Colombian image wins silver at WAPPA 2013

I wonder how many pro photographers submitted entries this week taken on compact cameras? Well, I'm coming clean. One of my entries was taken on my Fuji X100 and it ended being awarded a Silver Award in the Travel Section.

I liked the Fuji X100 (recently superseded by Fuji's X100s) right from the moment I first picked it up a year or two back. Since that first meeting I've grown to enjoy this remarkable little camera. But its not for everyone. I think you need to have an individual, old-school philosophy to develop a meaningful relationship with the X100, especially with the fixed, 23mm wide-angle lens.

However, I'm yet to find another compact that can match the sensor quality and high-ISO performance of this retro-styled camera.

The shot was taken earlier this year in Cartagene, Colombia. I wandered into the town square before breakfast one morning and spotted a local lovingly polishing his favourite statue. (For the technical buffs I shot the image on 1.500@f4 using 800ISO.)

Footnote: The Colombia tour was a photographic tour led my Peter Lambert and myself. Our next tour is in Feb 2014 on roads less travelled in Southern India and beyond. If you'd like a copy of the itinerary and prices for Images of India please email India@wildheart.com.au

Viva Colombia! Viva Australia!

How many times have you been on tour and something doesn't turn out quite as well as you anticipated? Then, there are the times when something happens that exceeds your expectations.

When our Colombian guide Julio announced that the next day we were going to visit the Valley of the Palms, my mind went into a secret 'ho hum' mode. I thought. 'You've seen one palm, you've seen them all' (a bit like temples). Even Julio's explanation that the palm's were among the world's rarest only raised my pulse by a smidge.

But two things happened to change my mind. One affected my stomach .... the other my heart. 

At 2140 meters we walked the Valley of the Palms, crossed a waterfall on a swing bridge and photographed some eye-catching flora.

In the early afternoon we called into a mountain-top restaurant for lunch.  Like many South American countries trout featured prominently on the menu; garlic trout, lemon trout; grilled trout, fried trout, baked trout, drowned trout, trout drowned in sesame oil, trout downed in tomatoes, trout with beetroot and trout without beetroot.

How could I order anything else but trout? I ordered garlic trout. I'm still a great believer in the antibiotic properties of garlic. The others ordered a variety of trout dishes. Twenty minutes later plates of golden pan-fried trout arrived. Size does count! These were the biggest trout I had ever seen. Each was served on a crisp corn arepa - a bit like the grand-daddy of corn crisps.  The trout looked mouth-watering - and they tasted even better. The best fish I've tasted in years.

Following lunch our guide invited us to a palm planting ceremony on the slopes of the mountain just below the restaurant. Once again, I was anticipating a yawn session. Juan, a joyful, robust Colombian of sensible years told us about his passion for joining with tourists in palm-planting for future generations. He spoke of mother earth, the need for respect and love  mother earth and each other. I liked this larger than life guy!

Three of our group volunteered to plant palms with Juan. They dug in the rich, black volcanic soil and dirtied their hands together. One at a time they planted a palm with Juan. Juan's passion and reverence was contagious. Each planter joined with Juan in throwing their arms in the air to thank the spirits. Juan enthusiastically embraced all the planters.

For the finale we formed a circle, locked arms and Juan led the chorus of Via Colombia! Viva Australia!

I was really moved by this simple ceremony. The sense of love. sharing and goodwill that emanated from such a simple gesture made me think deep and hard. Viva Colombia! Viva Juan!


The tour of Colombia was co-led by Peter Lambert and Dale Neill. Their next tour 'Images of India' is in February 2014. For details email India@wildheart.com.au

Statement Doorways

Doors and entrances have long been a favourite subject for photographers. In Greece, Peru and Colombia the entry portals are a great source of pride. Intense, saturated colours, layers of flaking colours set off by ornate door knockers tell us something about the owners.

I'm a bit averse to shooting doors because I rate them a bit like a bird on a  stick, a centred red rose or a sunset. They are static and just a bit too easy. But every now and then I weaken and seek out a good door followed by two slices of pizza.

I remember visiting East Berlin before the wall came down and was intrigued and saddened by the long lines of dismal, grey, dusty doors. The only texture was provided by occasional bullet holes pock marks still unrepaired after WW2.

Think of our own doorways and entrances in Australia. Most smack of conservativism; perhaps reflecting a fear to express ourselves.

I found the Colombian people to be warm, friendly and helpful. They are rejoicing their new found freedom since the curtailment of 'the violence' when the drug lords ruled the country. The coffee shops are filled with people enjoying the world's best coffee and arguing about football, politics and women. At least we've got that in common with Colombians. But we still have a bit of catching up to do to get coffee for $2. I suspect I may get an azure blue front door before I get a  $2 coffee.

(Peter Lambert and I are leading a photography/wildlife tour to eastern India departing 15 Feb 2014. If you would like more details email Dale at India@wildheart.com.au)