May the Fourth Be With You
This is what happens on May Fourth when you love Star Wars, Legos and photography!
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7 and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
Fog Rolling Over Alcañiz
The castle in Alcañiz was once the center of the Spanish kingdom. King Ferdinand II (of Aragon) and Queen Isabella I (of Castille) were married, setting the stage for the unification of Spain. When we visited Alcañiz on a roadtrip from Barcelona to Madrid, we stayed in the castle through Spain's excellence Paradores program. Under the program, Spain turns historic castles, monasteries and other important historic buildings into hotels, ensuring they are properly maintained for future generations. There was only one other couple in the entire castle when we visited and it was the most affordable place we stayed in during the entire trip. If you are planning a trip to Spain, I highly recommend you check out the Paradores.
This photograph was taken with a tiny Canon IXUS 30 and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
Upstairs at the Three Broomsticks
Like a scene from Harry Potter, these rickety-looking stairs lead to the upper levels of the Three Broomsticks. Unlike the movies, they're actually adjacent to the Hog's Head bar but I doubt many people complain about the accuracy. For all I know, Hog's Head probably had an upstairs as well but I don't think it did. Harry Potter experts, feel free to set me straight in the comments below!
Either way, the level of detail in creating imperfect, weathered buildings — both on the inside and outside — at Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter is really staggering. The whole time we were in the pub, I just kept dreaming of digging out a basement below our house and creating an authentic circa 1800's pub below grade.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7 and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
An Undisclosed Location
When they say that the president or some other dignitary will be taken to an "undisclosed location" I like to think that it's someplace like this. Look at that perfect, massive lawn in the middle of the mountains.
The Blue Ridge Mountains are so photogenic! I count at least eight distinct ranges as the mountains fade to sky.
This photograph was captured with a DJI Phantom 3 Professional drone and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
Sullivan's Island Water Tower
I love Sullivan's Island. I mean look at it; if this isn't a slice of paradise, I don't know what is. Old-timers will remind me of the time the only bridge to the island was destroyed in Hurricane Hugo and everybody was marooned but I bet they just all got together and drank hurricanes on top of this water tower as it was all going down. It's just that kind of place.
The most famous resident of all time? Edgar Allen Poe.
The most famous living resident? Bill F*&%ing Murray.
I rest my case.
This photograph was captured with a DJI Phantom 3 Professional drone and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
Gateway to the Souk
Epcot's Morocco is my favorite of all of the world showcases. I guess that's why I shoot so many photos when I visit! The immersive Moroccan views accomplish something that I don't think many of the other world showcases have pulled off as impressively.
I use this photo as my desktop photo. I hope you enjoy it enough that you decide to do the same!
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7 and edited with Adobe Lightroom.
Tampa Bay
Bayshore Drive — seen here along the water — is a beautiful waterfront road. With the bay on one side and grand, historic homes on the other, it's a really nice place to be. The city in the distance is downtown Tampa.
This photograph was captured with a DJI Phantom 3 Professional and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
Merperson
Any Harry Potter fan will attest that the Merpeople are frightening. The Merperson statue in Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Orlando lives up to expectations. The square around the Merperson was extremely busy so I had to get out the tripod and slow down the shutter to remove the Muggles from the frame.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7 and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
Elsa
This one is for my daughter.
In a nod to the rich history of Disney topiaries and the future of the Norway Pavilion at Epcot, Anna and Elsa currently pose in front of the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. While they're very well executed, they almost seem too well done to me. As a kid, I remember seeing boxwoods transformed into Mickey and Goofy. There wasn't a lot of detail, but you knew that a skilled arborist spent a lot of time turning those bushes into Disney character replicas. Clearly, the Disney Imagineers have taken topiaries to an entirely new level with these characters!
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7 and edited in Adobe Lightroom.
Rue de la Soif
Most French cities have a Rue de la Soif but you'll never see it written on a street sign. It literally means "thirsty street" and is more of description of the clientele and businesses than it is a proper name.
If you are on the Left Bank in Paris and somebody directs you to a restaurant or bar on Rue de la Soif, head over to Rue Guisarde. It only stretches one long block so it's tricky to find the first time but you'll know it when you see it! As a bonus, you'll also find a little art project by Invader on the wall at the entrance to the "Rue."
This photograph was captured with an iPhone 4 and edited in Adobe Lightroom.