Street Photography - Universal

Women Gossiping, Taroudant, Morocco

This collection of images were taken in many small towns and niches in different corners of the world.  While the subjects are seemingly different based on outward appearance one is reminded time and again that we are all the same.  Regardless of the locale, I meet every day people, leading every day lives with similar desires.  The settings are honest and so are their emotions.  It is for these reasons I am continually drawn back to the streets looking to capture extraordinary moments in ordinary life.

Boatman, Hoi An Vietnam

Shan Tea Workers, Hsipaw Myanmar

Buddhist Practitioner, Dege Tibet

Fish Seller Napping, Hoi An Vietnam

Men Socializing, Labrang Township, Tibet

Dumpling Seller, Dali China

Car Crazy  in Cuba

I am not especially a car person.  For me, a car takes me from location to the next.  Yet, after entering Cuba I was just mesmerized by their old cars and spent a lot of time photographing the people and their relationship with their cars.

Without getting to far into their history, Cuba was once a playground for the rich and famous of the USA and Europe. It was embargoed by the US in 1960 after the ouster of Batista and the subsequent nationalization of properties of United States citizens and corporations. 

What ensued was internally and  externally imposed isolation and the resultant creation of an anachronism.  Frozen in time, the warm and gracious people of Cuba became very ingenious at using what they had.  As for their cars; they became a great source of pride which turned each owner into master mechanic.  Rube Goldberg, shoe string and bubble gum, parts borrowed and adapted and a lot of spit and polish keeps their 1940-1950's American and Russian cars operating and on the road. 

Take a look, it was not an occasional old car but probably 90% of them were old.

Equally interesting was how their cars serve many purposes:

As a taxi for transporting people

As a novelty to be rented by a tourist for a handsome fee

For delivering a butchered 

animal to the local market

Turn a street corner and there is another man under the body or hood of his car fixing it. 

and if you don't own a car yet you sure as heck want to.

Carpe Diem,

Lorrie

www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com

Le Journal de la Photographie, 

21.05.2013

http://lejournaldelaphotographie.com/archives/by_date/2013-05-21/11387/south-southeast-photomagazine

Daily News" Taroudant, Morocco 

I had spent 3 weeks chasing after the Moroccan woman to photograph them.  Other than a single Berber woman, they would have no part of me.  Their culture dictates that they do not want their photograph taken.  Seemingly defeated I wandered about the town of Taroudant capturing a bit of the architecture and the local children on their way off to school.  A cup of coffee is in order.  I sat at a café just outside of the Bab al-Kasbah  and watched life go by.  As I am about to leave I notice a small group of Roudani woman dressed in their colorful haiks seated on the curb gossiping.  I learn that they meet here every day to catch up on their daily lives.  The oldest form of communication – verbal story telling.  

What do you think they are talking about?   

I am delighted – an entire photo story in one image.  I capture this image & title it “Daily News.”

Now in Le Journal de la Photographie, May 21, 2013 and

South by Southeast Magazine

Carpe Diem,

Lorrie

www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com

I Love Photographing Older People

Everyone has a preference or something that they are especially good at.  I would never pass up the opportunity to capture a beautiful landscape but for me there is nothing better than connecting to people.  I am continually scanning the crowd like radar.  I choose to shoot someone when I respond viscerally.  My stomach literally jumps.  This happens most often around weathered older men and women. 

Boatman, Hoi An, Vietnam 

Our relationships are generally brief based on a chance meeting.  So I have to be ready with all the tech stuff on the camera already set.  Then, I have to quickly make the subject feel comfortable.  A smile, a big laugh works very well for me. 

Sudhu, Kathmandu, Nepal

To me, they have paid their dues and are wearing their life on their face.  Their wrinkles, toothless smiles and twinkle in their eyes say it all.  It is honest and I love them for it.

 

Hongsa, Laos

Dege Tibet

Carpe Diem,

Lorrie

www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com

What's in my Camera Bag

Another regular question is what's in my camera bag?

Let me begin my saying that like most photographers, I have gone through a progression of photo bags.  That means that I have purchased and abandoned or re-sold multiple bags.  Even today there is one rejected bag sitting in the closet.

I always select the style of bag based on which part of my body is the strongest, my legs or back.  For me, its my legs.  This means that my "go to" bag is a hip based solution, not a backpack.

My bag can be worn in any position: with pouch in back on one hip or another or in the front.  I wear mine in the front.  I consider this to be the second best feature of my bag.  This gives me full control of its contents and when closed it forms a bit of a tabletop surface to work on.

Additional features include an internally packed "raincoat " that comes out and around the bag and the sturdy and wide hip strap that minimizes digging into my hips or waist.

Next, how big does the bag need to be?  I've tried larger versions of this bag but they inhibited my ability to crouch down. So this bag has been in use for close to 15 years. 

Well, here's, what in the main compartment of my bag:

• Canon 5D Mark III body

• Canon 85mm, f1.8 lens, w/ UV filter

• 24-105mm, f4 lens, w/UV filter

• Canon 70-200, f2.8 lens, with UV filter

• Keno 1.4 telephoto extender

• 2 circular polarizers: 2 stop polarizer and 25% graduated neutral density

• Omni bounce flash diffuser

• Microfiber cleaning cloth

• Extra body and lens cap

• CF Card case: with (4) 16 GB cards

• Color temperature orange, florescent correction flash gels, and extra Velcro in a home-made holder

• 2 spare camera batteries

• Pen and Sharpie

• Tiny notebooks

• 5" metal nail file - my all purpose tool

• Rubber can opener - helps get the filters off

• Tri-pod wrench

• Hand Sanitizer

• Mini Grey Tag McBeth/QP Card

• Business cards

• Small bottle lens cleaner

• Lens tissue paper

• Mole Skin- for that unexpected foot blister

• Flash light on neck cord

• Feisol Tripod

• Manfrotto head

• Hitech lens filters, large & metal holder: 0.3, 0.6, 0.9

• Notebook size computer with card reader and charger

• Back-up hard drive

 Inside zipper compartment:

This puts my flash, a Canon 580EX in a "Lightening Fast" external pouch made by Think Tank on the waistband of my bag.  4 spare AA batteries are at the bottom of this case.

Now my bag is stuffed.  Would love nothing more than to carry a bunch of prime lenses but their added weight and size just prohibit me form doing so.  So remember, the brand or manufacturer of the bag doesn't matter, its what's good for you.

In My Clothing Bag:

* these items are brought out as need e.g. night shooting, landscapes.

 The camera bag is then packed into a wheelie which fits into the above the seat luggage compartment on international flights.  I NEVER CHECK MY CAMERA GEAR. 

Up until my most recent trip to Cuba in December, I would bring along a spare camera body and flash.  I must say, it is tough to handle 2 wheelies (camera and clothing) especially while commuting on all different types of public transportation.  There is a good chance that I will forego the back-up equipment on future trips.

And equally important is the security of my equipment and images.  I have a TSA approved lock on each bag.  When I leave the room all unattended bags are locked and a bike lock is applied connecting the bags to a piece of permanent furniture or pipe under the sink.

So far, so good. I have been able to bring home everything I left with plus some awesome images.  Hope you find this info helpful.

Carpe Diem,

Lorrie

www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com

How do I Pick Where to Travel

It is not uncommon for me to be asked how do you select where your next trip will be?  Given that I am generally traveling from anywhere between 3wks to 3 months, and traveling alone I certainly need to do my homework. 

The quick answers are:

1. Does it align with my top interests?
2. Is it visually stimulating?
3. Is it safe for an American?  as well as, is it  a woman traveling alone?

It always starts with  #1, my top interest: endangered cultures their customs and religion. 

After years of traveling, I recognize that it is not uncommon for the younger generation to want to be a part of the new ways and the older generation to want their children to have a better and easier life than they do. Combine this with increasing levels of tourism and communications, let alone massive political juxtapositions and what results is the perfect Petri dish for dissipation of the old ways.  All of this creates an enormous sense of urgency for me.

As an example  I was fortunate enough to tour Myanmar/Burma for a month, three years ago before Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest and nominated to the lower house of parliament.  It was a wonderful country with a strong Buddhist practice woven into every aspect of  life, sweet gentle people mostly living simple lives and many UNESCO World Heritage sites.  As of late,  whenever I speak with someone who has visited I hear about the development and significant changes that is underfoot.  My need to go back is immediate before too much of the charm, old ways and authenticity is replaced by modernization and Western ways. I anticipate that I will be back there before year end 2013. 

When addressing #2, I start by perusing the professional Photo Sites like Getty Images:http://www.gettyimages.com/?esource=google+Weekend_Brand&kw=US+getty+creative+Broad&lid=szjNYyYdP&pcrid=8298829482&property=GI .  What does the imagery show me?  Does it make my heart jump.  What are the people in the images wearing?  What messages are on the billboards? What does the landscape and cityscape look like?

As far as #3, I start with the US State Department Travel Site: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html .  The latest safety status is posted here as well as tips on spots that may need to be avoided even if the country is generally safe.  


Another great resource in the Lonely Planet Thorntree Blog:  http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/index.jspa.  Up to the minute information is posted here by fellow travelers who are often presently  or very recently on the ground.  This site was an invaluable tool as I worked to secure entry into Tibet the summer of 2012, amidst numerous immolation and non-stop changes in travel restrictions that were being imposed. 

Carpe Diem, seize the day.  It is a big and fascinating world out there.  Do what you love and if its travel I propose that you go sooner rather than later. No time like the present.

Lorrie

www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com

Streets of Kathmandu

Some of my favorite images have been of street life in Kathmandu. Within Thamel, the tourist section where I am staying, it’s a web of narrow streets that gently meander. It’s nothing like Morocco or Rome where you think that you will never get out of the tight maze. After a couple of days I got the hang of it and can even return to my hotel without asking for assistance.

Within these neighborhoods life boils and simmers depending on the time of day.  No matter what time, the neighborhoods are inhabited by an endless sea of people going somewhere or trying to sell you something.  “Madam, just look, it’s free to look”, “Where are you from”- meaning I can be your guide or take you trekking are incessant comments.

Small cars, motorcycles, trishaws, bicycles, pedestrians, homeless dogs abound all walking and driving not only on the left but every which way.  So far I have not been hit or had my feet nipped but a few jumps behind a pole helped.

It’s the start of Monsoon season here which means that its rains most afternoons for a bit and in the evenings sometimes quite heavily.  The streets can get very muddy and full of puddles on the already uneven cobble or rutted street.  All this just adds a bit more to the chaos.

Here is the requisite group of sacred cows that have decided to sit down in the middle of a moderately busy street as morning rush hour was getting going.

A look at a shopping district at with a mix of old and new;  buildings, dress style. Throngs of people living their everyday life at about 11 am.

Haircuts are available on the street, small food markets all over and even a tailor

At the end of the day I stumbled upon these young girls playing in the street creating fun with the little that was available to them.

KTM is smaller and the people less aggressive than in India. Despite many opportunities in very close spaces, I have not been groped.  While I have received a few proposals for “love” in this rainy season which they define as a time for romance, its all been very manageable.  ;-)  Kathmandu has been a good place to pause. 


Today for the 4th of July and I have been invited to the American's Club by my hotelier- another 1st for me.

On Friday I head to Sri Lanka for a world wind tour before returning home.
Hope you are enjoying these blogs


Carpe Diem, 
Lorrie
www.LorrieDallekPhotography.com