Last
week Nicki and I returned from almost a month in the Land of the Sun...
Ecuador. I usually take a few photos at each place we visit and set up
some slide shows to tell the story. And most of the time I'm pretty happy with my results. This time I was starting to feel a little disappointed by what I was seeing.
I discovered that
didn't have as many great scenic photos as I'd wanted... and I was sort of
crying in my pretzels this afternoon... when my perspective did a quick
180. As I looked closely at the deleted files... I found these. And they were just small stories that jumped out at me from larger pictures... they speak for themselves in their color, vibrancy and simplicity.

A clay gourd hangin' out at Peguche...
The beginnining of a shawl on the loom of weaver Jose Manuel in Cotacachi.
Vibrant colors and multi-textured rubble in transformation.
Tightly cropped entry garden at Santorini condo in Manta.

Mah.. my ole hound dog buddy... at el Meson de las Flores hotel in Cotacachi.
Bright tiled roofline in San Miguel community.
Larry the lounge lizard out for a stroll on the beach at Manta.
Serious dude from a few centuries ago... hasn't moved for some time now.
Organic garden project in Cotacachi.
Vivid bougainvillea at Jim's place in San Clemente.
Ceramic imagery...
Through the breezeway at Palmazul Hotel in San Clemente
Same pool... different lighting... creates the mood.
Brilliant Reds speak loudly to anyone who'll listen... I was.
The worn top of a Ecuadorian Bandolina
Soulful Andean Graphics tell the story.
Adobe building bricks piled everywhere...
Enjoying the late afternoon sun at Hotel Palmazul... another day in paradise.
So,
there you have it. When you're at a loss for words and are short of
scenic photos... take a close look at your deleted file... and focus in
on a piece of a picture until it speaks to you...
Then compose & crop it... and flog it on your blog to show your friends. Cool eh? - Dennis