Sometimes you have to jump right in, even when you may not think you are experienced enough or talented enough. It was back in 2011 that my husband convinced me to enter the Caribbean Travel + Life Photo Contest, and it turned out that I won the grand prize. But that competition was primarily for amateurs. I was eager to get to the next level, but not sure I was able to compete. Last fall, I decided to take the plunge joining NATJA, the North American Travel Journalists Association, hoping to learn something from the talented people in that organization who make their living bringing you great travel articles and…
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Four years ago, I wrote “Taking Better Travel Photos” to provide helpful tips to improve your travel photography no matter what gear you use. I am excited to announce that I recently updated the book, including information on rules of composition, and providing additional information on “hot spots” for great photographs throughout the Caribbean. Some people say the rules are meant to be broken, but the rules are rules for a reason. They can help you find a shot when you can’t decide how to compose it. Knowing the rules will help you frame up better shots, and if you decide to break the rules for a particular effect, go…
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I was out of breath. Carrying an empty suitcase up one flight of stairs, and I was out of breath. I commented to my husband that we are really out of shape and have to get back to the gym regularly. I didn’t think it was anything more than being 51 and letting myself go. What I didn’t realize is that it could have killed me. It was mid-November. I had a trip to California on business, and as is my practice, I opted for the window seat for all my flights. I hate getting up during flights. I like to settle in near the window and try to forget…
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September is film month here at My Irie Time. We’re featuring our favorite film images on our Instagram feed all month. All images were shot with the Mamiya 6, the Mamiya 645 Pro TL, or the Canon EOS 1v, using Ektar 100, Fuji 400H, and Porta 160 or 400. Follow our Instagram feed all month! [instagram-feed] [the_grid name=”Film”]
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It was at dinner one night at Kamalame Cay that we ran into a gentleman we had met at the luncheon our first day on the island. He lived in the area, and asked us what we had done. I mentioned that we had taken a walk “into town,” and he laughed a bit and said, “Town?” I explained that if you have a grocery store, a school, and a church, you’re a town. And I told him about our walking tour of Stanyard Creek, Andros, Bahamas. After a few days on a private island, you get the itch to explore a bit more. We had taken some excursions,…
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It’s time to get back out onto the water. We explored the oceanic and inland blue holes in a previous post. Now we’re headed out to check out some of the beautiful reefs for which Andros, Bahamas is famous. One trip was a snorkeling and diving trip. Our daughter is a certified diver, so she likes to keep her skills up on vacation, and she’s had some beautiful places to explore. The rest of us are snorkelers, but the people at Kamalame Cay worked it out so we could all do what we enjoyed. With our guides, Mark and Hannah, we had several great days under the water! Our first…
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With so many activities, it’s time to wind down and have a little therapy. Kamalame Cay boasts the only overwater spa in the Bahamas. We had walked past the spa many times on our beach walks, but now it was time to visit with a purpose. The spa menu included many offerings, which can be found on Kamalame Cay’s website here. Given that our fair Wisconsin skin had suffered a bit from the sun, we opted for a low exfoliation body treatment, the Seaweed Botanical Wrap. It is described on the spa menu to include “a gentle dry brushing to stimulate circulation,” followed by the application of a “mineral-rich Seaweed…
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Since the time I started planning a trip to Andros, I knew I wanted to visit Androsia Batik. We had previously ordered from their online store, and picked up some items on a trip to Eleuthera, but I really wanted to see where and how it was made. Courtesy of our taxi driver, Mr. Pinder, it was a short drive to Androsia Batik in Fresh Creek, Andros, Bahamas. Androsia Batik is family-owned and operated and has been around since 1973. Every piece is made by hand. The designs are carved from sea sponge and each stamp is applied by hand to the fabric, making each piece unique. As we approached…
