Taking Your Camera on the Road

Know Before You Go: Store Digital Photographs on the Go

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 31, 2005

Today’s traveling photographer who has embraced the world of digital technology doesn’t need to worry about film going through airport security scanners or expiring. All they have to worry about is storage space.

That’s right, storage space. Once limited to 36-38 photographs on a roll of film, digital photographers can now take hundreds of pictures without “changing the roll” so to speak. The roll is the digital storage medium inside of the camera. While the number of photograph images you can take has increased dramatically, even a digital camera has its limits. It, too, can come to the “end of the roll”.

The current digital camera storage media consists of the Memory Stick, Compact Flash, SD Memory Card, Smart Media Card, XD-Memory and Multimedia Card, though others are coming out all the time. They come in a variety of storage sizes, from 32 megabytes to one or two gigabytes and soon even larger. Depending upon the image resolution and format choices you make, your image size may vary from 1 megabyte to tens of megabytes, or even larger. How many images you can fit on the storage media is part of the new math.

In theory, at 2 MB per image, a 512K storage card should hold 256 images. Ah, but it doesn’t. You don’t get the whole 512K of space. There are other files sitting on the storage media and then there is “space” between the files that adds to the numbers. In general, if you get 200-240 images on a 512K card, you did well. If you are a serious professional photographer selling your images, you will be shooting at higher resolutions, so each image may range from 4 MB to 15 MB or maybe larger. That same 512K card is looking pretty small now.

Even as we speak, the digital storage industry is coming out with smaller and larger storage media. Pretec Electronics Corp. has announced a 4GB Secure Digital card, considered the largest capacity of SD card in the world. Not all digital cameras will take take that size, but yours might. Still, the price is high and so the rest of us are using smaller formats until the prices come down.

So instead of changing rolls of film, you will need to either swap storage media or store your digital images while traveling. Which one will you choose?

Storing or Swamping Digital Media

Hooking your digital camera to your computer to transfer a load of pictures all the time can be a pain, as can the cost of lots of storage cards. Card readers are now available which allow you to remove the Memory Stick, Compact Flash, SD Memory Card, Smart Media Card, XD-Memory or Multimedia Card from the camera and insert it into the reader to transfer the files, dragging and dropping the picture files to your preferred folders. When you are ready, or when the reader is full, you can transfer the files to your computer.

Lexar Media makes card readers for both USB and Firewire ports. The Firewire reader transfers up to a fast 400 megabits of data per second. If you take a lot of digital pictures, the Firewire can save you time. The Lexar Media USB 2.0 8-in-1 Multi-Card Digital Film reader is a small but easy to use USB version. ScanDisk also offers USB readers which handle CompactFlash, SmartMedia cards, Memory Sticks, and MultiMediaCard/SD cards. PQI has developed a 7-in-1 USB 2.0 Card Reader which can read seven different types of flash storage media through a standard USB connection. It can hold up to one gig of data and accepts the new “xd picture card”. If you have a camera with a variety of cards, or you want a card that will work for your camera and PDA, consider getting all your bang in one place with one of the super card readers that will cover most of the cards out there. The 21-in-1 Blue Memory Card Reader With 3 USB2.0 Ports will cover just about all your needs for card readers.

Card readers with storage built in that can work in the field under battery power are becoming more affordable as well as readily available. For the serious photographer and traveler, the one-size fits all TangoPro MultiMedia Drive – Multi Card Reader / Photo Preview / 20GB USB 2.0 Storage/ MPEG Player / MP3 Player / Color LCD might be the ticket for you with a rechargeable battery and the ability to not only store your images on the run, but take a look at your photographs and listen to music, too.

Most of these card readers sell for under USD$100 and the technology is changing and improving even as you read this.

While the card readers are great, allowing you to store the information through them onto your laptop, the laptop itself can be a huge thing to lug around out in the field. Epson’s P-2000 Multimedia Storage Viewer is a portable storage device with an LCD screen that can allow you to hook up your digital camera and transfer, view, and store digital images from your camera onto it’s 40 GB hard drive. With built-in memory card slots, it can also transfer files without having to connect to a computer. There are a variety of portable storage devices that will store information from digital cards allowing you the freedom to store the images and reuse the card.

Another interesting device is made by Delkin Devices called the USB Bridge. Small enough to fit in the palm of your had, it connects digital cameras and Mp3 players, external hard drives, CD burners and memory card readers and flash drives together, creating a bridge between the devices without a computer. It allows you to transfer information from your digital camera to your iPod or Zen, treating it like a hard drive. Or to a USB flash drive, inexpensive and highly portable storage media. The versatility is great for a photographer, allowing multiple storage techniques and devices.

With all these devices you can either store images from the storage media to your laptop or portable storage devices, and then keep on shooting with the digital card back in your camera. But all these devices add up to weight, stuff, and cables to lug around. Depending upon your travels, all this stuff may save money in the long run, but it may break your back and interfere with your schedule. After all, you do have to find an electrical outlet and plug things in and wait while it “reloads”.

If you like to travel light, then consider investing in multiple storage cards instead. Pop them in and out and you are back to photographing again. Your time can be spent concentrating on the photography and what you are seeing rather than on the gizmos.

Back in the trailer, tent, or hotel room for the night, then pull out the gadgets and store the images to be ready with empty digital media for the next day’s photography.

Online Storage on the Go

If your travels keep you in touch via the Internet with wifi or broadband services, consider storing your images while traveling with one of the many online storage services.

Storage fees are based upon the size and length of contract. Some services even allow adding more storage space on the fly, so if you suddenly find yourself exceeding your limit, a few clicks and an additional fee to your credit card and you have more storage space online.

Online storage services allow you to upload your images via the Internet to your own “virtual hard drive”. You can access the files from the road or wait until you get home. Most online storage facilities will accept most types of common digital files, and many specialize in digital photographs.

Online storage takes up no space in your suitcase and allows access from anywhere 24 hours a day. The only issue is that you need to have access to the Internet, via your hand held, laptop, or a public computer. Upload speeds are only limited to the bandwidth of your connection, so transfer times may be variable.

If you are traveling with your computer and digital camera, and wifi or Internet connections are handy, this is a fast solution to image storage, lightweight, and easy to use.

More Digital Resources

To keep up with the new technology, check out some of these resources:

US May Use Airline Data to Find Terrorist Sleepers

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 31, 2005

According to the Guardian, The U.S. May Use Airline Data to Find Sleepers. The article says that the Transportation Security Administration is testing a project known as “Secure Flight” to check for terrorist sleepers on flight passenger lists. Already it is being attacked for violating privacy laws.

Supposedly, Secure Flight is a more accurate method of checking passenger lists against terrorist watch lists than the current system run by the airlines and passed onto the government.

Many people who aren’t terrorists – Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., among them – have been told they can’t board flights because their names are similar to those on the no-fly list.

Secure Flight hit a snag Friday when congressional investigators said TSA had violated privacy protections when its contractor secretly collected 100 million records of commercially brokered information on at least 250,000 people.

Justin Oberman, in charge of Secure Flight at TSA, said the agency intends to do more testing of commercial data to see if it will help identify known or suspected terrorists not on the watch lists.

In a related story, Four sue over passenger data, four Alaskan residents are “suing the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA), seeking to prevent the agency deleting personal records that were obtained during a passenger-screening programme…According to reports the four are keen to see whether any information relating to them was obtained by the Agency, which is already in the process of deleting unwanted files.”

Only time will tell if such measures really work, especially since anyone can become a terrorist and there is more information needed than just names on a list.

Posted in Planning for the Road, Travel | Tagged airline passengers, airline security, airport security, life on the road, planning for the road, privacy, road tips, security, travel, travel security, travel tips, tsa | Leave a comment

Airport Security Hassles Reduced?

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 31, 2005

According to a recent report on CNN, Airline screening hassles may be cut. It seems that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will be meeting to discuss how to “reduce checkpoint hassles for the nation’s 2 million passengers”. Among the decisions and topics will be changing the bans on carrying some items on the airplane including razorblades and small knives, and possibly include limits on patdown searches.

According to the article:

An initial set of staff recommendations drafted August 5 also proposes that passengers no longer have to routinely remove their shoes during security checks. Instead, only passengers who set off metal detectors, are flagged by a computer screening system or look “reasonably suspicious” would be asked to do so, a TSA official said Saturday.

Any of the changes proposed by the staff, which also would allow scissors, ice picks and bows and arrows on flights, would require Hawley’s approval, this official said, requesting anonymity because there has been no final decision….The August 5 memo recommends reducing patdowns by giving screeners the discretion not to search those wearing tight-fitting clothes. It also suggests exempting several categories of passengers from screening, including federal judges, members of Congress, Cabinet members, state governors, high-ranking military officers and those with high-level security clearances.

The TSA hopes to make airport security checkpoints more “user friendly” and to change the growing negative attitude of passengers. While I’m sure the issues of scissors, ice picks and bows and arrows on airplanes is of serious concern to all travelers, I’d still like to know what is being done to train checkpoint security guards on psychological profiling, information distribution of indenties of known terrorists, and other communication and reaction issues. I think that would go a long way to reassuring the public. After the first few years of seeing military type guards at the checkpoints, I’m seeing a lot of out of shape employees tired of their jobs, oblivious to each person passing through by sheer volume. Five years of the interogation involved with passing through Israel airplanes and airports, the US still has a long way to go to find the happy medium between security and “friendly service”. Still, it’s a start.

Posted in Planning for the Road, Travel | Tagged life on the road, planning for the road, road tips, travel, travel tips | Leave a comment

Nature Photography, Stink and Smells

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 30, 2005

In an older article I found on Boing Boing, it mentions how humans can track smells which helps us learn about how animals can track smells.

UC Berkeley researchers report that humans can determine where a smell is coming using just our noses. In Berkeley study study, subjects were presented with essence or rose, cloves, and also odorants that smell like vinegar and banana. Brain scans revealed that the right and left nostrils are tied to separate regions of the primary olfactory cortext. As a result, the brain can locate a smell similarly to the way we localize sound based on input from two ears.

The article went on to explain how tracking by smell could be trained, that it didn’t come naturally with birth, explaining how true trackers learn from others and extensive practice and training.

In our nature and travel photography, we are always sensitive to how we smell as it can effect animals by attracting them or driving them away. We avoid all perfumes, even those found in shampoos, body soaps, deodorants, and other things we put on our body, including the laundry soap and softeners we use which often put perfumes into our clothing.

Tracking animals in nature photography requires a lot of skill in identifying footprints, hair, spoor, and other things animals leave behind as they move, including smell. The idea of actually tracking any animal by smell is a fascinating one that we’ll have to explore more.

Posted in Photography, Photography Techniques, Wildlife | Tagged animal photography, animal tracking, nature, nature photography, scent, smell, stink, track animals, tracking | Leave a comment

Know Before You Go: Tornado and Severe Weather Information

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 30, 2005

Escaping the path of Hurricane Dennis led us to the Memphis, Tennessee area. The campground and resort gave every registered person a door knob hanger with instructions on what to do in case of a tornado or severe weather alert or warning. I thought it was worth of posting here since all need to learn how to deal with severe weather conditions as we move from area to area during our travels.

I’ve edited the information to be more generalized, as the resort provided very specific instructions identifying primary and secondary shelters in the area. Be sure and check with your campground hosts on where the primary and secondary, and other, shelters are in the area so you will know in advance where to go.

Tornado and Severe Weather Information

During Severe Weather, please stay tuned to local radio and television stations.
It is advised to exit the RV Resort area during Tornado and/or Severe Weather.
Determine the closest shelter to the area in which you are staying. Then find a backup shelter, just in case.
Prepare an emergency kit with water, basic first aid, books, and snacks for extended stays in shelters. Keep it nearby.
During Severe Weather, go to the nearest primary or secondary shelter area for your safety.
Do not drive your vehicle or RV during unsafe weather conditions.
If unable to get to the shelter in time of emergency weather conditions, emergency shelter can be gained by laying in a ditch, or the lowest elevation available, and covering your head with your hands.
A Severe Weather warning siren is available in condjunction with the local Emergency Services Agencies. It is tested the first Wednesday of each week or month at 10 AM or noon, weather permitting, depending upon location.
The Severe Weather warning siren is a long siren that may rise in tone but stays steady for one to two minutes. Get to emergency shelters immediately.
Unless otherwise instructed, pets are not permitted in emergency shelters.
For additional Severe Weather information and instructions, contact your campground management, local police or sheriff’s department. Do not use 911 emergency services to get information, only to report damage or injuries.

Posted in Planning for the Road, Travel | Tagged life on the road, planning for the road, travel, travel tips | Leave a comment

The History of the Flashlight

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 30, 2005

The flashlight, the must-have stable of every traveler and camper, has an amazing history. It is delightfully explored in Energizer’s Learning Center – The History of Flashlights.

In the 1890s, American Ever-Ready Company founder Conrad Hubert lit up New York City with the help of dry cell batteries and his newest inventionâ€”the electric hand torch. Hubert, a Russian immigrant, experimented with everything from electric tie tacks to electric flower pots before acquiring the patent for this first Eveready flashlight in 1898.

According to an Eveready brochure called “101 Uses For An Eveready,” by 1916 the flashlight was an essential personal itemâ€””the light that does not flicker in a draught, extinguish in the wind, and is controlled instantly by finger pressure. It’s the light everyone needs.”

Artists like the late Frances Tipton Hunter, who produced covers for the Saturday Evening Post, captured Americana’s essence. In her works for Eveready Hunter typically included a child, a pet and an Eveready flashlight, all executed in a Norman Rockwell-like fashion.

One Hunter classic features a little girl watching over a litter of kittensâ€”with the aid of an Eveready flashlight, of course.

Today, flashlights come in all shapes and sizes, available on key rings, credit card shaped to slip in your wallet, and even built into pens for writing in the dark. Flashlights have come a long way, but they still are necessary for peeking into those dark little hiding spots where kittens hide.

Some things never change.

Posted in Planning for the Road, Travel | Tagged life on the road, planning for the road, travel, travel tips | Leave a comment

Hurricane Katrina – This is Our Life

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 30, 2005

The wizard known as Rincewind lurched into the room, white-faced, and stopped in front of the table.
“I do not wish to volunteer for this mission.” he said.
“I beg your pardon?” said Lord Vetinari.
“I do not wish to volunteer, sir.”
“No one was asking you to.”
Rincewind wagged a weary finger. “Oh, but they will, sir. they will. Someone will say: hey, that Rincewind fella, he’s the adventurous sort, he knows the Horde, Cohen seems to like him, he knows all there is to know about cruel and unusual geography, he’d be just the job for something like this.” He sighed. “And then I’ll run away, and probably hide in a crate somewhere that’ll be loaded on to the flying machine in any case.”
“Will you?”
“Probably, sir. Or there’ll be a whole string of accidents that end up causing the same tiling. Trust me. sir, I know how my life works. So I thought I’d better cut through the whole tedious business and come along and tell you I don’t wish to volunteer.”
“I think you’ve left out a logical step somewhere,” said the Patrician.
“No, sir. It’s very simple. I’m volunteering. I just don’t wish to. But, after all, when did that ever have anything to do with anything?”
“He’s got a point, you know,” said Ridcully. “He seems to come back from all sorts of-“
“You see?” Rincewind gave Lord Vetinari a jaded smile. “I’ve been living my life for a long time. I know how it works.”
The Last Hero by Terry Pratchett

Welcome to the story of our life. We volunteered because we knew that it would happen to us anyway, so why not beat fate to the punch.

We arrive from five years of terrorist suicide bombings and wars in the Middle East just in time for the worst hurricane season on record. We know how our life works.

In Atlanta, about 350 miles northeast of Mobile, Alabama, we hoped the storm would wrap around us and that we would be far enough away. The storm did hit us, but only the outer rings of wind and rain, which caused tornado warnings all over Georgia and massive flooding, but nothing of the scale hitting the Gulf Shores area we’d left behind. Hurricane Katrina left marks and scars on the Gulf Coast area that will take decades to heal.

There is no cable hookups here in this campground that we can find so we’re getting what news we can from the Internet and radio, as well as a few people who call us, checking on us and reporting on their state of affairs left in Mobile. (more…)

Posted in 2005, Telling Stories | Tagged gulf coast, hurricane, hurricane damage, hurricane katrina, hurricane recovery, hurricane victims, storm damage, storms | 2 Comments

Know Before You Go: Where Am I? Using GPS

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 29, 2005

compass on map. photograph by Brent VanFossen Global Positioning System (GPS) units have become a major fad for travelers thrilled with the idea of knowing where they are at all times.

Modern GPS units include sophisticated maps and even vocal capabilities, providing, upon verbal command, the user with directions on when and how to turn as they maneuver the roads. Only the most expensive and sophisticated GPS units include detailed address-level maps for the many countries, or allow the uploading via computer of more maps. Most are limited to a specific area like the Americas, Europe, and the Pacific Rim.

Look for units featuring the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), an FAA-approved signal correction technology used world-wide. It is part of the government’s security plan to not permit pin-point accuracy via satellite data, so WAAS uses software to “correct” the signal to your location, usually within about 10 feet.

Ensure your unit is compliant with the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA), a software standard.

Consider battery life as part of your criteria, too, as some batteries only last a few hours after a full charge. Check to see if the unit has an automatic standby/battery saving option. Most of all, make sure the unit is easy to use, visually, audibly, and verbally, accepting commands without much training.

NOTE: Some countries will not permit the import or use of GPS units for security reasons and/or without a permit. Israel is one them. Check before you take your GPS out of the country.

Which Way to Go

GPS units come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Large panel displays like the TomTom Go Plus Vehicle GPS Navigation System will easily fit in your vehicle. Smaller units are the size of walkie-talkies and can easily be carried around and put in your suitcase, though pay attention to the weight with the batteries as well as without the batteries.

Some of these larger units are also portable with built in receivers, so they could be used in rental cars as you travel, though their bulk in the suitcase for overseas or long flights might not be worth the effort.

There are also small adapters or units for hand held computers like PDAs. These are great for walking trips and finding your way around towns and cities.

Some come ready with all the software installed, while others install software on your computer and the GPS unit must be linked to the computer for updates and area location information. The less information stored on the unit, the smaller it can be.

Tomtom maps and GPS systems work worldwide and they have some of the largest collections of worldwide maps, so if you will be traveling outside of the United States, they are worth considering. For US domestic travel, there are a variety of programs and systems available, including Wireless Bluetoothâ„¢ GPS Receiver and SmartSTâ„¢ V1.30 3D view navigation software solution for PalmOSÂ® 5.0.

Posted in Planning for the Road, Travel | Tagged life on the road, planning for the road, travel, travel tips | 3 Comments

City Blogs for Travelers

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 29, 2005

According to Bloggers Blog: City Bloggers Keep Conversations Going, there are a lot of blogs now dedicated to specific cities on the Internet.

Bloggers in cities around the United States are organizing to share resources, ideas and stories. The bloggers tend to keep issues and stories going long after they appear on the local TV news or in the local newspapers.

Visiting local oriented blogs, a traveler can learn more about what is going on in the community, what to see and do, and get a feel for a city or area before visiting.

In an article on Poynter Online – Finding Local Blogs, Johnathan Dube provides information to help journalists keep up with local bloggers to monitor what is going on in the community. Some weblog search engines are recommended to help people find local blogs by geographic location, such as Local Blog Digger and FeedMap.

Here is a list of a few of the city blogs we found that may be of interest for the traveler:

Posted in Planning for the Road, Travel | Tagged life on the road, planning for the road, travel, travel tips | Leave a comment

FAA Statistics on Unruly Passengers

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 29, 2005

Did you know that you can view the statistics on unruly air passengers on a list at the FAA? That’s right! As a government agency, they are required to keep a score card on air travel statistics, including passengers who mess around on the airplane.

The Federal Aviation Administration – Passengers and Cargo Statistics on Unruly Passengers goes back to 1995 on this chart. According to FAA, an “unruly passenger” is one who interfers with the duties of a crewmember by assault, threat, intimidating or interference with the operation of the airplane or the duties of the flight crew. Or they break a federal or local law. These are only the incidents reported to the FAA. The list does not include security offenses, as those come under some other list.

With the passing of the FAA’s Reauthorization Bill (April 16, 2000), the FAA has the right to fine unruly passenger cases up to $25,000 per violation.

I would have thought that the number of “unruly passengers” would have dropped after September 2001. With the increase in security measures, and airline passengers acting a little more “lenient” towards all the increased security measures and precautions (“If it keeps me safe, I’ll suffer through it.”), you would think that hostility and out of control passenger levels would have dropped.

In fact, since 1995, the number has doubled. In 1995, there were 146 reported cases to the FAA, and in 2004 there were 300.

Maybe the air crew is reporting more incidents as a result of hijacking and terrorism fears, or maybe the anxiety level for passengers results in more unruly behavior. Either way, the number is growing, though still, with millions of people flying annually, 300 is still a small number of trouble makers.

Posted in Planning for the Road, Travel | Tagged life on the road, planning for the road, travel, travel tips | Leave a comment

Escaping Hurricane Katrina: We’re in Atlanta

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 28, 2005

We are safe and out of Mobile, Alabama, and away from Hurricane Katrina. We left early Sunday morning and are now in Atlanta, Georgia. Right now, we have a WIFI connection but we’re not sure how long it will last.

Friends of ours and their families have evacuated from New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast, but the news is not good. Many of them may be unable to return for weeks or months. We’re hoping that Mobile will be spared, though it’s encompassed in the hurricane at the east side, so we’re not sure when we will also return.

Winds have been measured with gusts over 200 mph and the storm surge (waves) are expected to exceed 20 feet. New Orleans and the rest of the area are ready to handle much less of an impact, so flooding, sand, mud, and massive damage is expected.

…STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS…
KATRINA IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST AS A CATASTROPHIC AND LIFE THREATENING HURRICANE. WHILE EXACT LANDFALL OF LANDFALL IS UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME…SIGNIFICANT AND LIFE THREATENING STORM SURGE 18 TO 22 FEET ABOVE NORMAL. A FEW AREAS MAY EXPERIENCE STORM SURGE FLOODING AS HIGH AS 28 FEET ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL. SECONDARY ROADS OUTSIDE LEVEE PROTECTION WILL LIKELY BECOME IMPASSABLE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.

KATRINA IS FORECAST TO MOVE ASHORE AS CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE…SIMILAR IN STRENGTH TO HURRICANE CAMILLE IN 1969. WINDS ASSOCIATED CATEGORY 4 AND CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE CAN TOTALLY DESTROY MOBILE HOMES AND POORLY CONSTRUCTED DWELLINGS…AND CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE TO EVEN WELL CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS. HIGHER WIND SPEEDS WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER ON UPPER FLOORS OF TALL BUILDINGS CAUSING DAMAGE.
NOAA New Orleans Local Weather Hazard Advisory

According to a CNN Article on Hurricane Katrina hitting New Orleans, the damage is expected to be so severe that many people will not be able to return home for weeks, maybe months. All windows are expected to be broken out, wood buildings possibly severely damaged or destroyed, with cement buildings also threatened by blowing debris and flooding – the damage is expected to be very severe, possibly the worst ever in recorded hurricane history.

We heard on NPR that many of the beautiful balconies in the French Quarter and Bourbon Street area are expected to be seriously damaged with flooding possibly even reaching the second floor or more from the storm surges. The anticipated results of Hurricane Katrina just don’t get better.

As for us, we got up at 4:30 in the morning today and finished the final preparations for leaving. The wood and a few patio furniture items are still covered with plastic and tied down securely from Hurricane Dennis. My vegetable and herb garden was pruned back and all the pots were tied down between a power pole and a huge three with a lattice work of rope hopefully keeping the heavy pots from blowing around. I cut an armful of basil and it is hanging in the bathroom to dry, filling the trailer with the smell of Italian cooking.

The roads out of Mobile were busier than usual for a Sunday early morning, but not heavy. We saw a lot of license plates and other RVs from Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana, but this is normal on Interstate 10 and 65. As we drove through the rising heat of the day, we noticed the traffic getting lighter and lighter on the highway going in the opposite direction. So the huge convoy of military vehicles and another of electrical and utility repair crews heading south were easily spotted.

These are the people going into the storm to help protect the area and people as well as to immediately begin the repairs and restoration of the damaged area. They will wait at the very edge of the worst of the store, risking being a potential target if the storm twists their way, and then rush in within minutes of getting the all clear signal to assess the damage and begin the work.

We couldn’t pick up the Mobile NPR station, a normal event since the signal isn’t very powerful, but we could pick up the NPR station out of Mississippi and they were reporting that the early morning evacuation of the coastal areas was going fine – no traffic jams, though traffic was heavier than usual. They urged people to get out now while the traffic was light. Many complied. All the highways leading out of New Orleans were reverse flowed, so all lanes of traffic were heading out.

We had debated about heading towards Texas, wanting to stay on the west side of the storm, but Brent’s meeting Tuesday in Atlanta, and the predictions that the storm would wrap around Atlanta, urged us to choose there. I’m glad we did as Sunday morning, as all traffic out of New Orleans was forced north, east, and west, with Interstate 10 being all lanes east or west out of New Orleans. For one of the most traveled highways in the US – this is an amazing achievement as well as action. We couldn’t have crossed the state of Louisiana without driving way north if we wanted to, being forced to reverse our direction if we crossed Mississippi towards New Orleans. Atlanta became the confirmed destination.

A friend had loaned Brent Tom Clancy’s Hunt for Red October on CD. When there was no new news on the slow moving storm, we got lost in the military spy novel of the ruin of Communist Russia. I wish we’d had something more light hearted, but this is what we had with us. Teaches us to prepare better for the next hurricane. Did I just say that!!

Late last night, I told some friends from WordPress online that I was heading out in the morning. They kept telling me to get out now. I told them that we had to finish packing and cleaning things up. One young man said, “If it were my house, I’d leave it messy and go.”

I laughed and a few others who knew me better also laughed. He didn’t realize that we take our house with us when we go. My mother calls us turtles, “house on your back”, as our house goes with us when we travel. When we arrived at a campground in Atlanta, Brent phoned his brother-in-law to tell the family that we were safe and sound.

“I’m going to have some dinner then sit down and play some guitar. After all, I’m home.”

There is something to be said about taking your home with you when you go.

Posted in 2005, Telling Stories | Tagged evacuation, gulf coast, hurricane, hurricane damage, hurricane evacuation, hurricane katrina, hurricane recovery, hurricane victims, storm damage, storms | 2 Comments

Intel and Boeing Connexion Teaming Up to Brand Wireless Hotspots

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 28, 2005

In a report on Flight Tech Online, Connexion by Boeing and Intel Working to Make Airplanes “Hotspots”, Boeing Connexion, developer of the wireless broadband Internet services being installed on airplanes around the world for passengers to have in-flight wireless access to the Internet with their WIFI devices, is teaming up with Intel’s Centrino mobile technology, to promote branded WIFI hotspots on airplanes and on the ground.

Intel works with wireless service providers to identify and minimize issues related to quality of service, site coverage and down-time that may negatively affect an end user’s experience. The program has verified 103 service providers that operate more than 70,000 hotspots worldwide so far.

The two companies, along with other WIFI hotspot companies, will work together for co-branding and marketing promotions.

Posted in Travel | Tagged boeing, communication, intel, internet, travel, wifi, wifi hotspots, wireless, wireless hotspots | Leave a comment

Know Before You Go: VAT Refunds

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 28, 2005

Luggage Tags on our suitcases, photograph by Brent VanFossen Did you know that as a tourist shopping in a foreign country you can get a refund on the sales tax or VAT (Value Added Tax) on your purchases when you leave the country?

You can. With a minimum total purchase, often equivalent to about USD$100, made at a “tax-free” or “tourist” shop, and a form provided by the shop, many countries will refund you the amount of tax paid.

Find out what the minimum purchase amount is in the country you are in by checking guide books or on the Internet before going. We recommend checking before you travel so you can be prepared for the process. It can be a bit of a process. Some places have rules and regulations that will make your head spin, so make sure you know what the rules are before you leave home.

As you are shopping, if you decide you want to make a big ticket purchase, check the front windows, door, and exterior of the shop as well as around the pay counter for a sign that indicates this shop is a VAT Refund qualified and designated shop. Some countries feature a Tax Free Shopping sign.

We recommend you carry a distinctive colored envelope in your pack or purse to store the paperwork you will get with each purchase. Keep it with you. Write the following information on the envelope, especially if you cannot keep your passport with you after your arrival in the country (some hotels are required to keep it for you), or you choose to leave it in the hotel’s safe deposit box.

Your passport number
Passport issue location
Passport issue and expiration dates

Always carry two pens with you for taking notes as well as filling in the forms.

Fill in all the blanks in the form. When asked if you would like a refund by mail (check), credit card, or cash, choose cash or credit card for speed and security. If you choose check or cash, upon your arrival at the airport for departure, before going to the ticket counter check with an official on how to handle the refund. Different countries and airports have different procedures.

We don’t offer this tip lightly. In the United States, the average sales tax on purchases is around 10% of the total purchase price. In Israel, it’s 18%. Belgim is 21%. Sweden is 25%. Italy is 20%. That adds up to a LOT of money that you can get back before leaving the country.

And enjoy the savings on your trip! There’s a helpful article on Frommers about VAT Refunds, also. For more information, check with the main corporations behind international sales tax refunds in the EU at Global Refund and Premier Tax Free

Posted in Planning for the Road, Travel | Tagged international travel, life on the road, planning for the road, travel, travel tips | 1 Comment

Best Nature Photographers Books

By Lorelle VanFossen | Published August 28, 2005

Inspiration comes from anywhere. When it comes to inspiring us with natural images, these are the books that leap from our shelves.

We have now made it easier for you to get these wonderful books through Amazon.com. If you don’t see the link or picture of the book, hit your REFRESH button or the F5 key to reload the page. If you have a comment or recommendation to us, please let us know in the comment section below.

Freeman Patterson
Few people have influenced nature photography more than Freeman Patterson. His book, “The Art of Seeing”, revolutionized the thinking process behind the images and within the photographer. A tremendous bestseller, he continues to produce phenomenal books that life the level of artistry regarding nature photography to unbelievable heights. While these books are designed for the photographer who already has a basic level of technical understanding, everyone can learn from these books, developing your artistry into fine art. Excellent for all artists, no matter what your medium.

William Neill
William Neill’s books inspire, but they also educate. His images, often combined with the text of other writers, represent some of the finest “art work” in nature photography. Having studied with Ansel Adams, and continuing to work with Adam’s gallery as an artist and teacher, Neill’s work actually surpasses Adams’ in many ways. What Adams was to black and white, Neill is to color. But both share a unique vision of nature exhibited well by their photographic images. One of our absolute favorite “text books” is “By Nature’s Design”. If you have even the slightest interest in the patterns and textures of nature, this is a must-have book. It explains the mathematics and theories behind the most common patterns and shapes found in nature. The writing is charming while educational, and I promise you will learn to spot these details in nature better than ever before, changing your perception.

Galen Rowell
With an unique ability to push himself beyond his own physical limits and beyond the photographic “norms”, Galen Rowell climbed the highest mountains in search of that “special light” and to some of the most harsh environments to capture the “magic moment”. Even if he was photographing things tamer and closer to home, this determination to go beyond, to rasie the bar, led him to create images that bely the hardship behind the image, allowing the viewer to just “be there” in the moment with awe instead of sweat. We lost an amazing talent a year ago, but his work sings on. Put Rowell’s books on your list if you are looking for a mentor.

John Shaw
Few nature photographers can compare with the work and determination to succeed in this industry than John Shaw. In many ways, he is the “father” of all nature photographers. Determined to produce a book that taught the basics of nature photography to the general public in a clear and simple way, not a dull and boring text book filled with dusty exposure charts and the Sunny 16 Rule, he wrote the book that eventually became “The Nature Photographer’s Complete Guide to Professional Field Techniques”, a title bestowed by a publisher with a sorry sense of humor. Desperate to have the book published after showing it around for ages to many publishers, Shaw learned to live with the title, and in spite of it, word of mouth spread, making it one of the best selling books in photography EVER. We use this book as our “text book” when we teach any of our photography programs. Shaw knew he had hit a niche, so he continued with the same clear and concise theme to create his incredibly popular “Close-ups in Nature”, “Focus on Nature”, and….. Eventually, his first book was updated and re-issued with a more concise title, and it continues to be a best seller. It is complimented by one of the best books on the business of nature photography, “”. If you want to excel in any shape or form in nature photography, memorize these books.

Bryan Peterson
Another “father” of nature photography, though a brilliant commercial photographer, Bryan Peterson’s books are still a perfect compliment to photographic studies and incentives. “Understanding Exposure” helps the photographer at any level really get a qualified handle on how the camera reads exposure and understands the colors and color tones of a subject. This is not a dry text book, but a colorful, easy-to-read and put-into-practice delight. “Learning to See Creatively” is a great compliment to the work of Freeman Patterson, though completely different. Peterson expands his perspective from his early nature photography to include some of his commercial images, helping the reader learn more about the various ways to “see” a subject through the camera. No matter how serious a nature photographer you are, people will jump into your viewfinder from time to time, even if only during vacations and holiday seasons. If you are a travel photographers, then people will be a consistent subject. It doesn’t matter. The book, “People in Focus” will help you develop some great techniques for getting the most out of your “people” pictures.

Art Wolfe
Light on the Land by Art Wolfe
No other photographer in any genre has produced more books than Art Wolfe. Admittedly not a writer, he has worked with a variety of writers from all over the world to create an amazingly diverse range of books all dealing with nature, travel, tribal, and cultural photography. A determined “tree-hugger”, Wolfe will go anywhere in the world under the most desperate conditions to bring out the “nature” of his subjects. His books on the last “tribes” left in the world have changed the world’s perseption of their struggle as well as shedding new light on our human history. His books have also led to the protection of fragile lands and increased awareness of the plight of nature struggling to survive against the “hand of man”. No matter how “political” the indent behind his work, his artistic nature explodes off the page. Wolfe has a unique eye when it comes to capturing the “light”. His book, “Light on the Land”, is a prime example of his sensitivity to natural light, but it is visible in all his work. Again, if you are looking for a mentor, add Art Wolfe to the top of your list.

Over ten years ago, Wolfe produced an amazing coffee table book called “Light on the Land”. It was a true work of art and changed the world’s perspective on scenic photography, melting fine art with nature photography. This year, his complementary book, “Edge of the Earth, Corner of the Sky” is getting rave reviews and surpasses the extraordinary work of “Light on the Land”. It is one of the best selling books at Amazon.com, and truly a work of inspirational art.

One book of particular interest to those who want to “rise” in their studies and industry, “The Art of Photographing Nature” with Art Wolfe and Martha Hill takes a wonderful look at why photographs are chosen by photo editors and the artistry behind the images.

Joe McDonald
Few photographers have gone to the lengths that Joe McDonald has to “get the picture”. He has a unique affinity with wildlife of all shapes and sizes, studying how they behave, their habitat, and analyzing what it will take technically to not injure the creature but to get it to cooperate for the camera. He shares that amazing skill and technique in his various books on wildlife photography. If you are into photographing animals, reptiles or large mammals, you must study his work and techniques to get the best quality images.

Ansel Adams
The grandfather of nature photography, Adams revolutionized the photographic printing process, and set a high standard of quality when it came to the art of photographing nature. His work helped change the world’s perception regarding the protection of natural areas as well. His work continues to impress and inspire photographers. His work on developing the “Zone” system for exposure continues to be the media standard.

David Attenborough
For years, David Attenborough has brought nature into people’s living rooms around the world. His animal documentaries, specials, and investigations have helped millions understand why wildlife is so important in the world and why it is worth protecting. His series, “The Life of Mammals” is an award-winning treasure to have at home. It comes as a complete set or in four volumes.