By Bill

I really don’t do landscapes well.  Many of my friends are masters at the genre and they often discuss with me ways to improve my stuff, but frankly, I am still having a tough time with it.

Nevertheless, here are some ideas that play a role in doing landscapes.

(Note:  Click on any photo that follows to see a larger version.)

PERSPECTIVE.

After one is half way good at getting a good exposure, the next step is to think about what it is that you want to capture.  And perspective plays a big part in finding something different and interesting.  I am 6′ 3″ tall, and this is a big disadvantage for me.  I see the world differently than say someone who is 5′ 3″ tall.  I miss things that they see.  So, once in a while, I do crazy things.  Like in this shot where I used a table top tripod and got the shot about 6 inches off the ground.

If I had set up my tripod normally, I would have missed the rock on the lower right that points to my center of interest.  And using foreground to enhance the center of interest is basic to landscape photography.

USING AVAILABLE STUFF TO LEAD THE VIEWER’S EYES INTO THE SCENE.

What?  The idea here is to look around.  Is there something present that can be used to point or lead the viewer’s eyes into the scene?  Here I found a fence.

USE SOMETHING THAT THE VIEWER CAN SEE THAT GIVES A SENSE OF SCALE.

I like light houses.  They have some sort of romantic appeal to most people. And, most of the time I find myself getting too close to them.  One needs a sense of scale.  How does the light house fit into the surroundings?  Here I found a high overlook that gave me that sense of scale.

USE CONTRAST.

Contrast is one element of photography that can be very powerful because it forces the viewer’s eyes to the center of interest.  Here is an example of what I mean.  The croft house is much more interesting because of the contrast.

USE REFLECTIONS.

I read a comment by another photographer recently who felt that my use of a reflection was over done.  I disagree.  Reflections can enhance a photograph and such should be used when available.  A reflection adds interest.

BAD WEATHER CAN BE A GOOD THING, IT CREATES MOOD.

One of the hazards of doing landscape photography is weather.  Sometimes it can get really horrible in an instant.  As here when snow, sleet, hail, rain, and wind tested my patience. Hopefully one is close to shelter when this happens.  Or, one has prepared with good outdoor gear.  And, even when it gets really miserable, one can find an interesting landscape.  Here the weather created the mood.  And mood conveys ideas to others. Course, you must know, I did get back into my vehicle after the shot!  What a miserable day it was.

SOMETIMES WIDE IS BETTER.

Huh?  What I mean is that the wide perspective is interesting.  Sometimes one needs to think pano, or crop an image to the pano style.  Wide can be powerful to the viewer, it gives a sense of freedom and openness that tightly cropped images can’t provide.  Look for wide.

SOMETIMES A POWERFUL FOREGROUND IS THE IMAGE.

Most all of us who try landscape photography sometimes overlook how the foreground is the image.  Yes, one always needs depth in landscapes, but interest can be found right in front of your foot.

TAKE SOME SHOTS AFTER SUNSET.

Yes.  The light after sunset can be very special.  If you are lucky something like this might happen while you stand on the shore.

DO SOME BLACK AND WHITES.

Landscape photography became popular when some great artists pointed their old large format cameras at natural scenes.  Ansel Adams is perhaps the best known.  Some modern photographers like Clyde Butcher have continued the commitment to black and while photography.  I don’t know exactly why black and white is so appealing.  But for many, it is preferred over color.  I suppose one might say it is more artistic.  So, try some black and white photography when doing landscapes.  Look for textures and contrasts.

GET OUT AND ENJOY YOURSELF.

I sometimes wonder why I get up at 0400 hours and go out into extreme weather.  Or why I am willing to trudge through streams, up rocky trails, endure cold and wet.  All I know is, that sometimes I find myself sitting on a rock overlooking a placid sea with mountains in the distance while sipping some hot soup from my thermos and saying to myself that it is a beautiful world and thank God I am able to enjoy the blessed earth.

I will never be a good landscape photographer.  I don’t have the artistic talent that the real masters have found.  But, you know what?  I don’t care.  I just keep going and enjoying what I do.

And, for me, this is all that matters.

Photo by Dougie Salteri

Mellon Udrigle is a small crofting community that sits at the end of a single-track road, North of the village of Laide in Wester Ross, North West Scotland.

( Mellon fom the Gaelic for ‘little hill’ and udrigle being derived from Norse and meaning ‘gully’ or cleft).

My first visit there was close to five years ago when I was new to photography, and though I thought I knew something about light my technical knowledge was minimal.

I had been staying down the road in Laide when I first visited the beach at Mellon Udrigle in the early evening. My memory is one of rocks glowing pink in the late rays of the day and a vista of magnificent mountains beyond. My attempts to capture it did not do the place justice, though the memory is there.

My second visit was in November 2008, I decided to stay at Mellon Udrigle this time. The first day was one of sunshine and showers, it was a pleasure to be able to dash back inside after each drenching. There were some good moments in the week, but I felt the spot had a lot more to offer.

Having recently acquired the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, and not having had the opportunity to put it to the test I decided to travel back North to this spot of memories and take the camera with me.

The drive north was not promising, nor was the forecast and it was with something of a heavy heart that I arrived in Ullapool. I’d arranged to spend my first night in a B&B and had had a vision of visiting some spots I knew in Inverpolly and the coast around Achiltibuie. Let’s just say I visited the spots, and they are still in my list of places to visit again. The  B&B, was delightful with very welcoming hosts.  A fellow guest, who I know only as John, was a fascinating character from Belgium. He knows the Highlands like the back of his hand having spent many vacations there. He did not have his own transport and, as many times before was using public transport, the Post Bus and Shanks’ Pony to get around. He is a wonderful artist, I did get to see a couple of his pieces of work one being a beautiful picture of the island of St Kilda. What was most impressive was that he will not paint a mountain unless he has climbed it. I wonder if there is a photographer out there who does the same?

After a disappointing dawn and a wander to scout a couple of new spots I’d seen on the map, I took the road back to Ullapool. Stopped for groceries in the former Somerfield (now Tesco) and managed again to part with some money in the Ullapool Bookshop.

I arrived at Mellon Udrigle too soon to get in the chalet, but a walk in the brisk wind around the headland watching the Arctic Skuas, cormorants and the odd gannett and the view over the silver, sandy channel to Opinan soon took care of the time.

The next 24 hours continued much in the same vein as the light was concerned but, as I’d journeyed north immediately from work I was ready for some rest. In retrospect that was about the only rest I got for the week, apart from the four hours sleep at night! After the first couple of days of grey and rain, someone decided to switch the lights on and it was time to get out and play.

Having murdered, by drowning a 5D and a 20D, and having had a close shave with a 10D and a rock  I wanted something that might have a better chance of survival. I recalled  a story about Andy Rouse dropping a 1D series camera in the sea and that it had survived. As a fan of getting my feet wet I had hankered after the 1Ds Mkll, but with the Mklll on the market I knew I’d buy it at some point.

What had put me off most was the knowledge I would have to upgrade a pile of stuff to go with it.

My main camera for the past 3 years has been the 5D, and it has served me well. I found it easy to use and the menus easy to navigate. I’ve shot some with the 1D MkllN mainly for wildlife so I have some experience with the weight and feel of the series in my hands. Unfortunately I find landscape photography not as sedentary a pursuit as its wildlife counterpart. My experience of running around with the extra weight on my back was limited. But, you know, you get used to it, or I seem to have done so far. That’s with a heavier tripod too, the last gave up the ghost on the Mull/ Ardnamurchan trip.

This was my real first test of the camera. So far I am pleased with the results. Some good results using higher ISO’s, a big and clear LCD screen and rock solid to hold. After a dreary start to the trip there was a lightshow, with a sunrise the like of which  I’ve not seen for a long, long time. I could turn a 360 degree circle and there was red in the sky in all directions. It was difficult to know in which direction to point the lens.

I will let the images speak for themselves, but it may take a while and a good deal more shooting to share a critical review of the camera.

Accommodation

192 Polbain (B&B)

Clean, warm and very homely with views out to the Summer Isles from your window. Midge my hostess was very understanding. She let me have a light breakfast and made me up a packed lunch with gourmet bacon sandwiches, enough for two people. It is possible to walk from the door onto the surrounding hills, where you will find more than a boulder or two to set the scene against. There is a bar a little further up the road that does evening meals in season.

Ceol Na Mara (self catering)

Basic, but easily adequate, self-catering chalets on the beach. Separate laundry facilities. Plenty of parking. One of the best settings you could have, you only have to open the door and walk out. If you’re too lazy to do that then you can sit and watch the light paint its magic from the window.

Kildonan (self catering)

Five years since I stayed here. Very clean and comfortable with all the facilities you might want. A short walk through a field down to a rocky shore with bags of interest for photographers. Be prepared to wake up early, the sunrise from here can be magnificent.

Best time to go

Late spring, before the midges get going and autumn when the colours in the trees aroud Gruinard Bay, Loch Maree and the Badachro are should be stunning (if conditions have been favourable the fungi are amazing).  Winter can have it’s magic, but many may find it too bleak and wet and there few facilities open to divert your attention.

Other places to visit in the area

Just a very small sample of what there is to see, but places I have visited and spent some time at are:

Loch Maree and Torridon

Shieldaig, by the Applecross Peninsula

Inverpolly, Achiltibuie and the Summer Isles.

Loch Assynt and the Stoer Peninsula

The Lighthouse at Rhue and Ullapool (Pay a visit to the Ceilidh Place while in Ullapool. Great place for a coffee or a beer, good food, artwork and a bookshop to browse for titles of local interest).

Gruinard Bay

When the light is bad

Sit back and listen to the sound of the wind and the rain. Go look for otters, take a boat trip to look for wales and porpoise. Look for macro stuff on the beach. Look at your maps and guide books and go out to scout different locations.

Dundonnell Woodland

When the light is good

Keep going, you don’t know when it’s going to get better.

Melanie, May 2009.

From time to time, my friends at Essential Photo Gear send me stuff to evaluate. Two weeks ago they sent me the Apex Bean Bag, a new product designed in large part by Chas Glatzer, master photographer and well-known columnist and photo tour operator.

I have made two trips to Africa, once in Tanzania where I had personal guide and driver, and the other to South Africa where I did all the driving myself. One of the biggest issues I faced on both trips was how to support my camera and telephoto lens when doing wildlife shots.

Good solid support of a long telephoto lens is absolutely necessary. And when one cannot use a tripod, the choice among most photographers has been to use a bean bag.

Photo Courtesy of Travis Peltz

Well, this bean bag is different in many respects from what I have used in the past.

First is its shape. Made like a horseshoe, the bag fits neatly over a vehicle door frame. And I must mention something here that is very important. Yes there are all kind of window mount alternatives. I own one, the Ergorest Multi-tripod, but the problem is that the mounts require you to roll up the window to fit the mechanism in place, that means that critical “headroom” for your tripod mount is lost and it means that the camera is often too high to use effectively. This is one reason that I love the design of this bag, the photographers who designed it have encountered the same issues I have.

And, as you can see in the photograph, that is one more large lens! Yet the bag supports it perfectly.

I often use a bean bag while doing photography in Florida. There are many areas where shooting from a vehicle is a distinct advantage as wildlife tends to pay no attention to a truck or car. And, almost always, I am either shooting early in the morning or late at night which means I need a really really solid support for my camera as it is likely that I am shooting at less then 1/50. As in the photograph that follows.

The Bald Eagle simply ignored me as I took shot after shot, all from my SUV window.

What I would have given five years ago to have had the Apex Bean Bag! It would have made a significant difference in my photography for years. So I am glad to see that the folks at Essential Photo Gear have introduced the bag and made it available to folks like me.

Not all photography is done from a vehicle. And I am repeatedly advising others that getting low, or getting on the same level as your subject is a fundamental thing one must do to get a great shot. And wouldn’t you know, the designers of the Apex Bean Bag made it work by turning it upside down to support a heavy lens while shooting prone, something I often do. As you can see, the lens fits perfect in the horseshoe turned up.

Photo Courtesy of Travis Peltz

The Apex Bean Bag is made of high quality materials and I am amazed at the attention to detail that went into its construction.

An aluminum plate comes with the bag to which is welded a tripod mounting screw. One simply inserts the plate into the top of the bag and the mount protrudes through a small hole in the bag. Two washers are included with the bag to protect the cloth from marring when the tripod mount is affixed to the bag. There is even a little sleeve on the side of the bag to store the washers. Details, I like that.

When I got the bag, my first task was to go to Sam’s Club to find earth friendly stuff to fill it with. My first choice was rice. A big mistake. Rice is small and thus heavy, really heavy. So, I bought a bag of pinto beans and mixed the rice with the beans. The result was a bag that weighed 20 pounds when filled. Yep, 20 pounds! Like an idiot, I did not read the instructions or follow the advice of those who made it. One needs to find lighter stuffing, but not to the detriment of what the extra weigh means. The whole idea here is to have a solid surface on which to mount a very heavy tripod mount (most photographers use a Wimberly with it), a very heavy lens and professional grade camera. A five pound bean bag configured like this won’t work very well. It has to be heavy.

There are some other nice features about the bag. It has two straps and buckle that allow one to anchor it to a door handle, or whatever seems handy. Why is that? Cause you don’t want to run into the assembly and have your $8,000 camera and $6,000 lens wind up on the pavement! Having a way to secure the bag to whatever then is a really good idea.

Photo Courtesy of Travis Peltz

Course there are many ways to use this bag because of its unique design. For example, it makes a great table top tripod. And, I can see it used on the ground for doing landscape photography as well. Or even on a car hood.

Photo Courtesy of Travis Peltz

Perhaps the most important feature of the Apex Bean Bag is that it is easy to pack for a long trip. One simply empties the earth friendly contents, rice, beans, or bird seed onto the ground and it all folds nice and flat, hardly taking up any room in my luggage. When I get to my destination, I fill it with whatever is available. That could be anything from pine straw to leaves, or dried beans bought at a native market. And if worse comes to worse, sand will do nicely as well, although that would be dern heavy!

My only regret is that this product was not available when I went on my last trip to Africa. I sure could have made good use of it while driving from one end of Kruger Park to the other, all 2,300 miles of my journey.

Ever since Essential Photo Gear got started, what has impressed me is that the stuff they sell is designed by photographers. Imagine that. And, each time I buy a product from the company I find the quality to be well beyond my expectations. In other words, a group of expert photographers with good business ethics and a friendly helpful attitude are making stuff that I can use because they have been at the same place I have and have faced the same issues I have. And they are making stuff that will last a lifetime.

In sum, if you have a need to support a heavy lens and camera from a vehicle, you should consider the Apex Bean Bag seriously, it is the perfect solution for such situations. In my view, if I am headed on a safari to Africa, this would be the first item I would pack. And frankly, I will use it in Florida repeatedly because I know that early one morning, some deer will pose for me in light that demands that I have a solid surface to support my lens and camera cause I am shooting at 1/20th of a second.

This product is not for everyone. It is for the photographer who wants solid, high-quality support for a heavy tripod mount, camera, and camera lens.

But, if it meets your needs, I highly recommend that you buy it.

Tatra Horizontal Radiance by Claire Carter

by Claire Carter and Hania Franek

Claire: A few years ago I was lucky enough to meet up, on the Isle of Skye, with some people who had driven all the way from Poland to join us on a photo shoot. Following this we have all met several times in different locations and have become good friends.

Hania Franek, who lives in Gliwice, invited me to join her this summer on a two week trip to Poland and Slovakia. Hania has a real love of the mountains, especially her beloved Tatras.

Hania: After some discussion we decided to head to two destinations, the Pieniny Mountains in Southern Poland and the Slovakian part of Tatra Mountains.

The Pieniny, which I had discovered during previous summer holidays with my daughter, remained in my memory as one of the most beautiful places in Poland. This small mountain chain is only 35 km long and 4 – 5 km wide. Its northern slopes are relatively gentle. From the other side, where the Dunajec River flows, slopes are very steep and the limestone faces are up to 300 metres high. From the highest peaks there is a beautiful panorama. The mountain meadows are full of flowers. The old castles in Nidzica and Czorsztyn, located on the shore of the lake (Jezioro Czorsztynskie) and morning mists give the place a special charm.

Jezioro Czorsztynskie by Hania Franek

The Tatra Mountains, the highest mountains in this part of Europe, have an alpine character. The High Tatra Mountains are marked by sharp peaks, narrow ridges and numerous valleys with lakes, streams and waterfalls. The Northern part of the range is situated in Poland, while the southern and bigger are in Slovakia.

I fell in love with Tatras when I was a teenager and have come back to them during my whole life.

Beloved Mountains by Hania Franek

Claire : We had had a very successful trip in the Polish Tatra (reviewed here) a few years ago and I was very interested to see the Pieniny region. Hania found us a lovely wooden lodge to stay in just by the shores of the lake (Jezioro Czorsztynskie). This is in fact a reservoir created by the construction of the Niedzica dam that was completed in 1997. Interestingly the reservoir was filled by water in record time due to a spectacular flood that would in fact have devastated the villages below the dam had it not been built.

The whole region proved to be very picturesque with lots of interest for the photographer.

Mirror lake by Claire Carter

I have never been especially inspired before by summer photography, preferring autumn and winter but the area around the lake had a surprise in store. Due to the creation of the reservoir it has developed an unusual microclimate and every morning we woke before dawn and for several hours watched mists come and go.

Dew Capture by Claire Carter

This took us a little by surprise and the first morning, which was especially misty, we were engulfed in a thick fog and despite seeking higher ground did not see the sun until it was high and hot. For the rest of the week however the mornings proved to be most productive and by starting on higher ground and then working our way down to the lakeshore to get a view of the castle we were kept well and truly busy. The biggest challenge was keeping lenses free from condensation.

Dawn Chorus of Colour by Claire Carter

We also witnessed a fabulous storm at sunset.

Sunset Storm over Polish Tatra by Claire Carter

It is worth mentioning that the flora of the Pieniny has a unique character, some endemic species exist only in this part of the world. Small pine trees called limba have a unique shape (a relict from an early postglacial epoch) and have often been the subject of photographs.

Field Flowers Poland by Claire Carter

Also the world of animals is very rich here but large mammals, like brown bears or wolves are only seen occasionally. However, a big deer almost ran into me when I was taking pictures in a middle of a meadow!

Claire : We discovered a ridge just behind our lodge that gave an impressive panorama of the Polish Tatras on one side and a view over the lake the other, a lovely place to while away some time.

Pieniny Mists by Claire Carter

For those looking for a more relaxing tour I’d recommend a raft trip through the Dunajec River Gorge. It is a spectacular stretch of river meandering for some 10 km between 300-metre-tall limestone rocks and forms a border between Poland and Slovakia. First, you can see Polish and Slovak villages on both sides of the river and later you can admire an impressive gorge that narrows to the 12-metre-wide funnel at its narrowest point.

Rafting by Hania Franek

Hania took this picture of a seagull while on the raft trip - far from the sea, but they have discovered this region since the reservoir was opened. This was Hania’s first attempt at bird photography and I think she was done a great job.

New Home by Hania Franek

I found great delight in seeing storks. For Hania it is a common sight but for me it was a  discovery.

Room for 2 by Claire Carter

Hania: The National Park situated in the central Pieniny range is worth recommending for a trekking tour and as a base for escapades into the region of Podhale (Tatra Foothills situated in the north of the Tatra Mountains).

The blue tourist trial leads to the highest part of a belt of limestone rocks famous for a spectacular rock formation. It is about 5h 30min long but gives the possibility of climbing to the top of Trzy Korony (Three Crowns) and Sokolica – the best viewpoints in the area, and to reach Zamkowa Góra (the Castle Mountain) with the ruin of the castle from thirteenth century. We chose another variant of the way. We started with the yellow trail from Kroscienko Town that climbs up to the junction with the blue trail that leads to the Trzy Korony.

The inhabitants of Podhale – The Highlanders, are very independent mountain farmers, known for their folk traditions and keeping the local culture alive. The wooden architecture makes an important element of that culture. That is why we decided to visit Chocholow - the most complete survival of an old Highlanders’ village from the nineteenth century.

The village is based around one main street. The walls of wooden houses are built from large logs that are washed before each Easter. Beautiful ornaments and richness of flowers in little gardens make this place unforgettable.

Church Reflected in Chocholow by Claire Carter

Claire: It was with some sadness we left the mists of Pieniny and started out on the second leg of our journey, heading across the border into Slovakia but Hania had a treat in store for us.

Hania : In the south-western edge of the Slovak Paradise Mountains there is one of the largest ice cave in Europe. This unique karstic phenomenon, named Dobsinska Ice Cave, contains 110 thousand cubic metres of ice in places thicker than 25 metres. Ice survives in the cave thanks to its unique formation and the temperature never increases above zero.

Thanks to electric lighting we could admire the surprising beauty of this underground world with its ice waterfalls, ice stalagmites and columns.

When we came back to the real world, the temperature of the hot summer day was 30 degrees higher!

Ice cave by Claire Carter

Claire: After a day in Poprad  we headed for the town of Strbske Pleso which sits at around 1350 m

This is the highest settlement in Vysoke Tatry, formed around the second largest lake on the Slovak side of the High Tatras (with mountains reaching 2600 m.)

As the mountains have a national park status there will never be any settlements higher in this region. Strbske Pleso is therefore, and will always be, the unique starting place for hikes into the most beautiful mountains of Eastern Europe.

It is a well-known skiing centre and since it hosted the 1970 World Championship, a range of world-class skiing events have been held here, including ski-jumping and cross-country events.

Strbske Pleso, when the tourists head home by Claire Carter

It is ideally placed along the Electric Railway (a two minute walk from our accommodation) that runs through the Tatra Mountains and we made good use of this facility. The journey itself takes you through spectacular scenery and whilst the storms of 2004 devastated the forests it has opened up the views along the route.

This disaster is worth mentioning as any visitor cannot but help wonder what it must have been like when the winds hit (reaching speeds of almost 200 km/h) and the landscape today is shaped by this event. The fallen timber has been salvage to minimize insect infestation and a broad zone along the southern flank of the Tatras is now open; fireweed has established quickly and during August this was a prominent feature.

We spent a day walking to the Popradske pleso (tarn) and the Symbolic Cemetery.

On the return journey we were treated to a lovely rainbow.

Mountain Trek by Hania Franek

The accommodation we stayed in was superb and ideal for photographers who have to be out at dawn  and need the opportunity to cook for themselves. Breakfast was also provided if needed and at a time that was perfect for us as we returned from the morning shift. It is worth mentioning that main meals in Poland and Slovakia are eaten at lunchtime and there are many nice places to eat – a great way to use up time when the sun is too high to take photographs.

Claire: This adventure was all the better because it placed us in locations not well documented by photographers. We had to find our own way and this made the trip so much better. Rather than finding views that were already documented we had to use our own judgement to decide where the light would fall and the images are more about a moment than a place. This makes the place special even if it is not always recognisable.

Misty Filter by Claire Carter

Hania: We wander in pursuit of light and each journey helps us to understand better what we seek. During this trip I discovered how light sculpts and draws colour from darkness. I have been very lucky to travel in the company with a much more experienced photographer!

Fireweed and Tatra by Hania Franek

Claire:  And I have been lucky to be in the company of someone who has  such knowledge and love  of this region. To all who have read this far I can say that travel is a wondrous thing but if you can find someone willing to share local knowledge you are truly blessed.

By Bill

Like you, I love to travel.

And while traveling, photography plays an important part of what I do.  Like you, I want to come home with photographs to remind me of where I was, what I did, and what I remembered most about my holiday adventure.

Thus, travel photography may encompass more than just landscapes, it might include other things.  Animals, small things, buildings, or something I encountered that made the trip meaningful.

For example, I love castles and every time I see one I must take a photograph.

Note: Click on any photograph to see the larger, original version.

Course, if I am in Africa, castles are few and far between.  I might want to capture an animal, maybe not something scary, but just something special that came my way on a dusty trail.

Or, while on the road, I might find someone interesting, you know, just a man sitting, looking, waiting.  Course I did have to pretend I was shooting something else until he turned.  But, I did manage to get him relaxed.  You gotta love street photography.

Or maybe I might find something interesting at a county fair in England.  So what is a Zulu warrior doing in England?  I dunno, but I liked his smile and it made me remember a wonderful day.

Or, while trying to find a Moose along a roadway in Alaska, I just happen to be at the right spot when a train goes by.  Lucky me.

Or, while lost somewhere in South Africa, I stumble upon a Steenbok. Not that the Steenbok cared much, but I love to remember the trip and the shot brings it all back to my mind.

Or, just a boat sitting in a loch near Lochinver, Scotland.  I love Scotland.  And the peace that comes from looking at the shot is something very special for me, it brings back great memories.

And a peaceful scene found overlooking the Crocodile River in South Africa, while sipping a glass of fabulous South African wine, wondering what the rest of the world was doing while I sat there watching a group of Elephants enjoying the water and the close of the evening.  What a night that was!

Or, a morning at South Beach in Miami, while awaiting a flight to Ecuador.  One can find light anywhere.

Or, something simple, like these colorful bowls on display in a market in Ecuador.  The shot makes me recall the splendid colors of South America, and the music that was playing as I walked through an amazing open market filled with goods one cannot describe.  Another wonderful day remembered because I made a photograph along the way.

One does not need to fly thousands of miles to find photographs that remind one of a special day.  In fact, one might find something in a friend’s garden that helps one remember how good the coffee and conversation were.  Just a reminder of friendship.  What more does one need than that?

One piece of advice.  Never, never pass by a rainbow.  Make sure to take lots of shots of it.  Rainbows are special.  They remind us that even in troubled times, there is beauty in our world.  Course, that’s the whole idea of Travel Photography, isn’t it?

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