Five at Five – Tina of Travels and Trifles

Fri 17th Jun, 2022

This week’s Five at Five Intro features Photographer is Tina of Travels and Trifles blog. Tina’s About Page on Photoshelter says:

Since retiring in 2000 from an all-consuming career in technology, I have had the luxury of reconnecting with some of the things I love most, photography, nature and travel. I’ve included some of my favorite images from near and far as I experience the world though my lens. Please browse, enjoy, and if you have the time, watch this short video highlighting some of the most beautiful aspects of life on our lovely barrier island.

Five at Five Questions

When and how did you start on your photographic journey?

I first took up photography in my late 20s with my first Nikon, an FM 1. I still have that equipment which I keep on my bookcase for sentimental reasons😊. When I became serious about my career, I shelved my interest for the most part, until many years later when my husband and I retired and moved to Kiawah Island in South Carolina.

What subject do you like photographing the most?

Although I suspect a visit to my blog would lead most to think of me as a nature photographer, my real love is travel photography. Unfortunately, COVID has had a major impact on our ability to see and photograph the world, the nature on Kiawah has given me a beautiful alternative until things open up a bit more.

Have you been influenced by other photographers, if so by whom and why? If not, who is your favourite photographer?

Interestingly, on Kiawah we have a wonderful photography club with 100+ members. Throughout our years here we have had the most amazing guest presenters, all of whom are well-known professionals. In my blog at Travels and Trifles, each time we have a professional speaker there is typically a photo shoot, and I try to do a post that features some of what I’ve learned. I cannot really name a favorite but some of those I’ve loved have included Drew Doggett, Alan Ross, Tony Sweet, Joyce Tenneson, Richard Bernabe, Denise Ippolito and Ralph Lee Hopkins. My first major influence though, was my husband’s cousin who was a photographer for the Boston Globe. It was he who introduced me to digital cameras (I was shooting film at the time) which opened a whole new world. So, although perhaps the biggest influence on me has been our local photography club, its members, and the visiting professionals, I also need to include a nod to my husband who has always been 100% supportive and then some!

What is the go-to camera equipment that you use regularly and what software do you use to process your images?

I’m currently using a Fuji XT-2 or my iPhone 12 Pro Max. I think of myself as a Nikon shooter though, as I’d used their high-end cameras and lenses for some 20 years. Unfortunately, my Nikons became too heavy for everyday use so I switched to mirrorless. The quality IMHO is not as good but its portability makes it so much easier for me that I’m willing to accept the compromise. It’s time for me to upgrade to new technology but since we’re not really traveling at the moment I’m sitting back and watching the incredible trajectory of technology that the major brands are introducing until I find whatever I feel is the right option for me.

What is your favourite method of processing an image? (i.e., colour, monochrome, saturated, dreamy look etc)

I’m a big user of both Lightroom and Photoshop as well as the NIK tools. I use any and all of the options you mention depending on the subject and the message I want the image to convey. If I were forced to choose, I’d say my favorite is an Impressionist effect using Nik or Topaz.

Photographs

The first image is from our visit to Laos. We were heading home after dinner one evening and it was quite dark. I spotted a display of brightly colored parasols for sale on a porch just off the road and had to capture it. Because it was quite dark, the image needed some serious post processing but I still love it and it is one of few hanging in my home.

My second choice is one of my favorites ever. I captured it during our visit to Petra – one of the most amazing places I’ve ever seen. The cart was carrying some tourists down to see The Treasury – also an incredible memory for me.

I captured the next image not long ago at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Unlike the previous images which are favorites for their depth of color and contrast, this one struck me because of the complete absence thereof! I just loved the purity of the scene and the single figure conveniently clothed in black. This one was captured with my iPhone 12 pro max and is straight out of camera.

The next image captures one of Charleston’s iconic shrimp boats headed out to sea at sunrise. I was in a small boat on a photo shoot to capture nesting birds at a very special crab bank near my home. This ship passed us heading out for what would probably be several days if not weeks of trolling for shrimp. It’s quite rare to be so close to the ships on the water. Serendipity! This one hangs over my fireplace at home.

Finally, one of many favorites from our safari in Africa. It went well beyond anything I could have imagined or even dreamed of. This image captures a family of elephants that had just crossed a river heading to Namibia. While in the water they were very playful and caring of each other. It was an incredible moment, one of so many I might have chosen from that adventure.