Swan Island Dahlia Festival, 2017
In Canby, Oregon, a small farm called Swan Island has declared itself the dahlia flower capital of America. Once you visit, and walk through the explosions of color, it's hard to disagree. The only creatures happier there than flower-loving photographers are the bees. They ecstatically buzz like electrons around every flower...
Hot Air Balloons at Northwest Art & Air Festival in Albany, Oregon
In August 2017, we visited the Northwest Art & Air Festival in Albany, Oregon. The event started at Timber Linn Park with 35 hot air balloons slowly taking to the sky at 6:45am. The colors and the sounds were amazing fun. The sky was a hazy brown due to forest fires in the Cascade Mountains nearby (here's hoping no one gets hurt or loses their home!), but it made for a lovely sunrise at least.
Come See Turkey, Day 4: Sümela Monastery
On the fourth day of my Come See Turkey 2014 adventure, we ventured to Trabzon to see the Sümela Monastery. Built in 386 CE by Roman monks, the monastery is a series of buildings, like a small village, carved right into the side of a huge cliff. A good word for it would be breathtaking. Though many sections were rebuilt a number of times over the centuries, the overall site remains intact. Thankfully many ancient frescoes still cover some areas top to bottom with wild images and colors. A fascinating look back directly into the early Christian era...
Come See Turkey, Day 3: Grand Bazaar of Istanbul
The Grand Bazaar (Büyük Çarşı or Kapalıçarşı in Turkish) in Istanbul is full of life and sound and wonderful aromas. The sense of history weighs on you everywhere, and more recently it's been the location for a number of fun films, like James Bond Skyfall. The guides from Come See Turkey took us up onto the roof in a few places for some spectacular views of the city...
Come See Turkey, Day 3: Balat Neighborhood
On the morning of my third day on my Come See Turkey trip, we left the hotel in Karaköy, crossed the Galata Bridge, and explored the Balat neighborhood in Istanbul. I'd say this area is best described as colorful, beautiful decay. Every nook and corner provides another great photo opportunity. I could have stayed there all day, but of course many other adventures awaited...
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
I visited the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, in June 2017. It not only has exhibits of gorgeous glass art, but it also has a very large glassblowing studio where you can watch world-class artists in residence...
Come See Turkey, Day 3: Topkapİ Palace
In the middle of day three of my Come See Turkey trip, we visited the Topkapi Palace. When the Ottomans conquered the city 500 years ago, they rebuilt the ruined Roman imperial palace and administration complex into what would eventually become called Topkapi. Though renovated over the centuries, much of the original complex remains. And to my delight, they grow many, many tulips...
Come See Turkey, Day 3: Sultan Ahmet Mosque
On my third day in Istanbul for my Come See Turkey trip, we stopped by for a quick visit to the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, often called the Blue Mosque because of the bright turquoise tilework in the building's interior. So lovely...
Come See Turkey, Day 3: Hagia Sophia
In the middle of the third day of my Come See Turkey trip, we explored the magnificent Hagia Sophia, aka the Ayasofya. What was once the Romans' first Christian cathedral and then a mosque under the Ottomans, it is now a very popular museum (and deservedly so). And though it stands as an astonishing testament to Roman architecture, it would not be standing at all if not for Ottoman architects maintaining it...
Come See Turkey, Day 2: Istanbul
The trip kicked into high gear here on day two. We started off the day with a press conference with reporters from across the area. Many of us were interviewed individually after the conference. (Additionally a crew from Turkish television accompanied us on nearly the whole trip.)