Hurricane John Threatens LA

Almost a million people evacuated the coastline of Southern California as gale winds preceded Hurricane John.

The hurricane soaked beaches on California's Pacific coast yesterday and early today as the storm stalled in the Pacific about 300 miles south of Los Angeles. Reports of minor damage and flooding have been reported up and down the Southern California coast where the minimal hurricane is scheduled resume a northward crawl.

The hurricane has survived as sea surface temperatures off the California coast remain abnormally high. State officals have blamed global warming as the cause of the once-in-a-lifetime event of a hurricane passing near California...

Photography/Writing and Swimming Pools

In the furnace of the California desert heat, I find myself thinking of nothing but swimming pools.

Being a man with a pleathora of published articles (and photos) under his belt, I've had my share of swimming pools to photograph and write about (remember good writing is great, but good writing with a good photo is better).

The first--10 Most Popular Pool Ideas-- has been published everywhere from AOL to the Weather Channel, an article which I sold to Homestore.com for $500. This article, oddly enough, has been in publication on the Internet for over five years--$500 dollars for five years, not a great rate, to be sure.

A second article--He Did It His Way-- is also about five years old. Happy Birthday to my Frank Sinatra remodel article, with information about a pool shaped like a grand piano.

The swimming pool here is a pearl that lies against the towering San Jacinto mountains outside Palm Springs. I photographed it for a builder/remodeler from Laguna Beach.

All of my articles and photographs (some in advertisements, and others as part of articles) have been running around in publications such as the Orange County Register, Dwell, Palm Springs Life, umpteen real estate rags, The Desert Sun and Jet Settin' magazine.

Maybe if I'd been paid for all the pool articles for each day they'd been online, I could have had one of them, and if I had a choice, I'd go with an infinity pool lying against the mountain behind the village of Palm Springs.

Another Photography Where in the World

There's no place like it, for simplistic reasons. Isles of dream shots where no photographer or artist should miss in his/her lifetime.

This photo was scanned from a print and tweaked just a little.

Where is this place?

Photographing Fairy Tales

Fairy Tales are a great drug-free way to pull yourself out of the doldrums.

They:
*add art to your life, especially if they are illustrated.
*give our culture meaning from characters such as evil stepsisters to creative princes (okay, maybe not these guys)
who kiss frogs to turn them into princesses so they can marry.
*give us fond rememberances of Arab culture associated with delightful fantasy.

At any rate, I found this photo in a fairy-tale of a city--Paris.

Question: What is your favorite fairy tale.
Challenge: Take a picture of something that looks like it could fit into a fairy tale.

Screenplay Writing as Art

I found this photo to be a nice match for the hints below about screenplay writing.

While screenplay writing isn't exactly digital art photography, it does take you along a road that's been well-traveled by many. So the Digital Traveler would like to take you there.

If you ever get involved in screenplay writing, here's some of what you can expect:

• The cycles--constant and never ending--of writing
• and production.
• After a script is written it moves onto production and you start another.
  
• Writers of a script work closely as a team.

What's Important for Writing a Good Script

1. Read scripts, lots of them. I found some here.
2. Write, write every day
3. Write one script, then another. "Your first," said one panelist,"is bound to be bad."
4. If you don't have an agent send your script (hopefully the second one cause it's bound to be better than the first) everywhere.
5. Write what you like and what you know. If you try to imitate someone else, your script will end up looking the same as many that are received (and tossed).

Marketing, Books, Readership, Gender and Photography

Photography is a funny sport (I call it a sport because I find myself running, climbing, jumping and bending this-way-and-that in spontaneity).

I have many assumptions about gender (I think many of us do) and I think about them more often (I'm a professor of sociolinguistics).

Please participate in the poll below, my evaluation of male vs female visitors to the Digital Traveler.

Many thanks!

Missing Film Photography

Ever since I went digital, I have been so impressed with the clarity and simplicty of using the medium.

But now I look back on my trip to Cambodia a few years ago, where I photographed with film, missing putting a roll of 100 ISO in my camera and shooting onto a surface that will be taken out and developed.

After I scanned this image today, I found that with film the texture, contrast and color are respectively smoother, deeper and brighter.

I don't miss the cost however of buying film and developing it and having to keep negatives of bad shots, a wasteful practice.

And for you travel bugs just itching to get a peace of one of the greatest monument of the world, (Angkor Wat) take the time to walk around and watch the city (Siam Reap) that hosts guests to the ruins. As you feel the humidity, wet from sweat, you'll suddently look down and notice muscians playing instruments that you've never seen before, giving off gentle sounds you've never heard before.

Spooky Travel to Cappadocia, Turkey

If you're inkling to photograph surreal landscape, gigantic boulders erupting from the ground--rocks that will have you seeing characters as you do in this photo, come to Cappadocia, Turkey.

A land with dozens of cavernous tunnels that stretch, dark and eerie, well underground, winding as if people--hundreds of them--once lived there.

Well, at one time they did and when you visit you'll awe in the dark, wondering what would happen to you if you lost your guide. You'd perhaps never get out in these massive holes hundreds of feet underground.

Dozens of little towns are scattered among the landscape. Houses embedded in caves in the tall rocks and from which windows capture a dark fantasy that might spook you in your dreams.
Extraordinary friendly people who'll ask you to their home for tea--homes cuddled in caves and covered in colorful Turkish carpets, soft and quiet.

A land adjacent to the turbulent Middle East, yet so quiet, you'll forget you're alive.

Photographing Time Digitally

Everyone's frettin' over snakes this weekend. Movies aren't the only place where snakes can be found, nor are airplanes.

Check out the snake rhyme with a wish for a fang fairy.


Mind you now, as this clock strikes 2:30.
That you know it never will.
You see, I've got time standing still.

That a bit of poetry is for everyone, not just those who
breathe iambic pentameter.

How about a stitch in time saves nine or the Cat in the Hat?
Please feel free to attend a comment spree
By clicking below to submit for free
a poem of a clock that says tick tock.

If clocks turn you off
Stop them in their tick tock
And write any rhyme with bite
That soars as high as a kite.

Remember--Writing rhymes will set you free
clearing the head, filling it with glee.

$ and Photography: Is the Glen Beck Empire Cheap?

I don't know how many people who visit this blog watch or listen to the Glen Beck show. He seems to be the new Bill O'Reilly, seemingly, with an edge, but only smoother, leaving his viewers/listeners (me, one of millions) with questions about where his point-of-view is going.

Enough of an introduction to these steam rollin' males. My quip (whine, whine) is that (and...I'm making an assumption here) they fish for valuables to take from their audience.

Case and point : My buddy Glen accepted a call-in guest, Geraldine, who spoke of a photograph she took related to the discussion of links between terrorists' groups (any terrorists' groups) all over the world.

She had traveled to Belfast, a town she knows well, and saw that IRA murals in support of the Palestinians. Buddy Glen used this association of between the IRA and the Palestinians to support his assumption that eventually all terrorist groups around the world will (possibly) merge into one giant one and that the U.S.A. is in trouble (rumble, rumble).

He asked Geraldine (on air) to contact his staff and even the Glen Beck to send the photograph. With rapid-fire intonation and pitch her voice squeaked with excitment at the possiblity of her photograph appearing on Glen Beck's Web site.

Geraldine, I'm assuming, won't get paid for a valuable photograph that she traveled half-way around the world for, not intentionally though. Nor did, I believe, did she have the intention of supporting the rank-and-file corporate scare tactics of the Bush administration.

How do you feel about Geraldine and Glen Beck's interaction?

Paris Graffiti Art

Question: Which city has better graffiti--Paris or New York City?

Never been to either place or only been to one or the other?

Here's a stunning art face if you've never gotten to one or the other or both--Keith Herring.

Keith Herring was an 80s graffiti artist, one of the most well-known, not only in the world of graffiti, but also in the world of modern and contemporary art.

Visit any modern art museum's bookstore and you'll find books with his work.

A Backwards United States

In the USA where the colors red, white and blue are revered, you'll still get busted if you spray paint them on a wall, except here.

A Forward-Looking France

Art in France is like fine (French) wine--any art. Walk around many neighborhoods in Paris and you'll see tasteful graffiti, you'll find the primary colors of Herring's graffiti in dozens of stores, and you'll find celebrations of graffiti in galleries and museums all over the city.

After searching on the Internet for some type of graffiti class to help artists reform and tweak this art form, I found nothing.

If you're handy with a spray-paint can and want to go to graffiti school, best to go to France to refine your style.

Bestest Blog of the Day...and Awards in General

I got an an award today (see the sidebar to your left). I feel it's a good thing, cause it just doesn't happen that often. The last award I got was third place in a writing competition from a local chapter of the PEN Women.

That was a few years ago. I'm still happy about it, happy that a group of women gave a man an award.

Recollections continue in my mind at this very moment about awards I've received, just after one big one had popped into my head a few minutes ago--My First Award.

Here it is--



No first award should be shown on a blog without some historical context.
This award was given to me at the Coral Gables Youth Center in 1965.
In the talent show, a young me, performed the Watusi with my partner, a recent immigrant from Cuba.

I'm still happy about that award too.

Thanks, Bestest Blog, for my award as it made my brain spark alive with memories of my first award.

Like, I'm not a self-help writer, but...remembering the awards I got in the past, certainly helps me to get your mind off things that are happening today. Sure is a nice break.

Found Photographs--Views from the World Trade Center

Now that it's five years after 9/11 (well almost), we've seemed to have forgotten what the skyline of New York City looked like when on top of the towers.

After I watched the movie World Trade Center, I asked the buddy who I went to see it with if he'd ever seen the towers. He responded that, indeed, yes he had, and that his trip to New York City was a month before 9/11.

Being a photographer who loves found photos, I asked my bud if I could borrow the photos to scan. Just in case if you wondered found photos are photos that are obtained within the course of a daily activity such as walking on a street and finding one on the ground, or, as I did, asking about a photo and having someone lend (or give) it to you.

He gave me his album and not only did he have pictures of the towers, but also pictures of the views from the towers, views that can no longer be shot from the unique perspective from the top of the towers where, at one time, any of these photos could be had just by going up those pearls of architecture and shooting.

The photos are digital photos now cause they're in my computer ready to be tweaked digitally with Photoshop.

Calling All Bad Fake Photo Photographers

Yes, this post is for those photographers who submit poorly executed fake photos to wire services like the Associated Press.

You guys need help! I can offer you a solution to your Photoshop-challenged work--Digital Art Photography for Dummies.

Yes, the book is also for you Photoshop-challenged editors in the wire services who let fake photos get published (you'll be able to stop the fakes in their tracks by acquiring a more diligant eye by learning how it's done).

For the photos that were faked, spinning Lebonon further out of control than it already is can be found here.

Asian Travel Heaven

If you go to one place in the world where you forget where you are, try Inle Lake Myanmar. Sure their goverment is horrible, yes, way more horrible than ours, but...the place's beauty is pure heaven on earth.

There's a 5 star hotel there--The Inle Lake Resort--a travel spot where a room can be gotten online by yourself, but is best booked as a tour with a tour guide while you're in Bangkok on your way there.

Yes, it take a long while for you to travel there, a plane ride, a car ride, and a boat ride, but on the way you'll see things you've never photographed before--thin motor boats and rafts filled with with Burmese people, some of the nicest people in the world. Don't forget to yell "mingalaba" to them for a smile as wide as a rainbow. And don't just say "mingalaba," sing it--"ming-gaaaa-laaa-ba."

Below find two flower arrangements at the Inle resort, like none I've seen before...soooo tasteful you could eat it.

Digital Photo Restoration and Art

Just wrote up my curriculum for my digital photo restoration class at Betterphoto.com

Whew! I burned the midnight oil on that one, photoshop-ing away at old photos to post as examples of what you can do in Photoshop. Here's one of the digitized photos that's a sample for the course. In addition to restoring this now-digital photo taken at the turn-of-the-last-century by some distant ancestor, I tweaked into a work of digital art.

Planes Just Ain't What they Used to Be

Question about Terrorism Protection: What government do you think does a better job of protecting its citizens against terrorism, Britain or the United States.

Travel Destination--The Flower Art of Giverny Gardens, France

There once was a time when my Digital Rebel was of the film persuasion. I'd spend dozens of dollars buying and developing film.

Fortunately, I kept my negs and have since scanned them, mostly travel photographs that were made digital by scanning the photos into my computer.

This (art) photograph here is of pink tulips, a color and mood that's certainly apt for today, when it's 106 outside and as August sinks into the doldrums--waning sun, but no relief from the heat.

Tip: Seems like when you have lots of midtones in a picture, the Auto Levels (Image>Adjustments>Auto Levels) command just works dandy for a one-stop tweaking.

Nothin' Beats Photography's Best Film--Kodachrome

What can be more relaxing than a Kodachrome print. I mean, like, it's history.
It's photography as it once was and no digital camera can match it.

If you're a photographer or artist, take time to think about the influence of this medium on your art.

Black and White

Piano Boy Art Photography

Today's Creative Challenge

Objective write down a dozen experiences I've had with a piano, motivated by the art photo of a man's hands dancing around the keys.

1. The piano above was shot at a high brow modern event where I had been a photographer.
2. When I was a horrific teen, I took paino lessons, and got high before each one.
3. As a result of my past intoxication, the only song I ever learned was "Old Abe Lincoln."
4. My piano teacher's name was Mrs. Redmond; she was a spinster.
5. My mother invited her to dinner after every piano lesson.
6. The name of my piano song book was "Look and Listen." I was good at neither.
7. Our piano tuner's name was Fred Roscoe; I'd watch him open it up and play
with the strings inside.
8. We had recitals every year--very stuffy events, really,--and I always played last.
9. Jill Baskin* a school mate with me at Coral Gables High played like a concert pianist.
10. We received report cards at the recital; the grades given, were opposite from school grades--C's were good and A's
were bad.
11. My dog, Clover, lifted her head up and howled loudly when my fingers touched the keys.
12. I'd had (mother's demand) to practice 30 minutes a day when I'd been good; 45 when bad.

*I Googled her and found a blog with her name, birthdate on it and it's really her.

Another Travel "Where is This?"

Alright already. You're supposed to involve your visitors in your blog. After all it's a community, albiet a very large one.

So here goes...where is this?

Hints (you'll need them).

1. Look through my past postings and you'll find out where I've been, and it's one of those places.
2. The city's name, a sing-songy sounding one makes you want to cha-cha.
3. The government in the country of where this city is located has gone the way of Venezuela's Cesar Chavez and many people there seem to be happy with the change.

Guess, that's enough.

Digital Photo Restoration and Ancestry

A digital photographer's life is full of surprises. In addition to teaching
Digital Art Photography at Betterphoto.com, now I'm planning
a course in digital photo restoration.

I'm pulling up unrestored photographs now and the first thing
that hits mein these photos of my lineage is do these people
(great-great uncles great, great grandfathers I'm guessing)
look like me.

Let's travel back in time. Tell me, so is there a resemblance?
Then go and pull your out of the
attic and ask yourself the same thing.













And if they look scratched up like
this one, take my photo-restoration
class coming to Betterphoto soon
and we'll get together and make all
of our old photos look fabulous.
And, if you don't have time for a course,
buy my book (click over there to
the right sidebar)--there's step-by-step
information that will have restoring photos in a snap.

Digital War of the Logos

Why doesn't Merrill Lynch get real and use a
photograph of a real bull in their logo.
Perhaps they can hand me over $100,000 for
the use of this one. You think it's too angry?
Well it was, it was headed toward me.
Bolivian bulls don't fool around.

Since I think art should tell a story,
what would happen of all the logos had a war a world war of logos.
Which one would win? Here's some to think about.