Photo Storage takes a giant leap forward with the ReadyNAS Personal Cloud.

Photographers always needed more storage for their thousands of photographs. As the size of the sensors and file sizes have grown from a lowly 2-4 megabyte files to whopping 25-36 meg files and beyond our old methods of backing up data have become as antiquated as those 2 & 4 meg cameras.

You can no longer do much of a backup on writable CDs and backing up on DVDs can require several discs per per project. Even external hard drives fill up quickly for the storage-hungry photographer. I often shoot thousands of images each month on DSLRs, 4/3 cameras, rangefinders and iPhones. My cards were always full of phoptopgraphs, my iphone and laptop bloated with images awaiting backup. Or worse yet I was always having trouble finding the image I wanted to share or use in my next travel post here on Travel Boldly after I had cleared my cards and/or removed the images from my iPhone and laptop. Which external hard drive or flash drive were they on?

Enter personal cloud storage and the ReadyNAS system by NetGear. This is a product that can replace your legions of external hard drives, flash drives, CDs and Dvds and free up your bloated phone, laptop and desktop hard drives.

ReadyNAS is a private home cloud storage system that can be managed through ReadyCLOUD software by NetGear. This interface allows all the benefits of public cloud storage, but without the monthly or annual subscription costs and the privacy risks of having your data "out there" in the public cloud. You can access, manage and share files stored on your ReadyNAS desktop system from anywhere in the world, from any web browser, using any of your connected devices.  You can utilize a single, unified web interface whether you’re at home, at work or traveling. You'll have Google Drive™-style accessibility and Dropbox®-like capabilities such as sharing files with a single click.

I now have a secure, private, personal cloud from which I can share and utilize my images, videos and content. This is especially important for me as travel blogger. I was always traveling with a ziplock baggy of flash drives and a couple of heavy external drives, For extended trips I would often strip almost every bit of data off my laptop and camera phones so I would not run short of space for the photos I'd be making on my trip.  Now I don't have to do that. Though, beginning a trips with cleared cards and camera phones still seems prudent if only for organization purposed it is not something I must do before a trip. I can now if necessary back all my devices while on the road anytime I have fast reliable Internet connection.

Certainly, I am still getting used to this new system. And while it gives you the space you need to get organized, it does not perform miracles and arrange all of your thousands of uncatalogued images for you. I am still developing my own management systems for managing my images. (If anyone has any recommendations please let me know via the comments.) I can see light at the end of the tunnel.  I have a way forward into the future to manage the thousands of digital photographs I create each year.

I was provided a ReadyNAS model 102 2TB with 2 terabytes of storage for the purpose of this review. One thing to keep in mind is that there is also a model 102 00 diskless system that includes no native storage. Unless you just happen to have a couple of compatible high-speed hard drive disks laying around your place or know where you can pick them up on-the-cheap I recommend ordering the 102 with either 2 - 1 terabyte drives or 2 - 2 terabyte drives. I'd definitely order the 102 with the 4 terabyte capacity given that it is only a few dollars more. Or, I'd step up to the model 314 3 bay 12 terabyte system.  While I have not come close to filling up 2 terabytes yet I can see a day when I'll be expanding to 4 terabytes and beyond especially as more and more of my images are RAW files.

One other caveat to be aware of is that if you get your Internet through a shared connection such as
wifi provided by your building complex or are using hotspots or satellite Internet services, ReadyNAS is probably not for you. You have to be able to install the system with a direct hardwired ethernet connection to your router. The installation of the software to operate the storage device is mostly painless and accessing the storage remotely is straight forward.

ReadyNAS personal cloud will work wonders for travel bloggers and travel photographers' data storage needs. It is a great comfort to leave home knowing that should you have to produce an article from your trip to Italy last year while you are on the road in Turkey or Brazil in 2015 you'll have access to all your photography and notes stored on the your personal ReadyNAS cloud.

Jerome Shaw Editor at Travel Boldly. Message him here via comments or on Twitter at @JeromeShaw or on G+ +Jerome Shaw Travel 



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Cuba Tour and Photography Workshop January 2016 - come photograph in this photo paradise

Cuba Photo Tour Dates for Winter 2015 - 2016 to be announced.

Tentative dates January 2016

Join me for a fun filled 8 day photo tour of Cuba. Take a learning vacation and see Cuba before it changes forever.  This tour is fully licensed for legal travel by U. S. citizens to Cuba under a people to people cultural and educational license by the U. S. Treasury Department.

Deluxe accommodations at El Presidente Hotel in Havana and equally deluxe accommodations in Cienfuegos and Trinidad.  We'll be out shooting in some of the best locations in Havana, Cienfuegos and Trinidad.  We'll also visit historical locations, art and photography galleries and meet with local photographer and photography teachers.  But be assured we'll find time to try plenty of Cuban food and fun too. This is photo-centric tour and is open to all levels of photographic proficiency and interest.  This is small group tour designed to give you a quality travel experience in Cuba.

The tour originates and concludes in Havana.  All transfers and ground transportation in Cuba are included.  Full details on inclusions and exclusions are available from Cuba Tour and Travel.  They can also assist you with round trip charter air flights from Miami to Havana.

Contact me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/fotoworkshops

Jerome on Google+

I'm glad to answer your tour and photo related questions.

Travel Writing & Photography Workshop and Tour 

Santa Fe, NM  May 29 – June 1, 2014

Fireworks over Mazatlan, Mexico during the Carnival Celebrations

Fireworks over Mazatlán Mexico recreate a 19th century naval battle with the French.

Fireworks over Mazatlan, Mexico during the Carnival Celebrations

by Jerome Shaw

Carnival in Mazatlán is host to many exciting events. One if the most spectacular and visually inspiring is the firework display over the Bay of Olas Altas recreating a famous naval battle with the French Navy by the citizens of Mazatlán in defense of their city.

The best vantage for the fireworks display is from Olas Altas Beach or along Paseo Vista Hermosa on the headlands of Cerro de la Neveria, You can also watch from the Balcones de Loma Linda along Paseo Clausen. The display is an impressively long and impassioned battle with volleys originating both from shore and from a floating barge in the bay impersonating the French Battleship. The re-creation of the harbor’s successful defense against French invasion by Mexican forces come to life as pyrotechnic sounds simulate cannon fire exchanged over sea and land during the battle between the people of Mazatlán and the French man-of-war, “Le Cordeliere.

You definitely sense what the battle must have seemed like to the people of Mazatlán as they watched the defense of heir city. The French were intent on taking control of Mazatlán but the mostly Spanish citizenry were more insistent that they remain under their own control. A battle was waged over several days with the outmanned but determined Mazatlánotecs coming out on top.

This photo was taken from the Pedro Infante memorial monument & shows the firework over Olas Altas Beach.

~~~

My trip to Mazatlán was sponsored in part by GoMazatlanNow.com and VisitMexico.com

This images is copyrighted and may not be used, reposted, or reproduced without direct written permission. Please feel free to share the image on Pinterest and Facebook.

Jerome is the founder and editor of Travel Boldly. Jerome's first trip outside the USA was to Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta for a photo assignment for Frontier Airlines 30 years ago.  You can find him on Twitter and Google+

Travel Writing & Photography Workshop and Tour in Santa Fe, NM

December 11th-14th,  2014

Travel Writing & Photography Workshop and Tour in Santa Fe, New Mexico 

Registration for the Christmas time Santa Fe workshop is open.  You can see the information on the workshop below. 

Please email TravelBoldly@Gmail.com with questions,

We will be also announcing dates for Spring 2015 Santa Fe workshop and location and dates for Summer 2015 Colorado workshop.

If you'd like information on either of these workshops please send an email with "Spring Santa Fe Travel Writing Workshop" or "Colorado Travel Writing Workshop" in the subject line to Travel Boldly@Gmail.com . 

Thanks,

Jerome / July 2014

Sign Up Here

Workshop Information:

Janna Graber the editor of GoWorldTravel.com and TravelBoldly's own Jerome Shaw are teaching a joint workshop in Santa Fe, New Mexico in December of 2014.  Santa Fe is great backdrop to learn more about travel journalism from these two travel experts.

New Mexico’s Native American and Spanish roots run deep. Explore this rich heritage in Santa Fe, New Mexico during our four-day tour and writing & photography workshop.

The workshop will be held at La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe from December 11-14, 2014. It will offer expert instruction on travel writing techniques,  travel photography, publishing your own blog or website and the business of travel writing. It will also provide an enjoyable and in-depth look at this unique destination.

• Instructor bios and session descriptions 
• Daily Schedules  
• If You Go Information
• Registration Page

About Santa Fe

Santa Fe, New Mexico is like no other place in the United States. The region was home to Native Americans from 1200 to the early 1400′s, and then fell under six different governments over the next 400 years.

All these influences and cultures have blended together to become what locals affectionately call “The City Different.” New Mexico’s capital city is famous for her unique art, architecture and savory cuisine, and is home to 68,000 residents. With an elevation of 7,000 feet above sea level, Santa Fe is located at the base of the southern Rocky Mountains in north-central New Mexico.

During our workshop, we’ll spend time with many local experts, including artists, chefs and local businessmen, who will share their love and knowledge of Santa Fe.

Lodging

La Fonda on the Plaza, a historic inn located in the heart of downtown Santa Fe, will provide comfortable accommodations at a discounted rate for workshop participants. La Fonda can trace its roots back nearly 200 years. It offers the highest contemporary standards of hospitality along with Old World Santa Fe charm. You are free to use any accommodation in the surrounding area and attend the sessions at La Fonda.

Dining

Daily breakfast are provided via your accommodation at La Fonda, A welcome dinner is included as part of the workshop. Other meals may be purchased at your discretion. We encourage you to go out and sample some of Santa Fe’s excellent cuisine and will happily provide recommendations.

Activities

Our schedule will include guided visits to top local attractions, markets, art galleries and even a cooking class. We will visit a local Native American Pueblo. See the schedule for full details.

Price Details

Price is $699 for the workshop  +++  SAVE $100 for earlybird signup through September 15, 2014

 Sign Up Here

Price includes:

Dinner on Friday
Guided visits to local sites
City Museum Pass
All activities are within walking distance in downtown Santa Fe.
Travel writing and photography workshop sessions at the La Fonda Hotel (see schedule)


Price does not include:

Hotel (a discount code for accommodation at Santa Fe's historic La Fonda hotel is provided with registration - the special discount rate of $99/night for workshop participants includes a sumptuous breakfast) 
Meals (except as noted)
Transportation to Santa Fe
Transportation to and from hotel
Alcohol (guest may purchase at own discretion)

Details

Deposit:  Workshop space is limited. In order to reserve your spot, a $200 non-refundable deposit is due upon booking.

Balance Due: The remaining balance must be paid 35 days before your workshop begins. If the remaining balance is more than five days late, we reserve the right to sell your spot. Deposit cannot be returned.

Cancellation Policy: Because we must purchase lodging and activities so far in advance, the $200 deposit is non-refundable. If you must cancel your registration for any reason, your deposit can be applied as a credit towards any of our other Travel Writing On Location workshops.

Payment Methods:

Paypal/Credit Card     Sign Up Here





Sunday Travel Blog Roundup

Painted fish from Oaxaca, Mexico

This painted fish carving was photographed in a art gallery in San Angel in Mexico City.  The folk art
carving style originated in the state of Oaxaca and has become a commercial engine for the remote region.
This image has become the avatar for one of my most popular Twitter accounts, @TwavelTweeter. 

Painted Fish - Mexican folk art carvings from Oaxaca, Mexico 

How far back in history do the origins of the Oaxacan hand-painted folk art figures go?

If you thought Oaxacan carvings have their origin centuries ago with the Mayan and Aztec cultures you'd be wrong. If you thought the carvings were handed down through the generations of  the Zapotecs and the Mixtecs or one of the other sixteen indigenous cultures of Oaxaca you'd also be wrong. You'd have missed the dates by several hundred years. While carving was a part of the ancient cultures of Oaxaca they mainly carved ceremonial masks and later crosses and saints. This craft nearly died out  in the 19th century after independence from Spain.

The painted animal and figure carvings are a recent folk art craft that owes its origins more to the commercial art galleries of USA, Canada and Europe than it does to indigenous fore bearers of Oaxaca.

The colorful painted carvings like the fish above are a recent addition to the art landscape of Mexico dating back only about 60 years.  The first practitioner of these carvings was Manuel Jimenez, a peasant from San Antonio Arrazola.  He carved animals from chunks of Copal wood. The wood is perfect for carving.  Copal worked green and is soft and easy to carve and has a small core that rarely splits. When sanded smooth Copal has a porcelain-like smoothness that does not absorb paint.  Aniline paints were originally used but due to fading most artists now use acrylic paint that sit brightly on the surface of the copal carvings.

At first Manuel did the carving, sanding and painting himself. But as the popularity of his works grew he began to train other members of his family in the skills required. Thus it became a family assembly line. The men carve, the elderly and young sand and the women paint.

The tools of carving are the machetes, kitchen and pocket knives. The animal or figure that is brought forth is determined by the shape and characteristics of each piece of wood.  Carvings are generally completed within one or two days.

Eventually others in the villages of Oaxaca noticed that a good living could be made from the carvings. Families in San Martin Tilcajete and La Union Tejalapan got in on the folk business.  These communities have become folk art centers along with San Antonio Arrazola.  Generally each family developed their own distinctive style, design and color scheme. Each family kept its proprietary secrets safe by not hiring outside the immediate family members.

Pedro Linares, from Mexico City, added his contribution to the imagery of Oaxacan folk art in the 1930s.  Linares fell very ill. During his illness he saw visions of a forest where objects had the power to transform. Rocks and trees could become a fantastical animals that combined body parts of multiple animals into one strange beast, He envisioned donkeys with butterfly wings, roosters with bull horns, lions with an eagle heads.  In his vision they all shouted one word, "Alebrijes."

Once recovered from the illness he made drawings of the beasts and eventually began making papier-mâché and cardboard animals. The papier-mâché to wood carving adaptation was pioneered by Manuel Jiménez.  The technique then spread to other families and villages in Oaxaca. The Alebrijes have become some of the most popular figures in the Oaxacan folk art portfolio.

Dia de Los Muertos figures are the newest imagery added to the Oaxacan folk art product line.  Many are adaptations of the symbols and imagery of calaveras created by the printmaker José Guadalupe Posada.

Of course mass production has reared its ugly head and now there are replica "carvings" produced in factories and selling for substantially less than the authentic Oaxacan folk art carvings.  Buyer beware.

Do you own any Mexican folk art?  What is your favorite Oaxacan folk art imagery? What  do you think of the commercially mass-produced knockoffs?

Contact me at @JeromeShaw  or Facebook 

copyright Jerome Shaw 2005 / www.jeromeshaw.com

More information on Oaxacan Folk Art 

Pedro y Lola on Machado Plaza Mazatlan Mexico

Alfredo (left) the owner of Pedro y Lola joins us for drinks after dinner and we are serenaded by passing musicians on Plaza Machado.  An outside table at Pedro y Lola is a ring side seat for people watching and the Carnival circus on the plaza.

Pedro y Lola Restaurant on Machado Plaza Mazatlan, Mexico

Pedro y Lola quickly became our base of operations in Mazatlan.  We stopped here our first night in Mazatlan for dessert and drinks. We were hooked.  The flan was good and margaritas were better. We certainly could have done without dessert but the opportunity to grab an outside table at one of the best people watching patios on Plazuela Machado was too good to pass up.

 Lunch at Pedro y Lola's  Mazatlan. 
Grilled Arranchera / skirt steak with Charro beans. 

I don't think more than one day passed during my week in Mazatlan where I did not set foot in Pedro y Lola.  Machado Plaza and Pedro y Lola became our haunt.  We came here after the formal Carnival festivities died down. We came here late at night. We stopped for a beer in the afternoon after a food tasting event with the Carnival Princesses. We ate lunch here our second day and dinner at Pedro y Lola on our last night in town.  I tried the house special "Pedro y Lola Shrimp" prepared with fresh orange and Cointreau. It was superb and a memorable shrimp dish in a week filled with shrimp dishes. Pedro y Lola was our home away from home in Mazatlan. For lunch I had the Grilled Arranchera / skirt steak with Charro beans but the highlight of lunch was the tortilla soup.

Alfredo, the owner of Pedro y Lola, became our friend and protector.  When we couldn't locate a cab because of the throngs of people in the Historico Centro we consulted El Flaco, as Alfredo was affectionately known. He told us if we walked to the Malecon we could catch a pulmonías (open air taxi) there with far less competition. He also taught us a thing or two about how to party in Mazatlan during Carnival. 

His family has lived in "Old Mazatlan" for several generations.  While the Historico Centro district has always been the lively heart of Mazatlan it has seen some tough times too.  At one point central Mazatlan lost favor with tourists as the new beach resorts sprang up further north and provided safe new restaurants and night life. 

Pedro y Lola is one of Mazatlan's most
popular places to eat, drink and watch
people as they stroll Machado Plaza

Alfredo's family never gave up on old Mazatlan and kept there family home, real estate holdings and business there even though his father was offered land north of Mazatlan that eventually became the new, rich resorts of Zona Dorada.  Now, Alfredo is being rewarded for his faith in historic center of the city as the pendulum swings back and Plaza Machado and Historico Centro become the hip place to be in Mazatlan all over again.

Pedro y Lola is named after legendary ranchero singers Pedro Infante and Lola Beltran. The restaurant is housed in the beautifully restored 19th-century Juárez building that has long served as the social center of Mazatlan. The building was home to the first projected motion pictures near the turn of the century. 

You feel the history of Mazatlan as you walk the streets near Machado Plaza in what is the only coastal colonial city in Mexico.  It was probably in the Juárez building that the news was first whispered that the legendary singer, Angela Peralta, was coming to this music-loving city to perform.  But the woman known as the "Mexican Nightingale" would never sing in Mazatlan.  She and Yellow Fever arrived on the same ship and she died before ever giving a performance in Mazatlan.

Pedro y Lola's colorful patio before the
rush.  Get here early for the best spots.

The historic restaurant/bar sits on the corner of the Constitucion and Carnaval Avenue  The interior of the restaurant is relatively small and decorated with local artwork. Even when it is not Carnival, weekends are filled with live music and performances on the square. On weekends (and during Carnival) the street that runs in front of Pedro y Lola is closed, the tables move out to the street, the patio expands and Pedro y Lola becomes part of Plazuela Machado. 

Contact me at @JeromeShaw  or Facebook 

copyright Jerome Shaw 2013 / www.jeromeshaw.com

My travels to Mazatlan were sponsored by Mexico Tourism, GoMazatlan and Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

Portrait of a young woman - San Angel Market, Mexico City

A young woman mans a fruit stand in the market of San Angel. At one time it was a small town outside
of Mexico City, San Angel has now been absorbed by the staggering sprawl of the capital city Mexico.

 Portrait of a young woman - San Angel Market, Mexico City

The market in San Angel, though indoors, has a good quality of light for photography and an excellent variety goods for purchase. It has everything from windows of fish packed in ice to hanging rows of freshly butchered chickens. There dozens of kinds fruit and vegetables.  There are peanuts, piñatas and pumpkins, fabric and flowers, shrimp and spices, and coconuts, crabs and cactus inside the two block market. There are many places to grab a bite to eat.  It is a lively place to spend time and a great place to make photographs.  

I had to coax a smile out of this young woman at the San Angel market.  I mimed that I wanted to take a photo of her but at first she did not respond.  I looked into the camera to set up my shot and expected her expression to indicate whether I had her permission, but she was deadpan. I took one shot of her with a flat, stolid expression. I peeked around the camera and smiled at her. She smiled back and after one more exposure I knew I had my shot.  

I had lined up the composition to include the stack of oranges at the front of the stand to contrast with a background of bright yellow bananas. Light from an exterior doorway was coming from behind me.  I was shooting with a 180mm f 2.8 lens so I knew the minimal depth of field would isolate my subject. All I needed was a smile, a moment, to create a photograph.

Do you like to photograph people or would you rather photograph subjects that don't talk back?  How do you handle photographing people in public environments?  Do you ask before you shoot or beg forgiveness if the subject objects? Share you methods in the comments below.


Contact me at @JeromeShaw  or Facebook 

copyright Jerome Shaw 2007 / www.jeromeshaw.com

“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson - Machedo Plaza Balcony - Mazatlan

The shadows from the palm trees in Machado Plaza sway on the textured wall of the balcony above
Pedro y Lola Restaurant during the reverie of Carnival in Mazatlan, Mexico.

 “Sharpness is a bourgeois concept.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

This is one of the first photos that caught my eye when I looked through my photos after a trip to Mazatlan, Mexico for Carnival earlier this year.  I liked the tonality of the image and the composition.
I felt it conveyed a sense of what the Machedo Plaza looked and felt like during my time there.

The photo was shot hand-held at night. It is not tack sharp but in this case I felt the slight softness created by the "too-long-for hand-held" exposure time helped create a desirable quality in the photo.  It added to a painterly quality that the shadows of the moving palm trees created as I observed the scene.

I have always liked the Cartier-Bresson quote "Sharpness is bourgeois concept" and it certainly jumped into my head as I prepared this photo for publication.

Now don't get me wrong, I like a razor sharp image as much as the next guy.  I spent the better part of my career as a commercial photographer creating images full of detail and sharpness with perfectly smooth surfaces.  Yet, there has always been a part of me that loved to drag the shutter, capture movement in my subjects, blur the sharpness and create impressions rather than present precise detail.  I like to violate the sanctity of the smooth, shiny, reflective surfaces of perfectly printed photographs. When I print this photo it calls out for a textured surface to enhance the textures of the wall and the shadows.

“It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera, they are made with the eye, heart & head.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

A photo like this one is more about projecting the impression of the event than it is about documenting the experience.  I find that often, a small area of the overall scene often does a better job of expressing the feeling of being there than an over-reaching photo of the entirety of the scene.  A small detail of the overall setting can stand in stead for the whole scene and give the viewer keener sense of what being there was like.

“Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field.” – Peter Adams

Do you feel that only photos that are tack sharp are worthy of publication?  Do you have images, though they are less than perfectly sharp, convey the feeling you intended to express?  Do you agree with Cartier-Bresson's sharpness quote? What about Cartier-Bresson's quote about how photos are made?  Please share your thoughts below in the comments, I'd like to know what you think?

Contact me at @JeromeShaw  or Facebook 

copyright Jerome Shaw 2013 / www.jeromeshaw.com

My travels to Mazatlan were sponsored by Mexico Tourism, GoMazatlan and Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

Palacio de Bellas Artes - Mexico City

The Beaux Arts exterior of the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.
The building  houses an art museum, a performing arts theatre and opera house

Palacio de Bellas Artes - Mexico City

Mexico City has some of the finest and oldest architecture in North America.  Mexico City and the surrounding environs were thriving cities in the Mayan, Toltec and Aztec periods well before the Spanish Conquistadores arrived.  While Jamestown, Virginia was a foundering (1607) colony of lean-tos, Mexico City was a bustling Spanish settlement, decades old, with solid stone buildings and a Cathedral unrivaled in the Americas.

The Palacio de Bellas Artes (pictured above), is a neo-classical white marble structure that sits across from the Alameda and adjacent to Bellas Artes Metro Station in central Mexico City. It serves as an art museum and hosts performance arts. It is the premier opera house of Mexico City and known visually for the extravagant Beaux Arts exterior, which was created from imported Italian Carrara white marble. Palacio de Bellas Artes is the home of several murals. Most notably those of Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and José Clemente Orozco.

The building of The Teatro Nacional, as it was then known, began on October 1, 1904. Designed by Italian architect Adamo Boari, it was originally scheduled to be completed by 1908. The project had several construction delays, many prompted by subsidence in Mexico City's notoriously poor soil. President Porfirio Díaz sited the theatre near the then financial district. It is located on the Northeast corner of the Alemeda promenade. The mass of the building is so great that it has been settling a few inches each year into the muddy earth of Mexico City.

The building was also delayed by many events among them the 1910 Mexican Revolution & Boari’s departure from Mexico in 1916, which virtually halted construction until 1932. Work resumed under the direction of Mexican architect Federico Mariscal and main building was completed in 1934. The final configuration of the square with gardens and Pegasus statues, designed by Boari, was not completed until 1994.

I had a wonderful evening wandering around the Alameda and through the streets of central Mexico City photographing.  A light shower might have dampened theater goers but it aided my exterior photo of the Palacio de Bellas Artes amplifying the reflections of the lights in the wet cobblestone pavement.

The best time to do cityscape "night" photos is at dusk, 30-60 minutes after sunset, while there is still light in the sky and after the building and city lights have come on.  This time period yields a more pleasing blue/black night sky than when you shoot cityscapes when it is full dark.  The building standout much more prominently than when you have the full black night sky.

Photography and text copyright Jerome Shaw 2007-2013 / www.jeromeshaw.com

Contact me at @JeromeShaw  or Facebook 

Jerome has also wriitten articles and columns for Confluence-Denver, Examiner, Johnny Jet, Bolder Planet, Recommend Magazine and Encompass Magazine

Mary Poppins does Carnival. Mazatlan, Mexico

"Mary Poppins surfs on a sea of chimney sweeps, Carnival Mazatlan"

"I''ll never be able to look at Mary Poppins in the same way" whispered my travel companion Mike Fisher, a travel writer and humorist from Calgary, Canada.

I had to agree. Something about the sea of chimney sweeps that buoyed Mary down the street had a less than wholesome vibe about it.  While our Ms. Poppins was properly and demurely clad, the smile on her face and look in her eyes belied her innocent attire. She was ready to get her party on in Mazatlan.

Carnival in Mazatlan is like that.  There is wholesomeness about this Carnival party that is not found in some of the other great pre-lenten festivals in New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro.  The pervading feeling in Mazatlan is that things may get a little wild but ultimately they'll be OK. Yet, there is also a something very provocative and thrilling about the miles long parade that runs next to the Malecon that parallels the gentle curve of Bahia de Puerto Viejo. There is palpable energy that radiates from the throngs of party goers that stagger bar to bar & stage to stage to dance all night to a potpourri of music in the Olas Altas beach area.  Even when you are swept up in a wave of people moving towards the Plazza Machado in Historico Centro district of old Mazatlan you feel like you are just partying with 300 or 400 thousand of your best friends.

This post is the first in a series of photos and stories about Mazatlan and Carnival.  I hope you come back to read more about this wonderful colonial coastal city on Mexico's Pacific Ocean.  Please share your Mazatlan experiences with me in the comments.

Follow me on Twitter at @JeromeShaw or on Facebook  and Google+

copyright Jerome Shaw 2013 / www.jeromeshaw.com

My travels to Mazatlan were sponsored by Mexico Tourism, GoMazatlan and Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

"Boys of an Eternal Summer" - Jardim Redentor, Rio de Janeiro , Brazil

These boys interrupted their football game to pose for me through a hole in the playground fence.

"Boys of an Eternal Summer" Jardim Redentor, Rio de Janeiro , Brazil

Four boys take a break from their football game to pose for photo through a hole in the playground fence.

I took many walks around the streets of Jardim Redentor during my three visits to this area. I enjoyed seeing the vibrancy of the people as they lived out their lives. I am from a very small town in Southwestern Nebraska and at times Jardim Redentor reminded me of my tiny home town, Hayes Center. Well .... except for all the people, as there were only about 250 residents in Hayes Center when I last visited. I know I saw more people on the streets in Jardim Redentor within the first few blocks of any of my walks. Yet, the feeling of small town community existed on the streets of Jardim Redentor.

The photo was taken with a Olympus D590 digital camera on automatic exposure and the lens on wide angle.

These images are copyrighted and may not be used, re-posted or reproduced without direct written permission.

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copyright Jerome Shaw 2005-2013 / www.jeromeshaw.com

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