Galapagos Trip

[Raid]

Hi Everybody

Well I have been of travelling again, this time the Galapagos Islands. This is a must see destination and should be on top of everyone's list.

For those who don't know about the Galapagos (see link below), most of the wild life here lacks predators, meaning that they don't fear humans. Deliberately interfering with the wildlife (touching, waving, yelling etc) may get you kicked off the trip, so think first.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galápagos_Islands

Equipment

Canon 7D, EF 70-300L, EF-S 10-22, EF-S 17-85. For this trip I finally upgraded to the 7D only because my 350D was getting < 1000 shots to a pair a batteries (even new AA's). The camera was clearly on its way out so an upgrade was mandatory.

Well I never thought I would say this but, on many occasions when photographing birds the EF 70-300L was just too long (see first image). The birds are happy to land next to you, I was always struggling to zoom out and move away from the subject. Always look behind you before moving back, you might step on an Iguana or off a cliff.

One thing that totally surprised me about these islands was how clean they are. I never saw any rubbish (paper, plastic etc.) on any of the non-inhabited islands (two islands are permanently inhabited). This is not just a credit to those who manage the environment but also to those who visit.

As their are no hotels on any of the islands, the only accommodation is on ships. This is a great advantage because you can spend one day on an island, then overnight the ship moves to another location/island for the next days exploring. As all of the islands are so very different, with so many unique creatures you don't get bored.

I was relaxing on the second last day on board ship. I noticed a Frigate effortlessly riding the wind just metres from the ship. I thought that this would make a brilliant shot, the light, the subject and the background were perfect. Then I remembered that this is a holiday and relaxed just taking in the incredible view.

For those who live in the Americas, this is a short plane ride to Ecuador, so start planning now.

[bouwy]

WOW Incredible shots....Well done

Wally

[Andy Stringer]

I have to agree, having visited the islands this summer, that it's a great place for any nature/wildlife photography enthusiasts to spend some time.

Good pictures, Raid. Thanks for sharing.

[thekingb]

Awesome! It's so funny to hear that the 70-300L was too long for birds. It's chronically too short for birds just about every other place in the world!

[Kayaker72]

Raid....thanks for sharing the pictures.....it sounds like a great trip!

[Sheiky]

Wow, cool shots! This seems like a beautiful place to go to and now that you said it, I not only know the name of the place, but I also know where it is. Never knew that before