Walking is such a simple pleasure.
Although some prefer to swim..
Category Archives: Travel
Posts about my travel – real and planned.
Seville – Home from home
I am so happy to be back in Seville. To feel progress in my Tango. To meet friends again. To dance. To be in the sunshine.
And to wander the streets capturing images..
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What a great place, such friendly, welcoming people. And how Tango so facilitates travelling by yourself. You have a structure, a knowledge – its like a common language.
Love it!
Darkness and light
So many of my pictures from last week in Seville seemed to be about light in dark places.
Sometimes the light was an effect : like these two shots in a cocktail bar : where small spotlights and long exposures helped to create some interesting images :
As always high resolution images are on Flickr here
Flamenco in the Dark
Sometimes you just get stuck in the wrong place with the wrong camera, but if you take enough shots and enjoy the experience you can still capture images that connect emotionally with what you are feeling.
So here’s my effort from a couple of evenings ago. On the White Night Festival in Seville, I went to a great Flamenco performance – and only had a pocket camera – but actually I quite like the results.
They are of Carmen Iniesta Iniesta – an amazing performance – and all completely free. It took place in the Palacio Marqueses de la Algaba – a 15th century site with the most gorgeous inner courtyard, high arches and a haunting echo to the wonderful singing and guitar that accompanied Carmen.
As someone who knows nothing about Flamenco it was interesting to sense the conversations between the dancer and the musicians, it seemed to me to have a sense of improvisation and dialogue which was very open and fascinating.
All in all a great experience, and made a wonderful diversion from my continued Tango lessons with Joao Alves.
High Resolution Images are located on Flickr here.
Urban Tango
Every so often you see something and just think – ‘ that is so me‘
Werkvideo 1: Tango … Donaukanal from werk-2 on Vimeo.
The idea of enjoying working on Tango in such an urban setting just really interests me.
Thank you so much Alessandra for allowing me to share this. I haven’t been to Vienna for so many years, based on this I maybe need to go back..
Lisbon Light and Dark
Spent some time yesterday looking for silhouettes and darks against light.
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Lisbon is so full of images – a great place to spend a few days as a happy urban photographer!
Tango class in Lisbon – Ochos with secada
Miriam taught Joao as a beginner here in Lisbon 12 years ago – she first started Tango in Buenos Aires in 1988. Today I was fortunate enough to be invited to her apartment for a lesson with Joao. Here they show adding a sacada to Ochos where the leader steps through – sorry I don’t know the real name for this..
It was very enjoyable – even if the teachers are way too experienced for a beginner like me – what a great privilege – and so much fun!
Tango Exercise class in Seville : Amagos
This is some simple Amago exercise with Joao and Begonia in Seville a few weeks ago :
Personally I could do exercises like this all day – the solo ones at the beginning of the video – I never find solo exercises in the classes I have been to in the UK but I think they are a great idea. I just went to a class here in Lisbon and again it started with all 20 people doing solo exercises – in that case based on the cross – really fun as well as teaching technique and balance – both of which I really need!
Tango Classes in Lisbon – Follower Gancho
Just experimenting with video types for recording tango classes.
This one is here in Lisbon, Joao and Miriam demonstrating follower Ganchos after Barridas and Sandwiches ..
I am using freeze frames to record the particular moments that I think are important for me to learn from…. so it might seem like dodgy internet but I think it helps me learn!
Lisbon : the journey continues
Lisbon old quarter – the Alfama – provided a really great chance today to get lost in twisting alleys and spend a really pleasant few hours taking photos. I also sampled some great wine in the ‘Do Castelo’ wine bar – which I really recommend if like me you love wine but know nothing about Portuguese varieties and vineyards – really helpful and knowledgeable staff.
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Followed by a drive round Lisbon to the west to meet one of Joao’s Tango teachers for a lesson – then a drive East to meet another one – all in all a great day combining 3 of my greatest interests.