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...