31 DAYS OF CREATIVE INSPIRATION: Day 10 {Drive-By Travel Photography} 10 on 10 @ Shimelle.com (Nihao, Cupcake!)

October 09, 2011

31 DAYS OF CREATIVE INSPIRATION: Day 10 {Drive-By Travel Photography} 10 on 10 @ Shimelle.com

This is the 9th post in a 31 Day series: Creative Inspiration. Check out all the posts here.

Today I hope to inspire you with 10 special travel photos on the 10th of the 10th month for Shimelle's 10 on 10 link party. Anyone can join - it's simple. Blog about any ten things of your own creation on the tenth of the month, go to Shimelle.com and link up.

My husband and I came to Beijing in 1997 right after we were married. We stayed for three days and did all of the typical tourist things. We took photos at all the expected places, Tian'anmen Square under Mao's portrait, The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven, etc.

What we forgot to take pictures of were the ordinary things - the crowded buses, the two line subway, the large boulevards dominated by bicycles, the blocks and blocks of old courtyard homes (hutongs), the street food, the people.

Now that it is 2011, Beijing is unrecognizable to me. It looks nothing like it did when I was here 15 years ago. I would love to look back at my Beijing holiday photos and remember how it was back then. To see how truly remarkable the change has been.

But I can't. I don't have any photos.

With the way I take photos these days. So. much. of the everyday. It is hard for me to fathom how I took virtually no 'everyday' photos back then.

What was I thinking?

No foresight for what was to come. None!

Our first camel sighting in Rajasthan.

I want to remember what is unique about the places I am fortunate enough to visit. The tourist attractions, I can buy a postcard if I have to. The everday sights, the back alleys, the back roads, the villages - it is up to me to get those on film.

Now when I travel, I cannot take enough photos. I thought I took a lot before. I refuse to admit how many photos I take in a day now. It's embarrasing.

But now I have gems like these.

Do you know what is unique about all ten of the photos in this post?

Each one was taken from inside a moving vehicle.

Imagine if I didn't get these amazing sites captured on film?

In fifteen years, this India, which is developing rapidly, will be unrecognizable. I want to remember these places how they were when I got to visit this past June.

The photo above and the one below were taken from inside a Toyota 4 Runner with the windows tightly rolled up and the A/C blasting - Rajasthan is SIZZLING HOT in June.

This photo was taken out of the back of a rickshaw. That's my husband on the back of the motorcycle with the son of the owner of our Haveli (centuries old home) where we were staying. He picked us up from the station and arranged for a motor rickshaw to take us there. Paul couldn't fit with all our luggage (5 daypacks). Later in our trip we would count 15 people in one motor rickshaw, so I'm not sure why we couldn't manage one more person in ours!

This photo was taken from the back of an open air gypsy (jeep type vehicle) returning home from our camel safari.

I'm linking up at Shimelle.com today for 10 on the 10th.

5 BONUS DRIVE-BY PHOTOS

I find this photo humorous for some reason. Do you think it's funny? If so why? I can't quite figure it out. Does it seem like a quirky ad for coconut shampoo?

I love the glimpses of the everyday in these photos.

Most of them are straight out of camera (SOOC). I think they will look even better if I spend a little time cropping some and brightening them up. I shoot in RAW, so as many of you know that typically means they are a bit drab until they get some loving care.

I'm dying to crop out that edge of the cart on the right of the photo below. That will make that picture so much cleaner.

You don't need a fancy camera to be a DRIVE-BY PHOTOGRAPHER. In fact, I know a few of these photos were taken with my Canon Point & Shoot on SPORTS MODE.

You can see the glare from the car window on this one. I'm in the 4 Runner again.

I had hardly a moment to frame these photos, so as you can imagine I had far more pictures worthy of deletion than saving.

But look how many are worth saving.

I took this one out the window of our train while it was leaving the station. Is it just me, or does it seem counterproductive to SWEEP off a train track.

Tomorrow is Project Life Tuesday. Not only will I be posting my photos, but I'll give you a peek into my album.

31 Days of Creative INSPIRATION Series

Introduction

Day 1: Design Your Own Cupcake

Day 2: Storytelling Sunday

Day 3: Scrapbooking (Week in the Life Album)

Day 4: Everyday Photojournalism (Project 365/Project Life)

Day 5: Family Photo Fun - FAMILY x 12 BLOG HOP

Day 6: Links to Creatively Inspiring People (all writing a 31 Day series)

Day 7: Healthier (But Still Delicious) Cottage Pie

Day 8: Photo Walk

Day 9: Fun Photo Story

Day 10: Drive By Travel Photography

19 Comments

Great photos margie! Love the everyday street scenes. I would never have guessed you took them out of moving vehcles, nice job!

Posted by: Linda | October 10, 2011 at 05:00

Love the photos, it's always fascinating to see how other people live around the world. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!

Posted by: Sue | October 10, 2011 at 06:01

Great photos! I love real life ones and yes, you are right. Once it develops, all you have are the photos to remember how it was like. Thanks and I would love to read more about your trip so you are bookmarked on my fave list!

Posted by: NancyLee | October 10, 2011 at 08:01

Thanks! Taking photos out the window is a great way to pass the time between destinations.

Posted by: Nihao, Cupcake! by Margie | October 10, 2011 at 08:47

Isn't it? Thanks for stopping by!

Posted by: Nihao, Cupcake! by Margie | October 10, 2011 at 08:48

Great! Thanks. I'll look forward to you visiting again. You've made my day!

Posted by: Nihao, Cupcake! by Margie | October 10, 2011 at 08:48

Wonderful photos! The coconut shampoo sign does seem a bit incongruous...maybe the sacred cows in front have been using it! Lovely! x

Posted by: Irene Fitzpatrick | October 10, 2011 at 09:53

Loved the photos~I'll be back too!!!

Posted by: ConnieM | October 10, 2011 at 11:09

I really enjoyed these photos Margie. I've started taking more of these "drive-by-travel" photos myself. Definitely think a coconut shampoo commericial in the works! LOL

Posted by: Melissa | October 10, 2011 at 11:44

I totally agree about the everyday photos. There are so many things I wish I had photos of from my past but that is not a problem now :) Have fun with your 31 days!

Posted by: Beverly | October 10, 2011 at 12:45

FASCINATING!!!! I absolutely love your topic! I'm traveling via your blog to place I could never go ;) Thank you!

I blog at "Only a Breath" and would love for you to stop by if you have time! I'm writing about "31 Days to Love Your Neighbor". It has been a very interesting journey to say the least! :)

Have a great day!
Melanie

Posted by: Melanie | October 10, 2011 at 16:11

Amazing photos! I totally agree with you on needing to take photos of the everyday. So often I come back from my trips with pretty photos but none of them really describe what it was really like. I forget to take photos of the common place happenings. I will do better in the future!

I found you via the Nester's 31 day blog challenge. I am so glad I found you because we have just accepted an expat assignment in Tianjin starting in January. I am both super excited and nervous at the same time. Any tips for moving to China with children in the middle if winter? I would appreciate any tips/ info you have to offer! :-)

Can't wait to read more of your posts!

Posted by: Astrid | October 10, 2011 at 18:50

Hi Astrid! Im glad you happened upon my blog as well. Tianjin is not too far from Beijing now that they have the high speed train. Im not sure what climate you are coming from but Beijing is quite cold and very dry in the winter. Bring lots of lotion and plan to get a humidifier for your home. Tianjin is closer to the sea so perhaps it is more humid there so you wont need one. Hmmm... Im from a mild climate so we were not used to needing heavy layers and gloves and hats all the time. Id assume Tianjins temps are similar. The winters and summers are long and the pleasant periods of fall and spring are short. Feel free to email me any time. Id be more than happy to answer any questions you have. I would have loved to have someone to email with questions before our move, so feel free to ask anything. Its a big change.

Posted by: Nihao, Cupcake! by Margie | October 10, 2011 at 19:31

Thanks for the comment on my post! x

Posted by: Irene Fitzpatrick | October 11, 2011 at 04:11

Thanks, Melanie. Ill definitely pop on by.

Posted by: Nihao, Cupcake! by Margie | October 11, 2011 at 08:04

Thank you. Perhaps they should use it if they aren't already! : )

Posted by: Nihao, Cupcake! by Margie | October 11, 2011 at 08:51

Thank you! Please come back any time.

Posted by: Nihao, Cupcake! by Margie | October 11, 2011 at 08:53