Photography, A. L. Munson

The Broke Photographer

Disclaimer: I practice photography for fun, not to make money. I do not use an expensive, high-end camera, because I can’t afford one. Instead, I use a Nikon Coolpix that I’ve had since 2008. I do not use artificial lighting, special lens filters, or even a tripod because, again, I can’t afford them. In other words, my photography is of the bare-bones, point-and-shoot variety. I don’t even edit my photos beyond basic cropping because I believe photography is meant to capture the reality of how something looks and not the way I want it to look. (And also because I can’t afford Photoshop either.) Please, do not use my photos without my permission. This also applies to people using AI bots that rip images from the web without crediting the people who made them. AI is nothing but glorified plagiarism software, and the people who use it are plagiarists.

Louisiana Life

The mast of a longship docked in New Orleans for Navy Week

Statue in Kenner’s Rivertown area marking the site of the first bare-knuckle boxing tournament held in the U.S.

This is a shipping company’s office building on the banks of the Mississippi River in my hometown of St. Rose. The fog was thick that morning, as you can see.

Lighting of the Bonfires in St. James Parish

Mitte, Berlin

While living in the Czech Republic, I took a bus trip to Berlin to apply for a visa at the Czech embassy and do research for a novel.

These photos are from the borough of Mitte.

This is what remains of the Berlin Wall.

The decorative Berlin Bear can be spotted around the city.

Message on the Berlin Wall: “To Astrid, Maybe someday we will be together”

Braník, Praha

Braník is the second district of Prague that I lived in. I moved there in August of 2013 after securing an apartment on Pod vrstevnicí street. This is at the foot of that street.

Along the Vltava River next to the Přístaviště tram stop.

View from Branické skály overlooking the Vltava

Josefov, Praha

Clock tower with Star of David atop and Prague Jewish hat in the center of the star. — Josefov is the historical Jewish quarter of Prague. I spent much of my time there when I lived in Prague.

Star of David on the Spanish Synagogue — Španělská synagoga (the Spanish Synagogue) is designed to look like a mosque in honor of the Spanish Moors who were friends with the Prague Jewish Community.

Maisel Synagogue's Star of David with the Prague Jewish hat in center and the Ten Commandments above — Maiselova synagoga (Maisel Synagogue). The hat that appears at the center of the Magen David is a symbol of the Prague Jewish Community. In the middle ages, Jewish citizens were forced to wear yellow hats of that design to distinguish them as Jewish.

Facade of the Restaurant by the Old Synagogue — Restaurace u Staré Synagogy (Restaurant by the Old Synagogue)

Decorative facade of building — I don’t remember if this is a hotel or apartment complex or something else (I took these photos 12 years ago), but the building was pretty, so I photographed it.

Clock with Hebrew numbers — This Hebrew clock moves counterclockwise through its numbers.

Iron bars forming a ladder up the Old New Synagogue — Staronová synagoga (the Old New Synagogue) is rumored to be the home of the Prague Golem. The ladder leads up to the door of the attic where his body is supposed to lie.

Ceremonial Hall of the Burial Society. It is next to Klausen Synagogue and the Old Jewish Cemetery.

Smíchov, Praha

Image of a church with two towers — Kostel svatého Václava (Church of St. Vaclav, a.k.a. St. Wenceslas) When I first arrived in Prague, I lived in the district of Smíchov. After a month, I moved to the district of Braník.

Prague Castle towering over the trees across the Vltava River. — Pražský hrad (Prague Castle) in the distance across the Vltava River

Car parked on a sloping hill in a suburb of Smíchov — I walked up a hill that kept sloping upward. It took me hours to reach the top, so I wonder if it was actually a low mountain. Anyway, this neighborhood was at the top.

A neighborhood at the top of a hill with an SUV parked on the street. — Another photo from the top of the hill that may have been a mountain.

Foreground: A busy traffic intersection. Background: The Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul in the distance. — I liked the juxtaposition of the modern traffic intersection in the foreground and the thousand-year-old Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul in the background.

A raised walkway into a shopping center. The roof of the mall is covered in grass and trees. — Nový Smíchov is a shopping mall in Anděl, a subdistrict of Smíchov. Its roof is covered in grass and trees, and it has entrances on its upper floors thanks to the surrounding hills supporting raised walkways like the one in the photo.

The roof of Nový Smíchov covered in grass — Another view of Nový Smíchov’s roof.

A view of city buildings from above. — View of Anděl from a hill.

View of verdant hills — View of the hills surrounding the west side of Smíchov.