Continuing my intention to highlight the more interesting photos taking up space on my hard drive, I’ve created 6 new galleries:
As will be noticeable in a couple of the galleries, there are still plenty of images to be added. I’m about half way through sorting through the photos from my last trip to Florida and as such will update the galleries as often as I can.
I love Fireworks displays and it’s got to be said when photographing fireworks displays is when I get the most “snap happy”. I’ve often taken more than 400 pictures in the space of 15 – 20 minutes. It worse now with the DSLR and at the last 2 trips I took over 600 at each display… This obviously means a large amount of time sitting in front of the computer sifting through the chaff, but it does also give a higher chance of having taken that perfect shot.
At this point in time there are 4 pictures taken at the 2008 Lord Mayor’s Fireworks Display on London’s River Thames. This is a gallery that will continue to grow and will shortly include pictures from the Wishes and IllumiNations: Refelctions of Earth displays at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Epcot theme parks respectively.
In March of 2008 Chrisy and I headed to the Spanish resort of Estepona to chill and celebrate my birthday. Admittedly too short a trip to properly explore the area, we did head up in to the mountains and found the dramatic city of Ronda as well as a day trip to the nearby British territory of Gibraltar.
Still using my old Sony Cybershot P73 digital camera, my ability to photograph what I saw was certainly more limited than my current cameras allow, but the trip highlighted for me how much the city of Ronda has to offer – I certainly intend to return in the future. I found Gibraltar interesting but during the limited time there I found St Michel’s Caves and the Rock Monkeys offered the only decent photo opportunities. We were able to see the North African coast from Europa Point, but photographically it didn’t offer anything for me.
I think my favourite photos are the sunset shots taken from the Estepona beach in front of the bar/restaurant La Vela Azul. Mixing a beautiful Sunset with the memories of sitting in the bar drinking Cacique Rum and Diet Coke with Chrisy – what more could I have asked for…
Florida, Walt Disney World and SeaWorld, Orlando
While it would be fair to say that as both Walt Disney World and SeaWorld Orlando are both in Florida, I maybe should have created a single gallery, as any photographer who has been to the theme parks should be able to attest to, they offer so many photo opportunities that they warrant their own showcases.
The Florida gallery will include pictures taken in the beautiful town of Mount Dora, as well as the vibrant cities of Miami and Orlando, the isolated beauty of the Everglades and the unusual curiosity that is Homestead’s Coral Castle.
The Walt Disney World gallery will concentrate on the varied range of imagery, both natural and “Disney-fied” that can be found in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and the Animal Kingdom.
The SeaWorld Orlando gallery covers not only SeaWorld and the magic of its marine enclosures and shows, but also the water park Aquatica and wonderfully luxuriant day out that is Discovery Cove.
Despite a reputation for abusing the natural resources of the planet, it cannot be denied that for such an industrial country America has set aside a large amount of land for State and National Parks.
While I haven’t the available lifespan to visit every single State and National Park in the United States, those that I have visited so far have been full of natural beauty and the inspiration for my continued endeavours in improving my photography. There are more places I’d like to visit such as: Texas’ Big Bend National Park on the border with Mexico; Utah’s Zion National Park; Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park and the multi-state Yellowstone National Park.
For now the gallery consists of a recollection of the Bahia Honda State Park and the Dry Tortugas National Park images from the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas galleries and will soon include recently taken pictures from Blue Spring and De Leon Springs State Parks, both of which can be found North East of Orlando not far from the Ocala National Forest.