Rattlesnake Canyon Textures and Light

A little more difficult to reach than Antelope Canyon, Rattlesnake Canyon involves climbing rocks and ladders, and squeezing between narrow gaps in the rock. Although the rock colors and textures are very similar to what we saw in Antelope, Rattlesnake has a very different look and feel.

The canyon is smaller, has more light, and where Antelope can be traversed all the way through and exited on the other side, Rattlesnake is one-way with a dead end. Apparently because of the more difficult access, there are far fewer tourists visiting this canyon and therefore it is much less often photographed.

Not a good place to be if you suffer from claustrophobia, Rattlesnake Canyon is nevertheless another location where photographing nature is almost required. The lighting conditions make it tricky to capture great images, but a little creativity and a good eye go a long way. Have you ever seen more beautiful rocks? The feeling is pure magic.

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Magic Moments in Antelope Canyon

Last year’s trip to Arizona began as a long weekend getaway and ended up being quite an interesting adventure. Our drive North from the Phoenix airport took us to a part of the country I had never seen before. It was my first visit to the Grand Canyon, Sedona and that magical place I had seen many photos of but was shooting for the first time, Antelope Canyon.

After spending a day in Grand Canyon National Park, I was expecting Antelope Canyon to be more

Playa del Carmen – What a Difference a Day Makes!

Waking up the next morning in the quiet, gorgeous condo we found the previous day through Airbnb.com, it was hard to believe that we had gone from such a ridiculous situation to such tranquility in just a few hours. The condo’s owner, who lives in Dallas, arranged for his local manager to meet us at the unit and let us “check in” at noon after high-tailing it out of the hip, young, trendy place where we clearly did not belong.

A much quieter section of the Playa del Carmen beach.

We quickly stocked up on staples for a weekend in Mexico. Beer, wine, some Scotch and munchies to nibble on. The one bedroom condo

Trumpets on the Mexican Riviera

We paid dearly for the hotel’s car to pick us up from the airport in Cancun for our 55 minute transfer to Playa del Carmen. Having been to Mexico several times before, and even fallen prey to two of the biggest tourist scams in the country, we knew it was better to be safe than sorry since we wouldn’t need a rental car for our long weekend stay in Playa. Paying off police officers who stop tourists in rental cars on their way to the airport only fuels the corruption fires that burn throughout Mexico.

The hip, young, trendy hotel Deseo.

The atmosphere on the flight to Cancun was even more festive than a flight to Las Vegas. After all, nobody is flying to Cancun for business. Everyone is headed for a vacation and many of us began our libations

Monkey Business in Bali

In addition to countless spas, restaurants and clothing shops lining the streets of Ubud, Bali, there is a remarkable stop right on the edge of town. If you love furry little creatures, you will love Ubud’s Sacred Monkey Forest.

The Monkey Forest in Ubud

Wenara Wana or what is more commonly known as the Padangtegal Monkey Forest is a must do for anyone visiting Ubud. The “forest” is actually a walled area with two entrances where visitors pay the 15,000 Rupiah ($1.65 US) fee for admission. There are no gates so the monkeys roam freely, but they know that their main source of food comes from the tourists

Zen in Ubud

On our drive from Seminyak to Ubud, Bali for the remainder of our trip, we stopped at one of the many Batik producers where you can watch how Batik is made. The process begins with crafters carefully applying melted wax to the fabric forming the pattern where die will not adhere to the fabric. Die is then applied and the wax melts off leaving the natural color of the fabric.

Melted wax is applied to the fabric.

Once the pattern is created the fabric can then be cut and sewn into any number of garments,

The Road to Bali

The country of Bali has always held a tremendous amount of mystique and tropical allure to me. Perhaps it began when I was a child and heard Bloody Mary sing about the forbidden island of Bali H’ai in the musical “South Pacific.” Images of a volcano surrounded by lush green palm trees and beautiful beaches were beckoning me to an island that is so far away from home one could only dream of ever going there. It wasn’t until later that I learned Bali H’ai was a Hollywood concoction and not the same as the island of Bali, Indonesia.

Amala Hotel in Seminyak, Bali

Nevertheless, the allure remained and when it came time to start planning our annual Christmas/New Year’s trip this past summer, Bali was one of the front runners

Christmas Around The World

This year we spent Christmas in Singapore. It is so much fun and enlightening to travel to other countries and experience how they celebrate the holidays. Last year we were also in Asia, Bangkok to be more specific. Not only is the weather so very different than where we live but the culture is very different also. One thing that is a constant, however, is holiday lights and decorations.

Christmas Tree in the lobby of the Ritz Carlton, Singapore

There may not be a lot of Christmas trees like North Americans are used to seeing but there are always some type of lights and decorations, even in countries where

Sensational Sedona

Red rocks. Monumental works of nature. Spectacular formations carved by water a long, long time ago give Sedona a truly sensational setting in the desert that is otherwise, well, desert.

Situated in the Verde Valley of Arizona, the drive to Sedona from the Phoenix airport involves making your way

California, Here I Come!

It’s the time of year when frequent fliers check their mileage balance to be sure they will have enough miles to qualify for elite status for the following year. I have already earned my Gold status for next year but my partner was going to be a few miles short.

Sunset in Venice, CA

The purpose of a mileage run is to fly somewhere, preferably on a sale fare, strictly

An Oasis in the Desert – Discovering Amangiri

Miriam Webster defines an oasis as a “fertile or green area in an arid region (as a desert); something that provides refuge, relief, or pleasant contrast.” Pleasant contrast is how I would describe the design and architecture of a new addition to the ultra luxury hotel chain Aman. Small, secluded and designed for personal pampering, Aman Resorts delight discriminating travelers who are looking to escape.

Entrance Hall at Amangiri

Having experienced their flagship property, Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand a few years ago, I knew the resort in the middle of the Utah desert would indeed be an oasis. That is, if we could find the hotel.

National Park Accommodations

It wasn’t until a few years ago that I discovered a major source of photo opportunities I had yet to tap. The United States National Parks. There are some amazing visual treats just waiting for a creative eye and a camera. Finding great light takes some research, planning and luck with Mother Nature, but all of the major natural wonders are well documented which makes the research relatively easy.

The Grand Canyon

Any type of travel requires basic logistics–food and lodging. What I am learning is that most national parks are not located near large cities. In fact, every park I have been to so far has been

Airport Run and Haute Dogs

Top Chef contestant Richard Blais has opened his third restaurant in Atlanta. The first two are both called FLIP and are both gourmet burger boutiques. His newest restaurant is called HD1 and serves gourmet “Haute Dogs.”

Louisiana Lobster Dog

We needed to make a dry-run to the rental car center at Hartsfield International Airport to be sure driving instructions were correct for several folk who are coming to town this week.  On the way back

What Is My Real Photography Job?

Ever since I started this blog several months ago, I have occasionally been asked what kind of photography I do professionally. Considering how varied some of that work is, I thought I would take this opportunity to show you some of the photos I recently shot on assignments.

Greystone Properties, one of the largest management companies in the U.S., asked me to shoot

Travel to Temples

No trip to Asia would be complete without visiting some of the local temples. Any trip to a foreign land should include experiencing the local culture and Southeast Asia has plenty

Remember Love?

Do you remember your first love? How about your second? Remember how you would lie in bed thinking about what exciting adventure tomorrow would bring? How you couldn’t wait to see that person again. It didn’t even matter how you spent your time with each other. It was the chemistry and the magical feeling you had, just being with that special someone.

Lanterns in Hoi An, Vietnam

Love doesn’t apply only to people. Most people love their pets. Some people love to sing. Others love

Where the Stars Eat

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was recently asked to accompany a group of corporate executives to New York where they would ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. I was documenting the trip and helping to make it as much fun as possible.

It was quite an amazing experience being on the floor of the Stock Exchange. The history, energy, and hundreds of millions of dollars that are made and lost every day was a thrilling experience for me. I was not allowed to use flash

Southwestern Fare in the Southeast

On a steamy August Saturday night in Atlanta, what would be better than some spicy Southwestern food to help counteract the dog days of summer? On this evening we decided to pay a visit to Nava, one of the Buckhead Life Group restaurants. I was a little suspect of how one could make a liquid cocktail described as a Jalapeno Margarita taste spicy. Believe me, someone figured it out. So far we were off to a great start that evening.

Those of you who read my blog regularly know that I’m a sucker for lobster. If it’s on the menu, it’s on my table. That evening it arrived in the form of an appetizer.

Amazing Vegetable Details in Vietnam

One of my first impressions of the people of Vietnam was that they were mostly very hard working people who often make little money yet remain cheerful and friendly. They seem happy to take on tasks that Westerners would typically scoff at. Talent, ingenuity and a little love were evident in many of the details I saw while visiting their country.

The edible garnishes were simply awesome! Keep in mind that each and every dish served at this restaurant in Hoi An was accompanied by

Faces of Asia

On a recent photo tour of Bangkok and Vietnam, I decided to spend some time capturing the beauty of the area through the faces of its inhabitants. I found the people to be very friendly and accommodating.

Having only spent two weeks in Southeast Asia, I had little time to get to know any single person but generally speaking the people seemed to be happy and hard working.