Category: Travel Blog

This is the last week of videos and photos of my time exploring Atlanta armed only with a 35mm lens. I love my 35mm. Shooting with it has been where I’ve historically felt the most comfortable. On the crop sensor camera, the Nikon D5600, a 35mm acts like a 50mm. And if you know anything about photography, you might have already heard of the nifty fifty!

Last week, I had pretty much gotten a little lost. I was going for the Oakland Cemetery entrance from the MARTA station. When I should have turned left, I turned right. I ended up walking the entire perimeter, but I finally made it into the perimeter and fired a couple of dope shots.

After the cemetery, I decided to walk the local neighborhood between the cemetery and the Grant Park/Atlanta Zoo area. I was so fortunate to find some gorgeous trees blooming very vibrantly in the park and in front of someone’s home!

The last thing I shot was this gorgeous bike that was parked on the street. I actually ended up staying there for a minute shooting the bike. It was so pretty despite being covered in pollen! But I suppose that’s the tradeoff for an Atlanta spring!

Finally, I hopped back on the MARTA and rode back to my car. Before I got off the train, as it was arriving at my station, I snapped this picture. I love the look of a train, especially in black and white.

All of these photos are available for prints!

Piazza Navona is one of the most famous squares in Rome, Italy. It is built in the same style as the stadium on which it was constructed, the Stadium of Domitian.

This fountain in the center of Piazza Navona is called the Fountain of Four Rivers. It was created in 1651 by famous Italian sculpture and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The obelisk atop the fountain is called the Obelisk of Domitian. It was brought there from Circus Maxentius.

This church is called the Sant’Agnese in Agone. It was built in the 17th century as well. Its’s a Baroque style church and was built by Francesco Borromini, Girolamo Rainaldi,  and Carlo Rainaldi.

On either end of the square, there is a fountain. The northern fountain is called the Fountain of Neptune. Both of these fountains were created by Giacomo della Porta. The southern fountain is called the Fountain of Morro, and it was also created by Giacomo della Porta.

This one is the Fountain of Neptune.

This is the Fountain of Morro.

The square today is busy with people enjoying being out in the fresh air. There are many shops, restaurants, and artists that spend their days entertaining and selling their merchandise.

It is one of my favorite spots in all of Rome. It is a good place to grab some gelato, sit down, and people-watch. Because of Rome’s high level of tourism, you will see and perhaps meet some of the most interesting people. Make sure you make it to this beautiful square during your next Roman excursion!

When you visit the Roman Forum, you usually visit the Palatine Hills, too. Chances are that most visitors see them together because they are connected! There’s not a divider between them. You essentially keep walking through one until you’re inside of the other. They say it is less of a wait to get into the Palatine entrance, but I waited just as long.

Fortunately, despite being May, my fiancée and I were able to stay cool with the fresh water fountains that were scattered among some of the ruins in Palatine Hills. There were endless ruins with thousands of years worth of history. So I will pick a few of my favorites and tell you a little bit about the history and purpose of the structure.

Known for being an icon of the Roman Forum, this is the Temple of Castor and Pollux. According to Roman legend, when the last king of Rome and the Latins attacked Rome, the Roman Republic dictator Aulus Postumius Albus Regillensis vowed to erect a temple for the Dioscuri if the Republic prevailed.

When the battle ensued, the twin gods Castor and Pollux joined the fight, leading the Republic to victory! After the battle, the gods were said to appear in the forum, watering their horses. The temple was built close to where they were said to have appeared.

It was built in 495 BCE.

The Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina was constructed in 141 AD. Antoninus Pius had it dedicated to his late wife. He deified her when she died. After Antoninus Pius died, he was deified and the temple was rededicated to both the emperor and his wife.

It was converted to a Christian church, called Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Miranda, some time during the Medieval period. It’s said that Miranda came from benefactors and the martyr Saint Lawrence was sentenced there, hence the name.

I’ve talked about it before, but when visiting Rome, I recommend purchasing tickets for the colosseum, forum, and Palatine together. It’s about €12. It saves you money. There’s a little pizza and panini place just inside the Metro station that is right beside the colosseum. It’s really easy to make a day out of this. You end up being done around 3 pm, perfect for a sietsa. You’ll need one on a hot day. The lack of shade makes the ruins a really hot attraction. Stay hydrated and don’t forget the sunscreen!