Photo of the Day (11.22.10)

by Mike Barish on

As you may or may not know, I write Gadling’s SkyMall Monday column. That leads me to seeing a lot of ridiculous SkyMall products. I also end up talking about SkyMall quite a bit, with people often suggesting products for me to review. One of the more frequently mentioned contraptions is the Forest Face. Personally, I was never that impressed by anyone shoving some some Mr. Potato Head features into a tree. I’d rather see a real tree with a real face.

Thankfully, now we have this photo by Flickr user fourfourmedia. I have no idea what’s going on here. I don’t care. That tree has a face. Enough said.

Have a picture of any other flora with faces? Or maybe just some great travel photos? Submit your images to Gadling’s Flickr group and we might use one for a future Photo of the Day.

Photo of the day (11.19.10)

by Alex Robertson Textor on

The most compelling travel images are so often those that provide a glimpse into a half-hidden world previously unknown to the viewer. This image of a Cinque Terre cafe, taken by Flickr user snowjumpr, certainly feels like just this sort of world-revealing stolen glance, in large part due to the framing of the photograph by an external window. The proprietor is looking directly into the camera, aware that he is being watched, and the dance of light across the cafe beckons gently.

But what is most appealing about this cafe is what we don’t know about it. (Would the man at the counter offer a smile or a frown to guests? It’s difficult to tell from his impassive gaze. And what sorts of edible things are sold here? The blackboard is impossible to make out.)

Got an image of a half-hidden world among your archived travel images? Upload it to Gadling’s image pool on Flickr and we just might feature it as a future Photo of the Day.

Photo of the day (11.18.10)

by Meg Nesterov on


Some of us can easily sleep on planes, despite little leg room, screaming babies, and recirculated air, while others have to resort to sleeping pills, tiny airplane bottles of booze, and noise-canceling headphones to get any rest. But most of us can sleep on trains easily; something about the gentle rocking of the train, scenery whizzing by, and long bench seats makes for a comfy sleep experience. Flickr user snowjumpr (who has more interesting and enviable Italy pix on his photostream) caught this snoozer on a morning commuter train in Italy. Are you ready for a nap yet?

Take any good napping pictures on your travels? Share it with us on our Flickr group and it could be our next Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day (11.16.10)

by Stephen Greenwood on

This Sunday marked the beginning of the Hajj, the world’s largest annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. As the fifth pillar of Islam, the pilgrimage is a religious duty that must be carried out by every able-bodied Muslim that can do so. Saudi officials have reported that a record-breaking 3.4 million people are expected to come from all corners of the globe to perform the Hajj this year.

This astounding photo, titled “Headed to Mecca” was taken by Flickr user Theodore Kaye as a mother prepares to leave Osh, southern Kyrgyzstan for Mecca. I love that Theodore was able to be present for and capture the intimacy of this moment and took advantage of the lighting to make the image even more beautiful. The result of being in the right place at the right time, and knowing how to capture a great photograph.

If you want to see more of the Hajj, Boston.com put up an amazing series of images of this year’s processions. Also worth checking out is VBS.tv’s short documentary of an inside look at the pilgrimage. What’s your personal Mecca? Share it with us by adding photos to our Flickr group and it could be our next Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day (11.15.10)

by Mike Barish on


People love to brag about their ambitious itineraries when traveling. They’re going to see umpteen temples, take so many overnight trains and eat at every street vendor. That’s all well and good, but I enjoy not feeling rushed when I’m traveling. I also enjoy benches. Benches are your environment’s way of saying, “Hey, now would be a good time to chill out for a bit.”

This photo by Flickr user snowjumpr taken in Varenna, Italy shows what, to me, looks like a pretty sweet way to spend a day. A newspaper, a calm body of water and a bench. Heck, I even like the socks.

Have a picture of a comfortable bench? Or maybe just some great travel photos? Submit your images to Gadling’s Flickr group and we might use one for a future Photo of the Day.