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I've had an interest in photography for many years, which was likely sparked by happy childhood days spent browsing through the stack of old National Geographic magazines and Time Life books in my parents' library. Although by no means a full-time pro, I have had a number of shots published over the years, including use in advertisements and several coffee table books and magazines. I particularly enjoy travel photography, as it can be so easy to forget those details that make foreign lands so exotic, without the help of a photographic record. I'm also interested in landscape and wildlife photography.
About a 18 months ago I decided to step this hobby up a notch, and bought a Nikon D200 digital SLR, followed more recently by a flexible Nikon 18-200mm lens, a Sigma 10-20mm wide angle and the beautiful Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR. The D200 is a very rewarding camera to use, and I'm happy to say that my efforts to sharpen my photographic skills do seem to be bearing fruit.
Far more than the equipment used, the most important components of any photograph are the subject and the photographer. Having said this, using the correct gear for a given situation may mean the difference between a good and a great shot – or even missing the moment completely. If I win the lottery or if photography was to start generating an income for me then some of the following wish list of lenses may eventually find their way into my camera bag :-)
Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.4 – a very light, fast and sharp prime lens. Excellent for portraiture
Nikkor 105 f/2.8 VR micro – prime macro lens for close-ups and portraiture
Nikkor 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 VR – lightweight, flexible telephoto zoom
Nikkor 200-400 f/4 VR telephoto – massively expensive exotic telephoto zoom. Perfect for wildlife or sports
I also occasionally carry the (now somewhat battered) Canon S400, which small size and light weight ensures that it's always on hand when those 'magic moments' happen. I subscribe to the philosophy that the best camera is the one you have with you.
Following are some galleries of images taken since I went digital:
FREE! – Desktop pictures – NEW
For folks who like to have something more interesting than the default desktop image on their computers, I have put together a collection of 1280x960 px desktop pics from my blog, available for free download here. Personal use only please.
Galapagos Giant Tortoises, November '06
Seemingly a cross between a dinosaur, a grumpy old man and a Centurion tank, these relics from another era make fantastic photographic subjects. Part of the reason for this is that they have trouble running away from the camera! The wild tortoises can get a little perturbed by unwanted media attention, but those in captivity at the Charles Darwin Research Centre are well accustomed to it. The tortoise population was decimated by hungry whalers in the 18th century, but is now on the increase thanks to captive breeding programs.
Galapagos Islands, November '06
This isolated archipelago is a province of Ecuador, and is located right on the equator. Famous for its unique and hugely varied flora and fauna, the islands are most famous for Charles Darwin's visit on the Beagle in 1835, during which he observed evidence of evolutionary adaptation in the local fauna, and wrote about his conclusions in The Origin of Species. I was lucky enough to spend a couple of weeks there in late 2006, during a Pacific crossing aboard Valdolese, a 46' Beneteau yacht.
Panama Defence Force Headquarters, Panama City, October '06
These buildings were built by the US and originally used for administrative purposes, but were later taken over by General Noriega's administration and used as the headquarters for his Panama Defence Force. They were heavily damaged by artillery, and later a fire, during the US invasion of Panama in 1989. Today the ruins seem a little incongruous, surrounded by manicured parkland, and sitting on what must be some of the most prime real estate in Panama, with near-waterfront views over the canal entrance and the Pacific Ocean. One wonders how long it will be until a greedy developer sends in the bulldozers and eliminates this reminder of pivotal events in Panama's history.
San Blas Islands, Panama, August '06
After having the new Yanmar engine installed in Valdolese, we took the yacht on a sea-trial to Panama's San Blas archipelago. These beautiful gems could almost be an archetype for the palm-studded desert islands of a thousand hollywood movies. They are inhabited and administered by the Kuna Indian tribe, who interestingly are on average the second smallest people in the world, after the African Pygmies. We were only able to spend two nights here, but it would be easy to spend six months exploring all 365 islands.
Ireland, January '06
I finally decided it was time I took a decent holiday, so booked a month-long trip to New Zealand, Australia, London and Ireland. Licia joined me in London and Ireland, where we met with brother Andy, who was living in Drogheda (just north of Dublin) at the time. Andy and his girlfriend Majella took us on an excellent road trip around the central west coast, taking in Doolin, Dingle and the cliffs of Mohair. Much fun was had, jigs danced, and we certainly made a notable contribution to the ongoing success of the Guinness brewery.
Trinidad & Tobago, Sept/Oct '04
After Ivan I was evacuated to Miami, and from there traveled with my then girlfriend Licia to her native Trinidad & Tobago, where we spent about a month. Licia's family treated us like royalty, and gave us the perfect environment to consider what steps to take in getting our lives back together. Trinidad is a bustling, multicultured, oil-rich republic and is the southernmost island in the Caribbean, within sight of Venezuela. Its sister island Tobago is the model of a laid-back, palm-fringed Caribbean getaway.
Hurricane Ivan, September '04
September 11, 2004 saw the devastating hurricane Ivan pass within 20 miles of Grand Cayman. With reports of wind gusts exceeding 200 mph, and a multi-billion dollar trail of destruction left behind, it's almost unbelievable that Cayman's death toll was just 3 people. Haiti and Grenada suffered far worse, despite the lesser severity of the storm when it passed those countries. Personally, I lost my home, my car and most of my possessions, with the exception of those I crammed into a small bag and took with me.
Cayman Festival Batabano, April '04
Every April, the Cayman Islands hold their annual festival Batabano. This is modeled on the world famous Trinidad Carnival, however due to the far lower level of participation and the conservative religious mores of many Caymanians, the result is a rather toned down affair. Still, those that do participate certainly make an effort to put on a good show. Sadly, the high-resolution versions of these images were also lost in hurricane Ivan.
Cuba, March '04
In March, 2004, I took a vacation from the slave-pit of Cayman Net News and spent 10 pleasant days in Cuba. About 5 of those in Havana, and another 5 in Pinar del Rios province at the western end of the country. Unfortunately, the low-resolution versions of the photos found in this gallery are all I have left of the hundreds of picture I took, since hurricane Ivan destroyed my laptop and all the files stored on it. A good argument for off-site archival backups.