(Note: Larger photographs made during this journey may be viewed by clicking on the following link: Ecuador)

January 4, 2008

As I await my transport to Tampa International Airport from my home in Safety Harbor, Florida, I feel the chill of a cold front which enveloped Florida for the previous two days, dropping the temperature to 28 degrees Fahrenheit, and my thoughts moved to where I was going – Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. This day begins a journey I never though I might make. I sit thinking about my father who found joy each month when his new copy of National Geographic Magazine would arrive in the mail. He would sit by the fireplace at our ranch house during the evenings, reading about exotic places he would never visit except in his imagination. I wish he were still alive and could go with me today to one of the last places on this earth that is untouched by mankind. I know he is with me as I begin my journey.

I arrive in Miami and meet my traveling partners from England and Canada; we enjoy a wonderful dinner and share our interest in photography.

January 5, 2009

The next morning, several of us visit South Beach for a morning shoot prior to our departure for Ecuador later in the afternoon. Not wanting to carry lots of camera gear, I grab my Canon Powershot G9. Its size is perfect for those times when one wants to keep weight to a minimum. And, most importantly, the images it produces are excellent.

I have three cameras with me on this journey: the Canon 1Ds Mark II, the Canon Rebel XTi, and the Canon Powershot G9. My reason for acquiring the Canon Powershot G9 was because of my interest in underwater photography. After a considerable amount of research, I concluded that the camera and the Canon underwater housing was the most reasonable combination in price and quality. My surprise was just how versatile the G9 would prove to be as the trip progressed.

Here are two shots taken at South Beach, Miami, the first along the shore early in the morning, the second later that morning along the famous Art Deco district.

Bogie would be proud.

Our flight to Quito arrives on time and we are met by our travel guide and are taken to our hotel in the Old City. Not much opportunity for photography, since the equatorial sun has set on the city. And, the bad news is that we must depart for the airport early the next morning for our flight to the Galapagos Islands. Read more »