While looking back at my images for 2010, I found difficult to define the year; so many places, so many experiences. I will start with my forgotten trip to Maine in August; it was not a destination but a disruption of of a trip to Canada by sickness and a broken vehicle. But at least I got a shot of the Bass Harbor lighthouse, one of the most photographed in New England.
The most challenging trip was to an Eskimo village in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska. We contracted with an Eskimo guide to take us to photograph polar bears by boat. He took us to a sand spit where we landed to photograph some adult bears that were sleeping. As we approached them, one woke up, started to sniff the air and started to walk towards us. When I looked to the Eskimo, I noticed that he was drinking coffee but could not see the rifle that he was to carry for our protection. I asked him where the rifle is and he very coolly responded: in the boat. I glanced towards the boat and I saw that it was about 150 feet away...I knew I could not outrun the bear. Decided that if he charged, I will stand my ground and photograph him as it ran for his meal. The bear may have decided that I was not too appetizing, turned around and went to sleep. A while later, we ran into a mother bear with two cubs, they approached us while in the safety of the boat. I got my images; one of the cubs was playing with a bird feather is above.
I am not a city person but travel requires their visits as ports of entry and departure for more pleasant destinations. From the mundane signs in New York City, to the gory colors of a bench in Berlin, the camera could not resist them, what am I to do, it runs my life. So I obeyed and recorded the sights. But there is also beauty, as the sunset image of a building in Santa Fe three weeks confirms. Imagine, a year ago!
Familiarly creates contempt which causes me to ignore the area where I live. The last couple of weeks brought historical high snowfalls to the region, so I was suffering from cabin fever. Looking through the backyard windows, saw the cold and shivering birds, so got the camera out despite the low light, got rewarded by a female cardinal, my best bird photo for 2010.
As I search for this year's destinations, don't know where I will find myself next month. So distant, not much time, let you know when I get back. Best to all in 2011.
While looking back at my images for 2010, I found difficult to define the year; so many places, so many experiences. I will start with my forgotten trip to Maine in August; it was not a destination but a disruption of of a trip to Canada by sickness and a broken vehicle. But at least I got a shot of the Bass Harbor lighthouse, one of the most photographed in New England.
The most challenging trip was to an Eskimo village in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska. We contracted with an Eskimo guide to take us to photograph polar bears by boat. He took us to a sand spit where we landed to photograph some adult bears that were sleeping. As we approached them, one woke up, started to sniff the air and started to walk towards us. When I looked to the Eskimo, I noticed that he was drinking coffee but could not see the rifle that he was to carry for our protection. I asked him where the rifle is and he very coolly responded: in the boat. I glanced towards the boat and I saw that it was about 150 feet away...I knew I could not outrun the bear. Decided that if he charged, I will stand my ground and photograph him as it ran for his meal. The bear may have decided that I was not too appetizing, turned around and went to sleep. A while later, we ran into a mother bear with two cubs, they approached us while in the safety of the boat. I got my images; one of the cubs was playing with a bird feather is above.
I am not a city person but travel requires their visits as ports of entry and departure for more pleasant destinations. From the mundane signs in New York City, to the gory colors of a bench in Berlin, the camera could not resist them, what am I to do, it runs my life. So I obeyed and recorded the sights. But there is also beauty, as the sunset image of a building in Santa Fe three weeks confirms. Imagine, a year ago!
Familiarly creates contempt which causes me to ignore the area where I live. The last couple of weeks brought historical high snowfalls to the region, so I was suffering from cabin fever. Looking through the backyard windows, saw the cold and shivering birds, so got the camera out despite the low light, got rewarded by a female cardinal, my best bird photo for 2010.
As I search for this year's destinations, don't know where I will find myself next month. So distant, not much time, let you know when I get back. Best to all in 2011.
