Dec 312012
 

I’ve had this idea for a little while of Macro Mondays. The problem is I haven’t been taking very many macro shots… they’re pretty fidgety and I really need to get a flash to pull it off properly! So, I’m not officially rolling out macro Mondays, but I took today’s photo with my macro lens and it’s Monday.

This was taken in a small pond in the Sensory Garden of the Botanical Gardens right next to my house. I don’t think I really got close enough to call it macro, but it’s pretty cool just the same.

Small goldfish in a pond, taken from above the water

Mar 282012
 

Trip Planning

I’m in the process of planning my trip to Iceland in June. I’ll be going for the summer solstice so will get to enjoy photographing sunsets that run right into sunrises through the night. I’ve also got a few interesting bits I’d like to do. The top of my list is snorkeling in the rift between the North American and European tectonic plates. Apparently, the water’s so clear you can look down for miles into the Earth and feel like you’re floating in space. I also need to photograph some puffins and want to go whale watching, as well as exploring some ice caves. There’s so much to do I wish I was going for longer. It’s going to be difficult coming up with a plan that won’t leave me totally exhausted. Despite the walls of my room having had sufficient insulation,  I’m not entirely sure when I’ll sleep. If anyone’s got any advice on Iceland let me know.

Fish Farm, Rwanda

When setting out on a hike through a few of Rwanda’s thousand hills it’s reasonable to expect to find something interesting around every corner. You encounter sights ranging from a young boy juggling a football made of plastic sheeting and twine, to two men using a long saw to split a log (with one man standing 8 feet in the air atop the trunk being cut), as well as the subject of today’s photo.

It’s somewhat startling to find this large, man-made pool of water in amongst the sugar cane, maize and potatoes. Initially, what it is ain’t exactly clear. Then, you notice concentric ripples forming on the surface as if the water was being disturbed by a light rain. It’s not raining so the only solution is that there must be something below. The guide confirms that it’s a fish farm and begins explaining how it works. It’s quite fascinating, particularly the purpose of the fence pictured below. I’m intrigued to see what people think it is for, so have a guess in the comments section. I’ll see what everyone comes up with then add the answer in a comment of my own if no-one guesses.

This photo employs 5 exposures bracketed from -2 to +2. I had shot 7 exposures but decided that the other two weren’t adding anything so decided not to include them.

Large, man-made pool of water in amongst the sugar cane, maize and potatoes in Rwanda countryside contains a fish pond separated by a sunken woodfence.

Feb 112012
 

As mentioned before, our 3 week journey through 3 countries in Africa ended with two days of relaxation at the Paradis Malihide in Gisenyi. It was the perfect way to unwind. This is another photo of the fishermen making their way out onto Lake Kivu, to work their nets through the night in search of talapia and little black sambassa. They have to fish with nets because, as Cameron discovered after an hour casting his fly into the lake, these are the only two types of fish in the lake and neither of them is carnivorous. Once Cameron discovered this, he turned to teaching one of the waiters how to fly cast. Across the lake, through the haze, you can see the hills of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Fishermen on Lake Kivu, Gisenyi, Rwanda, heading out at night to work their nets from their triple hulled boat in search of talapia and little black sambassa.

Jan 062012
 

Another Bermuda shot, Flatts Inlet. This summer, I went out early morning before work to take a bunch of pictures around Harrington Sound. This was my last stop. I wound up getting mesmerized by the fish under the dock and really struggled to remove myself from it.

I’ve just booked a trip to Prague. I’m leaving on Friday. I have to go to London for meetings so i decided to go grab some pictures somewhere else in Europe as well. So, assuming I can get on the internet there will be photos from Prague being posted in two weeks. I’m also hoping to head out with my gear in London but that will depend on how the sunrise/sunset lines up my meetings.

Flatts Inlet, Bermuda with boats, bridge, green and orange coral under the water with dramatic clouds.