Heat and Humidity

An ocean climate definitely provides a different set of challenges for a photographer than does a desert environment. The humidity is unbelievable - condensate forms on a lens at the drop of a hat! And the seawater-saturated air leaves a gritty film on everything - I am constantly wiping a fine layer of salt off my camera when it is out of its case! I'm certain the lifespan of my gear is declining as we speak. But what do you do? I'm for sure not leaving home without my favorite things (aka Pentax K20D and associated parts), because I can't fathom taking a vacation and not recording at least SOME of the events. Plus it can always be taken to a reputable camera shop for a deep cleaning and servicing once I get home, right?? So, while I'm on the road, I'll be thrashing around in the surf, hanging out on the beach, laying by the pool... with my camera in tow the entire time... putting that weather-resistant K20D bad-boy and the all-weather LowePro case to the test... And of course the results should all be worth the effort!! I think they are, anyhow... Cheers.

Designs in the Desert

I've spent the last couple of weeks in the Arizona desert, and I think I am so fascinated by the landscape because of how radically different it is from the area in which I live. The granite towers and saguaro cactii around Tucson are amazing, and the sunsets are unbelievably brilliant every single night! I've been having fun shooting in both color and black and white. We have been doing a bit of rock climbing as well, which has made for some neat photos. The only downside to the whole adventure is the heat! I'm a northerner through and through, and I am far from acclimatized to the warmth. Around the 5000 foot mark and higher on Mt Lemmon is bearable; below that, the temperatures approach and exceed 90F. However, if hot weather is my biggest problem... should I really be complaining?? I think not!

Cheers!