Issue 1 Winter 2014

The hidden Gem in the Heart of the USA

The Countrywith many faces!

A guide to

TravelPhotography

Part 1

Editor-in-Chief & Design:

Herbert Eisengruber

Additional editing and proofreading:

Beth Eisengruber, Michaela Eisengruber

Website:

www.sightseeingmagazine.com

ISSN:

2368-0598

Photography and Copyright information:

Unless otherwise noted, all photos and texts in this

Publication are copyright by Herbert Eisengruber

Contact:

Sightseeing Magazine

c/o Herbert Eisengruber

2404 23 Street NW

Calgary, Alberta

T2M3Y2 Canada

Email:

herbert@sightseeingmagazine.com

Feedback and Contributions:

Sightseeing Magazine welcomes feedback.

We will start a ‘Featured Photographer’

section in our next issue.

If you think you have what it takes, write us at the above

Email address.

You have been on a great trip and brought

awesome photos with you?

We want to hear from you!

Please contact us at the

email address above including a short description

of what your story will be about.

Please do not send us articles

and/or photos before we get in touch with you.

Letter fromthe Editor

Let me take the opportunity

and personally welcome you

to our new and exciting Sight-

seeing Magazine, an online

publication for everyone

longing for adventures – big

and small. I hope travelers,

explorers and generally peo-

ple that have been bitten by the “travel bug” as well as pho-

tographers who want to capture their memories and share it

with the world, will find our magazine a useful resource to

get inspired.

But our magazine will live from our reader’s input. If you

are an aspiring travel writer, travel photographer or just have

an amazing adventure to share, we want to hear from you.

Take your first steps, get published and show your work to

the world. It doesn’t matter if you are the next Livingstone

or just have a very exciting entry in your travel diary; our

“adventure” section waits for you.

You have great images from your last trip sitting on your

hard drive? Why not get your name out, publish them and

start your own portfolio?

We offer exiting and economical advertising opportunities

for existing travel and photography related businesses. And

you never know, if your business is a unique idea we might

even visit you and do an article about what you have to offer.

Sightseeing Magazine is published in two languages, English

and German, so we can reach a fairly broad and diverse au-

dience.

Our magazine is based on an open minded philosophy to-

wards travel and life. We want to show the world like it is,

in all its wonderful diversity. We realize that this diversity

stretches out to us travelers. Everybody travels at their own

pace, with their own interests and their own expectations.

What is interesting to one person, might not appeal to an-

other. And that is what makes us all unique. Sometimes you

make the best memories in places you would never have

thought. That’s how you grow.

So leave your everyday worries behind; let us show you our

exciting world with Sightseeing Magazine!

Sincerely Yours,

Herbert EisengruberEditor-in-Chief, sightseeing magazine

Page 2

ContentsPage

Letter from the Editor . . . . . . . . . 2

Masthead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Participate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Ecuador - Land with many faces . . . . . . . . . 5

Bryce Canyon -Hidden gem in the heart of the USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

A Guide to Travel PhotographyPart 1 - The Gear. . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Advertising Partners . . . . . . . . . 34

Next Issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

PASSIONFOR TRAVEL

Page 3

Get involved with Sightseeing Magazine

Your online magazine for Travel, Adventure and

Photography

Tell the world about your adventures. Do you

have a great travel story to tell? Have you been to

an unusual place? Did you go somewhere and had

a great experience? Tell us in a few words about

yourself and why you think your story should be

published in one of the next issues of Sightseeing

Magazine. You don't have to send us the full story

until we get back to you.

We would like to show your awesome travel shots

to the world. There are so many talented photog-

raphers out there getting drowned out by millions

of mediocre images. Here is your chance to get

published in an international publication. Don't

worry, the copyright of your images will always

stay with you. There are two ways to get published

with our magazine, the galleries on our website

www.sightseeingmagazine.com and - by invitation

only - in our magazine. In many of our future is-

sues we will have a featured photographer. Stay

tuned.

SHOW THEWORLD YOUR TRAVEL PHOTOS.

PARTICIPATE IN SIGHTSEEING MAGAZINE.

GET YOURADVENTURES PUBLISHED.

The easiest way to get in touch with us is through

our website www.sightseeingmagazine.com

Click on Participate

or send an Email directly to the editor:

herbert@sightseeingmagazine.com

GET IN TOUCH WITH US.

Page 4

Text and photography by Herbert Eisengruber

Ecuador – This name has a special

ring to traveler’s ears. But it seems every-

body you talk to associates different things with

this country. The reason for this is simple: Ecuador is ex-

tremely diverse for travelers who seek adventure, culture

and wildlife.

The most fame - and probably the reason many modern

time travelers want to visit Ecuador – arises from the

Galapagos, a group of islands far out in the Pacific, about

two hours by airplane. Here, Charles Darwin collected a

big part of the data for his history changing 'Theory of

Evolution', published in his famous book “The Origin of

Species”. Today, the Galapagos Islands are a National

Park, and visits are tightly controlled and monitored in

order to preserve this natural gem in the middle of the

ocean.

But Ecuador is much more than the Galapagos!

At its heart in the Andes Mountains lies the capital of

Quito, a thriving, bustling city which – at its core – fea-

tures one of the most beautiful historic towns of South

America. In 1978, this led to the dedication as the first

UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just North of Quito, you

can stand in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere at the

same time, as the equator – which gave Ecuador its name

– runs right through.

If you travel further east, down winding roads with bus

drivers who fearlessly brave the hair pin bends, you will

get into the hot, steamy lowlands of the Amazon River

Delta; there you can explore the rivers that eventually

form the biggest river in the world. Here, thick rain-forest

and jungle creatures will greet travelers who anxiously

await what is next to come.

With the following few pages we would like to show you

a bit of what this country has to offer and tell you a story

here and there. One of those stories is a bit different than

the run of the mill travel accounts you might read.

During our visit to the Galapagos Islands, our cruise took

a very unusual turn. Read on for more.

Ecuador!

Page 5

Left: Stand in two hemispheres at once on the official Equator line north of Quito. Right: Sunsets on the Amazon River are a special treat.

Being the highest official capital in the world, Quito's

first impression is – literally – breathtak-

ing for every traveler arriving from a

lower part of the world. Quito’s modern new air-

port is located at the most inconvenient location,

and at the time of our arrival, no infrastructure

had been put in place to connect the air-

port with the city. The

one hour

Taxi ride into the city, even in light traffic, is an adventure

by itself. Quito is an interesting mix of old and new, but its

cultural highlight is certainly the historic old town that in-

spired UNSECO to put their World Heritage Site dedication

system in place in 1978. While the younger generation can

dance and party the night away in the hip but otherwise ar-

chitecturally rather bland ‘Madrigal’ part of the city, travel-

ers will also find many travel agencies to book

adventures to the rest of the

country. How-

Page 6

QuitoEcuador

ever, ‘real’ Quito can definitely be found in

the Old Town. Everything has a different feel

here, and it is highly recommended to get a

hotel in the vicinity to have quick access to

all the sights and sounds.

The Old City is an amazing treat of Spanish

colonial buildings with romantic courtyards

and hidden shops, some of which can only be

found if you look very closely; they are a

dream for people who like to explore unusual

goods and crafts. You can shop ‘til you drop

here.

Also, Quito’s Old Town has one of

the most amazing collections

of churches and monasteries

anywhere in the world. Even

people who are not especially in-

terested in architecture will stand in awe

for quite some time here. With plentiful or-

nate carvings, colorful windows, dark and

mysterious corners, these buildings are an in-

teresting challenge for photographers, or they

serve as a place for people that want to escape

the hustle and bustle of the busy city for a few

hours.

Travelers who have been in South America be-

fore will feel a distinct difference between Quito

and other big cities on the continent, like Lima or

LaPaz for example. Quito is cleaner and feels less

‘chaotic’. But – like the rest of Ecuador - it is also

a bit more expensive for everything you do. This is

certainly due to Ecuador’s official currency, the US

dollar; something that is unique in South America. We

weren't impressed, though, by a common theme in

Quito and the rest of Ecuador, as it seemed there were

two different prices for locals and tourists.

Page 7

Page 8

Every city on earth is only as interesting as the peo-

ple who live there and give it life, spirit and en-

ergy; Quito certainly has no shortage of that.

The city is filled with very talented street performers and

musicians who satisfy pretty much every

taste of music. We especially liked a – in

our culture – long lost art-form which is

very popular in Ecuador: public street

theater. Free for everyone, a group of ac-

tors in colorful costumes and makeup per-

form a live theater soap opera for people

to enjoy once a week. This event filled up

the picturesque main square right in front

of the President’s Palace with hundreds of

people. The people of Quito love their

candy and one can buy a sweet treat on

pretty much every street corner. There is

life and action pretty much everywhere

you look, from the above mentioned

street musicians, vendors, traveling sales-

men and - of course

- the usual ‘ha-

rassers’ common to

this part of the world.

It seems that there is always a

music festival with dancers hap-

pening. Ecuadorians are very

proud people and unfortunately sometimes one comes across

some rather grouchy guys and gals that are a bit of ‘Divas’.

They don’t seem to be too happy that they meet strangers. It

is best not to get hung up with those guys as the majority of

People,Life,Energy

Ecuador

Page 9

the people you will meet are great, warm and

welcoming. Some of the traditional dresses are

very colorful and walking through the streets is

a photographer’s dream. Even if you are not

into photography, I recommend just sitting in

an outside Cafe at the Plaza de San Francisco

and soak up the atmosphere.

Page 10

AmazonE

very traveler has their own

(mis-)conception about the

Amazon River region. I ex-

pected unbearable heat, mosquito in-

fested waters, dark, dingy Jungle, and

wild and dangerous beasts lurking be-

hind every tree. Like always, the reality

is somewhere in between, but let’s start

at the beginning.

A tour into Ecuador’s jungle region is

best booked in Quito. There are many

operators that offer short or long stays

in jungle lodges, which range from very

basic to rustic luxury with pretty much

all amenities. We decided to book our

stay in the jungle with an organization

run by a native tribe; all of the lodges’

proceeds are flowing back into commu-

nity projects which support local vil-

lages. This particular lodge also serves

as a training center where young na-

tives learn about the tourism industry

and sustainable and environmentally

conscious tourism.

Due to difficult overland transportation

in the Amazon area, the rivers still serve

as the main transporta-

Ecuador

© Beth Eisengruber

Page 11

tion routes. After a long Taxi ride over rough jungle tracks in the late after-

noon hours, we reached the canoe which would bring us out to the lodge,

situated deep in the rain-forest.

If you are a first time visitor and you are riding in a motorized canoe on

the rivers that feed into the Amazon, it may feel a bit surreal as most of

us only see this on TV. After a one hour canoe ride, we arrived at our

jungle lodge which was perched on a lush green slope above the river

bank. The roofs of the cabins were barely visi-

Page 12

ble through the thick

canopy of trees.

Once we got dropped

off onto the riverbank,

our main mode of trans-

portation from this

point on was standing

on the bed of a 4x4

pickup truck. We were

holding on while the

driver negotiated the

muddy off road tracks.

We arrived at a very

nice lodge with partly

enclosed kitchen facili-

ties and seven comfort-

able cabins. Our cabin

had running hot water,

nice clean beds and a

balcony with a million

dollar view. Included

were ten thousand

strange noises that only the rain-forest can produce. We were

enjoying the last rays of the sun in our hammocks on the bal-

cony. Next morning we knew why it is called “rain-forest”. It

was pouring, and while we had a fine breakfast, our native

guide took the opportunity to show us how to make chocolate

from scratch; starting by peeling dried cocoa beans picked

from the tree at arm’s reach. The rains stopped two hours

later and the guide warned us that our next adventure will

be a bit of a strenuous hike through the jungle to a hidden

waterfall. The rain from the night and the morning soaked

the ground and saturated the dangerous looking rivers;

everything was wet, hot and steamy.

The hike through the jungle was strenuous, but the desti-

nation was worth it: A good thirty meter high, powerful

waterfall gushed down into a swirling basin beneath.

Among the lush green vegetation, parrots were flying over-

head. They gathered to eat the clay from the cliffs, which

contains valuable minerals which are uncommon in the rain-

forest. A few souls in our small group were brave enough to

go for a swim in the wild waters of the basin.

The jungle was fascinating, the sounds alone are worth the

trip. We saw lots of exotic birds; Ecuador has one of the highest diversities of bird species

in the world. In the evening, our guide offered to take us on a night excursion into the

jungle. With flashlights we tried to stay close behind him, just as he suggested; we didn’t

want to step on a spider or scorpion. The beam of our flashlights revealed hundreds of

bright dots of light, some small, some big, looking like stars on the ground. First, I

thought these are little water droplets on the plants, but the guide told us those are Ba-

Page 13

nana Spiders’ – very poisonous - eyes staring back at

us! This is nothing for the faint of heart. At night, the

sounds of the rain-forest changed into something

much more dramatic. Roars from the distance were

accompanied by creeks and cracks from close by. We

were all uneasy, but our guide could identify every

animal just by hearing its footsteps it seemed. He used

to hunt monkeys and other small animals here before

he became a guide. He knew every plant, its healing

properties and how fast it would kill you. He let us

taste a bitter plant. “This is the most poisonous plant

in the forest…,” he said. He could see the panic in

our eyes, “…but only if you boil it! As it is, it’s just

bitter,” he added. The people here have incredible

knowledge. Every pharmacist would be jealous. The

next day he would show us his home village.

We considered it an honor to be invited into

the local community. The people here were

proud to show us what they do with the money

which flows back from the lodge. They showed

us the shiny new church and the upgraded med-

ical center, which treats a lot of Tuberculosis

cases. Both my wife and I work in a medical lab-

oratory back home, so this was very interesting

for us.

We were shown how the Yucca plant, the most

important food item on the menu

here, gets grown and prepared.

Everybody in the village was

friendly and welcoming.

Overall, we spent a wonderful

time in the Ecuadorian rain-for-

est, and it’s highly recom-

mended to have a look at this

fascinating part of Ecuador.

Page 14

The

Galapagos Is-

lands have a special ring to

anybody interested in History and Biol-

ogy. Here, Charles Darwin developed a

big portion of his world-changing the-

ory of evolution. Ever since, this group

of Islands, way out in the Pacific - a

good 1500km west of Ecuador, captures

the imagination of adventurers, travelers

and scientists alike. Today the Islands

belong to Ecuador and are a designated

National Park with a fragile ecosystem

which is unique in the world. It is pos-

sible to visit the Islands, but – compared

to other South American destinations –

is not a cheap undertaking. The Islands

have a tiny airport originally built by the

US during the Second World War. The

Galapagos National Park fee is US$100

per person and is mandatory for every

visitor to the Islands. Except for a few

self-guided walking tours, every

tour has to be accompanied by

an officially approved natural-

ist guide. The best, and by far

the most popular way to see

the natural wonders of the

Galapagos, is to book a

cruise on a ship and hop

from island to island.

There are many types of

cruises as well as itiner-

aries available from one

day trips to two week

long luxury cruises

for extra deep pock-

ets. Since the Islands

GalapagosEcuador

Page 15

have a lot to offer, a minimum of 2 days is highly recommended.

But even that will set you back $1500 per person, one of the most

expensive adventures you can do in South America. We opted for

a 4 Day, 3 night cruise which is kind of the middle of the road. Most

cruises start out on the Island’s biggest settlement, the small town

of Puerto Ayora – a town full of art galleries, photographers and

film crews from all over the world – on the Island of Santa Cruz,

the second biggest Island in the Galapagos. This is also home of

the world famous Charles Darwin Research Station, a place where

scientists, researchers and volunteers from all over the world work

to secure some of the most unique species, like the endangered

giant tortoise.

How unique the Animal Kingdom of the Galapagos Islands re-

ally is becomes clear the minute you set foot onto the Islands.

Due to the lack of predators, most animals here completely lack

any fear of each other including human beings. All kinds of crit-

ters, furry, scaly, feathered and otherwise, come right up to you

as if it would be the most natural thing in the world. Sea lions

and iguanas sunbathe in the harbour, birds don’t fly away when

you walk by them and Pelicans sit one meter away from the fish-

ermen, hoping for some fish scraps. When you first arrive, you

think you are in some surreal giant petting zoo, but you soon re-

alize that this is normal here, this is what makes these Islands spe-

cial. Evolution bred fear out of most of the species here.

Our groups’ naturalist guide, who already picked us up at the air-

port, shows us around in the small harbour of Puerto Ayora. We are

waiting for our transport - a little outboard motor powered rubber

Zodiac – that will bring us to our Cruise ship the ‘Pelikano’. The

weather is cloudy and the winds are picking up, which makes the sea

a bit rough. Right away we are getting a small taste of what awaits

us as the sea around the Galapagos Islands can be a bit rough at this

time of the year. The ‘Pelikano’ is about the size of a big yacht, with

8 cabins and six crew members. The cabins are small but comfort-

able with bunk beds and a private bathroom with shower. The ship

is fully self-contained with a bar, a kitchen and a dining room for 20

people. It’s a bit tricky to get on the ship from the Zodiac in rough

seas, but that adds to the fun. It just feels great to be here.

After everybody gets settled in and shown how life on board will look

for the next four days, it is going back with two of the Pelikano’s Zo-

diacs to the mainland. We are going to visit the Charles Darwin Re-

search Station, something my wife has dreamt about since she was a

teenager.

The Station is quiet this time of the year, a lot of the researchers take time

off in their home countries with friends and family. The part that is ac-

cessible to the public consists mainly of enclosures with some of the en-

dangered animals of the several islands. Since each island has its own

unique habitats and species, we learn what we can expect in the next few

days. The most important work of the Research Station is the rescue and

breeding program of the Galapagos Giant Land Tortoises, which can be

seen here in various stages of maturity from babies to fully grown tortoises.

Back on the ship, we get a briefing on

what’s in store

Page 16

Page 17

for us the next day. The ship will navigate at

night, and in the morning we will visit a small is-

land with lots of wildlife and go snorkeling in the

afternoon - a special treat on the Galapagos Is-

lands. During the night the ship is rocked by big

waves and we get very little sleep due to the

rough seas. It’s raining outside.

When we wake up in the morning, the weather is

a lot friendlier. Blue skies all around us render the

sea around the small island we are anchored in

front of turquoise blue. We can already tell form

the ship that the island is loaded

with life, dozens of sea lions can be

seen on the rocky beach. The

water around the boat is amaz-

ingly clear and hundreds of fish,

including sharks, swim around

the boat. Numerous sea birds

flock around the ship hoping for

food scraps. The largest of them

are the Frigate birds with a

wingspan of almost 2 meters.

I don’t know why, but I never

imagined them to be that big.

Our excursion to the island is

fantastic. We see sea lions and the Gala-

pagos’ most famous bird, the Blue Footed Boobie. The plants

on the island are sparse, but the ones that are there are bright reds,

yellows and greens and provide a stark contrast to the dark vol-

canic rocks. We spend the whole morning here and just soak in

the wonderful and relaxed atmosphere that only a sunny day and

great nature can provide. After a great 3 course lunch for 20 peo-

ple, that the ship’s cook somehow manages to prepare in

his tiny kitchen, the ship navigates to

the next island for our snorkel-

ing adventure. After 2 hours we

arrive at another island, blessed

with a great bay and beaches

© Beth Eisengruber

© Beth Eisengruber

Adventures come in many shapes and sizes. Some come un-

expected and take a turn for the worst. One and a half days

into our Galapagos cruise, the following happened.

The Shipwreck

The first night on the rough seas of the Pacific Ocean in be-

tween the Galapagos Islands, rocked our ship pretty hard and

it took a long time to fall asleep. The second night is no dif-

ferent. The plan of the crew is to navigate the ship during the

night, so we are at our new destination in the morning. The

crew inform us that the estimated arrival time at Baltra Island

will be around midnight. My wife and I have a hard time to

fall asleep, but we dose off around 23:00.

A big bang and a nasty crunching noise wakes us both up. A

quick check of the watch reveals it’s 1:07am. I jump out of

bed and yell, “What the hell was that?” We are wide awake.

I open the cabin door. It’s a bit foggy out and all I can see is

a beam from a lighthouse turning in the mist above the ship.

It is pretty much the only significant light source and turns

the whole scene into an eerie atmosphere of grayish-blue out-

lines. The engine of the ship is roaring. Now I can see that the

ship is sitting on rocks. The sea is rough and it rocks the ship

up and down. I can hear the rock scratching on the ship’s hull.

I can’t believe it, we struck a rock! I turn around in the cabin

and tell my wife. Dennis, another tourist from Canada stands

in his cabin door as well. A crew member runs up and down,

screaming hysterically. From the back of the boat I hear Span-

ish voices screaming, “Rapido! Rapido!” [Quickly!

Quickly!], and other things I can’t make out. I get a glimpse

of somebody in the back of the boat working on one of the

Zodiacs of which we have two. Another crew member runs

around in his underwear. I look at Dennis, he looks at me. Al-

most in unison we say “I think we should get our life vests

on…” I turn around and tell Beth, “get your life vest on, this

is serious.” As I say this and grab my own vest, I hear a gur-

gling noise.

It’s a very distinct sound which I’ve heard before from off

road vehicles with diesel engines when they are getting sub-

merged in water and the air intake sucks in water. Two sec-

onds later the engine sound seizes abruptly and all the lights

on the ship go out. Now I know we are in serious trouble.

“We should grab everything we can,” Beth says. I pack my

camera bag, we both get our emergency headlamps out that

we always carry with us. I will never go anywhere without

one since a trip to Peru in 2004. My backpack is only partly

packed and it’s not zipped up. I can feel the ship tilting. “Beth,

we have to go!” I shout. “Yes,” she says, “I’m coming!”. I

get out the door, turn to the right, towards the back of the ship.

It’s pitch black, the only thing I see is what is illuminated by

with white sand. From afar, we spot black spots on the sand

which turn out to be seals after a quick look through binoc-

ulars. It’s still sunny, but in the distance we can see big black

clouds forming, signs of things to come. But for now we are

given wetsuits, flippers, snorkels and diving goggles, and

we all jump into the bay. For many of us it is the first real

snorkel experience in moderately deep waters. Right away

it becomes evident that the underwater life here is incredi-

ble. Unfortunately for us, the stormy weather over the last

days makes the water murkier than usual, and the underwa-

ter visibility is not as expected. This is not the best for good

photography, but we have lots of fun nevertheless. The col-

orful fauna and flora in Galapagos’ waters is absolutely

breathtaking. And that’s not just because we are underwater.

A bit later we get dropped off on the island itself right in be-

tween a large group of seals that couldn’t care less if we are

there or not. It is an amazing and overall surreal experience

to be this close to wild animals that have no fear without

being trained or in any way ‘humanized’. In fact, right next

to the sea lions are sitting hawks that could be very danger-

ous to the sea lion pups. But they are ignored as well. That’s

what makes the Galapagos special. Before we head back to

the ship dark clouds are moving in and my wife snaps the

last photo of the ‘Pelikano’ ever taken.

Page 18

© Beth Eisengruber

Page 19

side of the ship, holding onto the railing.

The Zodiac is now only a meter away

from me. “Rapido! Rapido!” the crew

member shouts. I see my wife and that’s

the only thing that’s important. I manage

to get up, Beth is coming towards me. I

grab a hold of her, she grabs me and we

both jump and slide into the Zodiac head

first. Seconds later, Dennis and Rachel,

the couple from Canada, slide into the

Zodiac as well. A couple from Denmark

is already here including a crew member

operating the gurgling outboard motor.

My first instinct is that we should go to-

wards the rocks we just hit (it’s land after all), but we might

get smashed against them and get injured really bad. And God

knows where we are. This could be just a tiny rock in the mid-

dle of nowhere. A second Zodiac is brought up with another

crew member on board. It’s our naturalist guide. He says, we

have to transfer to the second Zodiac. I see that it has no en-

gine and a big hole in the floor where the engine would sit.

We climb over. Beth and I are the only ones with flashlights.

I look back and the outline of the ship, it’s tilted at a 30 degree

angle. Only tiny position lights are on. No emergency horn,

nothing. “Where are all the others?” I shout. “We are going

back to get them with the engine-boat,” the guide says. “Good

plan!” I say. “Can I have your flashlight?” he says. I give him

my light and they head off back towards the ship. A few min-

utes later, I see an inflatable emergency raft drifting towards

us pulled by the Zodiac.

We all transfer into the emergency raft. It’s one of those oc-

tagonal thingies you see in movies with the knowledge that

you will never see one for yourself, let alone be in one. The

contraption is partially filled with water which moves back

and forth as people shift around over the thin rubber bottom,

my headlight and the beam of the lighthouse reliably

doing its duty. The crew is screaming again, “Rapido!

Rapido”. I see the waves crashing over the side of the

ship. Debris is floating on the water. The crew member

in the Zodiac shouts at me “Rapido! Rapido! In the

boat…” I turn around to check on Beth. She is not

there! Oh my god, she is not there! I shout her name,

“BETH! BETH!” At this moment a big wave crashes

over the side of the ship. I slip and fall and get banged

onto the railing of the boat. The railing is almost en-

tirely under water. I try to get up, but my backpack pulls me

back. I fall again. “BETH! BETH!” I shout again. “I’m here!

I’m here!” I hear her, but don’t see her.

The weight of my backpack doesn’t allow me to get up. I

manage to take it off, look back and I can see it being swept

over the side of the ship. I’m almost completely underwater,

but now I can get up. I see Beth, she is standing on the other

For obvious reasons I didn’t take any photos during the shipwreck, but thosetwo images were taken only 5 minutes after our rescue. You can see the in-flated emergency raft (with the red roof) in which we were sitting waitingto be rescued.

Right after the rescue, some of the passengers sit in the lobby of the ‘Queen of the Gala-pagos’. We talk, drink some warm tea and finally realize what just happend.

but for now it feels as if it is the safest place on earth. We look

around, and it looks like we are all accounted for. Everybody

managed to get off the ship! What a relief! We look back to

the ship and I can see it’s on its side! Time check – 1:18am.

Now I notice that the emergency light on my life vest blinks.

Those are only activated if they get submerged in water. Now

I realize, that we are still alive, I give Beth a kiss and a hug. I

also realize, that I somehow managed to hold on to my cam-

era bag. Hopped-up on Adrenalin, one does things without

thinking. I have no idea what temperature the water is, it

seems the body turned this set of sensors off for now. Beth

managed to grab most of her stuff, that’s why she was just a

few seconds behind me and I couldn’t see her at first.

Now we are a drift in the emergency raft. One of the crew

members is crying, all the passengers are surprisingly calm.

There is shock and disbelieve on everybody’s face. “Did you

manage to call for help?” I ask the guide. “I don’t know,” he

says. He is the only crew member that stayed relatively calm

so far. Now there is nothing that we can see. The lighthouse

beam gets further away. It is the only source of light

next to our two flashlights. Now the crew asks for

Beth’s light as well. They are using the lights to wave

around. They hope to attract other ships.

I realize now that we are reeking of Diesel fuel, the

tank of the ship must have leaked out. My leg starts

to hurt, I scraped the skin when I was falling down.

I can’t believe it. The rational part of the brain starts

to kick in again. How can this happen nowadays? All

the modern communication equipment! GPS, sonar,

radar, satellite phones and wireless radio. And yet, we

are waving simple flashlights and shouting “HELP!”

into the night. I already see myself talking to a Vol-

leyball for the next years, when Beth asks “What was

that? Did you feel that?” Yes, I feel it as well, some-

thing is brushing against our bottoms. We can feel it

through the thin rubber skin of the raft. My first thought

is that it is sea grass or kelp of some sort, but I think Beth

has it right when she thinks of sharks. Yesterday we were

told they feed at night and are attracted to sounds of dis-

tress. We whisper a sarcastic “Awesome!”, but we don’t

want to alert anybody else. We decide not think about it.

We are a drift for about 15 minutes that feel like hours as

somebody says, “There is a ship!” A few minutes later

there is a good size cruise ship alongside of us named

“The Queen of the Galapagos”. It’s brightly lit with all

search lights on. It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever

seen. A big sigh of relief overcomes me, I shout “It’s the

Carpathia!” Everyone laughs, they all feel the same way.

The crew of the Queen of the Galapagos helps us on

board. They couldn’t be nicer. We get handed blankets and

warm drinks. It’s pretty chilly, and we are soaking wet. But I

don’t feel cold. We are all in shock and sit down in the lobby.

Now you can see how everybody’s stress and shock releases

differently. Beth starts crying, the Danish couple just sit there

and have a void stare on their face. The guy from Britain is

holding his side, he looks like he is in a lot of pain. I ask if he

is OK, he lifts his shirt up and reveals a big bruise on his rib

cage. I think he has a cracked rib. He was in his cabin until

the last minute he tells me. He took a sleeping pill last night

as he couldn’t sleep the night before because of the rough

seas. When he finally woke up, his cabin was half filled with

water, with things floating beside him.

An Australian lady lost everything she had. She only saved

herself and only wears her night gown. Like the British fel-

low, she was one of the last ones of the ship.

Beth calms down a bit, and we do a little inventory. I lost my

backpack with all of my clothes, and other travel related

equipment, worth about $1500. Beth has most of her stuff in-

Page 20

Passengers are cleaning their rescuedbelongings from Diesel oil.

Our life vests rightafter the rescue. Minewas the front right.The emergency lighton the side whichonly comes on whenthe vest is submergedinto seawater, is stillon.

Page 21

cluding her camera. We both lost all our shoes, we are bare-

foot like all the other tourists on board. The clothes I have on

are a travel vest, a t-shirt and convertible pants. For some rea-

son I put our passports in my vest the night before. Both doc-

uments are wet, but the German passport is well made, with

the important part laminated and waterproof. The Canadian

Government doesn’t laminate their passports, and the photo

is damaged. The ink from one half of the photo bled out.

My camera equipment must be done, the camera case was

completely submerged multiple times under water for several

seconds. I hope the photos are recoverable. Hardware can be

replaced, photos not. Still, it’s equipment for a good $3000.

It sucks!

I don’t know if I want to look into the bag. Beth sits down

and rests a bit, I go over in a quiet corner and open the bag.

What a surprise! Except for a few minor drops, the equipment

is completely dry. The bag is soaking wet, but it protected the

equipment perfectly. This is the proof that it’s smart to spend

extra money on good equipment.

We get lots of help from the crew and passengers of the

“Queen of the Galapagos” during the night and the next morn-

ing. The passengers donate some clothing to

those who need it. We are told that a rescue ship

is on its way which will bring us back to the har-

bour on the main island. The next morning is a

beautiful, crisp and sunny day and we anchor in

a fantastic bay with red sand. The “rescue ship”

turns out to be a small speedboat which has seen

better days and which is hopelessly overloaded

with us “ship wreckees”, the crew and the ex-cap-

tain of our boat who tries to hide in a cubbyhole

to avoid uncomfortable questions.

This 5-hour trip back turns out to be another

nerve racking experience we are not prepared for.

The boat is way too small for the rough open sea,

and we get pounded by 3-meter waves. The boat is designed

for a maximum of 8 people, but carries more than double. The

water gushes in and the two outboard engines’ intakes draw

small amounts of water every time we crash down a wave.

This clogs the water separators and fuel filters and the engines

get starved of fuel. The half open boat starts to reek of gaso-

line, we can hardly breathe. We feel lightheaded, some people

are extremely nauseous. Three times the engines stop, and the

first two times, the operator can start them with changing the

filters. The third time no more new filters are available and

the little boat comes dangerously close to the crashing

waves on the cliffs of a nearby island. The engines are now

barely running and the boat is “limping” back to the small

port on the main island. We were never so glad to be on dry

land.

From then on the story is more of a bureaucratic nature, and

I will try to make a very long story short. For us, it took a

week of running around to get insurance papers filled out,

police reports filed and – most importantly – the damaged

passport figured out, which is in a post 9-11 world a tricky

thing to do. The story also continued long after we returned

home as the boat insurance did not make any effort to com-

pensate us for several months and only reacted to quite a

bit of pressure.

It turns out that despite the quite active tourism on the Gala-

pagos Islands there seems to be poor safety standards, nor of-

ficial rescue vessels on hand to intervene if something goes

wrong.

Update: Not too long ago, in November 2014, I heard from a

fellow traveler who recently returned from Ecuador, that the

above incident has stirred up quite a bit of frenzy among the

tour operators which offer tours in Galapagos. One can only

hope that safety measures, training and communications as

well as rescue operations in case of emergencies will be im-

proved in the future.

The next morning is peaceful and quiet, beautiful weather and theisland’s unusual red beaches are inviting. Unfortunately, our moodthis morning is less then adventurous.

The boat that is bringing us back to port is way too small, badlyequipped and poorly maintained. We barely make it back.

Page 22

BRYCECANYON

Text by Herbert EisengruberPhotography by Beth and Herbert Eisengruber

The Grand Canyon is one of the most famous natural attrac-

tions in the world and rightly so. Every year millions of vis-

itors fulfill a lifelong dream to see this amazing place.

But not many travelers know that there are places not far from the

Grand Canyon that are just as fantastic. One of these ‘hidden gems’

is Bryce Canyon National Park in the state of Utah.

At a location of 2000m above sea level, it features one of our

planet’s most surreal landscapes. If you are interested in photogra-

phy, you owe it to yourself to come here.

Here, in the dry and crisp air, over millions of years, nature formed

an ever changing landscape, full of unusual

shapes and colors. The reason for this

unique landscape is the combination of rel-

atively soft sandstone which ‘grew’ in lay-

ers over time. Each layer has its own color.

Over time, wind and water erosion formed

the surreal shapes we can see today. Locals

call them ‘Hoodoos’. Some of these struc-

tures are bright orange with white stripes

in color. If you step out on one of the

The hidden Gem inthe Heart of the USA

Page 23

parks many look-offs, you could almost

think that the landscape is artificial.

By far, the best way to experience this rel-

atively small National Park is to camp on

one of the park’s beautiful campgrounds.

You should arrive early, especially in the

summer months, because the campsites will

fill up quickly. My favorite campground is

located only a few meters next to one of the

look-offs and offers photographic

opportunities which are second to

none in the world.

There are many hiking trails to

explore the park, and it is highly

recommended to pack a lunch

when you hike out for a day and

enjoy this unique landscape.

As many photographers already

know, the most magical light for

any landscape is in the early

morning or in the late afternoon;

this is especially true for Bryce

Canyon. The long shadows of the

Hoodoos and the already intense

colors of the landscape intensify

during these times and create a

fantastic show of light and shad-

ows which is just waiting to be

captured.

© Beth Eisengruber

© Beth Eisengruber

© Beth Eisengruber

During the morning and evening hours, the colors of the

landscape surrounding Bryce Canyon are sometimes so in-

tense, it’s hard to believe your are not looking at a computer

generated landscape. And, in fact, a very popular computer

software used for generating artificial landscapes is called

Bryce 3D.

All in all a visit to Bryce Canyon National Park is

highly recommended!

Page 24

© Beth Eisengruber

© Beth Eisengruber

Page 25

All National Parks in the

US and Canada are great

for stargazing. But

Bryce National Park is a special

treat. Located at over 2000m

(6500ft), the chilly, crisp and

dry air provide - what as-

tronomers call - “good seeing”.

In addition to that,

there is very little light pollution, as there are

very few bigger settlements around the park.

You can see more stars with the naked eye here

than most places on earth. Bring a pair of

binoculars, set your camera up on a tripod or

- even better - bring a telescope and you are

in for a treat that you might never forget. The

incredible surroundings of steep cliff faces

and outlines of the Hoodoos, ever so

slightly illuminated by a silent campfire in

the distance, is something so unique and

special, no travel catalogue can prepare

you for.

In just one hour of sitting there we

counted over 40 shooting stars. Now, if

only all the wishes made that night were

to come true...

OVER BRYCE

STARRY NIGHTS

Page 26

Warning: This article contains shame-

lessly opinionated, politically incor-

rectly assembled material and is based

on 25 years of blood-sweat-and-tears-

personal experience. It doesn’t follow

- or care about - internet-forum babble,

rumors, hearsay or ‘pixelpeeping’ atti-

tudes of people who value camera fea-

tures over actual photos. It is not

sponsored by any companies in any

way shape or form. The gear men-

tioned in this article has been bought,

used (and sometimes destroyed!) by

the author with his own money on his

own time

Article by Herbert Eisengruber

Travel photography. Those two words have an almost mag-

ical ring to the ears of many photographers.

To me, taking photos on my trips are not just ‘a necessary’

task to show people at home where I have been, or to capture

a few memories.

With my photos, I want to tell stories, capture emotions and

the ‘feel’ of a place. In my opinion, still photography that is

well done can do just that and sometimes even better than

any video or movie. Still photography captures the imagi-

nation as it leaves the mind freedom to ‘fill in the blanks’

better than a video does. In a way, it’s like reading a book

versus watching a movie, which can – in many cases – be

much more rewarding.

The ‘travel bug’ was passed on to me in my genes by my

parents, so this is an inherited trait. The ‘photo bug’ came

16 years later when my Dad passed on a manual Nikon FM2

camera to me. From then on a camera went on every trip

with me, documenting wherever I went. When I was back

at home, my photos served me well for re-living my adven-

tures. I call it ‘head-traveling’ and works best with a map in

front of you.

A few years later, I got a formal education in Multimedia

Design, Image Editing and Graphic Design and worked for

many years in various functions in the photographic and

multimedia industry on two continents. I worked on a lot of

projects, big and small, for my own company, from the Na-

tional Gallery of Canada to the friendly neighborhood Bed

and Breakfast next door. I was in charge of developing an

image composition course for a Nationwide Canadian pho-

tographic retailer and taught camera courses for the Public

Library of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Over the years, I dis-

covered ways to market my (travel) photography online,

which is a convenient way to help finance new trips.

In this multipart series, I would like to share the experiences

that I gathered in over 25 years in the photographic field and

especially in travel photography. You will probably find that

some of my tips and tricks are unusual and might differ from

others that you will encounter on the internet. That’s prob-

ably because I’m not affected by other opinions and base

my knowledge on pure experience and not ‘hearsay’ from

Internet Forums, from people that know people that have a

friend of a friend that uses a DSLR. I also have no affiliation

with certain camera manufacturers, so I don’t have to ‘push’

my readers in a certain direction.

In this first part of the series, I will talk about different pho-

tographic equipment, when and how to use it and – most im-

portantly – how to get it to your destination, carry it around

with you and – hopefully - back home.

The ‘ultimate’ gear guide?

Not really. It can’t be. The photographic industry is changing

so fast, every day new products are introduced, some more

innovative then others. Cameras have a product cycle of

about half a year to one year. For somebody new to photog-

raphy or somebody who wants to get an idea to what the

best solution for travel photography might be, the choices

can be overwhelming. The same is true with opinions on the

subject, ten people will tell you ten different things.

Cameras

The number of different cameras on the market at any given

time is staggering. They come in all shapes and sizes, every

model (and make) has advantages and disadvantages, fans

and ‘haters’. Anybody looking for the ‘perfect’ camera will

fail miserably. This guide is not designed to give a recom-

mendation on what particular camera(s) to choose, but might

help you look in the right direction.

In order to do that, we have to look at some basic travel cam-

era equipment requirements:

A GUIDE TO

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHYPART 1 - TH

E GEAR

1. If it comes to travel photography, one aspect is probably

the most discussed: Size and weight of the camera gear.

If you trek through the Sahara Desert in 38 degrees Cel-

sius, you definitely don’t want a camera bag that weights

10kg.

2. Being inconspicuous. Walk through a crowded market

in La Paz, Bolivia with a $6000 Full frame DSLR and a

bright strap with yellow writing advertising your make

and model, and there is a good chance that you come out

of the market lighter than you went in.

3. The best image quality possible. If you want to market

your photos in any way after your trip, this is absolutely

crucial. With hundreds of thousands of photographers out

there, taking millions of photographs, yours have to be

very good to stand out and sell. Not just from a compo-

sition point of view, but also from the technical image

quality.

The unfortunate part is, that the three points above directly

affect each other, making it difficult for us. Let’s start with

point #3 as it will narrow down the camera you need.

For this you have to answer a simple question: Would you

like to market your photographs or not? Be careful if you

answered ‘no’, as it is quite nice to cash in on your photos.

Once you realize that your next plane ticket can be bought

by the profits from your last trip, you might change your

mind. There are quite a few ways to make money with your

shots, from public slide shows, direct marketing on your

website to selling on so-called Microstock photography

sites, which is probably one of them most convenient way.

We will discuss all of this in a later part of this series.

If you are still certain that your answer to the above question

is ‘no’, you are in luck, as you have a great selection of cam-

eras and other gear out there. You can sit back and relax.

The ‘egg-laying wooly milk-pig’

The ‘egg-laying wooly milk-pig’ is a German phrase that

describes something that can do it all without any major

drawbacks. Unfortunately, in the world of cameras, there is

no such creature.

If you believe the online-internet-forum legends, camera

types can be divided into seemingly indefinite classes and

types.

There are ‘Compacts’, ‘Enthusiast’s compacts’, ‘compact

interchangeable lens cameras’, ‘entry level DSLRs’, ‘enthu-

siast DSLRs‘, ‘advanced DSLRs’, ‘Pro DSRLs’, ‘mirrorless

system cameras’ and many other types. Many of those are

again classified in sub-groups and sub-sub-groups and even

those have variations. It makes your head spin!

But after many years of examining pretty much every cam-

era known to man, I came to the following conclusion:

There are only two groups of cameras:

1. Cameras that are small enough to fit in a coat pocket and

you can bring pretty much anywhere.

2. Cameras that you will need a dedicated camera bag for.

For those you have to make a dedicated effort to bring

along with you.

The selection of cameras in the first group is shrinking

month by month, because it is taken over by the most pop-

ular camera in the world today:

The cell phone camera

Apple’s slogan ‘for most people the iPhone camera is the

only camera they’ll ever need’ has certainly a lot of truth to

it. Yes, if you only want to capture your memories of a trip

and you are certain that you don’t want to do more with your

images afterwards, why would you burden yourself to carry

anything more? Most cell phone cameras today have enough

image resolution for memorable prints to show friends and

family like the great optical illusion that you can hold up the

leaning tower of Pisa.

Equally, for web sharing of your images like on Facebook,

Twitter, Instagram and the other usual suspects, a cell phone

camera is more than enough. As long as you are aware that

a cell phone camera has its limitations in image quality and

a print will never be anywhere near as good as the image

you see on your phone’s screen, everything is good. Now I

ask you again: Are you sure you don’t want to market your

photos?

Over the last few years I encountered quite a few people that

discovered that they had a real talent for photography. The

images they shot were exquisitely composed and full of dy-

namic and life. One lady had dozens of great images on her

iPhone that she proudly showed me in one of my camera

classes. In fact, would she have taken those images with a

better camera, she could have made money from them on

stock photography sites.

Recommendable compacts

That being said, there are a handful of cameras left in the

compact segment that truly meet high standards and allow

your images to be marketed professionally.

My Camera recommendations in this segment:

- The biggest of those – which juuust fits in a coat pocket –

is the Fuji X100 series.

- The Sony RX100/II/III cameras

- Canon G1x Series

Generally it can be said that the image quality of a compact

Page 27

camera is directly proportional to its sensor size. The bigger

the sensor, the better the image quality will potentially be.

Of course, overall image quality depends on other factors

as well, but sensor size is a good indicator. In the world of

cameras, (sensor) size definitely matters.

Now on to the second groups of cameras. Like I said before,

I consider this group of cameras you will need to carry a

dedicated camera bag. This might be a shocking revelation

to fans of mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras, but

form-factor wise those cameras are nothing else but a

slightly smaller, slightly lighter version of DSLRs

Lighten your load

The hardest decision for any travel photographer is what

lenses and other gear to bring on a trip. It is a natural instinct

of a less experienced photographer to try to be prepared for

any situation possible by covering all focal lengths, from

ultra wide angle for those interior church shots, to extreme

telephoto for those rare spider monkeys in the trees. Many

photographers suffer from what I call GCD (Gear Carrying

Disease), which is a subgroup of the dreaded GAS (Gear

Acquiring Syndrome).

In its end stages, those two diseases end up with empty bank

accounts and broken backs. That’s why you see sweaty faces

on many trails carrying a big 15 kg

photo backpack, with tripod attached.

The cure comes in three steps:

1. The realization of what is really im-

portant.

2. Getting rid of what you don’t or

rarely need.

3. Learn to work around your missing

gear, and find out that your missing

gear isn’t missing at all.

The realization of what is

really important.

One winter’s day, I was bored and sort-

ing through some of my photos for

‘keepers’ and the ones that go into the

‘digital abyss’. After the tenth image I

started to get interested as I spotted that

the images I liked were all taken with

the 35mm focal length. I started an ex-

periment, went through thousands of

files and gathered 500 of my favorite

photos. I checked the EXIF (the infor-

mation the camera records of all its set-

tings) information of those files and plotted the focal lengths

the images were taken with in a little graph. The results

where amazing! All the images I liked were more or less

taken with the ‘classical’ focal lengths of 24mm, 35mm,

50mm and 100mm. Many of the images that where ‘out-

liers’ to this were again cropped to fit the above classic focal

lengths. I realized that I rarely shoot below 24mm and even

less above the mid telephoto range of 150mm. That’s when

I decided to change my digital gear from the ‘convenient’

zoom options to fixed focal prime lenses for my next trip. I

packed a 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and an 85mm. All small

prime lenses. The results of this step were stunning. I came

back with about half of the number of images I took when I

had my zoom lenses, but I had more ‘keepers’ right out of

the camera. This also cut down the photo editing time on the

computer back at home. The reason for that is simple. Prime

lenses force you to slow down and think more about your

photo composition. They also deliver generally better image

quality and larger apertures for a more shallow depth of field

and better low light photography.

Getting rid of what you don’t really need.

No matter if you decide to try prime lenses for yourself or

you want to stick to zooms, my advice is not to try and cover

every focal length. If you go the zoom route, get yourself a

good quality 24-105mm (or an equiv-

alent that your manufacturer provides)

lens and leave the 70-300mm at home.

For travel photography I guarantee

that the 24-105mm will cover 90% of

the photos you want to take. For the

other 10% you can crop as most mod-

ern cameras have more than enough

resolution to do so. Of course, if you

anticipate a lot of wildlife photos on

your trip, a good telephoto is a must.

But I would still prefer a 180mm f2.8

prime over a 300mm f5.6 zoom even

if the later has image stabilization.

Learn to work around your

missing gear.

A few years back I had an eye opening

moment on a picture sharing site.

There was a specialized thread about

photography inside churches and

many photographers posted their im-

ages. Most images where taken with

Page 28

The photo below was taken with a 100mm f2.8 lens at f2.8 in twi-light at dusk, cropped from 36mp to 8mp which gives it an ap-proximate focal length equivalence of 180mm. Despite f2.8,shutterspeed was only 1/125s and the bird was moving. In situa-tions like these, image stabilization doesn’t help and a fast shortprime lens is much more helpful then a slow zoom with morereach. I take a sharp 8mp over a blurry 36mp image any time.

wide angle lenses and were not bad indeed. But one set of

black and white photographs blew me away. The photos

were beautifully composed with attention to detail and,

overall, the images were a class above everything else

posted including my own. I wrote a note to the photogra-

pher, congratulating him to his wonderful work. As it turned

out, the photographer was an eighty year old gentleman

from England, and the photos were all taken with a Rollei-

flex Twin Lens reflex camera from the 1950s, a camera he

photographed with his whole life. During the lovely

conversation we had, I realized that by using his cam-

era for this long, he started ‘thinking’ in Rollei cam-

era’s 80mm focal length. He was able to ‘tune out’ the

field of view he saw with his eyes and instead saw his

surroundings like his camera would ‘see’. He didn’t

even try to ‘get everything’ in the picture, like we do

nowadays with our wide angle capable zoom lenses,

but instead, focused on details like a ray of light

shining through a window, an illumi-

nated figurine, creating interesting

shadows. In other photos, he played

with the camera’s depth of field capa-

bilities or captured part of an arc or a

painting of the dome. For this, he had to

explore the church, learn its different an-

gles, its uniqueness. During this process

he saw things nobody else would have.

In short, he had to compose the image for his gear

and didn’t fit the gear to the image which would be the

most obvious for the modern time wide-angle-zoom

photographer. He slowed down, thought it through and, in

the process, created admirable images that captured the at-

mosphere or “soul” of the place. To me that’s the key to suc-

cessful travel photography.

Of course, the above example is extreme, it takes a lot of

dedication, experience and talent to do what he did. But with

today’s technology, like the fast wide angle lenses, we have

creative tools on our hands that many photographers in pre-

vious generations didn’t have. If one can learn how to com-

bine new time technology with old time technique and

wisdom, one can grow as a photographer.

I realize that this is a difficult process. It is an acquired

skillset that can’t be bought in a camera store, but has to be

learned.

That being said, it’s time to get a little more practical as I

know you are waiting for tips on what gear to bring. I will

describe my own equipment. Don’t get hung up on brands,

as everything is interchangeable between manufacturers.

I’m aware that the following gear is on the expensive side,

but again, cheaper gear works just as well. But remember

the most important rule of buying photography gear: Invest

your money in lenses, not camera bodies!

On my trips I usually take a DSLR and three to four prime

lenses with me. Also a small, but good ‘walk around’ camera

for moments when the big camera is a disadvantage. Cur-

rently, I shoot with a Nikon D800 DSLR with the following

lenses: Nikkor 24mm f1.4G, Nikkor 50mm f1.8G and a

Micro Nikkor 105mm f2.8G VR. I also have a small Nikon

Page 29

Good foreground to background isolation effects like this one can only be achieved withlenses with fast aperture which most zoom lenses don’t offer. In my opinion, this effectalong with the incredible low light capabilities of fast lenses is more important thanthe ability to zoom. (Image taken with a 24mm lens at f1.4)

My own travel photography setup: From right to left: Nikon D800 with Nikkor 24mm f1.4G lens at-tached, Nikkor 20mm f3.5Ai, Fuji X100T, Nikkor 50mm f1.8G, Micro-Nikkor 105mm f2.8G, Nikon 1.4xTeleconverter, circular polarizing and graduated neutral density filters, step-up ring. All that fits inthe small Think Tank ‘Digital Holster 20’ with another smaller Think Tank ‘Stuffit’ bag attached.

1.4x teleconverter in my case that I rarely use. But it is very

light so it doesn’t make a difference weight wise.

The D800 is a 36 Megapixel camera which gives me incred-

ible flexibility in cropping, should it be necessary. All my

prime lenses are top notch quality, and the 24mm f1.4 is

used 70% of the time.

For me 24mm is the perfect focal length for landscape pho-

tography and works very well in a city or even

indoors for architecture. A fast wide angle lens

like the 24mm f1.4 gives me also a lot of cre-

ativity regarding depth of field and amazing low

light photos.

The 50mm f1.8 is great for detail shots, portraits

and faces for people that don’t mind to be pho-

tographed. In the 1930s, famous photographer

Henry Cartier-Bresson, used primarily a 50mm

for his famous photographs of everyday life in

France.

The 105mm f2.8 is a Macro lens for interesting

close ups, but also serves as a mild telephoto

with outstanding image quality. The range can

be extended to 150mm with the 1.4x telecon-

verter. I very rarely need more reach when I

travel.

For trips that I know will involve a lot of animal

shots, I prefer a fast lens - like a 180mm f2.8 -

over a longer, darker lens (like a 70-300mm 4.5-

5.6 Zoom)

Since I take my photos more towards the wide

angle, I also have a very small and light manual

focus 20mm from the 1980s in my bag. Al-

though I don’t use it very often, it is a nice op-

tion for tight spaces. Ultra wide angle deliver an

enormous depth of field, so autofocus is not

very important for those lenses. More about this

in our next issue.

As I said before, on trips and adventures there

are many situations where a big DSLR camera

is a disadvantage. That’s where my two favorite

compact cameras come in:

The Fuji X100.This camera is pretty unique on

the market. It looks like a classic film camera

and nobody takes it seriously. The image quality

is outstanding, white balance is always spot on

right out of the camera. It has great low light

(high ISO) capability and a versatile and fast

35mm prime lens. The size and shape of the

camera is modeled after older rangefinder cam-

eras from the 1960s-1980s and is therefore a

very proven form-factor. The X100 is the best

casual camera for street photography in my opinion. The im-

ages with this camera seem to be in a class of its own, very

comparable to Leica rangefinder photos, without the ridicu-

lous pricetag. I’m not exactly sure why people and street

shots turn out so much better then shots with any other cam-

eras. If you google Fuji X100 Street photography, you will

Page 30

Jellyfish in the Vancouver aquarium. Remember the 3D images from the 1990s which you had to stare at fora few minutes until they ‘popped out’? Try the same here. See the 3D effect ‘pop’? Nothing special has beendone to this image. No computer trickery, no dual lenses. This effect results from the wide aperture of f1.4,producing a shallow depth of field which only fast prime lenses can offer. A lot of photographers underestimatethe effects a fast lens can offer while putting too much emphasis on the most zoom range possible.

see what I mean.

The Sony RX100 Mark 3 is a bit of a different concept com-

pared to the X100, but it is a very interesting addition to a

compact travel camera setup. It has a very nice zoom range

of 24-70mm and the lens is very fast for a compact camera

with f1.8 on the wide and f2.8 on the long end. Like all Sony

cameras it is loaded with features that no photographer re-

ally needs, but the camera is a small and handy tool for sit-

uations were a big DSLR is not desirable. Another

outstanding feature is the nifty pop-out viewfinder that en-

ables the camera to be packed away in a small space. But

the camera’s small size is also its biggest downfall. I found

it very cramped and finicky to use, especially if you have

bigger hands. And while the camera is well built, it still feels

a bit fragile. Once turned on, the camera is very responsive,

but it takes a second for the camera to be ready from when

it is off as the lens has to be extended. Sometimes, this sec-

ond means that the ‘special photographic moment’ is gone.

It also has to be mentioned, that it is not possible to use hard-

ware filters on this camera. Nevertheless, for somebody who

really wants to travel light and have the most versatile cam-

era possible, this would be my recommendation.

I’m fully aware that there are smaller and lighter mirrorless

camera systems out there, which deliver great image quality

compared to their size, but compared to a full frame DSLR

the image quality still lags behind. And I just don’t see the

point to make ANY compromise in image quality if I have

to carry a camera case anyway. Since my camera case is al-

ready compact, I doubt very much that a case for a mirror-

less camera system with similar capabilities (if it would

exist) would be significantly smaller in dimensions. The

only change would probably be reduced weight. My current

case weighs approximately 4kg. Which would be reduced

to 2.5kg with a capable mirrorless setup. This 1.5kg weight

saving would definitely not justify the loss of image quality

and flexibility for me. Your mileage may vary.

With offers on the market like the Sony RX100 Mark 3

mentioned above, which is very close to the image quality

of a mirrorless camera and is a significant size and weight

saving, mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras are not my

first choice.

Filters

When you travel and are interested in landscape photogra-

phy you will sooner or later come across situations that will

benefit from filtering the light that enters the lens a certain

way. Filters are relatively small and light and can increase

the quality of your photographs tremendously. I usually

carry three filters in my camera bag:

Circular Polarizing filter. Polarizers are extremely useful onbright sunny days for landscapes. The user can change the

polarization by turning a ring on the front of the filter. The

effect is subtle, but will improve the image a lot. Polarizers

(digital cameras can only use circular polarizers, film cam-

eras can use lin-

ear polarizers as

well). Polarizers

intensify color

s a t u r a t i o n ,

darken blue

skies and help to

get rid of un-

wanted reflec-

tions on water

surfaces. And

here is a $1000

tip: Since polar-

izers can help

with reflections,

try it to get rid of

unwanted reflec-

tions while tak-

ing pictures out

of bus, train and

car windows.

Neutral densityfilter. Neutral

density filters

are used in

bright light con-

ditions, when

the photographer wants to achieve slow shutterspeeds (e.g.

slowing down waterfalls) or a shallow depth of field (e.g.

isolating the foreground from the background for portrait

shots).

Graduated neutral density (ND) filter. This is the landscapephotographer’s secret weapon. Graduated ND filters are

used in situations when the difference in lighting between

the sky and the land is significant. The camera can only ei-

ther meter for the sky, hence rendering the land too dark, or

meter for the land and render the sky too bright. In both

cases, you would lose detail either in the sky or in the land.

Graduated ND filters are darker only in one half of the filter

hence preserving detail in the sky when the photographer

meters for the land. Graduated ND filters are especially use-

ful for sunsets and sunrises and generally make skies more

dramatic.

Tip: If you have different lenses with different filter sizes,

Page 31

Polarizing filters will give you dark blue skies, more definitionin the clouds, more comtrast and saturated colors, and canget rid of some unwanted reflections on water or glass sur-faces.

Page 32

you don’t have to buy a filter for each size. Only buy the fil-

ter for the biggest thread and buy “step-up rings” for the oth-

ers, which can be had for as little as $3 online.

Tripods

I hate tripods! Yes, I said it. Nothing is more cumbersome

to carry, adds weight to your bag and causes more problems

at airports. On top of everything, good tripods will set you

back more than a professional lens or an excellent camera

body. Cheap tripods will collapse on

you during the most precious mo-

ments, or will shake because the

wind is blowing too hard. Unfortu-

nately, for some situations, tripods

are a necessary evil. Well, let me re-

phrase that: In some situations, it is

necessary to put your camera on a

stable surface to achieve certain pho-

tographic effects. That could be a tri-

pod. If you read some photographer’s

blogs, it would seem that if you don’t

use a tripod your landscape photos

will just not turn out. Of course, this

is not true. In fact, 60% of my own

landscape shots are done without the

use of a tripod, because I really dis-

like carrying them. There are ways

around using one for many situations

- and we will discuss some of them

in later parts of this series - but not

all. For those situations I recommend

a tripod that won’t break the bank,

nor your back if you are on a trip.

Newer model tripods are made from carbon fiber, very

sturdy, yet extremely light. And that’s what we want while

traveling! Unfortunately, none of the carbon fiber models is

exactly cheap. But there is an

alternative: The Joby Gorilla-

pod Focus. The Gorilla pods

are small, but have flexible

legs that can wrap around an

object like a tree or a sign post

or adjust to an uneven surface

like a rock. You can buy it

with or without a ballhead, but

it is definitely worth it to spend

the extra money. If you have

ever been in a camera store,

you will probably have seen the regular Gorillapods. The

Focus is just a beefier version and is suitable to hold a heav-

ier DSLR. Mind you, it is not a substitute for a real full

height tripod as it won’t work in every situation. But at

around $150 with a good quality ballhead, it is probably the

most economical, yet good quality travel tripod option.

Good carbon fiber travel tripods start at about $400 with

ballhead. A recommendation is the MEFoto Globe Trotter

that can be had for around $370. You can easily spend more

money for the high end carbon fiber tripods from Gitzo.

Their Traveler Series is of professional quality and very

light only weighing 1.2kg, but they cost about $1000. If all

of that sounds too expensive and you have seen tripods start-

ing at $29.95 in discount stores, I will give you a warning.

Be VERY wary of cheap tripods. They WILL drive you

crazy and will ruin your precious landscape images, because

the first light wind will shake them. Don’t say I didn’t warn

you! Cheap tripods are like cheap telescopes for astronomy.

They will ruin the hobby for you.

Transportation issues and camera bag

recommendations

Does that sound like a lot of stuff? Do you think the DSLR

is big and bulky? Well, yes and no. All the above gear fits

in a relatively compact case.

On many of my journeys I see photographers carrying their

camera gear in backpacks or the ever popular sling bags. To

me those two modes of camera transportation are extremely

inconvenient. First of all, you can never see what’s going

on behind you in crowds and thieves are getting really good

in slicing bags open when you are carrying them on your

back. Secondly, you will need to take your backpack off and

put it on a surface when you want to change your lens or put

a filter on.

If it comes to camera cases, my requirements are quite spe-

cific:

1. The case has to be compact and light. It doesn’t help to

save on camera weight, if the case itself is heavy. The

case also has to be slim and can’t stick out far from the

body. This helps in tight and crowded spaces like train

stations, subways and markets.

2. The case has to be reasonably water proof and has to pro-

tect my gear from dust and sand as well. Believe it or not,

I find it easier to protect a case from rain water than from

sand and dust. Sooner or later, both hazards will eventu-

ally rear their ugly heads. This is why I don’t like mes-

senger bags that only have a flap to close and no zippers.

I had a Nikon D700 with a Nikkor 24-85mm with me on

The Joby Gorilla Pod Focus is agreat idea for traveling light.It’s light, sturdy and well made.It’s design allows to be wrappedaround a tree, fence or anyother uneven surface. This is agreat alternative to a full sizetripod.

The MEPhoto Globetrotter Carbon Tripods

are good value and

also conv

ert into a

Monopod. Photo courtesy: MEPhoto

Page 33

a trip to Arizona and a short 10 minute dust storm ruined

the zoom and focus mechanism within minutes. The

camera’s controls were ‘crunchy’ for many months be-

cause I couldn’t zip up the messenger bag I used at the

time.

3. All materials the bag is made from have to be good qual-

ity and the strap has to be well padded.

Of course, I met a fellow traveler who had an old Leica M3

in an old modified potato sack and traveled around the world

with it. For him, this worked just fine. But I also met a few

people who lost a lot of equipment because of bad camera

cases due to insufficient protection against the elements,

theft or other problems (Yes, the right camera case can pre-

vent theft, in case you are wondering).

There are so many camera bags and manufacturers out there,

it’s hard to choose. You might go through a few to find the

right one for you.

The key to find the right bag or case is to see what photog-

raphers are doing who earn their money day in and day out

using their cameras in any weather imaginable. With those

working professionals, one brand seems to be more popular

than others: Think Tank Photo. This company offers many

lines of extremely good quality – and most of all - well

thought out products. I especially like their “Urban Dis-

guise”, “Digital Holster” and “Modular” component lines.

For the above camera setup, I use a Digital Holster V2 with

a Stuffit bag attachment [see photo on page 29]. Amazingly,

this small setup fits all my travel gear. In order to make the

bag more theft proof and to balance the weight evenly across

my body for extended outings, I use one of Thinktank’s thin

“Skin Belts”. I would like to stress, that I’m not getting paid

to endorse this or that company. You will find good cases

with other manufacturers like Lowe Pro, Kata, Domke,

Billingham (check out their Hadley series!) and others.

Another interesting phenomenon I see with backpacker-

travelers, many of them travel with absolutely enormous

backpacks, with three pairs of sneakers, cups and pans and

other stuff dangling from the pack. I had a chat with one of

those folks and found out that while he traveled with ten pair

of pants, 3 pair of Nike sneakers and 20 t-shirts, he decided

to cut down his camera to a $60 point and shoot because of

space restrictions. But sadly, the camera broke halfway into

his trip and he couldn’t record many of his memories.

I just don’t get it! No matter how long I go somewhere, I

need two pair of zip-off pants, three t-shirts and some un-

derwear. No matter where one goes in world, there are Laun-

dromats or a sink to wash your clothes. In most parts of the

world, clothes are cheaper than in Europe or North America,

so if I really need something I can buy it there. Even tooth-

brush and paste are available everywhere and could be

bought at your destination, there is no need to bring your

whole bathroom in your backpack.

Cutting down on camera equipment to bring more clothes

just makes no sense to me. Of course, everybody has their

priorities, mine are with my photography gear as they will

capture my memories.

At last, I would like to talk about one aspect of travel pho-

tography that is a bit delicate. As any photographer knows,

good cameras are not cheap, on the contrary. The gear I

travel with costs several thousand dollars and some people

would ask if one would not expose themselves to unneces-

sary risks when traveling with expensive photo gear. Well,

life is full of risks and it’s certainly safer to sit at home on

the couch than to travel at all. The reality is that the world

is not such a bad place after all. Yes, there is theft, but you

will find that everywhere not just while you travel. My sis-

ter’s apartment has been robbed at home, while nobody has

ever stolen anything from me while I was on a trip. Every-

thing I ever lost, was my own fault, my own stupidity.

Pretty much anywhere in the world, theft happens out of op-

portunity, it is rarely planned. It’s those opportunities that

you have to eliminate. This is rather easy, it just requires dis-

cipline at times. Keep your bag close to you, especially in

crowded places. Never ever leave your bag unattended, not

even for a few seconds. Be smart and use the right gear at

the right time.

One old trick of travel photographers and journalists is to

‘black out’ their camera gear. Black electrical tape of that

Nikon, Canon or Leica logo can render cameras and lenses

less ‘flashy’. Camera manufacturers also specially mark

their expensive lenses. Canon with a red ring, Nikon with a

gold ring. Covering those will also help the photographer to

be less conspicuous. But the most important part is the pho-

tographer itself. A smile can go a long way and developing

a feeling for a situation is key.

As a final word regarding photographic equipment, I would

like to mention that it is much more important how you use

your gear, not what you use. And that’s what we will focus

on from the next issue onwards. We will talk about photo-

graphic techniques, composition, other tips and tricks and,

last but not least, image editing techniques.

To be continued...

Page 34

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Next Issue, Spring 2015Canada - Surprising Alberta

A guide to Travel Photography - Part 2

Peru - More than you think

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