Bella Italia….who loves Italy like I do?
Yesterday my first SOLO photography exhibition opened!!
I am so excited about showing all of you (who can make it) my photographs from Italy.
I first visited Italy about 10 years ago and immediately fell in love with its stunning beauty, its captivating culture and passionate people.
I love the countryside, the warmth of the people, the food, the art, the history and the architecture. Most of all, though, I will never forget how it makes me feel.
‘Bella Italia’ is a photographic sojourn through Italy.
The exhibition runs from May 11 through to June 23 at the beautiful belli bar.
Drop in, have a coffee or something to eat and check out my pics 
All images are for sale.
Opening night is this Thursday 16th May 6-8pm at belli bar, 80 Norton Street, Leichhardt.
All are welcome. Please RSVP to bernasconiphotography@gmail.com or 0430 511 566 asap.
A beautiful start to the day…
Hi everyone,
I haven’t been doing too much blogging lately as Im preparing for two photography exhibitions here in Sydney - more news on that soon
But I absolutely had to to post this photo….
This is yesterday mornings sunrise here is Sydney. This pic was taken just after 6am from my back deck.
Look at the colour in that sky! Nature at it’s best I say….
Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone…
The Antarctic – you absolutely have to go!!!
I’m gonna have to say it again – it was the trip of my dreams. Whales, seals, penguins (lots of them) birds, beautiful landscapes and icebergs – I really, really loved the icebergs
We organised our trip through Quark (click here if you’re in the States) or Peregrine in Australia (click here). We booked the ‘Crossing the Circle’ Tour which was 14 days aboard the ‘Sea Spirit.’ – a beautiful ship. Well appointed spacious rooms, an open bar , dining room, theatre lounge, a library, gym, a hot tub, gift shop and lots of deck areas to relax and take in the sights. The service? Seamless. Nothing was a chore for the staff and everything was done with a smile.
A zodiac heading back towards the Sea Spirit
The Sea Spirit
The ship carried 114 passengers of which 49 of them were Australian. Being such a small group meant great friendships were formed early. We were all linked by the same thread – an adventurous nature and the desire to experience the Antarctic. I met people from all over the world. I know I will remain friends with some of them forever. We all shared something very special.
Our voyage left from Ushuaia (the bottom of Argentina) and it was a two day trip to the Antarctic Peninsula across the Drake Passage. I loved watching the mainland of Argentina disappear behind us. To me it felt like a true adventure. We explored many bays, islands and channels of the Antarctic Peninsula over the 14 days of our voyage.
Leaving Ushuaia and the South American Continent behind
The most amazing part of the trip however (besides the scenery) was the service and professionalism provided by the expedition leader and her team. Cheli is a true leader and a wonderful, passionate individual. All of her staff have an expertise, whether it be birds, whales, glaciers, photography or history. They have all done many similar trips and their experience and knowledge is second to none.
Each day in the Oeanus lounge, one of them would present a lecture on a particular aspect of the Antarctic – marine mammals, the great Antarctic explorers or sea birds – just to name a few. There were even some documentary movies about this fascinating part of the world. It was wonderful to be educated and to hear them speak so passionately.
Most nights one of the expedition staff would sit at your dinner table to get to know you and mix with the passengers. This really personalised the trip and within a few days, they were also friends.
Each day we usually had two zodiac expeditions to an island or part of the Antarctic mainland. Getting everyone in and out of the zodiacs plus keeping everyone safe and informed was handled brilliantly by the expedition staff.
Each disembarkation and embarkation meant going through a disinfection process (you had to step in a solution) to protect the fragile environment.
These outings were fantastic. Whilst you saw lots of scenery from the ship, getting out on the water, feeling the wind in your face and observing the scenery and wildlife from this low perspective was awesome
Hootin along…
Every single island or mainland excursion offered something individual. The landscape was always vastly different, and yes, there were always penguins
I never tired of looking at the endless beauty that surrounded us. I loved being on the shore and exploring. Lots of the islands had relics from days gone bye – old whaling boats and whaling stations, whale bones and huts that would have housed the brave people that spent part of their lives living here.
An old hut – Deception Island
The wildlife was spectacular. Albatross flying at the back of the ship, humpback whales, Minke whales and even Orca’s! Wedell, Leopard and Crabeater seals and of course, penguins. Sometimes these animals were seen from the decks of the Sea Spirit. At other times you were up close and personal with these animals in the zodiacs.
Imagine being in a zodiac – drifting through the brash ice – icebergs all around you and a humpback surfaces around 50 metres away? What a scene. Absolute magic.
This humpback whale was so close to our zodiac…
Look at the size of him…
So close…
The Albatross. What a magnificent bird
The staff organised trivia games, we danced the night away a couple of times , met the Captain at the ‘Cocktail Party’ and I got ‘over enthusiastic’ in an auction to raise money for the penguins (I really wanted that Antarctic water.)
Other nights we sat in the bar talking to our new friends over a glass of wine (or two) – well, you couldn’t go to bed early as there was up to 18 hours of light per day!
We celebrated Australia Day on board with a BBQ up on deck and one patriotic Australian had our flag – I certainly won’t forget Australia Day 2013 in a hurry!
Me and my beautiful friend Carol
I also participated in ‘The Polar Plunge’ – yes, you could dive into the Southern Ocean (with a rope tied around your waist) to experience the ‘coolish’ waters of the Antarctic. Yep, I did this too. Click here to read about that adventure.
I slept a night on the ice – yes, I did. You can also read about that here
I also also slid down a mountain at Neko Harbour (it was so much fun, I felt like a 5 year old)
Yours truly…
One of the highlights (there were so many) was Crossing the Antarctic Circle. That was a great day. The weather was really cold (-2) and it was a fantastic to think we were at 66 deg 33’44′ S. To mark this occasion, the crew organised a fantastic event called ‘Kiss the Fish’. We all grouped outside on the bow of the ship to Cross the Circle and the crew dressed up in various ‘fishy’ style outfits. King Neptune was there and we all had to ‘Kiss the Fish’ before being given a red mark on our foreheads which denoted ‘Crossing the circle.’ One word – hilarious – especially kissing a frozen fish!!
Carol ‘kissing the fish’
Me, taking a pic and kissing the fish
The most common question I’ve been asked since being home is ‘How cold was it’? On the warmest day it was 8 degrees and the coldest -2. Nowhere near as bad as I thought. The only time I felt really cold was on the ‘crossing the circle day’ and at times in the zodiacs when we were going a little faster than the normal trawling speed. Quark supplies you with a parka (yours to take home) that really does the job. They also lend you ‘boots’ for the duration of the trip. These are used every time you leave the ship.
For anyone thats going on one of these trips, here is what I took with me…..
All the sea sick medication I could find (travel calm, the wrist bands, ginger tablets) – It worked for me, I took one travel calm the first night – just in case and a couple of other ‘rougher’ sea days wore the wrist bands – all good.
2 sets of thermals – bought from the Kathmandu store – black bottoms and pink/black/white and blue/black/white long sleeve tops.
2 really warm zip up hoodies – one from Kathmandu and the other from the gift shop on the ship.
4 pairs of super warm socks (Kathmandu store.)
2 pairs of warm track suit pants.
A warm hat.
2 pairs of water proof gloves (only ever wore one pair) and they were too cumbersome to take pics with, so I bought a fingerless pair from the gift shop on the ship.
A warm sleeveless vest (bought from a shop in Ushuaia.)
Waterproof pants – if your an Aussie, you will pay a fortune at home for these. I bought them in Ushuaia the day before we left at around $50AUD – bargain – (there were plenty of sizes and choices and plenty of shops selling this gear in Ushuaia.)
Check out the sunny weather…on this day I just had a tshirt on under a hoodie…
Each day when we went on a shore excursion off the boat I wore…
A thermal top and bottom and trackpants over the thermals.
Waterproof pants over the track pants (the track pants tucked INTO the boots.)
A warm sleeveless vest over the thermals or, if I felt a bit colder a long sleeve hoodie.
2 pairs of socks (always.)
The parka, hat and gloves.
Here I am in one of my ‘thermal tops’
On the ship (which was as warm as toast) I wore…
Jeans and a tshirt and sometimes a hoodie. I dressed up one night for the Captains cocktail party (if you call a skirt and top seriously dressing up.)
Closed in shoes (my rockports.)
Back in Buenos Aires and Santiago I wore….
shorts and tshirts (super humid.)
So if you’re interested in going and want to know more – Im gonna have to come with you to show you the ropes
Dont forget to click on the pics to enlarge them….
Please feel free to contact me in the comments section below or on Facebook , twitter or pinterest.
Me in action…
Do you want to improve your photography skills and get out of AUTO mode?
Photo tours are a great way to learn more about your camera and discover all the functions it has to offer (and you were too scared to try!)
They are held in Sydney CBD and are 4 1/2 hours in duration and include full tuition from me and…
Do you want to improve your photography skills and get out of AUTO mode?
Photo tours are a great way to learn more about your camera and discover all the functions it has to offer (and you were too scared to try!)
They are held in Sydney CBD and are 4 1/2 hours in duration and include full tuition from me and coffee and cake at my favourite cafe
You will learn all about manual mode, aperture, shutter speed, depth of field, focusing techniques, composition and creative techniques, lots and lots of photography tips and anything else you want to know about photography and your camera.
You will also be emailed detailed notes before your day out and afterwards you can upload your pics to the click. walk. learn facebook page where I will critique your images and answer any other questions you might have.
Cost $89
Limited to small groups of 8-10
The first tour kicks off on Saturday 6th April 1pm-5.30pm - Rocks area Sydney.
I will also be running a evening/ night tour. Dates to be released soon!!
These tours will fill fast. If you’re interested and would like to secure your spot, please email me at bernasconiphotography@gmail.com or call my mobile 0430 511 566
Please like Click. walk. learn photography tours on Facebook and feel free to spread the word!!
See you there!!
Chris
Paradise Bay.
The view from the back of the boat
I didn’t want to do it at first – in fact I actually hadn’t given it much thought at all…
The ship anchored in Paradise Bay and at that stage, I was happy to photograph everyone and soak up the atmosphere.
There were a few factors that changed my mind….
1. Everyone else was doing it – and I hate missing out on anything..
2. There was great music playing and lots of support from the crew…
3. One of my wonderful new friends on the boat found me and said “Chris, why don’t you do it? This is a chance to cleanse your body of all your sins (really?) and wipe the slate clean…
Well what do you say to that? I quickly rushed back to my cabin – put my cossie on and hurried back to deck 3.
I didn’t even hesitate…I ran down the stairs, walked off the back of the ship into the zodiac…and dived in…
Me….
Going, going, gone…
Me again
Well – that day the Southern Ocean was a balmy 2 degrees…hmmmm
It was exhilarating.
and COLD.
The water was crystal clear and yes, it shocked my body…but it was truly, truly worth it and something I’ll never forget.
Life’s too short to go to The Antarctic and NOT jump into the Southern Ocean….
Thanks to Carol D’Amici (check out her blog – its awesome) and John Rodsted for some of these awesome pics
Here are some of my other new buddies…..
Don’t forget to click on the pics to make them larger.
Please feel free to contact me in the comments section below or on Facebook , twitter or pinterest.
More new friends
Kellie & Mark..
Allan – Show off!!
Nick..The guy that finally convinced me.
Antarctica and that blue, blue ice
I’ve just returned from Antarctica. I saw many breathtaking scenes that I am still dreaming about.
But the real reason I went there was the icebergs. I’ve always been fascinated by them and they were initially what lured me to Antarctica.
Well I certainly got my dose of those. 100′s of them – large and small – they were all spectacular.
I particularly loved the larger ones – such tall, powerful structures that drift in the peaceful stillness of the waters of the 5th largest continent.
I couldn’t keep my eyes off them. Being down low in the zodiac, it felt very surreal, as if I was in another world and at one with the ice.
Its almost as if time has forgotten them.
Why are some of the icebergs blue? Well its really all about compression of the ice and the colour spectrum.
Icebergs come from glaciers, which are formed by continual ice and snow. Snowflakes (frozen water) form and then become cystalized. A snowflake is a multi faceted crystal and these facets reflect light. As snow accumulates on the glacier huge amounts of air is trapped.
The blue colour occurs in ice that is generally hundred’s to thousand’s of years old. Continual compression as the glacier moves and heads towards the sea plus the continual thawing and refreezing of the ice causes the air that was originally trapped by the falling snow to be expelled. The ability to reflect light (and therefore appear white ) only exists when there is air trapped between the snow crystals. This very old, very dense ice is no longer capable of reflecting light .
Light that now hits the iceberg no longer reflects off it, it is absorbed by it. The weaker wavelengths of light are quickly filtered out (red, orange, yellow, green.) The blue wavelength has enough energy to reflect from, or penetrate deep within the iceberg therefore giving it that gorgeous blue colour……
Cool huh?
These photos were taken at Ciera Cove, Antarctica. 64.16S 60.89W. Don’t forget to click on the photos to enlarge them…
