Stuck In Customs

This reminds me that some of the coolest art at Burning Man has some of the simplest concepts. One of my previous favorites was just a tree that lit up in the middle of the desert that was green in the day and multi-colored at night. This one, I wish I had also taken photos of it on the first day before it got all dusty, The reflection was perfect, and I did not expect it to get so dusty. That said, it still came out pretty cool and probably more reflective of the reality of the experience in the end. 🙂

The Dust Sphere

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2018-08-31 10:19:47
• CameraILCE-7RM3
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/2000
• Aperture4
• ISO80
• Focal Length24.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

I took a long hike one morning here on the edge of Chile. It was quite a vertical ascent too, and I did it without any water, hoping I would find some freshwater lakes along the way. Luckily enough, I came across this one where I filled up my bottle with some of the best water I’ve ever tasted.

Fresh Patagonia

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2009-03-31 06:30:34
• CameraNIKON D3X
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time1/15
• Aperture22
• ISO100
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashNo Flash
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

After a while shooting hobbit holes, you’d think I’d become a little tired of the subject-matter, but I never have! Each little hobbit hole (there are 44 I think at Hobbiton?) is perfectly adorned and unique in its own way. Plus, they all change a little with every season so that adds some nice variety whenever I go there.

Yet Another Perfect Little Hobbit Hole

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2016-05-25 06:26:56
• CameraILCE-7RM2
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/60
• Aperture8
• ISO250
• Focal Length11.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

The “floor” in these abandoned buildings in Namibia, isn’t really the floor, it’s an accumulation of sand over time that is slowly filling the structures. I assume that if I were to return sometime in the future, I’d find the whole place gone. Consumed by the desert, waiting for a future civilisation to find once we’re all gone.

Consuming Sand

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2014-09-23 04:04:59
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/20
• Aperture8
• ISO100
• Focal Length12.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-1.7

In the Guanxi province there are the same sort of rock formations as the Grand Canyon, with one exception, there is vegetation here. It holds together a lot of the rock so it is eaten away at a much slower pace, forming these amazing archipelagos in the sky.

The Impossible Spires

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2014-06-07 11:21:41
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/60
• Aperture4
• ISO100
• Focal Length15.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

Now here, somewhat above Chefchaouen, is a place where the military police shut us down with our quadcopter! I came into town with Anton and Ana from SmugMug to work on a promo piece. We had been already using Anton’s quadcopter all over Morocco, but when we got here, the taxi driver alerted the local military police that we had some sort of a “plane”! This caused a lot of worry and consternation (and, I should add, a significant amount of confusion). After we were there for half an hour, the military police descended on our hotel with a rather sour attitude. I’ve never had any success negotiating with the Moroccan military, and I had no success here either. I did put up a good intellectual fight, but I eventually acquiesced, mostly because of the size of their guns. Well, there was no gunplay… but I did see a lot of guns… which always helps one side win an argument. So, while I’d like to have had a proper shot from the air, it was not to be!

Not as High as I’d Hoped

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2014-03-05 06:59:23
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/30
• Aperture16
• ISO160
• Focal Length15.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

One of the craziest things about Burning Man was when, during the burn, huge gas bombs explode suddenly and send shockwaves through your body. It gets me every time. It’s both scary and awe-inspiring and results in huge black boiling clouds that tear up into the sky being illuminated by the fireworks and lasers of the event.

The Colors of the Burn

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2015-09-06 12:34:12
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/250
• Aperture4.5
• ISO800
• Focal Length38.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

Wow, the last year has flown. I think things being back to a bit more of normality after Covid has really thrown my concept of time passing. It feels like only a couple of months ago I was back in the desert for the first BM in a few years. This was a particular highlight from that trip… can’t wait to see what Michael Benisty does this time round!

Starting to Think of Burning Man

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2022-09-05 12:01:59
• CameraILCE-7RM3
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/1600
• Aperture4
• ISO50
• Focal Length84.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

One of the lovely little houses that I stayed in during my most recent exploration of Japan. My goal on that trip was to head out of the big cities and really get to know the normal day to day life of the wider country and it was an awesome experience.

Shirakawa-go in the Snow

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2019-02-14 21:26:17
• CameraILCE-7RM2
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/6
• Aperture7.1
• ISO200
• Focal Length24.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias+2

The modern business area of Paris is certainly worth a trip! It’s not long on the metro to emerge into this area. Initially I never really wanted to go down here, even though I kept hearing good things about it. To me, it wasn’t really Paris, you know… modern buildings and all. But, once I got down here, I was very pleasantly surprised. There are a ton of cool buildings and a thousand great compositions waiting to be had!

The Modern Paris

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2012-11-11 20:37:48
• CameraNIKON D800
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time2
• Aperture8
• ISO200
• Focal Length14.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-1