Three Quick Tuesday Things (and a Peter Hurley Teaser!)

(1) Guess who is our in-studio guest on “The Grid” tomorrow?
Oh yeah–#shebang — it’s the man himself — Peter Hurley (wild cheers ensue!). The master of the headshot (see above) is in the house!

Here’s here working on a project with us, and he’s our guest tomorrow at 4:00 pm ET LIVE on the air. We might (I have to confirm with Peter first), do our blind critiques episode (in which case, it would be portraits only), so keep an eye out on my Facebook, G+ or Twitter pages tomorrow for the link to upload your images in case we go that route, but ya never know. Here’s the scoop:

Who: Peter Hurley, live in-studio
What: Tomorrow’s episode of “The Grid” (our weekly photography talk show)
Where: http://www.kelbytv.com/thegrid
When: 4:00 pm ET (New York Time)
Why: Because we do this every Wednesday at 4:00 PM ET

Join in the fun (and for the occasional crushing of people’s hopes and dreams).

(2) Help me find some place to go (be kind, kids)
My awesome, awesome wifey got me the most amazing birthday present — a photography trip (with my brother Jeff as my shooting buddy) anywhere in the world I want to go (as long as it’s someplace she wouldn’t want to go, so going back to Paris is probably out. LOL!).

My first thought was to go back to Dubai (It’s been like five years since my first visit), but this time I’d head to Abu Dhabi as well (which is a short drive), but now I’m thinking maybe I should go someplace else since I’ve kinda already been there. So, if you’ve got any ideas for really cool shooting locales that aren’t 25+ hours of flying time from Florida, I’m all ears (remember, if you can picture my wifey there with me, it’s probably off the list, so Bora Bora, Fiji, France, Spain, etc. or any place exotic or European is probably out). I’m thinking Moscow could be cool. Maybe Namibia (but my brother makes a frowny face when I mention Namibia). Anyway, I’m open to any cool ideas that won’t take me too far away for too long (five days would be ideal).

(3) My Lightroom 5 Book is Almost Here!
My Lightroom 5 book is on-press (well, it’s been on press for a while so it’s probably off press by now, or any day at the latest), and it’ll be winging it’s way to stores very soon (and by winging I mean just riding in a truck but that doesn’t sound nearly as exciting as winging), and I have reason to believe it will be arriving sooner than the bookstores online have indicated (just a hunch. Wink). Anyway, you can pre-order it right now if you’d like to over at Barnes & Noble, or Amazon, who both have screamin’ deals on it (around $34. Cheap!). Anyway, be the first on your block (heck, be the first on any block), to get your copy by pre-ordering now.

Well, that’s it for today. Hope you all have a great Tuesday and we’ll see you back here tomorrow for Guest Blog Wednesday-a-roonie (and don’t forget The Grid with Peter tomorrow).

Cheers,

-Scott

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  1. Hot air baloning in the Masai mara and then down to Amboseli in Kenya.
    Or a road trip from southern Sweden along the west coast up through Norway.

  2. I would say Morocco. You’ll get some awesome shooting opportunities (specially if you got to Marrakech and around the Atlas Mountain). It’s also fun to be able to go the beach, palm trees, etc.. and then in the desert within few hours. Believe me, I’ve been there three times and it’s something out there.

  3. In your situation, I would head for Isfahan in Iran has some really incredible architecture, culture and people, but the unfortunate side (good for you?) is that it is Iran, so woman are a bit taboo. Don’t know Kalebra, but she may not be to happy seeing you off to Marrakech or an African Safari (my wife certainly would not give me her blessing!

  4. Hi Scott,

    Have you considered photographing tribes in Ethiopia that are quickly vanishing due to encroachment by civilization? Or a trip to the Galapagos Islands where animals have no instinctive fear of humans? Both would be once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Life is so very short, Scott. Carpe diem!

  5. Yes, the Lightroom 5 book is out! Will pre-order today. My tip for a photography trip: South Africa including Cape Town, wine area, a national park, etc.

  6. Scott,
    The best photo shoot I ever did, by far, was in Kenya. If you have five days, go to the Maasai Mara for five days of heaven with the big animals. Go during the annual zebra/wildebeest migration (September is good for that). Go with Ker & Downey out of Nairobi. They know what they are doing, cater to photography and once took Franz Lanting on a special safari, for example. You’ll wish you had more time than five days, but you can do a lot in that amount of time. Count on a day each way for travel, though.

  7. Moscow, no. St. Petersburg (Russia) would be much better. I would suggest Ukraine (I live there), and see Chernobyl perhaps! But honestly in Ukraine maybe Lviv would be great.

  8. Hi Scott,

    What about South Africa? You can fly to Johannesburg and see the Krugerpark together with the Panoramic route (very impressive landscapes) for a couple of days. Or fly to CapeTown and do the Gardenroute!!!

    Both surroundings are breathtaking and I know for sure you wanna go back and stay longer… :-)

    But just google this places and get impressed by yourself! :-)

  9. I would recommend Iceland. It’s a beautiful place to photograph and is also not so far from Florida. That would definitely be a great photography trip and a wonderful experience for you. …I can’t wait to see your Icelandic pics… ;)

    Anyway, have a very nice trip anywhere you go! :)

  10. Thailand.

    Gorgeous jungle scenery, great beaches (forget Phuket for the beaches, there are much nicer places), Bangkok is a great city for street photography, the temples all over the country, historical places like the River Kwai, trashy places like the “adult” entertainment areas of Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket (there are good beaches near Pattaya and Phuket), One stop for everything.

    Don

  11. Scott: If you haven’t been to Iceland, I highly recommend it. I just got back less then a week ago. I traveled around the country shooting amazing landscape, architecture and animal shots. At this time of year, you have 24 hours of day light. The sunsets and sunrises last for what seems like hours and hours, so you can move around to capture a ton of shots. It was very cool. And the people are very friend, food is good, less then a 5 hour flight from Boston.

    You can see a few of my shots from the Iceland trip here: http://brook-ward.com/blog/

    Brook

  12. Hey Scott, you should consider Burma for the trip of a lifetime… Go in December when it’s not too hot… One day or another they will open a Mickey Mouse shop even over there, so better go when it’s still unspoilt from our Western way of life

  13. Another one for Iceland. You can see all the key spots in 5 days. Just leave a whole day for Jokulsarlon beach and lagoon as that place is amazing. Rekjavik is cool for street photography too.

  14. There is no other choice. Africa! Get off the beaten path, if possible. I’d stick to Eastern and Southern Africa, but I’m prejudiced since those are my old stomping grounds. You can find landscapes, wildlife and wonderful people. That’ll give you a great variety of opportunities. (Take me with you if you can. )

  15. Please, please go to Yellowstone (and Grand Teton)! The reason your wife might not want to go on a photo trip there is that everything is far apart, and you’re up north in summer (long hours of daylight). So for best light you might be getting up at 4 and driving 2 hours. But when you get there, oh my. Picture a bison resting by a geyser. Majestic waterfalls. Wolves, if you’re lucky. The spectacular Grand Tetons reflected in Jackson lake. It’s our first National Park for a reason.

  16. Scott, I first thought of New Zealand, but then you killed that suggestion with your time limit.

    How about this? Go to Kenya and visit the Springs of Hope Orphanage. Visit with the kids, the teachers, take pictures and report back to us on the experience, much like Jeremy Cowart did in Haiti. I think with the WWPW coming up later this year it would be a great opportunity to show everyone why it’s a great idea to get a shirt to support the orphanage.

    –John

  17. That is tough, because she seems an adventurous lass who likes travel. We need a clue as to what she doesn’t like. Find the custard capital of the world and go there. :-) What about the Palouse? Dry, dusty fields, long drives to scenic vistas, or Mt Rainer where the skeeters can carry you off?

  18. You must come and tour Scotland, get off the beaten track and tourist hotspots, take the train from Glasgow up the West Highland line to Mallaig (recognised as one of the top scenic rail journeys in the World, you can get off and on the train in the middle of nowhere, just flag down the train and it will stop to pick you up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Highland_Line) get to photograph a steam train going over the Glenfinnan viaduct is a really treat and a stunning image – it’s the bridge that features in the Harry Potter films. See the miles of stunning golden sands and azure blue water on the coast around Arisaig and Mallaig and the seafood there is second to none. Come over and I’ll happily be your tour guide.

  19. Sure, everyone’s got lots of exotic suggestions, but why not try something completely different and come to Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan. Tall ships, small ships, ferry boats, sail boats, sand beaches, sand dunes, sunrises, sunsets, two-track roads winding through hardwood forests, lighthouses, open grasslands, rocky shores, abandoned barns and homesteads, inland lakes, outer island tours, aerial opportunities, and helpful, friendly people.

  20. Since you mentioned Dubai, I’ll offer more ideas from that part of the world. Have you been to Israel? You’ve got to go there sometime, whether with the family or not. Lots of both historic and scenic places to see there. As a Christian, it will be a very meaningful trip for you. When I was there I went to all the usual spots, and then went down to the southern town of Eilat where I took a day trip into Jordan (by bus) to visit Petra, and then a two day trip into Egypt (by bus) to visit Giza. This probably isn’t the best time to visit Egypt, but I’d highly recommend visiting Petra in Jordan, even if you had to cut out Israel and just go to Jordan. Istanbul, Turkey is also a great place to visit.

  21. St. Petersberg Russia

    Hong Kong

    Anywhere in Alaska

    Stay home and try the Disneyworld that no one sees

    Petersen Car Museum in Los Angeles / Mercedes car museum in Stuttgart

    Pick a place: any bldg at the Smithsonian

    Safari with a camera (take Moose)

    =============
    for the photojournalist:

    Sendai, Japan (recovery after the tsunami)

    Iraq

    Pick a street in Egypt

    Storm chasing a tornado

  22. NEW ORLEANS. Come in August when Kalebra would be miserable because the weather is awful – hot, hot, hot, 100% humidity, no breeze, the heat hits you in the face even at night. It’s a great place for “people” shots – we do have some interesting characters here and most are more than willing to mug for the camera. You can get some great non-touristy shots – Jackson Square at twilight, the river away from the cleaned up public viewing areas, interesting architecture of many styles and in various states from pristine to decrepit everywhere – sometimes side by side, urban and natural landscapes. The area nearby is beautiful and interesting. Take a ride on River Road on either side of the Mississippi, go out to “the country” and visit some of the smaller communities, especially across the river. You may even change your mind about dead trees if you see some of the dead cypress trees and stumps around here. Or you could spend all your time in Audubon Park and City Park and go home with a great portfolio.
    Stay in an Uptown B&B on or near St. Charles Avenue rather than a downtown hotel. You can walk to some great locations. Everything is from 2 – 45 min from wherever you will be staying and great food of all varieties is always available nearby.

  23. Scott, for five days you don’t want to be exhausted from a lot of travel and time zone change. I thought New Brunswick Canada was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. Same time zone. Fly to Maine, drive north through New Brunswick. Go to the Bay of Fundy, see the 50 foot tides, different from Florida. I bet your Canadian photoshop guy can give you tips on what to see and photograph. Food will be good, stress levels low, a beautiful vacation.

  24. Not sure if you’ve been but I don’t see many places in South America recommended so far. I think Colombia would be an interesting trip for you or if you want a place with more European influence then Argentina/Chile would be great and all are reasonable flights from Florida;)

  25. Okavango Delta in Botswana – there is an American Christian Mission there (Flying Mission) who would probably let you hitch lifts in their medical supply flights in exchange for some cool publicity shots

  26. Go shoot a F1 race, that’s 3 days, then wander around whatever country you end up in for a couple more days. Most women I know would be totally bored hanging out at a racetrack for 3 days..

  27. The Shetland Islands (most northerly islands in Britain) offer some magical photographic opportunities. Spectacular scenery, beautiful sunrise/sunsets, viking heritage, Shetland ponies, Yoal Rowing, Fair Isle knitwear, northern lights/aurora (if you’re really lucky), friendly people, abundance of wildlife (puffins and thousands of other seabirds, killer whales, otters etc). You also might go home a few pounds heavier after the excellent hospitality :)

  28. Hi Scott,
    I’ve always wanted to visit the Antarctic to photograph the penguins, and I’d bet your wonderful Mrs. Kelby wouldn’t want to go.
    Mike

  29. Iceland yes, very cool – but cool enough that it may be somewhere your wife would want to go as well, or Turkey (Istanbul and Cappadocia have to be seen to be believed).

  30. I agree, Iceland! And if you go, you should definitely hook up with Einar and Ragnar at Focus on Nature. Had a killer week with them. They know Iceland like the back of their hands and can guide you efficiently to some iconic spots and some off the beaten path locations. Went in late August and the weather was very good.

  31. I’m going to add Eastern Canada into this Scott.. A lot of great things to be seen in PEI, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia.. And here a +1 for Detroit. I’m right across from it. If you hit there, I could complete my signature collection on the back of my WACOM tablet.

    Peter Hurley RoCkS so hard.. SheBANG!

  32. Scott,

    Will the LR5 training come to Kelby Training? I recently learned from Matt’s blog that LR training will only be available to NAPP subscribers. Kelby Training used to have tons of photoshop and lightroom training (including LR3 and LR4) and based on that info, this is not the case anymore.

    I have been enrolled in Kelby Training for 3 years and it is the first time I hear that the approach changed.. what you guys are saying is that I actually need to have both subscriptions, although before having only kelby training was enough.

    I understand that they way your service and your business is operated may change from time to time, but this is very disappointing especially for loyal customers that are not even notified of such a change.

    Thank you.

  33. Another vote for Iceland. A member of our photo club (with Icelandic heritage) visited there last summer and we saw many of his photos this past season. They were very good but I think you can do even better. Some parts are like a Mars landscape. Others are lush. I think you will find some nice diversity. I would also vote for Israel and Turkey, but 5 days wouldn’t be enough time there imo.

  34. Scott,
    I’d recommend you and Jeff come to Jordan; it’s a magnificent and small country to enjoy and photograph. For landscapes, there’s Wadi Rum, Petra, the Dead Sea, Um Quis (where three nations meet) among others–with a clear sunset every evening. Street photography is great in traditional small towns like Madaba, Salt, Jerash. There’s modern mixed with traditional in Amman with plenty of city scape material. Not to mention festive decorations for Ramadan (this month), young people out playing soccer, older men sitting around chatting, people in coffee and hooka shops. If you desire a weightier subject, there are also the lives and experiences of the Syrian people who have fled here and are resettling all over the country. It has the potential for a broad photographic experience or you could narrow it to what you enjoy.
    If you decide to come, drop me a line. As I live here, I’m happy to help.

  35. Oh that Namibia sounds really really cool. Have you seen Ian Plants pictures from his recent tip there? That or Iceland would be my dream photography trip. Have fun deciding, wherever you go you will have fun and have some great pictures to show us

  36. Scott – what a great dilemma to have! Most of the suggestions are pretty awesome places. But, I have some strong opinions for you given all of the places you’ve already been and the fact that this is not a Kalebra & Scott trip.

    #1 – no contest – go to Botswana – the Okavango Delta – and stay at Mombo Camp. If you don’t see a particular animal or bird while at Mombo, you probably don’t need to photograph that critter. In addition to the incredible diversity of wildlife, the camp itself and the staff at Mombo is one of the very best in southern Africa. The day I win the lottery, I’ll be back at Mombo. And, you could do worse than to be accompanied by David Cardinal from Northern California and Dana Allen from Zimbabwe as the pro photogs in your little group. Highly recommended. If you want to visit 2 camps, add Little Vumbura. The camp is on an island in the Delta and provides a different view of the wildlife. Another alternative is Little Jack’s Camp in the Kalahari Desert in Botswana. The camp is a great example of the traditional safari camp in Africa. You can see awesome groups of animals moving across desert in migration, amazing salt flats landscapes, and it’s one of the very few places to see families of meerkats (think Timon in Lion King) up close and personal. Their senior guide (Super Sande) will make you wish you could stay much longer.

    #2 – Antarctica – everyone who loves travel and exploring this fascinating planet should see Antarctica during their life (I don’t know KK well enough to know if this would appeal to her). I’m not sure you have quite enough time budgeted for Antarctica; you really should have about 10 days on the ship – a couple of days across the Drake Passage going down from Tierra del Fuego and a couple of days coming back and you want at least 5 days cruising around the peninsula and various islands. You need to go late Dec through early Feb – summer there. I know you’re a born and bred Florida guy, but they give you a parka……….AND the daytime temps in their summer are mostly above freezing :-). You simply won’t believe the feeling of seeing part of this world that so few humans have ever visited. For us, it was a kind of spiritual experience and it definitely fills a void for a world traveler. It’s the 7th continent and there is nothing else like it. The penguins, the whales, the other birds, the many colors of the ice (everything from white to deep purple), Can you tell that it is one trip I’d repeat when I win the lottery?

    Other favorites – not in any order (and I suspect some of these would be on KK’s list):

    Jordan (Petra, Wadi Rum, Jerash)

    Turkey (Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus)

    Sichuan Province of China to see Pandas in their native habitat.

    Easter Island (another unbelievable place)

    St Petersburg rather than Moscow

    Looking forward to seeing images from your trip!!

  37. There’s only one place this time of year I would go….Alaska see the wildlife as a tourist, see the beautiful majestic sceneries, then get on one or two of the tours and see the glazers up close, same with the whales in the bay there at anchorage. then head down to the Kenai and shoot all the fisherman doing the combat fishing then head to homer catch a boat out of there and shoot the shoreline. back up to anchorage head up to Fairbanks using the highway going by the famous mountain that lips my mind shooting it and the wildlife there. Now up past Fairbanks you hit the artic circle. On the way back take the other road the wone that goes by Tok and Glenn Allen and don’t miss hurricane goulch

  38. Hi Scott, I know these are all European but my first thoughts when I read your post were Santorini, Rome or Iceland. Enjoy wherever you go – looking forward to seeing your photos!

  39. Love your books- wish there was a way to get just the UPDATES from LR4 book to LR5 without having to wade through the same/similar pieces we had in the LR4 book (and in my case the LR3 book). I don’t have shelf space for another full book.

    I also wish you all would use the lighter (black on gray) GUI selection vs the darker (White on Black) GUI selection as in the books and magazines it is much harder to read. Proof copies may be OK but check out a typical PS User mag- you gotta read in broad daylight to have a hope to see….

  40. My suggestion – St. Petersburg (Russia, not Florida). Much more photogenic than Moscow, has palaces like Paris, canals like Venice.
    Or come to Reno and shoot the cheetahs!

  41. I’d suggest Newfoundland – you have a great city in St. John’s to explore, and there is so much beautiful landscape around to explore as well. And a really friendly group of people, and you’re not even leaving the comforts of North America (and the timezone is pretty friendly too).

  42. 1. Brooks Falls in Katmai to shoot the grizzlies fishing for salmon
    2. Angkor Wat in Cambodia to shoot the amazing temple ruins and the exotic local culture
    3. Iguassu Falls (accessible both from the Argentinian and Brazilian sides). If you go to Argentina there is always Buenos Aires and the Pampas. If you go to Brazil (Visa required) you can stop in Rio on your way to the Falls. Iguassu is Niagara on steroids in the middle of the jungle and one of the most amazing natural sights on the planet.

  43. I would say Cairns, Australia. We have the oldest rainforest in the world – the Daintree, and the Great Barrier Reef. What more could you ask for? Incredible aboriginal culture up on Cape York and summer temperatures all year round.

  44. Scott, I know you’ll laugh at me, but you know me, I wouldn’t steer you wrong (and I’d even go with you). Check out Iran. It’s an under photographed area of the world. If not Iran, I’d suggest Turkey. It’s one of my favorite countries in the world.

  45. Foz do iguacu In Brazil, and visit the Argentine side of the falls while you’re there and check out the Garganta do Diabo it’s an amazing set of waterfalls that are much larger than Niagara…Just my Two cents

  46. Myanmar, I was there in Dec/Jan totally amazing, lots of photo opportunities & the people there are great! Iceland ranks up there though do a 4×4 camping trip!

  47. Scott, I know this is late and I hope you see it. I suggest a trip to the Peruvian Amazon. Specifically the town of Iquitos, an ex rubber boomtown on the Amazon River. You have the local culture, historical sites, outdoor markets, indigenous people, nature, wildlife and the Amazon River itself. For an Amazon river tour check out Margarita Tours. http://www.amazon-ecotours.com/. I’ve been down there several times and just love the place. I’m counting the days until I can visit again.

  48. I think.. you should go somewhere incredibly far away.
    Two places come to mind.
    New Zealand… because it is breathtakingly beautiful.. ( Though I think Kalebra would want in for sure.. especially since you’d most likely visit our pal Trey. )

    And secondly:

    Papua New Guinea. It is one of the most remote places you can go, and still see humans who live as they did a million years ago. Cannibalism was only recently banned.. with the last reported case being in ’92. Its rarely visited.. the people are incredibly warm. And they have a way of life that is astonishingly conducive to very little confrontation…they are a happy people.
    I can tell you much about their ways as I’ve been studying them a bit over the last 6 months. IM enthralled.
    I stop and think of it and I imagine Kalebra would most likely want to be included on something like that too.. as it would appeal to her anthropological sweet tooth, though its a very rough challenging place to even reach.
    Several hours through the jungle in some cases to reach tribes by foot and by river. Certainly an adventure.

    Or… The Amazon, which affords a similar experience.
    I’ll tell you there are TWO women who I know who travel professionally who Id like to introduce you to. One of which actually traveled to MOST of the continents..barefoot! She gave birth to her daughter on a dirt road, with the aid of strangers. They both can offer tremendous insight. One is Serena Star Leonard and she is amazing, she founded and runs http://fivepointfive.org Shes a gem.
    The second ( the barefoot trekker) is Lerato Majikfaerie and she also would be great to ping for some input once you decide on a destination.

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