I’m really excited to be the featured photographer in this month’s Travel Longer magazine. I had a great time talking with Billy Taylor about some of my recent travels to Jordan and Iceland and you can both watch the video interview and read it in the current issue of this exciting new iPad publication.

I truly enjoyed seeing last month’s issue that featured the awesome work of long time National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry and was really happy to be asked to have my work featured in the following issue.

Traditional magazines are taking a hit from online publications and things like iPad magazines are an evolutionary step to a future that will be even more web based for newspapers and magazines.

I think that photographers should be especially excited about new magazines like Travel Longer since the way they showcase images is awesome to say the least. The photographs are so crisp and vivid and when seeing them on a Retina screen iPad… Wow!

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”

~ Henry Miller

Hard to believe that it’s been almost a year since I was last in Iceland and I can’t wait to be back. I’ll be there both in June and in September to co-lead a couple of photography workshop/tours with my buddy Colby Brown. Looking back at the initial trip to Iceland last May during the interview was a nice reminder of what an amazingly beautiful place Iceland is. This time I’ll have the privilege to see the amazement on people’s faces as they witness Iceland’s natural beauty for the first time. The whole country is a photographer’s paradise and one of those places that makes me smile just by thinking about it. I’ve got another big grin on my face right now as well  as I write this while sitting in another photographer’s paradise… Tuscany!

After one quick night in Rome, I’m in the beautiful Tuscan countryside scouting locations for future workshops I’ll be co-hosting with my friend and fellow Italy lover Elia Locardi. While Iceland has the raw natural beauty that is unrivalled by any place on earth, Italy has the historic sites, the manicured landscapes, the art, culture, and food. Certainly two of my favourite places on earth.

“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls.”

~ Anaïs Nin

On this trip I’ll be visiting and photographing Rome, Venice, Cinque Terre, and Tuscany while using some new gear from my friends at Induro tripods, Zeiss Lenses, Fujifilm, and Formatt-Hitech. I’ve done a major upgrade this year in terms of replacing old gear with some new cameras, lenses, and accessories. There is always some new photo equipment on the market to test and try and I can’t think of a better place to do so that here in Italy.

While all I can do for now is share a few iPhone photos from Italy, it should give you an idea of what’s in store for future blog posts and for you if you decide to join Elia and myself in Italy on our upcoming workshop & tour.

Ciao!

Get a free trial subscription to Travel Longer!

For my readers Travel Longer (published exclusively for iPad on the Apple Newsstand) is offering a 3 month trial subscription for free. Here’s how to get it on your iPad:

To get the three months for free, use the code:  kaminesky (all lower case, no spaces) then…

Head to http://travellonger.com/code  to read how to use the code or just download the app from the Apple App Store: http://bit.ly/Tlapp

Hope you enjoy the magazine!

Enjoy more travel photos and stories:

Beautiful Budapest and the Hungarian State Opera House

What’s in a word? Well… When that word is “WOW” quite a lot actually. Wow doesn’t even comeView full post »

Incredible Photo Editing Software Deals

Editor’s note: The onOne sale is now over and but the Nik Collection remains at its great new low price. Check outView full post »

Art on the Road: Chicago

Like most travellers who live in North America I had been to Chicago countless times before this trip and like most ofView full post »

Italy, Iceland, Sweden… Living the Life!

I’m exhausted.   It’s like a cross between a “good tired” and burnout. I know what you’re thinking. StopView full post »

In Savannah, Timing is Everything!

The right place at the right time The beautiful city of Savannah, Georgia, is like any other place when it comes toView full post »

The post Travel Longer… With me! appeared first on Ken Kaminesky Travel Photography Blog.

The Florence Cathedral at Sunset

In the last few years I’ve had the privilege of working with some very good people at several companies that I really believe in. Life as a professional photographer sure has changed in the last decade. There have been several drastic upheavals in the world of photography in these ten years, especially when the whole digital age came about and replaced film and film cameras.

Another major change for me has been the whole social media revolution. In my previous life as a stock photographer, it wasn’t remotely necessary for me to be well-known or popular. So long as I was doing my job well for the agencies that I worked with and produce the quality of images that they were seeking, everything was okay. Oh how times have changed.

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”

~Lao Tzu

Change can be good. Change can be bad. It’s pretty much what you make it, right?

There’s no point dwelling on the changes that have been negative. I’d much rather concentrate on the good changes that have happened, and that are happening right now.

Fujifilm Cameras and Lenses

Part of those good changes are the affiliations, sponsorships, and partnerships that I have developed with several companies over the last few years. I’d like to think that they see these relationships with me equally as positive. There’s something to be said about mutually beneficial partnerships where we all have common goals and share a passion for photography and travel.

Lucky for me that I am in photography; an industry so well suited to celebrating travel, culture, nature, architecture, and so many of the things that are dear to my heart. It’s a great profession to be in but I couldn’t do it without help and support. That’s where my sponsors and partners come into play.

I am heading off to Italy in under two weeks to work on several projects for companies like Induro Tripods, Fujifilm, Format – Hitech, Zeiss, and a smaller company known as Ken Kaminesky photography.

Induro Tripods

I’ll also be scouting locations for an upcoming series of workshops I’ll be leading along with my good friend and awesome photographer Elia Locardi. We will be using the Fuji X-E1 mirrorless cameras along with the whole series of Fuji lenses to help us scout and document the regions of Tuscany, Liguria, and Veneto. To make things even better we will have our kits of Formatt – Hitech filters to help us get long exposure images and I can’t wait to see the results. The icing on the cake for me is the series of Zeiss lenses for my Canon system that I’ll be bringing along to help me photograph the locations in the photographer’s paradise known as Italy.

I’m feeling like a kid on the night before his birthday with all this new gear to play with. See what I mean about good change?

I really am in good company.

Zeiss Lenses

What a great time to be a photographer! There is so much awesome gear, software, and accessories available right now to help us all take wonderful images. I love it!

If you want to see what kind of photo equipment, computer gear, and software I’m using these days to help me capture the photos I share here on my blog, take a look at the cool new gear page I added to the blog. I’ll be continuously tweaking it to reflect the stuff I use and like. If something is listed on those pages, I use it or have used it in the past and liked it.

Incredible Photo Editing Software Deals

Editor’s note: The onOne sale is now over and but the Nik Collection remains at its great new low price. Check outView full post »

Going the extra mile

Don’t be upset by the results you didn’t get with the work you didn’t do. After I arrive at a destination, likeView full post »

My Marketing Adventure part 5: Developing My Brand Strategy

It’s Not How it Looks. It’s How it Works.   I knew that developing the design elements of my branding strategyView full post »

Torre Telefonica designed by Santiago Calatrava, Barcelona, Spain

I thought that I’d stay on the Olympic theme today in honour of all the athletes and volunteers that worked soView full post »

An Afternoon at the Regal Hotel Imperial in Vienna

A Grand Entrance As I meandered along the Käerntner Ring on my first summer morning in Vienna, I stopped inView full post »

The post I’m in good company appeared first on Ken Kaminesky Travel Photography Blog.

When that word is “WOW” quite a lot actually.

Wow doesn’t even come close to covering it when it comes to the Hungarian State Opera House and I think you see why in the photos. I’d urge anyone who is lucky enough to visit this awesome city to visit or take a tour of the building. It would surprise me if you didn’t a similar reaction as I did when you first walk in and see the lavish neo-Renaissance decor. Once again with the wow!

“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”

~Victor Hugo

Certainly one of the nicest things about what I do with my work is getting opportunities to have places like this all to myself. In this case myself, my guide from the Hungarian Tourism Board, and our host from the Opera House. I was not sure that I’d get the chance to visit and photograph this iconic building since I had just attempted to do the same in Vienna with no luck. While I had a great time in Vienna and it is an absolutely gorgeous city where I did get into several incredible locations… The opera house eluded me and my cameras.

Next time Vienna…Next time!

“If music be the food of love, play on.”

~William Shakespeare

The rich textures and opulent decor made me feel so small in the regal setting. It must be such a different experience during a show both in the audience and behind the scenes with so many people working on the productions well out of sight from the patrons.

I remember letting my imagination run away with itself while I was taking these photos. I was trying my best to envision what it would be like to take in a show and I hope that one day I’ll be able to return for such an experience. I was kindly invited to take in a show at the Bavarian State Opera House the next time I’m in Munich, and why not be greedy then and wish for a similar opportunity at another incredible venue such as the Hungarian State Opera House? Why not indeed.

Portraits of past stars of the Hungarian State Opera House in the basement

The auditorium has a capacity of 1,261 and has the third best acoustics in Europe after La Scala in Milan and the Palais Garnier in Paris. While it is not one of the largest Opera Houses in Europe it certainly has the reputation of being one of the finest. Once again proving that size isn’t everything.

This page comes from Book 15 of the 4th edition of Meyers Konversationslexikon (1885–90). The copyrights for that book have expired and this page is in the public domain.

“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.”

~William Penn

It took me a long time to finally process these images and I’m not sure why. I’m woefully behind in editing right now and could literally spend a few months doing little else but photoshop work. While it is a nice problem to have in many ways, I feel sad just knowing that there will be gems like these photos that I’ll likely never end up showing anyone, simply because there isn’t enough time.

I had a wonderful time in Budapest and that was in good part thanks to my kind guide from the Hungarian Tourism Board. She went out of her way to make sure that I had the best experience possible and her pride in her work, her city, and her country was contagious. Without a doubt I can say that Budapest was one of my all time favourite travel experiences and I certainly would love to return to spend a lot more time there. What made Budapest rank so high for me? The food, the history, the legendary spas, the architecture, and did I mention the food?

“A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind.”

~Eugene Ionesco

In a few weeks I will be heading off on another photographic adventure when I return to one of my favorite countries in the world. It will be nice to say hello once again to Italy and this time I’ll be touring some very special parts of the country with my good friend, awesome photographer, and coffee addict Elia Locardi. We are going to be scouting for locations in Umbria, Tuscany, Liguria, and Veneto for our upcoming Italy photo workshops that we have been planning for a while now. More news on this soon!

I’m really excited to be heading to so many beautiful places in Italy that I have never visited and to do it with someone who shares my passion for Italy, good food and wine, and photography is going to make this trip even more special. After that I’m in Spain on a job for a favourite client and back home for a short wile before heading to Iceland for my first of two sold out workshops this year.

I’m also heading into year three of writing this blog and want to say thank you to everyone of my readers for being so supportive all this time. There are some big and positive changes coming to the blog in the upcoming months, so stay tuned. The best is yet to come!

Travel Longer

I’m really happy to be the featured photographer in next month’s Travel Longer iPad magazine. What a nice honour to be interviewed and have my photography featured one month after legendary National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry!

For my readers Travel Longer (published exclusively for iPad on the Apple Newsstand) is offering a 3 month trial subscription for free. Here’s how to get it on your iPad:

To get the three months for free, use the code:  kaminesky (all lower case, no spaces) then…

Head to http://travellonger.com/code  to read how to use the code or just download the app from the Apple App Store: http://bit.ly/Tlapp

Hope you enjoy the magazine!

Enjoy more travel photos and stories:

Timeless Beauty

“Love of beauty is Taste. The creation of beauty is Art.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson   Interesting howView full post »

Going the extra mile

Don’t be upset by the results you didn’t get with the work you didn’t do. After I arrive at a destination, likeView full post »

Inside the Breathtakingly Beautiful Bavarian State Opera House

The Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich Magnificent Munich Munich was the last stop on my amazing 3 week trip to Austria,View full post »

In Savannah, Timing is Everything!

The right place at the right time The beautiful city of Savannah, Georgia, is like any other place when it comes toView full post »

Top Ten Instagram photos of 2012

Time to take a look back at some of the fun I had with my iPhone in 2012. I’m a big fan of mobile photography andView full post »

The post Beautiful Budapest and the Hungarian State Opera House appeared first on Ken Kaminesky Travel Photography Blog.

Check out the Incredible Photo Editing Software Deals from onOne and Nik Software!

I have never posted a purely commercial post since I began blogging but today I’m making an exception.

In the last 24hrs my friends at Nik Software/Google and onOne Software have made a couple of incredible offers on all their software and I’m happy to share these deals with you.

I use the full suite of products from both companies in my photo editing and can without reservation highly recommend both the Nik and onOne offerings.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer in a timely fashion.

Here are the details of each offer

Nik Software/Google

Get the full Nik Collection by Google, now just $149 or $126.65 if you use the coupon code KENK at checkout.

That’s over 70% off the previous price of the entire Nik Software suite. This is an AWESOME deal!

Check out my recent Silver Efex Pro2 review for just one of the six great plug-ins you get in this suite.

The suite includes:

1. HDR Efex Pro 2 – Create striking HDR images
2. Silver Efex Pro 2 – Amazing tool for making stunning B&W images
3. Sharpener Pro 3 – Allows you to fine touch sharpen images. A vital part of digital photo workflow
4. Color Efex Pro 4 – Add creative colour efects to your photos
5. Viveza 2 - Selectively adjust the colour and tonality of your images
6. Dfine - Improve your images with noise reduction tailored to your camera.

 

onOne Software

This is a time limited offer  from my friends at onOne who are offering all their products at a great 40% discount until March 31, 2013.

Click on the above banner or HERE

What do you get?

PERFECT PHOTO SUITE 7

Everything you need to add effects, retouch portraits, replace backgrounds and enlarge images for print. This Edition works with Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, and as a standalone application. This set contains all the great onOne software plug-ins.

 

PERFECT EFFECTS 4 – Add amazing effects, borders, and styles to your photos

PERFECT RESIZE 7.5 – The industry standard for upsizing your digital photos to print them at huge poster or mural size prints.

PERFECT B&W – onOnes’s new B&W conversion software is an impressive addition to their lineup

PERFECT MASK 5.2 – Create high quality masks quickly and easily in Photoshop

PERFECT PORTRAIT 2 – Quick and easy retouching to automatically smooth skin, remove blemishes, and enhance eyes, lips and teeth.

FOCALPOINT 2 – This nifty bit of software allows you to create tilt/shift lens effects, play with your depth of field, add vignettes, and much more.

Have fun with your new photo editing software! Both companies make wonderful products that I’m happy to endorse.

Cheers,

The post Incredible Photo Editing Software Deals appeared first on Ken Kaminesky Travel Photography Blog.

Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles

Don’t be upset by the results you didn’t get with the work you didn’t do.

After I arrive at a destination, like anyone else after a long flight, my motivation to do anything creative has just taken a serious blow. I often have to convince myself that even on a travel day it is worth it to get out there and go shoot something that I may never get the chance to see again.

Hmm, now that I type that and read it back to myself, what the hell am I thinking when I actually need convincing to do something I’ll never regret. I mean seriously, no one looks back on their life and remembers the nights they had plenty of sleep, right? The truth is that no matter how good an idea it is, it still isn’t easy to be exhausted and yet be motivated to be creative. I’m human, I get tired and on long jobs — especially the dull or frustrating ones — it is even harder. By going the extra mile, not only will I feel proud of myself later when I look at the images I captured but I’ll also likely catch a second wind and have a cool moment in my life that I may otherwise have missed.

The image above of the Frank Gehry designed Walt Disney concert hall is a good example of a day that I wasn’t motivated and still took extra time to get out there and shoot something just for myself. I was in Los Angeles for other reasons but always wanted to photograph this building since I’m a huge modern architecture fan and Frank Gehry is one of my all-time favourite architects. I was staying close to the airport and if I had known that I would be stuck on the freeway in rush-hour Los Angeles traffic for close to two hours, I’m not sure that would have done much to bolster my enthusiasm for getting this shot. A perfect example of how ignorance can be bliss.

“It’s never crowded along the extra mile.”

~Wayne Dyer

I’ll be back in Los Angeles again later this year for a talk I will be giving at the Boutique & Lifestyle International Leadership Symposium but there certainly are many places that I will never get the chance to see again in all likeliness. It’s a big world out there with lots to see and so many wonderful things to photograph, so even if I return to a big city like Los Angeles, there is no guarantee I’ll get the chance to get the photo I took this time. I’m always telling myself to take advantage of the situation when I can, you just never know if you’ll get that second chance.

One of the cool things that I get to do even on the less exciting jobs is extend my trips for a few days or even weeks and explore a new part of the world. When that’s not possible, I do try to take advantage of what limited time I have to see something special like the Disney Music Hall. Even getting one good photo is a victory in my books. After all, one photo can change your life.

It wasn’t easy getting up at 5 am in Innsbruck after a night out with travel bloggers but it was worth it!

Regret is one of those things that really gets to me. I’ll never understand people who say that they have no regrets and frankly I don’t believe it when I hear it. I have tons of regrets but the key is that I like to think that I learn from my mistakes. By now I should be a genius, I make a dozen mistakes before getting out of bed on a daily basis. One of the regrets I certainly have is that I’ve been in some amazing places and not taken full advantage of the fact that I had the opportunity to go the extra mile by pushing myself to get out and photograph some stuff that is either personal, fun, or just a test.

Take it from me, you’ll never regret going the extra mile to get that next cool travel photo. Chances are you’ll not just have a great new images to be proud of but pushing yourself to see and experience more can lead to some really nice memories and life experiences. These are just a few of the reasons to love photography.

“Do more than is required. What is the distance between someone who achieves their goals consistently and those who spend their lives and careers merely following? The extra mile.”

~Gary Ryan Blair

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For more fun photography and stories from the road, check out these previous posts:

Onwards and Upwards!

Wow… It’s already March. Now that we are already well into 2013, I was hoping to have figured out the rest ofView full post »

Top Ten Instagram photos of 2012

Time to take a look back at some of the fun I had with my iPhone in 2012. I’m a big fan of mobile photography andView full post »

The Ancient Greco-Roman Ruins of Historic Jerash in Jordan

Petra isn’t Jordan’s only ancient treasure, say hello to Jerash! The Decapolis of the Roman Empire Gerasa,View full post »

The Navigli or Canals of Milan, Italy

This photo brings back some very fond memories from my short trip to Milan. I originally had not planned to go to MilanView full post »

An Afternoon at the Regal Hotel Imperial in Vienna

A Grand Entrance As I meandered along the Käerntner Ring on my first summer morning in Vienna, I stopped inView full post »

The post Going the extra mile appeared first on Ken Kaminesky Travel Photography Blog.

Now that we are already well into 2013, I was hoping to have figured out the rest of the year or at least a huge chunk of it. Seems like this happens at the beginning of every new year; I get super motivated with a zillion new ideas and projects to work on and then realize that I’m not capable of doing all the things I want to do.

“Have patience with all things, But, first of all with yourself.”

~Saint Francis de Sales

One step at a time, haste makes waste, the journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step, patience is a virtue, and all the other sayings in the world don’t necessarily make it any easier when time seems to be zooming past me at the speed of life. You’d think that as a photographer, I’d have learned how to focus better. I just wish that I had a crystal ball to tell me what projects I should be working on first.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m super motivated and excited about this year. I have several cool projects in the works that could take me to some awesome places (literally and figuratively). I’m planning several workshops this year in some wonderful places, forging new corporate partnerships with some great companies, testing some really cool new gear, re-doing my portfolio website, adding some new sections to my blog, developing a newsletter, doing some public speaking, and oh yeah… I’ll do a bit of travelling during all of this as well.

Sulphur vent in Iceland

Iceland here I come… X2

As you may know, I’m co-leading a photo workshop in Iceland in June along with my friend Colby Brown. The June workshop sold out so quickly that we decided to offer a second workshop in September 2013. Amazingly enough, we only have a few spots available for the September workshop since so many people who didn’t get in on the June workshop have already confirmed their interest in September. If you are interested in joining us in Iceland in September sign up soon, there are just a few spots left!

I’m thrilled to be going to Iceland twice this year. This is one place that every photographer should visit at least once in their lives, trust me!

Jokulsarlon glacier beach

I’m working on at least 2-3 more workshops for this year in some incredible places and once I have details I’ll be sharing them here and on my Facebook, Google+, and Twitter accounts.

New Partners

I’m excited to have some great new corporate partners in Induro tripods, and Fujifilm.

I already have several new tripods to test and work with as well as a great new X-E1 camera and lenses from Fujifilm.

Induro CT-213 tripod & BHD2 ball head

I’ve been a big fan of Induro tripods for some time now and really happy to be partnering with a great company that makes products I love using. For now I’m going with the CT-213 and will be testing several of their tripod heads to see what works best for me.

Getting the Fujifilm camera was such a treat. It felt like an unveiling more than opening up boxes. Can’t wait to start playing with this new camera. It is getting rave reviews and since it is so much smaller than my regular Canon cameras it will be perfect for shooting more spontaneous people and cultural imagery on my travels.

Fuji-X-E1

Out with the old…

Time to drop the old portfolio website as it is built in the now obsolete Flash platform that does not work on any mobile device. That’s just poor business for me and I’ll be working with my friends at Photoshelter on a brand new site using their upcoming new tools for building photographer websites. I’m part of the beta team that is working on this exciting project and I’ll tell you more once the site is under development.

I’ll also be moving my blog and portfolio site to a newer and much faster webhost. There will be some tweaking of the blog throughout the year in terms of functionality as well. Nothing drastic, just a few cosmetic improvements that should improve navigation.

“A good writer possesses not only his own spirit but also the spirit of his friends.”

~ Friedrich Nietzsche

And now for a little help from my friends…

Beginning this spring I will be sharing some awesome guest articles on my blog. I’m currently in the process of inviting some of my travel, photography, technology, and blogger friends to share a post on my blog. This is going to be a year long project and may turn into a regular feature now on  my blog.

You’ll be reading some great travel stories, how to articles, informational articles, tips and tricks, and so much more. I’m waiting for the first articles to be submitted now and still reaching out to other writers but already have several dozen confirmed contributors. I’m extremely pleased to have so many talented and generous people willing to share their articles with my readers.

Product and services reviews

I’m doing my best to get more product and service reviews here on my blog as well. I just completed one for one of my all time favourite photo editing software plugins (Nik Silver Efex Pro 2) and you can read it here.

Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 interface

I’m concentrating on the products and services that I use and like but will always remain objective. No one pays me for these reviews but I may participate in affiliate marketing programs with companies I believe in. My aim is to help my readers get better deals on the cool stuff I use, offer up freebies in contests and giveaways, and to bring to your attention some of the things that make my life easier as a photographer and traveller.

Newsletter!

The last but not really last thing I’m working on right now is a newsletter. I’ll be unveiling it later this spring/summer once I get the design and content details all hashed out. Look for a monthly roundup of what is happening on the blog along with some cool deals from my corporate sponsors and partners and bonus material that will be exclusive to the newsletter.

Yup, it’s onwards and upwards time indeed!

______________________________________________

For more fun photography and stories from the road, check out these previous posts:

Timeless Beauty

“Love of beauty is Taste. The creation of beauty is Art.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson   Interesting howView full post »

2012: My Year in Photos

Looking back at my travels of 2012 After an awesome year of travel to some incredible places, I’m home for a whileView full post »

Creek Ranch — A little slice of heaven in central Florida

Cowboys in Florida? When it comes to Florida, my first thoughts are always of South Beach in Miami where I lived for aView full post »

Inspired by Iceland | A photographic journey into beauty

Photographic Heaven “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.” ~Henry David Thoreau   WhatView full post »

Unexpected Treasure in Italy

Writing about Europe from Europe… And loving it This is the first time that I am writing a blog post on a train,View full post »

The post Onwards and Upwards! appeared first on Ken Kaminesky Travel Photography Blog.

Being back in Miami after an absence of 16 years was a little surreal for me. I spent close to a year in Miami back in the mid 90’s and I was eager to see just how Miami Beach had evolved since 1996. A lot had changed but at the same time it still had that same happy feel to it. No matter what, it sure was a nice treat for me to be back and to have so many memories come rushing back as I walked the streets of South Beach and drove through some of my favorite parts of Miami.

One of my fond memories of living in Miami Beach was all the great Cuban food and coffee that was available at a very low price. Almost daily I’d head to the Cuban corner store for my Cafe Cubano where you could also get a plate of rice and beans and whatever meat dish was being cooked that day. Good times!

With such a strong Cuban community in South Florida it’s no wonder that our featured artist for the Miami stop on Art on the Road is Cuban American Tony Mendoza. Tony’s easy going style of heartwarming caricatures captures the true essence of the people and architecture of the Miami area.

Tony is as easy going a person as you’d think he would be after seeing some of his fun and vibrant paintings. After knocking on his front door, Tony’s first words to me were “So, now what do we do?” Stating the obvious I replied “I ask questions, you give answers, I take photos, we talk about your art, and that’s it.” Simple enough, right? So, we did exactly that, for about 12 hours straight.

It was such a treat to get to know the man and listen to his stories about the local Cuban community, their political struggles and perspectives within their own community and the greater American population. I’m always curious to see how different segments of society see the world. Everyone has their viewpoints shaped by their culture, upbringing, and local community and this is no different for Cuban Americans. In Tony’s case, he has taken the Cuban American experience and turned it into vivacious artwork with a flair that is distinctly his own.

Even the art that Tony produces with political undertones is done in a whimsical fashion that makes the world seem like a kinder, gentler place than it can be in real life. This is the power of art; the way it can be used to inspire people to feel good about the world they live in. The world tony lives in is full of colorful characters and beautiful dream like buildings all painted happy colors. Funny, that’s also how I remembered Miami.

Upon returning home from my last stay in Miami Beach I recall driving in my home town of Montreal and noticing just how very dull and grey everything was. After many months of waking up to the brightly painted Art Deco buildings of South Beach, anywhere would have seemed dull and dreary. That part of Miami Beach has not changed. In fact, now there are even more colorful buildings since many of the older ones are now completely restored and looking like they would have back in their shining glory days of old.

If anyone can capture the soul of Miami, it’s Tony Mendoza. I don’t even think that Miami looks this good in my dreams, I just love the happy animated feel to his canvases. Take some time and visit his website to see more of the happy art that he creates and I just bet that you’ll be longing to visit Miami too.

Tony’s art can be seen on a grand scale as you drive down Biscayne Boulevard on the walls of the Miami-Dade Public School Building as seen in the portrait above. It adds such a nice splash of color to the area and it is obvious that the artwork has tugged on the heartstrings of the people who work in the building, the kids who go to school there, and the locals as well. Several people recognized Tony and stopped to say hi or to shake his hand as we were taking the photos and I can see why. The art makes the location something special and the artist has inspired people to stop and smile at the cheery scenes that adorn the walls.

When it came to lunch I was hoping that we could go to a good Cuban restaurant and we ended up at the oddly named Versailles restaurant that is 100% Cuban and not even remotely French. The food brought back memories of the old days for me in Miami as both Tony and I dined on the Vaca Frita, fried plantains, and beans & rice. Cuban food was as delicious as I remembered it to be and the cherry on top was most certainly the sweet Cafecito that we had at the coffee window outside the restaurant.

Our next stop on the Cuban American experience in Miami was the Cuban market and store named Sentir Cubano. Once again Tony’s art graces the outside walls of the building as seen in his first portrait at the beginning of this article. Inside the store you will find all kinds of Cuban memorabilia, art (including Tony’s), historic artifacts, and delicious Cuban food that they ship all over the world to Cuban ex-pats and lovers of all things Cuban.

As can be expected, many of the items in the store are political in nature. Some reflect a time long ago when there were free elections in the country like the vintage political poster above. Some are a bit more opinionated and vehemently anti-communist such as the portrayal of Che Guevara below.

Politics and art have long been bedfellows and what better way to get your point across than with a painting, mural, or cartoon? Art can stir the soul, enrage or calm a viewer, and it can be the catalyst for any kind of cause. Art is powerful, meaningful, and beautiful and so are the artists who create these works.

Thanks to Tony, for his beautiful art and for sharing with me the essence of Cuban American culture. It was fascinating to learn more about what influences his art and spending time with him visiting local Cuban hot spots. Throughout the course of this tour, art has opened up doors of discovery for me and my final stop in Miami was no different. I now have a greater appreciation for Miami than ever before and the Cuban people that make up a large part of what makes Miami so unique.

After my day with Tony, I had one last day to explore Miami in search of art and I was going to take full advantage of it. What better place to start the search than in Little Havana?

As I strolled down 8th street past Cuban coffee windows and cigar shops I was treated to tons of great art that decorates the neighbourhood on several buildings. Being here amongst so much Cuban culture drives home the fact that the real Havana is just 90 miles off the coast of the southern tip of Florida.

It wouldn’t be Little Havana without a proper place to play dominoes and wouldn’t you know it, there is a whole park dedicated to this very Cuban national pastime. Maximo Gomez Park / Domino Park is easy to find. Either follow the path with the dominoes on it on 15th Avenue or just listen for that unmistakable sound that the dominoes make as they hit the table. There are dozens of people playing the game and good luck finding a table during the weekend.

After yet another delicious Cuban coffee, I headed down to Miami Beach for a walk down memory lane. As I drove down towards the beach on the extensive freeways I noticed just how much the skyline of downtown Miami had changed. There were also several new tall buildings in Miami Beach that I had never seen and yet as I finally arrived and hit Ocean Drive, it all seemed so familiar once again.

There is no place in the world with a larger concentration of Art Deco buildings than Miami Beach and I have very fond memories this happy place. Not only is the architecture beautiful and unique but the buildings are mostly painted with cheerful pastel shades of blue, pink, yellow, and orange. Even the white buildings seem whiter than they would if they would be anywhere else.

I used to walk down this path almost daily and it brought a huge smile to my face to be getting sand between my toes once again in one of my favorite places on earth. It would have been great to be able to spend some time here or even to share the moment with someone but that would have to wait for my next trip to Miami Beach. Feelings of nostalgia swept over me as the ocean breeze brushed my face, it felt like I was home again. I am very inspired to return here soon and take some time to revisit so many of the special places that will always have a special place in my heart.

Miami is a big spread out city and traffic can be rather brutal at times so it was just a quick stop at the beach for me to say hi to the ocean before I was back on my way into the city to get a few last photos of some cool art and Miami landmarks before my final destination on the Art on the Road tour.

It was now countdown time and I had just three more stops to make before the Art on the Road tour would come to an end.

Next stop was the beautiful grounds of Vizcaya museum and gardens. This National Historic Landmark was built in 1916 by industrialist James Deering. The house was built to emulate an Italian estate which had been built centuries ago. The house is magnificent and the gardens at the rear of the estate are spellbinding. My favorite part of Vizcaya though is the waterfront stone barge that acts as a breakwater. Watching the sunset here is an amazing experience. The museum closes at 5:30 so it’s the perfect way to end the day at Vizcaya.

My last location to photograph was the old Bacardi headquarters on Biscayne Boulevard which is both quite a piece of art itself and was hosting an art show during Art Basel, which coincided with my Miami visit.

The Bacardi family originates from Cuba and now runs the largest privately owned spirits company in the world. Quite the Cuban success story indeed. The unique buildings are now being considered to be labeled as historic structures by the city of Miami. The buildings are decorated in unique fashion; one is covered in white and blue Spanish tiles and the other, a perfect square, is decorated with an abstract glass mural on all sides. Art meets architecture… perfect!

There was no better way to finish the Art on the Road tour than to attend a SpringHill Suites’ ArtNight. Lucky for me, SpringHill Suites Miami East was hosting just such an event.

A few years back in 2010, SpringHill Suites launched ArtNight, an evening gallery event hosted by select SpringHill Suites properties that allowed local artists, galleries, schools, and non-profits the opportunity to present their art work in the hotel lobbies while networking with their communities. To date, SpringHill Suites properties have hosted nearly 100 ArtNight events across the country and countless artists and students have been able to showcase their talent. ArtNight has since become an award winning program and an integral part of SpringHill Suites’ offerings to help its guests experience more while on the road. It is also the catalyst to this amazing journey I’m on and the other art initiatives SpringHill Suites is involved in.

At this ArtNight, SpringHill Suites Miami East partnered with Touching Miami with Love, an organization that helps children from the Overtown area of Miami which is known to be one of the poorest communities in South Florida. Among many other wonderful social programs, they offer after school programs for kids of all ages and included in those programs is art education.

One of the projects that Touching Miami with Love is working on is called Art that Feeds. Local Miami artists donate their time and talent to paint plates which are then sold via their website and special events like SpringHill Suites ArtNight. Dozens of artists have contributed to this project and I’m happy to be the proud owner of one of the painted plates that was on display that night.

The art that was on sale at this ArtNight was a mix of art created by local Miami artists (including several of the plates), art that the children made, and even jewelry designs produced by the young women participants of the after school programs. For more info on the good work that Touching Miami with Love is doing, check out their Facebook page.

I could not have asked for a more fitting way to conclude the Art on the Road tour.

Thanks to Marriott and SpringHill Suites for sending me on this epic journey to explore America and discover artists and amazing art of all kinds. It has been my privilege to spend time with so many wonderful artists in these last few months and I have enjoyed their company, their passion, and their creative spirit. I’m a richer person for the experience and I hope that those of you who have been following along have had your horizons broadened by discovering new artists and the wonderful art that they produce.

All’s well that ends well and I can’t wait to get on the road again to see more of what this beautiful world has to offer.

“This world is but a canvas to our imagination.”

Henry David Thoreau

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For more fun photography and stories from the road, check out these previous posts:

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The post Art on the Road: Miami appeared first on Ken Kaminesky Travel Photography Blog.

When I grow up I want to be just like Ron Croci. The featured Art on the Road artist for Los Angeles has it figured out quite nicely. He lives in southern California and still spends a good deal of time in Hawaii. He has worked in Hollywood for decades as a designer, illustrator, and storyboard artist and conceptual artist on the design teams of over 45 feature films such as Ghostbusters, Blues Brothers, and Planet of the Apes, as well as many made for TV series like Magnum P.I. of which he was an illustrator for three seasons. He has his art hanging in galleries and museums all over the world. He has collaborated with giant surf name brands such as Roxy, Quicksilver, Hawaiian Surf, Town & Country, and many more. He has worked on over 200 advertising gigs with major ad agencies. He also has 13 books on the market as well as murals, t-shirt and greeting card art. All this AND still finds time to get to the beach every single day… My hero!

I met Ron in his art filled house in Torrance and from the moment I stepped foot in the door I felt like I was walking into the home of an old friend. How can you not feel comfortable with someone wearing a Hawaiian shirt in a place filled with tapestry, paintings, carvings, and sculptures? Not only is Ron an outstanding artist but he obviously has a deep appreciation for art in general, after all it runs in the family.

ROXY, SAN ONOFRE

Ron’s son Jeff Croci is a renowned tattoo artist in San Francisco, his daughter Paloma Solidad is a costume and couture designer and his father in law Joe Montell was a pioneer in the world of tapestry and animation (an interesting mix indeed).

READY

The moment that Ron knew that he wanted to be an artist took place in a library when he was 15 years old. Scouring through the art section, he came upon a a book with the Salvador Dali painting “The Persistence of Memory” on the cover and as soon as he saw it, he was hooked. From that point on Ron knew exactly what he wanted to do and he went ahead and did it.

MALIBU SURF AID CONTEST

Not many people can pinpoint the exact moment where they knew what their calling was and I truly enjoyed the trip down memory lane that Ron shared with me on this day. With such a rich art background and so many stories to tell it was impossible to hear everything about the man and the artist. The anecdotes that he shared with me were always told with an earnest enthusiasm and a wide smile, which only made me want to hear more.

Ron’s Water Colour Pallet

FLIGHT

I’m always interested in an artist’s workspace as it represents a comfort zone for the creative soul. Although Ron has had studio space at all the motion picture studios in L.A. he also has a studio nestled in the back of his home and is full of works in progress. You’ll also find an archive of watercolors, oil paintings, storyboard art, notebooks, sketches and all the tools that he uses to work on his art.

Ron’s Oil Painting Brushes

BACK DOOR WIPE OUT

One of the most interesting personal projects that Ron has been working on for years is something he calls “Beach Fights”. The series of paintings and stories he wrote consists of images and text that are about the violent lesser-known side of beach and surf culture in places like Hawaii and California. In order for Ron to paint one of his Beach Fight paintings there have to be blows exchanged. These paintings are representations of actual events, not made up in the mind of the artist. The series is a fascinating look at the sub-culture that exists behind the scenes of the outwardly peaceful facade of the surfing world. As Ron explains, drugs and alcohol or passion/jealousy involving the fairer sex mostly fuels these fights. That doesn’t mean that the fights are limited to men, there are several examples of women’s brawls in the series as well.

HAWAIIAN CHIVALRY

As time was slipping by and Ron continued to share stories and artwork with me I got the sense that no matter what type of painting, illustrating, or sketching you’d ask him to do, he would do it with enthusiasm and excitement. As he flipped through the binders of storyboards that he created for several major motion pictures and television series it was clear that part of Ron was re-living those Hollywood golden age times in his mind. No longer do teams of artists get together in a “bullpen” to create the storyboards that are crucial in the development and planning of a movie. Today artists work from home and the process is more sterile. This removes the possibility of mentors playing a role in the development of up and coming artists. What a shame.

BAD SANTA STORY BOARDS

It’s no wonder that Ron looks back at these times where there was more social interaction in creating the storyboards, just take a look at his beach themed work and it’s obvious that he’s a people person. People are the main subject of the majority of his art and it’s clear that even if he has a fondness for the beach, his vision of the beach is not simply a dreamy landscape. The way I see it, Ron’s vision of the beach is one full of people who share a passion for this natural setting and are enjoying it to the fullest potential.

BUTTERFLIES AND FLOWERS

This type of positivity could certainly describe Ron as well; a man who is taking full advantage of his talents and passions in life and sharing them with the world in the best way possible… With stunning art!

BIG LEFT

DEUCES WILD

It was a privilege to spend the day with Ron as he showed me some of his favorite beaches in the area and talked to me about his passion for surfing. I’ve always been fascinated with the beach and it’s a dream of mine to learn how to surf one day. Being on a beautiful beach and hanging out with a great artist is a pretty great way to spend a day at work. Just like Ron, I love my job and wouldn’t trade it for the world.

I began my quest for urban beach art the next morning at the famous Santa Monica pier. It was incredibly windy but the sun was shining brightly in the cloudless sky and I had a mission to accomplish. Los Angeles is vast and spread out over a very wide area so I needed to make good use of my time.

For a beach lover like me it’s easy to get lost in my thoughts while walking on the sand, listening to the waves crash onto the shore. That’s the magic of the ocean for me, the power and majesty of any type of beach always seems to draw me in. It could be a rocky beach in a remote area with no people around for miles, or a crowded sandy beach with the cacophony of people of all ages enjoying the energy that you can only find at the seashore. I love it.

Searching for art allows me to explore parts of a place that I most likely would not have looked at. For example, who would figure that someone would place art under a pier? There it was, subtle yet powerful in it’s own way. That’s the beauty of art. It can be just about anything a person can dream up.

Art is everywhere and all you have to do is open your eyes and slow down a bit to appreciate it. Next time you’re in a new city, try taking a moment to stop and look around to try and spot some form of art. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll find.

After a morning at the pier in Santa Monica it was time to head over to trendy and hip Venice beach for some eclectic beach art hunting. Venice is full of interesting shops, bars, and restaurants but the actual beach area is like no other place in the world. Sure it’s got the tacky souvenir shops but it’s the people that make the place.

From the open-air gym at muscle beach, to the carnival like atmosphere of the Ocean Front Walk you’re sure to find a lot of interesting characters from the neighborhood and also a ton of cool art. Venice Beach has a long history of being a haven for artists of all kinds and I can see why. You can really be yourself in this quirky part of Los Angeles and many people take full advantage of that fact, for better or for worse.

After stopping at one of those touristy t-shirt shops to buy a Venice beach t-shirt I made plans to head out to Malibu for a final sunset beach shoot. Unfortunately I did not make it there in time since the LA traffic was brutal on this evening but I did get back there the next day since I was spending some extra time in the city to catch up with good friends.

One day and hopefully one day soon, I’ll be able to follow my dream and live somewhere closer to the water, or dare I even imagine that I could live in a beach house? It sure would be nice to be able to watch the sunsets during walks along the waterfront on a regular basis. Ahhh California dreaming!

My Art on the Road stop in LA ended that evening with a nighttime walk around downtown as I always like the way a city takes on a new look at night. I always have a great time in Los Angeles and this was perhaps my best trip to California to date. It wasn’t my first visit here and most certainly not the last. Nine cities down, one to go! See you soon Miami, I hear you have some beaches too

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For more fun photography and stories from the road, check out these previous posts:

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The post Art on the Road: Los Angeles appeared first on Ken Kaminesky Travel Photography Blog.

The style of pottery that Mott specializes in is called Raku which is a type of Japanese pottery. The Raku process involves a series of specific steps to be undertaken by the artist and include removing the still hot piece from the kiln and allowing it to cool either in the open air or in a airtight container along with some form of combustible material.

Each Raku artist has his or her own special way to finish the process including cooling the hot pieces in vats of water, but there are no standards for the final steps of creating a Raku style piece of ceramic art. Every time a new work of ceramic art is created using the Raku process it is unique in its coloration. In the reduction atmosphere of the aluminum pails that Mott uses to begin the cooling process, the clay reacts with the oxygen as do the metals in the glaze. This produces some brilliant effects and ensures that each new creation is ultimately unique.

This form of art is one where you get down and dirty in the creation process. The work environment is dusty, muddy with the clay that gets manipulated, and hot & steamy with the final firing and cooling process. What’s not to love? Mott gets to play with clay, shape it with his hands, and finally play with fire. This is a form of art I could most certainly get into myself.

I found the man as interesting as his art and happily listened to his tales of his past careers as a Marine corps officer, psychologist, and even professional photographer. The sounds of opera playing in the background on an old beat up boom box add to the character of the busy studio where every square inch is utilized for a specific purpose. The music is the perfect compliment to the man behind the rough and tumble exterior who creates such refined and intricate pottery.

While I really liked the brilliant colours of Mott’s traditional Raku pottery there was one particular style that I liked the most. The subtle black and white tones of Mott’s “Naked” Raku pots and plates with their hand drawn designs were something completely new to me and I loved the simplicity and elegance of these pieces. Achieving the results of these Naked Raku pieces requires a twist to the process where in the cooling stages the glaze is chipped off to reveal the etched image on a black or off-white surface.

I can’t say that I had a favorite piece of Mott’s work and when I asked him if he had favorites that he kept, he too said that it would be impossible to choose. I liken this to when people ask me what my favourite place is to travel to and the answer is always the same… The next place.

We didn’t have good light for photography purposes the first morning that I was in Las Cruces so I returned at 6AM the next day to catch Mott during the final and most crucial step in the firing process of Raku pottery. The very last steps involve removing the plates and pots from a kiln that heats up to 1850° F, covering them with the aluminum pails along with strips of paper to add some smoke, waiting for them to cool, and finally working on them with torch and hose in a steamy, smoky operation to achieve that distinct Raku shimmery surface that Mott is known for.

Mott also collaborates with his artist wife Kate on ceramic and other types of art which they showcase in their downtown Las Cruces art gallery at 535 Main street. Not only do they showcase their own work but that of other artists from all over the country. From creating to displaying and selling the art, this is a true team effort with very colourful and spectacular results.

This was a fascinating experience for me to see the process of creating such beautiful ceramic pottery and I’m thrilled to have had the chance to see a master at work.

I continued on my quest for ceramic art throughout the day and made several stops along the way where I found some very cool ceramic tile art at places including parks, schools, and monuments.

With limited time and so much to see I made my way over to the Las Cruces suburb of Mesilla to check out a couple of art galleries and I’m so glad I did!

First stop was to The Potteries and I was delighted to find the artists and owners of the gallery hard at work in the studio. Janice Cook and Jeanne Rundell create beautiful and unique art in the form of paintings, pottery, ceramics, crafts, sculpture and more.

This place was a veritable treasure trove of what I like to call “Happy Art”. When I saw all the fun and whimsical designs I just couldn’t help but to smile. This is where art can be incredibly powerful and elicit a visceral reaction that is really quite moving. For an inanimate object to have the power to put me in a good mood and melt my troubles away, well, that is something I wish I could bottle.

Not only was the art of the joyful variety but Janice and Jeanne were delightful to talk with about art, creativity, New Mexico cuisine and even politics since this was the day of the US presidential election. I’d strongly urge you to pay them a visit if you want to see some cheerful art that would brighten up any room in your home or workplace.

Check them out at 2260 Calle De Santiago in Mesilla.

I could have stayed the rest of the day at The Potteries but I had to be on my way in order to get to the next gallery. I arrived at the Rokoko gallery only to find it closed. Fortunately for me the exterior of the gallery was so pretty that I’d consider it a work of art in itself. Art on the Road indeed!

With the day rapidly approaching an end I decided to try to get out to White Sands to get a typical New Mexico sunset photo but never quite made it. As the sun started to get very low in the sky I thought I had lost my opportunity for one last shot. I turned off at the next random exit to find myself in a serene desert area much to my good fortune and pulled the car over to the side of the road to set up my tripod.

At any moment I was expecting John Wayne or Clint Eastwood adorned in dusty cowboy duds, to come riding along on a horse between those Yucca plants and the Organ mountains. This was a timeless scene and a perfect way to end my photographic exploration of the area. White Sands will wait for another time and I’m looking forward to returning to New Mexico.

Next stop… Los Angeles!

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For more fun photography and stories from the road, check out these previous posts:

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The post Art on the Road: Las Cruces appeared first on Ken Kaminesky Travel Photography Blog.

~Oscar Wilde

It was a perfect autumn day as I woke up on my first morning in Minneapolis. The air was crisp and the colours of the trees were those gorgeous warm toned yellows, reds, and oranges. The conditions were ideal for my portrait session with noted Native American artist Carolyn Lee Anderson.

I arrived at Minehaha park early in order to scout the location that I had in mind; Minehaha falls would make a superb backdrop for the shoot. Little did I know that Minnesota had been in drought conditions this summer and that the park wardens have the control to turn on and off the waterfalls at their discretion. The waterfall had been transformed into a water trickle so we had to make do with the unfortunate circumstances.

With the falls turned off this gave me a chance to take a leisurely stroll with Anderson in search of where we would do the photo shoot and was the ideal opportunity to talk with her about her art and what inspires her to create her unique multimedia pieces that incorporate acrylic painting, Navajo weaving, patterned fabrics, and natural elements. What a wonderfully original combination of ingredients!

Thanks to the lack of water falling at Minehaha Falls the river had run dry as well. This made for a beautiful setting for the portrait and once again something that began as a bit of a let-down turned into a wonderful opportunity. After all, lots of people have photos of the falls but how many actually have had the chance to have their portrait taken in the dry riverbed? Ahhh… Serendipity.

Not only does Anderson paint from the heart, she also actually paints the heart itself as you can see in the above examples. Her art is in a big way a tribute to her family and her ancestors who as she says: “I consider how my body and personality are the accumulating effects of my ancestors—their blood, stories, joys and struggles. I consider my place in the world and how the thread of my family’s story is a part of a much grander tapestry that was created and is sustained by the forces of nature.”

We ended our talk and portrait session with the photo of Anderson next to a beautiful red leafed tree. I liked the natural element of wood in her recent work and thought that the tree was a fitting ingredient in her portrait.

 

Fortunately for me Anderson agreed to join me for a late breakfast and offered to accompany me as I continued on my quest to seek out Native American art in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

I’m sure glad she did, and you’ll see why in the photos below.

 

We began by heading to the American Indian Cultural Corridor which is the centre of Native American culture in Minneapolis. Our first stop was the All My Relations Gallery and coffee shop which regularly features Native American art. In fact Anderson herself just recently had a show there and we just missed another one that was being transferred to the James J. Hill House Gallery in St. Paul.

At the gallery we were given some pointers as to where we could find some of the best examples of Native American art on public display and the search began around the corner with some striking murals by well known local artist Bobby Wilson.

This was just the beginning of my exploration of the native art scene in Minneapolis and we moved on to discover more incredible art; this time at a nearby school. The “Project of Hope” on the facade of the Nawayee Center School was painted by Francis Yellow and Marilyn Lindstrom with Robert DesJarlait. It is worth driving by to see it in person as photographs do not do it justice.

I could tell that this piece resonated deeply with Anderson and in the end I’d have to say that it was my favourite mural that I saw in my brief stay in Minneapolis.The colours and details of the painting are quite breathtaking and even the rawness of the brick background and surrounding area add a powerful urban element to the art. I also loved the fact that this was painted on a school and that children are being exposed to beautiful art on a daily basis.

We ended our time together by visiting the James J. Hill House Gallery in St. Paul where we had hoped to see the art exhibit by Native American artists reflecting on the 150th anniversary of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. While they were just installing the exhibit, we were given special permission to get a sneak preview.

The art at the Dakota war exhibit had an effect on me and I was once again reminded about the value of art as an education and motivational tool. on this day I most certainly learned a lot about North American history and I was motivated to learn more.

The next day I made sure to visit another exhibit about the Dakota war, this time through more of a historical lens than an artistic one. As luck would have it the Minnesota History Center had an exhibit about the Dakota war of 1862 as well and this was something I didn’t want to miss.

I was reminded about how powerful a tool art can be. Whether it’s photography or painting, art can be used to educate us on historic events in a way that writing just can’t do. Seeing the reality of the situation through a photo or painting can strike a chord in us and place us directly at the location of an incredible historic event such as the Dakota War. As I meandered through the exhibit, I read as much as I could but it was really the art that touched me the most. Seeing the imagery made me want to read more and educate myself of a subject that I knew little about and I was grateful to have had the opportunity to learn so much in such a brief time.

The photo of the internment camp above has a particularly haunting feel to it and reminds me once again of the significance that photography has played in documenting history for close to two hundred years now. Imagine if photography had been around during the time of the Egyptian Pharaohs, the Roman Empire, the Mayan civilization, or the ancient Chinese dynasties. Oh how much we could have learned if this had been possible.

 

I spent the remainder of the day bouncing around from other Native American art on public display to seeing some of the sights in the city, including other forms of art like the famous “Spoon Bridge and Cherry”.

 

I had a great time in Minneapolis, next stop Las Cruces!

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For more fun photography and stories from the road, check out these previous posts:

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The post Art on the Road: Minneapolis appeared first on Ken Kaminesky Travel Photography Blog.