African Scrapbook : Telling a photographer --at least this photographer-- not to take a picture is like telling the sun not to come up! My African guides have always discouraged me from taking images of the people and their lifestyles. For years, as I bounced & jiggled along the rutty dirt roads going through the rural towns, villages, and bustling cities with my nose pressed against the van window, I have grudgingly refrained from shooting. My longing to capture on film and share the fabulous colors, and different scenic- lifestyles I was seeing finally got the better of me. The risk to ‘life and limb’ (and camera ) was too great to be able to get out of the van and take a perfectly focused, sharp image…plus, I would loose the spontaneous mood I was trying to capture. As the saying goes; “where there is a will, there is a way” and I found a way. Hope you enjoy this mini-safari, my first attempt at shooting the African lifestyle at 30 mph (or faster)!
Galapagos: In a few days I’ll be getting on a plane from Miami to Quito, Ecuador -- the first leg of my photographic adventure to the Galapagos. I’ll be spending sixteen full days on The Tip Top III, a fully outfitted 16-passenger yacht. Other than enjoying fabulous photo “opps”, my purpose of the trip is to investigate the possibilities of an all-photographers’-trip. Those of you who have been to the Galapagos know how restricted and protected the islands are (which I applaud), and how frustrating it can be to those of us who want to spend more time in front of the blue-footed booby or that giant land iguana sunning itself three feet from our lens! Hopefully, I’ll return at the end of October with wonderful images to share and a good report for another Joanne Williams Photo Adventure! At the very least, a pictorial photo adventure!
Titusville Birding Festival Reminder-- November 16th-20th: Mark your calendars, bring your spouses, significant others and friends. The Festival’s founder & chief organizer, Laurilee Thompson, tells me that this year will set all records for activities, sponsors, trips etc. Check their website for details & on-line signup: www.nbbd.com/fly/I’ll be conducting three in-the-field workshops and giving a slide presentation “You’re Strictly For The Birds” in the auditorium on Wednesday afternoon and Friday afternoon. Do come and visit my booth… as in years past, I am offering, by appointment onlyand on a first come, first signup basis only, four (4) fifteen-minute-each private critique sessions free of charge. Neta Harris, the Festival’s coordinator (of just-about-everything!) has kindly given me the same booth location again this year—thanks Neta! You don’t have to be a birder, naturalist, or a photographer to enjoy this great area of Florida. See you there!
Panama Photo Safari March 3 rd thru March 9 th, 2006: A wonderful opportunity to visit, enjoy, and photograph a very special area of the world. For detailed information, visit my website www.natureandwildlife.com or www.joannewilliamsphoto.com. There has been a great deal of interest shown since the final dates were announced and the trip is filling up, so don’t delay if you think this trip is for you!
