Journey with Janelle » Photography

Photo of the Week 2/23/10

Janelle K. Eagle — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:31:25 +0000

Paris’s underground metro system is one of the most efficient and advanced in the world. Train travel at it’s best, in this traveler’s humble opinion. Though very modern train cars roam along the tracks, I love the old time signs that appear every once in a while. This shot was captured on a rainy day in the Montemarte area of the city.

In this picture, I enjoy the way the ominous sky seems pierced through by an equally ominous font. Considering this sign appears at the top of a stairway going underground, the entire mood here seems to match the feeling one might get looking into the unfamiliar abyss of the Paris underground. The bright orange glow of the accompanying lamp post seems to indicate even further warning.

Photo of the Week 2/16/10

Janelle K. Eagle — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:14:54 +0000

In the northwest of Belgium is a quaint port city called Brugge. Referred to as “The Venice of the North” because of its canals and waterways, it’s also a great place to catch a sight of the famous windmills in this Flemish region. While I was visiting in November 2010, the Christmas festival was being erected in the city center. No such festival is complete without an ice skating rink and I couldn’t help but notice that the already gorgeous city sites looked brilliant in their reflection on the frozen water.

I appreciate the monotone slate blue of the reflection as it truly mirrors the sky from that cloudy and chill day. I appreciate that from where I stood, the reflection was inverted so it appears as though this picture is “upside down,” when in fact this is exactly what I was looking at as I stared into the ice. This silhouette itself is interesting as the tree reflected here in front of the city capital has so much character. The texture makes the visage looks like a painting I’d love to hang on my wall.

Photo of the Week 2/9/10

Janelle K. Eagle — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:00:50 +0000

The Brandenburg gate in Berlin is one of the most famous of tourist attractions in this capital city. Michael Jackson infamously dangled his baby off the balcony of the adjoining hotel. The embassies in the area regularly have protesters proclaiming their failures. The best location, however, is the grassy knoll in the middle of the causeway that is full of street performers and artists. Language barriers are irrelevant as most choose to have a word-free artform. For instance, the ones that pretend to be statues or the musicians that speak the universal language of jazz. My favorite was the man who spoke the universal language of bubbles.

This picture provides a rare glimpse of an infamous location and its human surroundings. This interesting character simply wanted to bring smiles to the faces of the wandering bikers and walkers crossing this path and I love that his own bubble frames his face. The sunlit gate still looks striking in the background, but in this photo it becomes a character looking over the people that pass through its columns on a daily basis.

Photo of the Week 2/2/10

Janelle K. Eagle — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:00:27 +0000

The ancient tombstones in the Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague are a true site to see. Because Jewish practice does not allow the removal of tombstones, layers of graves and stones are piled upon each other in this cemetary. Each generation simply dug deeper into the ground. The oldest grave is dated to 1439, even before Columbus “discovered” the Americas! While it is cold in November, I found the colored leaves in the trees and on the graves’ surfaces to be stunning.

The depth of field in this photograph does a great deal to reveal just how many stones are piled into this small cemetery. The jilted directions and weathered surfaces give so much character to the charming locale. I also enjoy the irony of the dead leaves fallen upon grave stones, and yet it all is so beautiful.

Photo of the Week 1/26/10

Janelle K. Eagle — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:00:15 +0000

Venice, Italy is a picturesque location to the say the least. The distinctly bluegreen water that flows between buildings and under bridges is the delight of any visitor or resident. The gondolas that traverse these waters have become a visual symbol for this charming city on the sea.

At sunset, I snapped this photo while standing atop the Rialto bridge. I enjoy the way the sunset light develops along the ripples and that the silhouettes of the gondolas are so distinct. Peering closely, you can even see tiny details of the happy snuggling passengers.

Starting the Photo of the Week series!

Janelle K. Eagle — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:09:28 +0000

As I’ve traveled around the world, I’ve seen some amazing people and sites. I’d love to share them with you in a weekly series where I’ll feature a photo and share the story that went along with the capture!

To start it off, feast your eyes on this:

In the small fifedom of Bhaktapur, Nepal, there are two large festivals a year. At this particular festival, young girls dress in traditional Newari outfits and go from doorpost to doorpost singing and dancing. In return, they receive a few rupees that they can then use to buy chocolate or any other treat.

These young girls are in the town center awaiting sunset- when they can begin to sing and dance. One girl blows a bubble as a friend hangs by watching the hustle and bustle of festival preparations.

Photographically, I enjoy that the bubblegum girl is in focus while the rest of her environment seems to literally swirl around her. The candid capture of the innocent friendship of these young girls is touching.

Nepal Photography Sample

Janelle K. Eagle — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:17:00 +0000

I will continue to update this set as I upload and edit more pictures. It seems impossible to take a bad picture while traveling here in Nepal. The eyes of these people tell stories I can only imagine.

For a direct link to these pictures, click HERE

Life on a Farm

Janelle K. Eagle — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 04:58:00 +0000

The great wall of Garlic on Bright Farm

My initial enthusiasm and blog post about arriving at Uncle Charlie’s garlic farm prevented me from providing an in depth explanation of what it feels like to actually live on Bright Farm. Constantly processing images that take my breath away also seemed to have presented me with the slightest bit of writer’s block. How do I describe the beauty and feeling surrounding a person lucky enough to be a guest?

Perhaps I’ll start with the obvious, a juxtaposition of my life in Los Angeles and Life on a Farm. The most obvious difference being SPACE. On the Eagle’s farm, there are 10 acres of beautiful land to walk about in. Instead of partying neighbors, there are llamas, roosters, and rabbits. The bunnies are not pets; they are pests.

A small paddle boat waits for a captain

Whereas I walk out into a busy street and can’t have dogs running leashless, at the farm the dogs roam and play freely. When it’s hot, going for a dip involves no chlorine, it involves a good ole’ lake.

More profoundly satisfying than any other aspect of the visit is the relationship you begin to appreciate with cuisine. If you fancy yourself a “foodie,” I highly recommend spending a week on an organic farm. There is something spectacular about being fully involved in all parts of creating, harvesting, and cooking the food that you put in your mouth every day. My favorite eye-opening knowledge that I’ve gained is just how little you need seasoning when the food itself has so much rich flavor because it is fresh and free of additives. And I mean SCARY good.

Cousin Bree in her field of organic corn

I’ve never felt amorous towards sweet corn before, but I briefly pondered an engagement after heading into the corn field with Bree to harvest and shuck this season’s first corn crop.

The last time I visited here, I was very young. This means that I had absolutely no concept of hard work or what all the adults were doing while I was running through the fields with chickens. As a fully functional adult, I got to participate. When it was time to get out into the bean field, I had my own row assignment. When it was time to process the garlic we’d just dug up from the field, I had to audition for my role in the production line.

It was hard work. It was glorious work. It was an honor to hang out with my family and the wonderful friends they keep up at Bright Farm. I am so happy to have the memories from the experience and so touched that I was included.

#14: Call me Farmer Janelle

Janelle K. Eagle — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:09:00 +0000

I knew I kept those overalls for a reason. They’ve been sitting in my “save for a random day” drawyer for at least four years. This trip to my Uncle’s farm in Canada was the perfect occasion to bring them out of hiding.

After arriving here in the evening last night, I had missed all the day’s farm work that had already taken place. I got to relax and visit with my family for a while and woke up ready to join in right on their busiest work day. Monday is spent preparing for Tuesday’s farmer’s market, so a little bit of everything grown on the farm gets picked (harvested).

Inevitably, I am here during one of the hottest days on record on Salt Spring Island. While their home thermometer read 111 degrees, we are thinking it was more like 90. It definitely FELT excruciating. I didn’t anticipate how sunburned I was getting and thus didn’t put sunscreen on my shoulders until the later morning. Alas, I have quite the burn on my shoulders.

The most rewarding part about coming to work on this farm is spending time with my loving family while they’re in their element. They understand food, commerce, health, and business from a completely different perspective than I do. When they want to prepare lunch or dinner, they decide what they’re hungry for and then GO GET IT. Right from their land! It’s all organic and delicious and healthy and amazing.

There was a DEER that broke onto the property today. A HUGE deer just bounded right by us as we picked cherry tomatoes. Not to mention the wild bunnies that remind me of times back at UC Irvine where they too had a hare problem.

There are three dogs (including the puppy Ruby, pitured), two cats, a ton of chickens, and three llamas. There are vegetables galore that are the most colorful and beautiful I’ve seen. However, the REAL reason I am here (beyond seeing my beautiful family), is to harvest GARLIC.

Bright Farm Garlic is renowned. Each year there is a produce competition, and the other growers don’t stand a chance. When I was 10 (and had a very infamous episode where I was attacked by moths), I came to the farm during garlic harvest and never forgot it. Sitting with a group, listening to the blues, and peeling garlic. For years I talked about making it up here to participate again, but it just never fit in.

Bright Farm's fresh and organic tomato varieties

The beauty of my Life To Do List, as I’ve stated on multiple occasions, is that the Virgo in me can’t stand to see a goal that is written down and un-accomplished. I long to cross an item off. It bugs me to stare at a list and not tackle item by item. I knew that if I put down a goal of getting up here, that I’d make it happen. And it was SO worth it.

There is photography and video gold up here. There will definitely be a Journey with Janelle Episode about this one. I am eating some of the healthiest and delicious-est food I’ll ever have. I am facing my moth fear. I’m playing with puppies and kittens. It’s ridiculous in the best way.

I feel so lucky to be at Bright Farm and to cross #14 off the Life To Do list.

On a Hill in Saugus

Janelle K. Eagle — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:27:00 +0000

The final film set that we shot “A Marine Story” at was a house on top of a very steep hill in Saugus, a country-esque town about 30 miles north of Los Angeles. While the temperature got up to 108 C during the day, the sunsets were spectacular. For those who appreciate the effects of light on landscape, it is one of the most gorgeous views I’ve seen.

I love the way the details of the landscape- the trees’ shadows, the individual blades of dried grass shaking in the wind and begging travelers not to throw cigarettes- these details literally “popped” in front of our very eyes. It was a pleasure to tell my camera to attempt to capture the beauty as well.

A brief slideshow of what we saw:

Starting the Photo of the Week series!