Oklahoma, the land of God, guns, and…ganja? Visiting my home state for the first time in three years, the sheer number of medical marijuana dispensaries that cropped up in that time blew my mind. I started doing a little research, and what I found blew […]
Author: Jeff Bell
Okie Repeat, Part II
Hilltop Cross For Medicinal Purposes Only Defunct Garage ‘Murica Murals Out of Gas Old West Bank Ameriguns Empty Calories Coke on Main Okie Repeat, Part I
Okie Repeat, Part I
I wrote in my last post that I love photographing small town Oklahoma because the towns have unique buildings and their own charm and character. However, as I photographed more places on my recent trip, I started to see patterns and similarities, some obvious, others […]
Why I Love Photographing Small Town Oklahoma
On a sunny Sunday morning, I pulled into Carmen, Oklahoma, parked my car, and started walking down the deserted Main Street. Carmen is a town of 355 people in western Oklahoma, far from any major road. I saw absolutely no signs of life as I […]
Oklahoma Encounters
I was taking photos in downtown Snyder, Oklahoma, when a man approached me and said, “If you want to learn about the history of this town, go in that store and talk to A.J. He knows everything about this place.” The man proceeded to tell […]
Luang Prabang in Photos
“What is your favorite place?” This is a question I get often, and at the risk of sounding pretentious, it is nearly impossible to answer. I have had the great fortune to travel all over the world, and for various reasons, I have dozens of […]
Snapshots of Nong Khiaw – The Adventure Capital of Laos
After five days of sunset cruises, overpriced lattes, and western food in the tourist enclave of Luang Prabang, I forgot that Laos is one of the wildest countries in Asia. I was rudely reminded of this fact when we went to the bus station and […]
Trekking in Nong Khiaw, or An Unexpected New Year’s Party
As I stood there dressed in Hmong celebratory regalia holding a shot of homemade rice whiskey about to lead a dance among highland villagers, I pondered our serendipitous turn-of-events. I signed up for a trek in the mountains of Laos to see waterfalls and nature […]
My Top 10 Photos of 2019
Each December, I sort through my photos from the last 12 months and pick my ten best. This exercise allows me to reflect on the year and also see if my photography is improving. During the process, I rediscover old photos buried in the pile, […]
21 Leftover Photos from Uzbekistan
Here are a series of portraits and snapshots of Uzbekistan that didn’t make it into my other photo essays from the country. Instead of leaving them on my hard drive where no one will see them, I decided to put them on my blog where…almost […]
Uzbekistan in Black and White
Uzbekistan is a great country for black and white photography enthusiasts. The bright desert light creates deep shadows and stark contrast, especially in the early morning and late afternoon. The bold yet simple architecture serves as a perfect backdrop for stylish people. And at night, […]
Uzbekistan Travel Notes, Tips, and Advice
I am assuming that everyone who has read my posts about Uzbekistan has been inspired to visit this amazing Central Asian country. Here are some notes that may aide in your planning. Uzbekistan is a Carnivore’s Utopia, but Vegetarians Can Eat Well Too, Sort Of […]
Planet Bell 