Transitions - Semper Iuvenis

The entrance Semper Iuvenis Studios

As I begin the transition from suburbanite to country living it strikes me just how aligned my inner clock is to the serenity found in nature.

After raising a family in the accepted norms of a subdivision and the accompanying schools, shops and social stimuli, I look forward to the privacy and isolation found in carving out a little niche all my own in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

No neighborhood covenants about running a small business out of my home, or rules about parking a trailer on my property nor the complete lack of privacy found in the neighbors being able to see right into my house whenever the blinds are opened. 

It will take several months to get the photo studio set up and ready for the selective business that it will see, but in the end it will provide the space to shoot almost anything that a client has in mind.  The first test will happen in a couple of weeks as we work on a complex shoot for an album cover for a regional artist. 

More to come as we progress..

Cheers..

Scandinavian Tour

Tallin, Estonia

When I last tootled around Europe in 2007, it was mostly in and around the Mediterranean Sea.  It reminded me of a much older and developed version of the Caribbean.  This summer I really wanted to see a different side of Europe so I decided on the countries that are accessible via the Baltic Sea.

Not knowing much about the Baltic Sea I really thought it would be like the Gulf Of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, or even the Mediterranean. Boy was I wrong.  The Baltic Sea is eerily calm - dead flat with a brown hue to it.  It almost seems dead except for the prolific jellyfish.

Around the end of June the night sky never gets dark. The midnight sunset made for beautiful images.  It was so light that stars were not visible.  Explains why the Vikings liked to stay close to shore during the summer months.

Midnight Sun

Copenhagen Denmark was my first stop.  The single most shocking thing about Copenhagen was the price of goods.  All goods.  Just about everything was at least double what one would expect to pay anywhere in the United States or where the Euro is the currency.  After getting over the sticker shock (~$3/liter for Gasoline; $5 for a cup of coffee; $12 for a burger combo at Burger King) I settled in to have a look around Copenhagen.  Lovely gardens, museums, palaces, parks, and sculptures are found throughout the city.  Massive shopping areas are found along Stroget street for those tourists wanting to spend more than they need to for goods.  The public transport system of buses and subways is top notch - but not in English.  You'll need to study the map to get the spelling right for your stops.  Christiana was a special place with a mood and a vibe that was relaxed and mellow.

Warnemunde Germany is a quaint little fishing village that has become a summer destination for beach lovers.  They have a massive white sand beach which is just blocks from the train station.  People come from as far away as Berlin via a 2.5 hour train ride to spend the day on the beach. 

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm Sweden was a truly special place.  The miles and miles of Archipelago islands with their summer homes and estates made for a grand entrance into Stockholm.  Rich in history and architecture, Stockholm remained neutral during the European wars of first half of the 1900's and as a resultant their historic buildings were not decimated by bombing.  Stockholm is made up of several islands so the water and their harbor are integral to life in the city.  Very efficient public transportation along with an economy based on the Euro made this an affordable stop for the independent tourist type.  Maybe my favorite spot on this trip (in the summer).

Helsinki Finland was similar to Stockholm but with a more developed or urban feel to it.  The parks were wonderful and the people of Helsinki turn out in great numbers to enjoy a warm summer day.  The open air market was a uniquely special place.  Fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood as well as arts, crafts and prepared foods were on offer throughout.  The market is a place I would be at least once a week.

Hermitage Museum - St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg Russia was an interesting city.  It is rich in history, recognizing its victories and finding humility in its defeats. I think many Russian people are hopeful that a Democratic future will bring prosperity while many also are happy to exploit the freedoms and vulnerabilities found in such a young transformation to capitalism.  Crime and corruption remain the top concerns of the average "Sasha" on the street.  You do require a Russian Visa to enter.  This is something you should get well in advance of your planned visit.  It is uncommon to meet people on the street who speak any English. Many signs around tourist attractions are also in English, but this rapidly diminishes as you get out of the heart of the city.  Organized tours are a good idea - but if your adventurous.......

Tallin Estonia was a really cool place.  Beautiful, laid back and purposeful would describe it for me.  They have preserved much of the old Architecture in what was the center of town many decades ago.  What surrounds that is a modern city with a thriving economy supporting a burgeoning lifestyle and young population.

Aarhus, Denmark

Aarhus Denmark is a quaint town that was once primarily a fishing village.  Now it is a thriving shipping port and distribution point for Denmark.  They have worked hard to maintain the old-world charm despite the economic struggles the region has faced.

Oslo Norway is a much bigger city than my American paradigm had allowed for.  It's roots as a fishing and trade port city are evident but its place as a financial services and retail center is not so apparent.  Their are many affluent people enjoying a wonderful lifestyle in the harbors around Oslo.  Tourism plays a vital role for Oslo.  Again, public transportation was easy, reliable and affordable.  As in Denmark and Sweden, many people in Oslo speak English as well.


After this it was back to Copenhagen for a day of rest and preparation for heading back to North Carolina.

Link to my Europe portfolio..

Cheers,

Monty

Bonaire Diving

Well it has certainly been a while since last taking a scuba oriented vacation.  In 2008 we went to Bonaire, but unfortunately I had a cracked underwater housing and thus no photographs were possible.  That condition of course was rectified prior to this trip.

Once again Bonaire proved to be a relaxing place to be.  The weather was warm and dry with occasional clouds providing relief from the sun.  At first glance not much had changed on the island in the three years since our last visit.  But as we drove around during the week it did appear that there had been more development - more home building - especially in the northern part of town along the leeward side of the island.  The roads were in a little better shape as well.  Most noticeably is the fact that the official currency became the US dollar.  That is convenient!  Most things are still expensive - especially eating at a restaurant.

We stayed at the Den Laman condominiums and used Bonaire Dive and Adventure (BDA) as our dive operator.  The condo's are wonderful (the "Grouper" room was our home) and the staff at BDA were most helpful.  They gave very good directions to finding the frog fish and seahorses they were aware of - good enough for us to find them!!  Do be aware that if you are diving Nitrox and plan anything late afternoon or especially night dives, you'll need to set your tanks aside early in the afternoon.  Not a problem - but you will need to plan ahead just in case.

The biggest change we found on the island was actually below the surface.  The reefs in 2008 were nothing short of vibrant with lush soft corals and teaming with life.  On this trip at first glance things still looked good, but in taking a closer look the soft corals appeared to be mostly damaged.  The tube sponges were either broken or appeared to be mostly damaged.  The hard coral was still healthy but there appeared to be more sand spread around.  We only spotted one octopus, very limited lobsters, no green moray eels and limited numbers of other eel species.  We never saw a ray of any kind.  On our previous trip these under water species were all seen.  Although out of the hurricane belt, it appears that the island has seen some very strong storms in recent months that have taken a toll on the reef and its inhabitants. 

Another underwater observation was the infiltration of lionfish.  In 2008 we didn't see any, although I'm sure they were there.  This trip we saw several on every dive at every site.  Bonaire is losing the battle against the lionfish and will need to get very aggressive if they intend to get ahead of this growing problem.

Here's a link to the photos from the trip - both above and below the surface.

Cheers,

Monty

Tosco Music Party - Sept 11 2010

Georgia Middleman @ the Sept 2010 TMP

A few times a year I have the privilege of listening to and photographing a spectacular musical event here in Charlotte held at the CPCC Halton Theatre.  That event is the Tosco Music Party.  The event has a long tradition of excellence and community support exceeding 20 years.  In short it's a night of music featuring some very talented singer-songwriters and musicians who volunteer their time and talents for the charity. 

With a list of 20 performers taking the stage during each show, the genre mix is always representative of the tastes in the room.  Everything from rock to bluegrass is on tap.  The greatest thing is the level of talent - it's second to none.  The performers all have released albums - either self produced or signed with a label.  Most are Indie labels which tends to make them real and in touch with the people in the audience.

A nicer group of people you'll never meet..

Here's a link to the images I shot at the show last week - the anniversary of Sept 11th..

Cheers..

Monty

Hawaii

Sometimes timing aligns with simple luck! The weather in the Carolinas has been miserably hot and sticky this month with last weekend expecting 100 degree days. It just so happened that I was scheduled to photograph a wedding in Hawaii on the 24th which allowed me to miss 4 days of scorching heat and instead enjoy beautiful vistas and a cool trade breeze! Timing and luck shone through!

This was my 3rd visit to the Kanapala Resort on the southeastern shore of Oahu. It's a beautiful resort complete with a Dolphin lagoon - if you just have to touch a dolphin! The lagoon features lovely tropical fish, stingrays and sea turtles. As a very popular destination for Japanese vacationers, the resort is secluded on its private beach and prides itself on the service and fine dining available.

In addition to the wedding photography, I was able to get out and visit Pearl Harbor for the first time. With the museum under renovations, I'd have to say I was a little disappointed in the overall presentation of the National Park. The Arizona Memorial was quite nice and the tourists very respectful.

Here's a link to a few shots I got during my short stay.

Cheers,

Monty

Savannah, GA

Savannah has been on my list of places to visit for a number of years now. For most of my life I have heard stories and read history books concerning the role Savannah has played in the history of the United States. Tales of architecture rivaling New Orleans and Charleston have always lingered in the back of my mind.

Finally, my journey through life has led me to Savannah. Day one was a simple walk through what is a fairly spread out town. The Historic District is large, encompassing many city blocks. Sprinkled throughout the district are many "squares" which are really small parks with plenty of shade trees. Several of them have a fountain as well.

Savannah in July is exceedingly hot and humid. A simple short walk will result in you being wet from sweat. So be prepared for that. There are many reputable tour companies operating in Savannah offering transportation ranging from bus service to horse carriage along with knowledgeable nuggets of historic information concerning many of the period houses, churches, and public buildings .

There are many museums occupying the more well known houses. If you have the time and are willing to hand over the cash to walk through the house you'll witness beautiful interior architecture and furnishings. Talk about antiques!!

Here's a link to images I captured during my short visit to Savannah.

Cheers,

Monty

Hunting Island, SC

After a short few days in Washington, DC and an even shorter July 4th weekend at home we headed back out to the Carolina coast. This time we headed to Hunting Island State Park in South Carolina. I'd read that this was a special place. It's use as the backdrop for the Vietnam war scenes in the movie "Forrest Gump" made me wonder just how "tropical" a South Carolina beach Island could be. It met the hype - and more!

This is a very nice island that is undeveloped (State Park), a protected turtle nesting area, very family friendly, and has a very beautiful beach front. The grassland salt marches that are along the inter-coastal provide a great habitat for a variety of birds as well as an estuary for many species of sea-life.

This would be a great spot to spend time in the spring watching the migration of sea birds. There were a few present in July, but the flocks found in the spring would make that a worthwhile trip.

Good fishing, wonderful sea-shell hunting, morning walks on the beach - it simply doesn't get any better.

Here's a link to some images of coastal Carolina.

Cheers,

Monty

Washington DC

After a couple of weeks on the beaches of North Carolina Outer Banks, we headed north to visit our nations capital. Camping at the Capital KOA proved to be a good decision as they provided a shuttle service to the Capital Building. Being our first visit to Washington we were truly "tourists".

While the signature buildings and sights were beautiful and full of history, it was the museums that I found most interesting. Looking at paintings that were created several hundred years ago, many of which documented events of the period, caused one to pause and reflect.

I did learn that you really need to plan a solid week if you want to visit all that is available. It would also be a good thing to check the weather and be sure the temps would be conducive to walking around. 98 degrees with humidity at 90% is not such a condition.

The Mall, which forms the centerpiece of the 'tourist circuit" is about 1 1/2 miles in length and insures that you don't get lost looking for the attraction that interests you. While the big items which are famous are very interesting and shouldn't be missed, don't pass the smaller memorials and sites that are all along the mall.

I'd be remiss if I didn't thank Congresswoman Sue Myrick and her staff for the wonderful tour of the Capital building. The young man that took us on the tour was really nice and did a great job providing the history of the various parts of the building.

I did learn one thing - Capital Hill is really a hill and the high ground provides a little safety from flooding if the Potomac were to crest.

Here's a link to a few of the sites I photographed during the visit.

Cheers,

Monty