TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY AS ART - Part 2 of 2

Travel photography is difficult at best--creating artistic work on a cruise is terribly frustrating. After departure from Florida and two days at sea we are on a new island paradise every day for 5 days and I have no control of the timeline. The ship arrives at each island stays for about eight to ten hours and leaves with or without you. So, to be safe, taking the offered excursions is best--they guarantee your timely return to the ship. So, back to the butterfly farm--I can't resist the challenge…

f5.6 @ 1125 sec. using 400 ISO

Back in town--the tourist town--the artistic possibilities are few, but that's where we're eating so I do a few exposures near the port.  It's very colorful there but my favorite I turn to Black & White.

The black & white image is a detail (the elevation screw) of the old cannons that watch over the harbor.

Our excursion van picks us up for our trip to the island's interior for some hiking to a well known waterfall and a natural rock maze. On our way there I snapped these images from our moving van as we passed by many old buildings some abandoned by the locals,



with many being used despite their condition like this little store.

Another 45 minutes of driving and we again find paradise and the trail head to the falls. After the long hike down to the falls I was glad I wasn't carrying a tripod, but of course, I needed one with the loss of light being so deep into the rain forest.

f5.6 @ 1/5 sec. using 400 ISO                                                        f8.0 @ 1/2500 using 800 ISO

To get the waterfall image, at 1/5th of a second, I rested the camera on a bolder and squeezed the shutter release very slowly! The rock maze (image on the right) was more fun since it was easy access to get in and out being above ground!

After all the hiking we were ready to get back home--to the ship--but a local steel drum band, in colorful make-up was irresistible and willing to be photographed, after I tipped them!

(1) f4.0 @ 1/500 sec using 400 ISO           (2) f4.5 @ 1/400 sec using 400 ISO             (3) f5.6 @ 1/200 sec using ISO 800

We met the gentleman on the right, though not made-up but just a colorful, at the nearby clothes bazaar.  He happily agreed to photography and we talked with him for half an hour--he was great!

Back on the ship, after a long day, we check on the drink of the day at one of the bars at the stern and get some more cool images during sail away…

Looking down I see the nice lights on the pier as the security guard goes home and Kathi looks up and sees a family of cloud monsters, with their little dog, spewing fire in the sky!  (She has a really good imagination...) What a great trip!

As usual, should you have questions don't hesitate to ask.

Author:  Jerry W Venz; Master Photographer, CPP
Training site: http://www.LightAtTheEdge.com