SkyBlueSky

Food, Fun, Photography, Friendship - Sapanca Workshop, September, 2013

 

What a fantastic week! 8 participants and an action packed 5 days of shooting, cooking, eating and hanging out in beautiful Lake Sapanca, Turkey.

(Above : A stilted 'Ambar' or rice bar, located a short walk from Zeliş Çifliği where the workshop was located.)

By Wednesday I realized that I was so excited by participant work that I almost forgot to take any photos of my own. Of course, I slipped in a few shots at a couple of off site locations where we worked. 

(Above : A barber shop in Göynük. About 10 minutes after this shot was taken I manned the chair myself for a clean, close shave.)

A special thanks to Olga Irez for her fantastic cooking demonstrations and beautiful, delicious dishes and to the family and staff at Zeliş Çifliği for their warm, Turkish hospitality. So nice to have met so many interesting people and to make new friends. Watch this space for future workshops in 2014! 

(Above : (first photo) An SUV ride to a 'yayla' or high plain where we had tea and photographed a self described 'hermit. (second photo) Off road afficanado and overall cool dude. One of the drivers that took us up to the 'yayla'.)

For me one of the the beauties of photography is that everyone has a strength. In many cases participants stood side by side and all ended up with completely different photos that reflected those strengths and translated their visions. Everyone pushed themselves to learn new skills and develop their story telling ability. I could not have been more proud of the results. Check out their work here (note : open in full screen mode and turn on captions for credits and additional links):

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Muchas Gracias, Ciudad de México!

Recently back from a week-long assignment in Mexico City.

I arrived (less my luggage, which didn't make the flight with me) in Mexico City at 1am, exhausted after a 30-hour trip from Bangkok, where I had to spend the night after flying out of Penang. I filled out the lost luggage report and found a taxi outside the by-now deserted airport, wondering if in the morning someone would be filling out a "lost" report on me. But the drive to the hotel was uneventful -- though I couldn't help but notice the flashing police lights all over the city. (I later learned that in Mexico City the police park their cars and leave their lights on, broadcasting their location as both a deterrent to crime and an aid to anyone who might need their assistance.)

Out on the streets the next morning I found a different reality - that Mexico City is a truly beautiful city. Bonus: its residents are some of the friendliest folks I've ever met.

I met J and his puppy Lil' Scooby on a minibus. He got on after I did, and when a seat near him opened up I moved over and asked if I could take their photo. He spoke some English, a really personable young guy. Lil' Scooby's a pit bull, and I was a little concerned that he might be a future fight dog; I know that, as with cocks, if you want to fight a dog you need to handle it alot while it's young. When I emailed the photos to J I expressed the hope that he'd take good care of his puppy. He responded right away, assuring me that he would.

Oh yeah -- I ate pretty well that week too.

Quesadilla with fresh squash blossoms and habanero salsa at Mercado Merced.

I just loved this city and it's people, and I can't wait to go back. I need to hold back most of the photos I made that week till after article I shot is published -- but I hope these images give you an idea why.

 

The Blacksmiths of Maraş

On a cold, rain mixed with snow day in Kahramanmaraş I watched blacksmiths and coppersmiths transform crude lumps of metal into knives, kebap skewers, door hinges and tea pots. Brothers worked side by side in shops they had inherited from their fathers. Little was said as the pieces came out one by one, all handmade, all unique to the person that had made them.

 

For more of what I'm up to in Turkey click here for an interview with me in photo agency Wonderful Machine's blog.

Orange, Blue, and Fog

We recently spent 2 days at Malaysia's Fraser's Hill where we worked on an upcoming food story. Fraser's Hill is at 1500 meters above sea level making it possibly the only place in Malaysia where I have actually felt compelled to wear a jacket. The fog reminded me of a slightly more humid northern California.

 
Minus the non-Californian wildlife (Berkeley excluded).

Get Prints - Give Prints! Just in time for the holidays!

Looking for the perfect gift or just tired of starring at your blank walls? Then I have just the solution for you. Head on over to my virtual gallery where I'm offering a limited time 20% discount on all prints and merchandise. To receive the discount simply insert the coupon code EATINGASIA in the discount code box when you check out. Photoshelter will take care of the rest.

 
Take a look around my galleries of images shot on travels and assignments around the world. To make it easier I've organized a 'Top Picks' gallery of top selling images as well as 'Your Kitchen Wall' which are suggested images that I think would look great in your kitchen or dining room.

US, Europe, Australia orders typically ship within 2 working days of order placement (although given the time of year give yourself a few days extra if you want it under the tree).

If you don't see what you are looking for drop me a line at [email protected] and I'll take a look through my archives.

Happy holidays!

The Heavy Lifting

It's no news that China has grown exponentially in the last decade. I lived there twice, once in the mid-80's and again the mid-90's so a trip back earlier this year was 'mind blowing' to say the least. But one thing that struck me was that China is being constructed (or deconstructed ) almost entirely by hand.

Everywhere you look there are the tell tale hardhats giving the impression that every other person is either a construction worker or moonlights as one on the side.

 

The workers are usually from the countryside, the city folk call them 'potatoes' and look down at them never acknowledging the vital role these people are playing in China's transformation.

The irony is that they will probably never get a chance to enjoy the cities that they have built.

Dock of the Bay

Last week, in Jakarta, I was drawn back Sunda Kelapa port .  Additional photographs and a much more eloquent explanation of the place can be found here.

  

The movement seems constant with the ships themselves providing these almost movie set like backdrops.

And the faces that have seen it all.

More to come..

The Barber of Jogja

There is dignity and honor in an honest day's work. These are shots from a larger piece of work I have begun on work that documents the people that really make the world go around.

Tools of the trade.