Life Is Great Images

Each year I travel to a different part of the world to see things for myself and to learn about people in other countries.

When digital cameras improved I got back into photography and combined the two interests, starting with a trip to China and Tibet in 2005 and then to The Virgin Islands in 2006. In 2007 I went to Spain and participated at an event hosted by a swimwear company that wanted photos for its catalogs. Later I went to the Czech Republic and shot with two photographers there. In 2008 I went to Argentina and Brazil. In 2009 I traveled through Croatia, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary (also passing through bits of Slovenia, Italy and Austria). In September of 2010 I traveled in Romania and Turkey. In March and April of 2011 I traveled in Cuba for two weeks. In October and November of 2011 I traveled in Peru and Ecuador and flew out to the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador.  In 2013 I flew to the south coast of Spain to sail on a large four masted sailboat.  from Spain to Morocco to the Canary Islands and then sailed across the Atlantic to Barbados. 

In September 2015 I spent two weeks in Russia. 

During the Fall of 2015 a local bank displayed an exhibit of my travel photography.

In the summer of 2016 I spent two weeks in northern Italy on a photography and wine tasting trip.  In the Fall of 2016 I traveled to the small and fairly expensive island of Bermuda learning of its very strong British history and traditions.

In 2017 I photographed landscapes and animals in Antarctica and in Tierra del Fuego in Argentina.

For 2018 I cancelled my plan to travel to Mongolia and to Russian Siberia - too complicated at this time.  

Instead in April 2018 I led a group of sea kayaking friends to tropical islands off the coast of Belize.  That was great and we also visited Aztec ruins and in a nature preserve engaged in a howling competition with local howler monkeys.

 

In late August 2018 I returned to St Petersburg in Russia where I welcomed my Moscow area homestay family of three years earlier to be my guest in a hotel in St Petersburg and we had fun walking the historic parts of the city and having beer and lunch along the way.  Then I caught up with a tour group in which travel friends had convinced to to enroll.  We then toured the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.   To me, all three have many centuries of being over run by inhabitants to the ancient south and more lately by the German Nazi's and then the Soviets.  Much history for small countries which are now cherishing their independence.  I also came to realize the sad and very powerful effect of propaganda - which the Nazi's made into a science and some others have now followed ...

 

In 2019 I spent two weeks on the north island of New Zealand, followed by a week in Bora Bora while en route back to the states.  New Zealanders seem to enjoy a lot of hiking and outdoor sports in their beautiful country;  I happily lost about 10 lbs. trying to keep up with them.  Bora Bora is gorgeous, with not a plastic bag anywhere.  Expensive, but very nice.   

In December I made a quick trip to Citrus County, Florida to swim with Manatees and paddle a kayak up the fresh water spring fed rivers.  Photos were not good due to cloudy weather and murky water, but the experience was good.

Plans for 2020 are a trip across Russia, starting in Siberia, continuing on the Trans Siberian Express to Lake Baikal and from there flying to Moscow and points east with a return home thus circling the globe in that direction (a bucket list item to cross off).

My goals are to create quality images and to learn about the world and to enjoy life.

Let's create beauty and happiness, have fun and enjoy life while we have it. 

 

Life is great!

-Steve