One of the most spectacular photographic opportunities on the planet is an African safari. I wish I had the skill to properly convey how amazing it is in all the ways one would dream about. And how impossibly inspiring it is from dawn until dusk. But even as I read this I know my description […]
05
Jan
Jan
I’m not much for bird photography. I like it, It’s that most of the time I’m just not good at it. But in celebration of National Bird Day, I thought I would share some of my favorite beautiful bird photos, I’ve taken at home and abroad! From Central Park to the Masai Mara, and a variety […]
31
Dec
Dec
I’m not that much for big crazy parties. Don’t get me wrong I have my moments. But normally I’m pretty low-key, preferring an intimate dinner to a raucous evening out on the town. But on a trip to Asia, I gleefully indulged in one of those aforementioned “moments” with a group of Kazakh Mongolians. And when […]
19
Dec
Dec
I’ve taken a lot of I’ve-been-on-this-plane-forever flights through the years, and while the ever-shrinking legroom and lack of amenities are frustrating, here are some tips from me and some of my fellow travelers, on how to survive long flights in economy. Updated January 2020 What to Wear on a Long Economy Flight and Still Look […]
01
Nov
Nov
It’s milking time. Again. All hands on deck. The women of the Kazakh nomad community in Western Mongolia are in all-out commando mode. Their tongues click and arms wave as they chase their herds of goats and sheep into a pen. Hundreds of hooves dart this way and that, swirling and spinning, trying to avoid what’s […]
12
Sep
Sep
I love solo travel but that doesn’t always mean that I am necessarily alone. The more interested I become in photography, the more I enjoy taking small photo tours/workshops to explore my wish list destinations. The Benefits are Threefold 1. I discover a new place. 2. I improve my photographic skills by learning from professionals […]
31
Aug
Aug
I remember musing that an American wedding planner would think I’d lost my mind. Wrestling? You want wrestling at your wedding?! Her shock giving way to complete bewilderment and horror when I followed up with…..and, we’ll want a horse race too. A Kazakh Wedding Tradition: The Wrestling Begins I scanned the celebration and grinned. This […]
12
Aug
Aug
We sit on the ground around a low wooden table waiting for the day to begin. It’s overcast, threatening rain, and the ger is dim, throwing everything into monochrome. A pot of boiling milk sits on top of a battered wood-burning stove in the center of the room, and I watch as steam rises into […]
29
Jul
Jul
It’s been a while since my adventure in western Mongolia with photographer Timothy Allen and seven fellow photography lovers, and yet I still think of it all the time. We camped in the Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, a vast and profoundly beautiful and pristine expanse where we met the world’s most tolerant and gracious […]
26
Jun
Jun
A while back, I was featured in a USA Today article entitled Life-changing travel: Bloggers share their magical moments. In it, I talked about my trip to Machu Picchu – a destination that was a first for me on many fronts. A few weeks later I received an email from Marilyn Ball, a vivacious southerner […]