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.

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Photographing American Pride for the Fourth of July

There are many proud Americans who demonstrate patriotism and love-of-country in the days surrounding the 4th of July.  Red, white and blue flags and banners wave off mailboxes, porches, and flower boxes.  People celebrate with barbecue and Budweiser and fireworks.  They remember the sacrifices our ancestors made to forge a new country, and those that every generation since have made to secure liberty and freedom for the most exceptional of nations.

My hometown of Makanda, Illinois is one small village where patriotism is alive and well. Each 4th of July, I'm always impressed by the efforts made by the owner of an old abandoned house at the entrance to  town.  It appears that the roof of the house is caving in and moss covers much of it, but because of its location, an American flag and a window box with flowers and a patriotic theme are on display and highly visible  to everyone leaving the Makanda boardwalk and heading back to the civilization of Carbondale or beyond.

The boardwalk of Makanda is a tourist stop and setting for artists' studios. It has an amazing history which you can view here.  You may click on photographs in this blog for a larger view.

Every year before the 4th of July, an American flag appears on this abandoned house.

Look closely and you'll see an American flag in the flower box. Maybe the frog on the bicycle is that great American hero, Kermit.  If you remember The Muppet Movie, Kermit was quite the cyclist.

I hope you all have a happy 4th of July.

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

Searching for Silver with the iPhone

Many will say that you don't need an expensive SLR anymore since everyone now has an iPhone or some other smartphone with a high resolution camera.  I totally disagree, as will most very serious photographers.  However, the iPhone is a great backup for the serious photographer.

I was with my son on the campus of the University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign to get him registered for classes when I noticed a bed of hostas.  I realized I could get some beautiful silver tones in a black and white print.  I hadn't brought my primary camera since I wasn't on a photographic mission.  But the iPhone certainly served the purpose.  Here's the photo to prove that its always a good thing to carry a camera, even when its your your phone.

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

Tulips for Spring Photography

It's spring, and many photographers are out capturing the natural beauty of flowers.  Flowers in their gardens; blooms at the side of the road; wildflowers deep in the woods.

However, the tulips in the photo below came to our house as a gift, and were placed in a vase.

I took them to the front porch and, using a long lens, captured them against my front lawn.  I saw no need to include the vase.  After all, it's about capturing more than the exact reality of the setting.  Yes, they look nice in color, but I like b&w.

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

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

Don't Forget Your Camera. You'll Be Sorry.

In my last blog entry, I mentioned a wonderful event to raise funds for the Hope for Tomorrow Children’s Home in Guatemala City. The event was held yesterday at the Orlandini Vineyard in Southern Illinois, one of the many fine vineyards on the Southern Illinois Wine Trail (If you’re not from around here, you probably didn’t know we produce some very fine wines in Illinois). I would say well over one hundred people attended and the event was well received. I drank some delicious wine, but I also had the opportunity to take some photographs (Yes, they were still in focus, thank you!).


The day started with me picking my 14 year-old son up from camp, an hour away from Carbondale. For whatever reason (I’ll blame it on the wine, although that came hours later), I forgot my camera, a Nikon D-90. Alongside the road, I noticed white flowers, the perfect subject for nature photography. I had loaned my D-70 to my son to take photos in camp. As we drove back, I took the older D-70 in hand, parked by the roadside, and spent fifteen minutes head -deep in weeds, photographing these beautiful wildflowers.

Wildflower alongside the road, near Vienna, Illinois. 

 If you know what this flower is called, please send me an email.

Click phototo enlarge.

Another wildflower.  Also, please email me if you know what this is.

Click photo to enlarge.

Three hours later, when my son and I were on the way to the vineyard for the fundraiser, I had the D-90 with me. I had never thought to stop and shoot pics of the local vines, but they were a great subject for photography.

Gape vines at the Orlandini Vineyard.

Click photo to enlarge.

Today’s lesson, don’t forget your best camera, even if you aren’t thinking of taking photographs.  Also, check out the Hope for Tomorrow Children’s Home. It will made you feel good to know you have helped someone in need.

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