Awesome Photography: My 7 Super Shots!
Lately there’s been another one of those blogger community things going around that allows us to share more about ourselves with our readers. You may remember some of the past ones I’ve done, like 7 of My Most Awesome Adventures and Get to Know Me Through My ABC’s of Travel. This time, the focus is on photography, and the project is called My 7 Super Shots, for which I was tagged by my friend Nortbert over at GloboTreks.
So, without further ado….
1. A Photo That… Takes My Breath Away
Much like Norbert’s photo that takes his breath away, mine is also an image of sunrise at Cambodia‘s Angkor Wat. Anyone who knows me personally knows that I am certainly not a morning person, so I was a bit grumpy to be up before dawn when I visited in 2006. But we needed to get there early to secure a spot by the northern reflecting pool.
As the first light began to peak over the horizon, the sky illuminated in an array of brilliant colors, silhouetting Angkor Wat from behind. And almost immediately it became very clear that we chose a perfect vantage point, for the water before us was brilliantly reflecting the sky above, creating a truly breathtaking image.
2. A Photo That… Makes Me Laugh or Smile
A visit to Bhutan involves spending a lot of time in a van, as the only way to get around the country is either by road or foot. One way my family kept ourselves entertained (aside from someone shouting “Phallus Alert!” at the appropriate time…) was by chuckling at all the trucks, which rather amusingly advised drivers behind them to “Blow Horn!”
3. A Photo That… Makes Me Dream
I love interesting architecture. Hong Kong was particularly impressive in this regard. I also grew up playing with Legos. Thankfully, the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China did not disappoint in either area. The pavilions there definitely pushed the boundaries of creative architecture, which you can see more of in my post from there. But the Serbia pavilion, pictured above, made me think back to those days with the Legos, when my childhood dreams made anything possible…
4. A Photo That… Makes Me Think
I had never visited a mosque before setting foot in Egypt during my recent Middle East Trip, despite having spent a few days in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2010, so I really did not know what to expect. While in Cairo, it was only fitting to visit the old Islamic Quarter, home to Al-Azhar Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in the city and also the oldest continually operating university in the world.
Inside, the ambiance was amazingly relaxing, as men sat around a large courtyard studying and praying. It was a world away from the hubaloo about building a new Islamic cultural center in New York City, or all the crazy Islamophobia you tend to hear in the west. Of course, I know that people’s uneducated perceptions are not usually correct, but seeing this photo makes me think about just how far from those perceptions this place was…
5. A Photo That… Makes My Mouth Water
I’m sure that this category was intended to be a food shot, but Thanksgiving is always a big deal in my family. Usually we get together in Las Vegas, but this year we met up at my brother’s house in the San Francisco Bay Area. The photo above was of our water pitcher at the end of the meal, and just thinking of all that amazing food with people that I love absolutely makes my mouth water!
6. A Photo That… Tells a Story
I love how many interpretations I can get out of this photo. This novice monk at Punakha Dzong in Bhutan looks to be in deep thought, or perhaps spaced out. But the man you see on the left in the background feels rather sneaky, doesn’t he?
I’d love to hear your story interpretations of this photo, so please feel free to leave them in the comments below!
7. A Photo That… I’m Most Proud Of (aka My National Georgraphic shot)
This was a category I agonized over. Should I chose a sunset picture? What about something like Bhutan‘s Tiger’s Nest? No. I wanted to showcase a photo that you haven’t seen before and this one kept catching my eye.
It was the end of the day at the Great Pyramids of Giza, located just outside Cairo, Egypt, and as the sun was low in the sky, this man emerged from the desert, bringing in his horses for the night.
My Tags
To continue this project, I tag:
- Lisa from ChickyBus
- Wes from Johnny Vagabond
- Dustin from Skinny Backpacker
- Dave from What’s Dave Doing?
- Anil from foXnoMad