In part one of my series about photography in the Galapagos Islands I went over the gear I used and the camera settings I chose. If you have not already done so, I suggest reading part one. Here, in part two, I discuss ten things you must consider based on what I learned shooting thousands…
Author: Garrett and Stephanie Estep
Retired early to travel the world.
Galapagos Islands Photography. The gear I used and settings I chose. Part I of III.
What camera and lens did you use? This is a common question since my photos from the Galapagos Islands were posted. So I decided to write about my photography experience. This article is based solely on my weeklong guided tour in the Galapagos Islands (specifically the eastern, central, and southern islands) on board the Archipel…
Galapagos Islands. (March, 2022, Part III).
Day four of our tour was spent on Isla Santa Cruz, where we mingled with Galapagos Giant Tortoises. After riding zodiacs into Puerto Ayora, the largest town on the islands, we jumped onto a bus for ride to El Chato 2 Ranch, which bills itself as a “tortuga crossing private ecological reserve”. No one on…
Galapagos Islands. (March, 2022, Part II).
On day four we took an afternoon nap … and wondered why we did not take naps on days two and three. I also wondered how in the hell the older folks were able to keep up with two nature walks and two snorkeling sessions most days. Here is our daily schedule: 6:45 AM. Our…
Galapagos Islands. (March, 2022, Part I).
I never imagined going to the Galapagos Islands. But here we are, about to start an eight day, seven night cruise around the eastern, central, and southern Galapagos Islands on board the Archipel I. Parque Nacional Galápagos is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park covers 97% of the land on the archipelago. The surrounding…
Quito, Ecuador. (March, 2022, Part II).
Much to our surprise, on Friday, March 3, it was partly sunny for about half the day. We took this opportunity to go to La Virgen del Panecillo, the tallest aluminum sculpture in the world. It is a replica of La Virgen de Quito (a wooden sculpture by Bernardo de Legarda) situated on el Panecillo,…
Quito, Ecuador. (March, 2022, Part I).
It’s rainy season in Quito. When we landed at Mariscal Sucre Airport, in the midst of a dense cloud bank, it was raining lightly. Tomorrow the forecast is for rain. The day after, rain. The following day, more rain. And so on for the entire week, 80% to 100% chance of rain daily. As it…
Puerto Vallarta, México. (February, 2022, Part III).
Whale watching in Bahia de Banderas is a good time. Being caught out in a torrential downpour out in the bay, not so much. Bahia de Banderas is a winter gathering spot for humpback whales, where they mate, give birth, and cruise around prior to migrating north. During our tour we saw over 15 whales,…
Puerto Vallarta, México. (January, 2022, Part II).
The church bells ring daily at 6:30 AM, 15 to 20 times in relatively quick succession. Repeat at 6:45 AM. Again at 7:00 AM. Parroquia Nuestra Señora del Refugio is directly across the plaza from our Airbnb. More to the point, its two bell towers are directly across from us. The call to service…