Karasabai Skies

On September 30, 2016 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography6 Comments

I had just finished up some work, and simultaneously finished up my processing on a photo I took in the Pakaraima’s earlier this year, and I was heading into my vehicle to head home when I was approached by a man of Amerindian descent (our indigenous people).

He called me by my last name, and inquired if I was indeed Mr. Lam, the one who took photographs, once I replied in the affirmative, he proceeded to ask if I had a brother named Patrick, again, I said yes, he apparently went to school with my brother at some point. He then told me how much he enjoyed my photos, I was somewhat stunned to be thus approached on the road, but I was also thrilled. It seems he is now embarking on his own photographic journey.

I would probably never have had the courage to do what he did, but I realise now that I have left many things unsaid to many people simply because I was unsure of how they would take my approaching them gushing about how much I like their work. Judging from my own reaction, I regret not saying to those people whose work I admire, that I love their work, and that they inspire me.

On to the photography – I don’t think I’ve ever treated one of my “safari”or photos taken in the Rupununi or the Pakaraimas in a similar manner to that which I do my seascapes and coastal photos, but something about this one steered me in that direction (yes, the clouds, I know) 🙂

Karasabai, Pakaraima Mountains, Upper Takutu – Upper Essequibo Region, Guyana

Click on the photo to see it in the Gallery.

Since I started using WordPress for this blog, other than using the online interface to write, I’ve been using Windows Live Writer as my main off-line way of drafting and preparing my blog-posts, I had heard sometime back that MS was not developing it further (although its pretty great as it is), this one I tried using Open Live Writer, which is so identical to MS Live-Writer that I forgot I was using a different software. So far, I like it!

Chimney

On September 27, 2016 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography5 Comments

I’ve taken a few photos of the Chateau Margot chimney over the years, but I’ve always been looking for better ones, something less “touristy”or “documentary” and a little more towards the artistic side.

I think I finally got one, of course, as things happen I took it after the Guyana Visual Arts Competition was already closed to entries, so I just put it aside and left it there… now, a year and three-quarters later, I am sharing it.

This one is special, it is one of those images that I loved as soon as I pressed the shutter button, I even knew how I’d be processing it in the end, which I didn’t for almost a year… It has been one that has always been in the back of my mind to use, but just never found the right time. I hope you like it.

Chateau Margot – 14-6542 | Canon EOS 60D, Sigma 10-20mm | Chateau Margot, E.C.D, Guyana

Click on the image to see it in the Gallery along with many other Monochrome images

Joyride

On September 26, 2016 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography7 Comments

Growing up in Guyana, a joyride meant what it sounded like, jumping on a bicycle/ motorcycle and going out for a ride with friends and having fun, but it seems that up north it means and meant a completely different thing… I guess we were wrong.

Joyride – 16-1823 | Canon EOS 60D, Sigm 10-20mm | 2016, Lusignan, E.C.D, Guyana

Click on the image to see it in the “Out and About” Gallery, a rather quirky collection of images.

Georgetown, Guyana

On September 20, 2016 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography6 Comments

It’s been 50 years since some forward thinking people declared Independence for this little nation we now call Guyana. They were looking forward to their futures, some idealistic land of self-rule and happiness for the masses I suppose.

I think by now, most of them have all gone and left many of us wishing we were still under colonial rule, it wouldn’t have been that bad, would it? We’ll never know, and doing the whole “what if” dance is not going to help anyone.

Sadly, even though many of the idealist have gone, there remains some of the followers who can’t seem to open their eyes and realise that the old way can’t work and that the path the country is on is not the right one, that implementing old ideas, once discarded, will not bring about new changes.

I babble… I’ve been staring at this photo for weeks and didn’t know what to write and now I write something quite out of character and from way out of left-field.

Here’s a photo 🙂

Wrong-way Rider 16-1092 | Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF24-105mm f/4L | Croal St, Georgetown.

Click on the image to see it in the gallery along with other images in the Black and White Gallery

Home

On August 31, 2016 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography4 Comments

Where is your home? Is it an apartment, a flat, a house, a condo, a boat, a trailer, a bench in the park? For many, the word home simply means a dwelling place, for me, it is a place where I am comfortable.

My family is my home.

Guyana is my home.

At work, I’m at home.

Certainly, on the seawalls, I am at home.

Home | Canon EOS 60D | Sigma 10-20mm | January 2016

Click on the image to see it in the Gallery

Knowledge

On August 30, 2016 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography5 Comments

As August comes to an end and the new school term begins, and with September being “Education Month” in Guyana, it is fitting that I just processed this photo.

Knowledge is powerful, and while we can be intelligent and knowledgeable without being literate, it is the written word that has the power to cross miles and years to communicate ideas of forward thinking and to reflect on historical events.

Read a book, give a book, encourage our children to read.

Canon EOS 60D | Sigma 10-20mm | Knowledge – 16-1242 | January 2016

Click on the image to see it in the Gallery

The Carpenter’s Daughter

On August 22, 2016 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography9 Comments

When I had taken this photo a year ago, I knew that I would like the final result, not perfect, but it has that bit of “soul” that I always want in a photo. Originally I had stopped to take a photo of just the shack, then my daughters and niece came along playing around it, as Christine climbed in and sat, I decided that this was going to work even better.

The title came from some random thoughts jumping around my head, originally I wanted there to be a reference to the type of hut; it’s a fisherman’s hut by the ocean, but no title immediately popped to mind.

As I thought about it, the phrase “Fishers of Men” came to mind (a phrase used by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew), but with the girl in the photo, that didn’t work, then her name correlated somewhat with that idea, Christine, from the word Christ (as in Jesus Christ), and then it suddenly dawned on me that Jesus was often referred to as the son of a Carpenter, and Christine’s father is a Carpenter, so voila!

It’s a stretch, but it works for me.

This is also one of the photos that sat on an SD card for a year, to think I almost lost it…

The Carpenter’s Daughter | 2015 | Canon EOS 60D, Sigma 10-20mm | Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, Guyana, South America.

Click on the image to see it in the Gallery

Jump

On August 18, 2016 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography6 Comments

Finding Treasure. That’s what it feels like when you pop a memory card into your camera and realize that it is full of images from a year ago, it was a 4GB card, but it was full of RAW files.

I don’t recall how it is that I never copied off the images, but given that it was not one of the cards I normally use, but more of a backup or emergency use card, it seems that I forgot that I had used it for a few days of shooting.

As is usual for me, it will take time to get to the images, but here is one that I spotted and wanted to share.

Canon EOS 60D | Sigma 10-20 | Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, Guyana

Click on the image to see it in the collection along with others in the People Gallery

Shift

On June 4, 2016 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography3 Comments

Sometimes, its necessary to stop, let everything that’s weighing on your mind take a backseat, and just let the wind, the waves, the sun and the sand speak to you.

Canon EOS 60D, Sigma 10-20mm | Thomaslands, Georgetown, Guyana | 2015

Click on the image to see it in the Gallery along with other Black and White images

A Dream

On May 31, 2016 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography6 Comments

The idea that someday, someone in power would choose to make the decision to fix the beautiful structure that is Georgetown’s City Hall is likely a dream, one that may remain unfulfilled.

As it is, most of us can see that is makes more financial sense to let it fall to pieces and then put up a square unattractive concrete block of a building with no character and no appeal, probably all because of years of neglect, and the squandering of taxpayers monies.

Should it be fixed? That depends on your view I suppose. Guyana’s tourism depends largely on natural wonders like Kaieteur and the animals of the rainforest, as well as upon the old-world Victorian/Colonial architecture that is still evident in many structures along the “Heritage Trail”, but are our tourist numbers enough to justify spending millions of dollars on rehabilitating this beautiful building?

What would I know? I’m just a citizen 🙂