Latvia 2018: Riga

Geneva to Geneva via France, Italy and Switzerland as seen from the passenger side window. Herniating a disc two days before a long-planned adventure is not the recommended way to see the Alps and really limited my movement. 95% of my images from the trip were taken from a car seat with an iPhone.

Day 1 of my trip to Morocco started with the magnificent architecture of Morocco's Grand Mosque in Casablanca.

Vanalinn, or Tallinn Old Town is a place with bags of character, exemplified by the near ubiquitous red tiles and bricks that give the buildings a unique 'glow'. I tend to gravitate to Black & White, but this city demanded to be shot in colour.

A beautifully intricate mausoleum in Meknes dedicated to Sultan Moulay Isma'il, who ruled Morocco from 1672 - 1727.

After shooting in the region of 250K photographs. This set is a first. The first roll of film put through my 1968 Olympus EE-2. The first using time an experimental film from Revlog - SNOVLOX, for that snowy, wintery feel. But mainly because this is the first roll of film that I personally developed (equal first, there were two rolls in the tank. This just happened to come out first). See below for the accompanying travelogue post.

The last stop on my trip to South Africa, quite literally on the way to the airport. A lovely walk around a majestic landscape. As ever a little wasted on me as my knowledge of plants is very limited. I can appreciate the beauty, but know that I'll have the same deep appreciated as someone who knows the challenges of cultivating a place like this.

Sometimes you make a mistake, and sometimes that mistake is utterly avoidable. The day before this trip I got the then new iPhone 7 took a couple of shots in nice light and thought, 'this is good'. I'd taken some online comments to heart. Something along the lines of 'only 'cause you've got an expensive camera'. Rather than dismissing it, I thought I'd challenge myself and set off to Amsterdam with only the iPhone. As it turned out, I fell in love with Amsterdam that weekend and wished I'd had my X-T1 with me. The iPhone looked alright in good daylight and on a phone screen, but quality simply fell apart as soon as the light dimmed and seen on a laptop or larger. In December in a city filled with beautiful illuminations the good light fell away quickly and what was left on the sensor did not do the city justice. The next time I went, I did not make the same mistake twice.

A walk around Kew Gardens at night, guided by Christmas Illuminations.

I love epic train journeys, and three days straight-through from the north to the south of Australia in backpacker class certainly sounds epic. That is until the reality of the 5am New Years Day hangover start time, the small seat which is now your bed, the lack of stops to get off and explore and that the Australian bush is near unchanging until you near the coasts! Great experience overall. Just split it up with a break in the middle if you can, unlike me that fit it between flights.