Detritus
The color of travel
(Thanks to Ashley of No Onion Extra Pickles for the inspiration for this post.)
I only shoot in color — black and white has never seemed an equal reflection of the exciting world I encounter in my travels. Spots of color, not swaths, draw me in. In sharing these photos, I also gave myself a bonus challenge: to choose photos no one has seen before, thus far unedited and utterly ephemeral on my computer (ok, I confess, that also helped narrow my choices).
These travel photos are now colorful moments no longer hidden. Click to embiggen…
Blue
Blue striped curtains and neighbor, Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Todd and I didn’t do much in Palermo, Sicily besides wander the streets. There were some churches and cannoli I suppose, but the projections of people’s lives into shared spaces were the draw for us. Due in part to heat, gossip, and fresh air, we often spied Palermo residents on balconies and fire escapes, sheltering from the sun, but not from their neighbors.
Green
Military man with shuttlecock, Xi’an, China
This quasi-military man in camouflage was tossing a badminton shuttlecock around with a little girl in the back alleys of Xi’an, China. When I squatted nearby, easily settling into my haunches after months of traveling in Asia, the girl fled, leaving me and the military man face-to-face, both wondering if we should continue the game.
Yellow
Yellow Jesus of the trash, Manila, The Philippines
Manila in The Philippines for me was a perfect state of charming decay. And a perfect hell if I was trying to get anywhere that was further away than could be reached on foot. Since lazily strolling the streets was faster going than a jitney, I was left with lots of walking time to observe the nooks and crannies, simultaneously cruddy and captivating.
White
White void on a wall, Manila, The Philippines
No seriously, Manila sucked and rocked. Todd and I never seemed to get where we were going, but on the way we were disarmed by every bit the chaotic city offered to us.
Red
Red chairs at the docks, Manila, The Philippines
No, seriously, Manila was a bombed out bomb-diggity. I love controlled chaos, intentional neglect, and MacGyver-inspired efforts at rehabilitation and restoration. Manila serves it up with a touch of colorful island flair. The crustiness got old, but somehow never boring.
Which of our colorful travel photos is your favorite?
jillJul 18, 2012
Weee – thanks for the nomination!
LaurenJul 18, 2012Author
Had to return the favor for inviting me to meet Ashley!
BiancaJul 18, 2012
Thanks so much for the nomination! I soooo wanted to take part of this contest :)
LaurenJul 18, 2012Author
Whew, that’s a relief. I was worried about nominating folks that would roll their eyes. I spent as much time picking nominees as I did picking photos!
Ashley at No Onions Extra PicklesJul 18, 2012
Love your white one! Manila is high on our “places we need to visit right now gosh darnit” list – I suspect it’s the influence of living in Daly City for a few years ;-)
(P.S. when is our next pizza meeting – and it doesn’t have to be pizza – I just like food)
LaurenJul 18, 2012Author
I need to see your list if Manila is high on it! It was a crazy, dirty, traffic-loaded place. We would have benefited from better planning and research on our parts (the up-down-side of RTW travel is that you just can’t plan ahead much). But Manila’s art scene, if you can find it, is nascent and exciting.
(p.s. I literally just put “Lunch w SF travelers” on my to do list. Let’s do it soon! Let’s go somewhere adventurous but BARTable…I vote in Daly City.)
Cassie | Ever In TransitJul 18, 2012
I like your red and yellow picks the best, but that photo of the Chinese security guard is pretty memorable. I love his curious smile! Anyway, I need to get to Manila!
LaurenJul 18, 2012Author
Thanks Cassie. I’m sometimes so unbrave about taking photos of people, especially when we don’t speak the same language. The non-verbal communication I shared with the guard is one of my favorite memories of Xi’an.
Laura Byrne PaquetJul 19, 2012
Wow, it’s hard to pick a favourite–all of your photos are great! But I think I like green the best. I love his expression. Like you, I’m often nervous about taking photos of people while travelling, so your success with this one inspires me to keep trying!
LaurenJul 19, 2012Author
Thanks Laura. I just have to remind myself that it’s ok to take photos of people if you ask (and they say yes, of course!). Even without a common language pointing at the camera and then pointing at them, with a smile and raised eyebrows usually gets the question across.
AndiJul 25, 2012
What gorgeous pics!
LaurenJul 30, 2012Author
Thanks Andi.
JosieAug 14, 2012
Hi Lauren,
Love the moodiness of the Yellow Jesus of the Trash. I too am always drawn to scenes like this.
Great bunch of pics!
~Josie
LaurenAug 14, 2012Author
Sometimes I feel like an utter weirdo taking some of the pictures I take. While other tourists take a photo of Machu Picchu and there I am, taking a pic of a wild strawberry.
GinaAug 15, 2012
Great red picture. Pop of red colors on streets always grab my attention and this one is really cool with the bright red chairs and muted red curtains. Love it.
LaurenAug 15, 2012Author
It was such an odd thing to catch my eye, and it was all because of the color. I’m so flattered that you love it.
AnaSep 11, 2012
Blue is definitely my favorite photo…the window curtains look like a bunch of Greek flags :)