A Dream

The idea that someday, someone in power would choose to make the decision to fix the beautiful structure that is Georgetown’s City Hall is likely a dream, one that may remain unfulfilled.

As it is, most of us can see that is makes more financial sense to let it fall to pieces and then put up a square unattractive concrete block of a building with no character and no appeal, probably all because of years of neglect, and the squandering of taxpayers monies.

Should it be fixed?  That depends on your view I suppose.  Guyana’s tourism depends largely on natural wonders like Kaieteur and the animals of the rainforest, as well as upon the old-world Victorian/Colonial architecture that is still evident in many structures along the “Heritage Trail”, but are our tourist numbers enough to justify spending millions of dollars on rehabilitating this beautiful building?

What would I know?  I’m just a citizen 🙂


Canon EOS 60D, Sigma 10-20mm  |  City Hall, Georgetown, Guyana. 2015


Click on the image to see it in the Gallery

Victoria Dawn

I don’t do a lot of sunrise or sunset photos anymore, I guess unless there is something particularly appealing to use with it it’s just another sunrise or sunset to me, and that is probably a sad thing, as they are beautiful moments.

I was on a little impromptu photowalk with Fidal and another photog last year, it was actually Halloween day; we stopped at the seawall at Victoria village before continuing on to Mahaica and I took a few photos there, one of which I’ve come to like.  It really is nothing spectacular, but the composition, the pastel colours and the sunrise moment gives it a nice peaceful vibe 🙂


Canon EOS 60D   |  Sigma 10-20mm  |  Victoria Dawn 15-0355  |  Victoria Village, East Coast Demerara


Of course, those who know my work, will know that to see a landscape in colour (especially along the seawall) is a rarity these days 🙂

Click on the image to see it in the gallery.


Kurupukari Crossing

I was reading somewhere recently (online) a caption for a photograph that said “crossing Kurupukari” and it occurred to me that some people probably genuinely think that the river that they are crossing with the pontoon/ferry is actually called Kurupukari – the river is none other than the mighty Essequibo.

Kurupukari is apparently the historic name of the Amerindian village now known as Fairview, which happens to be the only Amerindian village located within the Iwokrama Rainforest Programme Site.  The rapids or waterfalls seen near the “crossing” is referred to as the Kurupukari Rapids or Kurupukari Falls, the area on either side of the river where the pontoon/ferry and boats come ashore is/are referred to as the Kurupukari Landing; this landing allows for the transport of vehicles across the Essequibo River along the Linden-Lethem Trail / Road.

I’ve taken many photos at the crossing, as have many other people, it has a scenic quality that is endearing but not necessarily easy to capture on camera.  While photographing it this last March I realized what was one of the things that I loved about it, it was the openness, the width of the river, the wide expanse of sky above.  In this photo I try to convey that sense of openness and also the scale (there’s a boat/canoe crossing the river).


Canon EOS 60D, Sigma 10-20mm  |  Essequibo River, Kurupukari, Guyana, 2016


Click on the image to see it in the Gallery


2015 Deck – Week 47

Between trying not to get run over on the busy East Bank Public Road, heeding the warnings from the workmen that I was in their way, and trying to get to my vehicle across the now doubly busy road, I was also trying to get a good photo.  This was one of those occasions when you can see the finished photo in your mind’s eye, and as you click the button you’re just praying that it comes up to scratch.

It’s not as sharp as I’d like, but since I was on the move, I’m happy with what I did get 😀


Men at Work 15-0401  |  East Bank Public Road, Providence.


Click on the image to see it in the Gallery.


2015 Deck – Week 46

Oniabo

A different scent
in the air,
sounds of birds,
fishermen toil;
Clouds adrift
upon the horizon,
a distant sun
in heaven’s vault.
The moon upon
the oceans pull,
the fish upon
the tide at play;
Meandering shore,
of rocks and
mangroves,
shore of sand,
mud and life,
Oniabo I hear,
the sea, it calls,
Oniabo I fear,
the sea, it calls!


Oniabo is the name I have given to a currently ongoing Black and White Seascape collection of photographs.  Oniabo is an Arawak word meaning “water”; the selection that I used for a presentation at Moray House Trust can be seen here.

A video of that presentation can be seen alongside other presentations of The Photography Sessions at Moray House Trust at www.ThePhotographySessions.com


Oniabo 15-0380  |  Canon EOS 60D, Sigma 10-20mm


Click on the image to see it in the Gallery along with other images from this year’s Deck Project


2015 Deck – Week 44

When I took this, the man who looked after the fields was rapidly approaching us… with tools in hand, so I didn’t even try multiple exposures; I knew that by shooting into the sun I’d blow the highlights, but it’s something I could live with, just to get this scene.

That tractor is probably twice my age, and it takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.


Takes a lickin’ |  Mahaica, 2015  |  Canon EOS 60D, SIgma 10-20mm


Click on the image to see it in the Gallery.


2015 Deck – Week 40

My Jhandi addiction continues, I just find them visually appealing.  Of course, getting a shot of them that doesn’t look like ones I’ve already taken is getting more and more difficult.

This one was a toss up between this coloured portrait oriented version and a landscape oriented BW processed one, but the coloured one appeals to me on a different level, even though I tend towards the BW because I had originally intended the landscape ones as such because of the textures and contrast in the water / foam of the sea.

I hope you like it.


Canon 60D, Sigma 10-20mm  |  1/125s @ f/8.0, ISO100 (10mm)


Click on the image to see it in the Gallery

2015 Deck – Week 33

I climbed onto the seawall to see what I could photograph, and a voice coming from near my feet surprised me.  This fellow was packing up some items in a bag.   He thought I was a foreigner, but the minute I answered him he realised I was local.

According to him, he has lived along the seawall for most of his life, he doesn’t have a regular job, he does odd-jobs, but he says he finds everything he needs to survive right there on the seawalls.   Although I’m not sure about him finding “everything”, I saw no reason to doubt he finds most of what he needs 😀


Life on the wall 15-0143  |  Georgetown Seawall, Guyana

Canon EOS 60D, Sigma 10-20mm Lens


Click on the image to see it in the Gallery