| What's it like to be a writer AND
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| | survived some of the most destructive
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| photographer? ReaderViews sat down with
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| | forces of nature and man - photographing
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| author Vicki Landes to talk about her new
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| | these places feels like you are
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| book, Europe for the Senses.
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| | preserving a bit of history. No matter
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| ReaderViews: Thanks for talking with us
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| | what happens, they will live forever in
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| today Vicki. We are interested to hear
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| | your photographs.
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| more about you, and your beautiful
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| | RV: Are the photographs in "Europe for
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| photography book "Europe for the Senses:
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| | the Senses" of the major tourist
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| A Photographic Journal." Would your
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| | attractions? How did you narrow down the
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| start off by telling us what your book is
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| | ones that you feature in your book?
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| about, and what you are trying to convey
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| | Vicki: I've mixed a bit of world-famous
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| through the photos?
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| | sites with little-known ones. I don't
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| Vicki: "Europe for the Senses - A
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| | think you should come to Europe just to
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| Photographic Journal" is a travel
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| | see the Big Bens and the Leaning Towers.
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| photography book meant to do more than
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| | Even the smallest detail of a
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| just display European destinations. It's
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| | little-known place can be 'the one' that
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| a collection of photography and creative
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| | stays in your heart long after the trip
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| writing meant to transport the reader to
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| | is over.
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| each respective destination with
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| | Picking which destinations would be in
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| stimulating sensory imagery. Experience
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| | the book was very difficult - I've
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| the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and
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| | thoroughly enjoyed most of the places
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| touch that make Europe a remarkable
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| | I've been to. I poured through hundreds
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| compilation of uniquely beautiful
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| | and hundreds of shots in my collection
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| countries. Whether a novice or a seasoned
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| | and found the ones that seemed to sing
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| traveler, EFTS hopes to invoke a craving
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| | out. There were a few that I ended up
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| for Europe - not only for the major
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| | cutting out before we got to the final
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| attractions that attract so many but the
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| | layouts. I wanted to ensure that there
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| small, much overlooked details waiting to
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| | were places that people would definitely
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| be discovered.
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| | associate with vacations (such as Germany
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| RV: Vicki, where were you born, and
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| | and Italy) but a few that would make
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| where are you living now?
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| | people stop and say, "Wow, I can vacation
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| Vicki: I was born in St. Charles,
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| | there? I've never considered this place
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| Missouri and stayed there until I left
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| | before!"
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| for college. My family hardly traveled
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| | RV: When did you discover you had a
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| so I never considered exploring other
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| | talent for photography?
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| places. My husband and I had been living
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| | Vicki: I started taking photography
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| in Kansas City, Missouri for a couple
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| | classes in 4-H when I was in elementary
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| years when he received military orders to
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| | school. My dad was the instructor and a
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| Stuttgart, Germany. I was livid - I'd
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| | few years into it, I won my first
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| just graduated college, we'd just bought
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| | photography contest (much to my
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| a house and I'd just had a baby so I went
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| | surprise). I've been taking pictures for
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| to Germany literally kicking and
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| | most of my life but never considered
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| screaming. After about six months,
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| | sharing them until my grandparents
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| though, I really got into seeing new
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| | suggested the book - that's probably when
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| places and we've been living in Stuttgart
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| | I realized I actually had a talent for it
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| for seven years now! Since my husband is
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| | J
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| active duty Army, he had to extend a
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| | RV: Your narrative that accompanies the
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| couple of times (tours are normally three
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| | photographs is a significant part of the
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| years) and he did so only because I loved
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| | full-sensory experience of your book.
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| it here so much.
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| | Would you give us an idea of your writing
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| RV: Since living in Stuttgart, Germany,
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| | style, and your thoughts about using
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| you have traveled to 45 countries. Would
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| | writing to bring life to your
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| you comment on your obvious love for
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| | photographs?
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| travel? And, have these destinations been
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| | Vicki: There are many photography books
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| predominately for your photography
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| | out there that have a 'forward' at the
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| pursuits?
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| | beginning and then use only captions to
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| Vicki: When I moved over here, I was
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| | identify the shots. I wanted my book to
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| shocked at how rich the European history
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| | be different - vivid descriptions of each
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| was. In the states, we can visit
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| | section would truly put the reader into
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| something 'historic' which only ends up
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| | the pictures. I wanted people to really
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| being a couple hundred years old at the
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| | feel what it would be like to stand in
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| most. In Europe, though you can visit
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| | the middle of an endless tulip field in
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| places that are literally a thousand
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| | Holland - touching the soft petals and
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| years old...sometimes even older! This
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| | gazing at the spectrum of colors or
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| is absolutely amazing to me and I can't
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| | savoring the breathtaking Tuscan
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| seem to get enough of this. I've been to
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| | countryside with all of your senses - not
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| thousand-year-old monasteries where you
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| | just your eyes. Each of these places can
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| can walk up to the ancient stone columns
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| | leave you with such a deep, multifaceted
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| that are supporting the massive roof and
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| | memory if you don't rush through them.
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| wrap your arms around them to feel the
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| | RV: Did you have professional training
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| cold stone on your cheek (you couldn't
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| | in photography or creative writing?
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| get away with this in the states without
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| | Vicki: About 5 years worth of 4-H
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| an alarm going off and getting tackled by
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| | photography classes and regular coaching
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| security). I've explored the inside of
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| | and practice from my dad over the years.
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| mines that predate the time of Christ.
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| | We had a dark room in the basement so he
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| 'Newer' destinations can include gothic
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| | taught me how to develop film and reduce
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| cathedrals, baroque palaces, or World War
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| | enlarge from negatives. I've had no
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| I monuments. There's no end to what is
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| | formal creative writing training other
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| out there to discover. Europeans really
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| | than through school over the years. I'm
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| understand the importance of their
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| | currently working on my Masters degree so
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| history and the need to preserve it. No,
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| | I've taken plenty of writing classes.
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| the photography has not driven the
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| | RV: Vicki, the senses are a predominate
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| destinations - it's actually the
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| | theme for your book. Would you comment
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| opposite. I'll visit something I'm truly
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| | on the importance of enlisting all the
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| interested in and I just always keep a
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| | senses when traveling, and how you've
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| camera in tow.
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| | personally come to this conclusion?
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| RV: What inspired you to write "Europe
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| | Vicki: When I first started traveling, I
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| for the Senses"?
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| | wanted to just see as much as possible -
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| Vicki: I didn't even consider writing a
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| | that meant rushing through to cram it all
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| book until my grandparents suggested it.
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| | in. The weekends ended up being a blur
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| After every trip I take, I send an email
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| | and my memory of the trip not only
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| with attached pictures out to friends and
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| | included the destination, but the feeling
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| family describing the places I'd just
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| | of rushing around, lack of sleep, and a
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| been. I didn't just want to share the
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| | cranky husband and son. I soon realized
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| pictures, I wanted them to feel what I'd
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| | that although I was seeing quite a bit, I
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| felt when I was standing there. I wanted
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| | wasn't left with a profound memory of the
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| them to get a sense of what that
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| | destination. When I started slowing down
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| particular place stood for - whether it
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| | and becoming aware of what I was
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| was a famous place or something nobody
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| | smelling, how the warm sun felt (or the
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| had heard of. Europe is chock full of
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| | chilly rain), or how I lost my breath at
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| unforgettable things and viewing Big Ben
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| | the sight, the trip became an experience.
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| can be just as profound as being the lone
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| | I don't just remember what something
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| soul exploring castle ruins on a
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| | looked like now - my nose remembers, my
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| mountaintop. I also came to realize that
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| | skin remembers, and my heart remembers.
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| many people are afraid to travel to new
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| | RV: Would you explain to us your own
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| places - even other military families
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| | personal vision of taking photography
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| abroad. It can be difficult to step
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| | that awakens the senses?
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| outside of our comfort zones, especially
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| | Vicki: When I'm viewing a potential site,
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| in the uncertain times we live in today.
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| | I see lighting and symmetry as most
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| I didn't want to just write a book with
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| | important. It's amazing how a tiny step
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| travel information - there are plenty of
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| | to one side or another can completely
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| those out there (which I use
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| | change how the light strikes and where
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| religiously!). Instead, I wanted to
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| | the balance lies. I'll take several
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| convey Europe in such a way that might
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| | shots from several different angles and
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| make taking that first travel step a bit
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| | the LCD screen on my camera lets me check
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| easier. If you develop a yearning for
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| | the picture immediately. I've been known
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| something, it's not as scary to do.
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| | to sprawl on the floor of a cathedral
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| RV: Which countries do your spotlight
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| | (I've gotten pretty good at a 'respectful
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| in "Europe for the Senses" and are these
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| | sprawl' in these places J ) or stand in
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| your favorite places in Europe? Why do
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| | the middle of a road to get the right
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| you think Europe lends itself so well to
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| | shot.
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| photography?
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| | RV: Why do you think a photograph can
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| Vicki: I have 15 different countries
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| | leave such a powerful imprint on
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| spotlighted in "Europe for the Senses".
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| | someone's memory?
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| Germany and Italy are concentrated on
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| | Vicki: A photograph is like a piece of
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| heavily because they seem to be the most
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| | the real thing. Those that long to visit
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| popular among tourists (and they are my
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| | a certain destination only need to view a
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| two favorites!). The other countries
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| | picture to get that heartache. They say
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| include: Switzerland, Austria, England,
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| | that 'eyes are the windows to the soul' -
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| The Netherlands, Iceland, The Vatican
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| | if you can see someone's soul by looking
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| (it's a country all to itself!), Hungary,
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| | into their eyes, the soul can see out and
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| The Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Romania,
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| | experience that photograph - that piece
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| as well as a couple from Azerbaijan,
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| | of the real place - and be left with an
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| Armenia, and the Republic of Georgia.
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| | emotional impression.
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| I think there are a couple reasons why
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| | RV: Which countries would you still
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| Europe lends itself so well to
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| | like to visit?
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| photography. First, Europe is vastly
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| | Vicki: Plenty! I haven't been to
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| different as you travel from place to
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| | Ireland yet and I've got family roots
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| place. You don't have to go far to shoot
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| | there (apparently, we come from a line of
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| snow-capped mountains or flourishing
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| | Irish grave robbers). I also haven't
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| vineyards. There can be an entire
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| | been to Spain or Portugal yet. I don't
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| spectrum of environments and cultures
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| | limit myself to Europe, either...I've
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| within a short flight or drive just
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| | visited 12 African countries so far and I
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| waiting to be captured on film (or on
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| | want to see several more!
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| your memory stick J ). Second, as you
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| | RV: How can readers find out more about
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| travel you can visit sites that have
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| | you and your book?
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