Real men carry bolos - arrrg.

This, my friends, is the famous Lapu Lapu, the man that defeated and killed Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan in 1521.

I was asked to tell this story at dinner last night when about 8 of us went out to a Filipino seafood restaurant. Two of my Filipino co-workers allowed me to tell it, but I think it was because they just wanted to see if my proclamation of having read up on my history was true. Surprise! Ok here goes...

When Magellan arrived in Mactan in 1521, he encountered two rivaling tribes. Wanting to gain favor with the tribe of Rajah Humabon, he offered to use the power of his Spanish fleet to wipe out the tribe under Lapu Lapu. Typical of pompous Western military force, he and his men severely misjudged the tides, unaware that their artillery would not reach the shore from their position. Sooo what did the Spaniards do? They decided to get off the ship and wade to shore in heavy armor, making them sitting ducks for the opponent.

And that was that. Actually, because Spanish forces seemed so vulnerable and unprepared, Rajah Humabon took the opportunity to slaughter as many Spaniards as he could.

Pretty much a huge bummer, but Lapu Lapu is considered the first Filipino to resist foreign rule, thus making him the first national hero. This statue is part of the shrine honoring him in Mactan. I know, not the most exciting picture, but a very important figure in Filipino culture.

A tiny side note: It has been said that Lapu Lapu took out Magellan in one fatal blow with his bolo (very similar to a machete), but most historians discount that notion.

An even smaller side note, but so very comical to me: That day, I tried to explain the concept of "greek life" to one of my German co-workers. After some time of answering questions and providing examples, I still made absolutely no headway. For that I must take this moment to say: kudos to the Germans.

Hiking up a little farther, past the Phu Sian Temple, we made our way to the Taoist Temple. Not only is it an impressive structure, but it provides a fantastic panoramic view of the city. Because the vibrant colors of the city below were sheathed by the dull tones of the clouds, I decided to use the weather as a gradient backdrop to a few architecture shots instead. It turned out pretty well, but mostly because there are very fun lines to work with there.

Though Catholicism is the most heavily practiced religion in the Philippines, there are certainly many other faiths present here.

These joss sticks burn before a memorial in the Phu Sian Temple, a Buddhist temple, located in Lahug. I had never seen a Buddhist service before, so I was excited to see one had just started when we arrived. I understood nothing they were saying, as it was all in Chinese, but it was still cool to watch.

I spent all day Saturday exploring Cebu City with a co-worker who was kind enough to take me under his wing for the day. Most notably, we visited Fort San Pedro, Basilica Minore del Santo Nino, Magellan's Cross and Carbon market. I can tell many stories about the histories, but then I would probably take up the whole page. So if you want to know, ask me about it later or look it up.

This image (and the one below) was take at Carbon. This lady was one of my favorites - just so very friendly. Interestingly enough, Carbon has a bad reputation among the higher classes of Cebuanos to the point where they don't even like going. They talk about the abundance of "snatchers" and cautiously tell me to hold onto my camera.

After all, that yellow print on the Nikon strap is the international sign of "this is very, very expensive."

Gwapa!

First of all, I like this picture. Second of all, I'm sure I will think of a better conceptual image later, but this adorable little girl stared at me all the way down the street. Yes, I know it's a baby and they are generally fascinated with everything, but let me just say that being stared at is certainly not uncommon.

I've been talking to a lot of Cebuanos about this and apparently, they find light skin, light hair, light eyes and Caucasian noses (yeah, I don't really understand the nose thing either) very attractive, so in turn, everywhere you go, you get a ton of gawking eyes. In a country of tiny people, being a 5'7 female doesn't really help either.

Story 1: I had just met a co-worker's friend in the city, very very nice Filipina, but when we left the restaurant 1. she immediately linked arms with me as is typical here and 2. was parading me about town, smiling and waving as we passed. I felt like a prize poodle and I really dislike poodles.

Story 2: It is an old Filipino belief that if a pregnant woman touches or stares at someone frequently, their child will adopt some of those features. You see that happen with both Caucasian men and women.

Also, similar to tanning lotion, whitening lotion is readily available and in most every sunblock.

So an Austrian, a Filipino, a German, a New Yorker and a Pittsburgher walk into a fashion show . . .

Huge fashion show with which the company was involved in Cebu City on Cebu. The event was followed by a traditional Filipino meal and some exploration of Cebu night life with excellent company. Not a bad Friday night if you ask me.

After 30some hours of travel I arrived in Cebu at about 11:30 Thursday morning. Sort of strange skipping Wednesday, but no matter, I was just excited to be here at the cost of a day.

I know I'm back-tracking, but I'd just like to mention that my flight from Salt Lake City to L.A. reinforced the fact that I love watching the sun set from a plane. The colors blend at 32,000 feet in ways that you would never see on the ground, with hues that are so unforgettable that a camera would never do it justice.

Ok, so this is when I say, the blog is probably going to get a little more personal than it has in the past if for no other reason than to give my parents an answer that isn't "Who knows" to the question:"What is Alli doing with her life these days?"

My professional stuff will move to another site when it is finished, so please bear with me.

Oh yeah and this is my window. Kinda cool, huh?

Excuse me Mr. Law, but if you want to be in the picture, could you be a little less stoic?

Taken at 5:30 a.m., I obviously decided to spend my first minutes in Hong Kong playing with the camera. After I finish this, hopefully the light will be a bit brighter so I can start again, but it's not lookin' so good - it is typhoon season after all.

This is a temporary image, but I just needed to prove to my mom that it was, in fact, me emailing her this morning - not an impostor. No one else has my long, bony, witch-like fingers. Well, of course not, they're my fingers!

The last sentence has been edited from its previous version because of this direct quote from Jharv: "What, did you leave your grammar on the other side of the Pacific?"

It was nothing short of an honor to shoot the Wailers at Pittsburgh's first DiverseCity Festival on Saturday. Everything was perfect from the band to the sound staff to the weather. I leave every Wailers' show with such an overwhelming, music-induced happiness that the rest of my day is always perfect. For that reason, the Wailers definitely fall into the category of "I would hop this tour in a second." Oh, and I like saying "Rasta"... Rasta, Rasta, Rasta.

Everyone knows how I feel about reggae. You can never go wrong with a lot of love mixed with a dose of "there's something bigger than you" to reach that peaceful, humbling effect. It's my theory that if you fall asleep to it, you will have the best dreams of your life. Apparently, the subconscious appreciates it as much as your ears do.

Out of all the people in the crowd, she was definitely my favorite... aside from Compton and my family, of course.

I'm actually super proud of my parents for bringing my 11-year-old sister to a Wailers show. Warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

"Little Darlin', stir it up..."

Yvad aka Kevin Davy. As you can tell by the number of pictures, a soulfully animated performer.

Just as each musician moves uniquely when playing, ever notice their different tuning styles? Hm, well, I do.

I. love. this. picture.

But a big thanks to Jon Check for SITTING IN THE DARKEST SPOT OF THE STAGE.

Haha, just kidding - I managed. Great night too. After the show, Jon introduced me to this little osteria and bar, which was unexpectedly awesome. Definitely my kind of joint.

I'm going to plug this kid again though, because frankly, he deserves it: www.joncheck.com

Whilst I wait for the Perseids to peak tonight/this morning, I figured I'd jot down a bit from my Vermont, um, excursion:

Though the view of Lake Champlain from my Burlington hotel was beautiful, my business/hiking trip did not go as I had expected. Perhaps one day, I'll tell you kids all about it, but I'd rather just say that I had the most delicious sandwich that made the entire trip worth it.

I don't anticipate being back in Burlington anytime soon, but if you are, go to Rooney's and get the "Vermonter." Not only will the sandwich delight you, but you will find the best conversation in Burlington from Mr. Rooney, who, might I add, is an avid Steeler fan (no relation to the legendary owners of the team).

Trivia: The Von Trapp family, yes of "Sound of Music" fame, still resides in Stowe, Vermont after fleeing a Nazi-infested Austria in 1938. The movie obviously fictionalizes and errs in fact a great deal, but they get the general plot correct. The epilogue? Opening the Trapp Family Lodge in 1950, the Von Trapps still own and run the now 2400-acre resort.

Although Chihuly's pieces looked fabulous in lights, I almost would have preferred a day trip to Phipps Conservatory. Phipps is part of his "Gardens and Glass" installment, showcased at many conservatories and botanical gardens around the country. His work is cool and the way he creates is extraordinary, but I really was aiming to immerse myself in plants. With such low lighting on the plants and no tripod (Phipps does not allow them), it was virtually impossible to get a shot I liked.

Anyway, I kept seeing this enormous chandelier in all of the ads and papers and wanted to show a different perspective:

Ok, so you're not going to let me have a tripod?
Fine, I'm going to lie on your floor.

Oh and one final note on Dale Chihuly: Any dude with an eye patch is ok by me. Although, based on his insanity and medium of choice, it leaves you asking, "How does he not have two?"

To put this shot in perspective, the building pictured stands at least two blocks behind where I was standing, requiring about 30 panels to encompass the whole reflection. The finish on the glass plates of the building in front of me and the angle at which I was standing created this interesting reflection. These shots are cool too because the building itself already provides a grid and all you need to do is find the right composition for your eye. Also, had the sky been blue (and not filled with lovely Pittsburgh haze), this would have been an entirely different shot.


Enough of the the serious photo talk, let's delve into how easy it is to amuse me:

"First off, do you prefer film or digital?"

"Uh, mostly cameras... I figure to take a real photograph, you need a camera... I did one shoot where I didn't use a camera. I got some amazing images... but it's hard. I've never had to concentrate so much."

Photographer humor courtesy of Shasta

In order to improve Market Square's reputation, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership needed to come up with ideas that would attract both natives and tourists alike to the area. What makes more sense than 10,000 water balloons? Yeah, I don't know either.

After the battle cries had ceased, I was walking back to the car only to spot this chick going to her secret stash of ammo. Naturally, I followed her and am still laughing about how (dare I say it?) cute these two were.

This was the biggest urban water balloon fight I have ever seen - wait, it's the only urban water balloon fight I've ever seen, but holy cow it was hysterical.

It was a war zone. Literal, taped-off war zone. To be honest, I was there and cannot account for 90% of the water in this picture. Can someone please explain how water balloons can have that much of an explosive impact?

Regardless, the fact that it was a "city-approved water-balloon fight" makes me love Pittsburgh all the more. Hands down one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

"I never trust a girl who doesn't like icing."

I really find that to be an invalid assessment of trustworthiness, but whatever. For the record, I had no intention of offending the cupcake.

The Pittsburgh Blues Festival held at Hartwood Acres Friday through Sunday showcased many of the country's coolest blues groups. Not only was the weather perfect, but the musicians were, well everyone knows how I feel about musicians. I found a little soft spot for a Louisiana musician named Eric Lindell and his band, so I encourage everyone to check him out.

www.ericlindellband.com

www.myspace.com/ericlindell

I apologize for having an incorrect link posted a little earlier - cheerleader moment.

I really really enjoy musicians.

"Heartbreak, loneliness, despair and you can dance to it"

The blues are an extraordinary phenomenon in the musical world. No matter what, by nature of the blues being what they are, you know you will never be short-changed because of the energy and experience it takes to write good tunes. They are one of very few genres that allow you to take the very saddest of the human condition and turn it into a lil dance. When it comes down to it, I think the blues are a perfect cure for the blues. Life got that musician down and what did he do? He wrote an awesome song.

I'm a little embarrassed to say that the only pictures I'm posting of the entire festival are of Eric and his band. That's how much I enjoyed these guys.

There is so much about Pittsburgh that I love, but one of my favorite (non-music related) hot spots is definitely the Strip District. Aside from the original Primanti Bros., the Strip offers a collection of ethnic markets (Sunseri's meatball subs? Eccellente.) and the freshest foods in the city. Although I do like food a great deal, I find the most enjoyable thing about this area is the consistently genuine conversation. Apart from my experiences, just watch Penn Ave. on a Saturday morning and you will see a street full of complete strangers delightfully engaged with one another, behaving like old friends. I don't know why that is undervalued elsewhere, but I've had some of the best conversations with noodle-makers, florists, grocers and meat-packers - having never met any of them previously. Knowing why and how they do what they do is a passionate confirmation of dedication and loyalty that I don't come across often and seek out all too much. And yes, I'm sure it's not always easy, hell I know it isn't always easy, but they continue with it anyway. And that, my friends, is love, which sometimes seems like stupidity, though somewhere in me, I know it's far from it.

All this over a picture of corn.

"What, you couldn't fit the Statue of Liberty in there too? A copy of the Declaration of Independence? A Bald Eagle? C'mon the eagle was doable."

Interesting how my impromptu run to the roof of Matt's building created a more patriotic image from post-Pirate game fireworks than from the overzealously red fireworks of July 4th.

So, I thought that I was just going to fight a speeding ticket in Williamsport, but somehow I ended up at a carnival in Brooklyn. Who knew?

Believe it or not, it's actually a pretty sweet story having very little to do with the picture of creepy carnival characters. I just like the colors under the cheap fluorescent light.

Giant orange slicker, makeshift camera rain gear - I looked ridiculous photographing flowers in a torrential downpour.

Fireworks from Matt's roof downtown was certainly a new July 4th perspective for me. Although we couldn't really see the fireworks shot from PPG, the ones from the barges lit up the horizon of buildings in front of us.

The WYEP Summer Festival was sweet. That's really all I need to say, but I'll give you three reasons why, just for good measure: 1. The stage was positioned perfectly in front of the city, 2. The guys let me crawl around on stage during the shows and 3. Let's be serious, where is my favorite place to be in the entire world? That's right - in front of a thumping speaker with a camera.

I call this shot, "Al and the Bridge" - pretty original huh?

I normally don't do this, but this picture obviously wasn't taken by me. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, though I think this one is worth more than that.

How 'bout that Cameron Crowe.

Oh hey Sinead.

WYEP hosted its 10th annual World Cafe taping session at the Warhol Museum on June 22nd and 23rd. Hosted by David Dye, the tapings of Jon Check, Kim Richey, The Ike Reilly Assassination, moe. and Sinead O'Connor will be aired nationally in July. Check out www.npr.org for more information.

I didn't post pictures of all the sessions, so if interested:

www.joncheck.com (not only does he have a great soulful voice, but he happens to be the sweetest kid in the world)
www.kimrichey.com

Caroline played so beautifully that for the first time since 7th grade I wished I still had my cello.

Chuck Garvey of moe. at the World Cafe taping Friday night.

Probably the best full-band acoustic jam session I've ever heard. I really cannot get over it. Rob Derhak and Al Schnier of moe. (Do I add another period?? hmmm ...)

www.moe.org

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Mr. Ike Reilly!

www.ikereilly.com

Between each World Cafe taping session at the Warhol Museum, I had an hour to explore the life and works of Andy Warhol. The last time I was in this museum (close to 10 years ago), I can tell you that I didn't really get Mr. Warhol and I can, with confidence, say that I still have no idea what ran through that man's head on a daily basis. Cool place though . . . and, as expected, I spent a lot of time playing with the "silver clouds" that Matt describes as "instant kid". Although everyone knows that I don't need much provoking, everyone who entered, no matter how old, ran around like there was not a care in the world. I think that's the art in that room.

"I like boring things." - Andy Warhol

Hopping the tour to Cleveland was one of the best things I've done for myself in a long time. Playing at the House of Blues with Ari Hest and Julian Velard, the Damnwells, as usual, rocked a stellar show.

As you can imagine, three days of nothing but solid rock music generated way too many images to post. Despite not being able to post everything, I was, however, delighted to learn that multiple band members share my affinity for Scrabble.

In any case, I tried to post images that got away from some of my earlier stuff, but still embodied that "great show" vibe. Maybe it worked, maybe it didn't. All I know is that I shot both shows with only a 50mm (again) and that this shot of Alex needed to be posted.

Do yourself a favor and check these guys out: www.thedamnwells.com, www.arihest.com, www.julianvelard.com

Ted and Matt. I'll think of a caption later.

The Damnwells were in town last Tuesday to play the Rex Theatre and to make my life infinitely better.

(Dave Chernis - guitarist, Alex Dezen - lead singer, Matt Hammon - drummer, Ted Hudson - bassist)

It was probably Dave's tuning skills that enabled him to play in "no less than 567 bands" before joining the Damnwells.

Carlo and I finally went out did what we had been planning to do for a long time: a shoot of one of our favorite cities. Starting on East Ohio Street, we visited the coolest camera shop in Pittsburgh - Bernie's Photo Center. These guys know everything about cameras, so I'm sure you can imagine how often I frequent it. Just go in and ask for Frank - tell him I sent you, haha.

Then we hit the North Shore, the cultural district (with an impromptu outdoor jazz concert by Heinz Hall and a delicious Thai dinner) and Mt. Washington by way of the Duquesne Incline. Finally coming full circle at the end of our six-hour shoot, we went back to the North Shore to capture the city at night from a different angle. Carlo has some beautiful shots because by this time I was already walking on my hands and doing cartwheels on benches. Carlo, however, stayed very professional.

The evening turned into one of my favorite memories of Pittsburgh, but really, no surprise there.

Shot: Baseball game at PNC Park from Mt. Washington

The West End Bridge from the west side of Station Square.

Ginnie Springs is one of the only dive locations in the country that allows open-water divers into the cavern at the bottom of this spring. This was one of the many locations we experienced while diving in Florida and I am happy to report that there were zero snake sightings.

I knew going into this trip that a 50mm just wasn't going to cut it, but fortunately, one of Lee's cronies on the Virgina monument by Seminary Ridge happened to be moderately photogenic . . .

note to self: buy a wider lens.

Most people tell me I'm lame, but standing where Lincoln stood on November 19, 1863 was cool . . . certainly an important part of my Gettysburg trip. I think my elementary school history teachers would be proud.

Trivia: Did you know that there is only one photograph of Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address? Apparently none of the photographers were prepared for such a short speech (272 words, I think . . . depending on which version you feel he actually delivered) and due to the lengthy process of setting up, most everyone missed the shot.

As I always say, when in doubt, take a picture of Julia and Matt.

Taking a break from the competition, Diane and Jake show the crowd some of their salsa moves during the "fun dance" portion of the show.