Photo of the Day (10.31.10)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Happy Halloween! Er, should I make that Happy Day of the Dead? Believe it or not, America isn’t the only country that likes to celebrate spooky holidays. In Mexico and some parts of Latin America, November 2nd is the chosen day to remember and celebrate the lives of deceased ancestors. Though one might think a holiday about death would be a somber affair, it’s usually not. Much like Halloween, family and friends get together to laugh, eat some good food and pay tribute to those who have passed. The jolly skeletons captured here by Flickr user borderfilms (Doug) in Chiapas, Mexico are a common Day of the Dead decorating theme.

Taken any great photos during your travels? Why not add them to the Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Travel photographs: which reality would you rather see?

by Tom Johansmeyer on

I got a good chuckle out of a story on Business Insider yesterday, “Here’s Why You Should Never Trust the Photos Hotels Post Online.” The accompanying slide show offers shots of a dozen hotels side by side, so you can see what’s marketing hype and what is severe reality. In a way, it’s shocking, but cynics out there are likely to concede that they aren’t surprised by the stark contrast in the photos.

So, this creates a real problem for travel bloggers. We go out with the goal of producing solid content, and that includes making it visually appealing. On the other hand, not all of us (me, specifically) are terribly handy with a camera. The result is a tough choice: do I go with the beautiful and give a property the chance to put its best foot forward, or do I expose them to the horrible risk associated with my caffeine- and nicotine-induced shakes? I guess a third option is to mix in both and identify clearly who’s responsible for what, but that could look awkward, too.

I’m genuinely curious: what do you think? Do you value the aesthetically pleasing, knowing that it’s designed to be exactly that? Or, do you prefer the harsh truth, even if that truth is colored by a gap in photographic skills? Leave a comment below to let us know. Thanks!

[photo by e53 via Flickr]

Hone your photographic skills in the Himalaya in 2011

by Kraig Becker on

When it comes to photographing spectacular landscapes it’s difficult to top the Himalaya, which offer endless mountain vistas, towering snow capped peaks, and beautiful remote valleys. The entire range is a photographer’s dream and I know first hand that it is difficult to take a bad photo there. That said, it never hurts to get some advice on how to take the best photos possible, and if you’re going to take a photography workshop, it might as well be in the Himalaya too.

Himalayan Workshops offers a combination trek and photography workshop that visits a unique and interesting destination in the Himalaya each year. They past two years, the workshops have been held in the Everest region, visiting the South Side of that mountain in 2009 and the North Side in 2010. For 2011, they’ve announced a trek to Mt. Kailash, a 21,778-foot tall peak located in Western Tibet. This year’s expedition will once again balance adventure in the mountains with the opportunity to learn more about photography along the way.

The workshop aspects of the trek will be conducted by Chris Marquardt and Jon Miller, who share their considerable knowledge and talent with the other members of the tour. Marquardt is the founder of Tips From The Top Floor , one of the best photography websites and podcasts on the Internet, while Miller produces The Rest of Everest, a video podcast that covers all aspects of climbing and trekking in the Himalaya. Over the course of the 17-day trek, they’ll demonstrate how to get the most out of your camera and video equipment, while capturing spectacular images of the Tibetan landscapes.

Billed as the “highest photography workshop in the world,” the Mt. Kailash trek will begin in Kathmandu on April 17th of 2011. For more information on the trek and workshops, click here, and if you’re interested in joining the trip, registration info can be found by clicking here.

Photo of the Day (10.17.10)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Whoa, what is that thing? Some kind of mutant flower? An architecture project gone wrong? It’s actually New York City’s Coney Island Parachute Jump, taken courtesy of Flickr user ☆ Ambré ☆. There’s a couple neat photographic tricks going on here, most of which are created using a special photographic style called Lomography, a technique that allows photographers to create some wonderfully quirky, candid photos. The darkened edges, double/upside down image and distinctly “analog” look you’re seeing here are the result of this style. Want to try some lomography yourself? Learn more about it at sites like www.lomography.com or grab mobile phone apps like Hipstamatic or Instagram which replicate the “lomo style” without making you purchase a whole new camera.

Have any great travel photos you’d like to share with the world? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Photo of the day (10.7.10)

by Meg Nesterov on

I’m one of those weird adults who doesn’t know how to ride a bike. No great excuse, just never bothered to learn as a kid, preferring indoor pursuits and walking on nice solid ground, and it’s become harder to learn as an adult. My husband has attempted several times over the years and now I’m sort of like Toonces the driving cat – I can ride, just not very well. Maybe this fellow in Tokyo is also a non-bike rider and thus looks a bit shamed by the row of bicycles. No matter the reason for his sour face, this photo by Flickr user jrodmanjr is a nice composition in black and white of a city that takes its eco-friendly commuting seriously.

Have a great travel photo you’d like featured here? Add it to our Gadling group on Flickr and we might choose one as our Photo of the Day.