Scotland promises good light if one is willing to tread upwards across muddy paths filled with rocks and grasses depressed from the steps taken by sheep; it is not an easy tread to find that special place, and then to await in the rain and wind and the hail for the light to bless the land, and perhaps the camera.

But when the light falls upon the frame, magical things happen. Sometimes it is difficult to frame the scene, since just looking is overwhelming, it dominates the soul, and brings joy just from being there, despite the cold wind and the running nose.

Searching for a tissue, I find some relief from the cold wind upon my nose. I am warm though, four layers of clothing finding warmth from within, and the evening is delightful and the light is there if I can only capture it for one splendid second.

And next evening, sitting there on a rock at Elgol on the Isle of Skye, the light dances for me as it always does in this magical land.

Very much the same on a very cold morning along a roadway leading from Broadford to Torrin. Despite my runny nose, I manage to capture light only that Scotland can provide.

Yes, Scotland, land of my ancestors, the perfect place for one who desires to master landscape photography.

And the perfect place too for using my little Canon Powershot G9. I have to admit that the little beast produced some great shots. Yet I still carry around my heavy 1Ds Mark II. But this shot from the G9 ain’t bad.

If interested, take a look at my “New Works” section of my website as I add more photographs from my most recent trip. And, BTW, one of the outcomes of the journey is the birth of a new website that I will introduce soon, one about photography and travel, with detailed reviews of places, seminars, workshops, and travel equipment. Stay tuned.

Bill

Until April 12, I will not be making entries in this blog as I am traveling to Scotland, my beloved land.  While away I have turned off comments because I can’t moderate them while traveling.

Soon I hope to explore again the rugged beauty of Rannoch Moor and the Isle of Skye.

And there to walk in the morning mists, and feel the chill of the crisp wind, and delight as the sun lights the rugged shores.

Of all the places I have been on this gentle earth, Scotland more than anywhere else, remains my favorite place. There, the land, very much like the peoples it has produced, is eternal.

My best wishes to those of you who visit here. Soon, I hope to share with you new images of this emotive land.

Best regards,

Bill

Two years ago my son John gave me a Sony GPS for the purpose of recording exactly where I was when I took photographs. His choice for the Sony GPS was a good one because it is simple to use, is powered by a AA battery, and it can store 30 days of GPS tracks. As he showed me, there is freeware available that allows one to merge the GPS tracks with the EXIF data stored on each shot taken with my digital cameras. It is a simple, easy to use, idiot proof little system that has been with me on recent trips I have made in remote parts of the world. All I have to do is to make sure I have a good supply of AA batteries with me. One battery will power the GPS for about eight hours or so. In sum, you put a battery in the device, turn it on and then strap it to your backpack. That’s it. And while you are trekking around, the little device locks on to satellites and methodically records where you are about every 10 seconds. Geocoding, a cool concept.

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(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 »

Sheltered beneath a canopy of majestic Acacia Tortillis in a remote and secluded corner of Tarangire National Park, Tanzania, Swala Camp, remains, and always will, one of the most memorable places I have stayed in my lifetime.

Swala Camp is located within Tarangire National Park borders. The park is an easy 115 km’s from Arusha on excellent roads and the camp itself is another 67 km’s into the park. This section of the park is exceptionally private with no other camps around.

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I like to eat. Great restaurants are difficult to find. And when one finds one that is special, it’s worth going back.

About five years ago I was on my way from Florida to Tennessee. It was late and I had been driving for several hundred miles. I looked for a hotel to spend the night and found a Hampton Inn in downtown Newberry, South Carolina. One of my questions of the hotel clerk was, “Is there a good restaurant nearby.” Yes, she said. You must go to Delamaters. So I did.

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In the last three days, more than 15,000 visitors have viewed a photograph I made at Hallo Bay, Alaska. The photo is of two young Brown Bears lazing in the sun.

I am very pleased that so many have taken the time to look at the photograph, because the bears live free in a protected region of Alaska’s wilderness.

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I was just thinking today about a wonderful trip I made to South Africa. And, how a very nice person helped me sort out my month-long visit to this fabulous country and my experiences in Kruger Park.

My friend is Rob Parkinson, he can be found at his website. And the services he provides are enormous. For example, he arranged to have a driver and vehicle meet me at the airport in Johannesburg, transport me to a lodge at Crocodile River, set up two days of exploration of the park with a private guide and vehicle, arranged for me to be delivered within Kruger Park to one of the rest camps, arranged for a rental car, and booked all the lodges I required while in the park, not the least of which was to meet me at journey’s end and transport me back to the airport in Johannesburg.

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The road to enlightenment must have a beginning. Very much like the start of a special day that one remembers throughout one’s lifetime. And that means a good breakfast; best done after finding splendid light on a special morning. Like this day, at Buttermere, in the Lake District of England.

The Bridge Hotel, located in the little hamlet of Buttermere is an absolute delight. The hotel occupies a site that has been inhabited for over 1,000 years, and while the hotel is not that old, it’s interior is a splendid example of a classic country inn. And, the food, by British standards is superb. That is, if one likes a full English breakfast.

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