Capture the Colour – A Journey Through Travel Photos

Wow, this was a tough assignment! But an excellent exercise as it forced Mr. Misadventures and I to review all our photos (thousands!) and have great discussions on improvements we will be making on our upcoming trips. It also made me realize how lucky I am to have traveled to as many places as I have as well as igniting the fires to discover more.

Capture the Colour is a photo contest hosted by TravelSupermarket.com. And while I'd love to win the prizes which include an iPad3 and £2,000, I had so much fun selecting and working with my hubby on this post that I'd have done it anyway! I have also really enjoyed reading other bloggers' posts. There are so many talented photographers out there, it is an inspiration!

To participate in the contest, bloggers must create a post that showcases five photos that captures five colors: Blue, Green, Yellow, White, and Red. It's a judged contest which ups the level of excitement! There are some really amazing judges with a fantastic blog who need to be impressed (scary!).

So without further ado, here are my selections (wish me luck!).

Blue taken in Pointe du Raz, France

It may be cliché to use the sky for the color blue, but I have never seen bluer skies (or water) than the afternoon we spent in Point du Raz during our two-week trip in the Brittany region of France. To say this place is dramatic is not giving it justice. It is windy and wild and breathtaking.

It is also under environmental protection as tourists have flocked to it for more than a century, particularly in the early 19th century when it appeared in novels by Victor Hugo and Gustave Flaubert. I certainly was enchanted. This photo is part of a statue that sits at the entrance to the point of looking up into the gorgeous sky and I can't help using it to represent blue.

Green taken at the Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, Japan

There is a reason the global environmental pact is called the Kyoto Agreement (or Protocol). Once you enter this city and start exploring its temples you will see shades of green that are nearly impossible to replicate, and therefore need saving.

While there are many photos from this Kyoto trip I could have used, I like this one because of the idea of the duality of people leaving wishes, hopes, and dreams tied to these gorgeous trees from the Kiyomizu-dera Temple with the hopes and dreams that our planet will continue to have these vibrant colors with continued efforts of environmental protection that the city of Kyoto symbolizes.

Yellow taken in Burano, Italy

This entire post could have been created by just using the colorful houses of Burano, Italy! This small fishing village a waterbus ride from Venice is a photographer’s dream. We only spent an afternoon there in the autumn of 2007, but it is a place that is constantly conjured up in my mind when I think of color.

We will be going back this October and plan to spend an entire day there photographing the enchanting homes of the local fisherman. I loved this particular one once because it was so cheery. Besides being a nut for red doors, I thought the yellow exuded warmth and joyousness. The fisherman's life is not an easy one, but at the end of a hard day you can't help but smile returning to this house.

White taken at The Willows Inn restaurant in Lummi Island, Washington

This photo is a Fanny Bay scallop with cream and arugula from one of the most amazing meals I have ever eaten. It was only one of fifteen courses that I ate the evening I dined at The Willows Inn restaurant on Lummi Island. This farm-to-table experience brought to life by the quietly talented Blaine Wetzel, (formerly of Noma which has been rated #1 for three years in a row in the World’s 50 Best Restaurant awards) was nothing short of spectacular.

Every dish was not only a culinary delight but a feast for the eyes as well. The colors truly celebrated the geography and landscape of the San Juan Islands and the spoils it has on offer including gorgeous white shellfish like oysters and this scallop.

Red taken in the Valley of Fire, Nevada

Red is my favorite color. It is bright and vibrant and demanding. It always catches my eye because it's hard to avoid. After a hot morning of hiking and taking photos in the Valley of Fire State Park, Mr. Misadventures and I stumbled upon a car show that was taking place in the parking lot of the visitor's center.

Nothing like being out on black asphalt in the middle of the desert in a metal box, but these babies sure did pop against the blue skies and orange rock of the desert. There is something to be said for a shiny-apple-red hot rod that screams out at you saying, “I'm here!” It certainly got my attention.

As a final thought, I'd like to present the photo below from a temple in Nara, Japan. It represents how all the individually beautiful colors can play together. Much like the peoples and cultures of the world that are so different yet can co-exist without losing their own identities.

What about you? Do you have some colors to share?