by Jason Dixson -

Thunderstorm from 30,000 feet

This photo was taken at 30,000 feet (on my flight from New Orleans, connecting to Atlanta, back to DC).  It took me a little while to realize there was a wicked thunderstorm going off in the distance.  By the time I got my camera out we were right next to it. 

I’ve never really seen a storm from the outside looking in like this before. It was pretty crazy, with lightning going off every other second at the height of it.  Hard to tell how many miles across the storm cloud was covering though. I’m glad that we weren’t in the middle of it!

by Jason Dixson -

New Orleans on the Go pt. 2

I haven’t had a chance to edit or upload other photos from New Orleans, and this “on the go” post is coming much later than I expected.  My original plan was to edit via iPad on the plane, and post during the lay over in Atlanta, but mechanical issues kept us on the ground an extra hour and almost made us miss our connection!

For now, here are a few shots from NOLA with others to come.  I had such an awesome experience there with the food, music, architecture, history, and people.  New Orleans has such a unique culture that some have called it “America’s most foreign city” (and this is meant in the best way).  Anyway, here’s a few shots with more to come!

Dusk at Jacques-Imo's Restaurant and the Maple Leaf Bar

 

Beignets from Cafe du Monde
Boudin balls for brunch at Elizabeth's
The Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band playing at Tipitina's
The Apple Barrel bar on Frenchman Street, located just below Adolpho's
by Jason Dixson -

New Orleans on the Go

I’ve been experimenting with my travel photography workflow to make it less cumbersome (less gear, fewer things to worry about) and faster (to get photos up while traveling, and spend less time indoors and more time exploring!).

These photos are the product of my Canon 5D Mk II, iPad and camera connection kit, and Nik Snapseed for editing (with a little help from Photogene for spot edits). The workflow is working out nicely! The iPad is much more useful on the go than I had ever imagined and its been well worth the investment. No more days of lugging the MacBook, powersupply, and external hard drive around.

As for New Orleans—it’s a blast! You can google it and find millions of positive reviews but here are the take aways from day 1: AMAZING food, great music, friendly people, classic architecture. Three more days to go.

Partying on the balconies of Bourbon Street
Amazing grilled oysters at the Acme Oyster House
Pecan cobbler at the Acme Oyster House
St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square
Twins
by Jason Dixson -

Roman Pool at Hearst Castle

The indoor Roman Pool at Hearst Castle is covered entirely of one-inch mosaic tiles made of colored glass or clear glass containing fused gold inside. The design mimics that of ancient Roman bath houses and (I’m going to guess) was a pretty awesome place to party.

Learn more about the pool and other awesome details of the castle here.

by Jason Dixson -

Hearst Castle Grand Dining Room

The "Refectory" at Hearst Castle

During a trip back to California a couple of weeks ago family and I drove up the coast along PCH, from LA to San Francisco–One of the stops we made was at Hearst Castle. This was my first trip to the castle–despite having spent the vast majority of my life in CA–and I’ve never seen a building with a more amazing interior design. Julia Morgan, renowned architect, and William Randolph Hearst spent practically a lifetime designing and acquiring the antique facades and works of art for the structure (including the carved wooden ceiling in the photo above that was imported from Italy).

Hearst’s dining room, which he named the “refectory” after a monastery dining room, was a very social place where he would host an eclectic group of famous guests. Those guests that Hearst deemed most interesting sat toward the center seats closest to Hearst, with less important guests seated toward the table’s ends.