010 11:18 am Permalink
An Indian man and his wife returning from a trip with suitcases and travel bags, riding a cycle rickshaw from the train station to their house. Though this was my first time to India, this scene looked very familiar and made me feel right at home since rickshaws are so common throughout Asia.
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February 22, 2010 9:30 am Permalink
Though usually slow and docile, I've seen water buffalo move quickly at times. This dynamic scene passed quickly as we drove by, so I never got a chance to see the outcome of these kids' playful river banter with one of these beasts of burden. But I'm certain this wasn't the first time they had been swimming with a water buffalo.
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February 20, 2010 8:01 am Permalink
A man sitting on the "porch" of his bamboo house in the heart of India, with golden light adding to the tranquil scene. I took this photo out the car window as we bounced by. I would have loved to stop, but we were on our way somewhere at the time.
You can buy this photo here, with many options including standard prints, canvas gallery wraps, gift cards, mugs, T-shirts and much more.
February 19, 2010 7:39 am Permalink
A boy enjoying his morning Chai in chilly Darjeeling. My visit to Darjeeling was definitely a highlight of my time in India November 2008. I realized that I haven't posted many photos from that trip here (only Taj Mahal and Kangchendzonga panorama), so I will post some more here in the coming weeks.
You can buy this photo here, with many options including standard prints, canvas gallery wraps, gift cards, mugs, T-shirts and much more.
February 18, 2010 11:23 am Permalink
Two Italians taking a quick break for espresso on the streets of Florence. I like how their poses match each other and add to the interest of the composition.
You can buy this photo here, with many options including standard prints, canvas gallery wraps, gift cards, mugs, T-shirts and much more.
December 8, 2009 1:41 pm Permalink
A man resting on the steps in the narrow streets of Corniglia in Cinque Terre, Italy. This scene is typical of what we saw in most of these small Italian towns.
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December 7, 2009 10:03 am Permalink
A rower on the River Arno, with dramatic clouds behind. I grabbed this shot the second morning in Florence as we crossed the River Arno on the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge.
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December 5, 2009 10:35 am Permalink
The beautiful Piazza Del Duomo with the baptistry, as seen at sunset from Giotto's Campanile (bell tower), beside the Duomo. I almost got locked into the bell tower while taking this photo; I didn't realize they were closing because I was so caught up in taking photos. View more photos from our Europe trip.
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October 5, 2009 11:43 am Permalink
Swiss gnome on the second-story balcony of a farmhouse in Marchissy, Switzerland.
October 3, 2009 10:29 am Permalink
Morning in Marchissy Switzerland. The cows that give us all that good Swiss cheese are taken out to pasture early in the morning. This photo is actually a single frame from video I shot with my Canon 5D Mark II. View the Morning in Marchissy Switzerland video here. The small town of Marchissy is north of Lake Geneva (Switzerland) near Nyon. You may also be interested in my previously-posted Farmhouse in Marchissy, Switzerland Photo.
September 21, 2009 8:00 am Permalink
A horse grazing by a farmhouse in the small town of Marchissy, north of Lake Geneva, Switzerland. Katie and I spent one night in Marchissy with my cousin and his family at the beginning of our recent trip. It was a beautiful place to try to get over jet-lag and experience a bit of rural Swiss life.
September 17, 2009 10:08 pm Permalink
A small army of red Vespas waiting outside a restaurant in Radda in Chianti, Tuscany -- the heart of Italian wine country. Katie and I tried to rent a Vespa scooter like this later while in northern Italy, but unfortunately it never worked out.
September 15, 2009 8:04 am Permalink
Back to Papua for this photo of three village kids.
May 18, 2009 8:04 am Permalink
I love the smiles on these two girl's faces.
May 11, 2009 9:18 pm Permalink
Bamboo is useful for many things, including clotheslines. Also notice the building behind which is also made of bamboo.
May 10, 2009 9:54 pm Permalink
Old sardine cans lining the wall in the kitchen previously photographed. Many times canned sardines are the only meat available, and only if they've been brought in from the city. During our week stay in this village they didn't even have sardines to serve us (we went without meat of any kind). Why keep these cans? Any kind of storage container can be useful out in the village where few such things exist. Plus, they make great lamps with a simple wick and some kerosene.
May 7, 2009 9:33 pm Permalink
This boy stayed close to his dad as we greeted him one afternoon in the village.
May 5, 2009 9:48 pm Permalink
Village buddies hanging out. Notice the three toys: stick, slingshot, and knife.
May 1, 2009 10:15 pm Permalink
This man volunteered a couple songs on his homemade (of course) bamboo flute as we were walking through the village. Naturally, we stopped to listen.
April 30, 2009 8:06 am Permalink
Looking across a small ravine to the next house in the neighborhood.
April 29, 2009 10:16 am Permalink
All the houses in this Papuan village are built on stilts, partly because there's not much flat ground, and also to keep out the critters.
Thanks to Katie for the title of this one.
April 27, 2009 7:00 pm Permalink
This kid's shorts didn't fit him too well, but he was fortunate to have clothes much newer than most of the other children in the village.
April 26, 2009 8:14 pm Permalink
The kitchen, with cooking fire. The platform of firewood above the fire lets the firewood dry before use, especially helpful during the rainy season. No kitchen table needed since you eat on the floor.
April 22, 2009 7:56 am Permalink
This is a closeup of the coffee beans in the drying stage as mentioned in the previous photo. These beans still have a thin sheath around them which will be removed later before the coffee is roasted. Unfortunately, I missed out on seeing the roasting process, so I don't have any photos of that.
April 21, 2009 7:56 am Permalink
Continuing my series on coffee, this is the next step where the coffee beans (which have already been extracted from the fruit) are dried. In this Papuan village, the beans are often dried inside this building so they don't have to worry about rain. The beans are raked periodically to help with the drying process and prevent them from molding in the humidity.
April 20, 2009 7:56 am Permalink
This is a closer view of the coffee fruit as they appear when they have just been picked. These berries are gathered in rice sacks and then wet processed as shown in the last photo.
April 19, 2009 7:56 am Permalink
These are raw coffee fruit going through the wet processing method which is the first step in extracting the coffee bean from the fruit. Bad or unripe fruit will float and the good ripe fruit will sink. The skin of the cherry (as it is sometimes called) and some of the pulp is removed by pressing the fruit through this hand-crank machine in water. The bean will still have a significant amount of the pulp clinging to it that needs to be removed in a later step.
April 18, 2009 7:56 am Permalink
This man's great smile reveals his red stained teeth common among people in Papua who chew betel nut: the areca palm (Areca catechu), which is chewed together with lime and betel pepper as a stimulant.
April 16, 2009 8:00 am Permalink
Two villagers peering out from the bark walls of their house, wondering what this weird guy with a camera is doing, and why he's so interested in them.
April 13, 2009 8:00 am Permalink
Friendly old man carrying firewood and other supplies on his way home from the garden
April 11, 2009 8:00 am Permalink
Back in the nearby city, workers try to clean up some of the huge piles of trash that have gathered near the beach. Like many parts of the developing world, litter is not managed well.
April 8, 2009 3:38 pm Permalink
These four kids played soccer every afternoon in the field next to where we stayed in the village (the only flat place around, since this is a really hilly area). Sometimes others would join them, but they seemed to be the most devoted to the sport. I asked if they'd be willing to stop for a minute for a photo and this is what I got.
April 7, 2009 3:38 pm Permalink
This culture is not matriarchal, but when I look at this dignified woman, that's what comes to mind.
April 6, 2009 3:38 pm Permalink
Village kids enjoying the cool afternoon.
April 5, 2009 3:38 pm Permalink
These women cooked excellent food for us over open fires like this the whole week we stayed in the village.
April 4, 2009 3:38 pm Permalink
Wild boar in its bamboo cage. These people don't usually raise livestock, but if they happen upon a young wild boar, they'll take care of it until feast time.
April 3, 2009 3:38 pm Permalink
Returning to the village after a productive day in the garden harvesting durian fruit.
April 2, 2009 7:45 pm Permalink
Dad just came home from work in the garden with his machete, saw, walking stick, and a squash for dinner. As soon as I started photographing him, his son ran up to join him.
March 31, 2009 7:37 am Permalink
Planting the small shoots of rice in a new rice field.
December 20, 2008 5:30 am Permalink
Rice is initially planted close together in fields like this, and then the shoots are re-planted farther apart. This woman is gathering the rice shoots and tying them in bundles.
December 20, 2008 5:12 am Permalink
More beautiful rice terraces from the Ifugao region in northern Luzon, Philippines.
December 19, 2008 4:12 am Permalink
I photographed this colorful woman at the amazing Banaue Rice Terraces in the northern Philippines.
December 17, 2008 4:12 am Permalink
Temple Mount (Mt. Moriah), where Abraham prepared Isaac as a sacrifice and God intervened, providing a lamb instead. Also where Solomon built the Temple, and where the Temple stood in Jesus' day. Currently it's the Muslim Dome of the Rock. One of the many things we saw on our Israel/Jordan tour this summer.
December 7, 2008 5:10 pm Permalink
A nun walking to morning prayer in a monastery in Turkey. This beautiful sunrise was a parting gift the last morning of our 4-day stay at this monastery.
August 28, 2008 10:40 pm Permalink
This friendly Jordanian in downtown Amman was eager to sell me one of his passports. Somehow I don't think they were very official... :)
August 24, 2008 7:40 pm Permalink
We passed by this man in a market in Turkey. He looks like someone who has experienced a lot in his lifetime.
August 19, 2008 11:00 pm Permalink
I caught a split-second glimpse of this scene out of our taxi window the last time we were in Manila. There seem to be a lot of untold stories represented here...
June 22, 2006 12:33 pm Permalink
