Ladee's Travels

Thursday night was one for the books. I had the absolute pleasure of seeing  Moulin Rouge  at ASU Gammage, and from the very first beat, I was swept into the glittering, heart-thumping whirlwind of music, passion, and pure theatrical magic. The songs are still dancing in my head! But what made the night unforgettable wasn’t just what happened onstage—it was what surrounded it. All around the theater, four different galleries were filled with my Paris-inspired artwork—about 35 pieces in total. From the view above the ticket booth to the hallway near Portal 10, my photographs of rooftops, street cafés, churches, and markets—each a captured memory from the City of Light—were on display for all to see. To stand among those works during a show that celebrates the spirit of Paris? That was a high point in my life. Truly. Seeing guests stop, smile, and snap photos of the art filled me with gratitude and a deep sense of joy. I also ran into two coworkers, Lynn and Tami, and was so ple...

Reflections on Life of Pi at ASU Gammage From the moment the curtain rose at Gammage, I was transported. The lighting, set, and overall mood immediately immersed me in Pi’s world - a space where family, community, and cultural backdrop mattered. It wasn’t flashy or loud; it was deeply rooted, quietly establishing the emotional and spiritual landscape of the story. The puppetry in Life of Pi was nothing short of remarkable. The animals were not just convincing - they were alive with presence and purpose. Richard Parker, the tiger, was especially unforgettable. His movements, expression, and behavior were so nuanced that he became a character as real as Pi himself. His evolution through the story, including the eerie and unexpected shift when he took on a French identity, left me both intrigued and unsettled. One moment continues to linger in my mind: when Pi retells his story, replacing the animals with people. The shift was jarring, emotional, and masterfully done. That duality ...

These are my six entries for the 2016 Arizona State Fair.  I will update and resend the post when I know if any of the entries was awarded a ribbon. Experimental Division - Entry created from multiple photos altered from their original state using a computer program.  Images must contain original photographic elements created by the photographer. Judge Stage 1: all three in this division were accepted.  One of my favorite events of the year is the Hoop Dance International Competition.  This dancer did not actually have all of the fireworks and explosions, but this is how I saw his grand finale performance. UPDATE: First prize Sold one copy so far.  The Parada del Sol Rodeo is held in Scottsdale, Arizona each year.  I liked this because the bull's hind legs were up, the rider had his hand up and body open, and all of the cowboys in the audience were looking at him. UPDATE: Second prize Sold two copies so far.  Chengdu, China is a sister ci...

I'm learning new skills to use on my travels.  My goal is to capture motion in the dances and demonstrations. The first photograph set is of a ballet dancer. The second shows results when using a strobe light.  I don't think that the strobe light will be used in a performance but it was fun to learn.

Click on the book to go to Amazon. This is an affiliate link and supports the blog with pennies on the dollar spent.) Plate To Pixel - non-affiliate link. This is a non-affiliate link that you can use if you want. A new photography book was released in May, 2011, just after the return from my last trip where I spent weeks eating and photographing food.  This book has prompted me to review my food photos with a critical eye, and see what could have been done to improve the photograph. Any thoughts? I took this one with my iPhone, which takes nice photos.  Sometimes it is uncomfortable walking in to a restaurant with a huge camera, so I need to do the best that I can with a small camera.  I took a lot of photos at this restaurant, Ebury Wine Bar, in London.  So many that the waitress came to the table after a few days and asked me if I was an industrial spy.  "No" I told her, and explained that I just took food photos so that I could ta...