A Couple of Images from Antigua

My wife and I spend a couple of days before Christmas in the beautiful colonial city of Antigua, Guatemala.  It's a place we often go for a day or two of relaxation. As always, I took along my camera.  While I  will post more images after the New Year, I thought I would share a couple of photos from our getaway.

El Sitio Window 2018.  If you're one of the loyal readers of this blog, you've seen this window before.  But as with everything else, it is always changing.  This is a unique view from the end of 2018.  (You can click on images in the blog for a larger view.  Use ESC or Escape to return to normal viewing mode.)

Smiling Girl. Thursday is Market Day in Antigua.  This girl was selling fruits in the busy market.  While she wasn't posing, she turned and smiled at me as I shot the last frame.  I had my image.

Also, be sure to check in with this blog on New Year's Eve.  I will be republishing a fan favorite!

If you would like to follow along and receive a notification when a new post appears, please subscribe by clicking here and entering your email address.

You can view my fine art photography website at:  www.tombellart.com.

This blog has been named one of the top 75 fine art photography blogs on the planet.

Road Trip: Astorga!

Despite the fact that I'm back in Illinois and largely recovered from the 32-hour trip from León, Spain to my home, I still want to share my road trip to Astorga.

It's a small and ancient town with both Celtic and Roman origins.  Only about 30 miles from León, Astorga is an important stop on the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James.)  I drove my mother-in-law's mint-condition 1982 Mercedes 300D, and was there in less than an hour.

1982 Mercedes 300D.  A great car for a road trip.  I first drove this car in 1995 when it was only 13 years-old.  It still looks like a new car.

Famous for it's sweet pastries, called Mantecadas, Astorga is probably best known for its Bishop's Palace, designed by Antoni Gaudí and built between 1889 and 1913. I strongly recommend that you find time to walk through the town's center, but if you only have time for one thing, the Bishop's Palace is the place to see.

Mantecadas are served with coffee at the hotel cafe across the street from the Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace.

Wall art shows the packing of Mantecadas cakes in earlier days.

Tile Roofs from an overlook in Astorga.

The municipal building in Astorga

Me in front of the entrance to the Bishop's Palace. The building is in the neo-Gothic style. (Photo by my mother-in-law.)

Exterior view of the Bishop's Palace. I can imagine it as a set from the Wizard of Oz.

Stained glass detail from the Bishop's Palace.

More stained glass.

Painted ceramic tiles highlight arches throughout the palace.

More stained glass and ceramic tile.

The chapel in the Bishop's palace.

Wide shot of the Palace.

I hope you've enjoyed this brief road trip to Astorga.  I will have more from Spain in upcoming posts. If you would like to follow along and receive a notification when a new post appears, please subscribe by clicking here and entering your email address.

You can view my fine art photography website at:  www.tombellart.com.

This blog has been named one of the top 75 fine art photography blogs on the planet.

Murals: Street Art in León

When I was in León, Spain last summer, I photographed a mural adjacent to the famed Gothic cathedral in the city's center.  I had my iPhone with me and it served very well to produce an image that has since received some attention and been featured in an exhibition at the Shrode Gallery at the Mitchell Museum in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

Modern and Medieval:  This image was taken in the summer of 2017.  My iPhone was ideal for producing this wide angle view. (You can click on images in this blog for a larger view.  Hit the "Escape" or "esc" key to return to normal viewing.)

As I walked about the city's center yesterday afternoon, I returned to la Calle de las Palomas (Street of Doves) to see if the mural was still there.  It was.  There were also two other murals that I hadn't photographed at the time, one of a lion, and in the center, famed boxer Muhammad Ali.  I had my Nikon D7200 with me this time and photographed all of the images on the three adjacent walls.

A closer shot.

The lion mural is directly across from the painting of the man with the Afro and comb.

The image of Muhammad Ali is in the center of the other two murals.

When I was in León for Holy Week in 2016, there was another work of street art near the Church of Santa Nonia.  I've walked most of the streets of central León.  There may be other major works of street art, but if so, I haven't found them.

I photographed Eyes of Santa Nonia on the morning of a Holy Week procession in 2016.  When I was here last summer, it had degraded considerably, but was still there.  Street art is ephemeral and  must be enjoyed while it is there.  Photography helps preserve it.

I will be blogging about Holy Week and much more during the upcoming days.  Please subscribe to my blog by clicking here is you would like to be updated when there is something new.


You can view my fine art photography website at:  www.tombellart.com.

This blog has been named one of the top 75 fine art photography blogs on the planet.

 

More Photos from Antigua

I thought I'd share a few more photos from Antigua, Guatemala.

As I mentioned in my last post, the windows of El Sitio are one of my favorite subjects to photograph in Antigua. (You can click on photos for a larger view.  If you're using a computer with a full size keyboard, use arrow keys to toggle through images.  Use the ESC button to exit photo view mode.)

Birds of Paradise and Lilies make El Sitio a perfect subject for photography.

Cherub fountains are all over Antigua.  This one is at the hotel La Quinta de las Flores.

Another fountain at La Quinta de las Flores.

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com.

You can subscribe to this blog by clicking here and entering your email address.  You will be notified when a new entry is posted.

This blog has been named one of the top 75 fine art photography blogs on the planet.

 

Antigua Traditions

Some things are so traditional of Antigua, Guatemala, that you recognize them instantly as belonging to Antigua, despite possibly never having seen them before.  One of those things is the Antigua stairwell, found on roofs of old colonial buildings.  The stairwell is enclosed, and despite being out of sight of the casual observer, it's ornate enough to please anyone looking for colonial detail in the old buildings.

This colonial stairwell is atop the Meson Panza Verde restaurant in Antigua.

The fountains in Antigua are also spectacular.  The one below at the Hotel Antigua is one of the best kept in Antigua.

You can view my photography website at: tombellart.com

The Art is in the Details

Many photographers visit Pisa, Italy and focus on the obvious:  the Leaning Tower and other historic monuments.

Those who look closely will find the 12th Century bronze door panels on the Cathedral of Pisa by architect and sculptor Bonanno da Pisa.  There are 24 panels on the door that trace the lives of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

This bronze door panel depicts the Nativity. 

You can view my website at:  www.tombellart.com.

A Video of Fine Art Photography from Guatemala

I did a presentation last year for which I created a video of my fine art photography of Guatemalan people and places.  Click on the little triangle in the video screen to watch.  If you enjoy it, please let your friends know.







You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com

Also you can use this code for a 25% discount on artwork from my website:  VCMYEX
The discount is for photographs and artwork only, and does not apply to framing, mats, etc.
The code is good until October 1.

Antigua Cathedral - Another One from the Files

When I haven't been doing much photography, I sometimes go back through my archives to see if there's a photo I missed, one that I never processed to bring it to its full potential.  Here's one that I shot back in 2005.  It sat on a hard drive until today.

Antigua Cathedral, across from the Central Plaza.  Antigua, Guatemala.

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com

Shooting Close to Home

I live in rural southern Illinois, only two hours away from St. Louis, Missouri.

Usually, I take the city for granted.  I pass through going to the airport several times each year, or attend an event.  I seldom think of it as a photographic opportunity -- not because it has nothing to offer, but rather because I've seen it thousands of times.  However, with my children's teenage cousin visiting from Spain, we viewed the city through the eyes of tourists a couple of weeks ago. We went to the top of the Arch and toured the museum.  We walked along Laclede's Landing and took in the sights.  We searched for a good restaurant and did lots of tourist things.  But this time I brought my camera and took a few moments to look for something more than a snapshot.

Here's a shot of the Jefferson National Expansion Monument (better known as the Gateway Arch) from one of the cobblestone streets at Laclede's Landing.

The Arch from Lacledes Landing

 It just goes to show that we shouldn't take what we already know for granted.  There's good photography everywhere, even in your own backyard.

Bottle in a Window

This weekend, my family and I drove to Kentucky to visit my Mom.

The spring is early this year, and as usual, I brought my camera.

Soon after crossing over from Illinois, we stopped at the Whitehaven rest stop in Paducah.  Whitehaven is a majestic old mansion, originally built in the 1860s and converted into the mansion it is now in the first decade of the 20th century.  At some point, it fell into disrepair and then into ruins.  However, in the 1980's there was a concerted effort to restore the building, and it is now a beautiful structure maintained by the state as a rest stop and tourist attraction.

While the building looks like something out of Gone with the Wind, we were running late and I didn't have much time.  Instead of running  around the building doing architectural photography, I found a frosted window right outside the men's restroom with a bottle of spring flowers.  I made that my subject.

I was blocking the entrance to the restroom and had to move out of the way several times to allow people through.  But after a few dozen shots, I was satisfied that I had the shot I wanted.

The lesson in the story:  look for the shots wherever they are.  Just because you have a big, beautiful, historic building to shoot doesn't mean you have to do it.  Maybe the shot is sitting in a window, waiting to be discovered!

You can view my website at:  www.tombellart.com.

Paintings of Antigua, Guatemala

I though I'd post a few more paintings from my recent trip to Guatemala.  You can click on the images for a larger view.  Navigate between the images with the left and right arrow keys. Press the escape key to return to the blog screen.

Agua Volcano from Antigua, Guatemala.

Cart, Hotel Quinta de las Flores.  Antigua, Guatemala.

Antique Chair.  Hotel Quinta de las Flores, Antigua, Guatemala.

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com

Hope for Tomorrow

I am donating a couple of photographs and a couple of my paintings for a very important, very special event.  They will be auctioned to help children.

One of the photographs you can bid on. (16X20).  Signed by the artist.

 One of my paintings (16X20)

On Sunday, October 16, an event to help Guatemalan orphans will be held in my area (Southern Illinois). The Hope for Tomorrow Children’s Home in Guatemala will hold a fundraiser at the Walker's Bluff Vineyard (Reed Station Rd.) between Noon and 6PM. If you’re already in the area, it will be worth the trip. If you live several hundred miles away, it would be a great excuse to visit Southern Illinois’ famous wine trail and beautiful vineyards. Don’t forget your camera gear. If you can come, I will see you there.

I can already tell you that my artwork is worth many thousands of dollars, maybe millions.  However, I'll bet that you can get it for a lot less, although I hope you'll bid as much as you can -- afterall, it's to help children who can really use your help.  A friend of mine, also a fine photographer and artist, Steve McLaughlin, is also donating one of his paintings. His artwork is worth billions.  I hope you'll believe all that I'm telling you because children are at stake. However, his artwork has truly inspired me, and if you get his painting, you'll be very lucky, indeed.

Please take a look at this article in The Southern Illinoian about the Hope for Tomorrow Children's Home.

If, however, you’re not able to attend, please consider a tax deductable donation to this very worthy cause. Also, consider sponsoring a child. Check out the Hope for Tomorrow Children’s Home website and you’ll understand the importance of the cause and also that this is a legitimate charity that will make a real difference in the lives of children. Information on helping can be found within the website.

You can view my website at: http://www.tombellart.com/.

International Photo Award Honorable Mentions

I recieved word that I recieved four honorable mentions in the 2011 International Photography Awards.  Congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions.  My honorable mentions are below.

One of five photos from the series "Mayan Women."

One of two photos from the series "Holy Cross Chapel, Slovakia."



One of five photos from the series "Views of Antigua."

One of one photos: "The Bus Esmeralda."

See all the winners at: http://www.photoawards.com/.

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com/.

2nd WPGA Black & White Awards

I was surprised to learn that I have received  First, Second, and Third place awards in the Worldwide Photographic Gala Awards (WPGA)  2nd Edition B&W Photography Awards.  Additionally, there was also a Special Mention of the Jury.

 Loyal readers of my blog will remember the very first photo I ever published on this blog back in November of 2009.  In my first entry Learning Photoshop and my Dog have a Lot in Common, I wrote a sort-of-true story about my dog, Mr. Watson. The photo posted along with it was the one that won first place in the category of Animals and Wildlife.  Upon seeing the photo, a professional photographer wrote to me: "I feel I can communicate with this animal from his portrait."  Needless to say, you can see the intelligence in his eyes.  For more on that, be sure to read the 2009 entry.


Mr. Watson.  First Place in Animals and Wildlife category

The other two winners are a landscape and a street scene I photographed several years ago in Slovakia.  I waited until last year to process the images as black & white photographs.

Old Bratislava Street.  Second Place in Cityscapes and Street Photography category.

Holy Cross Chapel Landscape.  Third place in Landscape category.

The Special Mention of the Jury was the Arch of Santa Catalina in Antigua, Guatemala.

Arch of Santa Catalina, Guatemala.  Special Mention of the Jury (Cityscapes).

Congratulations to all the winners.  You can see them here.

My website is at:  http://www.tombellart.com/.

You Can Go Back - For Photographs

Everyone was away from home, so I decided to take a drive, camera beside me, to see the old Pomona General Store.  It was only forty minutes away, with nighttime and stormy skies approaching.  The last time I'd been there in the 1980's, the store was a tourist attraction on the way to a natural bridge formation in the Shawnee National Forest.  I remembered it fondly as a functioning piece of history, that still served sandwiches and Green River soda from an old-fashioned fountain. That was then. Now, it is a very different place.  As I pulled up, it was obviously both neglected and well-kept, with customers a long-forgotten memory. Flowers were in a bed on the porch, but it was also grown up around the building.  I was lucky in that the light was dramatic end-of-day light, with even more dramatic storm clouds in the background.  It was perfect for both black & white and color efforts. 

Click on each image for a larger view.  Use the browser's back button to get back.

After a few minutes the light was gone, and I drove home.  I had gone back, though, to a place that still exudes the character of another time.  I suppose this place will still be here in another thirty or fifty years, maybe longer.  I hope so; otherwise, it will be a very lonely and desolate spot. These are the type of places made for photography.

You can view my web site at http://www.tombellart.com/