International Loop Awards 2011 - Bronze Award - Gary Latham Photography

International Colour Awards, 2011 - Nominee Gary Latham - Press Release

All aboard the 'FART' Bus - Ascona and Locarno - Switzerland

Just arrived back from a five star luxury trip to Southern Switzerland for Food and Travel magazine. A big thank you to the Eden Roc Hotel for their kind hospitality!

The beautiful twin lakeside towns of Ascona and Locarno, situated on the shores of Lake Maggiore are so far south that they are almost in Italy. The language, architecture and food have all have a very Northern Italian influence! 

Its chestnut season down there and the humble Chestnut, once the staple food for the Ticinese people of the remote alpine valleys is still made into a vast range of products from honey, jams, sweets and of course alcohol.

The article for Food and Travel magazine is scheduled for release later next year and I will be posting the stunning photos shortly after that. 

In the meantime you can't beat a Fart Joke - Oh Err Missis:

A rather unfortunate name for the public transport system in Locarno, Switzerland - affectionately called 'The Fart Bus' by the local ex pats.

Int'l B&W Spider Awards - Nominee Award for Gary Latham Photography

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

BLACK AND WHITE SPIDER AWARDS HONORS PHOTOGRAPHER GARY LATHAM FROM THE UK.

LONDON 20/08/2011 - Professional photographer Gary Latham of UK was presented with the 6th Annual Black and White Spider Awards Nominee title in the category of Wildlife at a prestigious Nomination & Winners PhotoShow watched by 40,000 online viewers who logged on live from 154 countries to see the climax of the industry's most important event for black and white photography.

Thousands of images were received from 73 countries worldwide. The awards international Jury included captains of the industry from Sotheby's, Magnum Photos, The Armory Show, Fratelli Alinari to Tate and Phillips de Pury & Company in London who honored Spider Fellows with 190 coveted title awards in 27 categories. The judges reviewed the entries online for eight weeks before making their final nominations and Gary Latham's "Icelandic Horse," an exceptional image entered in the Wildlife category, was honored by nomination of the Jury.

"The Spider Awards celebrates photographers who operate at the highest levels of their craft," said Basil O'Brien, the awards Creative Director. "Gary Latham's work represents black and white photography at its finest, and we're pleased to present him with the title of Nominee." 

You can view the 6th Annual Winners Gallery at:

www.thespiderawards.com/gallery6

BLACK AND WHITE SPIDER AWARDS is the leading international award honoring excellence in black and white photography. This celebrated event shines a spotlight on the best professional and amateur photographers worldwide and honors the finest images with the highest achievements in black and white photography.

Contact: Gary Latham Photography

Telephone: 07958 302161

Email: info@garylatham.co.uk

Website: www.garylatham.co.uk

Icelandic Horse, Northern Iceland.

Ecuador

Very exciting trip to Quito, the Capital City of Ecuador, the second highest city in the world (2,930m) after La Paz in Bolivia. Actually my second trip to the city, I was also there in 2004 and wow what a change the city has undergone, with massive investment and refurbishment to the old city. A world heritage site since 1978 and one of the best preserved historic colonial centres in the Americas. A stunning location, set in a narrow valley high in the volcano corridor of Ecuador, with a population of around 2.5 million. No pictures yet as they are under wraps until the article is published in Food and Travel Magazine in October.

Also while in Ecuador I managed to make a rather rainy trip to both types of rain forest in the Amazonia, Equatorial region. The lowland Amazon basin and the lesser know but equally interesting Cloud Forest of the Mindo area. 

Cloud Forest of the Mindo Area, Ecuador.

Cloud Forest of the Mindo Area, Ecuador.

High above the cloud forest canopy, Mindo area, Ecuador.

Latest travel trip to the beautiful Caribbean Island of Dominica.

Just so lucky to get a trip to the beautiful Caribbean Island of Dominica, as the Gourmet Food article isn't out until later this year I can't say or show you too much, but - Wow what a place! Discovered by Columbus - they like to say in Dominica that if Columbus came back to the Caribbean today it would be the only Island that he would still recognise - so unspoiled and unchanged is Dominica! Beautiful people, tropical rain forest, rivers rushing down to the sea. It's a unique place where people tend to live longer and enjoy life.

Watch this space for more details on the magazine release date and more images to follow! Meanwhile here is a small taster from the trip.

FIRE & ICE : North Iceland : Food and Travel Magazine

http://www.foodandtravel.com/GTs.htm

DPS - Namafjall Hverir, Hot Spring, Northern Iceland.

"Amid the volcanic landscapes and icy fjords of north Iceland is a thriving culture of self-sufficiency, optimism and adventure..." So begins the opening words to my recent pictures for an article in the latest edition of Food and Travel Magazine. 


I should also perhaps add a thriving culture of male Liverpool fans living off the glory days of the 1970's, complete with flares and the odd mullet, but don't let that put you off! Even as a Manchester United fan I was welcomed with open arms to the still remote Northern climes of Iceland.


A place of austere beauty with a legacy of island survivalist culture. In such places old traditions die hard and the food can be interesting to say the least; Smoked Puffin (delicious by the way), singed sheep's head (not so delicious), fermented Skate (an acquired taste) and  rotten Shark (don't bother - lol!). The shark in particular is hung for months until the flesh becomes a cross between tallow and a semi-hard cheese smelling of ammonia. It's a real delecicy in these parts and takes some time and effort to track down, it's only for the men it would seem, more a rite of passage than a meal... or just maybe the women have better sense.

Singed Sheep's Head anyone? Maybe I should do a blog on the weirdest foods I'v been offered...

 'Rotten Shark', air dried in the hanging shed.

I'v always wanted to visit Iceland, and it doesn't disappoint! Austere, yes. Slightly weird, yes. Like it says in the title "Fire & Ice" no room for mediocre it's a place of extreme beauty and it's beautiful in the extreme!

Icelandic horse, Lonkot, Iceland.

Lonkot, Iceland.

Typical coastal view, Northern Iceland.

Namafjall Hverir, Hot Spring, Northern Iceland.

SINAI DESERT : Wanderlust Magazine

Front Cover of Wanderlust magazine.

Like the reindeer migration - this was more of a life affirming experience rather than just another job but then again I tend to view all of my travel experiences in that way! There was another connection as well, the trip was sponsored by the Makhad Trust, a charity that has strong links with the local Bedouin Tribes of the South Sinai and also links with the Sapmi People of Northern Lapalnd. 
They strive to preserve traditional ways of life by helping the local tribes people with the building of meeting places, wells and the preservation of ancient gardens and Oasis'. A two day desert trek with a couple of Bedouin guides and their camels was a great way to experience their traditional way of life...There is just something about being in the desert that is very special, especially; as the bedouin would say, with your favorite camel...

Making tea in the Makhad, the traditional meeting house of the Bedouin.

Sunrise; Retreat Campsite, Nr. Nawamis, South Sinai.

Camel trek, South Sinai.

This image was used for the magazine dps and also won a Bronze in the Int'l Aperture Awards...

Camel trek, South Sinai.

Camel trek, South Sinai.

SOUTH AFRICA : Lonely Planet Magazine

Sorry if you have just missed this piece - it was out in the January 2011 issue of Lonely Planet Magazine! Topical though, because if you watched 'Outcasts' last night on BBC 1 - you would probably recognise many of the places and landscapes that I visited and photographed for Lonely Planet Magazine; The Little Karoo, The Western Cape and the beautiful wine growing regions of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Only my second visit to South Africa but Oh what a beautiful place it is! You begin to understand why it has been so coveted and fought over throughout history...

Table Mountain, Cape Town from across the bay.

Sand dunes at Arniston, Western Cape.

Harbour House Restaurant - Kalk Bay Cape Town.

Solms Delta Wine Estate

Solms Delta Wine Estate

Road to Franschhoek wine region.

Tsitsikamma National Park, Western Cape.

Swartberg Pass South Africa.

Addo Elephant Park, South Africa.

ISLE OF MAN : Food And Travel Magazine

Quite a contrast really! From driving something like 2000 miles on the empty, wide open, undulating gravel roads of Namibia, safely cocooned in a massive white Hummer, to driving a rather ill designed Ford Fiesta around the tiny, winding roads of the Isle Of Man in the wind and the rain. This job is nothing if not varied... Fortunately petrol is only about 70p a liter in Namibia, ever feel like you're being ripped off...?

Despite the contrast between the IOM and Namibia, all heat shimmer and exoticism on the one hand and gentile charm on the other; the trick for me is to find the familiar just as interesting and unique as the exotic! In fact the IOM is a rather fascinating place, with hills and glens reminding you of a place both physically and metaphorically somewhere between Cornwall and Scotland.

Cregneash Farm, IOM.

In any case the emphasis for this piece was definately to be on the food. Just as well really because we only had a half day of decent weather! And with lots of good fresh produce around - all we had to do was find it...

'Dublin Bay Prawns', Tanroagan Restaurant, Douglas, IOM.

Queenie Scallops, Port St. Mary, IOM.

Scallops with Pesto, 14 North Restaurant, Douglas, IOM.

The full article is out next month in Food And Travel magazine - catch it while it's still fresh!

NAMIBIA : Food And Travel Magazine

Main Lodge, Wolwedans, Namib-Rand, Namibia.

Also a good year for me and one of my favorite clients - Food and Travel Magazine. A contributor since 1996, what I really love about the magazine is not only how it looks but the freedom they give me to just do my thing - I always really look forward to working with them because they always send me somewhere interesting and fun! 

Here is an image shot in the Namib-rand while on assignment for Food and Travel in October 2010. We had just made the reserve after an 800 mile drive that day and with about an hours worth of light available until sunset. I thought that the view was pretty good but as I climbed up the sand dune to take the shot - I startled an Oryx that stood and looked at me for a moment then bolted down the dunes - stage left! I just about got three shots away before it dissapeared!  I felt very pleased with myself after that...

It didn't make it into the magazine itself but did pick up a Bronze in the International Aperture Awards - just goes to show what high standards the magazine expect and rightly so...

Here is a shot that did make it into the magazine though...

And this is supper in Namibia...

Mopane Worms, A Namibian Favorite.

REINDEER MIGRATION, LAPLAND : Lonely Planet Magazine

A Commissioned travel story for Lonely Planet Magazine. A really fantastic job this one! Although much more challenging than it at first seemed. Traveling with a family of Sapmi herdsmen on their annual Reindeer Migration, twelve to fourteen hour days on a snow-mobile with half a ton of gear in tow and sleeping in a communal tent at night in sub-zero temperatures - the phrase: "Tired but happy comes to mind..."

This Image also from the same shoot went on to be a winner in the International Color Awards and was a Bronze prize winner in the International Aperture Awards and also a finalist in The Travel Photographer of the Year in 2010. All in all, a good year for the Reindeer...

Here are a selection of images from the featured magazine article...