Tags
black and white photography, monochrome photography, people photography, peopleoftheworld, photo essay, photography, portrait mood, portrait shots, portrait vision, street photography, street story telling
We are travelling again. We are currently in Croatia for three weeks, then Greece for four. I have many stories to tell but they are not ready to be told. It’s not a lack of time. We are travelling slow and easy; I have all the hours I need to write the stories of our travels. They tell themselves to me in my head but not yet in tangible form. It feels arduous, so I leave them until they are willing to emerge. The roots are forming and soon they will put up shoots and flower.
Meanwhile what has emerged are these photos of the people I’ve seen along the way.
Kids playing. Dubrovnik
Beer and pizza on the rocks at the Buza Bar outside the city walls. Dubrovnik
On the rocks near the Buza Bar.
Smoko (as us Aussies would say). Dubrovnik
Admiring the view. Dubrovnik
Looking down. Sunny day. Dubrovnik
Sun bathing. Cavtat
Best friends 1. Cavtat
Best friends 2. Dubrovnik
Posing for the camera. Cavtat ferry
Hanging out on the sea wall. Dubrovnik
On Lokrum Island there’s a small salty lagoon. It’s hot. Swimming happens.
Above the lagoon. Lokrum Island
Watching me. Diocletian Palace, Split
Photographing the model. Diocletian Palace, Split
All photos were taken in Dubrovnik, Cavtat, Lokrum Island, or Split, Croatia.
All words and images by Alison Louise Armstrong unless otherwise noted
© Alison Louise Armstrong and Adventures in Wonderland – a pilgrimage of the heart, 2010-2022.
I love this b & w perspective. it somehow makes all the people seem more alive
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Thanks so much Beth. I agree, somehow b&w brings things to life, helps us see in a different way.
Alison
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There’s something about Black and White isn’t here?
I enjoyed this and look foreard to more.
I also agree that sometimes one’s written response needs to ferment and mature for a while before it’s worth writing.
Safe ongoing travels. Enjoy!
Keith
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Thanks so much Keith. 🙏
I found the b&w made them so much more powerful, or interesting, or something.
Writing will happen – eventually. Meanwhile we wander on our merry way.
Alison
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Such an array of heartening studies – and yes, the b & w adds a particular accent to all these folks out and about, (mostly) enjoying themselves. Happy travels, both 🙂
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Thanks Tish. I really enjoyed experimenting with b&w. I’m usually drawn to bright colours, but discovered that these shots are far more compelling in b&w. Lol yes – *mostly* enjoying themselves 🙂
Alison
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Either you are travelling such, or these people who are meeting you. This is a marvelous series Alison. Graceful and sailing, may be like you two. I enjoyed these images. Lovely people.
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Thank you so much Narayan 🙏 I’m so glad you enjoyed this series. I do so love people watching. We are all so wonderful, even when we’re not 💕
Alison
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Love it. Seems of time long ago.!
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Thank you so much 🙏 I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Alison
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Everyone is so full of life.
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Yes, full of life, exactly that! I do love people watching, watching the aliveness, and our endless variety in ways of being.
Alison
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Great selection. Alison. The guy with the braided beard. the two women watching you (scary:)) and the lone guy on the rocks were my favorites. Always enjoy black and white photos. They have a power of their own. –Curt
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Thanks so much Curt. 🙏 I really enjoyed the whole process of creating these in b&w. And yes, aren’t they all an interesting bunch?!
Alison
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I sometimes use my i-Photo software to play with switching photos to black and white just to see what they look like. I can always switch them back. 🙂
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Same – I take them in colour, and switch when I realize that the photo is not really about colour, but more about form and composition.
A.
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I always think of Ansel Adams, Alison, and the beauty and power of his work.–Curt
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You are visiting PLACES but it’s still the PEOPLE that register. Your faces and poses tell so much. Love your black and white STYLE
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Thank you so much Ian. 🙏 It’s always the people that register for me. We’re all so interesting! I’m glad you enjoyed the b&w.
Alison
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There’s something special about black and white, especially those of people. This post was exceptionally compelling! Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Thank you so much Whitney! 🙏 I just started experimenting and found the b&w worked so much better for these shots than colour. I’m glad you enjoyed them.
Alison
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I am so happy for you! Love your captures. Croatia and Greece are so wonderful. Enjoy!!!
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Thanks so much Cindy 🙏 I do have fun watching people – we’re all so extraordinary.
Loving Croatia, Greece in a week!
Alison
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Yes the b/w is cool Alison and the Lokrum Island small salty lagoon looks hot☺️☀️enjoy it all ~ hugs hedy
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Thanks Hedy 🙏 It *is* hot here! Glad you enjoyed the b&w.
Alison xo
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Great set!
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Thanks so much Harrie. 🙏
Alison
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Have a wonderful time in Croatia and Greece!
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Thanks so much TCK 🙏 Loving Croatia. Greece in a week!
Alison
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Looking forward to your stories = when you’re ready. No hurry. Be safe.
Steve
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Thanks so much Steve 🙏 The stories will come for sure – probably when we get home and I have more internal space.
Alison
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So nice to see that you are traveling again. Enjoyed your collection of interesting photographs. Keep em coming! You do make a good point that I resonate with, and that is while one is traveling, it is hard to process everything, until perhaps one moves on and can reflect back. That’s what I am finding is happening with me…
Peta
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Thanks so much Peta 🙏 I love photographing all the different ways people are, and from your pics I know you do too. Endlessly interesting.
For years I wrote as we travelled, but I just can’t anymore. We’ve been in Croatia for 3 weeks and I find that there’s so much to process about the journey that I don’t know where to start. It will come to me but probably not while we’re travelling. I’ve been enjoying your stories, but totally get why you’re not writing as much as usual.
Alison
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I think I would be too shy to take similar photos like the ones in this post. I’d looove to take people photos, but I often end up taking pictures of things that can’t look back at me. Maybe it’s my introverted side. I’m really lookin forward to your stories from both countries, Alison — when they’re ready, of course. Gosh I miss traveling to faraway places!
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I got bold about taking pics of people right from the start because I have 2 sisters who are photographers and that’s what they did so I just copied them. Mostly people are a bit bemused by it, or don’t know, or love it. Often it creates lovely connections.
The stories will come.
I’m so happy to be travelling again.
Alison
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A great series, Alison. And something different considering that most of the pictures we see from Croatia are sun-drenched and full of color. My favorite was the one of the woman splashing out in the lagoon on Lokrum Island – you can just sense her glee and I do love the water droplets seemingly frozen in midair. I had to look twice at the photos taken above the lagoon to make sure it was peacock and not a funky Mediterranean plant. Who knew there were peacocks in Croatia?
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Thanks so much James 🙏 The woman splashing water in the lagoon is my sister so I could have her splash as many times as I needed until I got the shot 😂 It’s also my fave of this collection.
It *is* a peacock! There are several on Lokrum Island but I don’t know the story of how or why. I had a lot of fun photographing them, but didn’t see this one until I uploaded the photo onto my computer. I was concentrating on the people so missed the peacock entirely.
Alison
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I did stop and wonder if the woman in the photo was either you or related in some way – there is more than a passing resemblance!
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Amazing pictures that tell many stories. Thanks! I look forward to your stories in the future. Glad you are having a good time.
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Thanks so much Darlene 🙏 Somehow choosing and editing photos for a post seems to require less of me than writing the stories, but the stories will come eventually. Definitely having a good time! Thanks.
Alison
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These are interesting! Black and white is not my favorite mechanism, but I love the one of the lady splashing in the lagoon!
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Thanks Felicity. I rarely do b&w because I’m so attracted to colour, but I enjoyed this process, really looking at whether or not colour actually added anything to the story. The woman splashing is my sister, and that photo seems to be everyone’s favourite, including mine.
Alison
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Your discerning eye has captured great portraits, and more powerful in black and white. The splashing woman is especially wonderful.
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Thanks so much Ruth. I didn’t set out to do b&w, but changed one when I realized that the colour wasn’t really saying anything. After that I was on a roll. It was a fun and interesting exploration for me. The splashing woman is my sister. She kept on splashing until I got the shot. If only all my other subjects were so obliging 😂
Alison
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‘Watching Me’ – wow! That’s a keeper! The swimming hole series is fun and the woman sitting on her heels at the end is wonderful. Putting anything at all together while traveling is an admirable feat! I’m glad you’re enjoying yourselves. 🙂
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Thanks so much Lynn. I’m so glad You “got” watching me. No one else has mentioned it but for me it’s the most powerful of the lot. I saw them again on another day – they work at the local market tho I didn’t know that at the time. Sometimes quick snaps as you walk past can be the best treasures.
The swimming hole was a whole party of fun for me. People are generally so uninhibited when they’re at a beach/place to swim.
And the women squatting down was the designer at a fashion shoot. I spoke with her – her outfit was stunning, tho it must be seen in colour, which I’ll publish eventually.
Alison
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Such a beautiful collection of photos you’ve taken in Croatia ~ a glimpse into their culture and the lives you are touching. Magnificent perspective on your photos as well, I especially liked the “Looking down. Sunny day. Dubrovnik” series 🙂 And of course, the swimming shots feel like summer ~ wishing you all well.
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Thank you so much Randall. I think photographing the people where I go, catching them in mundane, unguarded moments, is one of my favourite things about travelling. And also trying to see things in new ways. The “looking down” series is one of my faves too.
Alison
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