Ireland
Dublin marks the starting point of a westward journey to Ireland’s wild Atlantic edge, from the dune-backed cove of Doonbeg, to limestone of the Burren, onward through Galway, and into the quartzite highlands of Connemara. This visual essay from 2013 traces that arc, setting the city’s Georgian streets and Victorian ironwork against wave-cut cliffs, bog, and mountain light. Continue reading Ireland
Nikon D7100 Camera: Review & Comparison to the Nikon D7000 and D300
The Nikon D7100 restores the 51-point autofocus array that the D7000 dropped and adds a 24MP sensor without an optical low-pass filter, a combination that rewards photographers willing to manage moiré in post. This review traces my progression from D300 and D7000 models, covering burst performance, weather sealing, and real-world action and wildlife results. Continue reading Nikon D7100 Camera: Review & Comparison to the Nikon D7000 and D300
France
Twelve grand avenues pivot around the axis of the Arc de Triomphe, anchoring historic Paris. This photo gallery captures the city’s architectural landmarks and Gothic nuances as they stood in 2012, from the boutiques and bistros lining the boulevards to the timeless facades along the Seine, tracing a path to Notre Dame Cathedral. Continue reading France
Switzerland
Parc Naziunal Svizzer is the oldest national park in the Alps and one of the most strictly protected. We traveled through the park before heading to the high-altitude resort town of Davos and then Zurich. The photographs from 2012 document a visual transition from the rugged Alpine heart to the streets of Switzerland’s most iconic cities. Continue reading Switzerland
Italy
Marling and Merano occupy a corner of Italy where medieval Tyrolean culture and Italian warmth have coexisted for centuries. These 2012 photographs highlight both the vine-draped hillside village of Marling, set against a dramatic alpine backdrop, and the Belle Époque spa town of Merano. Continue reading Italy
Germany
From the arcaded streets of Munich around Marienplatz to the castle-crowned ridges above Schwangau, this 2012 collection traces a route through Bavaria’s southern reaches: Neoclassical Munich at street level, then up into the Ammergau Alps where Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau rise above the Alpsee and Schwansee lakes. Continue reading Germany
Yamaha Electro-Acoustic Nylon NCX1200R Guitar Review
I recently bought a Yamaha NCX1200R, the guitar that Gabriela of Rodrigo y Gabriela plays on tour. This guitar incorporates construction elements from the handcrafted GC Series including a solid Sitka spruce top and rosewood back. My review analyzes the build quality, the dual-contact pickup system, and the physical distinctions between the NCX and Rodrigo’s NTX model. Continue reading Yamaha Electro-Acoustic Nylon NCX1200R Guitar Review
Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II Guitar Review
The Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II routes its acoustic signal through a Nanomag pickup embedded in the fingerboard past the 22nd fret, a design licensed from German maker Shadow. This article covers how the Ultra-II pairs Alnico Classic humbuckers with acoustic-like tone from a chambered body. The same chambering that trims the guitar’s weight is also what gives the acoustic signal its depth and resonance. Continue reading Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-II Guitar Review
Greece
Athens preserves two millennia of history within its compact ancient core. Captured in 2009, these images explore the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora, and the Byzantine churches that bridge the classical and medieval worlds. From Doric columns to tenth-century frescoes, the gallery records a city where Greek, Roman, and Byzantine layers reveal themselves in a single afternoon’s walk. Continue reading Greece
Austria
Vienna’s urban landscape is anchored by the 1,441-room Schönbrunn Palace and the copper-domed Hofburg complex. This photographic survey from 2009 examines the city’s imperial architecture, from the Renaissance facades of Maria-Theresien-Platz to the intricate Gothic masonry of Stephansdom. Continue reading Austria
Italy
The Great Dolomite Road links Bolzano to Cortina d’Ampezzo across four high Alpine passes, each one framing a different face of the limestone massifs. This 2009 gallery documents six roadside landmarks along that route, Lake Carezza, the Sella Towers, and the summit of Passo Falzarego, where the Cinque Torri rise directly from the plateau with no foothills between them and the road. Continue reading Italy
Tibet
The Potala Palace in Lhasa rises thirteen stories above the Lhasa Valley and houses over 1,000 rooms of Tibetan Buddhist scripture, gilded reliquaries, and the sealed tombs of eight Dalai Lamas. This 2007 gallery documents my visit to the palace complex alongside the pilgrimage circuit of Jokhang Temple and the turquoise expanse of Yamdrok Lake at 4,440 meters elevation. Continue reading Tibet