Author Archives: Bri Duncan

Longing Archer at Villa del Balbianello

Posted on April 14th, 2014 by

Coming to Italy for a Single Location

I came to Italy this time around to visit this location…Villa del Balbianello on Lago (Lake) Como just north of Milan. I spent two days in Milan. It’s a wonderful city full of life and fashion, but these days I think I prefer less the overt flash of the city, and instead enjoy the seduction of nature. This villa has played host to several films. James Bond recovers here (a hospital) in the Daniel Craig version of Casino Royale. This is the Lake Retreat settings for Star Wars Episode 2 where Anakin and Padmé hide out and also the location of their wedding.

Feelings on the Lake

I can’t adequately communicate how absolutely beautiful Lago Como is and every time I try, it comes out all wrong. The wisteria was just starting to bloom and the sweet smell flooded my senses during my entire time at the lake. It seemed everywhere I turned, someone had planted another fragrant vine just to brighten my day. This statue of a female archer seemed to stare out across the beauty of the area. She had a job to do, but longed to be lost in the beauty that she found here. I know exactly how she feels.

Longing Archer at Villa del Balbianello
Longing Archer at Villa del Balbianello

Photo Technical Info

Saint Mark’s Square Venice, Italy

Posted on April 10th, 2014 by

Up Early to Shoot in the Rain

It was a slow and steady rain my last day in Venice and since it was January, being both cold AND wet is not a prospect I usually look forward to. I also had an upper respiratory infection and looking back, I wonder how smart it was for me to be out in the cold Venetian air in the first place. When you take short trips, as I do, you have to make the most of what little you have. In my case I couldn’t let the rain or the cold or my cough or jet-lag stop me from getting the photos I wanted. I am trying to take this view of life as well…I could more easily stay home, be more comfortable, not get so sick so often, take fewer trips, but there are so many places I want to go and so much to see. Though it may cause me to shiver, I can’t imagine the slow cold rain stopping me.

Saint Mark's Square Venice, Italy
Saint Mark’s Square Venice, Italy

Photo Technical Info

Bar of the Hotel du Louvre in Paris

Posted on April 7th, 2014 by

Never Enough Time in Paris

If I had to pick…it would be Paris. There is some…I don’t know what, about the city. I was headed down for breakfast at my hotel during my 24 hours in The City of Light when I walked past this luxurious red velvet draped room. It serves, somewhat obviously as the bar of the hotel, and perhaps the liquor displays on the wall are over the top, but I just LOVED the space. Immediately I went back for my camera and was taking in all the lushness.

Bar of the Hotel du Louvre in Paris
Bar of the Hotel du Louvre in Paris

Photo Technical Info

Reclining Buddha of Wat Pho

Posted on April 3rd, 2014 by

Expectations are Useless

I often roll my eyes at people when they share their expectations of a place with me. Aren’t the people in Paris rude? No they aren’t if you respect their culture. Isn’t Argentina really poor? They have an host of economic problems as do we…they also have poor people and some that are quite wealthy. Despite my somewhat uppity attitude towards those untraveled…I myself constantly find my expectations blown out of the water. Bangkok was a surprisingly modern city…cue the roll of my eyes at myself.

Wat Pho

During my short (and extremely hot) time in Bangkok, I visited Wat Pho and the surrounding area. I had hands down the BEST Thai food I have ever had from a street vendor and I saw the largest reclining Buddha in the world. From the photo it almost looks like I am looking down on this shrine…I assure you, I was looking (way) up. As impressive as the Buddha was in shear size, I loved the detail work all around the temple almost as much.

Reclining Buddha of Wat Pho
Reclining Buddha of Wat Pho

Photo Technical Info

  • Aperture: ƒ/2.8
  • Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
  • Taken: 23 March, 2014
  • Focal length: 28mm
  • ISO: 1600
  • Shutter speed: 1/200s

Lit Candles in Notre Dame Cathedrale Paris

Posted on March 31st, 2014 by

The Language of Beautiful Music is Universal

I am not Catholic…I grew up Methodist but I cant help but be fascinated at the wonderful cathedral’s all over Europe. The of the grandest is of course Notre Dame in Paris, France. There is always a wealth of activity in these ancient churches and I never quite know exactly what is happening in all the nooks and crannies. While visiting this last week, I attended the Vêpres du Carême, there was some wonderful singing, but I didn’t quite know what was happening as mon français n’est pas très bon (my French is not very good)! It was interesting to me though how much I got out of the service considering I dindt understand much of the actual words…music for me tends to be universal.

Lighting a Candle

The simple notion of lighting a candle for someone seems to take on added meaning in some places. Depending on the location there seems to be different candles of different sizes. These lit candles in the Cathedral of Notre Dame seemed to be the largest and most expensive to light. Can some of my Catholic friends enlighten me as to the ins and outs of lighting a candle in church? Does it have different meaning depending on the alter or area of the cathedral?

Lit Candles in Notre Dame Cathedrale Paris
Lit Candles in Notre Dame Cathedrale Paris

Photo Technical Info

Waibaidu Bridge Shanghai China

Posted on March 27th, 2014 by

Wandering in the Dark

I arrived in Shanghai after a 16 hour flight and made it to the hotel around 4pm in the afternoon. I took one of the fastest commuter trains in the world from the airport. We traveled at over 300km/hour…this is the slower speed they run the train. I was exhausted, but I left the comfort of my hotel to venture to the Bund the first night to wander alone in the dark with 1000 strangers.

Today’s Photo – With a bit of Soul Searching

I have been thinking quite a bit today about pushing myself. The constant moving has taken a physical toll on me lately, but every time I process a new photo it makes me recall the journey. I recall how alive travel makes me feel and how I find glimpses of childlike wonder on the road; a wonder I once though forever lost. There is something out there I am searching for, I know not what, but my soul has seen glimpses, even in the most usual of subjects.

Waibaidu Bridge Shanghai China
Waibaidu Bridge Shanghai China

Photo Technical Info

Cannon Beach Oregon Haystack Rock and The Needles

Posted on March 24th, 2014 by

In Search of Childhood Film Locations

This was the photo I was looking for when we ended up at Ecola State Park. When we arrived at Ecola and stood on the lookout point, I realized right away we had arrived in the wrong location for the photo I wanted. This happens quite a bit. A helpful local tells you about their favorite vantage point away from all the crazy photographers on the beach, not understanding you are, in fact one of the crazy ones.

Today’s Photo – Goonies Never Say Die (and neither do photographers)!

We were lucky to make it to Cannon Beach just before the sun went down. You might recognize Haystack Rock (on the right) and The Needles (on the left) from the 1980’s film The Goonies. When the circumstances of life throw up a roadblock to what you want, it’s easy to give up…to settle. The much harder thing is to plunge in and risk everything. Sometimes the reward makes the gamble worth the risk.

Cannon Beach Oregon Haystack Rock and The Needles
Cannon Beach Oregon Haystack Rock and The Needles

Photo Technical Info

Jing’an Temple Shrine

Posted on March 20th, 2014 by

Today’s Photo – A Personal Shrine

Jing’an Temple is a vast place full of monks, Buddhist practitioners (laypeople) and tourists alike and finding privacy must be next to impossible. One of the things that I found interesting is the large number of spaces for worship. I don’t profess to understand all the in’s and out’s of Buddhism, but this Jing’an Temple shrine seems to be made for an intimate bit of prayer. I arrived early in the day and was lucky to capture the temple with few visitors.

Jing'an Temple Shrine
Jing’an Temple Shrine

Photo Technical Info

Jing’an Temple Courtyard Shanghai China

Posted on March 17th, 2014 by

Today’s Photo – Old Meets New

I have said it many times before, but I absolutely love contrasts. Ares of harmony that flow, even though they should fight each other. The Jing’an Temple Courtyard is one of these sorts of contrasts. You can see in this one view how the new Shanghai has erupted and almost taken over this nearly 2000 year old Buddhist Temple, but somehow it all works. It seemed to me this is one of the truths of modern day China and perhaps one of it’s great strengths.

Jing'an Temple Courtyard Shanghai China
Jing’an Temple Courtyard Shanghai China

Photo Technical Info

Chicago O’Hare Skylight Concorse G

Posted on March 13th, 2014 by

Amazing Skylight Art in Plain View

Being an mid-west based American Airlines flyer, I fly through one of two airports on every trip I make. DFW or ORD. Dallas is my preferred airport for both its ease of navigation (skylink) and the American Express Centurion Lounge (possibly the best lounge in the United States). That said, I can’t tell you the number of times I have flown through Chicago’s O’Hare airport via Concorse G and it wasnt until recently that I noticed this wonderful and artful skylight in the central hub.

Today’s Photo

It’s wonderful to me when I discover art in strange places. Lots of people know about the light tunnel at Chicago O’Hare, but somehow I almost prefer art that is there for everyone. Randomly placed things of beauty that perhaps many don’t even pay attention to, but occasionally someone stops and says, “Huh! Look at that!”

Chicago O'Hare Skylight Concorse G
Chicago O’Hare Skylight Concorse G by W. Brian Duncan

Photo Technical Info