Iguazu Falls

Legend has it that a god planned to marry a beautiful aborigine named Naipí. However she already had a mortal lover called Tarobá. The two lover fled in a canoe to find their own piece of land to call home far away from their village. In rage, the god sliced the river creating the waterfalls, condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.
The waterfall system consists of 275 falls along 2.7 kilometers (1.67 miles) of the Iguazu River. The Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo in Spanish or Garganta do Diabo in Portuguese) is a U-shaped fall that measures 82-meter-high, 150-meter-wide and 700-meter-long (490 by 2300 feet) cataract, is the most impressive of all, and marks the border between Argentina and Brazil. Put this destination if you are travelling to South America and make sure to have an entrance permit for both countries to be able to appreciate the views from both sides.
I took this picture in 2003 with my Nikon N75. I had not yet bought my Nikon D70 DSLR because it was launched in Argentina in late 2004 but I was already saving up for it. I hope to make a review of the D70 in my future posts because it performs really well. Anyway back to the picture, I mounted a P gradual colored series number 665 Cokin filter which made the color effect on this picture. Cokin filters have been in the photography industry for ages and have evolved tremendously with their new products. I have around 15 Cokin filters which serves different purposes and none of them have ever failed me in any way and I recommend Cokin products to everyone.
To find out more about Cokin products please visit www.cokin.fr

Black & White Landscape Photography

I always carry my camera along with me every where I go. Depending on the occasion I would choose what equipment to bring. It was a beautiful Buenos Aires Saturday afternoon when I took this picture in one of Buenos Aires finest parks called El Rosedal. The plan was to only have a walk around the park and go boat rowing so I only took my camera and a 18-70mm lense to take normal shots. During the walk I did not find anything interesting to take but as we were on the small wooden board I turned around and there it was, the perfect sky, trees and small island. Before taking this shot I already thought how it would be in black and white so I decided to take a picture of it. That is what this post is all about today, looking things that is not the obvious and what your eyes directly receives. This photo in color looks like just another photo but when I converted it to black and white the details and contrast becomes alive, the clouds, the trees and the island itself came together nicely giving this photo the wow factor.
So the next time you see something, try to visualize the scene from another point of view for example in black and white, HDR (High Dynamic Range)or sepia and so on. Behind anything normal there is always a potentially stunning outcome. So look out and don't forget to consider the potentials.

If you like this post you might also be interested in the link I´ve prepared to compliment on today's topic:

How to best convert your color photos to black and white

Mom´s View

From a slightly different angle the Salak Mountain is my mom´s view when she is in her kitchen cooking. With a view like this in front of your house, everything is done with "Paz y Amor" (Peace & Love).
The Salak Mountain last erupted in 1938 and it gave birth to Salak Mountain II, Sumbul Mountain and Kawah Ratu. That is why The Salak Mountain is considered a symbol of a mother for the local people. Salak Mountain is now a non-active volcanic mountain and is one of the favorite hiking destination in West Java.
This is a HDR (High Dyanamic Range) type of photography and later processed to another software which helps you tone map your photos called the Photomatix Pro. Basically you need 2 or more photos of the same angle with different exposure to make one single HDR photo and this is where Photomatix Pro will help you with a simple process of tone mapping the colors according to your preference. You can choose to edit the contrast in photoshop or picasa if you see it´s necessary.
Find out how powerful HDR photos can look.
"I remember my mother´s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life." -Abraham Lincoln-

Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina

Sometimes going the distance pays it all off especially if you know that you will be potentially taking amazing scenery like the glaciers. It´s almost once in a lifetime chance so be well prepared, get geared up and avoid regretting it in the future. I brought the subject of getting well prepared up because a dear friend of mine who was beside me when I took this shot did not have the same results not only for this particular shot but the whole 4 days excursion. You can imagine how devastated she was when she went to pick up the results. All that could have been avoided by having a check-list. I know everybody has their own check-list and some don´t really need one but this is the almost ritual check-list I do before traveling.

1. Charge the batteries. If you have more than one charge them all.
2. Clean the camera, lense & filters.
3. Pack your camera cleaning kit.
4. Pack your multi electrical sockets adapter kit (Each country have different
electrical socket entry)
5. Pack lots of camera rolls if you are still using manual cameras.
6. Check & pack tripod
7. Check & pack flash, including batteries
8. Bring along an external hard disc to store your photos and empty your memory card.
9. Bring camera manual guide
10.Pack number 1 & 2

I hope you find the check-list above useful and remember to check & re-check.

Dawn

The dawn is definitely one of the best time of the day to take pictures. The natural silhouette of the fog gives that soft yet dramatic look factor to your shot. You cannot make a mistake and will always come home with a smile when you look at all the pictures you have taken. Keep in mind that you don´t have to go to an open field to get the best of dawn, even in cities when the fog is still thick in the early morning covering some top parts of buildings or a canal covering some parts of a bridge are some examples you can take into consideration. It does not matter what camera you bring along with you and it does not require complicated settings that you should worry about, the only thing is to not use your flash. Oh one more thing, waking up early in the morning could be really hard for some but a early night sleep and a good alarm should do the trick.
"Lose an hour in the morning, and you will be all day hunting for it." -Richard Whately-

Salinas Grande

The third largest Salt Flats in the world or also known as Salinas Grande is located on the border between the Argentine provinces of Jujuy and Salta. From Purmamarca village, it is a 126km adventurous and unforgettable up hill trip. It is a constant breath taking mountain sceneries and reaching 4,140m above sea level, a glimpse of the first panoramic view of the Salinas Grande can be admired. Arriving there, you will be over whelmed by the vast white space of salt that stretches up to approximately 1,500 square kilometers.

Look out for children that may appear from no where while driving, they usually just want to greet you or sell you some interesting fish fossils. Whether or not those fossils are genuine the interaction with the children could be interesting, a conversation of their point of view living in the middle of nowhere can be a new insight.
Travel Tips:
When reaching high altitudes, remember that it is easy to get tired so do everything slow as oxygen is very thin especially if you have tendencies of low blood pressure. Chewing coca leaves are common amongst indigenous communities to overcome fatigue particularly effective against altitude sickness and the good thing about it is that it does not cause the euphoric and psychoactive effects associated with use of the drug. The coca leaves are sold in local markets on the way to the Salinas Grande for $5,- (Argentine pesos) a bag.
You might likely want to find accommodation in San Salvador, the capital of Jujuy. For more adventurous back packers there are lots of amazing camping sites to choose from such as "El Carmen Camping" which offers lots of out doors activity.
Photography Tips:
The mountains of Jujuy are all photogenic, you don´t have to be a professional photographer to take amazing photos. The main photo of this site was taken in Jujuy with my Nikon N75 camera and a graduated colored Cokin filter which is great to use for dramatic color effects. The black and white pictures I took also with my Nikon N75 except with a ISO100 black and white film. Remember the RGB rules on black and white photography. See my photography tips on black and white photography in my older posts.