They call Paris the "City of Light". Some people call it "The City of Love". But I would simply call it "The City of Awesome". We had the same game plan in Paris as we did in London....a "no agenda", whatever we felt like doing vacation. We didn't go to the Lourve. We saw it on a subway map though....and on postcards. We went to the Eiffel Tower three times, once to just see it, once to eat a picnic lunch in front of it and, once at night to see it light up. (magical) The Paris Metro was easy enough to navigate and according to the subway map, there was very little of the city we didn't visit. 

Having been to Paris before but without a decent camera, I was excited to return with one...and also, with my wife who had never even been across the ocean. Paris was very much as I remembered it and yet, it still took my breath away. The architecture is ancient and stunning. The atmosphere (for the most part) is laid back much less hurried than what I'm used to. And in spite of what I’ve always heard about the French, they are friendly, if not chatty and down-to-earth. We spent our time walking the streets, studying the terrain and soaking up the culture. We ate at cafes or bought bread and cheese from a nearby market. And of course, we made images with our cameras. Here’s a few of my favorites.

Have a great weekend everyone. 

On the return trip from Africa, Kristen and I arranged to have a little layover in Europe....5 days, to be exact. Since we were flying through London, we started out there, leaving a majority of our luggage at the airport and setting off through the city with a few clothes and our cameras.

As a matter of fact, yes...we did sneak into an abandoned amusement park. Here's some pictures. Thanks to fellow photographers Ryan Klintworth and Jonna Henderson for coming along. Sorry about all the ticks. 

Yesterday was another memorable Day 2 Play. In the process of switching our camera gear around, yesterday served as a time for me to really bond with some new camera gear and as always, it served as a therapeutic recharge of my creativity. Somehow or other, I made the comment to the two friends I was with that the only agenda I had was to find a "rusty old car" to photograph. Sure enough, one appeared out of nowhere in the woods alongside a muddy country backroad. We found two old cars yesterday, not to mention a plethora of abandoned structures and homesteads. Here's a few images from the trip. 

Enjoy. ​

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to spend some time with good friend and fellow artist Mark Jackson. We walked the streets of Fayetteville talking life, admiring Marlon Blackwell's architectural achievements and photographing anything we found interesting. Here's a few images from the day. Enjoy. 

Now and then, I have to take a break. I'll admit, it's hard. I always end up feeling guilty. But in truth, I'm more productive when I'm inspired. And for me, inspiration comes when I walk away for awhile and recharge. For years, my escape has been photography. I love to hit the road with a car full of cameras and no map (not a good idea, by the way) or plan. Sometimes, I intentionally seek out areas or places to explore. Sometimes, I go with friends and sometimes, I go alone. As I'm typing this blog post, I'm realizing that the images posted here are at least 3 months old if not older. It's probably about time for another break :)