Capturing the Moment

Hungry Whale Shark      Whale Sharks, ( Rhincodon typus ), are the world's biggest fish. They are a shark, but unlike their more well-known relatives the whale shark does not have teeth. Instead it uses gill rakers to filter out tiny plankton from the ocean water. While it may seem daunting to jump in the water with these gentle giants the truth is you couldn't be with a safer, more harmless animal. And if you are lucky they might just stick around long enough for you to get a feel for just how big they really are. Emerging out of the blue    This is what happened on a recent trip to Baja, Mexico. I was sent on a photography assignment for UnCruise Adventures on their small ship cruise down in the Sea of Cortez . Every week the passengers have a chance of encountering whale sharks as the Sea of Cortez is one of their favorite haunts. It is never guaranteed but this week we were lucky. The upwelling brings in nutrients which powers the phytoplankton and zooplankton

From top to bottom Argentina is a bird lovers paradise. Recently Heidi and I traveled across Argentina searching for beautiful views, hikes, and of course wildlife. We knew that incredible hikes to glaciers, mountain vistas, lakes, and waterfalls existed across the country but we were surprised at the amazing birdwatching opportunities. Austral Parakeet near Ushuaia      The same places you travel for amazing views; Ushuaia , El Calafate, El Chalten, and Iguazu are the same places that birders 'in the know' travel for big time bird watching. The different environments change from cold ocean in Ushuai, to desert and freshwater lakes in Patagonia, to tropical jungle in Iguazu. Because of this the opportunities to see very different bird species change as well, from penguins down south to toucans up north. Tern hovering over the water Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego National Park: We will start down south in Ushuaia , the southernmost city in the world. Here a boat t

Iguazu Pictures for Sale   Exploring Iguazu Falls, Argentina    Argentina and Brazil share a border at one of the new seven wonders of the world, Iguazu Waterfall. I have to admit that I was not prepared for the amount of waterfalls, how much water was moving, and how close the boardwalks would put you to the heart of the action. For a photographer you have so many different angles to shoot, from below the falls, next to the falls, to standing feet above the falls looking over the Devil's Tongue itself. Since the falls are located in a forested area you also have a chance to see some wildlife like cuatis and capuchin monkeys. There are lots of butterflies flittering about as well as some colorful birds. Viewing platform on the Brazil side Visitors about to get wet  Heidi and I walked outside to catch a  local bus in front of our hotel (Marco Polo Suites), which would take us right to the cataracts for 65 pesos each (about $4 each). However as we were waiting a

Balancing Rock near the beginning   The beauty of hiking from the town of El Chalten is the wide array of hikes that you have to choose from. I wrote about two of them ( Chorrillo del Salto , and Laguna Torre) in previous post but on day three we wanted a real challenge, but also something a little different. We did a bit of research and felt like taking the path less traveled to a high 360 degree panorama was going to be the way to go. I am sure glad this was our choice. The hike to Pliegue Tumbado overlook was fun and challenging, and had a mind blowing view from the top. Glimpses of mountain pillars thru the trees The hike starts from the National Park visitor center on the same trail that leads to Laguna Toro. The National Park material says the length of the hike is 7 to 8 hours, although we did it in under 7. The way there is all uphill, all the time. This was a big change from the long flat portions from the two hikes before. Because you are constantly climbing you get