More to See at Sea Than Ports

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Look Beyond the Destination

Seeing Cruising in a New Light

Exploring the world by cruise ship is a passion that we've had for more than 30 years.  On our first cruises, each destination was a new adventure.  We had not been to the ports of call before, so everything was brand new.

After all those years, we still do have some new ports to explore, but more often than not, we find ourselves visiting some of the same destinations.

Keeping Cruising Exciting

How does one keep cruise vacations exciting? Several ways come to mind, such as cruising to new destinations, booking brand new ships, or trying different shore excursions.

Learning to See at Sea

The image above is the view that the captain has on Caribbean Princess.  What a marvelous view it is, especially on a beautiful day.  In this image, there are some beautiful clouds above the horizon just off the bow of the ship.   There isn't any island in sight - you can look for miles, but all that you'll see is ocean and clouds.   You can become one with nature in these peaceful surroundings.

Give Yourself a Photo Assignment

Looking at the image to the left, several themes come to mind:  sky, clouds, water, relaxation.   What did you see when you looked at this picture taken at sea?

You don't have to be in a port city to find interesting subject matter for your photography.  When you get back, share your images with others.  Encourage them to see the world.

Stormy Skies

Sea days are a favorite time during a cruise for us.  It gives us time to really relax and unwind.  When in ports, we tend to be "on" since we have easy access to the internet and our always-connected life style (checking on our guests needs for example).

It is a little more difficult when at sea, we'd have to bring our phones or tablet along to get connected.   Even on stormy days, one can enjoy the view - especially if the storm is in the distance.

Painting the Sky With Color

Our favorite time of day is dusk when Mother Nature puts on a light show for all to see.   This image, captured off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, has the sky on fire.

We highly recommend being on your balcony or up on the open decks when the evening is approaching so that you can experience this magical light and, if you want to, capture your own memorable images.


So Much More Than Ports


Hopefully this shows you that even if your ship is sailing to familiar ports, there is so much more to See at Sea.   Make some time during your cruise to lay out on deck and watch the clouds go by.

Do you remember trying to figure out what shapes could be seen in the clouds when you were young?  Why not do that again now, or even share that experience with other family members or friends?

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Add Unique Perspective to Travel Pics

Unique Perspectives

Today we joined #TRAVELPICS chat on Twitter for a fun packed hour exchanging ideas and travel photos with like-minded posters. The theme was “unique perspectives” and participants shared their own travel pics about the theme and answered per-arranged questions.

Q1: How do you define unique perspectives in travel?

How would you answer this question?

A1. When your photo is different than those in the travel brochures 

A1. Also visiting the same place multiple times but capturing different memories

We responded to the first question and also shared several images as the chat progressed.   There is no right or wrong answer here - but if you are interested in breathing new life into your travel photography, some of the ideas shared here and in the chat may be helpful.  Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC

Look for a Unique Vantage Point

The main subject in the two images above is the Old Castle in Corfu, Greece.  We think that you'll agree the first photo could be a typical photo showing the castle from a distance.   It does capture the main subject, but isn't a very interesting photograph.    If your purpose is simply to document one of the sights seen during your Corfu visit, it would suffice.

The second image however is much more interesting to the viewer.  Your eyes are drawn to the main subject, the castle, and you also have the feeling of being outside the castle's gates, trying to look inside.   You are suddenly back in history when the castle fortress was full of life as it stood guard over the town.

Q2: Show us a unique perspective in a travel photo using different interpretations or unusual viewpoints-no right or wrong here!

This was one example we shared.   The images were both captured during our National Conference on Norwegian Breakaway last fall.  The image on the right could be a typical photo taken by every cruise passenger on the ship.  

The image on the left was once again from a different vantage point.   We captured it by accident.  While waiting for the rest of our group to catch up with us, we looked up and saw how amazing the chandelier looked from this vantage point.  So, quite simply, don't forget to look up for subjects to capture in your images.


Q3: Do you have any unique perspective or advice when it comes to traveling differently? Share it!

A3. Give yourself a photo shoot assignment especially if you've been to the same location before 

Some of our more interesting images use archways and doors to frame our subject.   Some of our self-directed photo assignments have been to capture interesting doors across the globe and also lamps, such as those on castles or outside historical locations.

Visiting a Port Multiple Times

If you are like most leisure travelers, odds are that you'll visit a location multiple times in your lifetime.   For those that like a winter getaway on a cruise ship, you'll probably visit several ports in the Caribbean many times.

So what do you do when you find yourself back in a town you've visited before?   You can seek out new attractions or shops to visit, or you can view the familiar sights differently.   For example, find a different angle to view them from;  look through a doorway or hole in the wall as we have above.  If you are able to bend down low, you can view your subject from the vantage point of a child (in other words, from ground level).

Plan for your Visit

To get the most out of a visit to either a new or familiar destination, we encourage you to do some research before you travel.   You may want to check with your professional travel consultant  for ideas about popular attractions as well as those that are off the beaten path.   That was another topic we discussed during the live chat.

The internet is a wealth of information.   Once you know some attractions that are on your bucket list, search for some images that professionals and amateurs have captured.   You may want similar images in your photo journal of your trip.   We suggest that you add a few more unique perspectives as well.

We hope that this has sparked your interest in taking your photography to a new level.  Follow the weekly #travelpics chat on Twitter for more ideas on this and other travel topics.   We'd love to hear your ideas as well, or better yet, join us for the next chat.

Thank you to this week's co-hosts: @AntiTourist @TheTravelCamel @poonamparihar @Sihpromatum @StephensPhotos @melbtravel

I Have a Dream

Martin Luther King Speech
Courtesy Wikipedia

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a United States federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The MLK day is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of Martin Luthor King’s birthday, January 15. Martin Luthor King was born in 1929 and died in 1968

Martin Luther King, Jr. gave is famous “I have a dream” speech on  August 28, 1963, so the year 2013 marks the 50th Anniversary of the speech. More info on the “I have a dream speach” can be found on Wikipedia.

Fifty years later his dreams are for the most part still unfulfilled. It is interesting to note that one of the award nominated movies of the year is about Abraham Lincoln, another famous American who had a famous speech, the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed millions of slaves in 1863.  Martin Luther King started his speech making reference to that proclamation.

Dreams of Another Sort

Today let us pause to remember this great man and the dreams that he called out from that podium in Washington, D.C.   Perhaps in our lifetime, or in the lifetime of our children, his dreams came come closer to reality than they are today on this 50th anniversary of his speech. 

Each day I wake up and am thankful that my job involves making dreams come true. A few years back, I wrote a blog post about Vacationing, from a Cruise Specialist’s Perspective.  Perhaps today is a good day to revisit that article and make your own dreams for yourself, your family, and friends. Click on the link and read the article while imagining you are there.