No Reservations

In the introduction to his book No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain makes a very interesting statement about photography. If you didn't already know, Bourdain is a chef, author and world traveller. In recent years he has hosted the Travel Channel series No Reservations and the book is a companion piece to the show. During their travels, members of the TV crew shoot still photos in addition to video footage. It is these photos that make up much of the books content. When watching the show, I have always been impressed by the camera work, especially in the set-up shots leading into each segment. These shots help give the viewer a sense of time and place - no host in the scene, little or no dialogue - just a quick, usually impressive, view of the scenery. In regards to the photos Bourdain states in the intro, "Sometimes the truth about things reveals itself only when we look back at the photographs." What a great observation and what an acknowledgment of the importance photography can play in your life.

Ireland was the destination for my one and only adventure as a world traveller. My wife and I have a number of photos from that trip around our house, and I often find myself looking at this shot of downtown Killarney. It never fails to take me back to that Sunday evening walking downtown, every fourth or fifth building a pub, doors open, music and conversation spilling out. The truth revealed? It was a magic moment, in a warm friendly town, captured forever in a photo, a place I would love to return to for its simpler style of living.