Galapagos

Getting a good shot of one bird, let alone four, in flight is tricky. I was lucky and got this one.

The birds in the Galapagos are not only photogenic, but easy to approach, as they have had, at least in evolutionary terms, no natural enemies. I shot this lava heron against a volcanic crater filled with pale, milky green water which makes a nice, contrasting background.

The marine iquanas spend a lot of time in the sun warming up after their feeding forays in the water. This group was perfectly posed with a lovely late afternoon sky in the background.

The distant hillside with its pale trees and interesting lighting makes an otherworldy landscape.

The Galapagos are an amazing place. The contrasts are striking. Here, a beautiful heron looking off into the distance standing on stark, rough volcanic rock.

The variety of unusual birds in the Galapagos is amazing. This pelican was shot at about 300mm standing up in a small boat. Let's hear it for image stabilization.

This telephoto shot of seal rock in late afternoon sun sets up a nice color contrast between the rock and the bluish-green ocean.

The animals in the Galapagos are not afraid of people. I was very close to this sleeping seal when I took this. A magical place.

On the way back to the boat from one of our excursions I noticed the setting sun's lighting on some of the formations. Unfortunately, or fortunately, in the little boats, I kept my gear in large waterproof bags. When we got back to the ship, I raced to the top deck taking my gear out as I went. I got a few good shots. This was the most interesting one. These are very close to the real colors!

This was taken on the same afternoon as many of my best Galapagos shots. The cactus and warm colored grass in front of it contrasted nicely with the volcanic rock and dead trees in the background. This was a long shot, I'd guess around 300mm.

The birds on the Galapagos have no natural fear of people, so you can approach quite close, although the guides will keep you at an appropriate distance. This blue footed booby was nesting and didn't mind my taking pictures at all. I really like the pattern of the head feathers on these birds.

There are several varieties of iguanas in the galapagos, although all are marine. This red one against the green seaweed struck a wonderful pose.

This red rock with blue water in front and golden hill behind is a striking picture.