David Seaver Photography

Yangon, Myanmar

2013-04-22T17:14:00.001-04:00

When it came time to leave Inle Lake and make the journey to Yangon, we decided to look into flying. Myanmar has a number of airlines that operate in the country; the slow roads and long distances make it an appealing method of travel. When we inquired about flights from Heho, the closest airport, the travel agent looked at us and laughed, only saying "Look on the internet for Heho Airport." (A plane crashed in December 2012). We decided to hop on the overnight bus that took us back over the winding mountain roads towards the main 'highway' heading south to Yangon. While crossing the mountains we saw the effects of clear cutting, watching in amazement at a mile long line of fire working it's way up an adjacent slope and lighting up the night sky.

The famous Strand Hotel on Yangon's waterfront has long been the choice for the well-heeled.

The bus ended up being better than we expected, probably due to the fancy blue neck pillows with white frills that were provided. After arriving at the bus station in Yangon around 6am, we made our way to the hotel and then set out on foot to explore our neighborhood. Yangon is a large, dirty, bustling, hot, sweaty, mix of people in the true Asia sense. I imagine it's what Bangkok felt like 30 years ago. New buildings touching their decaying colonial counterparts.

Monks collecting alms, Yangon, Myanmar.

It's sometimes the small things that make a place seem foreign. The veins and arteries of Asian cities are filled with motos, surging from street to street, flowing around objects like a river moves around a stone. Motos of all shapes and sizes carry the lives of people in every corner of Asia. Except Yangon. Motorcycles are banned in Yangon (as are horns, but I have no recollection of a quiet city), and have been for quite some time. This however, hasn't changed the way you cross a street. With motos the technique of choice is the slow and steady shuffle. As long as you make no sudden movements and keep a steady pace, motos will... well, should... flow around you. At times it seems as if you could safely walk blindfolded across a busy street. When cars, trucks, and buses enter the mix, and in Yangon's case dominate the scene, there is much less flowing going on. It's more like the people crossing the street flow around the vehicles. The slow shuffle remains, but the delicate art of timing a moving vehicle takes charge. Like Frogger in real life. In my experience the best way to learn the art of crossing a street is to follow a local, preferably an old woman. Clearly they've done this before and have an ingrained sense of when to move. Walking out into 4 lanes of moving traffic is not only allowed, it's the only way to cross the street. Slow and steady, slow and steady.

Crossing a street in Yangon, Myanmar.

Used books for sale on the street. Yangon, Myanmar.

Shwedagon Pagoda, is the focal point of Yangon sky line, a giant golden stupa rising from a sea of concrete buildings. The most sacred Buddhist temple in Myanmar draws thousands of people a day to walk around the central golden spire (yes, it's actually covered in gold), pray at one of the hundreds of Buddha statues, or just watch the scene. We timed it perfectly, arriving just before sunset.

Gold plates cover Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar.

Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar.

A young woman prays, Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar.

A monk watching the stream of people pass by, Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar.

Golden spires, Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar.

Sweepers making their way around Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar.

Incense burns at Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar.

A monk stands in front of Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar.

Shwedagon's golden stupa glows after sunset, Yangon, Myanmar.

More to come...

Next up - It's beach time! Ngwe Saung, Myanmar.

Previously - Inle Lake, Myanmar, Bagan and the thousands of temples, and Mandalay.

Inle Lake, Myanmar

2013-04-11T19:19:00.000-04:00

After a relatively painless bus ride from the plains of Bagan through the once magnificant teak forests (now clear-cut), over twisty mountain roads, where I could only think of the word 'plunging', we arrived at the mountain ringed Inle Lake. Only after we reached Yangon did we learn that we had passed through the town of Meiktila, the smoldering (literally) center of the latest Buddhist on Muslim violence. We missed it by a few days, and never in our whole trip saw any outward racism.

A Burmese fisherman using the traditional foot paddling technique, Inle Lake, Myanmar.

Inle Lake is one of the must-see places in Myanmar. Perched at 2900', the lake region was noticeably cooler than the scorched plains we had just come from. We based ourselves in the little town of Nyaungshwe (not to be confused with Shwenyaung) on the northern edge of the lake. It's the main launching point for exploring the lake. The constant "You want moto?" yelled at foreigners in Asia changed to "You want boat?"

A jeweler hammering a silver bowl.

Jeweler's bench.

As Miriam and I were celebrating 5 years (yikes, 5 years, really?!), we stayed at a very nice hotel, the Viewpoint, run by a Swiss guy. This was by far the nicest place we stayed the whole time. Everything worked, the food was great, the design was fresh and interesting, and it even had an 'eco-fridge'. The eco fridge was basically a clay pot surrounded by rice husks. It was however hidden inside the coffee table, so we didn't find it until our third day. The locally owned hotels are still learning how to run a high end place and it was nice to stay in a place that actually felt like it was worth the high prices we were paying everywhere. Plus, for whatever reason, we got upgraded, so that helped.

A village on Inle Lake, Myanmar

We headed out early onto the lake, zipping past the fishermen, using their unique stand up foot paddling technique to maneuver their boats. We were making our way to the 'floating villages', which were in fact, not floating, but built on stilts or mounds of dirt. The floating part was the gardens.

Floating gardens, Inle Lake, Myanmar

Built on rafts of the invasive water hyacinths, they grew everything from tomatoes to large gourds. The floating masses are buoyant enough to support a person and are tended by farmers from their boats. Having access to year round water makes the lake a perfect place for agriculture in a country that lacks rain for large portions of the year. With all good things there are problems though. As the floating gardens spread, combined with the silty runoff from the surrounding clear cut mountains, the shallow lake is slowly filling in.

Woman offering turmeric powder in a small market.

Tea seller

Puppets hang in a market. Marionettes and puppetry are very popular with the Burmese.

Stopping in at a few of the major attractions, we saw a nice little market in a town sliced by canals. We saw a giant pagoda, complete with Buddha blobs, statues that were so covered in gold leaf they were completely unrecognizable as Buddhas. The pagoda also had a pair of ceremonial boats with large golden ducks on their bows.

A Buddha sculpture so covered in gold leaf it has become a blob.

Ceremonial boat

Fabrics play a large part in Burmese culture, almost all woven in some way or another. Weaving the fibrous lotus stems is a process that I've never seen before and can create fabric with the texture of rough silk. I believe this is a unique process to Inle Lake.

Weaving lotus stems

Weaving lotus fibers

Also on tap was a stop at the cigar rolling house, where the outer leaf is cheroot, similar to tobacco, but smaller and thinner in size. I believe this is also the the leaf they use to roll up the betel nut, which everyone chews, resulting in most streets, paths, and walkways being covered in sickly red spit.

The one place I was most excited about seeing was the 'Jumping Cat Temple'. Monks have taught their tiny felines to jump through hoops. No easy feat. After waiting for a long while with lots of other tourists, watching the dozen or so cats snooze around the pagoda, it became clear that there would be no show today, or that they don't do the jumping anymore. Either way, we left disappointed.

Back in town, I decided it was time for a hair cut. I had been saving up (i.e. not cutting my hair) in preparation for our trip to Asia. Over the years I have thoroughly enjoyed the 'barber shacks', side walk barber's chairs, awkward salons, and other hair cutting places that have never cost me more than $3. It's always an experience to be placed in the hands of someone who doesn't speak your language and you've just entrusted to cut your hair. Almost always an old man, they have at times shaved my forehead, ears, and given head massages. There have been a few terrible mistakes, but that comes with the territory. The worst of them ended with me looking like a Korean middle-schooler, not a good look for me. We had seen a barber, 'Hair Cat', on our way to our hotel and thought it looked like a suitable place for the latest experiment. The shack was just large enough for a single barber's chair. Going through the motions, my hair was cut and washed, and my face was shaved by a nice man of about 40 years old.

Not my best haircut, but well within the norms of Asian haircuts. When it was all finished I asked for the bill, expecting it be within the standard $3-7 range. I even thought it might get as high as $15, factoring in how expensive Myanmar was turning out to be. Turning around, the barber mumbled "$30"...Unsure of what I had just heard, I asked again and got the same reply, "$30"...now gasping in shock, I am sure he must have mistaken his numbers in English. "You mean $3, right?" I ask, catching an equally shocked Miriam out the corner of my eye. "Yes, $30." Fumbling in my pocket, I pull out my wad of cash, so struck by the absurd amount that I can't even muster a protest. After paying, we stumbled back to the hotel still unable to believe that I have just paid more than I do in the US for a haircut.

More to come...
Next up - Yangon
Previously - Bagan and the temples, Mandalay

Bagan, Myanmar - Plain of 10,000 temples...ok 4400...well really 3300...or maybe 2200...

2013-04-05T06:44:00.000-04:00

Bagan, the temple capital of Myanmar. Located on a wide bend in the Irrawaddy river, Bagan was the capital of the Pagan Kingdom from the 9th-13th centuries. During that time they built 10,000 temples, stuppas, monasteries, and pagodas. If it had something to do with Buddha, they built it. Of those, somewhere less than 3000 remain (every source has a different number). Mostly built from red brick (although most probably had a stucco like exterior) they lack the intricate carvings of the Khmer and Thai temples, but they have some impressive frescoes covering the interiors. There are also a lot of Buddhas. I mean a lot. Every niche, ever pedestal, every painting - Buddha. Big, small, sitting, standing, lying, you name it, he's everywhere.

Click here to see it larger!

While each temple isn't that impressive for a temple goer as myself, a few of the larger ones did stand out, and when you climb to the top, the sweeping view of spires rising from the dusty plain is truly amazing. We would have loved to see them from one of the fancy hot air balloons, but alas the $300/pp just wasn't in our budget.

Have I mentioned that things are expensive in Myanmar? Well, they are. It seems unreasonably so. High prices everywhere, but everyone is poor. I'm not quite sure where all the money is going. Maybe the government is levying a hefty toll on everyone, but even food and taxis and all the other usually cheap things in Asia were shockingly pricey. I mean $3 for a Coke? In Asia? Normal price $.50. And with no other options, everyone paid. Myanmar is not a place for 'travel on a shoestring'. Bring wads of cash, 'cause the new ATMs don't work. At least not for us Americans where banking websites were blocked (from the US side). Hopefully things will change as more people travel the country.

Frangiapani flower in front of a temple. One of my favorite smells.

But the temples are worth seeing. We thought Mandalay was hot, but Bagan was more like a desert. Sandy, dry and baking. We splurged and stayed at one of the few places with a pool (which they somehow kept ice cold despite the 100+ temps), within walking distance of a few of the larger temples which was nice as the main town is 7km north.

Novice monks collecting alms.

There are three main ways to see the temples. Tour bus - not our cup of tea. Bike - not in silty sand with the sun scorching our backs. Horse drawn carriage - yes please. Much comfier and a tad speedier than I initially thought, it was nice to be driven around. I did feel a little bad for Chop-Chop, our little engine for the day, but he didn't seem to mind too much.

Sleepy dog.

Buddha statue, Buddha fresco.

Buddha statue covered in gold leaf.

Sand paintings laid out for tourists to buy.

Dishing out the goods. The gum-lady cometh.

Full ethnic Shan dinner. Wow, so many flavors. Like musty hay, but better. Yes, I tried everything.

A quick note on the giant government run archaeological museum in Bagan. Unless you like displays that look as if they were made by high schoolers, don't go. Many of the descriptions were at best dubious. Somehow 2000 year old wooden sculptures have survived here and are carelessly displayed without any protection...hmm...doubtful. I would love to show some photos, but they don't allow cameras in.

Sunset over the Irrawaddy river.

More to come - Next up Inle Lake and the stand up rowers.

Previously - Mandalay

Mandalay, Myanmar

2013-04-04T05:22:00.001-04:00

After landing at the empty, dilapidated airport in Mandalay we found a hotel and started to explore the city. With all its history, it was nice to find the streets laid out in a grid, however with temperatures hovering around 100 degrees, walking proved to be challenging at times. At first we just thought it was 'Asia hot', the kind we'd experienced in other corners of the continent, but a few days in we actually saw a thermometer and were shocked. The oft-repeated refrain, "I think I have heatstroke...no really..." would signal the need to find cool drinks in an air-conditioned restaurant.

Not nearly as big as it's southern counterpart Yangon, Mandalay has a very provincial feel, with houses and businesses spilling out onto the streets, and few buildings over 4 or 5 stories. Skin tones and faces seem to range wider than other places I've visited; a large, long standing Indian presence can be easily seen, as well as Chinese, and European influences. As the country has opened up over the last few years, new people have been arriving. Business seems to be humming along at a good pace. We saw construction projects everywhere we went and just as in other Asian nations, the ubiquitous shop-house is where everything is purchased.

With so much history, it turns out there really isn't that much to do in Mandalay. There's the palace, an imposing walled (and moat-ed) city that has been destroyed and rebuilt by each successive ruler. There's Mandalay Hill, with it's many, many steps, that we just couldn't muster the energy (or sweat) to conquer. We did manage to walk most of the downtown, eventually making our way to the mighty Irrawaddy River, one of Asia's largest and the lifeblood of Myanmar. With our travels coinciding with the hottest part of the year, the river was near it's lowest point and giant sandy banks stretched as far as the ever present haze would allow us to see. Even with the low river level, a constant drone of diesel boats plied the river moving goods and people up and down the country.

We weren't quire sure what to expect coming to Myanmar. I've experienced 'newly opened' countries before and this wasn't like any of them. After endlessly fretting about getting a visa as a photographer, we found zero problems going in or out, and basically saw no visible government presence. I was expecting to at least see police on the streets, but there were none. It seems in the spirit of reform, they have fully pulled back and let life move on. While everyone was friendly, a few spoke English well enough to talk of the changes taking place. The general consensus was that the reforms taking place were good in theory, but it would be another 10 years before 'real change' took place. Considering they have gone from military rule, complete censorship, secret police, and all the horrific trappings of a tightly controlled country, to one where the internet is unblocked, cell phones now exist, freedom of speech is allowed, and voting (on a limited scale) happens, all in the span of 2-3 years, seems like real change to me. As those who follow international events are aware of, there are still many problems affecting the county. Fighting continues in the north with the Kachin, in their long running struggle for autonomy. There have been regular and disturbing attacks on Muslims, by Buddhists, with neighborhoods burned and many people killed. A few of these incidents happened while we were in country. It would appear to me that the government pulling back has left somewhat of a power vacuum on the streets and has allowed Buddhist extremist (lead by monks in some cases) to exploit the opening.

Anyways, back to our trip...

Two things in Mandalay that I really enjoyed seeing were the U Bein Bridge, the longest teak bridge in the world, and the 'gold-pounders', who make by hand, the gold leaf that is used in many Buddhist rituals.

Getting to the bridge before sunrise was a nice (cool) experience, watching the comings and goings or people and monks, strolling, power walking, and biking over the bridge.

The gold-pounders work the metal down to leaf by hammering it over and over. The rhythmic blows of the hammers were both mesmerizing and deafening. Sinewy young men, creating gold leaf to be rubbed onto statues of Buddha until they become blobs of gold.

More to come. Next up - Bagan and the plain of 10,000 temples.

Favorite Photos of 2012

2012-12-31T17:35:00.002-05:00

Now that the year has drawn to a close, I thought I'd post a few of my favorite images from the past year.

My primary focus this year has been people. Formal portraits, documentary style, environmental, you name it, they all entered the conversation. Keep it moving, new angles, lighting, backgrounds.

Enjoy!

As always, to see more work or to contact me, head to my website, www.DavidSeaver.com.

Itzamal, Mexico

The daily flag folding ceremony, Itzamal, Mexico

Sammi

Medical Research, UVM

A full medical and healthcare portfolio can be found at my dedicated site, www.PhotographerHealthCare.com

Esperanza Magazine feature on Caroline Whiddon

Enpro Environmental Services

Subaru PUMA Global Rally Cross taking flight in Las Vegas, NV

We were aiming for graphic photos and I think we got it here in ophthalmology

Documenting surgery

A quick portrait in the back of an ambulance

I love using the large surgical lights as background props

There's nothing like Vermont in the summer

A portrait at the fair

Finding little scenes in our backyard

Late afternoon lake light with Yazmin

An amazing wedding in Saratoga Springs, NY

I will leave you with this composite photo of a magical few minutes

Yucatan, Mexico 2012

2012-11-29T15:11:00.000-05:00

We just got back from a quick trip to the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. We spent a few days visiting the Mayan temples, then ended with a few days on the beach. After years of bouncing around Asia, and I mean bouncing, traveling in Mexico was a breeze. The roads are amazing, paved and empty, road signs have the largest font size I've ever seen, and the cities we visited were clean, and felt quite safe. I know there are other parts of Mexico that aren't doing as well, but the Yucatan surprised me with its high level of infrastructure. Here are a few photos from the trip.

The El Caracol, observatory temple at Chitchen Itza.

The main temple, El Castillo at Chichen Itza.

Crowds of tourists look at the 'basket' on the the main ball court at Chichen Itza.

A small vegetable store in Piste.

Peppers

Old VW bugs are everywhere in Mexico. I especially like the Zip Tie license plate holder.

A great door knocker in Izamal, the 'yellow town'.

The giant monastery is the main attraction and the center of the small, sleepy town.

A flag folding ceremony at the end of the day.

An amazing paper mache dragon.

A traditional skeleton sculpture.

The local tin-maker showing off a child's toy made of a sharp star shaped piece of sheet metal, spun around with some string. Personally, I would never let a kid play with that.

The courtyard of the monastery.

One of the many local houses.

Late night food vendor.

A nice touch at the Romantic Hotel Santa Domingo in Izamal.

The view over the pancake flat Yucatan peninsula from the top of Ek-Balam.

Restoration of carvings at Ek-Balam.

Miriam watching the world pass in Valladolid.

Valladolid streets.

The beach front Tulum temple.

A small turtle hiding in its shell.

Hard at work in our office for a few days.

A group of people during a Mayan ceremony at Chichen Itza.

Sunset view of Chichen Itza from Okaan Hotel.

Vermont Senior Portraits

2012-08-21T15:14:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again! Late summer in Vermont is a great time for senior portraits, perfect weather, long days and schedules without homework.

I had a great session with Yazmin last week; we shot some around the studio, making the best of the industrial brick and large doors. We then headed just down the street to Oakledge Park and got in some sun-drenched portraits on the water's edge.

If you're interested in portraits of any kind, please contact me.

Making my job easy.

Amazing Saratoga Springs Wedding!

2012-06-12T15:03:00.000-04:00

I got the chance to shoot a fantastic wedding in Saratoga Springs, NY last weekend. Everything and everyone looked amazing!

It's such a pleasure to work with professional vendors, many thanks to everyone for making Katie and Luis' wedding a success!

Coordination - Christine Wheat, http://www.cweventsfirm.com/

Flowers - Renaissance Floral Design, http://www.renaissancefloraldesign.com/

Location - Saratoga National Country Club, http://www.golfsaratoga.com/

Food - Masion Catering, http://www.mansioncatering.com/

Paper Dolls of Satatoga, http://www.paperdollsofsaratoga.com/

Clifton Park Rental, http://www.cliftonparkrental.com/

Saratoga Wedding Video, http://www.saratogaweddingvideo.com/

Here are a few photos from the wedding.

Entertainer-Extraordinaire!

2012-05-08T16:35:00.001-04:00

I just shot some fun new promotional photos of entertainer Guy Collins in the studio. A great guy with some serious knife juggling skills!

Vermont Landscape Photos - Seasonal Calendar 2012

2011-11-17T17:35:00.000-05:00

I've finally done it! Here are two calendars that would make great holiday gifts or a perfect addition to your home or office wall.

Both are $19.99 from Cafe Press. Just click on one of the photos to order.

First up is full of Vermont landscape photos, 11"x17" when hung on the wall, perfect for those who love the changing seasons.

2012 Vermont Landscape Photo Calendar - Photos for each season.

Next is all flowers, 11"x17" vertical calendar, clean and crisp photos of flowers.

Everyone need a calendar.

Studio Photos of Tao Woodworking Tables

2011-11-15T17:44:00.000-05:00

Moving into a larger studio space has been great. It's allowed me to bring in larger subjects to photograph. The latest were two tables made by Tao Woodworking. They are made from recycled Vermont waste hardwood, 100% local/recycled. I want one!

If you're interested in hiring David Seaver Photography, please contact him here.

Vermont Summer Wedding

2011-11-15T17:21:00.000-05:00

Over the summer I photographed Gwen and Tyler's wedding in Underhill, Vermont. Mt Mansfield reached for the sky behind us on a perfect Vermont summer day. Classic Vermont weddings are a joy to shoot.

A few frogs decided to join us for the photos.

It's nice to have friends who pro florists.

Instructions for the photo booth

Vermont weddings and events aren't complete without cheese and apples.

This was a new one for me. If you wanted to leave the couple a note, you could type it on this fancy typewriter.

If you're interested in hiring David Seaver Photography, please contact him here.

Amazing Wedding Flowers at Simon Pierce in Quechee, VT

2011-11-15T15:38:00.000-05:00

I recently shot a small and intimate wedding celebration at The Loft at Simon Pierce in Quechee, Vermont. This event happened only a week before Tropical Storm Irene hit southern Vermont and did serious damage, including flooding the lower levels of Simon Pierce's glass blowing store and doing serious damage to the covered bridge that can be seen from the dining room. Simon Pierce has since reopened and the bridge will be repaired. The power of nature and the coming of global warming should not be ignored. The other thing that couldn't be ignored were the flowers that Tedd Kapinos of Jasper and Prudence Floral in Weathersfield, Vermont put together. Classy and modern, I've worked with Tedd over the years and he keeps hitting the mark! Check out his website (most of the photos are mine!)

If you're interested in hiring me for any of your photo needs, please visit my main website, www.DavidSeaver.com, or contact me here.

Note: At the request of the couple, only photos of the flowers and setting are available for viewing.

Love cookies!

The view of the Quechee covered bridge from the Loft at Simon Pierce. Water during tropical storm Irene was flowing through the bridge!

An orchid with each name tag.

While enjoying cocktails on the porch, guest were treated to a hot air balloon taking off from the park next to the restaurant.

To hire David Seaver for weddings, events, or any other kind of photography, contact him here.

Halloween Spectacular 2011

2011-10-31T00:35:00.000-04:00

Another awesome Halloween spectacular at the studio, here are a few of the characters that passed through.

M&M

Future Man

Cotton Candy

Safari Jane

Lance Armstrong and her Doctor

Scary Murderous Clown

Vampire Cheerleader

Girl Scout

Burka Lady

Food Pyramid

The undead

Happy Halloween!

Senior Portraits in Vermont

2011-09-08T14:06:00.000-04:00

I had the great opportunity to shoot Marissa's senior portraits last week. She's a fast skating forward at the North American Hockey Academy in Jay Peak (formerly Stowe, but that's another story). With the issues from Hurricane Irene and the lack of usable ice, we worked with the location we had, a nice sunset on Lake Champlain.

Here area few of her photos.

If you're interested in hiring David Seaver Photography for portraits or any other photographic work, please contact me here.

Vermont Camping - Knight Island by Boat

2011-08-10T17:07:00.000-04:00

After a few attempts over the years to go boat camping on Lake Champlain, schedules and weather aligned to allow for a great, unplugged, weekend of food, fire and friends.

Knight Island, located in northern Lake Champlain, about 2 miles east of North Hero, VT.

When booking the campsite, a fairly painless process through the VT State Park's website, I had all of two choices for island camping on the one weekend that the four of us could go. The first was for the tent city on Burton Island, which was quickly ruled out (who wants to go camping and be packed in with other people), and Birch Bay on Knight Island. Two lean-tos, a sandy west facing beach, and a 5 minute walk to the nearest campsite. Perfect.

We had to race to beat the impending storm bearing down on Burlington, which made for a slightly wet ride north, but we made it and settled in as the weather started to settle into a humid, hazy, evening. After a perfectly still evening, we were awoken by the edge of the new front pushing over us. The wind whipped through the camp site and lead to a minor re positioning of the boat after it calmed down.

We woke up to clearing sky which lead to a blue sky and blazing sun. A wonderfully relaxing day of hammocking and eating ensued.

Here are a few shots from the weekend.

Hazy sunset over North Hero, VT from Knight Island

Birch Bay, Knight Island

My view for most of the day. There's nothing better than swinging in a hammock, soaking in the sun.

The tools of camping.

These white caterpillars were everywhere, rappelling down their lines from the trees, they had a odd way of rearing up and looking you in the face when approached.

Slugs on a large lichen. This was a challenge as the swarms of huge mosquitoes made it hard to stand still.

So relaxing.

Camping on Knight Island, Vermont at sunset.

The stars came out the second night, but after the storm the first night, we stayed under the lean-to

There was no shortage of food.

Birch Bay, Knight Island, Vermont

Oak Cliffs Overlook, Knight Island, Vermont

Miriam getting her balance on.

Canadian geese grazed most of the afternoon on the high lake weeds off shore.

Returning the Burlington harbor on a beautiful day.

Check out my main website, www.DavidSeaver.com

As always, if you are in need of photos, please contact me. I'm available for all manner of projects and assignments.

Dancing on the lake's edge

2011-05-01T11:59:00.000-04:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph ballet dancer Sarah Steward dancing along the shores of Lake Champlain the other day. After the crazy rain we've been having, the skies cleared and a magnificent sunset gave us just the backdrop we were looking for. The balmy weather quickly changed to strong winds and 38 degree water soaking us, but I think the results are worth the temporary discomfort.

All the photos are available for sale as prints or digital stock here.

More to come.

Fashion Show! Ava Bishop Atelier

2011-04-07T15:03:00.000-04:00

Here are some photos from last Friday's fashion show at the Flynndog Gallery. Ava Bishop Atelier showed her collection of custom bridal gowns and dresses. If you're looking for a unique dress for you big day, Ava's the one to call.

The night's line up.

Ava making last minute notes.

Brittany getting her makeup applied by Cynthea of Cynthea's Spa.

Sarah's makeup is touched up.

Amelia looking over her shoulder at her dress. Necklace by Jennifer Kahn.

Kerrin and Brittany waiting for the show to start.

Ava watching over the backstage preparations.

Cynthea and Ava

It was great to be part of the show. I can't wait to see what Ava whips up next!

Vicanti Violins

2011-03-31T12:32:00.000-04:00

I recently had the opportunity to photograph some of luthier Jonathan Vacanti's hand made violins. They are beautiful works of art. It's great to see that true craft is still happening out there. Vacanti works at Vermont Violins, Burlington's violin shop on Church St.

If you're interested in how these photographs were made, check out my other blog, How to Take Great Photos.

In the Hotel of Ice and Snow.

2011-02-23T14:22:00.000-05:00

This past weekend Miriam and I headed north to Quebec City and the Ice Hotel. I was last in the Ice Hotel in March of 2008 for a Vermont Vows photo shoot (possibly my favorite of the 100+ shoots I've done with them), but I've never spent any amount of time in Quebec City.

Aside from the incessant wind that brought the already chilly temperatures down to what even I would call 'pretty cold', we had a great time meandering our way through the Old City, stopping every so often for delicious food and the warmth of cafes.

Then it was off to the Ice Hotel. Winter is by far my favorite season and after being wowed by the Ice Hotel a few years ago, I've felt a need to go back. The sheer size of the structure is impressive, 36 rooms to sleep in, a chapel, bar/club, ice slide, gallery, and a cafe. Ceilings in the main hallways were about 20ft tall and temperatures never stray from the mid 20's (regardless of outside temps). The Ice Hotel now has it's own special location, a mere 10 minutes from downtown Quebec City. Each year's incarnation is open from January - March.

They change the design of the rooms each year, asking artists to work their magic.

As always, these (and many more) photos of Quebec City and the Ice Hotel are available for purchase digitally or as framed prints through my stock photostore.

The Old City with the giant Chateau Frontenac towering over it.

One of the many horse drawn carriages.

Le Chateau Frontenac

Miriam enjoying the sun and snow.

Ice skating outside the Palais Montcalm.

The Ice Hotel Chapel's front door

The alter inside the chapel.

Great details on the 'stained ice' windows and columns.

It took some time to push past the tour groups, but they finally thinned out.

Inside the bar/club. There was an under the sea theme throughout.

The door to the main gallery at sunset.

A basic double room

Themed room.

The gas fireplace is just for show. It's insulated so that heat doesn't escape and melt the room.

The chandelier in the main gallery.

Seating and wall.

Seating in the cafe.

The cafe

Inside the roots of a tree.

Gingerbread candy house.

The largest of the suites, this one had it's own hot tub (outside the door)

After the sun set, the lights created a very psychedelic feel in the club.

Deer skins keep you from melting the ice when you sit.

Electrical outlets are throughout the hotel.

Chandelier

An ice shot glass with delicious maple whiskey

Sliding down the ice slide

I can't wait to see what they do next year!

Hot Off the Press

2011-02-10T17:31:00.000-05:00

I just got my hands on two of the new issues of Well Wed Magazine and Vermont Vows. I landed two of the four covers, for Well Wed in New York and Well Wed in the Hamptons! Editor Krista did a great job on these magazines.

Check the cover of New York's edition (the Hamptons issue hasn't reach us yet) and a few of the many photo spreads that are featured.
Stop by any local store that sells magazines or ask your local wedding vendor for a copy.

If you want to see many, many more photos I've shot for Vermont Vows and Well Wed over the years (I've been shooting with them since the 2nd issue), check out my stock photostore, www.PhotoVT.com.

Very cool old edition of Alice in Wonderland

Top photos of 2010

2011-01-27T17:57:00.000-05:00

Now that 2011 is here, I thought I'd quickly revisit 2010 before getting to the business at hand.

Although at times I would like to forget 2010, there were more than a few highlights. I had some amazing travel opportunities, ridiculous adventures, and some serious photo-making. Here are a few of the shots that stand out from my year. As with my photography, there are lots of locations, people, and subjects. I like to mix it up. Shooting the same thing day in and day out would drive me crazy.

As always, these photos (and many thousands more) are available for sale digitally or as prints for your wall.

After having one of craziest adventures of my life (read about it here) and getting lost in the Cambodian jungle, Alan and I rang in the New Year by taking another motorcycle trip down to Kep on Cambodia's southern coast on the Gulf of Thailand. There's no better place to eat fresh crab in a hammock.

View of Kep from up the hill.

On the way back from Asia, I spent a few uneventful days in sweaty Singapore, but fell in love with their amazing botanical gardens.

Carp swimming in Singapore.

Back in wintery Vermont, mother nature only graced us with a few hits of snow, but we made the most of it.

Miriam getting some air in Stowe.

The hike down from Camel's Hump.

That's me with the camera. Yes, winter is my favorite season. Nothing brings a smile to my face like big flakes silently making their way to the ground.

A quick trip to the Turks and Caicos to shoot a lovely wedding helped to break up the lack of snow.

Rum punch on the beach in Turks and Caicos.

Back in Vermont and more health care photography for CAP Today.

As some of you know, I shoot a lot for Fletcher Allen Health Care, Vermont's premier hospital. Surgery has always been a favorite subject of mine, and I jump at any opportunity to get back into the OR.

Another shoot for Fletcher Allen brought me into the neonatal intensive care unit.

Vermont's famous Bread and Puppet Theatre.

4th of July fireworks over Burlington. Shot from Oakledge Park.

A night I will never forget. Lightning bugs put on a spectacular show for a group of visiting Russians from Burlington's sister city, Yaroslavl.

Within the Vermont wedding scene there is really only one magazine, Vermont Vows. Of the thousands and thousands of photos I shot for them last year, I'll show you three. If you want to see more, pick up a copy at any local store that sells magazines.

Photographer's note: There are two lights on these yummy cupcakes, one from a studio flash with a softbox up front right, the other from a Nikon SB-800 crammed behind the old postal shelf.

A visitor to my studio.

Have I mentioned that I love macro photography.

A kindred spirit was lost this summer. Never have I felt a connection like I did with Rama, we spoke the same language. He is missed.

It was the summer of Candy Kate's amazing marshmallows. Anyone who hasn't tried them, must. They will change your life.

An oil spill to cripple the gulf, check. Read more about my experience of witnessing the BP Oil Spill. A dolphin swims precariously close to large swaths of thick oil. Oil rigs can be seen in the distance.

This slick was shot within minutes of the dolphin above.

I will reiterate that it's time for a change. A change away from oil and all the nasty side-effects that come with it.

Back in VT and it's portrait time!

Everything looks great up close.

There was family time with sister Abigail and nephew Birch.

The Tap Kids came to town to work on their fancy footwork.

While Miriam and I had our own respective adventures this year, (check out her blog on Guatemala, life, and everything else), we had some memorable days.

Contemplating the Ultimate Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything...I think it's 42.

Bread and Puppet's giant head.

Fun with flashes, Red Rocks Beach.

Church St was rocked, and I mean rocked by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals this summer. It's great to see hometown people making it big.

For those of you who may have missed the Halloween party this year, fear not, there are a few photos to provide a reminder of the insanity.

No year would be complete without some ridiculous trip to some far away land. Trans-Siberian Railroad, of course. Why not?! This photo is the inside of Kazakhstan's Baiterek Tower in Astana.

As we roll into 2011, let us not forget the highs of yester-year and push past the lows. It's a new year and there's fresh snow on the ground. Things are looking up.

Stay tuned for updates from 2011.

Lindsey and Tim's Stowe Wedding

2011-01-27T16:14:00.000-05:00

Here are a few favorites from Lindsey and Tim's wedding at Top Notch in Stowe, VT. Flowers by In Full Bloom

Susan and Willy's Vermont Wedding

2011-01-27T16:06:00.000-05:00

Susan and Willy's wedding was a great Vermont summer affair at the Brick House on Shelburne Farms. Bridal flowers by In Full Bloom.

Diana & Joe

2010-11-30T16:59:00.000-05:00

Diana and Joe's classic Vermont wedding this past August

Ceremony Location - Kew Vasseur Farm, Waitsfield, VT

Reception Location - Lareau Farm, Waitsfield, VT

Marshmallows - Candy Kate's

More weddings!

Shana & Jeffrey in the Carribean

Highlights of 2009