7 Super Shots Photo game with @Hostelbookers.
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If you loved some of the yearly round up posts that were going around the blogosphere then you’re sure to love this new 7 Super Shots Photo round table put together by our friends at HostelBookers.
We were asked to put together a photo post by choosing photos that we loved and that fit within the categories chosen by HostelBookers.
They started the game off on Friday by putting together the first Super Shot photo meme and we’re participating by choosing our 7 super shots and then nominating 5 other great travel photographers that we would love to see participate.
We’ve chosen:
Ken Kaminesky, Drifting Focus/Traveling Tomboy, Ordinary Traveler, OverYonderlust & GoSeeWrite.
To follow along on twitter, check out the hashtag #7SuperShots.
To see the round up HostelBookers put together and the rules and guidelines check out: 7 Super Shots
Without further ado here are the categories and some of our favorite photos. Hope you like ’em!
1. A Photo That Takes Our Breath Away
Flames of Florence – Florence, Italy
This has always been one of my favorite in-the-moment travel photos. Walking toward the station, we passed this street and photographically, the couple couldn’t have been more ideally placed. They were bathed in the glowing store front light perfectly. It was also drizzling rain, just enough to create steam on the cobblestones and the perfect atmosphere for sprouting love. His enchantment and nervous tension was unmistakable even from down the street. You could tell they were probably at the very beginning of what would no doubt blossom into a steamy love affair, the kind you only get a couple times in life, maybe only once. The streets of Florence are so old and full of life, I wonder how many people have stood in this spot with this very same twinkle in their eye. Nothing in the world can compare to the blushing skin and golden glow of a love affair about to burst into wild flames.
Learn more about the Flames of Florence.
2. A Photo That Makes Us Laugh or Smile
The Bacchus Band – Pontassieve, Italy
This is one from the personal archives and I can’t help but smile every time I see it. The photo is from dinner on the last night we stayed at the Cerreto Libri farm in Tuscany. We volunteered as WWOOF’ers and spent two of the best weeks in our traveling lives working the grape harvest on the farm. The days were long and laborious and we spent the nights cooking, talking, laughing and drinking endless amounts of wine that the WWOOF’ers two years before us made. We were exhausted and dirty 95% of the time and honestly it’s hard to remember a time that I was so happy. Every night was an absolute blast and on this last night, those of us that remained decided to dine by candlelight. And drink.
Learn about more of our WWOOFing adventures in Italy & Serbia.
3. A Photo That Makes Us Dream
The Crossing – Village of Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy
Cinque Terre is the place where Italian travel dreams are realized. Step into any of the five towns that cling to the sea and you’ll feel as if you waltzed right into the pages of a guidebook, only 100x better. After a long hike throughout Cinque Terre we climbed a hill and turned a corner. Right around that corner was this amazing view of Vernazza. The stone cottage complete with wooden shutters and flower box overlooking the view of the village was too perfect to ignore. As Randy headed down the trail I paused and took this photo before continuing on the hike. We had been traveling for weeks but this was THE moment for me. I was standing right here looking at this very scene when it all sank in. I realized that I had actually changed my life to become a full time traveler and I couldn’t believe it. This photo is the moment when the dream had become a reality. Even though it’s my life, it’s still bizarre to think about it all.
Learn more about our time in traveling in Cinque Terre.
4. A Photo That Makes Us Think
Modern Magdalenes – Red Light District, Amsterdam
This is a new photo that is part of an upcoming photo essay on the Red Light District in Amsterdam. I feel slightly crass in saying this but the best part of Amsterdam was this illicit section of town. It was beautiful in all the sad, cunning and melancholic ways that happen when you have women selling themselves for money in window fronts. Taking photos in the Red Light District is NOT allowed and I heard horror stories about what happened to photographers who were caught. It was dark, I was stealth and I ended up with photos that, to me, reflected the anonymous longing of girls living on the edge. The girls were all beautiful and seemed somewhere on the cusp of something – maybe hope? One foot still lies in the possibility of a normal life while the other is dragged by cheap sex, debts owed & g-strings. I look at this girl and can’t help but think about her life when she isn’t bathed in the red light. Is she happy? Is she sad? Is her glass half empty or half full? Does she knit? What is life like being on the other side of that glass? I wish I knew her.
We’re just starting to publish Amsterdam articles now but if you’re interested you can read a bit more about about our time traveling in Amsterdam.
5. A Photo That Makes Our Mouth Water
Rialto Market Harvest – Venice, Italy
It’s hard to believe but eating in Venice can be tough. There are so many BAD restaurants and unless you’re armed with some insider knowledge there is a good chance you’ll find one or ten of them. However there is a flip side to the coin – cooking your own food. If your hostel has a kitchen or if you stay in an apartment you can completely get away from the barrage of crappy food and create your own dishes. Venice has some amazingly fresh and fantastic foods at the markets. Everything tastes like it was picked off the vine that day – it really makes you wonder how the restaurants seem to muck it up so badly. This photo makes me hungry because I love everything in it and I remember how bursting with flavor everything was. Don’t even get me started on the figgies! Plus, all this fresh food was under $10 USD! Throw in a box of macaroni and a bottle of wine and you’re set for days. Well who am I kidding? You’ll definitely need to buy more wine…
Learn more about our time traveling in Venice.
6. A Photo That Tells A Story
The Mirage – Marrakech, Morocco
It was our first night in the Marrakech medina when I spotted this unlikely duo. The medina was chaotic – people walking, vendors selling & bikes whizzing by. But these two just seemed content in their little world. Honestly I can only hope that’s the truth here – he seemed like a happy monkey but who really knows? I can only hope that this man treats him well and loves him like a friend – it seemed like he did. They gazed at each other for a while talking with their eyes in a way that old friends do when they know each other well. There was something unique between them and I couldn’t take my eyes off them. It was as if they had their own bubble in this sea of Marrakech craziness. Little did I know when I took this photo that I would walk by them about 16 hours later and this cute monkey would end up magically on my shoulder. Sadly, I didn’t have any change so I couldn’t give him any hugs but up close his owner seemed nice and the monkey looked happy.
Learn more about our time traveling in Marrakech.
7. A Photo That I’m Most Proud Of aka My Nat Geo Photo
Backpacker Blues – Venice, Italy
This category was a tough one. Although this photo is one of my favorites, I wouldn’t say this is the one I am the most proud of. But I do think it has a classic travel feel to it. National Geographic is full of not only breathtaking landscapes but also stylish urban scenes and that’s why I chose it – hopefully it fits! We spent the day walking around Venice and getting lost in its wonderful maze of streets. The end of the day found us facing this large church as the cat-in-the-cradle moon hung low in the sky. Randy went onto the bridge for a better view and behind him a street light glowed, just hiding behind his body and his backpack. I snapped a few quick photos because I couldn’t believe my good luck in having such a perfect silhouette with this stunning Venetian sky as the backdrop.
If you want to see more photos from Venice be sure to check out our photos of Venice After Dark.
Well there they are! I hope you enjoyed them. Keep your eyes peeled for photos from other great travel bloggers as the game grows. 🙂
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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!
(21) awesome folk have had something to say...
Stephanie – The Travel Chica -
January 30, 2012 at 3:27 am
Beautiful! I remember a few of these from your book, and it’s great to see some of your other work too.
Bethany -
January 30, 2012 at 10:21 am
Thanks Stephanie – I’m glad you like them! I wish they could’ve all been new shots but I just don’t have enough edited yet. 🙂 @Stephanie – The Travel Chica,
Carolina -
January 30, 2012 at 3:45 am
Simply stunning collection. All the photos are so vivid and inspiring.
Bethany -
January 30, 2012 at 10:21 am
Thank you so much for your wonderful comment Carolina!
@Carolina,
Cam -
January 30, 2012 at 10:29 am
Great photos guys!
Bethany -
February 3, 2012 at 10:18 am
Thanks Cam! @Cam,
Christy -
January 31, 2012 at 8:16 am
Thanks for tagging us, guys! This looks like a fun one to do. I love all of the photos you picked, especially #1!! Such a great capture.
Bethany -
February 3, 2012 at 10:15 am
Thanks Christy! I can’t wait to see yours. 🙂 @Christy,
Dean -
January 31, 2012 at 8:52 pm
Great shots! The Italy photos brought back a lot of wonderful memories, though I think my favourite is the Marrakech photo, somewhere I definitely want to visit.
Bethany -
February 3, 2012 at 10:16 am
Thanks Dean – Marrakech is definitely a place unlike anywhere else I have ever been. I definitely recommend checking it out! Sometimes there are some really cheap flights out of Europe to Marrakech. 🙂 @Dean,
Jaime -
February 2, 2012 at 12:28 pm
Amazing just amazing. One day I hope my photography can be as good as yours. Wow… got a long way to go!
Bethany -
February 3, 2012 at 10:17 am
Awwww… thanks Jaime. Well hopefully we’ll meet up somewhere instead of always missing each other like we did a few months ago! @Jaime,
Michael Hodson -
February 4, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Honored to be tagged and hope I can come up with 7 photos that are half this good. Amazing shots.
Nate @yomadic -
February 8, 2012 at 11:12 pm
I was tagged as well…post up now…this is a great way to “force” travel bloggers to self-curate a great selection of photos. it’s a real insight into the real personalities of the writers/photographers involved.
A picture is worth a thousand words, right?
PS – your photos are great! (not just saying that, you have some nice DOF going on!)
Nate, @yomadic
Nomadic Samuel -
February 9, 2012 at 11:17 pm
I love these shots! I had never seen the last two before anywhere on your site 🙂
Tash -
February 11, 2012 at 4:01 am
Love Flames of Florence and The Crossing – amazing!
Kristin -
March 3, 2012 at 7:05 pm
What stunning photos! They all fit their categories so perfectly. I really love the action in the Marrakech photo — definitely makes you feel like you’re right in the thick of it.
Red Hunt -
April 17, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Superb shots…I’m just finally catching up on checking out everyone’s 7 Super Shots. Love your first image the most…so right about perfect timing and lighting, one of those lucky shots, I guess??
Sophie -
July 26, 2012 at 8:09 am
Really incredible photos Bethany and Randy – as usual! Thanks for taking part 🙂
nubwaxer -
September 5, 2013 at 5:54 pm
Modern Magdalenes – Red Light District, Amsterdam
taking pictures of people without consent makes someone a douchebag.