MY CRAZY EXPERIENCE ON GERMANY'S REUNIFICATION DAY

Germany’s Reunification Day…On October 3, 1990, I boarded a flight to Hungary where I was to work as an English teacher.  It was my first time out of the country and the trials of international travel had no meaning to me.  After a series of late/missed connections on TWA, I was rerouted to Munich where I would connect with a flight to Budapest.  That flight was also late, so I arrived to a completely closed Munich airport.  My connecting flight was long gone.  TWA had abandoned me.  My luggage must have arrived earlier as I found it lined up on the wall with several others.  It was busted open with my clothes haphazardly stuffed back in. I found myself standing in a dark terminal (with a broken suitcase) completely lost.  It was 1990 and there were no cell phones or internet.  I walked outside the airport to look around.  It was dark, the parking lot was empty and there were no taxis. I was scared and alone.

A Lufthansa gate agent was just leaving when she saw me.  When I explained what had happened, she got out her pen and started filling out papers.  She handed me vouchers for taxi transfers to and from the Penta Hotel, a night’s stay at the Penta, dinner, breakfast and a flight on Lufthansa to Budapest the following morning. Of course, she didn’t have to do any of this.  I hadn’t flown on Lufthansa. But what I didn’t know was, it was Germany’s reunification day.  East and West were now one.  The entire country was celebrating, businesses and services were closed and finding a hotel room, taxi or any help was next to impossible. I really don’t know what would have happened to me if she hadn’t shown up.

This afternoon,  27 years to the day, I will be on another Lufthansa flight.  This time, I’m flying to Spain with my Mom. Three decades later, and the memories of how that employee helped me in my desperate situation are still vivid.  I hold Lufthansa Airlines in very high regard. 

Happy Anniversary, Germany!

Cross Country Road Trip 2017-Hippies, Bridges & Barns

Have you ever spent the night in a barn?  Would you believe that I have?! Behind a cornfield in Rockville, Indiana, I found the coolest old barn with a converted bedroom downstairs. I can't wait to tell you about it.

But first, I had to get there. The initial leg of my road trip got me from Texas to Oklahoma. Next, I traveled into the beautiful mountains of Northwest Arkansas in search of Eureka Springs. 

Continuing on county highways, the roads became more crooked and more hilly. I had to suppress the urge to cry "Weeee!" as I hugged the curves at speeds a tiny bit faster than I should have. The roads were trimmed with every color of wildflower I think I've ever seen. The mid-day sun streaked through the trees as if it was trying to spotlight the flowers just for me. All this amazing scenery made it difficult to stay focused on the winding road. 

On the winding road to Eureka Springs, I found this neat old barn that 
appeared be reclaimed by the forest. 

Soon, I arrived in the historic and artsy town of Eureka Springs. Founded in 1879, it became famous for its healing powers of the spring water. Today it's popular for its arts community, Victorian homes and funky downtown.

I spent a couple of hours exploring the shops that lined the split level downtown area. To say there was a hippy vibe is a bit of an understatement. The shops were very unique with names like Hippie Biker Chick and tattoo parlors in Victorian era storefronts. But it's the laid back and free spirited locals who really give the town its flavor. One man said to me, "It's where the misfits have come together to fit in."

It's important to me to always contribute to a community I visit, even if it's only something small.  I found a cute little handmade soap shop (made locally of course!) with a very sweet and helpful saleslady. Wanting something really unique, I chose Unicorn Farts soap for my daughter. Yep, I bought that.

The rest of the day I spent exploring the countryside driving through the forests. At one point, the road brought me to an old bridge.  I stopped and stared at it.  Was I supposed to cross this thing? Was it still in use? Was it safe? It was an old one-lane wooden bridge and I couldn't see all the way to the other side.  After seeing another car cross it, I shrugged my shoulders and got back in the car.  I drove cautiously over White River hoping I wouldn't encounter another car coming from the other direction.  It would not have been easy to drive backwards to where I started. Of course, everything went fine and I came out the other side to the picturesque town of Beaver. 

The "Little Golden Gate of Arkansas",  built in 1949, crosses the White River in Beaver, AR

Beaver is a quiet and nostalgic waterfront community and campground. The locals appear to be involved citizens, happy to share their slice of heaven with visitors. As I was setting up my camera gear on the banks of the river, I saw residents riding around on golf carts. Every so often, they would stop to pick up wayward trash and continue on with a smile and a wave.

The banks of the White River

A stone barn on the Arkansas/Missouri border. 

The next day, I drove into Missouri towards Rolla in the Mark Twain National Forest.  Most of my drive in the southern portion of the state was on county roads with lake or mountain views. Doing my best to avoid the crowded area of Branson, I enjoyed a day of gorgeous scenery.

With just enough good sun left, I threw my bags down when I got to my Rolla Airbnb and drove to Maramec Spring Park in St. James (just north of Rolla).

This beautiful oasis is home to one of the largest springs in Missouri with an average daily flow of 1 billion gallons of water. The spring provides a good environment for trout and for the local fly fisherman. I spent my time walking the property and enjoying the views.

Maramec Springs

Later, I took the historic drive through the back of the park learning about the Maramec Ironworks that was there in the 1800's. I read the stories about the men who worked there and their families. It was back-breaking and dangerous work, yet, they were grateful for their jobs. It was a subtle lesson in perspective and humility that I carried in the back of my mind for the rest of the trip. 

Bright and early the next day, I ventured on to Indiana. I really had little choice but to take the interstate as I drove east towards Illinois. The drive in and around St. Louis was so awful that I practically had to peel my fingers off the steering wheel when I finally got to Illinois. If I ever make that trip again, I will remain on county roads and I don't care how long it takes. 

It took most of the day to get to my final destination in Rockville, IN where my old red barn was waiting for me.  I didn't mind the long drive a bit. Indiana had long stretches of pretty farmland with darling old towns every so often to break up the drive.

A barn in western Indiana. 

The closer I got to Rockville, the more I fell in love with Indiana.  The communities I drove through were so peaceful and charming...and pristine. And the barns!! More red barns and silos than I could ever photograph in a lifetime!

Finally, I arrived to my home for the night, an old red barn built in 1938.  It was located at the back of a large cornfield in a remote but beautiful area. The owner left it open for me, so I went inside to explore. When I opened the door, I saw a big staircase that went to the upper level.  My bedroom was downstairs, to the right.  It had a giant comfy bed, sitting area, mini-fridge and microwave. There was something that looked like a large cast iron stove in the middle of the room.  I'm guessing it was used to heat the room in the snowy winters. There was no internet or cable but who cared? It was VERY rustic and basic, just like the old barn itself.  I didn't mind at all. It's what I expected. And it's what I wanted. 

I was wiped out from the drive but that didn't stop me from spending the entire evening taking photos and exploring the property.  There were so many cool old things to photograph my head was spinning.  I tried to imagine what life was like for the people who built the barn 80 years ago.   

My new friend stretching his legs. 

An enormous black bunny showed up and followed me around all evening.   When the owner came by later to check on me, he said it was a wild rabbit.  I  didn't know rabbits in the wild looked like that.  When I sat outside and ate my dinner of cherry tomatoes and cheese sticks, the rabbit sat at my feet. I tried to feed it some of my tomatoes but he wasn't interested. I imagine he partakes in the all-you-can-eat buffet in the owner's vegetable garden.  

At sunset, a blanket of gold covered the fields and barn.  It was gorgeous. I watched as the sky changed from blue to gold to pink and eventually to black. 

The cornfield that surrounded the barn.

When it got too dark to take photos anymore, I went inside to clean up for the night.  Then, I remembered the owner said deer would come out after dark so I went back outside to see.  Boy did I get a surprise!  The fields were shrouded in darkness but just above them was a fireworks display of fireflies.  We don't get them where I live in Texas so to see any at all was fun.  But there were zillions of them all around me...everywhere!  I started to laugh and clap my hands like a little kid. This place was awesome.

An old outhouse.

That's right about the time I heard the first coyote. Then another and another. The reality of my isolation finally sunk in. I immediately went inside, got in bed and pulled the covers over my head.  Extreme exhaustion must have caused me to be overly anxious.  I'm embarrassed to say what I did next. To drown out the sound of the coyotes, I popped in a DVD the owner had by the TV. The entire 4th season of The Big Bang Theory kept me company throughout the night (volume turned way up) so I could finally fall asleep.

The next morning, I rolled my eyes at myself for acting like such a girl. Coyotes don't eat people. Right?? I drank my coffee outside looking for my long-eared friend. I never did see him again and tried not to connect dots back to the coyotes. 

With the sun now on the opposite side of the property, I tried to take as many sunrise photos as I could. Everything was just as beautiful as the night before.

With a long drive ahead of me up the Lake Michigan coastline, it was time to say goodbye to my awesome red barn. My heart was full. 

States: 6
Miles Driven: 1200

Cross Country Road Trip 2017-Oklahoma!

The most important part of a road trip is the time spent on the road. What makes a solo road trip great is that only YOU get to decide how you spend that time.  For me, it's an incredible opportunity to see, learn and experience. I look forward to all of the small towns, historic sites, and cool landscapes I will get to discover and explore. This means, however, that my journey between two destinations will usually take twice as long as what GPS says. And that's ok!

If at all possible, I avoid interstates. County roads and state highways offer much more in the way of impressive terrain and curious towns. Traffic is less hostile making roadside pullovers less dangerous. When you take photos on the side of the road as often as I do, this is really an important issue. (I have been wind blasted by an alarmingly close 18-wheeler one too many times.)

My road trip this year began traveling to Edmond, Oklahoma.  If you have never been to the Sooner State then maybe tumble weeds rolling through the desert filled with rattlesnakes come to mind. Oklahoma is actually very diverse, with 11 different ecoregion. You can find everything from Rocky Mountain foothills to swamps, prairies and pine-covered mountains.  (I'm quite sure you can find tumbleweeds and rattlesnakes, too)

For me, it is the rolling hills, lush countryside, quaint farmland and giant skies that I love. My favorite part of the drive is when the highway goes high up on the hills providing unbelievable panoramic views. And the sunsets....

A wide angle angle lens works well for powerful sunset photos.
Don't give up hope if the sky is overcast at sunset.  Sometimes there is a break in the sky at the very last moment.  The remaining clouds bounce back the refracted color of the sunlight as an added bonus!

Exiting the highway around Davis, OK I was able to explore some of Honey Creek.  

Early the next morning, I drove East on Highway 33 towards Broken Arrow. Passing through the Iowa Nation and later Sac and Fox Nation, I felt compelled to do a bit of research in Native American history.

First, I learned that Oklahoma is a Muskogean Indian word meaning "Red People".  Twenty-six of our states' names are Native American words.  Next, I learned that Broken Arrow, Oklahoma was settled by the Creek Indians who were forced to leave their home in Broken Arrow, Alabama in what is called the Trail of Tears.  There seems to be different versions of the exact details.

When I got to the town of Cushing, I stopped in the historic downtown to stretch my legs. The town was originally part of the Sac and Fox reservation until the land run in 1891. It was a Monday morning but the downtown area was very quiet, eerily quiet. I learned that since its oil boom 100 years ago, the town has been in decline.

While walking around I found this cool mural on the side of an old building.
I think its important for these old towns to preserve its history.

"Binding Contract" by Bradford J. Williams is a bronze sculpture in Broken Arrow.  

Pretty cool, huh?

An interesting building on the backside of Main Street. I like their resourcefulness 
in building their split rail fence. 
Shooting in the middle of the day with a bright sun is not ideal.  I used polarizing and neutral density filters on my lens to knock down some of the brightness on the above 2 photos. 

There was still a lot of driving ahead of me so I didn't stay in Broken Arrow long. My final destination was Eureka Springs, AR.  I spent the rest of the day's journey driving up and down swooshing green hills and whipping around winding roads. It was a lot of fun!

My road trip was off to a great start. It was a beautiful drive. Thanks, Oklahoma. 

States: 2

Miles driven: 475

SHOOT BETTER: Composition

Southern Croatia

Have you ever looked at an image and not understood why you liked it?  There was something about it that moved you but you just couldn’t put your finger on it.  (And you really wished you could figure it out so your photos could look that good!)   

More than likely, it was the photo’s composition. Good composition makes for a good image. Without it, the viewer can be left uninspired or even confused.

What is composition anyway?  And what makes it good? In photography, it refers to how you fill your frame, the way you organize and balance the details of the image.  It’s how you tell your story.

What makes it good is harder to define.  As in any art, there is no right or wrong, only the artist’s vision. There are, however, techniques and guidelines that can help you more effectively and even more profoundly tell your story.

Rule of Thirds & Negative Space

While Rule of Thirds and Negative Space are two different composition tools, I almost always use them together when setting up a shot.

If you’ve ever taken an art class, you are probably familiar with Rule of Thirds.  Imagine a tic-tac-toe board over your image. Anywhere the lines intersect is where the strongest focal points will be.  The eye is naturally drawn to these areas. 

Negative space is the area around the subject.  It isn't necessarily empty space.  (Think of your subject as the positive space.)  When used with Rule of Thirds, the negative space pushes your eye to the subject.  It can be quite effective, even dramatic. At the very least, it balances your photo. 

Shooting from atop a mountain sounds like a cool idea but it can be challenging.  Distance and haze can create a flat image without a lot of detail and no real focal point. 

From the top of Pike's Peak

A better idea is to travel down the mountain so you can get more detail in your photo. By adding the rocky foreground into the left and bottom thirds of the image, my photo has a clear and interesting subject. 

Pike's Peak, Colorado

Once while hiking, I found the forest floor to be very lush and colorful. I decided to get down on the ground and capture a mushroom in its wonderful environment.  In the first image, the mushroom is directly centered in the composition. It's static and not much else seems to be of any significance. It's just ok.  The photo below has the mushroom positioned in the lower right third of the image.  

Now the forest in the background becomes part of the story. It's no longer just about the mushroom but about its place in the forest.  

Don't be afraid to get down on your belly! It's a great perspective!
Ouachita National Forest, Oklahoma

The expression "Can't see the forest for the trees" accurately describes the dilemma when taking photos in the woods.  With so many trees, what is your focal point? The branches and leaves make the image busy and chaotic. The viewer is not sure what to look at.

A better composition is to focus on one of the tree trunks and apply the rule of thirds. Your eye is drawn to the color and texture of  the trunk and the background of colorful leaves completes the story.  Now there can be peace in the forest. 

Hot Springs, Arkansas 

Rule of thirds doesn't just apply to one section of an image.  The composition in this photo brings your eye to the flowers in the bottom left third and then to the mountains in the top right third.  Not only is it well balanced but it tells a more complete story. 

Oak Creek, Colorado

In this beach scene, the plants are in the bottom left third, boy in the bottom right and sky in the top third. By spending just an extra couple of seconds thinking about this setup I got a much better photo than if I had centered him without the plants. 

Eleuthera, Bahamas

Get creative when taking beach photos.  There's lots of interesting things going on around you.  Waves splashing on rocks is one of my favorites.  (And because waves never stop coming you will have plenty of opportunity to get it right!)

The wave splashing in the bottom right third gives the image movement.

Pakoštane, Croatia

The best thing about a rule is breaking it.  There are times that a centered composition is much more effective.  In the photo below, centering this 400 year old oak tree makes the image powerful. 

Angel Oak
Johns Island, South Carolina

Come back next time for more helpful composition tips for your travel photography!

SHOOT BETTER, TRAVEL BETTER, LIVE BETTER!