Photo gallery - Camino Frances May 2013

[billbennettoz]

Hi - I've now posted my gallery onto my photographic website. These are pictures taken while walking the Camino Frances in April & May, 2013. They're my favourite 100 shots.

Thank you as well to everyone who visited my blog, and for those of you who left comments. The blog has received about 40,000 page views in 6 weeks, which is quite amazing. So thanks!

Here's the link to the photo gallery:

[Ivar: edited out commercial link]

Bill Bennett

 

[Jennifer1959]

Truly talented photographer.
Exquisite landscape images.
Moving shots of the beautiful people whose lives are played out in those landscapes

THANKYOU.



Bill I returned from Camino Frances and read The Way My Way and realised it was you, whose images inspired me so before my walk.

THANKYOU so much for both! I love your conclusions- esp:

“WHAT DID I ULTIMATELY LEARN?
That the only thing that matters - that truly matters - is love.”

Excerpt From: Bennett, Bill. “The Way, My Way.” iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

Check out this book on the iBookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewBook?id=717821732

 

[billbennettoz]

Truly talented photographer.
Exquisite landscape images.
Moving shots of the beautiful people whose lives are played out in those landscapes

THANKYOU.

Wonderfully gracious of you Jennifer, thank YOU!

Bill

 

[Laliibeans]

Thank you for the insightful and entertaining blog!

 

[WildPlace]

Fabulous photos Bill, thank you for sharing!

 

[billbennettoz]

Thank you for the insightful and entertaining blog!

Thank you! The blog turned out to be a very important way for me to interpret each day on the Camino. I'm delighted you got something from it!

Bill

 

[billbennettoz]

Fabulous photos Bill, thank you for sharing!

Thanks! Wish now I'd taken a more sophisticated camera, but the little Fuji did a good job!

Bill

 

[WildPlace]

It's really good to know Bill, part of my daily work is photography and i'm also studying a photography degree, i had been toying with the idea of taking my DSLR along when i walk in September. The thought of the extra weight and encumberance was bothering me, but seeing your great shots finalised my descision to just take my small compact (Panasonic Lumix) which i can carry easily in my pocket.

 

[billbennettoz]

The thought of the extra weight and encumberance was bothering me, but seeing your great shots finalised my descision to just take my small compact (Panasonic Lumix) which i can carry easily in my pocket.

Hi WildPlace - it's a really hard decision, because if you're anything like me prior to the walk, I became obsessed about every gram I was carrying.

I have a full Leica M system, (not at all appropriate for the Camino!), and a full Nikon system, including as a backup camera the little D3200, which is Nikon's entry level DSLR. It's got a great 24MP sensor, and while it's limited in its functionality, it's light and small.

I actually regret now not taking it. The reason I didn't was because of weight. But as well, I didn't have an appropriate DX lens. My Nikon system is skewed to FX lenses, which would have been too heavy.

If I'd taken the D3200, the lens I would have wanted, limiting to only one lens, would have been the 16-85mm DX zoom. It's sharp, and has good RFT figures. But I wasn't going to go out and buy that lens just for the Camino! (I wouldn't consider the longer range zooms, like the 18-200mm, because of the lesser optics.)

Why did I regret not taking a DSLR?

* Shutter lag - I got frustrated with the shutter lag of the Fuji.
* Optical viewfinder - the Fuji does have a basic optical viewfinder but it's not very good, has no focus information in it, and I found myself using the back screen, which I didn't like, particularly in full sun.
* High ISO - the DSLR would have enabled me to shoot up to 3200 ISO.
* The larger sensor and resultant Depth of Field. I got bugger all DOF from the Fuji sensor.
* RAW capacity - whilst the Fuji x10 can shoot RAW, the Fuji RAW software is crap, plus it would have chewed up backup storage on my iPad.
* Battery life - the Fuji only allowed me about 250 shots per battery.

All that said, I was able to crank out some ok shots with the Fuji, but I now miss not having RAW files to tinker with in post.

So if I was to do the Camino again tomorrow, (which is not possible because my knee is shot!), I'd cop the extra weight and take the D3200 - assuming I had that 16-85mm in my kit - and I'd make weight sacrifices elsewhere.

The thing I learnt on the Camino is that you take what's personally important to you, regardless of weight. For instance, I walked for a while with a bloke who'd bought an espresso machine, coffee beans and a grinder! And he didn't regret it one bit, because he loved his coffee!

I love my photography - and taking photos during my walk enabled me to fully "see" the Camino. So it was important to me. Hence I'd trade off weight for the joy of using a better camera.

Ultimately though, another consideration is: What's your end use for your shots. My end use is largely online use, and so a smaller sensor is fine. I saw people lugging around D800s, and other full frame cameras, and wondered why? Were they going to be using the files to print out to 16x24? Or were they shooting for Nat Geo? I didn't think so. So why take a large sensor camera?

Long winded response, but hope it helps with your decision!

Bill

 

[NaKwendaSafari]

Thanks Bill for sharing your technical expertise on this forum, I particularly appreciate your final paragraph which sums up admirably what a camera on the Camino is for:

I love my photography - and taking photos during my walk enabled me to fully "see" the Camino. So it was important to me. Hence I'd trade off weight for the joy of using a better camera.

Ultimately though, another consideration is: What's your end use for your shots. My end use is largely online use, and so a smaller sensor is fine. I saw people lugging around D800s, and other full frame cameras, and wondered why? Were they going to be using the files to print out to 16x24? Or were they shooting for Nat Geo? I didn't think so. So why take a large sensor camera?

Joe

 

[billbennettoz]

Thanks Bill for sharing your technical expertise on this forum, I particularly appreciate your final paragraph which sums up admirably what a camera on the Camino is for:

I love my photography - and taking photos during my walk enabled me to fully "see" the Camino. So it was important to me. Hence I'd trade off weight for the joy of using a better camera.

Ultimately though, another consideration is: What's your end use for your shots. My end use is largely online use, and so a smaller sensor is fine. I saw people lugging around D800s, and other full frame cameras, and wondered why? Were they going to be using the files to print out to 16x24? Or were they shooting for Nat Geo? I didn't think so. So why take a large sensor camera?

Joe

No worries Joe. Thanks for the thanks!

It's not an easy decision to make, what camera to take. I didn't mention the iPhone, which has a fine camera of course, but it has no optical zoom, you don't have control over aperture or ISO, and you're limited to its base focal length, which isn't wide enough for me. But for taking snaps, and panoramas, it's great. (Also for its immediacy with social media and emailing, of course.)

Bill

 

[WildPlace]

Wow Bill, thanks for the very comprehensive reply, so, ok, i'm wavering again lol! I have a few months to mull it over anyway...

 

[NaKwendaSafari]

Thanks Bill for your very practical advises, and coming from a keen experienced professional photographer these comments carry great weight. I particularly like your separation of what a snap (all good to show families and friends) is from a photograph.

I agree with you on the limitations of the point and fixed focus shoot cameras and smartphones. The lack of a wide angle lens was keenly felt when a snap of the happy pilgrims around a meal table in a small room was needed. I came across http://www.olloclip.com which shows how this limitation has been overcome. It is a very small light unobtrusive slip-on triple lens comprising of a wide angle, a fisheye, and a macro for the iPhone. It will address my need for snappng on my July walk.

Similarly there are focussing telephoto lenses for these smartphones, the size of a small cigar, which I will not take as am happy with the optical zoom and cropping to bring far views closer albeit with loss of definition and increased graininess. I am happy to trade.

Aperture control will still be some way off for the smartphones, but there is selective focusing when you press a finger on the subject which you want to focus on the touch screen. Works very well for objects at distances less than 2 meters. Otherwise I use software to soft-focus around the subject, it keeps the subject fully focused but feathers the area around the subject into increasingly fuzziness. A bandaid but stronger software can create wonders.

The limitations which I cannot get around, yet, is the poor flashing ability fo the small LED flash, and the lack of video zooming. Coming from using the Kodak box camera to the latest DLSR, and seeing all the gadgets and improvements in the smartphones I still have hope that these limitations can be overcome.

Again thanks for sharing your technical expertise.

Joe

 

[billbennettoz]

Hi Joe - no worries! Seems like you've got it all sorted, which is great.

Like I said, photography on the camino is always a trade off - considerations of weight, and reducing the amount of stuff you're carrying, is a huge factor.

Again though ultimately it depends on what you want to use the pics for eventually. You're smart to be using software, and some add-ons, to extend your options.

By the way, I see professional wedding photographers using the iPhone to shoot weddings!

Good luck!

Bill

 

[Kiwi-family]

We have a Canon EOS550D, which we took with us last year. My husband carried it (he's the techno man)!
We also have a Canon SX260HS, which I am considering taking when I walk without hubby as packhorse next year.
I am not a professional photographer. In fact I am barely a photographer, but when we have travelled I have enjoyed playing around with the camera. Composing pics is my creative outlet whilst walking and I am torn about whether to take the decent, but oh-so-heavy camera and the tiny-weighs under 200g option.
Bill, you will tell me to take what's important to me. Will you also tell me that there is no point taking a decent camera if I haven't learnt to use it properly?

 

[billbennettoz]

Bill, you will tell me to take what's important to me. Will you also tell me that there is no point taking a decent camera if I haven't learnt to use it properly?

ha ha - I will tell you to take whatever's going to give you pleasure. Make you happy. You don't need to be a professional photographer to take or use a big camera.

The camera that I took was a small relatively simple compact - but it enabled me to see things around me I would have otherwise missed, or ignored. That to me was the most important thing - not the camera itself.

And have you thought that if you take a "decent" camera, that it might start off a whole new life for you as a photographer? At the very least you're going to come back with some unique shots.

Hope that helps, and doesn't confuse things...

Bill

 

[Annie Little]

I am a keen amateur photographer... did a photogrpahic tour in Cambodia 2012 with a pro photographer which was AWESOME...... but all adventures are different and as much as I would love to get awesome photos on the Camino... I am also inhibited or not so... by my wish to walk and absorb the environment of the Camino.... so the dilemma is a compromise.... I cannot lugg a big camera AND enjoy the "feeling" along the way... the people/ the atmosphere etc etc .... have to compromise... this tip is about The Way... The Walk... The people etc et .. will take photos .... but not to usual standard BUT then this is a different Camino from my other Caminos.... all of life is a Camino

Annie

 

[billbennettoz]

I will take photos .... but not to usual standard BUT then this is a different Camino from my other Caminos.... all of life is a Camino
Annie

Annie, you might be surprised at how the two can become one - The Way, and your "seeing" The Way through your camera.

Bill

 

[Deleted member 22638]

Bill,

Thanks for the link and great photos - you were a few days ahead of me on the Camino and I managed to read a couple of entries while walking and sympathised with your knee issues. I have enjoyed reading your blog in full on my return.

You recently wrote " The further away I get from the Camino, the closer I feel I’m getting to it." That's true for me - it's like real life is on the Camino and what I return to has now changed into something else, to be observed with a wry smile.

Hope your knee picks up soon and you get to make your next Camino - I'm finding that the Le Puy route may be calling out !

Best wishes - Kevin

 

[billbennettoz]

Hi Kevin, many thanks!

I got an email from a bloke I walked with for a while - he described how on returning, people would ask what it was like, and he'd try to explain, but couldn't - and he'd see their eyes glazing over...

:shock:

Yep, le Puy is very enticing, isn't it...

Bill

 

[Annie Little]

Hi Bill

yes I know what you mean about seeing things through the "eyes" of the camera.. that has helped me out of depression a few times... the camera can help to see things from a different perspective rather than "our minds eye"

someone mentioned knee problems...most knee and hip problems start at the feet... realign the feet and the knees are realigned... I walk pain free after getting specially made orthotics for my shoes.

Also agree with your comment that real life is on the Camino ... or any journey I have found

I no longer talk about my explorations to people at home... they are not interested... they dont want to see my photos either.....had some awesome ones from Cambodia. My real soul mates are the people I meet along the way of my journeys....I never have forgotten any person I met for a day, a week on my trips

This will be my first Camino ( in the sense of the word used on here... all of life is a camino I have come to see) I am getting excited... leave home Mid Sept.. have two months off work

Cheers
Annie

 

[Annie Little]

Just had a good look at your pics Bill..... they are fabulous...... so now I really do want to take my camera.... last year I used the Olympus OMD which gave me great pics and is light for travel... may have to consider this now... I do love photography

Do you worry about your equipment getting wet? or stolen? _ I wish to be worry free.. having material possessions brings more to worry about I have found. I live a minimlaist life at home

Annie

 

[billbennettoz]

Do you worry about your equipment getting wet? or stolen? _ I wish to be worry free.. having material possessions brings more to worry about I have found. I live a minimlaist life at home Annie

Hi Annie - thanks for the compliment on the photos! They were taken with a little Fujifilm x10 - here is the newer version, but it's essentially the same camera -

http://www.dpreview.com/products/fujifi ... jifilm_x20

You've got to be careful of thievery with anything of value on the Camino. I made sure I took my camera with me everywhere. Also be aware that if your camera is stolen, you'll lose all your photos if you haven't backed them up somewhere - in the cloud, or on another device. That's another big reason to be careful.

With rain, I was surprised how well the little Fuji held up. In Galicia, it was always drizzling, if not raining. But Galicia was full of great shots, so I was always taking my camera out from under my rain jacket, taking my photo, then frantically wiping it down.

Digital cameras, with all their electronics, HATE rain and moisture, but the little Fuji must have good weather sealing, because it didn't skip a beat. (I had a Leica M digital, and I sold it because the weather sealing on it was hopeless. It was always getting repaired because of moisture.)

So to answer your question - Yes, you have to be careful of your camera getting stolen, and yes you have to figure out a way of keeping it relatively dry.

Bill

 

[Traceyq]

Truly lovely shots Bill, beautifully composed! Thanks for sharing.

 

[JALAN JAUH]

Thanks billbennettoz for your technical inputs and wonderful photos taken with the non-DSLR camera. I like your comment:

By the way, I see professional wedding photographers using the iPhone to shoot weddings!

It may not only be the iPhone which takes wedding pictures, there is an immense leap frogging of technologies between the iPhones and Androids, even as I write newer models of smartphones are coming out, I was intrigued with the Samsung S4 which, amongst a host of other incredible tricks, now can take photos and videos on voice command, you can step away with the smartphone on a tripod then command it to start recording or take the picture. See http://www.samsung.com/us/article/11-ca ... galaxy-s-4 for some of the impossible things smartphones can do now, it will not be long before others will improve on it and make the smartphone do even more.

I think some of your preditations on the limitations of the photographic capabilities of the use of a smartphone as a camera is being addressed and you will be surprised how they will be overcome. One thing however which will take some doing with a camera is to hook it to the electronic church organ and play recorded wedding music, this was done at a wedding by one of the youngsters using her iPhone.

Joe

 

[billbennettoz]

Thanks billbennettoz for your technical inputs and wonderful photos taken with the non-DSLR camera. I like your comment:

I think some of your preditations on the limitations of the photographic capabilities of the use of a smartphone as a camera is being addressed and you will be surprised how they will be overcome. One thing however which will take some doing with a camera is to hook it to the electronic church organ and play recorded wedding music, this was done at a wedding by one of the youngsters using her iPhone.
Joe

Ha ha - church music... that's funny Joe.

Just to say though - I wasn't predicting limitations, merely stating those that exist at the moment. The technology is moving very fast, and I notice that Samsung are soon to release a camera/phone hybrid called the Samsung Galaxy NX which is the next natural step between smartphones and cameras.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/06/20 ... w-hands-on

I'd have loved to have just taken one device that could encompass phone and camera, but no aperture control, no ISO control, no optical zoom, no RAW capability, small sensor - all these things were deal breakers for me. Hence I took that little Fuji x10.

Very soon though the phone companies will have all these covered, as you say... and the camera companies will have to change their business models.

If you're interested in the debate - Thom Hogan has been writing about this stuff for quite some time now. He's been a staunch advocate that the camera companies have to lift their game if they're to compete with smartphones. Here are his two websites -

http://www.bythom.com/writing.htm
http://www.sansmirror.com

Bill

 

[pudgypilgrim]

I really enjoyed your blog and photos, Bill, and I wish the camera companies would listen to Thom Hogan but even Nikon doesn't seem to do that, alas.

One interesting new camera that's just about due out is the Panasonic LF1, which is a small pocket-sized camera with a 7x zoom, EVF, raw, and a total weight of 192 grams including battery and memory card. Too soon to know anything much about image quality and handling, but the weight is noteworthy.

Your blog is the link I send to all my friends who say, "You want to do what?"

 

[billbennettoz]

I really enjoyed your blog and photos, Bill, and I wish the camera companies would listen to Thom Hogan but even Nikon doesn't seem to do that, alas.

One interesting new camera that's just about due out is the Panasonic LF1, which is a small pocket-sized camera with a 7x zoom, EVF, raw, and a total weight of 192 grams including battery and memory card. Too soon to know anything much about image quality and handling, but the weight is noteworthy.

Your blog is the link I send to all my friends who say, "You want to do what?"

Panasonic are making spectacular cameras, and their lenses are good too. 192 grams will probably blow out to about 400 grams with batteries, charger, extra media and leads, but even so that's very light. And the fact that it's only a x7 zoom means it will probably be good optically.

Yes, it's a shame that the camera companies don't listen to Mr. Hogan. He's been advocating for a while now a modular system of camera, where the sensors are interchangeable - and also he's been pushing this connectivity issue, which the camera makers are only now starting to adopt, principally because the compact camera market has gone down the toilet thanks to smartphone cameras.

And that's funny that you're directing people to my Camino blog - I've continued writing each day since returning, and it's been amazing really - next week it will be 50,000 page views since mid April, which given that I've done no search optimization or tagging or anything, absolutely knocks me sideways.

[Ivar: edited out commercial link]

Are you going to be doing the Camino soon? If so I'd be really interested to know what camera you choose. Take a look at this one - it's not as light as the Panasonic, but its sensor is terrific. http://www.dpreview.com/previews/fujifilm-x-m1

Bill

 

[pudgypilgrim]

192 grams will probably blow out to about 400 grams with batteries, charger, extra media and leads, but even so that's very light. And the fact that it's only a x7 zoom means it will probably be good optically.

Well, actually for that one there's not even an official charger--as far as Panasonic is concerned you charge the battery in-camera (not crazy about that, myself). It's also wifi enabled for transfers, so it should be a pretty compact setup-- basically just the camera and the cable.

Are you going to be doing the Camino soon? If so I'd be really interested to know what camera you choose. Take a look at this one - it's not as light as the Panasonic, but its sensor is terrific. http://www.dpreview.com/previews/fujifilm-x-m1

I'm looking at 2015 for the first leg (going from Paris via Chartres, and the Schengen rules for US citizens don't give me enough time to do the whole way to Santiago in one go). This has been a long time coming, but I've got some health issues to resolve before I can go. Things are going well so far, though, so maybe earlier than that, depending on my work schedule and how long it takes me to get back in shape.

Yeah, the Fuji looks really interesting, thanks, but I don't think I want to deal with changing lenses. I've got a closet full of Nikon glass and for the Camino I'd as soon not take a camera at all; just looking for something minimal to document things for friends/family when needed. I don't have a smartphone because there's no service where I live, or I'd probably get by with that. It will be interesting to see if Canon or Nikon get their act together and come out with something worthwhile between now and then (although I'd be pretty surprised).

Actually, I'd as soon go on a total technology fast on the camino if I could, but unfortunately I couldn't get away that long if I insisted on being totally unconnected all the time.

 

[Annie Little]

Don't want to make the Nikon and Cannon fans gag BUTTTT Olympus OMD has given me great results ...although for the Camino I may just take my Lumix - more compact but will give some good enough results

it is all a compromise.... would be goood if I did NOT have to compromise anything.... but want to walk carefree / light / and still be able to take photos ... sooo compact Lumix it will be

Annie

 

[billbennettoz]

Don't want to make the Nikon and Cannon fans gag BUTTTT Olympus OMD has given me great results ...although for the Camino I may just take my Lumix - more compact but will give some good enough results

it is all a compromise.... would be goood if I did NOT have to compromise anything.... but want to walk carefree / light / and still be able to take photos ... sooo compact Lumix it will be

Annie

That Olympus is a cracker camera Annie. The Lumix is good too, but you know what Chase Jervis says... the best camera is the one you have with you!!



Bill

 

[Annie Little]

Actually today have been taking photos of my grandaughter with Ipad mini---- which i bought to take on camino..... not bad..... although guess if any shots emlarged would show their faults..... but still... not sure about photos on camino... I am torn..... will be some for sure but also wish to meditate in the moment... walk.. reflect

Anne

 

[JohnMcM]

Hey Bill Bennett, you really have an eye for a photo that will appeal to a large audience.

 

[billbennettoz]

Hey Bill Bennett, you really have an eye for a photo that will appeal to a large audience.

Thanks very much John.

I've never tried to sell my shots. Although I'm a member of the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers. My stock in trade is directing movies.

Bill