Bridge of the Clipper Adventurer, South Georgia. © www.thomaspickard.com

This photo was taken on one of the many Antarctic voyages I did in November / December 2008 on board the ice breaker, the Clipper Adventurer.

The Clipper Adventurer is a small ship, with a total carrying capacity of around 175 people (that includes all crew). Like all ships, the Bridge is the command centre. It is here, jammed between radars, charts (maps are called charts on ships), radios, satellite phones and consoles with more buttons and dials than I would know what to do with, that the decisions are made.

For Expedition Leader Laurie Dexter (in the blue coat centre), it is a place where he would spend a lot of his time, liaising with the First Mate (second in command) and Captain about the ship’s course, estimated time to the next landing and countless other things that go into running a successful voyage.

Of all the ships I’ve worked on – The Aurora Australis, the Akademik Sergey Vavilov, the Akademik Ioffe and the Clipper Adventurer – they all have one thing in common: the ship’s Bridge is a very quiet place. Sure, the crew talk at a normal conversational volume, but here is the thing: there is more watching and listening on a Bridge than conversation.

That makes the Bridge a very peaceful place, especially when you are travelling through a place as a majestic as Antarctica.

View more polar ship photography at this gallery – TRANSPORT | Polar Ships

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Aerial view of the Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. © www.thomaspickard.com

Now I am the first to admit, I am not exactly a big city guy. Give me the choice of an island in the Pacific and a mega-city like Bangkok, and I’ll take the island option hands down.

Having said that, cities do hold a particular fascination for me. Particularly cities with really amazing skyscrapers.

All of which brings me to the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. When friends and colleagues found out I was going to KL, nearly everyone said ‘make sure you check out the Twin Towers’.

And sure enough, I did. Mind you, the Towers are pretty hard to avoid – you can see them from just about everywhere in KL. Standing beneath the Towers and looking straight up is an amazing sight.

To view and license photos of Kuala Lumpur, click on the following link:

Photographs of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at Thomas Pickard Photography.

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Socials is a great surf break with beautifully back lit waves in the afternoon. Getting out to it can be a bit dicey as you have to negotiate the barrier reef, which is home to plenty of sea urchins (see the last photo) and is also what the waves break onto (see the second last photo).

There is nothing quite like standing on the barrier reef with thousands of dollars of camera gear in your hand, trying to time the last waddle across the reef (I’ve got flippers on) before taking the plunge into the deeper ocean. Getting back in is just as dicey, as you have to come in on the back of a breaking wave to get up onto the barrier reef proper. Had some minor bumps and scratches from the reef, but nothing too serious (touch wood).

Psyched for more water based shooting in the coming weeks.

Underwater view of a bodyboarder sitting on a bodyboard waiting for waves, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 12 July 2011.

Bodyboarder pulling into a barrelling wave, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 12 July 2011.

Underwater view of a bodyboarder surfacing after duck diving through a wave, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 12 July 2011

Underwater view of a breaking wave, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 12 July 2011.

Breaking wave, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 12 July 2011.

Underwater view of a bodyboarder deep in a barrelling wave, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 12 July 2011.

Bodyboarder waiting for waves, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 12 July 2011. (Silhouette).

Bodyboarder pulling into a barrelling wave, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 12 July 2011.

Underwater view of a bodyboarder surfacing after duck diving through a wave, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 12 July 2011.

A bodyboarder puts his arms in the air as a plane lifts off from Rarotonga International Airport, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 12 July 2011.

Ocean foam and setting sun, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 12 July 2011.

Breaking wave, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 14 July 2011.

Rainbow above a breaking wave, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 14 July 2011.

Breaking wave and shallow reef, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 14 July 2011.

Sea urchins and reef, Socials surf break, Blackrock, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, on the 14 July 2011.

Related Posts:

Just Add Water

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Via PanAm, is one photographers journey from the tip of South America to the top of Alaska, over a 40-week period.

At first, it bugged me that I had to get the iPad app to view the extra stories, for the simple fact I don’t have an iPad. As a content provider myself though, I understand the rationale of trying to monetise some of the content from the photographers work (the app sells for $3.99 and has had 600 buyers to date).

Definitely worth a look and if you have an iPad, you have the option of accessing more great content.

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Parasailing, Maldives. © www.thomaspickard.com

Wooden fence and sky, New Zealand. © www.thomaspickard.com

Pack ice, glaciers and mountains, Antarctica. © www.thomaspickard.com

Silhouette of a ship bow, Poland. © www.thomaspickard.com

Red chairs on grass, Sri Lanka. © www.thomaspickard.com

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With water housing, flippers and mask in hand, I hit the water at 4.45, photographing the racers preparing beneath Trader Jack’s, before paddling out to the Boiler (the remains of a shipwreck clearly visible from Avarua), to start the race.

Though I couldn’t keep up with the paddlers going out to the starting line off the Boiler, I did swim out to the Boiler and wait there for the paddlers on their return leg. Pretty happy that I did, as the light was just perfect and I definitely produced some portfolio images (see the fourth image below of the paddlers passing the Boiler).

Hats off to all the paddlers. Great effort!

Paddlers getting ready beneath Trader Jack's, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Left: The remains of a shipwreck - known as the 'Boiler' - is part of the paddling course. Right: Solitary paddler. Rarotonga, Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Paddler in the surf ski class, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Paddlers passing the 'Boiler' in late afternoon light. Rarotonga, Cook Islands.© www.thomaspickard.com

Paddlers cooling down, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

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I live about 7-minutes by push bike from Muri Lagoon and I find myself down at the lagoon every couple of days. Muri Lagoon is the sailing hub of Rarotonga, as well as a popular vaka paddling training area with locals. Given the favourable aspect of the beach, the nearby islands, which you can paddle to or walk to at low tide, the lagoon is rightly so, a popular place with visiting tourists.

When I first visited Muri Lagoon, I didn’t think there was that much going on. Then I started meeting the locals; I joined the sailing club (races every Saturday); I joined the vaka paddling club (training Tuesday and Thursday evenings) and I met people like local boat designer / builder, Ken Kingsbury. Quite suddenly, I realised there is plenty going on at Muri Lagoon. As for photography, the lagoon is a pretty idyllic place to photograph.

Muri Lagoon at sunset, Cook Islands, Rarotonga. © www.thomaspickard.com

Muri Lagoon, Rarotonga Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Captain Tama's Cruises, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Table for four? Sails Restaurant, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Ken Kingsbury and Leilani Sadaraka sailing on Muri Lagoon, Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Stacked ocean outrigger canoes, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Kayaker, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Brown Apera Pori Makea riding his scooter, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Sailing perfection, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Incoming tide, Muri Lagoon Cook Islands. © www.thomaspickard.com

Related Posts:

As Good as it Gets: Muri Lagoon Rarotonga

School Vaka Paddling Competition Muri Lagoon

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My second portfolio book, showing my Travel & Lifestyle work is now with Wonderful Machine in the US. It has already been shown to some potential clients on my behalf, with some good responses. I’m looking forward to getting it in front of more people this year.

Wonderful Machine has also videoed my book and added it to their YouTube channel. If you haven’t visited their Youtube channel, head over for a look. There are some amazing portfolios on display.

Though it takes time and money to put together a portfolio book, I believe that nothing beats seeing images as large prints. There is a tactile quality about holding prints in your hands (as opposed to a laptop or iPad), that makes printed portfolios that much better.

Related Posts:

Travel & Lifestyle Portfolio

Travel & Lifestyle Portfolio Refresh

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