Mark Pollitt Photography: Blog https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog en-us (C) Mark Pollitt Photography [email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Fri, 07 Feb 2025 21:02:00 GMT Fri, 07 Feb 2025 21:02:00 GMT https://www.markpollittphoto.com/img/s/v-12/u990728995-o51353381-50.jpg Mark Pollitt Photography: Blog https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog 120 90 Lisbon and Transatlantic 2024 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2025/2/lisbon-and-transatlantic-2024 Transatlantic Voyage - 2024

https://www.markpollittphoto.com/p1034183594

Clicking on any of the photos will take you to the collection

 

Lisbon

Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon

I can't believe that it has taken me this long to post this blog - over two months. But they have been a couple of crazy months and I apologize for making my viewers wait so long! If you follow this blog, you know that this past summer, we did a long and photographically intense cruise along the West African coast. It was physically and emotionally difficult. We also missed another chance to tour Lisbon. So, we decided to take yet another Transatlantic cruise from Lisbon to Miami. After a couple of days staying in the lovely Hotel da Baixa (Thanks Pedro) we embarked on the MS Marina and initially headed South for a day at sea.

Madeira Madeira

Our only stop on the eastern side of the Atlantic was Madiera. We've been there a number of times, but were able to find a tour to an area we hadn't visited before. As you can see, Madiera is noted for beautiful landscapes and quaint villages and towns.

Antigua Antigua

We then headed Southwest, for six days at sea, until we reached Antigua. I have a long history with the island, so had planned to take a helicopter flight to see and photograph the volcanic activity on Monserrat's Soufrière Hills. Unfortunately, there weren't enough helicopters to go around and my flight was cancelled. Since it was a hot day, and we had been there before, I chose to take a few hours to just photograph the island's capital, St. John's. It has a very interesting Church of England cathedral, the interior of which has recently been restored, as well as the typical caribbean mix of old and new buildings.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Our last port was San Juan and it was a very quiet but hot day. Again, we chose not to tour, having been there so many times, but I went for a short photo session ashore.

Miami Dawn 2Miami Dawn 2Miami, Florida Miami Dawn 3Miami Dawn 3Miami, Florida

Miami DawnMiami DawnMiami, Florida

After another day at sea, we arrived before dawn, in Miami, Florida. It was the day before Thanksgiving, but we had a relatively calm return to Orlando. Yet another adventure for the books. See you next trip!

Mark

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Antigua Hotel da Baixa Lisbon Madiera Mark Pollitt Photography Miami MS Marina San Juan https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2025/2/lisbon-and-transatlantic-2024 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 18:42:41 GMT
West Africa - 2024 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2024/8/west-africa---2024 MS Nautica 2024

During May and June of this year, we took a cruise to West Africa. We started in Cape Town, South Africa and traveled up the western side of the African continent, stopping at two ports in Namibia, then to five countries in West Africa, and finally to three islands in Macaronesia, the name for the groups of islands that make up Madeira, the Azores, Canary, and Cape Verde islands. We ended the trip in Lisbon, Portugal.

Coastal Wetlands, Walvis Bay, NamibiaCoastal Wetlands, Walvis Bay, Namibia Namibia, once part of German South-West Africa, is now an independent nation that sits on the Atlantic Coast, north of South Africa. It is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa and one of its principal features is the oldest desert in the world, the Namib, which begins in the very northwest of South Africa, runs along the entire Atlantic Coastline of Namibia and ends, nearly a thousand miles later in the south of Angola. It extends between 60 and 120 miles inland and second only to the Atacama Desert in dryness. During our two days of exploration, we would see the highest sand dunes in the world, diamond mining ghost towns, and a wetland where thousands of Greater Flamingos breed within sight of both the ocean and the desert. Click below to see the Namibia collection.

Namibia Photos

 

Sao Tome

 

After sailing for three straight days, we arrived at the island of Sao Tome, formerly a Portuguese colony and now part of the tiny, two-archipelago nation of Sao Tome and Principe. These islands sit about 150 miles west of the country of Gabon. In the eighteenth century, the islands were important stopovers in the slave trade. Now its primary export is cocoa. The country only has about 30,000 total visitors each year and our observation was that tourist infrastructure is virtually non-existent. It is a very poor country. We witnessed local folk pantomimes in the dirt square of a local village and in a park, located in the center of the capital.

Sao Tome Photos

 

Lome, Togo

Next, we sailed into Lome, Togo. The country is located near the middle of the “shelf” of West Africa. It is another former slave trading location and was colonized by both the Germans and the French. Again, it has a very poor economy, further aggravated by a mushrooming population, almost doubling since 2000. It is even poorer that Sao Tome, with the per capita income rated 170th in the World. We visited a school and a village, where we were treated to a visit with the Chieftain.  We were scheduled to travel to Ghana, but the winds and weather prevented landing there. We then continued to Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Benjul, The Gambia; and our final stop in West Africa, Dakar, Senegal. None of these ports are traditional tourist locations, so we got a more authentic experience. There were virtually no significant landscapes to view. A couple of the cities had some high-rise development, but almost inevitably, it would be surrounded by dirty, dusty slums. This focused our attention to the people and how they lived. While I took pictures to contextualize these places, I tried to not focus on the negatives, but rather to capture the emotions of the inhabitants. We came not to pity, but to understand. This part of the trip was physically, emotionally, and artistically demanding.

Togo Photos    Ivory Coast Photos    The Gambia Photos     Senegal Photos

 

Cabo Verde Islands

The next phase of the trip was much more traditional and included a couple of stops where we had never been. The Cape Verde Islands are a mountainous, volcanic island with little rainfall. In addition to the stunning landscape, it was fascinating to see sand dunes created by sand blown from the Sahara Desert! Golden orange dunes covering black rocks is quite a sight.

Cape Verde Photos

 

Tenerife Lanzarote

The port of Santa Cruz is located on Tenerife, the largest island in the Canary Islands. Having toured it recently, I decided to spend the day walking around the charming city, taking photographs. The following day, we visited another Canary Island, Lanzarote. It was another amazing volcanic island that provided us with some great photographic opportunities.

                           Tenerife Photos                                                 Lanzarote Photos

The ship’s final port call was in Agadir, Morrocco. Since I was ill, I didn’t get off the ship. But those that did, raved about the tours and the scenery. Oh well, another time. After another day at sea, we departed the ship in Lisbon. I hope you enjoy the photos. I have created a page for each port, although some of the collections are fairly small. I did this so the viewer could compare, and contrast, the destinations, if desired. I hope you enjoy this voyage to another corner of the world. You can also reach the individual pages at the Home Page, scroll down below the large slideshow images to see thumbnails of the collections.

Enjoy!

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Canary Islands Cape Verde Islands cruise Ivory Coast mark pollitt photography Morroco Namibia Nautica" Sao Tome Senegal The Gambia Togo https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2024/8/west-africa---2024 Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:14:07 GMT
Route 66 - Tulsa, Oklahoma https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2024/4/route-66---tulsa-oklahoma I was recently asked to go to the University of Tulsa to speak to a group of exceptional students. Of course, I was happy to do so. It was only after I accepted that I remembered that Tulsa is home to one of the most authentic stretches of the old U.S. Route 66. My schedule was very busy, so I got a small amount of time to photograph a section of the old road. But, I was able to bring home some evocative "keepers." I will be going back and I intend to schedule more time to photograph. Until then, enjoy these.
Meadow Gold Rancho Grande
Tally's Diner Desert Hills Motel
Rt. 66 Mural Buck's Cosmic Curios

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Mark Pollitt Photography Oklahoma Route 66 Tulsa https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2024/4/route-66---tulsa-oklahoma Fri, 12 Apr 2024 17:50:56 GMT
Finishing 2023 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2023/12/finishing-the-year

Quebec CityQuebec CityNew England and Canada Cruise 2023

Lisbon, PortugalLisbon, PortugalTransatlantic Cruise 2023

As 2023 comes to an end, I have had to rush to post all of the travel photos from my last two trips.  This brings us to a total of 4 major trips, all on portions of the North Atlantic.  In February we sailed the Caribbean, in July, the North and Arctic Seas, in October we cruised the North Atlantic along the New England and Canadian coasts. Finally, in November and early December, we left Barcelona, cruising the Mediterranean and Atlantic to Lisbon, thence to the Azores, back to the Caribbean, and ending in Miami. Quite a year.

I have posted the last two cruises to my website. You can see these two collections by either clicking the photos on this page, or going to my site’s home page and scrolling down below the slide show to see the icons for each collection. The top, left two are the latest trips. Enjoy and have a Happy, Healthy, and well-traveled New Year!

Peggy's Cove, Nova ScotiaPeggy's Cove, Nova ScotiaNew England and Canada Cruise 2023 Andalusia, SpainAndalusia, SpainTransatlantic Cruise 2023

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Maine Antigua Azores Barcelona Boston Canada Eastport Lisbon Mark Pollitt Photography Peggy's Cove Portugal Quebec City San Juan Spain https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2023/12/finishing-the-year Wed, 27 Dec 2023 17:20:09 GMT
Arctic Cruise 2023 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2023/10/arctic-cruise-2023

Prince Christian Sound, Greenland

I have been going to the North Atlantic since my freshman cruise on a U. S. Navy destroyer escort, the late USS J.W. Blackwood (DE-219). I've traveled to Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and the U.K for work numerous times. We've also taken a number of cruises to this area. For some unknown reason, we've been drawn to both Poles more during the last couple of years. This summer, after a couple of days in Tromso, Norway, we sailed on one of our favorite ships, the MS Marina, from Tromso to Svalbard, Iceland, Greenland, and back to Iceland en route home. These are uniquely dramatic locations, and I took a lot of pictures. I have tried my best to winnow them down, but for the benefit of my patient viewers, I have separated them into three separate collections: Norway & Svalbard, Iceland, and Greenland.

Tromso, Norway

Tromso is in the far North of Norway. It is a beautiful city located approximately 70 degrees North latitude and is one of the three largest cities above the Arctic Circle, in the world. We boarded Marina for a two day sail to Svalbard, also known as Spitsbergen. We anchored off the archipelago's capital Longyearbyren, almost 80 degrees North, and only 800 miles from the North Pole. It is a wild and desolate place: 60% glaciers, 30% barren rock, and a mere 10% vegetation. The Sun does not set from 20 April until 23 August and it does not raise from 26 October until 15 February. Svalbard is nearly 24,000 sq. miles with a population of only 2642, it is one of the most sparsely populated places on earth. There are more polar bears than people, hence the requirement to always carry weapons when leaving town. It is a place that I have wanted to visit for a number of years. This trip was just enough to whet my appetite.

Svalbard

After departing Svalbard, we stopped at two very small ports on the North Coast of Iceland, an area I had not previously visited. While we drove to a couple of the major "Golden Ring" locations, such as Godafoss, the towns themselves were delightfully peaceful and not very "touristy." Unfortunately, Iceland is becoming overcrowded with tourists during the summer. Even these tiny ports, which our smaller ship almost overwhelmed, are getting a large cruise ship almost every day during the summer season. Nonetheless, Iceland is a spectacular location for photography.

Siglufjordur, Iceland

We continued westward, to Greenland. For those who haven't traveled to this part of the world will note that Iceland was green and Greenland is largely ice, even at the end of a record setting, warm summer. On our last trip to Greenland, we were blocked from visiting Prince Christian Sound, and a couple of small ports, because of thick ice. This year that was not a problem. It was frightening to see how far the countless glaciers had receded in such a short time. Greenland contains 10% of all the glacial ice in the world. Most of the entire island is glacial ice. After visiting several villages on the South Coast of Greenland, we headed back to Iceland for our flight home.

Prince Christian Sound, Greenland

On the flight, our Captain came over the PA and asked us all to open our window shades and look outside. We were flying over the Greenland Ice Cap and she said that in all her many years of flying over it, she had never seen it that clear. Despite the dirty, scratched plexiglass windows, it was still a sight to behold. I wonder for how long?

Greenland Ice Cap

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Greenland Iceland Mark Pollitt Photography MS Marina Norway Svalbard https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2023/10/arctic-cruise-2023 Wed, 11 Oct 2023 16:59:20 GMT
Maryland Summertime 2023 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2023/10/maryland-summertime-2023

Summertime in Maryland - 2023

The Old Post OfficeThe Old Post OfficeThe Old Post Office Confections anyone?Confections anyone?Confections, anyone?

This summer I decided to do a couple of small personal assignments during my stay in Maryland. The first one is the continuing study of Old Ellicott City, Maryland. When I first came to Maryland in 1985, it was still a small, working village, complete with a grocer, a cafe, a neighborhood lumber yard, and a pub. The town was both historic, being the location of the oldest surviving railroad station in the United States, and picturesque, with multistory buildings built into the stone hillsides. It was also the county seat of Howard County, the smallest in Maryland. Even when I arrived, there were more livestock than people in the county. Unfortunately, that wasn't to last. Most of the livestock are gone, the population has almost tripled, and it is now one of the most educated and affluent counties in the U.S. Old Ellicott City became redundant as the new population's need for shopping and services moved to the top of the hill, along the old Baltimore National Pike, now more commonly known as Route 40. The businesses in the old town slowly closed and the town became a collection of antique shops, art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants. Things went well for a couple of decades until a series of disastrous floods in 2016, 2018, and 2022 caused a huge amount of damage and the loss of several lives. No sooner had businesses rebuilt, then they were destroyed by the next flood. Parts of the old town were destroyed and then condemned. Portions of the town were rebuilt, while others remain vacant. While the state and county try to build structures that will divert storm water from the main street of Ellicott City, the future is still in doubt. Please click on the the photo above to see the Ellicott City Gallery.

Terrace MotelTerrace MotelElk Ridge, Maryland The first gas station and garage between DC and BaltimoreThe first gas station and garage between DC and BaltimoreLaurel, Maryland

A day or so after arriving back in Maryland, I had occasion to drive a few miles down the road to Laurel, Maryland. The town, right at the border between Howard and Prince Georges counties, lies halfway between Baltimore and Washington, astride most of the major thoroughfares and railroad. It was also long the nearest town to Fort Meade and home to the famous Laurel Park Racetrack. Over the years, Laurel has changed many times. One such change is the North-South thoroughfare, US Route 1, has slowly decayed. In the 1950's and '60's, it was lined with inexpensive motels and modest eateries. Before 9-11, the five hijackers of American Flight 77 stayed in a couple of these motels. Now it has become pretty seedy. Some of the motels have already been demolished, leaving nothing but the motel signs. More are sure to follow. So, I decided to start documenting this area before it is gone forever. As I went along, I started to expand this going North along U.S. Route 1, hence the name of the project expanded to Route 1 Project. Please click on the the photos above to see the Laurel Gallery. Enjoy!

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Ellicott City Laurel Mark Pollitt Photography Maryland Route 1 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2023/10/maryland-summertime-2023 Tue, 10 Oct 2023 22:36:26 GMT
Europe to Middle East 2022 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2023/1/europe-to-middle-east

Barcelona & Sicily

IsraelIsrael

Israel

Suez CanalSuez Canal

Suez Canal

Luxor, Karnak, Egypt

Karnak & Luxor

Petra, Jordan

Petra, Jordan

Oman

Oman

United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

 

On our quest to fill "holes" in our geographical experience, we did a very interesting 20-day cruise on Oceania's Nautica this November. We flew to Barcelona, Spain; then sailed to Sicily; to Israel for a couple of days to see Jerusalem, Masada, and the Dead Sea; down the Suez Canal to Luxor and Karnak, Egypt; Aquba, Jordan to see Petra; Salalah and Muscat, Oman; and finally Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE. We sailed on some new, for us, bodies of water, such as the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf. Camera-wise, I traveled light with the Fuji X-T3 and X-E3 bodies and three lenses between the two bodies. It proved to be an almost perfect package. Despite having a fair number of "sea days," the trip was rather grueling, as four of our major destinations: Jerusalem, Masada/Dead Sea, Luxor/Karnak, and Petra, required long, overland journey's before and after each destination. Several days were over 14-hour trips.

I have divided the photos into 7 collections that can either be accessed from the home page or their collection folder: Middle East 2022. Please enjoy.

 

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Abu Aquba Barcelona Dhabi Dubai Israel Jerusalem Jordan Karnak Luxor Mark Pollitt Photography Muscat Oman Petra Salalah Sicily Suez Canal https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2023/1/europe-to-middle-east Thu, 19 Jan 2023 02:19:53 GMT
Photography Gear for Cruising https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2022/10/photography-gear-for-cruising
Holyrood Castle, Edinburgh, ScotlandHolyrood Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland

Shot with Fujifilm XF-10-24 F4 R OIS WR @12mm

Sumburgh Head LighthouseSumburgh Head Lighthouse

Tamron18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD @42mm

For anyone who follows this blog, you will know that it is primarily about travel, albeit through the lens of a camera. It is not about photography, per se, nor is it about reviewing camera gear. But as those of you who are, in any way photographers, will know that over the years you buy a lot of expensive gear. And even though we know that it is silly and immature, photographers often suffer from GE (Gear Envy), leading to severe GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). It is not mitigated by well-meaning friends and viewers saying such things as: "Wonderful pictures; you must have a really great/expensive camera!" But we can't seem to help ourselves. I will try my best to avoid encouraging GE or GAS in this article.

I do a lot of different kinds of photography, among them cruising. But cruising is not a single pastime. It can encompass a wide variety of situations from a 3-day Bahamas getaway to a 180-day around the world voyage. It can be in a Giant luxury ship with all the amenities, a river cruise boat with tiny cabins,  or even a sparse, cramped expedition ship sailing on vicious seas. Where you are going, What kind of pictures are you planning on taking, what the weather you will likely encounter, what you plan on doing ashore, and what you are going to do with the pictures that you will take, all impact what camera gear is appropriate.

Having described some of the considerations, let us return to the question at hand: What gear works well for cruising. To begin with, unless you are blessed with the ability to drive to and from the ship's departure and arrival port, you will most likely fly from and to the cruise. So, you will have two problems to solve: What can I reasonably fly with and what works well on a cruise. Now, if you are so lucky as to live in the departure and arrival port, then you might be tempted to take a huge amount of gear. Don't, you won't need it all and you may well miss shots phutzing with gear. So, it is, in the end a compromise between the practicality of the gear to the particular cruise and the quality of the images that you will take.

For my last trip, I was going to Scotland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark for 15 days. We would be traveling on a small, but luxurious ship, albeit with small cabins. There wouldn't be room for lots of camera gear. Clothing to match the huge variations of weather would be more important. Having traveled to this part of the world several times in the past, I knew that a single day could produce temperatures from the 40's to the 80's and gloomy, stormy, rainy weather, followed by brilliant clear skies. I also knew that photographic subjects would likewise be extremely diverse. These areas are known for epic landscapes from the rocky coastlines and moors of the Shetlands and the breathtaking fjords of Norway. But we would be touring some world class cities such as: Edinburgh, Oslo, and Copenhagen, where "framing shots" would be interspersed with interior shots of castle, great houses, and museums. Wildlife and birding were not anticipated for this voyage, but might surprise us. The subjects would suggest focal ranges from wide angle (~10mm in APS-C terms) to moderate telephoto (~200mm in APS-C terms). While having an aperture of f2.8 would be ideal, the additional size, weight, and cost may not be worthwhile. An aperture of f4 or so may be sufficient, especially if the camera and/or lens is stabilized.

On this trip, there were some additional constraints. First, this was a cruise where the vast majority of guests were not serious photographers. Secondly, given the particular ports, schedule, and COVID considerations, we would only utilize the ship's shore excursions. Those two factors, I have learned from experience, can be very frustrating to photographers. Most non-photographers don't want to hang around while you get your perfect shot. In fact, most don't want to get out of your way either. Because the tours tend to be fast paced, you end up doing what is sometimes called "run and gun;" taking a large number of quick shots, often framed widely, to enable cropping to a effective composition. Trying to switch lenses on the move is both difficult and dangerous to the gear. This was further reinforced on this trip, as it was often foggy, rainy, and windy; a dangerous combination to camera sensors. So, the decision process moves from perfection to a compromise that heavily weights minimum lens changing, which also provides an opportunity to minimize weight and bulk.

My first thought was that the "holy trinity" of a wide, normal, and telephoto would do the trick. For my Fuji cameras, I could take my 10-24 f4, the 16-80 f4, and the 55-200 f3.5-4.8. This combination would weigh a bit over 1,400 grams or 3 pounds. Not bad, but I could see myself having to either change lenses often, or forgo shots outside the range of the lens currently on the camera. These are choices I've often had to make in the past.

About the time I was preparing to leave this trip, Tamron announced that they were going to release an 18-300 super-zoom for Fuji cameras. I had previously had great luck with their 16-300 on my Canon 7DII. So, I ordered one, which was delivered just a few weeks before the trip. After some preliminary testing, I decided to violate one of my personal rules: not taking new camera gear on a trip. It is a rule that I have had to re-learn several times, but what the heck? The lens functioned well and appeared to be reasonably sharp. It was not much larger than the 55-200, with an additional 100mm of reach. It was a half inch longer than the Fuji and 4o grams heavier. But in return, I could eliminate both the 55-200 and the 16-80, saving 345 grams. For folks in the States, that's about three-fourths of a pound! And, I would drastically reduce the lens changes in inclement weather. The bonus was that it saved an entire compartment on the small camera bag I planned to take. So, I took this combination. To be honest, I never go on these trips without a second body, and on this trip, I choose my Fuji X-E3 with a 27mm pancake lens. I could, if needed, use the two larger lenses on this camera. It was as close to a pocket camera as I have, so it took for "just walking around" pictures. So, I never took the 27mm when I had the other two.

The Darnley Jewel, Holyrood CastleThe Darnley Jewel, Holyrood CastleShot with Fujifilm XF-10-24 F4 R OIS WR @ 24mm

Shot with Fujifilm XF-10-24 F4 R OIS WR @ 24mm

Municipal Gardens, OsloMunicipal Gardens, Oslo

Shot with Fujifilm XF-27mm f2.8 F4 R  @ 27mm

So, how well did these three lenses (Tamron 18-300, Fuji 10-24, and Fuji 27mm) do? On this trip I took a total of 2038 images. Of these I selected a final collection numbering 80 images. I will break down the results for each camera/lens combination.

I shot 156 images with X-E3 and the 27mm combination, primarily on walk arounds in two ports. I never had to use either for backup. Of the 156 images, 11 were used in the final collection (7% of the 27mm lens photos).

The X-T3 and Tamron 18-300 was used, almost every day of the trip, for 1680 images. Of those, 61 were used in the final collection (3.6%).

The Fuji 10-24 was used for only 4 days of the trip and for 202 images. However, it is important to note that while 83 of those images utilized a focal length that overlapped that of the Tamron, they were all shot in sessions where the remainder of the shots required the sub-16mm focal length. The final collection included 8 images taken with the 10-22, 6 of which were sum-18mm focal length. This is 3.9% of the 202 images.

So, was the choice of the two lenses, plus the backup camera, a smart choice? I think so. Could I have just taken the X-T3 and the Tamron? While it would have been possible to have taken a total of 1773 images using the Tamron alone, it would not have been possible to take 119 of the images, several of which were included with the 8 in the final collection. In the end, could I have left the 10-22 home? Yes, but I wouldn’t have wanted to. Was the Tamron as sharp as the 16-80 and the 55-200 Fuji lenses, maybe. I’ll let you review the final selections and decide if it is sharp enough. While the Tamron may not be quite as quick as the Fuji lenses in low light, it is quick enough for most travel needs.

Was the purchase of the Tamron worthwhile, absolutely! It is an excellent lens for most travel shots. An ultra-wide lens is still, in my opinion, a necessary travel lens. Now, if Tamron can only market an X-mount 10-24, stabilized and weather-resistant lens, I’ll be a happy camper.

Copenhagen Wind Generators at SunsetCopenhagen Wind Generators at Sunset

Tamron18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di III-A VC VXD @42mm

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Cruise Photography Mark Pollitt Photography Sirena Tamron https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2022/10/photography-gear-for-cruising Fri, 21 Oct 2022 18:27:33 GMT
North Sea 2022 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2022/8/north-sea-2022
St. Andrew's SquareSt. Andrew's Square Sumburgh Head LighthouseSumburgh Head Lighthouse
LysefjordLysefjord Bohuslän archipelagoBohuslän archipelago

Despite the continuation of the global pandemic, we chose to continue traveling, albeit cautiously. For the past several years we would schedule a trip to the North Sea, especially to see the Faroe Islands. As luck would have it, the cruise would be cancelled and we would re-book it for the next year. This year, it finally happened. We, along with some of our dear friends, decided to extend the cruise by booking a pre-cruise tour in Edinburgh, the cruise's point of departure and return. The cruise was 12 days and the land trip added three days. And after getting tested before we left the U.S., we managed an uneventful trip across the pond. The four of us, along with a handful of other couples from our cruise, enjoyed a wonderful exploration of Edinburgh and it's surrounds. While the weather was off and on, there was much to see, do, eat, and photograph. I am very impressed with Scotland as a photographic destination.

Finally, on the 4th day, we tested again and we were allowed to embark the ship, where we received some bad news: we would not be able to go to the Faroe Islands, due to a massive Atlantic storm. They added a stop in Invergordon, Scotland, which didn't make up for the Faroes, but at least, they didn't scrub our stop in Shetland. Invergordon is rather off the beaten path, so it was interesting to see an "un-tourist" spot. But, it did treat us to some genuine Highlands weather: dark, low skies, high winds,  and intermittent drenching rain. I got to test the weather resistance of my Fuji gear, along with a newly-released Tamron 18-300 lens. I'm happy to say, both survived the tough weather of Invergordon.

After a day at sea, we arrived in Lerwick, capital of the Shetland Islands. For those who follow this blog, you will recall that we spent two days there waiting for our ship after we missed it in Dublin, back in 2019. It was, and still is, one of my favorite places to photograph. We got so see some new places on this trip and the weather was only mostly dark. Someday I really need to just spend a couple of weeks in Shetland.

We sailed across to the coast of Norway, where we visited four ports: Haugesund, Stavanger, Kristiansand, and Oslo. We were treated to absolutely beautiful weather for the last three of these. In fact, photographically ,the weather was almost too good, because often, there wasn't a cloud in the sky! I had never been to the first three before. Of those, Stavanger was the stand-out. The town was charming and photogenic location with a great combination of old and modern. But it's greatest claim is as the gateway to Lyse fjord with it's magnificent, sheer walls, waterfalls and frightening Pulpit Rock. The photo page has a series of shots showing the wide view, showcasing it's almost 2,000 foot (604m) vertical face, followed by two shots of the rectangular protrusion from the top, that gives it it's name. If you look closely, you will see people sitting on the edge! I hadn't been to Oslo for about 20 years and was amazed to see how the city has grown and matured. It has become and even more beautiful place with so much to see and do.

Our next stop was to a place I had never heard about before: Lysekil. It is a port on the West side of Sweden, on the opposite coast from Stockholm. Like the latter, there is an archipelago of small islands that protect the city. Unlike the ones leading to Stockholm, these are smooth, barren, light-colored rocks. They are visually amazing. While I was able to get some great shots from the tour boat, "run and gun" shooting on this kind of subject isn't ideal. You really need to charter your own boat to get the best shots. Unbeknown to us, this would be the last time we went ashore until the end of the cruise.

The next day, we were sailing into Copenhagen, and my wife became ill and she tested positive for COVID. So, we were both immediately quarantined in our stateroom for the remaining ports. I'll spare you all the gory details, but the ship's medical staff took good care of us (I never got COVID) and they ship made us as comfortable as they could. But it was a dramatic end to our journey. I was able to get a couple of pictures from our balcony in Copenhagen, Skagen, and our final day at sea, crossing back to Scotland. We got home without incident.

While I have posted a couple of photos above, from the trip, I hope you will click on this link to see a selection of shots from this trip. As always, you are invited to view my site by going to: https://www.markpollittphoto.com/

Until next time, Stay Safe!

 

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) edinburgh fujifilm haugesund kristiansand lysekil mark pollitt photography norway oslo scotland shetland stavanger sweden tamron 18-300 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2022/8/north-sea-2022 Wed, 17 Aug 2022 16:11:54 GMT
Return to Cruising https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2022/3/return-to-cruising

The first image above is not a particularly artistic image. It was taken on February 11th. But, it was the first frame that I have taken aboard an operational cruise ship in over 2 years. And while it was, in many ways, a very unusual cruise, it was a shock find out just how much I missed cruising. We were originally scheduled to sail on the Sirena, one of Oceania's small (650 passenger) ships. Due to COVID, they limited the number of passengers to about half the ship's capacity. About a month before we were to sail, one of the slightly larger ships, Marina (1250 passenger capacity) had to abruptly cancel her South American sailings. Oceania decided to just move the 300 or so of us to Marina, upgrading many to better cabins. And so, we set sail from Miami with less than 400 passengers and over 750 crew!

It was a 12 day, round-trip from Miami, stopping in: Aruba, Bonaire, Curcao, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Antigua, and St. Maarten. Overall, the weather was great and the tours ashore were much better than normal. Like all organized tours not designed for photographers, you end up doing a lot of "run and gun" shooting. Not the most condusive to artistic images. It was just great to be out shooting in the tropics again. I hope you enjoy some of the sunshine and bright colors of the Caribbean. You can view the entire collection at: https://www.markpollittphoto.com/p871680878

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Antigua Aruba Bonaire Curcao Marina Mark Pollitt Photography Miami Oceania Cruises Saint Lucia Saint Maarten Saint Vincent https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2022/3/return-to-cruising Fri, 11 Mar 2022 19:26:09 GMT
Mark Pollitt Photography - Best of 2021 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2022/2/mark-pollitt-photography---best-of-2021

2021 was the second year of COVID stress. Most travel was restricted, early in the year. So, the first part of the year's photography was limited to Florida. At the Orlando Wetlands Park, we weren't allowed to do tours during Winter and Spring, but we were able to patrol, giving me the opportunity to continue my nature and wildlife photography. A couple of organized trips around town with the Orlando Camera Club, provided some opportunities to do more diversified photography.

All Rights Reserved All Rights Reserved

Heading up to Maryland for the summer, I was able to do some photography at some of my favorite haunts: Howard Country Nature Conservancy, Ellicott City, the Shrine of St. Anthony, and some of the museum ships.

I was able to do a trip to the American Southwest. Landing in Las Vegas, on my first flight in two years, we went to the Mojave Desert, Twenty-nine Palms, and Joshua Tree National Park, all of which are in California. After driving back to Vegas, we started on an organized tour of Zion, Bryce, Glen Canyon, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. While the weather at Zion was wet and mostly overcast, the same storm covered Bryce with an early mantle of snow and very cold weather. Brilliant sunshine, pastel pink and orange geological features, and contrasting snow made for some magical photography.

We finished off the year back in Orlando, where there were lots of missile launches to photograph. Ironically, my first and last "keeper images" of the year were both nighttime, long exposure shots of missile launches.

All Rights Reserved

While I didn't feel that this year was a particularly rewarding one for my photography, I did manage to progress (IMHO) in my photography and got some "keeper" images. I have posted a page with a little over 90 images from this year. Please take a look at The Best of 2021 and feel free to comment on the page.

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Ellicott City Florida Mark Pollitt Photography Maryland Orlando Orlando Wetlands Park https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2022/2/mark-pollitt-photography---best-of-2021 Fri, 25 Feb 2022 15:39:03 GMT
Zion, Bryce, and the North Rim https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2021/12/zion-bryce-and-the-north-rim

After not having gotten to travel for over a year and a half, we were finally able to take a trip to the American Southwest. This is an area in which I have spent far too little time. We were only able to spend a couple of days at Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, and unfortunately, only a day at the Grand Canyon's North Rim. But they were memorable days.

 

At Zion, the weather quickly turned ominous and heavy rain began the first evening. By the next morning, it was still raining in the valleys, but snowing at the higher elevations. The weather cleared in the afternoon, but turned cold. We headed to Bryce under beautiful clear skies, with temperatures dropping. On arrival at Bryce we were thrilled to see that the rains of Zion had been snow at Bryce. It was like a snowy fairyland! The next morning we got up very early to photograph a stunning sunrise in bitterly cold temperatures (19 deg. F). Our final day on the road, we visited the North Rim on the day it closed for the season. There was still snow on the ground, but clear skies. On our trip back to Utah, we were treated to a clear view of the Grand Staircase - Escalante, a series of escarpments that reveal the many layers of our western geology. The trip was memorable for many reasons, but the photography opportunities were certainly one of them. Please enjoy the photographs from this journey.

ERRATA 12-8-2021: I neglected to mention, and in turn link the photos of, a day trip we did to Glen Canyon National Recreational Area. I have added those pictures to the gallery. MP

Stay tuned for another collection from our pre-trip to the Mojave Dessert and 29 Palms!

 

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Bryce Canyon National Park Glen Canyon National Recreational Area North Rim Zion National Park https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2021/12/zion-bryce-and-the-north-rim Mon, 06 Dec 2021 14:10:42 GMT
SS John W. Brown https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2021/9/ss-john-w-brown  

SS John W. Brown

The SS John W. Brown was one of 2710 Liberty Ships built between 1941 and 1945 to support the war effort. These ships served gallantly, with civilian crews and a small contingent of US Navy Armed Guard Sailors to operate their defensive weapons. While about 2400 survived the war, today only two operational Liberty Ships survive: the SS John W. Brown and the SS Jeremiah O'Brien. Both ships are operational and sail on special occasions.

I was fortunate to have toured the John W. Brown in 1970, when it served as a Maritime Training High School in New York City. I have family that graduated from that high school. The ship returned to Baltimore, where she was built, in 1988 and since then a dedicated group of volunteers maintains and improves the ship.The offer tours of the ship by appointment and have an Open House on Maritime Day. I was able to do both of those this summer, and I have set up a SS John W. Brown Page on my website. Please enjoy the nostalgic voyage!

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Baltimore Mark Pollitt Photography Maryland SS John W. Brown https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2021/9/ss-john-w-brown Thu, 30 Sep 2021 19:54:31 GMT
Best of 2020 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2021/1/best-of-2020 Best of 2020 Graffiti Junktion, Thornton Park, OrlandoGraffiti Junktion, Thornton Park, Orlando

I think we will all agree that this year has been one unlike any we have lived through. It has taken away many of the things that we cherish: our friends, our families, the freedom to travel, and to meet new people. For the last few years my life has revolved around photography and nature. While I did do some work and teaching, my focus has been to photograph the world (101 countries, so far) and share its beauty. But as this pandemic prevented me from teaching, working, and traveling, I still had to photograph. Those who are photographers will understand that primal need to see what the world looks like through a lens.

Delicate BloomDelicate Bloom Creek Landscape, Howard Nature ConservancyCreek Landscape, Howard Nature Conservancy

So, while I was limited to venues closer to home, it gives you the opportunity to find inspiration in new places and inspiration around you. I have never been much of a street photographer or intentionally focused on art. But the implementation of a lock-down and curfew, coupled with an exception for exercise, gave me an idea. I could leave the house as soon as the curfew was lifted in the morning and take a walk in many of the urban areas of Orlando that are normally crowded. I had seen many murals and other street art around town, so I decided to seek them out. I discovered that this approach was especially effective on Sunday mornings. Except for the sleeping homeless, the city was empty. This summer, I had the opportunity to try this approach in Baltimore. While not quite as effective, still much less hazardous than outside the pandemic.

Mosquito LagoonMosquito Lagoon Feeding Baby MoorhenFeeding Baby Moorhen

But nature has flourished during the pandemic. I was able to find places that were open to visitors, without being crowded, and I was able to continue to do some nature photography.

And so, I present my Best of 2020 collection. It is 100 images taken from my photography in this watershed year.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Best of 2020 Mark Pollitt Photography https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2021/1/best-of-2020 Sun, 17 Jan 2021 03:54:41 GMT
The Joy of Missile Launches https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2020/12/the-joy-of-missile-launches NROL-44 LaunchNROL-44 Launch

We're back in Florida and just in time for one of the most active missile-launch seasons on record. We've had the Crew Dragon Missions along with numerous Starlink and other commercial SpaceX launches. Photographing missile flights is one of the "perks" of living here. During the Space Shuttle times, each launch was a major event. As the program wound down to the last few flights, literally millions of people flocked here to see, and photograph, these magnificent machines fly. And then it all ended. For almost ten years, there were few missile launches and some were so shrouded in secrecy, that you didn't know about them until the last minute. But once SpaceX got the bugs worked out on the Falcon 9, things started to pickup. This year Spacex will launch 24 rockets, most from Cape Canaveral.

Over the years, I've gotten to photograph quite a few launches. Generally, the daytime launches are fun, but not that visually stunning. You get a lot of white "smoke" around a skinny tube, and a bit of fire at the bottom. After you've taken a few, you realize that they all pretty much look the same. The sound that a rocket makes is the real treat! But the sunrise, sunset, and night launches are more spectacular and much more challenging to photograph. Rocket motors generate HUGE amounts of light. You go from pitch black to the equivalent of brilliant sunlight in a fraction of a second. You need to shoot in manual and have all your settings ready to go. The newer missiles clear the tower in about 10 seconds from ignition! If you are also shooting a "streak shot" (see below), you will need to trigger your second camera, mounted on a tripod. Once the missile has cleared the launch tower, the rocket motors are so bright that you will rarely see the actual missile. Unlike daytime launches where you can get the missile and the rocket plume, at night you are basically shooting just the plume, looking for interesting patterns. Typically, the main engines shut down after two and a half to three minutes. At that point your shoot is over. From first click to last is usually less than three minutes! If you haven't guessed, I prefer nighttime launches.

Waiting for a launch, St. Johns RiverWaiting for a launch, St. Johns River

While the actual photography is quick, getting to that point isn't. For one recent Starlink launch, the mission was scrubbed (postponed) twice before it finally launched on the third try. So, I gathered my gear and went out to an airboat ramp along the St. Johns River to take a streak shot, each time.

So, you're standing around, in the dark, with alligators hunting for food and mosquitos trying to dine on you, while the launch gets delayed later and later. But sometimes you get to practice some long exposure shots to check your settings. Sometimes the results surprise you. So, on the second night I went home with one "keeper" image for three hours waiting and numerous bites. So you go out the next night and the missile does launch. But just before it does, a rain shower gets between you and the launch. And so, your streak is only a little sliver under the rain clouds. That image cost three nights work!

Starlink LaunchStarlink Launch
NROL-44 TrailNROL-44 Trail

But sometimes you get lucky. One of the best missiles to see launch is the Delta IV Heavy. These are used for launching particularly heavy payloads, like reconnaissance satellites. They use a large main rocket, with two booster rockets strapped to the sides. They are loud and light up the night like the Sun! NROL-44 was scheduled for the other night and I thought the weather looked good, so I gave it a try. I found a nice spot, all to myself, to set up my tripods and cameras. And although there was a several hour delay, it launched in its usual, spectacular way. If you enjoyed these photos, you might want to look at my Space and Astronomy page. Enjoy!

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Florida Mark Pollitt Photography missile launches NROL-44 SpaceX https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2020/12/the-joy-of-missile-launches Sun, 13 Dec 2020 15:47:24 GMT
Extension Tube Macrophotography https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2020/7/extension-tube-macrophotography We were able to escape Florida's spike in the pandemic by driving up to Maryland for the summer. Since they are more "locked-down" here (a good thing), a lot of the photography I want to do will have to wait a bit longer. But our nearby Nature Conservancy is open and has lots of native flowers in bloom. Fujifilm is not known for their macro lenses and their regular lenses don't have close focusing distances, so I decided to try some inexpensive Meike auto-focus extension tubes (10 & 16mm, ~US$28.00 on Amazon).

So, out to the conservancy I went, with my X-T3, 16-80 and a 16mm extension tube. While I could have used the 10 & 16mm tubes together, they only work well when the focal length of the lens is equal to, or greater than, the extension tube(s). I didn't take my tripod along, as there was a modest breeze blowing. So, all the shots here are hand-held.

Echinacea purpureaEchinacea purpurea Echinacea purpureaEchinacea purpurea
Echinacea purpureaEchinacea purpurea

I was very pleasantly surprised at the clarity of the shots.  I found that you have to experiment to find the relatively narrow focus range in which the auto-focus will work. Once you get in that ballpark, the autofocus seems to work well. These close-up images allow us to see nature from yet another perspective. And for me, that is the "raison d'etre" for photography. Seeing the results of this brief experiment, investing such a small sum to add yet another dimension to our photography seems like a no-brainer.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) macro photography Mark Pollitt Photography Maryland Mieke Extension Tubes Nature Conservancy https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2020/7/extension-tube-macrophotography Fri, 17 Jul 2020 18:52:00 GMT
Empty Streetscapes and Urban Art in Orlando https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2020/4/empty-streetscapes-and-urban-art-in-orlando Empty Streetscapes and Urban Art in Orlando

I spend most of my time, at least when I'm behind a camera, as a nature and travel photographer. Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, the parks are closed, all my trips until October have been cancelled, and I'm pretty much staying home except for trips to the store and doctors. I've lived in Orlando for a number of years and as I drive around town, I've been impressed with the wall murals and other "urban art" found throughout the city. So, I decided to use my next exercise walk to take some photos of Orlando's "street art" along the empty streets of my home town. I also took at couple of shots along Orlando's "main street," Orange Avenue, of City Hall, and the Dr. Phillips Center. As you can see, I didn't have any problems with social distancing! North Mills Ave. SouthboundNorth Mills Ave. Southbound Geographically, The City of Orlando, is actually a relatively small part of the Orlando Metroplex. It has a high-rise core, surrounded by many small residential and mixed-use areas. The City has a diversity far broader than its small size would suggest. In addition to the traditionally white and black neighborhoods, there is a large Asian neighborhood called "Little Saigon," so-named for the large influx of Vietnamese refugees in the mid-1970's. Over the years the area's ethnicity has broadened to include other Asian and Hispanic residents. New generations of "creatives" have moved to many of the neighborhoods surrounding Little Saigon. As a result, it has become a great location to see the murals, decorated objects and  storefronts that make up the urban artscape. Many of these are located along Mills Avenue, in Little Saigon and in the area of the Milk District.

I hope that you will click on this link to see some more of this bright and joyful art - just the antidote to another week of lock down!

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing ArtsDr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts City Commons, OrlandoCity Commons, Orlando Orlando City HallOrlando City Hall

 

 

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Empty Streets Florida Little Saigon Mark Pollitt Photography Milk District Orlando Urban Artwork https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2020/4/empty-streetscapes-and-urban-art-in-orlando Wed, 22 Apr 2020 18:43:16 GMT
My Best of 2019 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2020/1/my-best-of-2019 Machu Pichu, PeruMachu Pichu, PeruClick on photo to see Best of 2019 Travel Collection Sand Hill Crane and ColtsClick on photograph to view Best of 2019 Orlando Wetlands Park Collection

2019 may be the year that I have traveled the most to make pictures. The year began rounding Cape Horn, while returning from Antarctica, followed, several months later, by a voyage from the beaches of Tahiti to Machu Pichu, and then through the Panama Canal to the the east coast. Summer brought a trip from the Shetland Islands of Scotland, the length of Norway, cruising the White Sea of Russia, and finally back to Copenhagen. And in the Fall,  I got to do some weekend photography, whilst I was teaching in Central New York. When I wasn't doing any of those things, I was usually guiding and photographing at the Orlando Wetlands Park.

It was also a year of photographic transition. After predominantly shooting Canon cameras for almost 40 years, I jumped, headlong, into the Fujifilm ecosystem; first with an X-T3 and adding an X-H1 for wildlife duties. I'm still not completely comfortable with the new cameras, but that's part of the fun!

For those of you who have followed my photography and/or those who have traveled with me, I dedicate this annual collection. I took over 30,000 images this past year and I think these are the best. But since all my viewers don't equally enjoy nature and travel photography, I have separated them in to two collections, one for travel and the other for my nature photography at the Orlando Wetlands Park. I hope you will enjoy them.

If you are a newcomer to my photography, please either leave a comment or drop me a line, and I'll be happy to add you to my mailing list. I usually send out 3-4 messages per year, so I promise not to spam you.

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Florida Mark Pollitt Photography nature photography Orlando Wetlands Park travel photography https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2020/1/my-best-of-2019 Sat, 11 Jan 2020 21:57:19 GMT
Autumn in Central New York https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2019/12/autumn-in-central-new-york Canal-side ColorCanal-side Color

I did both my undergraduate and Master's work at universities located in Central New York. For those unfamiliar with the geography, it is the area roughly centered between Albany and Buffalo. The region was formed by a vast array of glacial activities over a period of tens of thousands of years, resulting in some of its most familiar features such as the Finger Lakes and numerous waterfalls. The result is a wonderful variety of lovely landscapes, enhanced, even more, by the colors of Autumn. The area's central artery was, after the early 1800's, and still is the Erie Canal.

Every year I go back to this region to teach, usually for a couple of weeks in May and for a series of weekends in the Fall. I've been doing this for over a dozen years, but haven't been able to take much time to photograph the sights. This year, I was determined to change that. I made a point of tacking a an extra day or so for the Autumn trips, just for photography. I made sure that I made time looking at some of the farms, towns (such as Seneca Falls), and the Erie Canal. Have a look at some of the photos. I hope you enjoy this brief visit to Central New York. If you did, I'd appreciate a post. Thanks.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) autumn Central New York Erie Canal Mark Pollitt Photography Seneca Falls https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2019/12/autumn-in-central-new-york Mon, 16 Dec 2019 00:06:20 GMT
North Cape Cruise - July 2019 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2019/8/north-cape-cruise---july-2019 This has been a "world travel year"! We began the year in Antarctica, sailed across most of the Pacific and all of the Caribbean in March, and now in July we are traveling above the Arctic Circle (above 66° 32′ N latitude). It was only last year that we circumnavigated the world along (more or less) the Equator. This trip was aboard Oceania's MS Nautica. This cruise would also be a "shakedown cruise" for a new camera system: the Fujifilm X-T3. After 40 years of being primarily a Canon shooter, this was a brand new experience. I hope you like the results.

Shetland Islands, Scotland

We were scheduled to join the ship in Dublin, but due to weather, politics, and airlines, we failed to make our Irish rendezvous and had to fly ahead to Lerwick, in the Shetland Islands of Scotland. Since the ship had a day at sea after leaving Dublin, we arrived with an afternoon and evening before the ship would arrive for its scheduled day in port. I tried to make good use of that time for photography. Fortunately, the sun doesn't set until almost midnight and raises at 3 AM at this time of year. Lerwick is a charming little city, made famous by the BBC television series Shetland. The crime drama aside, the locations and cinematography show off the island in its true beauty. After the ship arrived, we took a previously scheduled tour and began our voyage.

Alesund, NorwayAlesund, Norway

The itinerary was to sail from the Shetlands, up the east coast of Norway, stopping at: Bergen, Alesund, Trondheim, and then Hammerfest (one of two of the northernmost cities in Europe). After leaving Hammerfest, we would sail northeast, crossing the Arctic Circle into the Barents Sea, then southeast to Murmansk, and thence down the Kola Peninsula to the mouth of the White Sea. In addition to the port call in Murmansk, we stopped at Solovetsky Island and Arkhangelsk (Archangel). At the latter, we were a mere 40 miles from where, three weeks later, there was an incident involving a nuclear missile. I really believe in not putting travel off: you never know when you won't be able to do it or where you want to go won't be there! As you will see from the photos, Northern Russia is very different to the more modern, affluent, cites such as St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Solovetsky MonasterySolovetsky Monastery

After leaving Arkhangelsk, we sailed up to the North Cape (Nord Cap), stopping in the other, arguably, most northern city in Europe; Honningsvag. We traveled overland to the actual North Cape. You truly feel like you are on the edge of the World, as you stand 1,000 feet above the sea, knowing that there is nothing between you and the North Pole but 1,300 miles of dark cold water, ice, and brutal weather. We sailed South, past the Lofoten Island (on my bucket list) to port calls in Kristiansund and Flam. After another day at sea, we disembarked in Copenhagen.

Nord Cap, NorwayNord Cap, Norway

For purposes of my website, I have decided to break the trip into three albums: Shetland, Norway and Russia. This way you can browse each one at your leisure. Each has a manageable number if images. As always I hope you enjoy them and I welcome your (non-commercial) comments. You can click on each of the photos below to go directly to each of the albums. You can also go to www.markpollittphoto.com , scroll down below the slideshow and click on the albums individually.

Click on photo to go to album
ShetlandShetland The Port of MurmanskThe Port of MurmanskRussia Sami  Camp, Hammerfest, NorwaySami Camp, Hammerfest, Norway

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Alesund Archangel Bergen Flam Hammerfest Honningsvag Kristiansund Lerwick Mark Pollitt Photography MS Nautica Murmansk Norway Russia Shetland Solovetsky Trondheim https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2019/8/north-cape-cruise---july-2019 Wed, 14 Aug 2019 21:57:31 GMT
Tahiti to Miami - Spring 2019 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2019/4/tahiti-to-miami---spring-2019 Bora BoraBora Bora Moai at  Ahu Tongariki, Rapa NuiMoai at Ahu Tongariki, Rapa Nui

For over 30 days we sailed aboard the MS Marina embarking in Tahiti and disembarking at Port Canaveral, Florida.  It was yet another epic journey, but felt like three separate trips strung together. First there was the voyage across the Pacific, including four ports in French Polynesia, Pitcairn Island, Rapa Nui, better known as Easter Island, and ending in Lima, Peru. This first part of the journey took eighteen days.

The islands are beautiful and the distances vast: it took ten days to sail from the eastern edge of French Polynesia to Lima, across some of the most remote ocean in the world. We did not see another ship, aircraft, or even contrail for days at a time. Going ashore in Pitcairn Island, where the descendants of the HMS Bounty now reside, is nearly impossible as they only have a tiny dock. Instead, a majority of the 34 residents on the island took their longboat out to see us, while we circled around their small island.

Visiting Easter Island has been a dream of mine for many years, perhaps after reading Kon Tiki in high school. Unfortunately, the surf was so high that we were not able to launch our tenders and go ashore. Other than the seas, the weather that day was wonderful and the Captain circumnavigated the island as close as he dared. So, we at least got to see the quarry and a number of Moai.

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin, CuscoCathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin, Cusco Machu Pichu, PeruMachu Pichu, Peru

While most of the passengers left the ship in Lima, there were a number that were continuing on for the next leg. Of that group, there were four couples, including ourselves, that would take a four-day overland trip to Machu Pichu and rejoin the ship in Ecuador. It was a challenging trip with many hours of flying, driving, riding trains, and climbing stairs/rocks/hills. Our base of operations was Cusco, where the altitude is over 11,000 feet. We never really had time to acclimate, so it was a bit tough to move around. The good news is that Machu Pichu is actually much lower (~8,000 feet) and you feel much better while you're there. After four days, we took two flights and a four hour bus ride through the poorest part of Ecuador to return to the ship.

Golden helicon, Roatan, HondurasGolden helicon, Roatan, Honduras Pacific Entrance to New Panama CanalPacific Entrance to New Panama Canal

The next part of the journey was along the South American coast, through the Panama Canal, along the Caribbean coast of Central America, stopping in: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Mexico, and on to Miami. After returning to the ship in Miami, we were told that due to a really strong storm in the Atlantic, our itinerary would have us stop in Port Canaveral the next day, to let the storm pass, skip our port call in Norfolk, and arrive in New York late the following day. Since we had an early flight out of New York, we opted to get off the ship in Port Canaveral and have a 30 minute drive home! Thus our epic journey came to a sudden end.

As always, we met lots of wonderful people along the way. Travel is very much a shared experience. And so I share these photos with all my viewers. I've divided the photos into two collections: South Pacific & Latin America

Stay tuned for another wonderful journey this summer.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Belize Bora Bora Ecuador Fakareva French Polynesia Guatemala Honduras Machu Pichu Mark Pollitt Photography Mexico Panama Peru Pitcairn Island Rapa Nui https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2019/4/tahiti-to-miami---spring-2019 Wed, 24 Apr 2019 14:24:39 GMT
Greetings from Antarctica https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2019/1/greetings-from-antarctica Wilhelmina BayWilhelmina Bay

I have been planning and dreaming about a photo trip to Antarctica for many years. Finally, I've done it. As I write this, I just returned from my two week sojourn at the "bottom of the Earth." It has been Stunning! Perhaps the best way to explain Antarctica is: take the scale of Alaska, multiply by a couple of factors of ten, and color it black, white and electric blue!

I took more than seven thousand photos, so it will take some time to select, edit, and post a manageable number. But in the meanwhile, here's a taste of the South. If you click on any of these images, they will take you to a working directory and you'll see many more images. Enjoy!

Frozen ToadstoolsFrozen Toadstools Advours ChannelAdvours Channel
Scratch What ItchesScratch What Itches Having Fun with TouristsHaving Fun with Tourists

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Andvours Bay Antarctica Gerlache Straight Half Moon Island Mark Pollitt Photography Neumayer Channel Wilhelmina Bay https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2019/1/greetings-from-antarctica Tue, 08 Jan 2019 14:08:01 GMT
The Quilt Barns of Carroll County Maryland https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/9/the-quilt-barns-of-carroll-county-maryland #22 Churn Dash Quilt#22 Churn Dash Quilt

Yes, I know, the title of this blog, and the accompanying collection, sounds like a Clint Eastwood movie involving bridges. Unfortunately, I didn't find Meryl Streep on the back roads of Maryland, nor do I expect this will result in a layout in National Geographic. But it is my first "project," per se. I've been photographing for many decades, but only sporadically, situationally, and casually. For the first time, I committed to a specific goal and time period: I would photograph all 31 of the barns on the Carroll County Quilt Barn Trail and I would complete it this summer. I have to credit a friend of mine (C, you know who you are) for encouraging me to do this.

I found this project fun and challenging. Actually finding the barns was a bit like a scavenger hunt! Sometimes the quilt blocks were in plain view, facing the address given by the Carroll County Tourism Map. Sometimes the spot on the highway that the street address marked, was a country mile from the barn. Sometimes, the barn and quilt block are only visible from parallel or adjacent roads. And at other times, the quilt block was placed where there was either a crop, ready for harvest, or a sloppy barn yard immediately in front. Photographically, I had to use the available light, at the time of day I found the barn, even if it was the worst possible lighting for the particular location. And of course, you can't just cut down the wires hanging in front of the quilt blocks. The barns themselves were located all over the country, in areas that I didn't even know existed. Much of the time I could have just as easily been in Madison County, Iowa or even Kentucky. It was fun to travel these roads less traveled and see rural America. Inevitably, I ran into some of the local farmers and their neighbors. This too was a joy, as talking to people from diverse backgrounds was the greatest pleasure of my former career. If you can get people to talk, shut your mouth, and open your ears, you will learn something from everybody.

I hope you enjoy the photos in this collection. They may not be my best work, but they certainly got me excited to do another project. You'll just have to wait and see what it's going to be. Please see my photos at: Quilt Barns of Carroll County

Carroll Country, MDCarroll Country, MD

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Carroll Country Mark Pollitt Photography Maryland Quilt Barn Trail https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/9/the-quilt-barns-of-carroll-county-maryland Fri, 14 Sep 2018 13:13:32 GMT
Niagara Falls https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/7/niagara-falls Sunset On Horseshoe FallsSunset On Horseshoe Falls

Neither my wife, nor I, have been to Niagara Falls in over 45 years and never together. So, with a good weather forecast after my latest stint at Syracuse University, we headed West. Besides wanting to revisit the falls, I wanted (not surprisingly) to do some photography. The deep and relatively narrow gorge presented some interesting lighting challenges. Likewise, the large amount of "white water" and mist provided overwhelming contrast, as well as, difficulty in getting a correct exposure. The latter issues are exactly the kinds of problems I will be facing on my next major trip. Hint: it involves a very large amount of ice. Since it took so long to go back and forth between the U.S. and Canadian sides, I was somewhat limited in the amount of time that I could actually photograph. In the end, I got some (I think) good images. I know I learned a lot in the process. You can see the best of my Niagara Falls photos on my website.

As kind of a side note, all of the photos on this trip were taken with my Canon M5. I continue to appreciate the reduction in weight and size of my kit, relative to my DSLR's. But, as I learn to shoot this particular camera, I increasingly am amazed at the quality of the images the camera is capable of. I do wish, especially after this trip, that it was weather-sealed. 

Enjoy the photos.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Canada Canon M5 Mark Pollitt Photography New York Niagara Falls https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/7/niagara-falls Tue, 31 Jul 2018 01:09:40 GMT
Soleado Lavendar Farm https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/7/soleado-lavendar-farm Soleado Lavender FarmSoleado Lavender Farm

  In June, I took a couple hour drive into the wild corner of Maryland's Montgomery County. June is usually the peak month for lavender in Maryland. But early, heavy rains forced the blooms early. As a result, they farmers had to harvest the lavender early. And while there was only a small amount of purple flowers blooming, it was a lovely spot to do some photography. Next year, I'll have to come a bit earlier. These and other photos can be seen on my Maryland Landscapes webpage.

Montgomery County, MDMontgomery County, MD

Montgomery County, MDMontgomery County, MD

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) dickerson landscape mark pollitt photography maryland soleado lavender farm https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/7/soleado-lavendar-farm Tue, 31 Jul 2018 00:14:49 GMT
Baltimore Painted Ladies https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/7/baltimore-painted-ladies Baltimore Painted LadiesBaltimore Painted LadiesBaltimore Painted Ladies

This summer, I'm spending time in the Northeastern part of the United States. I'll be doing some local and regional photography, which I hope to share with my viewers. 

Like most photographers, when I travel, I'm not only looking for new photographic subjects, but I often seek out local photography stores. Amazingly, there is only one true photography store left in the Baltimore region! It is located in one of the classic Baltimore neighborhoods: Hampden. While shopping at Service Photo, I asked several of the employees if they had heard about the "Baltimore Painted Ladies." These are brightly painted town homes, or as folks in Baltimore call them, "row houses." It turns out that there are quite a few located not far from Johns Hopkins University. So, under threatening clouds, I went off to photograph some of these homes.  No doubt, I'll go back under more favorable conditions to shoot more of these residential gems.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Baltimore Painted Ladies Baltimore Maryland Mark Pollitt Photography Row Houses https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/7/baltimore-painted-ladies Wed, 18 Jul 2018 13:20:18 GMT
Bangabandhu 1 Falcon 9 Block 5 Launch https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/5/bangabandhu-1-falcon-9-block-5-launch May 10-11, 2018

We went out to Canaveral Shores National Seashore to photograph the launch of SpaceX's first "Block 5" Falcon 9 with a Bangaladeshi payload. The first day, the launch was delayed several hours before the launch was aborted 57 seconds from ignition. Such is photographing missile launches! The following day, it went right on schedule, at 4:14 PM.

The weather was sunny, relatively calm, a thin overcast and very hot: 91 degrees Fahrenheit. This made for a great deal of haze and thermal distortion. Photographically, this is the norm for summer launches from Florida. It is hard to get crisp, clear images, especially from a distance. I hope you enjoy the so-so photos of this launch.

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) 1 bangabandhu falcon 9 florida mark pollitt photography spacex https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/5/bangabandhu-1-falcon-9-block-5-launch Sun, 13 May 2018 15:43:36 GMT
Final Stops: Malaysia and Singapore https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/3/final-stops-malaysia-and-singapore Petronas Tower 2018

Our final two stops on this odyssey were Malaysia and Singapore. We were originally scheduled to dock in two ports in Malaysia: Penang and Port Klang, but scheduling precluded our stop in Penang, so we only had time for a quick visit to Kuala Lumpur. While I had been to "KL" before, last time in 1997, the city was almost unrecognizable. Then, the Petronas Tower (above) was the only real skyscraper in the city.  Now, downtown KL looks more like Chicago, except hilly. They seem to be doing well and have picked up some of the positive habits from their neighbors to the South, Singapore. KL was much cleaner than I remember it over 20 years ago.

Similarly, I have been going to Singapore for over 40 years, but haven't been back since '97. Each time I go to this city-state, I am amazed. The capacity of this tiny set of islands to create a modern metropolis, comparable to any in the World, preserve its component cultures, all the while being immaculate and safe is wonderfully unique.

After spending a couple of days ashore in Singapore, we began the long flights back home. It has been an awesome 40+ days. Unfortunately, I had to go back to work the day after I returned, and am still trying to re-calibrate my brain. For this blog I have only picked a couple of photos to demonstrate the integration of the old and new. I'm sure you'll look forward to many more photos of these two port, as well as all the others, when I finish selecting from and editing the 9,928 photos I took from this trip.

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) kuala lumpur malaysia mark pollitt photography petronas towers singapore https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/3/final-stops-malaysia-and-singapore Sat, 31 Mar 2018 15:29:02 GMT
Myanmar: Yangon and Bagan https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/3/myanbar-yangon-and-bagan Sunset Over Bagan, MyanmarSunset Over Bagan, Myanmar

Finally, after thirty days of traveling, we arrived in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. This was one of the two main reasons to take this trip. It is a country with a storied history and a dark, recent past. It has only been "open" for tourists in the last several years and is still suffering from a tarnished reputation. These are reason enough to visit, but the real draws are the temples and stupas that dot the country. The bonus turned out to be the gentle people of this forgotten land.

We arrived in port just before sunset and immediately headed for Yangon to see the fabled Shwedagon Pagoda by night. The pagoda and associated temples were begun between the 6th and 10th Centuries AD and were re-built and expanded over time. It now stands a whopping 368 feet tall and is covered by real gold plates, riveted in place! Doing the traditional clockwise walk around the stupa, watching the pilgrims and monks in their devotions, under a black sky and light reflected from the giant gold bell, was magical indeed. We had to leave far too soon, as we would have to leave the ship before 4 am the next morning for our expedition to Bagan.

Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, MyanmarShwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, MyanmarShwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar

Bagan was the capital city of the Pagan Dynasty during the 9th to 13th Century. During the early times of this period, one of the kings adopted Buddhism. Subsequently, he encouraged all of his rich and powerful supporters to build temples and stupas to worship the Buddha. The result is a collection of over 3,000 temples, monasteries, and stupas, spread over 65 square miles! It is effectively a Disneyland of Buddhist Archeology. We had fantastic tours and ended the day with a gourmet meal, by candlelight, next to an ancient temple. The dinner was followed by an Elephant Dance with traditional music. It was an absolutely magical night.

Temples, Bagan, MalaysiaTemples, Bagan, Malaysia Dinner among the Temples, BaganDinner among the Temples, Bagan Temple, Bagan, MalaysiaTemple, Bagan, Malaysia

During our visit to Bagan, we met many "locals," many of whom were from hill tribes from the North of the country. Many of these people had very little previous contact with Westerners and we were very surprised at their reactions. Some would merely stare, others would reach out to touch us or have photos taken with us. One older women went so far as to shake Jane's hand! They are gentle, open people and it took us a while to overcome our jaded suspicions.

Market Day, Bagan, MalaysiaMarket Day, Bagan, Malaysia Monk, Bagan, MalaysiaMonk, Bagan, Malaysia

We returned the following day, arriving in Yangon in time to cast off for our next adventure.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) bagan mark pollitt photography myanmar yangon https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/3/myanbar-yangon-and-bagan Sat, 17 Mar 2018 14:49:22 GMT
The Middle - Seychelles, Maldives, and India https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/3/the-middle---seychelles-maldives-and-india

I've been slacking a bit on my blogging. I planned on making this two entries, but got behind during the transit to India. So, I decided to do one, long entry. After heading East out of Kenya, we sailed for two days, skirting the pirate-infested area off of Somalia,  to reach this mid-ocean chain of islands. The Seychelles are fascinating for a number of reasons, including the fact that they are actually a remnant of when, what is now India, broke off from Africa. A few granite mountains were left in the Indian Ocean and formed the main islands of the archipelago. The other unique aspect is that they were uninhabited by humans until the mid-18th Century. Their isolation and lack of communication with other lands resulted in a unique ecosystem that is the richest I have ever witnessed. The high granite mountains are covered with so many species of plants, that if you stand in one spot, it will be difficult to count the number of species just in your immediate view! While there are a number of unique birds, most are relatively bland. It seems that there are few predators, and the need to compete is less.  Despite the cloudy and rainy weather, we could see that this is a beautiful island with magnificent beaches. It is also a very safe place.

From the Seychelles, we sailed Northeast for another three days to the Maldives. The country is a collection of over 1,000 sandbars in the North Central Indian Ocean. The main island and capital, Mahe, is a tiny, flat, island one and a half by one kilometer and is home to 140,000 people, which makes it one of the most densely populated places on Earth. This is contrasted with hundreds of atolls, most uninhabited, surrounded by magnificent blue coral rings and centers of pure white sand. There is currently unrest in the country, and while there were tensions, we saw no overt activity during our morning walk into town, nor during our snorkeling expedition later in the day.

Leaving the Maldives, we sailed to two ports on the Southwest coast of India: Mangalore and Cochin. This was our first trip to India, so it was quite an experience. We took tours which showed us both the cities and some of the surrounding areas. Even though these two ports were relatively close to each other, the differences in culture, language, and history were striking. My one insight is that India is more a collection of states, cultures, and regions, rather than a unified country. It has a long, rich, and complex history. It is also vast is size (1.2 million square miles) and population (1.3 billion people). We saw astonishing diversity of modern industry and technology interspersed with primitive agriculture; great wealth and crushing poverty; magnificent beauty marred by ugly trash and pollution. This rich tapestry and the vibrant colors make for incredible photographic opportunities, but navigating the many cultural mores and the chaos is challenging.

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) cochin india maldives mangalore mark pollitt photography seychelles https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/3/the-middle---seychelles-maldives-and-india Wed, 07 Mar 2018 02:21:02 GMT
East Africa - Tanzania, Zanzibar, and Kenya https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/2/east-africa---tanzania-zanzibar-and-kenya Bagamoyo Beach After skipping Madagascar, we continued on, up the coast of East Africa. This is a region where the culture of the native Africans met the Islamic Traders, and were shaped by the European "Protectorates" of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. The people from the interior of the continent have migrated to the coast, where they live in crowded poverty. Our last day in Kenya, we observed the aftermath of riots caused by the government's bulldozing squatter's shops and shacks located on a major thoroughfare.

Our first stop was in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where we took a rather exciting tour that involved being convoyed by police escort for an hour and a half, out to the small town of Bagamoyo, along the coast. We saw 13th Century ruins of an Arab Trading Post, a Catholic church and college, and the headquarters of the German Protectorate.

 

The following day, we docked on the island of Zanzibar, formerly a separate country,, but since 1964 amalgamated into the Tanzanian union. Unlike the mainland of Tanzania, it is predominantly Muslim. We had an opportunity to see the rural countryside, which is largely agricultural, as well as a visit to the Jozani National park where we visited an ebony forest teeming with various monkey's, including the rare Red Colombus Monkey, and a mangrove swamp. We got to spend the afternoon walking around the ancient Arab city of Stonetown.

Our final day saw us back on the mainland of Africa, in Mombasa, Kenya. After driving through the industrial section, the poor section, and the rich section of the city, we visited what was formerly a quarry for a cement factory (still next door and still operational), that has been reclaimed as a nature reserve. They have done so in fascinating way. Rather than merely bringing in soil and animals, they brought in insects and worms to convert the rock into soil, followed by plants and other animals that would enrich the humus and they slowly built up an entire ecosystem that now houses a wide range of plants an animals. It is essentially a compact zoo and botanical garden combined!

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) tanzania dar es salaam kenya mark pollitt photography mombasa zanzibar https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/2/east-africa---tanzania-zanzibar-and-kenya Tue, 27 Feb 2018 04:49:43 GMT
The First Leg: South Africa and Mozambique https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/2/the-first-leg-south-africa-and-mozambique

After our long journey to Cape Town, South Africa, we had a couple of days to rest, in port and while sailing around the Cape of Good Hope. We stopped at four ports on the East coast of South Africa (Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, and Richards Bay) and one (Maputo) in Mozambique. We visited several game parks and the Zulu Nation homeland. We also had an opportunity to walk around in downtown Maputo.

The coastal game parks are mostly private affairs which cater to short-term tourists. The animals are confined to the parks, but the parks are sufficiently large to prevent over-crowding. They are good, but don't have the natural feel of Kruger and Chobe National Parks, nor the volume and range of animals. Since we would arrive late-morning and leave mid-afternoons, we would do a mid-day game drive. Those familiar with nature will recognize that the middle of the day is not the best time to see wildlife. Nonetheless, we did get some good shots and they were worthwhile visits.

This was our first trip to Mozambique. It is a former Portuguese colony is Southeast Africa. It has some interesting architecture ranging from colonial to ultramodern skyscrapers. But the most interesting part of the visit was to the local marketplace, where you can see the food and people of the country.

We have been steaming North for two days, headed for Madagascar. Unfortunately, the wind and currents have caused the Captain to cancel our stop in one of the most interesting islands on our route. Many of us are very disappointed. Our next port will be Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) mark pollitt photography mozambique south africa https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/2/the-first-leg-south-africa-and-mozambique Sun, 18 Feb 2018 07:34:06 GMT
Namibia https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/2/namibia Namibia

Our long flight from Frankfurt to Cape Town took us over Namibia during the late morning hours. I have always been taken by the photographs taken in Namibia by almost all the nature/wildlife photographers I have seen. On the ground it is certainly a rich source of photographic inspiration. But from 33,000 feet, you get an entirely new perspective.

Having flown over the American West many times, you realize the scale of landscape. Our photographs on the ground are but mere microscopic visions of what is a continental picture. Flying over the American West, from East to West, we see endless farms and forests nourished by broad rivers. The dominant color is green and angular lines and patterns of human civilization integrate with the natural features. Further West you see tall mountains, high plateaus, and deserts. The colors shift to blacks, greys, reds, browns, and ocher. The greens are never entirely missing, just not a dominant feature except where there are forests and rivers.

The Namibia is home to the oldest desert, with the highest sand dunes, in the world. It stretches all the way from Africa's interior to the Atlantic Ocean. The sight of a vast, orange desert bordering a massive ocean is a unique sight. The interior of the country is mountains and deserts whose only economic gain is mining for diamonds, gold, and uranium. It has a small population that is crammed into a small habitable area, resulting in one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

Having now seen Namibia from the air convinces me that I must go and photograph this country! EDITORIAL NOTE: I debated posting the above image, as it is not the quality that represents my work. But the scratched, frosted plexiglass of the aircraft window did not allow any better. I hope you will indulge me on this one image.

 

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) africa mark pollitt photography namibia https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/2/namibia Fri, 16 Feb 2018 08:32:21 GMT
Beginning of a Journey https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/2/beginning-of-a-journey Franfurt, Germany ApproachLanding at Frankfurt All journeys have a beginning. In most cases, that beginning is not that much fun. As we look forward to a wonderful kaleidoscope of images and experiences, on what is slated to be an around the world trip, we still have to get to places. This journey started on a perfect Florida evening aboard a Lufthansa 747 bound for Frankfurt. It was great to fly aboard the big Boeing. It brought back fond memories of when they were the backbone of long-range American aviation. Alas, it is only foreign airlines that still fly the '47 in passenger service.

After arrival into Frankfurt, we booked into a room at the Sheraton for a few hours of sleep and a shower. Tonight will be a long night aboard an Airbus 340, bound for Cape Town, South Africa. Stay tuned, we'll let you know more when we get there.

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) 747 florida frankfurt germany mark pollitt photography https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/2/beginning-of-a-journey Wed, 07 Feb 2018 16:02:47 GMT
Winter 2018 Missile Launches https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/1/winter-2018-missile-launches Zuma & SBIRS 4 Launches Zuma LaunchZuma LaunchZuma Liftoff Zuma LaunchZuma Launch Timelapse SBIRS 4 LaunchSBIRS 4 Launch Timelapse SBIRS 4 LaunchSBIRS 4 Launch

The pace of spaceflight has increased a great deal in the last year or so. SpaceX alone had 17 launches. 2018 is starting off with a bang as well. I had the opportunity to photograph both the super-secret (and unfortunately failed) launch of the Zuma Payload aboard a Falcon 9, as well as, the launch of the SBIRS-4 Ballistic Missile Warning Satellite aboard an Atlas 5. Both were early evening launches under clear skies and cool, dry conditions. A very nice change from the usual conditions. You can find some interesting additional photos in my Space and Astronomy Page.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) atlas-5 falcon-9 florida mark pollitt photography sbirs-4 spacex titusville zuma https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2018/1/winter-2018-missile-launches Wed, 24 Jan 2018 00:52:57 GMT
Best of 2017 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/12/best-of-2017 Fiery Dawn - Ft. Christmas Crimson Dawn - Orlando Wetlands Park

2017 was a busy year. Busy is good, if you're taking pictures. It is even better when you have beautiful things to photograph. We traveled to virtually every part of the eastern half of the North Atlantic; from Bonaire to Iceland. In the past 12 months, I have taken just over 25,000 photographs. So, I must be having fun. But quantity isn't the reason to take photographs. I have been pleased with the progress I have made both technically and artistically this year. So, I hope that you, my audience, will find increasing pleasure in seeing these images.

A couple of years ago, I started posting an annual "Best of" collection. But as I went through my images, I realized that almost half of all of my photographs were taken at the Orlando Wetlands Park. Since I get to be there early and late, and get to take photographs of the flora and fauna to show visitors on my tours, I get a lot of practice.  So this year I'm posting two different "end of year" collections: one highlighting my travels and the other my photography at the Orlando Wetlands Park. The former is just called Best of 2017 and the latter Orlando Wetlands Park 2017. Enjoy!

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) mark pollitt photography orlando wetlands park https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/12/best-of-2017 Mon, 01 Jan 2018 02:46:57 GMT
Insignia Cruise to Cuba https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/12/insignia-cruise-to-cuba  

1953 Ford Crestline Convertible1953 Ford Crestline Convertible

The day after Thanksgiving, we sailed aboard Oceania's Insignia to Key West and then on to Havana, Cienfuegos, and finally Santiago de Cuba. This is a trip that I have been looking forward to for a long time. For a photographer, Cuba is one of the most fascinating destinations. The country is essentially a time capsule. And while there have been many thousands of visitors in the last several years, many of whom are photographers, it gives you the feeling that you are the first to see these things in recent memory.

Because of the recent changes in regulations governing Americans traveling to Cuba, we opted to stick with the tours offered by the cruise line. These tours were not designed with photographers in mind, so much of the shooting was done "run and gun," snatching shots as you kept moving from place to place. This is not the ideal artistic approach to photography, but it does force you to shoot what you see. I think if you look at the shots taken in Key West and compare them to those taken in  Cuba, I think that they have a very different feel. Those taken in Cuba have a more documentary look. That is not all bad, as I went there to look at the country with fresh eyes. Perhaps I'll go back sometime and have the luxury of taking my time to create more artistic images.

I'm glad I went and would encourage any photographer to take a look at this place before it disappears in the march of progress.

You can see my Insignia-Cuba Collection here: http://www.markpollittphoto.com/p662085267

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) cienfuegos cuba florida havana mark pollitt photography santiago de cuba https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/12/insignia-cruise-to-cuba Mon, 18 Dec 2017 01:50:11 GMT
Another Dawn Flight https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/12/another-dawn-flight MCO DawnOrlando Airport Dawn

Another aerorplane
Another sunny place
I'm lucky I know
But I want to go home...

Michael Buble

I fly - a lot. After viewing this shot taken from the People Mover at the Orlando Airport one recent dawn, I realized that the two most iconic times at the airport are the "dawn patrols" and the "Friday Night, last plane in." It seems that these are the times that only the inexperienced travel, because they don't know any better; or the professionals, who fly because they have to be somewhere. They are also the times that often share the two quintessential emotions of travel: fatigue and satisfaction. The former because travel is hard work. The latter for a host of reasons including being somewhere to see the beautiful beginning of another adventure. But sometimes, it's that you want to go home.

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) mark pollitt photography orlando https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/12/another-dawn-flight Sat, 16 Dec 2017 13:05:02 GMT
Miami to Iceland Journey Photos Posted https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/8/miami-to-iceland-journey-photos-posted Miami Pilot StationMiami Pilot StationU.S. and Canada Gallery Kirkjufell, Grundarfjörður, IcelandKirkjufell, Grundarfjörður, IcelandGreenland and Iceland Gallery

In July, we sailed for 20 days from tropical Miami to brisk Iceland. Along the way, we stopped in: Port Canaveral, Norfolk, New York, Boston, Bar Harbor, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, two ports in Greenland, and two ports in Iceland. It was a diverse and fun trip. It was a real photographic challenge to photograph everything from major cities, quaint villages, flat lands, mountains, seascapes, volcanoes, glaciers, icebergs and wildlife under every possible weather condition from bright, tropical sunshine to dense, cold fog, and everything in between. Of course, that was the fun part!

The not-so-fun part was coming home to cull and edit well over 5,000 images. Fortunately you, the viewer, don't have to wade through all of those. I have selected around 140 images, separated into two galleries. I decided to break the trip up into a U.S. and Canada Gallery and a Greenland and Iceland Gallery. You can also click on the photos above.

Please enjoy the images and feel free to leave a post on the Guestbook.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) bar harbor boston brunswick greenland iceland mark pollitt photography miami new new york newfoundland norfolk nova scotia https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/8/miami-to-iceland-journey-photos-posted Wed, 09 Aug 2017 23:23:41 GMT
Final Stops: Iceland https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/final-stops-iceland Gatklettur - Arch RockGatklettur - Arch Rock

Our final two stops were to a country ironically named Iceland. It is ironic, in that Greenland is not green at all: it is almost completely covered by ice. Along the coasts there is black rock, but no trees or grass. On the other hand, Iceland has a lot of green, albeit mostly grasses and moss, but they are trying to re-establish some forest. In the summer, Iceland has an intermittent mantle of bright, Irish green, punctuated by rugged dark rock and brightly colored minerals, all of which is illuminated by soft shafts of blue or golden light filtered by clouds.

Photography in Iceland is both a joy and a frustration. The landscape features are amazing, as is the lighting. But it takes patience to wait for the artistic coincidence of the great light hitting the beautiful landscape. The weather changes so quickly, that the light can be gone before you can get a shot. In an hour, it can go from brilliant sunshine, to dark and foreboding, to impenetrable fog. Traveling by ship and motor coach is not the best way to get great photos in Iceland.

Iceland is truly a country of fire and ice. It is a colossal classroom of Earth Science: unique glaciers, active volcanoes, tectonic plates, and so many waterfalls, that many are not even named!

The first day we anchored in the harbor of Grundarfjordur, for a tour of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Towering over the town is Mt. Kirkjufell, one of the most photographed mountains in the country. Our tour took us to a number of scenic and historical locations. Unfortunately, most of the day the weather was dark and windy, making good photography difficult. You are literally going from under to over exposed in a matter of seconds, with low visibility and haze.

The second day, we docked in Reykjavík, the world's most northern capital city. I had been here in 1998, when the population of the entire country was under a quarter million. At that time, the buildings were mostly wooden structures. Now, the country has over 350,000 people and a modestly large, modern city. Most of our time was spent on the classic "Golden Circle" tour which takes you to the major tourist attractions of the largest waterfall in Europe (Gullfoss), the original geyser (Geysir), and the National Park that is both the location of the oldest, continuous parliament and the rift valley formed by the separation of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.

Thus ends another adventure. We sailed over 4,500 miles, to 4 countries, and 12 ports in 20 days. I took over 5,000 images. So, it will be awhile before I select the best images for a gallery on my website. Until then, keep seeing and keep shooting!

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) geysir grundarfjordur gullfoss iceland mark pollitt photography snaefellsnes https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/final-stops-iceland Tue, 01 Aug 2017 03:12:07 GMT
Qaqortoq, Greenland https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/qaqortoq-greenland

Icebergs and growlers met our arrival in Qaqortoq, Greenland. The town, population of 3,200, is located in southern Greenland. As we arrived at our anchorage, we were accompanied by a lovely iceberg that slowly rotated around our ship for the whole day, melting drop-by-drop, changing shape and texture.

 

 

The town provided a look at more traditional Inuit life in the North. The local fish market offered fresh whale meat, harvested earlier that day, to the locals. Behind the houses and businesses of the village, there was a beautiful lake. Along the way, we fought off the national bird of Greenland, the mosquito!

As we enjoyed the sun and relatively warm temperatures, an ominous gathering of icebergs formed outside the harbor. After reviewing the latest Ice Charts, the Captain and Greenland Pilot decided it was far too dangerous to proceed with our planned transit of the Prince William Sound. With a great deal of disappointment, we set sail, the long way around, for Iceland.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) greenland mark pollitt photography qaqortoq https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/qaqortoq-greenland Sun, 23 Jul 2017 11:36:04 GMT
Nuuk, Greenland https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/nuuk-greenland

As we approached Greenland, the weather turned rough: 10-12 foot seas, 40 knot winds, air temperature 39F, sea water temperature 36. We also saw our first ice today. This delayed our entry into the capital of Greenland, Nuuk. It is hard to conceive of a country the size of France, Germany, Italy, and Spain combined, with only 57,000 people. Nuuk has almost half of them. In comparison, tiny Iceland has 355,000 people.

Slowly, the weather improved and we were able to tender ashore after lunch. The city has a combination of traditional, wooden structures and new, modern high-rise buildings. As the day progressed, the weather improved, and by 10 o'clock in the evening, it was beautiful. The weather forecast for our next scheduled port was so bad, that the captain chose to spend the night at Nuuk, do another short shore visit in the morning and then get underway for our next Greenland port: Qaqortoq.

 

The morning dawned with a renewal of the fog, and after a short, cold, visit, we resumed our journey.

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) greenland mark pollitt photography nuuk https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/nuuk-greenland Sun, 23 Jul 2017 11:06:29 GMT
Canadian Maritimes https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/canadian-maritimes Peggy's Cove

With port calls on 6 of seven days, I have fallen further behind in my blogging. Rather than try to do separate blog entries for each of the Canadian Maritime provinces we visited, I’ll just do one. You will have to wait until I post the album to get the full impact. Further, we have been so far North, that we haven’t had much satellite bandwidth for three days.

The first Canadian port was St. John, New Brunswick, not to be confused with the third port St. Johns, Newfoundland. We signed up for a photo tour of New Brunswick, only to have the skies overcast and a pouring rain for most of the shooting. The biggest challenge was keeping our gear dry and the lens clear of rain. All-in-all, it wasn’t a very satisfying visit.

Our second Canadian port was Halifax, Nova Scotia, and what a winner it was. Halifax is a fun little town, but the real star was Peggy’s Cove, a much-photographed little fishing village. And while we had plenty of company, I could have easily spent a couple of days in and around the town. The rest of the island looked interesting as well. We’ll have to come back “on the ground” to fully appreciate this port.

 

Our last Canadian port was St. Johns (with an “s” at the end), was also stunning. We took a tour that included a boat ride along the beautiful coast, out to an Atlantic Puffin rookery, and among a bunch of humpback and Minke whales. Later we went to Point Spear, the easternmost point in North America and saw more of the beautiful coastline and as many as five whales at a time.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) canada mark pollitt photography new brunswick newfoundland nova scotia https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/canadian-maritimes Sat, 22 Jul 2017 00:04:33 GMT
Boston https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/boston Old South Meeting HouseOld South Meeting House

Historical gems, such as the Old South Meeting House, are tucked inside the modern city of Boston. We didn't arrive until afternoon and departed by nine in the evening. While our visit was a short one, with only enough time for a quick city tour, it provided a feel for how rich a visit to Boston could be. The weather wasn't particularly cooperative, as the sky was mostly overcast with a heavy summer haze.

Boston Skyline at NightBoston Skyline at Night

As darkness fell, and we got underway, some of the fog disappeared and we were treated to a wonderful view of the city's skyline and a very up-close-and-personal view of Logan Airport's duty runway. Later, the Moon rose with an orange glow, just above the low-lying clouds. Stay tuned for our next stop: Bar Harbor, Maine.

Logan Runway - NightLogan Runway - Night Boston MoonriseBoston Moonrise

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) boston mark pollitt photography old south meeting house https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/boston Thu, 13 Jul 2017 20:13:14 GMT
New York City https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/new-york-city Grand Central StationMain Hall, Grand Central Station

Next up, the Big Apple. While I have sailed in and out of New York harbor on a number of occasions, it is always a magical moment. Seeing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island always makes you imagine what our ancestors thought as they left their homes, families, and identities behind to build a new life and country.

We spent the day photographing Grand Central Station (you need to get a permit to use a tripod and professional gear), the New York Public Library, and Times Square. It was hot and crowded.

The sunset departure was a pleasant change of pace. And while the sunset wasn't a particularly lovely one, it did provide a few interesting moments of light.

Manhattan SunsetSunset on Lower Manhattan

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) grand central station manhattan mark pollitt photography new york city https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/new-york-city Thu, 13 Jul 2017 01:50:34 GMT
Norfolk https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/norfolk Nauticus Center NorfolkNauticus Cruise Ship Terminal

First of all, I'm having a bit of a struggle keeping up with the blogging. Too much to do, too many photos to take, process, etc. Oh well, live and learn...

Our next stop was Norfolk, Virginia. Not exactly a household name in cruise destinations. That's unfortunate, because it has turned into a wonderful port call. As you can see from the photo above, we literally docked right downtown, next to the maritime museum and the USS Wisconsin. Norfolk is undergoing a bit of a renaissance right now, with many new attractions and restaurants within blocks of the pier.

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) In case you're thinking: "But isn't Norfolk a big Navy Town?", you would also be right. A good friend of mine was kind enough to get us not only on the Naval Base (the largest in the world), but onto the pier where the USS Eisenhower (CVN 69) and the about-to-be-commissioned Gerald R Ford (CVN 78) were both docked. Standing between these two mega-ships is awe inspiring! Thanks, John!

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) mark pollitt photography norfolk uss eisenhower uss gerald r. ford virginia https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/norfolk Thu, 13 Jul 2017 01:35:37 GMT
Day at Sea https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/day-at-sea Deep Blue SeaSomewhere in the Atlantic Today supposed to be a leisurely day at sea. And it started that way. A bright Sun shown down on a deep blue ocean. "Deep blue sea" is not just an expression. As the lecturer today mentioned, the deep ocean gets it rich, dark, deep blue because the ocean swallows (absorbs, in scientific terms) all of the red, yellow, and green light; reflecting only the pure blue.

USCG Rescue at SeaHH-60 from CGAS Elizabeth City, July 8, 2017 But the peaceful day came to a dramatic conclusion with a medical evacuation from the ship. The Coast Guard sent out one of their HH-60 Jayhawks, painted in the Coast Guard Aviation Centennial paint job. While the color represents the color of the original USCG helicopters, I don't find it aesthetically pleasing.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Coast Guard Deep Blue Sea Mark Pollitt Photography USCG https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/day-at-sea Mon, 10 Jul 2017 03:07:52 GMT
First Stop - Port Canaveral https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/first-stop---port-canaveral Port Canaveral Thunderhead Nothing like starting in your own back yard! Since I have lived a good portion of my last dozen years in the Orlando area, a port call in Port Canaveral seems rather pointless. But then again, like many things about cruising, it forces you to take a different perspective. I heard many of the other passengers remark at how flat Florida is. That is certainly true. So what is it about its lack of terrain do I, as a photographer, appreciate? One thing is the sky. In hilly country, particularly with tall trees, you can't see the grand and constantly changing landscape that is the sky.

Birthplace of Space FlightCape Canaveral Air Force Station - where the early astronauts launched. As we departed for our next port, we sailed along the shoreline of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. While NASA's Kennedy Space Center is better known, CCAFS is actually the birthplace of space flight. It is where the early military missles were tested and where the Mercury astronauts launched into space. I know the Air Force is trying to preserve some of that history and you can see some of that while sailing North.

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) florida mark pollitt photography port canaveral https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/first-stop---port-canaveral Mon, 10 Jul 2017 02:45:14 GMT
The Journey Begins https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/the-journey-begins Miami Pilot StationMiami Pilot Station and Coast Guard Base Miami

We begin our mystery journey in Miami, birthplace of modern cruising. We were whisked from the airport to the ship and were aboard in, literally, minutes. Several hours later, we cast-off and got underway. Leaving the Port of Miami is always interesting for me. As a former Coast Guard officer stationed there in the early 1980's it is amazing to see the city's growth and evolution. It has become the capital of the Caribbean and South America. The photo above shows the Miami Pilot Station in the foreground and Coast Guard Base Miami across the channel, on the right.

Life Boat DrillOld Veterans get Abandon Ship instruction from young crew members. 2017

All journeys have formalities. Before getting underway, most ships hold an Abandon Ship Drill. I took this photo of our iteration of this tradition. In looking at the photo, I realized that some of the men were veterans and some were wearing baseball caps celebrating their service. Despite their age, many stood as upright as the could, paying attention to the Captain's instructions just as they had decades ago, as young servicemen. The drill leaders were the young crew members of our ship, most never having experienced an on board emergency. This seemed, to me, an interesting juxtaposition to the experience of the veterans who were, inevitably, schooled in formation by their older, experienced leaders.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Florida Mark Pollitt Photography Miami https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/the-journey-begins Sat, 08 Jul 2017 19:30:40 GMT
Getting Ready to Roll https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/getting-ready-to-roll Thomas Viaduct Elkridge, MarylandThomas Viaduct Elkridge, MarylandThomas Viaduct, Elkridge, Maryland

After a busy Spring and early Summer, it is finally time to go out and enjoy some travel time. I've been tuning up my photo gear, selecting my load-out and preparing for an epic voyage: I'm going to make it a bit of a mystery, so stay tuned to this blog for updates along the way.

As part of my tune-up of gear and techniques, I went to the Patapsco State Park in Elkridge to take a look around and photograph the Thomas Viaduct. This railroad bridge, was built between July 4th 1833 and July 4th 1835. It is the world's oldest multiple-arched stone railroad bridge. It has survived numerous disastrous floods, including last summer's tragic flooding of Ellicott City. It remains in daily passenger and freight service, and is therefore one of the oldest operational bridges. It is 612 feet long and interestingly, is built on a 4 degree curve.

 

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Mark Pollitt Photography Thomas Viaduct railroad bridge https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/7/getting-ready-to-roll Thu, 06 Jul 2017 11:23:21 GMT
Spring in the Midwest https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/6/spring-in-the-mid-west Iowa SpringtimeIowa SpringtimeAmes, Iowa. June 2017

I journeyed to Iowa this week. It has been many years since I got to walk down a country road in America's heartland. The warm sun, gentle breeze, the smell of freshly tilled soil, and the bird songs are magically peaceful. It is a spiritual reminder that our country's industrial and political might are balanced by our agrarian roots. When life gets crazy, when the world seems mad, try to recall the peace and harmony of a world that changes with the seasons, bends to the weather, and does God's work.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Iowa Mark Pollitt Photography springtime https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/6/spring-in-the-mid-west Mon, 12 Jun 2017 02:43:43 GMT
NROL-76 Launch https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/5/nrol-76-launch NROL-76NROL-76The Launch of NROL-76, May 1, 2017

After getting scrubbed on Sunday, SpaceX scheduled another attempt to launch the NRO satellite early Monday morning. So again, I got up early and drove over to Titusville to try and photograph the launch. The launch pad was covered by a low, thick cloud deck with a great deal of moisture underneath. In fact, I got a rather interesting shot of the pad with a storm crossing an orange opening in the haze. But just about launch time, the cloud deck rose just a bit. And while it served to shield the lens from the direct rays of the rising sun, what resulted was one of the toughest backlight situations I've ever seen for a launch. But the result is a very environmental portrait of the launch.

SpaceX chose to land the first stage on the landing pad at Cape Canaveral. I was able to photograph a good portion of the decent, but was unable to see the final landing at the pad. I did get to experience the tremendous sonic boom associated with its return. Today's display of engineering and manufacturing excellence was truly inspiring. BZ

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Aviation Florida Mark Pollitt Photography NROL-76 SpaceX Titusville https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/5/nrol-76-launch Mon, 01 May 2017 23:52:24 GMT
Waiting for NROL-76 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/4/waiting-for-nrol-76 Waiting for NROL-76 Waiting for NROL-76

It seems that photographers (and firemen) only do two things: wait for things to happen or rush to where things are happening. The latter is easy - we know where we are going and what to do when we get there. The former is more difficult. Trying to make satisfying and productive use of what is otherwise "dead" time is a challenge. Sometimes we just force ourselves to do things that need doing, but aren't very satisfying. Cleaning lenses is a chore. I don't know many people who enjoy it. But sometimes it just pays to watch the world go by.

This morning, I got up before dawn to photograph the launch of a "spy satellite," NROL-76. I've shot more than a few launches, and know from experience that you need to get set up early to secure the best viewpoint. You setup your tripod and equipment and then you wait. More so with classified satellites, as they give you very wide launch windows and you don't know when it's actually going to go until the last few minutes. So, you wait. I always keep a spare body, with a wide-angle lens ready, to shoot contrails or "unprogrammed events" (bad things that happen to missiles.) It also serves as backup to the main camera in case of unprogrammed camera events.

This morning, as I stood around just waiting, what started as a very unremarkable dawn, yielded two very different shots in the matter of a couple of minutes.  The mission was scrubbed, so I get to get up early again tomorrow. But sometimes it just pays to watch the world go by. Enjoy!

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Florida Mark Pollitt Photography NROL-76 Sunrise Titusville https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/4/waiting-for-nrol-76 Mon, 01 May 2017 03:03:49 GMT
Royal Princess Cruise 2017 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/3/royal-princess-cruise-2017 Eleuthera SoundEleuthera Sound

After my long hiatius, we decided that we needed yet another cruise (#45). So, along with some friends, we booked a cruise on Princess Cruises Royal Princess. The ten-day trip took us from Ft. Lauderdale, to Eleuthera, St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire, and Aruba. It was good to get away and just enjoy life for a bit. It also gave me several opportunities to photograph both familiar and new sights. Having traveled to the Caribbean for many decades, the pace of change in the islands seems to accelerate with time. The increasing commercialization and economic colonization of the islands is leaving less and less of the essential natural habitats and culture. So, I try to photograph those that still exist.

I hope you enjoy this Royal Princess 2017 photo album.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Aruba Bonaire Dominica Eleuthera Ft. Grenada Lauderdale Mark Pollitt Photography Princess Cruise Lines Royal Princess St. Thomas https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/3/royal-princess-cruise-2017 Mon, 20 Mar 2017 00:27:14 GMT
I'm Back.... https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/3/im-back  

A Sundown on the MississippiMississippi River Sundown - February, 2017

After a long hiatus, I have returned to my blog. I resumed my journey with a business trip to New Orleans just before Mardi Gras. I have been there many times, but I hadn't been back since Katrina. Ten years after the storm, one can see the devastation everywhere. While the city's spirit has remained, it will still be a long time before it regains its glory.

In the meanwhile, I had just a bit of time to do some photography with a new camera: a Canon M3. While it will never replace my DSLR, it certainly has some interesting travel potential as well as some great image quality. I hope you enjoy my New Orleans 2017 album. I promise to be back soon with more travel, nature, and landscapes.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Canon M3 Mark Pollitt Photography New Orleans https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2017/3/im-back Fri, 17 Mar 2017 02:11:42 GMT
France 2016 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/7/france-2016 New Cloisters, Cluny AbbyNew Cloisters, Cluny Abby

In June we were scheduled for a couple of days in Paris, followed by a week-long cruise down the Saone and Rhone rivers of France. Travel doesn't always go the way it is planned. The weather in Paris was mostly overcast and rainy. France had gotten so much rain during the spring and early summer that all the rivers were so swollen that the ships could not navigate or pass under the bridges. So, after arriving at our ship, which was not were it was supposed to be, we ended up sleeping aboard the ship and taking daily bus tours to progressively more distant sights that we were supposed to sail to.  It was a very disappointing and exhausting trip.

But as a determined photographer, I believe that you can find, if not beauty, shots anywhere. So, I have put together a gallery that was the best I could do on this misadventure. Enjoy, and as always, please post your comments on the web.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) france mark pollitt photography rhone river cruise saone https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/7/france-2016 Sun, 24 Jul 2016 19:12:07 GMT
Launch of Atlas OA-6 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/3/launch-of-atlas-oa-6  

Liftoff of OA-6 Mission to the ISSLiftoff of OA-6 Mission to the ISS

March 22, 2016 - This was a picture perfect night for a launch. Pleasantly cool temperatures, a light breeze, and a full Moon set the stage for the latest re-supply mission to the International Space Station. United Launch Alliance didn't disappoint the many spectators by, once again, launching on-time, with no holds. I have posted a couple of pictures in a special gallery, at the request of a number of the spectators who shared the experience at one of Titusville's waterfront parks. I enjoyed your company.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Atlas Aviation Florida Mark Pollitt Photography OA-6 Titusville https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/3/launch-of-atlas-oa-6 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 13:52:24 GMT
Tico Airshow 2016 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/3/tico-airshow-2016

The Space Coast Regional Airport, once known as the Titusville-Cocoa Airport, and locally referred to as TICO , has hosted an air show for many years. It is one of the first of the airshow season, and is a popular show locally. This year's show included a new approach for Friday's events. It featured a somewhat shortened day show at 3:30 in the afternoon, followed by a twilight show at 7:30 and fireworks following that.

The weather was perfect, clear and with a moderate breeze. The show included a USAF F-16 Demonstration Team, several P-51's, T-28's, B-25's, a MIG-17, and the AeroShell demonstration Team. The pilots put on a good show, with the "show line" close enough for everybody to feel a part of the action. It has been awhile since I've photographed an air show, and the low-shutter speeds required to give the propellers a blur is a challenge. Add to that the rapidly fading light of the twilight show, and it made for a wonderful day and evening of shooting. Some selected images can be found on the TICO Airshow Page of my website.

Please enjoy and feel free to leave a post.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Florida Mark Pollitt Photography TICO Airshow Titusville aviation https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/3/tico-airshow-2016 Tue, 15 Mar 2016 18:22:04 GMT
Winter in the Southwest https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/3/winter-in-the-southwest

In connection with a recent business trip, I was able to take a bit of time to photograph two amazing locations: Grand Canyon National Park and Valley of Fire State Park. The former is, of course, one of the true wonders of the World, while the latter is a huge (~42,000 acres) Nevada State Park located about 50 miles North of Las Vegas. Both provide spectacular opportunities for photography.

Winter is a wonderful time to photograph in the Southwest. The sun and moon are bright, but the air is clear, with few clouds. The temperatures in the daytime are comfortable, but evenings can be downright cold.  Speaking of the moon, I happened to be at the Grand Canyon during a full moon that allowed me to do some long exposure shots. You can view the three galleries: Grand Canyon by Night, Daylight Grand Canyon, and Valley of Fire. I hope you enjoy this images. If you do, please feel free to leave a comment. Thanks.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Arizona Grand Canyon Mark Pollitt Photography Nevada Valley of Fire https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/3/winter-in-the-southwest Sun, 06 Mar 2016 17:40:36 GMT
Grand Canyon by Moonlight https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/2/grand-canyon-by-moonlight Kaibab by MoonlightKaibab by Moonlight

On a recent business trip to the Southwest, I was able to take a couple of days off to do some photography. One of the stops was at the Grand Canyon National Park. The sun set on us during the long drive to the park. We noticed, right after sunset, that a full moon was rising. So, after checking into our hotel and grabbing a bite to eat, we went out to take a look at the canyon by moon light. It was a magnificent view, with nobody around. Despite the cold temperatures, I decided to do some long-exposures images of the park. With a 30-second exposures, the scenes look like daylight. But if you look carefully, you can see the stars in the "blue" sky.

The next day, we were out at the rim before sunrise, and while it is a mystical experience, it didn't produce spectacular images. But we soldiered on and as the sun ascended in the sky, we got quite a few excellent images. These will be posted on a future gallery. But in Winter, the sun sets early and the cold returns. But since we had dinner in the park, I decided to try some "moon-rise" photos. These proved interesting as well.

The gallery for my moonlight images is here: http://www.markpollittphoto.com/p812840769

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Arizona Grand Canyon National Park Mark Pollitt Photography https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/2/grand-canyon-by-moonlight Mon, 29 Feb 2016 21:09:40 GMT
Best of 2015 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/2/best-of-2015 Bathing the Baths

As a started doing last year, I have put up a number of my favorite images for last year. A number of these you will also find in some of my other collections, but there are many that have not be previously published. You can find them at: http://www.markpollittphoto.com/p841888735.

I hope you will take a minute to look over these photos, comment on those you found particularly worthy, and inspire you to new journeys and adventures of your own - whether it is seeing a familiar object in a fresh way or feeling motivated to go someplace new. Photography is about seeing life in front of us.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Mark Pollitt Photography https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/2/best-of-2015 Wed, 10 Feb 2016 19:18:30 GMT
Orlando Wetlands Festival 2016 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/1/orlando-wetlands-festival-2016

It's that time of year again, the Orlando Wetlands Park will celebrate its 16th Annual Orlando Wetlands Festival at the park In Christmas, Florida. And this year it is special: they are celebrating the opening of the park on a year-round basis! Previously, the park has been closed during the winter. Now visitors can see the park 365 days a year, starting February 1, 2016. 

The festival will include guided birding hikes, plant identification hikes, a wetlands exploration with a noted biologist, hayrides and many other events.  I and several other photographers will be doing photo walks that day (mine is at 10:30 AM). Visitors need to park at the Fort Christmas Historical Park, where there are lots of exhibits, vendors and activities for kids. Then they can take a shuttle bus to the OWP, where they can partake of the various hikes, hay rides, and guided tours. It will be a wonderful celebration of Florida's True Nature.

For more information see the City of Orlando's site: http://www.cityoforlando.net/wetlands/wetlands-festival/

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Mark Pollitt Photography Orlando Wetlands Festival 2016 Orlando Wetlands Park https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/1/orlando-wetlands-festival-2016 Sat, 30 Jan 2016 13:14:04 GMT
Australia & New Zealand Photos https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/1/australia-new-zealand-photos Emerging LightEmerging Light

I had hoped to blog during our recent trip on the Celebrity Cruises Solstice, but the Internet connections were barely adequate for email, despite the excessive price. So, I had to wait until my return to post the photos from the trip.

The trip began over New Years - we took off on December 30th and landed in Sydney on January 1st. We spent a couple of days in Sydney, under some very unseasonable cloudy and rainy conditions, certainly not conducive to classical travel shots. We sailed on January 5th for Melbourne & Hobart in Australia; then on to the New Zealand ports of: Fiordland National Park, Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Taronga, Bay of Islands, and finally Auckland.

Each port provided new opportunities and challenges. The album is at: http://www.markpollittphoto.com/p954406221 I hope you will enjoy my efforts.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Australia Celebrity Cruises Mark Pollitt Photography New Zealand Solstice https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2016/1/australia-new-zealand-photos Fri, 22 Jan 2016 20:43:52 GMT
Amazon Adventure Photos https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/12/amazon-adventure-photos Play Music...Play Music...

For 26 wonderful days we got to sail from Miami to Manaus, Brazil and back, some 7,000 miles, making many wonderful new friends. As one person commented, "it's like an Amazon River Cruise sandwiched between two Caribbean cruises. The trip provided some great opportunities for photography, including travel, landscape, documentary, portraiture, and wildlife. I "culled" 150 photos from the 5900+ that I took and placed them in a single, cruise-specific collection: Regatta 2015. This is a bit larger than I like, and I will likely link many of the photos to more generic (landscape, nature, etc.) collections at a later date. I hope you enjoy them. Please leave me a post if you do!

In the meanwhile, I have to get ready for our next adventure: Australia and New Zealand!

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Amazon River Caribbean Mark Pollitt Photography Regatta https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/12/amazon-adventure-photos Tue, 08 Dec 2015 18:31:25 GMT
Welcome to the Amazon https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/11/welcome-to-the-amazon Blue & Gold Flight of Three

Yesterday we entered the mouth of the Mighty Amazon. It's width makes it almost impossible to see from side to side. But it is not the size that first hits you - it is the overwhelming smell of countless fires, set by residents to clear land for farming. What smells like destruction and loss of an important ecosystem to us, feels like progress to the residents. On a brighter note, about two dozen Blue and Yellow Macaws flew over the ship just before sunset. That feels like a warm welcome.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Amazon River Mark Pollitt Photography https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/11/welcome-to-the-amazon Fri, 13 Nov 2015 19:57:01 GMT
Miami Welcomes the Night https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/11/miami-welcomes-the-night Miami Welcomes the NightMiami Welcomes the Night

We begin our voyage to the far reaches of the Amazon from Miami, Florida. Our departure is delayed so we can take on more provisions, which allowed me time to photograph the city's transformation from gleaming, tropical metropolis to one of the most exciting cities in the world. The changes in the skyline, over time are phenomenal. When I was stationed here, many years ago, the building on the right of the photo, with the TV broadcast antenna, was the tallest building in town. The rising of the neon, with the setting of the sun was an appropriate send-off on our journey. Stay tuned for updates on our trip.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Florida Mark Pollitt Photography Miami https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/11/miami-welcomes-the-night Thu, 05 Nov 2015 03:20:09 GMT
Florida Fall https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/10/florida-fall Florida Fall FoliageFlorida Fall Foliage

When you think of Fall, you think of mountains and trees of yellow, orange, and red. You think of cool days and chilly nights. We don't have that in Florida. Fall, for us, is a transition between the oppressive heat and humidity of Summer to the season that is the reason for Florida: Winter. But for a brief few weeks, the air dries out, the days are merely warm and the wildflowers abound. This is Florida's Fall.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Florida Mark Pollitt Photography https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/10/florida-fall Tue, 20 Oct 2015 20:10:38 GMT
Washington Night Shoot https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/8/washington-night-shoot

I was out shooting at the Howard Country Nature Conservancy, when a gentleman came over to talk to me. It turned out that he was a member of a local photo guild and he invited me to go with them on a sunset/night shoot down in Washington, DC. I'm always interested in meeting other photographers, so I quickly agreed. I had a wonderful evening shooting with the Central Maryland Photographer's Guild. Thanks John Maloney!

You can see more of the images from that shoot on my Washington, DC gallery.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Mark Pollitt Photography Washington, DC https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/8/washington-night-shoot Sun, 30 Aug 2015 22:09:23 GMT
Sacramento https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/8/sacramento

I recently spent several days in Sacramento, California on business. Fortunately, I was able to take a bit of time off to photograph some of the city's sights and surrounding countryside. Not being very familiar with the area, I was fortunate to have gotten some location advice from David McKay, from McKay Photography Academy. David was very generous with his advice and I look forward to doing a photo trip with him. In addition to Sacramento, I was able to wander around Sutter's Creek, Amador, and Volcano - old mining towns to the Southeast of Sacramento. On one particularly memorable evening, I was joined by friend and fellow photographer Carl Kriigel. You can see the gallery from this trip on the California page of my website.

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Amador, CA Mark Pollitt Photography Sacramento Sutters Creek, CA Volcano, CA https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/8/sacramento Tue, 18 Aug 2015 13:01:14 GMT
Pinckney National Wildlife Refuge https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/6/pinckney-national-wildlife-refuge Storm BrewingStorm BrewingStorm Brewing over Pinckney Island

 

Pinckney Island PathPinckney Island PathPinckney Island Path

On a recent drive up the East Coast, I had a small amount of time to spend at Pinckney National Wildlife Refuge before some wicked thunderstorms hit. I only had time to do a few shots, and given the dramatic skies, with high contrast, I chose to do a couple of HDR strings. The pictures you see here are the result. Enjoy!

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Mark Pollitt Photography Pinckney Island South Carolina https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/6/pinckney-national-wildlife-refuge Sun, 07 Jun 2015 03:00:36 GMT
Madeira Photography https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/4/madiera-photography

During my recent transatlantic voyage, we stopped in Madeira. This island, some 360 miles West of Morocco, is  part of Portugal and is noted for its wines. It is a volcanic island with steep hills and a rugged coast. The islanders have created vast terraced fields where they grow a multitude of crops and flowers. It is a stunningly beautiful island. Having been there before, I knew that I wanted to spend my time there photographing its landscapes. I was unable to find a dedicated photography guide, but was able to locate a highly-rated tourist firm, Hit The Road Tours, and it's owner, Jeff, was willing to work with me to spend a day photographing the island. While he didn't have a photographic background, he's a quick study and he knows all the best spots to see on the island. Together, we had a great time and the resulting photographs came out well. I look forward to working with Jeff and  his firm again. I welcome you to view my photos in the Madeira collection

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Hit The Road Tours Madeira Mark Pollitt Photography Portugal https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/4/madiera-photography Wed, 29 Apr 2015 14:27:14 GMT
Rescue at Sea https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/4/rescue-at-sea On a recent Transatlantic voyage, our ship had to divert towards the Azores in order to facilitate the medical evacuation of a passenger. The Portuguese Air Force sent a Merlin helicopter, along with a fixed-wing "bird dog," to act as top cover and radio relay. The rescue occurred at dawn and I was able to get some pretty good shots of the action. It was odd, having been the one (in the distant past) flying the helicopter, to be photographing the mission.

The mission was well executed by both the crew of the MS Riviera and the Portuguese Air Force.  The patient, I understand, is doing well. Bravo Zulu!

You can see some of the photos on the Rescue @ Sea page.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Marina Mark Pollitt Photography Oceania Portuguese Air Force cruise helicopter rescue ship https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/4/rescue-at-sea Sat, 25 Apr 2015 20:12:27 GMT
Opening Day at Orlando Wetlands Park https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/2/opening-day-at-orlando-wetlands-park Some people look forward to the Opening Day of baseball. Others look forward to the beginning of school. Every year, I look forward to the opening of the Orlando Wetlands Park. This year the weather was wonderful and the public came out in unprecedented numbers. This is one of the best kept secrets in the Orlando area. If you're around, they will be holding their 15th Annual Wetlands Festival on Saturday, February 21, 2015. That's something else to look forward to.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Orlando Wetlands Festival orlando wetlands park https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/2/opening-day-at-orlando-wetlands-park Wed, 04 Feb 2015 00:55:14 GMT
Best of 2014 https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/1/best-of-2014 Roundhouse DomeThe dome of the B&O Roundhouse in Baltimore, Maryland

One of the problems of creating a large number of photographs each year is to decide how to display and share them. I have noticed that a number of my photographic idols, including Art Wolfe have done an annual "Best of." I thought I'd give it a try. So I created a collection,  The Best of 2014, and I invite you to take a look. Please leave me a message if you enjoyed any of the photos or would like to leave feedback.

It turns out that doing this, while a lot of work, has some benefits. It forces you to really evaluate your work critically. It also allows you to see, in one place, the depth and breadth of your work: what did I do well, what major areas aren't represented in my best work, how is my style evolving? It also allows you to put a period after the year's work, as well as, define and focus on goals for the next year.  Please enjoy my images.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Best of 2014 Mark Pollitt https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/1/best-of-2014 Sun, 18 Jan 2015 15:22:40 GMT
This isn't the Amazon! https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/1/this-isnt-the-amazon As some of you know, I was scheduled for a wonderful cruise up the Amazon over the holidays. I was really looking forward to photographing this part of the world. It was an important item on my "bucket list." Unfortunately, a couple of days before we were to sail from Miami on the MS Insignia, she had a fatal engine fire in St. Lucia. After ascertaining that the ship was not seaworthy, it was towed to San Juan for repairs. Needless to say, we were very disappointed. I had a month-long "hole" in my schedule, with no time to fill it with something exciting. So, I spent some time up in Maryland. At least I got one good river photo! But we'll look forward to another Amazon trip. Patapsco State ParkPatapsco State Park

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Maryland Patapsco State Park https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2015/1/this-isnt-the-amazon Sun, 04 Jan 2015 18:50:06 GMT
Launch of Orion https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2014/12/launch-of-orion  

Orion's LaunchOn December 5, 2014, the Orion capsule launched aboard a Delta V Heavy

I got up early two mornings in a row in order to witness the launch of the Orion space capsule. This marks the return of the United States to the manned space flight program. I have witnessed quite a few launches after the demise of the shuttle program. This was a wonderful, dawn launch. But what was truly amazing was to see the tens of thousands of spectators come to view this mission. In talking to these ordinary citizens, it was heart-warming to see and hear their pride in this next phase of space exploration. We've been away too long.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Canaveral Cape Orion https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2014/12/launch-of-orion Sun, 07 Dec 2014 02:34:08 GMT
The Hague & Vienna https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2014/1/the-hague-vienna Unfortunately, my travels have been limited by work, but I had to make a quick overseas trip on business and was able to steal a few hours of photography along the way. With very short days and grey skies, there were very limited opportunities for the touristic, bright sunny day shots. But cloudy skies have their own magic. Please enjoy!

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Austria Hague Netherlands Vienna Wein https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2014/1/the-hague-vienna Wed, 22 Jan 2014 12:50:09 GMT
South America Cruise https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2013/3/south-america-cruise This is a really late posting. I have an excuse, but you don't want to hear it. In December of 2012, we took an 18-day cruise on Oceania's Marina. From the cities of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile to the wilds of Patagonia, it was quite a journey. The seas were rough and most of the days were overcast and dark. But the ship was brilliant! Occasionally I was blessed with some photo opportunities. Check out my new album South America 2012.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Marina South America https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2013/3/south-america-cruise Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:36:20 GMT
Skyline Drive, Monticello and Richmond https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2012/7/skyline-drive-monticello-and-richmond Shenendoah Valley Sunset Before the vicious June 29th Storm hit and the subsequent oppressive heat wave descended on the Mid-Atlantic, I was fortunate to enjoy the last mild weather with a trip to Virginia. The Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park provided wonderful landscape opportunities as well as some interesting wildlife, including a close encounter with two bears. It is amazing to realize that this wonderful and wild place is within day-trip range of over 60 million people. We should all be grateful to President Hoover for his foresight.

We stopped at Monticello on our way to Richmond for a business meeting. While the temperatures were beginning to soar, the skies were clear and provided some good shots of Mr. Jefferson's amazing home and gardens. Once we got to Richmond the temperatures reached 104 degrees and therefore the only photos I chose to take were interiors of the Jefferson Hotel, an amazing Richmond landmark.

As always enjoy the photos. You can find the complete Virginia trip in the Travel section or just the landscapes in the corresponding section.

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Monticello National Park Richmond Shenendoah Virginia https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2012/7/skyline-drive-monticello-and-richmond Wed, 11 Jul 2012 17:02:31 GMT
Baltimore Sailabration https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2012/7/baltimore-sailabration Baltimore Tall Ships

I have been associated with Baltimore, Maryland for much of the last 25 years. I have watched it evolve from a down-on-its-luck shadow of its industrial past to a new, modern and vibrant city. Last month, as part of the War of 1812 Bicentennial celebrations, they hosted a visit by over 40 ships, from 3-masted tall ships to modern warships.  The weather cooperated and the citizens turned out to welcome their maritime visitors from around the world.

I went out very early one morning and along with what must have been every photographer within 500 miles, got to photograph the celebration. As always, enjoy the photos from this wonderful event.

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Baltimore War of 1812 maritime history sailing ships https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2012/7/baltimore-sailabration Sat, 07 Jul 2012 03:36:25 GMT
Fantasy of Flight https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2012/4/fantasy-of-flight

B-25 BomberIMG_2409-Edit      On my way to Tampa, to renew my Flight Instructor's license, I stopped at Kermit Week's Fantasy of Flight. This is an amazing collection of aircraft, may of which are flyable, including this B-25J bomber. He has amassed many dozens of aircraft and untold engines, propellers and other items of aviation history. He is to be lauded for using his resources to not only preserve aviation history, but to share aviation's many dimensions: emotional, spiritual, technical and artistic.

   While I spent several thousands of hours flying a wide variety of aircraft, I have only recently learned to view them as alternately works of art and inspiring monuments to their builders and crews. In some cases, such as the photo above, they can also be a canvas. Taking this photograph was an interesting exercise in trying to capture the aircraft's power, beauty, and environment while inviting the viewer to imagine what it must be like to fly in a B-25. You can find more photographs from Fantasy of Flight in the Aviation section of my website.

by: Mark Pollitt

©2012 Mark Pollitt Photography

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) aviation vintage aircraft https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2012/4/fantasy-of-flight Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:33:45 GMT
Wetlands Dawn https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2012/4/wetlands-mornings

Wetlands Dawn

4/11/12

Wetlands Dawn 04/11/12IMG_6605-Edit


     I've never really liked to get up early in the morning, especially before dawn. I do it when circumstances demand, such as work, but rarely because it feels good.

 

     But as all photographers know, there is a magical light that is only available right after dawn and just before sunset. It's often called the "golden hour." For photographers like me, we would prefer to specialize in the latter edition of the golden hour. Certainly it must be the same as the earlier version, after all,  light is light. But an addiction to photography makes one do strange things, like get up early to photograph things and places that are only available during the "early edition" of the golden hour. If you're really addicted, then you do uncomfortable things just to see what happens. Thus, I arose early several days recently. I found out two things.

 

     All "golden hour" light is not created equal. I can't prove it with a spectrograph, but it just isn't. It may just be my eyes, but the blues seem more delicate and the reds even more vibrant than at sunset. That alone is worth getting up for.

 

     In the wetlands, animals start to move with the rising sun, and it is a good time to see wildlife. It is a hard time to photograph wildlife, as the light is dimmer than it appears to our eyes. But the dawn rewards another of our senses, our ears. Before the dawn, the sounds are soft and mellow, save the occasional pig frog's deep, resonant croak and the limpkin's chilling scream. But as the sun rises, it seems that every living creature, at least all the birds, celebrate the new day with sound, if not song. Standing still, behind my tripod, in the still of the dawn, I slowly become uplifted by the avian crescendo that peaks just after the sun separates from the horizon and takes control of the day. Almost imperceptibly, the chorus dissipates and becomes the background noise of another wetlands day.

by: Mark Pollitt      

©2012 Mark Pollitt Photography

Photo taken at Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas, FL

 

 

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[email protected] (Mark Pollitt Photography) Orlando Wetlands Park https://www.markpollittphoto.com/blog/2012/4/wetlands-mornings Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:45:33 GMT