I love summer when I’m able to enjoy the sunrise on the beach before heading into work if I feel like it. It’s more likely that I’ll head out for morning photos if I have someone staying with me who wants to head out. It’s little more difficult to drag yourself out of bed on your own.
New Look Coming Tonight
I decided to overhaul the appearance of Traverse Earth about two months ago. It didn’t take me too long to design how I wanted it to look. Bending Suffusion (my WordPress template) to my will has taken quite a while though. I used DesktopServer to set up a development website that mirrored this one. I’ve now got it looking just about how I want it. So, I’ve decided to unleash it onto the world, tonight. So, as you’re reading this you my be looking at the old website, the new website, or some hideous, deformed in-between stage. Either way, I hope it works and that you like the end result.
Today’s Photo: The Surge, Bermuda
When I first got a camera that allowed me to adjust aperture and shutter speed I got really into photographing moving water. I’d fire off loads of photos at one scene then dig through them to find the most pleasing blurring of the waters motion. Not a lot has changed, except now I’m working with multiple exposures for each image. So, getting the timing right is a bit more complicated and there’s a lot more photos to sift through!
This photo was taken early morning, shortly after sunrise down on the beach on the Southlands property.
Escaping Genoa
Well, I’ve arrived in Italy. We’re staying in a really nice hotel in the Piemonte region. The flight arrived into Genoa airport after what must be one of the most spectacular landing approaches in the world. The plane flies along the coast, taking in little villages tucked into bays and then Genoa itself before landing on an a runway that seems to be surrounded on all sides by water.
Leaving Genoa to head North to our hotel, on the other hand, was not an easy task. We easily added a half hour onto our drive after missing a right hand turn and getting stuck going in the wrong direction on a toll road!
Today’s Photo: Southland’s Sunrise, Bermuda
Here is another photo from my morning down on the beach in Southlands. Should be posting a photo from Italy tomorrow night!
Another photo from my recent morning down on Southlands beach. I’m not sure what the name of the beach is, but it’s on the Southlands property. I hate getting up for sunrise, but I love being up for them. Especially, when you get a clear view of the sun peaking up over the horizon as I did in this case.
Packing for Iceland
I’ll be finishing off packing for Iceland in a minute. I fly out tomorrow morning and am really, really excited! I finally bit the bullet and bought a carry on bag I’ve had my eye on for a while (I know, that sounds pretty sad). But, I hate checking bags and have perfected traveling light, even with my camera gear. I find I never really need much while out on the road. I went to Africa for three weeks with just my Lowepro Flipside and a messenger bag (a.k.a a man-purse). I liked that setup, I could sling the messenger bag over my shoulder below my backpack and walk around with my hands completely free. Admittedly, it was a little difficult packing everything into these two bags while rushing in the morning with a banging hangover. I’ve taken this configuration a step forward in buying the Air Boss by Red Oxx which was designed with input from the creator of an awesome site on traveling light: OneBag.com. It’s basically a carry on luggage sized messenger bag with really cool compartments… perfect. I think I could travel indefinitely with this configuration, and my tripod fits inside!
Today’s Photo: Entering Southlands
I drive by this spot all the time and think I should stop there sometime to take a photo. One day, a couple of weeks ago, I actually did. It’s funny, I’ve never seen anybody there when I’ve driven past before. Of course when I decide to stop there’s a couple of German tourists there taking photos of their own.
I framed up a few shots looking up this road trying to capture the feeling of this big tree looming over you. Then, I realized that in order to do this I’d have to drop the camera down much lower. I was also having a lot of trouble with lens flare as the sun was beaming through the leaves in the left of the frame. I had to carefully position the camera so that the sun was hidden behind one of the branches.
I’m glad the plans to turn this place into a hotel didn’t go through. I think I’ll be making a return to this area again sometime soon, so I can explore the property beyond the entrance-way.
Something Interesting: OneBag.com
I like this site so much I’m mentioning it twice in one post. It’s not much to look at, but take some time to read about and you’ll suddenly realize that you’re taking far too much stuff with you when you travel. I’m now a convert to the belief that wheeled luggage is a seriously flawed concept and basically evil: www.OneBag.com