A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

Photography

The faces you meet when traveling

The different aspects of traveling can be somewhat daunting to some. Between getting to and from a place, to dealing with arrangements and the such, it can be far more stressful than one hopes. Alas, when you get to your destination, hopefully things will change and it’s relaxing and stress free. 

But then you think about all the people you might come across. Does that add stress? For many it can. In this world, there’s an estimated 7.7 billion people. It took more than 200,000 years of humanity to reach 1 billion – and then it took only 100 more years to reach 7 billion. 

Think about that for a while. Crazy, right? 

Anyway, the people are what can make a trip really fun, all depending where you are and what you are doing. If you are camping in the middle of the woods, maybe you don’t see anybody. But when you are in areas where there are a lot of people, it’s inevitable you will deal with people. 

And each person has a story. 

Years ago, I decided to attempt  the 100 Strangers Project. Basically, it’s a project where you meet a stranger, take a photo of them and write a little something up. The thing is, I did it mainly through Flickr and it was really slow. I tended to forget about the project, or I forgot to bring something with me to give the people of which I was taking their photo. 

And it’s been four years since I added to that project. 

My recent vacation took me to the Pacific Northwest, where we ventured into Canada and hit four states. Last year, two of us did an epic geocaching trip that covered nine states in seven days. 

Along the way, we met a lot of interesting people from all walks of life. 

Talk about missed opportunities. 

Let me tell you about a couple of people from this year. First, we were walking about the famed Lake Louise in Banff National Park. A few times I saw people using a Canon camera, so I offered to let them try my 8-14 fisheye wide angle. It’s a great lens in situations like that and I always like seeing the reaction of people using it. One couple specifically kept saying “Wow!” They were younger and seemed intrigued. There was a language barrier – they were speaking French with a little English. What a great spot it would have been for this project. 

Or …

On our way back to the shuttle area, we saw a girl down near the water, taking a photo of her hand. I realized that she must have just been proposed to, so we stopped and asked. Turns out they were from Connecticut (not far from where I went to grad school) and he had proposed a bit ago in a different spot in the park. She was taking photos of the ring with her phone. We had a nice chat, offered up a couple of hikes we had done, and moved along. But there was definitely a story there.

How great of a 100 Strangers Project addition would that have been?

I have different feelings when it comes to meeting people on travels. Once again, take into mind the 7.7 billion people in this world – and how many of these people you will never see; and for many you do see, think about how many you pass by and will never see again. Then think about how many people you actually interact with and it’s staggering how few that is in the big scheme of the world. 

So why don’t we take advantage of the few we actually interact with to maybe find a little more about them?

With that in mind, I’m going to embark on the 100 Strangers Project once again. 

But I’m going to start from scratch. 

The goal is going to be to start seeing the stories these people have to tell. I’ll come up with some basic questions and have them with me when I’m out and about. I’ll start looking to carry my camera more as I think it looks better when trying to do a project like this if not just using a phone camera (though if I get the new iPhone, I may just want to use that …). 

I’ve found, as I get older, I’m a bit more introverted. Dealing with people really exhausts me, and there are times I want to crawl up and not deal at all. I think a project like this helps one get out of a comfort zone. I’m going to get some business cards made up with the blog address, logo, and all that info so I can hand it to the person when I do this. 

This last trip I took made me realize how fun this project could have been. I can think of no fewer than 10 or so people I could have easily added to a project like this and who would have been wonderful subjects. Opportunities like that are lost and likely never to come back again, so it’s time to prepare to make sure these opportunities aren’t skipped. 

It’s about people.

It’s about telling a story. 

Hopefully, this will be a fun and long project. It could take years to complete, but I’d like to get to 100 – and then some.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Photo Blogging Challenge: October 2019’s theme is …

For those of us who deal with seasons, fall is definitely showing its head. And I can’t say I’m disappointed. It’s one of my favorite seasons of the year.

PBC logo

The sights, the smells, the … almost everything about it, outside of thinking about the possibility of the white stuff coming soon. Heck, if you are some places, you already got walloped!

I’m still shocked 2019 has gone by so fast — October already? Sheesh!

Move on we must, however.

Before we get to this month’s theme, let’s do our monthly “group” challenges:

Challenge 1: Tell others about this photo blogging challenge and get some friends to come join us.  Let’s see if we can get people interested in the challenge again.

Challenge 2: Make friends with your camera and see what you can come up with. Have fun!

Challenge 3 is at the end of this post (the theme!).

Before this, here’s some housekeeping items. For those who might be new to the challenge, here’s how it works.

  • See the theme (first day of the month);
  • Take photos throughout the month (don’t use old ones!);
  • Select five photos and create a blog post;
  • Come back here and link up on the final day of the month;
  • Use the official hashtag — #Photoblogchal — on social media posts;
  • Hopefully go visit and comment on other blogs.

That’s it. There’s no rules on equipment or anything else. Blog posts can be short and to the point, or in-depth. Interpret the themes as you see fit.

The one big rule?

Have fun!

This month’s theme? Liquid! This is a pretty broad stroke, so hopefully you can have fun with it and find some great images!! Please make sure your blog post publishes Thursday, October 31. Then come back here and link up.

If you think you are going to take part in this, drop a comment below so we can see who all might be trying to tackle this challenge!

There is also a Facebook group for those who are interested.

If you would like to visit the history of the challenge, which started in 2013, please go to the Photo Blogging Challenge page for more!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Photo Blogging Challenge (September 2019): Nature

I’m quite sure nobody is ready for a vacation to end. 

I know I usually am not. 

When this posts publishes, I’ll be back at work and doing the daily grind again after nearly two weeks off. The goal was to be relaxed and refreshed, and I think that was accomplished. We’ll see how long it lasts! 

But the end of the month also means it’s time for a challenge linkup! 

I had a few photos earlier in the month, but after this trip … this is where the photos for my challenge are coming from this time around. 

I hope you all had as much fun with this challenge for the month as I did. I actually had a hard time picking just five shots for the month. 

Here are my five!

1. High above

This view is at the top of a mountain in Banff, Alberta. The views were absolutely stunning. Even with the town below, nature is seen all the way around. We got up here via a wonderful gondola ride and then walking around the top. Very cool experience.

View of Banff from above

2. Lake Louise   

One of the most famous spots in Banff National Park is Lake Louise. Unfortunately, this trip only took us through Banff for a day, so we only had the chance to hit this lake (among the several I’d love to see), and it didn’t disappoint. Simply breathtaking.

3. Wapta Falls

Geocaching brings you to some wild places, and this is just one of them. Nestled into Yoho National Park in British Columbia, this set of falls takes about a 1.5 or so mile walk one way. As it got a little later, we stopped to get a park pass and asked the girl if we had time. She said she thought we did, but coming out we might need flashlights. She was correct. The walk out wasn’t bad – the way back was tougher with the terrain. But this was all for an Earthcache, and one I’ll not soon forget. (And yes, we climbed up on that ridge in front of the falls and got a bit wet in the process).

4. Bridal Falls

This was a set of falls we stopped to see on the first day of this journey. A nice hike to them. These were really wonderful and with not many people there, it was extremely peaceful as well.

5. Looking out

This is at the top of an area in Oregon as we chased some old geocaches. I can say this – this may have been a 1/1 in 2000, but it’s definitely not a 1 terrain in my mind. The way up was a struggle for me. My knees don’t handle going steep like this well. But slow and steady was the way to go and we reached it. It was a cloudy and dreary day, but the views were still impressive.

And there are my five for the month!

If you took part in this month’s challenge, make sure to link up below.

And for those of you who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment (here, too!).

Let’s continue to grow this challenge and have a strong community. Come back and check out the others who link later on, too! NOTE: I set up a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

A ‘lil HooHaa: August 2019 linkup

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Photo Blogging Challenge: September 2019’s theme is …

Ahhh, some of the best times of the year (depending where you are in the world) are soon upon us. And hopefully that means some great chances to get outside and shoot some photos.

Why not, right?

Outside is a wonderful place to be. The fresh smells. The scenery. Just so much one can do when you leave the comforts of home.

So this month’s theme will be one to try and get you outside. Hopefully, it will be a perfect time to do so.

Before we get to this month’s theme, let’s do our monthly “group” challenges:

Challenge 1: Tell others about this photo blogging challenge and get some friends to come join us.  Let’s see if we can get people interested in the challenge again.

Challenge 2: Make friends with your camera and see what you can come up with. Have fun!

Challenge 3 is at the end of this post (the theme!).

Before this, here’s some housekeeping items. For those who might be new to the challenge, here’s how it works.

  • See the theme (first day of the month);
  • Take photos throughout the month (don’t use old ones!);
  • Select five photos and create a blog post;
  • Come back here and link up on the final day of the month;
  • Use the official hashtag — #Photoblogchal — on social media posts;
  • Hopefully go visit and comment on other blogs.

That’s it. There’s no rules on equipment or anything else. Blog posts can be short and to the point, or in-depth. Interpret the themes as you see fit.

The one big rule?

Have fun!

This month’s theme? Nature! This is a pretty broad stroke, so hopefully you can have fun with it and find some great images!! Please make sure your blog post publishes Monday, September 30. Then come back here and link up.

If you think you are going to take part in this, drop a comment below so we can see who all might be trying to tackle this challenge!

There is also a Facebook group for those who are interested.

If you would like to visit the history of the challenge, which started in 2013, please go to the Photo Blogging Challenge page for more!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Photo Blogging Challenge (August 2019): The Written Word

NOTE: It seems the Simply Linked thing we used the past two months is now gone. I am attempting inLinkz again, though they are now image based. So you will have to add an image, I believe. It should work out decently, though. That does mean that when going back June and July linkups are now gone (those who linked up anyway). 

The fall seems to be arriving sooner, rather than later.

Now, don’t get me wrong — I can handle that in regard to weather. It’s probably my most favorite time of the year in regard to weather. It can still be warm, and not overly hot. And then have that good crispness when the evening rolls around.

And as the summer slowly eases into the fall, we continue on with the Photo Blogging Challenge and see what we came up with for August. This one intrigues me and I look forward to seeing what others have come up with.

So, let’s get underway with this month! My five are below!

1. Back in my day…

My previous career came in the form of newspapers. I spent many years as a sports writer. I loved the aspect of newspapers and always got a chill and thrill seeing my byline. At times, I’d go in the back after deadline and watch the press run, just because it was so magical. That time in my life unfortunately (though, I’d argue fortunately now) ended back in 2013, but it’s something I will always look fondly back on. I still read a newspaper pretty much every day, though it doesn’t take too long to get through the local one as there’s not a lot of substance to it anymore. 

2. Tapping away

The written word these days, as we are all doing here, is mainly done with keyboards. I guess, to a point, it’s still a written word. 

3. The younger generations

This pretty much speaks for itself, doesn’t it?

4. Our hands can still write, though

Sometimes, there’s nothing better than writing things down. With pen to paper. I have a few subscriptions to notebooks. And I’m trying to get better with utilizing them more. I have realized that, even if you don’t go back and look at everything, just writing things down can help. My chosen pens lately, too, have been fountain pens (this is a selection of ones I have). The writing seems more pure and it’s easier to take care of what you are doing. 

5. Keep writing

We need to keep writing. Make sure our hands can do what they are supposed to do. Grab a notebook and a pen and jot some notes down. It’s better than tapping away on a small screen. 

If you took part in this month’s challenge, make sure to link up below.

And for those of you who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment (here, too!).

Let’s continue to grow this challenge and have a strong community. Come back and check out the others who link later on, too! NOTE: I set up a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

A ‘lil HooHaa: August 2019 linkup

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!