Travel

So Many Stories

May 13, 2013 by Justin Balog 2 Comments

I hope everyone had a great weekend and Mother’s Day. We spent the day planting flowers and it was awesome…because my mom is awesome!

Today’s Photo

I will often go through these little mental exercises where I try to imagine all the stories of the world both past and present. In all honesty, it freaks me out a bit. It’s overwhelming to think we have our own story to tell that is just as cool as every other story being told. Billions of stories happening simultaneously. Each one as genuine as the next. The exercise feels a bit like Leibniz’s feeling he described about standing on the precipice of infinite greatness and infinite smallness (paraphrased). I wonder what this gentleman’s story is. I photographed him in a local Belizean market where he was trading vegetables with another farmer. Sure, we could say he is a framer…but life, his life, your life, our lives are much more than that.

Filed Under: Belize, Nikon 18-200 VR, Nikon D7000, People, San Ignacio, Travel

Columbia Shallows

May 9, 2013 by Justin Balog 2 Comments

For the long time visitors here you know that I have a passion for SCUBA diving, and that passion manifests itself as encouraging others to do it! Trust me, you will fall in love with it instantly. SCUBA diving is the closest you will come to being an astronaut. Although, private space travel is making it easier. The cool thing about diving is you don’t have to go very deep to see really cool things. I shot this image around 15 feet. When you are diving at 15 feet, you can stay underwater for almost two hours, or as long as your air will last. Being weightless, surrounded by amazing creatures for that long is an experience you will never forget.

Also, I thought this image might make a cool desktop for the ocean fans out there. Just click it, then click the size you would like about the image, the set it as your desktop. I hope you enjoy it and it brightens your day!

Filed Under: Cozumel, Dive Photos, Mexico, Nikon AW100, Travel

A Photo Or Two Before Dinner

May 8, 2013 by Justin Balog 6 Comments

Do you ever step out, just after you order dinner, to shoot some photos of the restaurant? I’m guessing many of my friends that visit here do. We like that kind of stuff. This is the Almond Beach resort in Hopkins Belize. I had just ordered some food and decided it would be great light to shoot a photo in. I think these types of photographs are fun. Sure, they aren’t going to win photo contest, but who cares about that. Going out and adventuring around is fun and then, when you process them (which might be a year later) you will have all those fond memories of the adventure rushing back to you. THAT IS COOL! I guess the reason I’m sharing this is to remind you, don’t just photograph the grandscapes. Photography is about your life. Your life is unique and beautiful so make sure you take some pictures!

Filed Under: Belize, Nikon 14-24mm 2.8, Nikon D700, Really Right Stuff, RRS Versa 24, Tips, Travel

The Red Planet

May 7, 2013 by Justin Balog 7 Comments

I Reeeaally want to visit Mars. So much so whenever I have a chance to make one of my photographs look like a Martian landscape, I do it! This isn’t Mars, bummer right? This is Double Arch in Arches National Park. All my buddies from this year’s #nXnw were going to post their image from this epic night of light painting on their sites today, so I suggest you check them out as well. We used a really big flashlight to light up the arch while we were photographing it. The folks in the industry call this technique…Light Painting.

Filed Under: Moab, Nik Software, Nikon D700, Really Right Stuff, Sigma 15mm Fisheye, Software, Travel, Utah
Tagged With: Arches National Park

Buffets & Mountains

May 6, 2013 by Justin Balog 2 Comments

Howdy! I hope you all had a great weekend. I’ll be honest, I didn’t think I was a big cruise type of guy. However, when we took an Alaskan cruise to celebrate my folks 40th wedding anniversary, I was game. I had visions of spring breakers splashing around in a pool and 3000 people over-eating at the buffets. Boy was I wrong…well, the spring breakers part anyway. I saw quite a few folks get their grub on. But the Alaskan cruise is the way to go. This is the kind of scenery you just casually sail past. Crazy cool stuff! I’d go back in a heartbeat.

If you would like to see the before/after I posted it over in the Nik G+ Community (click here).