What I Did on My Vacation #9

 

Before leaving my photographic tour of the Galapagos Islands, I would like to answer a few questions that I have gotten regarding visiting there.

First, yes, access to the islands is controlled however you still have quite a lot of freedom to explore most of the islands.  The reason that I say “most of the islands” is because they periodically put certain islands “off limits” so that the vegetation and wildlife can recover.  The government appears to be doing a very good job striking a balance between tourism and the environment—even though I am sure that both sides (tourism business and environmentalists would argue that point with me.

Second, why the photographic restrictions, like “no flash”?   Don’t know and really do not care.  My attitude on the “no flash” rule is that:  (1) it’s there country and they can make the rule; and (2) it does not seem to be an unreasonable rule consider how fragile the environment is.  Personally, I get a lot more upset when I encounter “authority” figures in the United States that tell me that I cannot photograph in this or that public place.  I recently watched a video on Fstoppers ( http://fstoppers.com/page/4)  that dealt with this very issue.  You might want to check it out.

Finally, would I go back to the Galapagos Islands?  The straightforward answer is “no.”  But, that is not because the Galapagos Islands are not a great place to visit and photograph, because they are.  Rather, it is because there are still lots of places in the world that I want to see, and of course, photograph.

Today, I present a few random shots.

Enjoy.