Amsterdam Nacht

Amsterdam Central Station

I decided to add mood to this photo. It still looks like Nazi Germany is in town. This train station has seen some terrible history. I travelled on the trains in Europe many years ago (not this trip) and always felt an eerie feeling when at the train stations. Images of WW II are permanently embedded on my brain from reading books and seeing photos of that time. I don't want to ever know what living in the middle of a war zone is like.

Amsterdam Photos

Great city. Lots and lots of bicycles. In fact your more likely to get hit by a bike than a car, bus, or tram! If I remember correctly there are some 500,000 bikes for every 650,000 people. The streets are narrow, no parking either so a bike makes sense. They race up and down the streets, back and forth, endlessly. When you hear the little bell, move fast because they don't expect to slow down for you. It wasn't pleasant most the time dealing with the locals. They all speak english but as a tourist they don't seem to like you very much. You can tell their patience has been tested and over tested long ago with the tourist scene in the area. I tried not to act like the typical tourist, but it's hard when your lost.

Amsterdam

I took a different approach to travel this year. Instead of an isolated place as far away from the city as I can get playing in the ocean or trekking a jungle, I'm going to Amsterdam. And, it will not involve tropical weather with 85 degree ocean water. It will be cold, windy and rainy - but I've wanted to go for years to celebrate the festivals that take place there during November. And what better weather could there be for coffee shop(s), bar(s), some Heineken(s) and the cannabis cup - plus add thousands of fun loving people that just want to enjoy life with some smoke, music, art, film festival, coffee shops, and live music every night. Sounds like a good pre-cursor to the more serious trips I want to follow up with. I will get to Africa, Palau to swim in jelly fish lake, Thailand, Philippines - ah hell you name it I want to be there at least once. But for now, this is a trip I want to do solo without feeling lonely. I managed to acquire a good deal of airline miles and even had some extra points for my room. All together I am just paying for my judges pass and partly for the hotel, which is located right in the center of the Leidseplein. I expect to hopefully get some interesting photos of my journey. Obviously it won't be a seascape or any underwater stuff - but variety, novelty - all still around the corner. I'm going to pick up a 50mm fixed lense (fast for low light/indoors) and probably a fisheye lens as well because coffee shop shots (if I'm allowed) would be great with a fisheye - since reality is going to be a bit altered to begin with. I am a true Californian, I have no cold weather clothing, looks like I got some shopping to do.

Love and Hate

*click the image for full size*

Cabin fever, but I'm not in a cabin. Or in the woods. Let's see, "city fever?"

The "I gotta get the fuck out of dodge" feeling. Instead of a gambling problem I have a wicked travel addiction. Can't stop thinking about it. How does someone stay still. Not curious, other than a television? Really? The neighborhood?

Tanzania, Zanzibar continue to haunt me. If I booked the plane ticket to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania say November 20th right now - cost is so doable. But those Safari companies need an arm and a leg and well, is it possible to rough it in Africa?...without being eat'n by something?

"Do Not Mistake Temptation For Opportunity"

That was from a fortune cookie 8 years ago. I know it exactly because I had just left the music biz to work in post-production sound and kept it. As I was pacing around the house I've been sharing for those 8 years, mulling over the many memories that are being left behind, there it was again-sitting on the floor in the corner of my old studio, waiting for me to pick up and ponder again. It had fallen behind one of my book cases. When I first read it those years ago my life was in complete change and I was starting over. As I find it again today, it is ironic that I am again in a place of complete change and starting over.

My Valentine

Redondo Beach. Huge waves.

Click on photos to view full size.

Sunset Point Beach

Weather in Los Angeles after a storm is wonderful. Clean crisp air all around.

I managed to pick up my camera and take some pictures. Haven't been feeling creative as of late and since I'm lazy, I chose to go to the water and take photos instead of finishing some damn music. I don't mean to say photography is easy, it just takes me alot less time than being isolated in a room trying to figure out what I want to say. With a camera, it's right in front of me. Just got to frame it and pull the trigger.

Below are long exposure shots, straight out of the camera. No processing or photoshop at all. I love my D300!

I am really finding a style I like by using long exposures to create a kind of Monet or watercolor effect. As the waves roll in and out and the light reflections during sunset change the color tones, you get a different photo each time. Within a minute or less you can take the same photo and the lighting is already different.

These 3 photos below are all favorites, but I can't say which one tops another. I like them all because even though it's the same frame, the end results are completely different. This first shot I prefer the colors and the reflecting light on the sand. Also the wave motion looks more dramatic.

Overall I seem to prefer the overall balance of this shot below. The ghosting of the water, the shadowing, and the color tones of the sea are appealing.

Less color here below, but the ghosting effect of the waves stands out more. The grey-ishness and frothy white in the foreground-well, just the mood of this photo hits home for me. This one is best viewed full size-click on the photo(s) to enlarge them.