Travelling is a beautiful thing. It is a remarkable opportunity to explore new places, relax and recharge. When travelling, packing light is often a priority, but it can be a stressful experience right up to the day you leave for your travels. This is especially true when it comes to your camera gear.

There are many reasons why people buy cars, as they mean different things to different people. Some consider cars utilitarian, a machine that can transport people from one place to another. To others, they can be regarded as art pieces, much more than only a means of transportation. A vehicle can be nostalgic, a symbol of status and success, or something to appreciate for the hundreds of hours spent creating it.

I work with several car dealerships locally. During the warmer months, I can take the vehicles off-site for photo shoots around the city utilizing various backgrounds and lighting conditions. Sometimes, this is the only option as some vehicles are limited, some are new arrivals, and many are in high demand. That means keeping the kilometres low.

My adoration of Fujifilm’s X-E series started with the X-E2 almost a decade ago. I used it as my secondary camera during travel, with the Canon 5D Mark II as my primary. The X-E2 was a fine choice when I didn’t want to use a larger, heavier, more obvious camera. I still have favourites from that camera.

Travelling can be a wonderful experience, but it’s not without challenges. Among the worst aspects of today’s travel are the inevitable flight delays or cancellations, lost luggage, jet lag, navigating unfamiliar airports, and crowds of people, mostly rushed, tired, and irritable. Those challenges can be stressful, with significant travel time and numerous connecting flights or long layovers.

Numerous iconic locations in New York include Grand Central Terminal, Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty. These landmarks have been around for many years. And with some well over 100 years old, they have become synonymous with New York. Other recent additions to the city are becoming well-recognized, including the location we will discuss today.

I first visited New York at the end of December 2009 to cap off the decade past and welcome a new one forward. It was the first time I witnessed the crowds of Times Square, the gloriousness of Grand Central, and the iconic Statue of Liberty after years of seeing and hearing everything New York related in TV shows, movies, and music. I was so excited to go! It was finally a reality.

Fujifilm is renowned for its diverse range of cameras; since 2012, the X-E series has been part of it. With a subtle design, the X-E cameras have offered photographers an affordable way to get into the Fujifilm world while demonstrating excellent build, fantastic image quality, and solid performance overall. It’s been nearly seven months since the Fujifilm X-E4 was unofficially discontinued in March after just two years on the market.

Chicago is a US city that has been on my visit list for quite some time. I’m surprised that this is my first visit to the city, as Halifax is usually only a one-stop journey, but I finally had an opportunity to take in some of the city. Although the visit was brief, it was a great time to be there as the weather was fantastic.

Let’s start by saying that I enjoy travel immensely and that I regard travel as one of life’s greatest privileges. I love to travel, and obviously, I also love photography. Does that make me a travel photographer? Based on the standard definition of one, probably not. I don’t get paid directly to take photos of the places I visit, and I’m not associated with any publications. But if I travel and take photos when I do, what does that make me?

It was weeks before I had to depart for Madikwe in South Africa. I had Evernote open, and I was reviewing my packing list. I had a “Camera Stuff to Bring” portion on that list that appeared rather lengthy. Is this too much for one backpack? There is no way this is all going to fit. I also had another physical list beside my packing. I thought this was the best way to remember everything, and with two weeks to go, I had plenty of time to revise as needed.

As a photographer, I would put myself at the low end in terms of the number of photos I take even when travelling, but recently, the volume has increased due to my continued use of the X-E4 and choosing to shoot both RAW + JPEG sometimes, which doubles the number of photos that reach my hard drive. I don’t shoot 10,000 photos during a trip, and I rarely get over 1,000.

Last month, I completed a personal project focusing on the uptown area of my hometown, Saint John, New Brunswick, in Canada’s oldest incorporated city. For that project, I focused on the uptown revitalization and what I remember growing up in the city. I wanted to use black and white as the absence of colour can convey a nostalgic throwback to the past and direct the viewer’s attention solely to the composition, shapes, lines, light and shadow.

Film photography has experienced a remarkable resurgence in popularity. What used to be reserved for the nostalgic few gained interest, with many looking to return to a tangible process and achieve a unique look for their images. Digital photography was introduced long ago and since then has improved immensely and offered convenience and technical quality that made film mostly forgotten by many.

I arrived without delay in Johannesburg after a full day of travel. I had enough time to check in to the airport hotel, have a quick meal and adjust as much as possible to the five-hour time difference. The following morning, I grabbed breakfast at the hotel, took the shuttle back to the airport, and met everyone at arrivals from Cape Town. We boarded our van and began our four-hour drive to the Rhulani Safari Lodge, where I would experience one of the best times of my life.