Backpacking through Europe - Day 23 - September 29, 1994 / Scenes of Paris

Todd Rundstrom ·

With the few precious hours I had remaining in Paris, I tried to see as much as possible. As I walked towards the Eiffel Tower, I took pictures of my favorite scenes, including the Red Light District, the Moulin Rouge, and street artists in front of the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre. I climbed the steps of Sacré-Cœur to take in the incredible views of the city and the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

The Grande Finale of my time in Paris was, without doubt, seeing the jewel of the city, the Eiffel Tower. I experimented with long exposures to get the streaks of light from passing cars.

I did not have a tripod, so I had to find ledges to set my camera, or put I would put it on the ground, in order to get these long exposure photographs of the Eiffel Tower at night.

Thirty years after taking these images, it is so much fun to see them again!

Looking back, I am very proud of my photography skills at such a young age - I was 22.

I am proud of myself for getting out in the world and seeing it, and for taking my camera and documenting what I saw. This definitely wasn’t Kearney, Nebraska, and I was getting my own education of a lifetime!

Most of all, I am so happy that my negatives are in such pristine condition after all these decades so that I can share these pictures and memories with you!

 In 1994 I spent 100 days backpacking through Europe with my camera!
Do you want to know the whole story behind my adventure?

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Backpacking through Europe - Day 23 - September 29, 1994 / The Musée du Louvre, Paris, France

Todd Rundstrom ·

As long as I can remember, art class was always my favorite class in school. One of my favorite activities in art class would be field trips to art museums.

Visiting the Musée du Louvre on my backpacking adventure through Europe thirty years ago was hands down the greatest field trip to an art museum ever!

The Louvre truly was as breathtaking as I ever imagined and more. Simply incomprehensible until seen in person, and then still overwhelming.

 In 1994 I spent 100 days backpacking through Europe with my camera!
Do you want to know the whole story behind my adventure?

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Backpacking through Europe - Day 23 - September 29, 1994 / Walking to the Louvre, Paris, France

Todd Rundstrom ·

As I walked out of the cemetery and back into the streets of Paris, I felt more alive than I had ever felt!

I walked past the Arc de Triomphe (the Triumph Arch) which honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and down the Champs-Élysées.

I was on my way to the Louve, and as I passed by an actual street-performing mime, I felt as if I was living the joyous life of a struggling artist myself.

I stopped into a church and said a prayer for Jim Morrison and for my own personal safety during this adventure.

Then, as I walked along the banks of the Seine river, I became fascinated by all of the art for sale by street vendors. Although I wasn’t in a position to buy anything, I stopped and examined everything.

 In 1994 I spent 100 days backpacking through Europe with my camera!
Do you want to know the whole story behind my adventure?

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Backpacking through Europe - Day 23 - September 29, 1994 / Paying my respects at Jim Morrison’s grave, Paris, France

Todd Rundstrom ·

After exploring the Palace of Versailles, I walked over to the Père Lachaise Cemetery to pay my respects to Jim Morrison, the co-founder and lead singer of the 60’s rock band The Doors.

Père Lachaise, a sprawling cemetery across 110 acres, is the largest cemetery in Paris. With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. In addition to Morrison, other famous people buried at Père Lachaise include Frédéric Chopin, Édith Piaf, Marcel Marceau, and Oscar Wilde. The cemetery opened in 1804 and takes its name from the confessor to Louis XIV, Père François de la Chaise (1624–1709), who lived in the Jesuit house rebuilt during 1682 on the site of the chapel. I found the historical connection between Louis XIV, whose palace I had just been, and the cemetery I was in, fascinating.

During my teenage years, I became a big fan of The Doors. During this backpacking trip, I brought along my portable CD player and a case that held twenty CD’s. One of those CD’s was the band’s self-titled 1967 debut album.

James Douglas Morrison was born in Melbourne, Florida in 1943. A poetry buff, singer, performer, rock star, and all-around charmer, Jim moved to Los Angeles, California when he was 20 years old and began to study cinema at UCLA. While he was in college, he met the other members of The Doors - Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, and Robby Krieger - showed them his poetry, and began putting the words to music.

The following years would prove extremely successful for the band, and they were soon top-tier rock stars in the scene and popular culture. Their songs, including “Light My Fire”, “Riders on the Storm”, and “Break on Through”, provided a soundtrack for both my high school years and this very day as I walked over to the cemetery.

After recording the album “LA Woman” in 1971, Jim Morrison decided to take a break and head to Paris with his girlfriend, Pamela Courson.

Shortly thereafter, on July 3, 1971, at the young age of 27, Jim Morrison passed away from an apparent drug and alcohol-induced heart attack in Paris and was buried in Pere Lachaise Cemetery.

 In 1994 I spent 100 days backpacking through Europe with my camera!
Do you want to know the whole story behind my adventure?

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Backpacking through Europe - Day 23 - September 29, 1994 / The Palace of Versailles, Paris, France

Todd Rundstrom ·

Thirty years ago today I spent a magical day exploring Paris. My first stop was the Palace of Versailles, home of King Louis XIV.

 In 1994 I spent 100 days backpacking through Europe with my camera!
Do you want to know the whole story behind my adventure?

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Backpacking Through Europe - Day 14 - September 20, 1994 / Tours, France

Todd Rundstrom ·

30 years ago today, I walked around the town of Tours, France, and discovered a cathedral and a building being demolished in front of it. I thought the juxtaposition of the two was stark and interesting so I took some pictures of the scene. Then I discovered the architecture of the cathedral and the gargoyles guarding it and had some fun taking creative pictures with unique angles.

 In 1994 I spent 100 days backpacking through Europe with my camera!
Do you want to know the whole story behind my adventure?

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Backpacking through Europe - Day 5 - September 11, 1994 / London, England

Todd Rundstrom ·

Thirty years ago today I spent an unplanned day in London when I had a layover I wasn’t expecting while traveling between Ireland and France.

I hadn’t done any research on London so I didn’t have anything I wanted to specifically see. Instead, I just sort of wandered around with my camera and discovered things naturally.

 In 1994 I spent 100 days backpacking through Europe with my camera!
Do you want to know the whole story behind my adventure?

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Backpacking through Europe - Day 4 - September 10, 1994 / Belfast, Ireland

Todd Rundstrom ·

A Day in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Thirty years ago today, September 10, 1994, I got up early and took a train north from Dublin, Ireland, across the border to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Country number two for me!

I spoke with British soldiers who were guarding recently bombed courthouses as well as locals in a pub about “The Troubles,” the name of the conflict between the British Protestant and Irish Catholic populations.I spent a fascinating day in Belfast, learning as much as I could, walking around and taking pictures, and I returned to Dublin on a train in the evening.

 In 1994 I spent 100 days backpacking through Europe with my camera!
Do you want to know the whole story behind my adventure?

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Backpacking through Europe - Day 3 - September 9, 1994 / Dublin, Ireland

Todd Rundstrom ·

Thirty years ago today, September 9, 1994, I discovered one of my most revered locations on the planet:

Windmill Lane, in Dublin, Ireland, home to the Irish rock band U2’s Windmill Lane Studio, where they recorded many of their albums.

For me this was as close to a religious experience as I had ever had, I imagine like a devout Catholic going to the Vatican or a devout Jew going to the Western Wall.

I couldn’t believe I was standing there, taking pictures of this spot where U2 made the music that I had listened to since I was 14, when I watched them for the first time on MTV in 1985!

The same music that had been with me and kept me company when I was an Exchange Student in Australia in 1988-1989!

The same music that had been with me and kept me company in college at Arizona State University in 1990-1992!

ASU was also where I got to see the band perform live in concert for the first time, in the Spring of 1992.

I also saw U2 perform in Ames, Iowa, in the Summer of 1992 and in Denver, Colorado, in the Fall of 1992, both of these concerts with my Dome Crew Brother Tim Skrastins.

And today, on September 9, 1994, 30 years ago, I was standing on Windmill Lane, Dublin, my holy ground, seeing it with my own eyes and taking pictures to prove I was there!

THIS WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST DAYS OF MY LIFE,
BUT IT STARTED OFF AS ONE OF THE WORST!

 In 1994 I spent 100 days backpacking through Europe with my camera!
Do you want to know the whole story behind my adventure?

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Backpacking through Europe - Day 2 - September 8, 1994 / Dublin, Ireland

Todd Rundstrom ·

Dublin, Ireland

In 1994 I spent 100 days backpacking through Europe with my camera!
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Flying into Ireland - Day 1 - September 7, 1994

Todd Rundstrom ·

In 1994 I spent 100 days backpacking through Europe with my camera!
Do you want to know the whole story behind my adventure?

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Backpacking through Europe - Day 1 - September 7, 1994 / Limerick, Ireland

Todd Rundstrom ·

Limerick, Ireland

Photographed with my my Canon EOS Elan camera using T-Max 100 black and white film that I loaded myself using my bulk-loader, and processed myself three months later when I got home to my darkroom in Nebraska.

In 1994 I spent 100 days backpacking through Europe with my camera!
Do you want to know the whole story behind my adventure?

Click Here!

Portrait, Business Portrait, Commercial Photography, Location Portrait

Conagra Hagerstown Maryland Leadership Team 2024

Todd Rundstrom ·

It was a privilege to serve Conagra's Hagerstown, Maryland, plant by creating portraits of their Leadership Team!

I created these portraits February 19 and 20,  2024. What made this assignment special for me was this was the first time I flew with my entire portrait studio location set. Every other portrait assignment similar to this I had ever done - prior to this one - had been within driving distance, and I could fit everything in my car. I had driven to assignments from Texas to Ohio to Colorado to Missouri, however, this one required flying.

This was a big win for me to successfully travel from Nebraska to Maryland (driving from Kearney to Omaha; and flying from Omaha to Charlotte to Washington DC; and then driving from DC to Hagerstown) with my gear, create amazing portraits, and get everything back home. I am very proud of myself for this job and for the feedback I received from the Leadership Team for this assignment - Everybody Loved their Portraits!!

Lucia, Class of 2024

Todd Rundstrom ·

Olivia, Class of 2024

Todd Rundstrom ·

High School Senior, Portrait

Olivia & Lucia, Class of 2024

Todd Rundstrom ·

It’s hard to believe my nieces’ graduation is only three months away! We had a wonderful time creating their Senior Portraits last summer while they were visiting Kearney for the 4th of July. I am so proud of both of them and know their futures are bright!

Portrait, Personality Portraiture

Eliana, Class of 2024

Todd Rundstrom ·

I had a wonderful time capturing Eliana’s personality on October 21, 2023! We created her portraits in my studio, at Buffalo records in downtown Kearney, at the The Sequel Bookstore in the Hilltop Mall, and finally at an apple orchard north of town. Eliana has a beautiful personality and I feel we captured that in these images.