David and Anna's Excellent Travel and Photo Adventures (tm)

10% discount on all our our Vancouver, BC area wedding packages.

2009-11-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

2010 weddings booked before Dec 31, 2009 will receive a 10% discount on all our our wedding packages.

Preserve this day forever with Image by Interface Wedding Photography. Full service wedding photographer coverage for Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Delta, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Surrey, New Westminster, Langley, BC Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Whistler and Kamloops area weddings and beyond.
Preserve the joy, happiness, tears and fun of your wedding day with the very best in digital wedding photography. When it comes to your wedding ... nothing but the very best will do. 12+ Years Wedding Experience. Professional. Creative. Funky. Flair. Candid. Elegant. Relaxed. Fun. Your memories forever...

We LOVE to photograph weddings! Visit our wedding web site

Guess where we are for prizes!

2009-10-29T18:16:00.000-07:00

Anna and David have been traveling again - this time to somewhere warm and humid and where the locals speak Spanish. This location is NOT on the radar of many travellers!

The first two Images Newsletter or Blog readers to email with the correct answer (guess the city) wins a prize! The first gets a free registration to any of our Fall Workshops or Classes in the Vancouver, BC area and the second second gets a free digital and travel photography explained tutorial CD with free shipping. Hint: .... an island. If you are first and live outside of the Vancouver, BC area you can select the Tutorial CD.

Email your answer to dave@imagebyinterface.com. Good luck!

Thanks to the correct answers (finally!!) to our last quiz (where we were not in a salt mine, Turkey or on the moon). We were in the Greek island of Milos, on the pumice covered and very beautiful and idyllic beach at Sarakiniko.

Ziplining in Costa Rice

2009-10-18T18:00:00.001-07:00

David and Anna continue their world travels by ziplining the rain forest jungle of Costa Rica. With cable runs of 10 different sections, they zipped above the rainforest trees, waterfalls and panoramic coastal ocean views at exhilarating high speeds with a simple harness and cable. Gaining confidence with each run, we videotaped ourselves while screaming joy and excitement. Watch for our YouTube posting shortly. Here is Anna in a moment of glee and enjoying this life experience.

Guess Where We Are for prizes!

2009-09-07T17:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the readers of our last newsletter who tried to guess where Anna and I were. We were NOT on a salt pile, a simulated moonscape at the Smithsonian or in Turkey. Guess again, the photo is repeated at the left - the first two Images Newsletter or Blog readers to email with the correct answer wins a prize! The first gets a free registration to any of our Fall Workshops or Classes in the Vancouver, BC area and the second second gets a free digital and travel photography explained tutorial CD with free shipping. Hint: .... an island. If you are first and live outside of the Vancouver, BC area you can select the Tutorial CD.

2009-08-24T11:53:00.000-07:00

My Vancouver BC area FALL digital camera and photography class schedule and speaking events has just been updated. To view click here

Photos of the Vancouver Gay Pride Parade - Aug. 2, 2009

2009-08-04T12:20:00.000-07:00

We have just published an online gallery of our images of the participants, spectators and events at the Vancouver, BC Gay Pride parade. This August 2, 2009 event was filled with gaiety, wild music and exhuberant dance with a mixture of gay rights and issues, religious choirs, corporate floats and local and federal government participation. The Vancouver City Police motorcycle team led the parade, marching Members of Parliament, the RCMP in their brilliant red scarlets and ad hoc groups promoting exhibitionism and many causes confirmed wide gay rights and free speech acceptance in this 2 hour long parade in Vancouver's west end. What was more colourful - the RCMP marching squad, the topless or nearly bottonless dancers or the fashion chic transvestites? To see for your self visit our online galley where you can license images for personal and business use or order quality prints.
At the gallery you are welcome to grab the code of our slide show for your own web site or blog. Happy Pride is an understatement!

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS EXPANDED IN NORTH VANCOUVER, BC

2009-07-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

My many digital photo class attendees have asked for more workshop/field trip sessions and I am pleased to do so. Our first session was sold out and we have people already registered for the July 25/09 Enthusiasts Digital Camera workshop so we are announcing more workshops in September. Space is still available, register now to secure your spot!

These full day workshops are held at the famous & highly picturesque Park & Tilford Gardens in North Vancouver, just a few minutes west of the 2nd Narrows/Ironworkers' Memorial Bridge in North Vancouver. They have just renovated their Rose Room and is a perfect base to conduct our worksop and other activities. Location: 333 Brooksbank Ave., North Vancouver (room is at the west end of the gardens in the south-west corner of the Park & Tilford Shopping Centre.

You can register online for our Workshops with a credit card by clicking on the appropriate "Add to Cart" or contact Dave Smith cell 604-818-7662 or dave@imagebyinterface.com

Here are the details for the last session in July and two NEW sessions in September:

Enthusiast’s Digital Camera Workshop
A HANDS-ON approach to learning creative digital photography.

A combination workshop and local field trip to learn creative camera operation, more advanced digital photography, lighting & flash techniques, people & macro photography. Faster paced - ideal for experienced photographers. Bring your camera, manual & accessories.

full day enthusiast digi photo workshop 9:30am -4pm Saturday July 25, 2009 $60.00 Course No. PT02

full day enthusiast digi photo workshop 9:30am -4pm Saturday September 19, 2009 $60.00 Course No. PT04

To register click here

Beginner’s Digital Camera Workshop
A HANDS-ON approach to learning basic digital photography.

A combination workshop and local field trip to learn how to use your digital camera and the basics of digital photography with constructive critique of your images. Slow paced - ideal for beginners. Bring Your camera & manual

full day workshop 9:30am -4pm

Saturday Sept. 12, 2009 $Can 60 plus GST Course No PT03

To register click here

For our SUMMER & FALL 2009 updates and schedule of all photography classes, camera workshops and speaking events click here

Cheers!

David Smith
Image Master
Image by Interface
http://www.imagebyinterface.com/

Interface Images travel, lifestyle, ethnic and world festival stock photography | Interface Images Stock Photography

2009-07-15T06:52:00.000-07:00

Interface Images travel, lifestyle, ethnic and world festival stock photography Interface Images Stock Photography

New Acropolis Museum in Athens

2009-07-04T09:18:00.000-07:00

The New Acropolis Museum in Athens opened on June 21, 2009. As published travel writers and photographers, my wife Anna and I toured the newly opened Acropolis Museum with our cameras last week using our journalism credentials the day before the general public was admitted. We were graciously and eagerly welcomed by friendly administrative staff to view and enjoy the spacious and innovative displays with natural light and an almost empty building which is truly a photographer’s dream come true.

Ancient artefacts hidden away in storage for years along with famous well-known treasures are displayed in a massive 3 story building atop unexcavated ruins, vast sloping glass floors, diffused light from windows and skylights – an architectural marvel. The entrance has your head turning and heart beating with wonder and awe. Our eyes are immediately captivated by the original lady Caryatids looking imperious and gracefully beautiful. At its pinnacle – the top floor, an exact replica of the top of actual Parthenon looking down from the Acropolis just a few hundred meters above gives rise to visitor expectations of a vast collection of artist sculpture, friezes and pediments among the metallic modern columns. Unfortunately, those expectations are not met, as it is clear to even the casual visitor that a great deal of its treasures are missing, the Parthenon having been plundered and victimized by Persians, British and others since its inception in 490 BC.

The new Acropolis museum is a story of a ultra modern building with a comprehensive collection with big gaps created by past pillage and rape of the Acropolis and waiting to be filled and punctuated by a continuously running, powerful multimedia slide show inside the cloned Parthenon. The Museum opening will surely bring the ownership issue of the Parthenon friezes grabbed by Lord Elgin (the ‘Elgin Marbles”) in the early 19th century and proudly flaunted by the British Museum to a head. Could this become a story of new repatriation of plundered artefacts and artist treasures across the modern world?

This story will include photography of both the new Acropolis Museum showing the building, its stunning modern architecture and its contents together with a stunning variety of day and evening shots of the actual Acropolis and Parthenon taken on June 23, 2009. These photographs are also online and available for immediate licensing -click Gallery - New Acropolis Museum in Athens Interested parties are invited to contact the undersigned:

David SmithImage by Interface

http://www.imagebyinterface.com/

cell 604-818-7662

dave@imagebyinterface.com

July 2009 Images Newsletter just posted!

2009-07-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

To view our July 2009 Issue of 'Images Newsletter' for photographers, travellers & dreamers visit

http://tinyurl.com/ln9ttf

Cheers!

Kicking It Up in Mykonos

2009-06-13T22:59:00.000-07:00

David and Anna enjoyed Mykonos so much they stayed a week! Here they are kicking it up at Little Venice in Mykonos Town. Watch for more posts of their recent travels in the Mediterranean....

Images Newsletter Apr 09 just posted

2009-04-21T19:54:00.000-07:00

Please visit this link to see our newest Images Newsletter for photographers, travellers and dreamers.

http://tinyurl.com/cydkqr

Order Prints from our Gallery of Fine Art Images

2009-04-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

April 8, 2009. We have added print ordering from any of our images in our photo archives with shipping to both US and Canadian addresses, effective immediately. Professional lab economical prints from sizes 5x7in to 30x40in and on a variety of products are available. You can easily search our Interface Images stock photo archives or visit our Fine Art Gallery to order your prints online. Click on the windmill image at the left from Paros, Greece to visit our Fine Art Gallery

Interface Images has a stock photography collection of over 6,000 world travel, lifestyle, ethnic life, human interest and fine art images from around the world. Inexpensive personal use and corporate royalty free or rights managed licenses and prints are immediately available online.

Grab our World Travel Image Slide Show code for your own Web Site or Blog

2009-03-23T10:16:00.000-07:00

Anyone is invited to copy the code from any of our Travel and Photo Blog slide shows and place it on their own web site or Blog to jazz up there own online presence.

The slide shows link the viewer to our comprehensive collection of world travel and lifestyle images whic are available for commercial and personal usage license or for prints. Just click on the up arrow at the bottom right of any of our Blog slide shows and grab the "embed code"

Lets is know which link you have placed our slide show(s) and we will be pleased to share/feature your link on our web site or Blog

This is part on our Internet viral marketing program.

The image in this post is from our Boi Bumba festival collection from the Amazon River in Brazil

Our complete image collection with easy search is at our Interface Images archives

Free Shipping On Our Photography Tutorial CD

2009-03-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

New Slide Shows Posted in Our Blog

2009-03-05T07:55:00.000-08:00

In addition to our Photographers' Choice selection, we have posted a variety of automated flash slide shows to our blog including new images from our travels to South America, cruising life and selections from our world travels.

The vivid colours, beautiful costumes and elaborate floats from the Boi Bumba Festival from Parintens on the Amazon River in Brazil is a must see slide show! Simply scroll down in our Blog to see the show.

Please feel free to grab the code from any of our slide shows to put on your own web site or Blog. Visitors can click on any image of our slide shows and order prints or personal or business usage licenses or visit our Interface Images stock archives to see a comprehensive selection of world travel, lifestyle, ethnic portraits and human interest images.

David Smith's Photo Class Schedule - Feb.to Apr. 2009

2008-12-28T10:53:00.000-08:00

David Smith has announced his digital photography course schedule of interest to Vancouver, BC area beginner and enthusiast photographers for the period February to April 2009. The classes will be held at the West Vancouver Ferry Building Gallery, Surrey Art Gallery (Art Centre) and the Kerrisdale Comminity Centre.

The class schedule includes short ( one full day, or 2 half day sessions) on Introduction to Digital Photography (Level 1) and Intermediate Digital Photography (Level 2) for both point and shoot and digital SLR camera users. A new digital photography lighting workshop will be held at the Ferry Building Gallery as well

For more class information and how to register visit Image by Interface

Your Instructor: David Smith is a professional photographer and travel writer with Image by Interface - photographers of people, places and things worldwide: Weddings. Portraits. Editorial. Events. He is a guest speaker & lecturer and workshop leader on digital and travel photography, travel destinations at photo & art conferences, camera clubs, travel events and cruise ships. His multimedia presentations will inspire, inform and entertain you. Private tutoring/workshops for beginner, enthusiast & professional levels is available. Order David’s Digital & Travel Photography Explained Tutorial CD online

Contact: David Smith Cell 604-818-7662 dave@imagebyinterface

Our New Stock Photo Archives

2008-11-14T11:45:00.000-08:00

We have changed stock archive service providers. Please visit our new Interface Images web site

In addition to royalty-free (RF) licenses, prints and products can be ordered from our new archives.

Some of our collection has already been uploaded, with the balance ready my mid-November. Watch for new uploads from our recent Asia travels to be available soon.

Feel free to grab the above slide show, put in on your blog or web site. Click on the up arrow on the slide show box to get the code

Warning - Don't resave and resave your JPG files

2008-08-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

New Photographer Tip: Warning - Don't resave and resave your JPG files
Avoid saving and resaving jpg files. Each time a jpg file is changed and saved it is compressed and you will loss image quality. The preferred option is to save your files as TIF files (or PSD files using Adobe Photoshop software) as they are not compressed and you will retain your image quality. To select your file formats in your image editing software select File/Save as/dropdown menu. If necessary use the jpg format as final file save for smaller files.

Enthusiast Photographer Tip -Reasons to Shoot RAW files

Raw files have not had white balance set. This allows one to set any colour temperature and white balance one wishes after the fact with no image degradation. File linearization and colour filter array (Bayer) conversion is done on a computer with a fast and powerful microprocessor versus in the camera. The raw file is tagged with contrast and saturation information as set in the camera by the user, but the actual image data has not been changed. The user is free to set these based on a per-image evaluation rather than use one or two generalized settings for all images taken.

Possibly the biggest advantage of shooting raw is that one has a 16 bit image (post raw conversion) to work with. This means that the file has 65,536 levels to work with. This is opposed to a JPG file's 8 bit space with just 256 brightness levels available. This is important when editing an image, particularly if one is trying to open up shadows or alter brightness in any significant way.

Reasons to Shoot JPG.

Files are smaller and therefore more of them fit on a card. For many applications image quality is more than sufficient (family snapshots, news images). Small files are more easily transmitted wirelessly and online. This is important to newspaper photographers. Many photographers don't have the time or inclination to post-process their files. Many cameras (especially digicams) can not shoot quickly when working in raw mode. Some lower-end models can't record raw files at all.

Photo Hint for all Digital Cameras - Dave's Dynamo Effect

2008-08-29T14:24:00.001-07:00

A Simple On Camera Flash Technique to Amaze your audience.... Creating Flash Images So Unique that No-one can replicate them - even you!

I came across this technique 10 or 12 years ago by accident while I was playing with my camera settings at a wedding reception when the lights were down low and the dancing started. The effect is really cool and I now teach this at most of my digital photo classes, seminars and lectures.

Not to blow my horn, but I tutored this technique to a gal from Calgary last year and a guy in Vancouver a few months ago. There were individually on a trip to Africa's Mount Kilaminjaro and and one saw the other using this technique (very evident to see because it looks really weird from anyone watching you use it!) and in chatting, they found that they had both learned it from Dave the Rave (that's me!) in private lessons back in Canada. What a small world! Well here it is... and I gave it a name: Dave's Dynamo Effect (tm) . I am certainly not the first person to uncover this trick but you may be hearing this firsthand here.

Dave's Dynamo Effect (tm)

Facts: A camera flash will freeze close fast moving objects in low light and has a limited distance range beyond which it has no effect at all. The duration of flashes vary by type and model, off-camera or built-in/pop-up and is typically between 1/1000 to 1/30,000 of a second. This is like a superfast shutter speed and when most or all of the light is from the flash (and not other sources) then you freeze anything to tack sharpness within the flash distance range, even if it is moving quickly. Objects that are beyond the flash range become more blurred if they move quickly. Therefore, in low light situations and with a very slow shutter speed you will get a tacksharp close moving object and blurred far away objects. Well, if the far way object, or background is not moving then you will get a dimly lit blurred background because of the slow shutter speed - boring!. Solution to this: Spin rotate your camera as you take the picture - this will cause the background to become ethereal looking, dizzyness like, wild and crazy. Background lights will create a variable "falling star" trail increasing with more distance from the camera.

You can get this effect on ALL cameras by using an option that sets a slow shutter speed and forcing the flash on. A common setting to use on a point and shoot cameras is party mode, night portrait ot slow sinc found on dials or in Scene Mode and the best setting to use on all SLR cameras and some Point and shoot cameras is Shutter Priority (S or TV) with flash forced on and set a shutter speed between 1/10 sec to 1/35 sec. If you can, vary the shutter speed as the effect will differ. Don't forget to rotate the camera bigtime as you take the picture and everyone watching will think you are nuts! Try it. Some love this effect and some hate it! What's funky is that no-one, even you, can duplicate the image agian because they will be all diffenent.

Confused? Read the above again slowly, attend one of my classes or look at the photos - all taken with Dave's Dynamo Effect (tm).

Email your images to dave@imagebyinterface.com by Nov. 1, 2008 and the top 3 entries will receive a complimentary copy of my newly updated "Digital and Travel Photography CD Tutorial"

IMAGES NEWSLETTER TO MORPH INTO A NEW BLOG

2008-07-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

'Images' Newsletter published by David and Anna Smith of Image by Interface and circulated to over 3,000 email subscribers across the globe will be morphing into their new BLOG "David & Anna's Excellent Travel & Photo Adventures" in August. 'Images' subscribers are photographers, photo buyers, travellers, artists & dreamers who have followed David and Anna and their passion for photography and world travel.

This blog will have the same content as the "Images" newsletter plus more travel writing and viewer participation. David and Anna can update it easily via email as they travel and Blog visitors can also add comments and subscribe online. Subscribers already receiving the 'Images' newsletter will be automatically subscribed to Blog email updates soon.

What is a BLOG? Definition: A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links. A blog is often a mixture of what is happening in a person's life and business and what is happening on the Web, a kind of hybrid diary/guide site, although there are as many unique types of blogs as there are people. People maintained blogs long before the term was coined, but the trend gained momentum with the introduction of automated published systems, most notably Blogger at http://www.blogger.com/ and Wordpress at http://www.wordpress.com/; and many others to simplify and accelerate the publishing process. We use Blogger, a Google company. Blogs are alternatively called web logs or weblogs. However, "blog" seems less likely to cause confusion, as "web log" can also mean a server's log files.

Image by Interface is a Vancouver, BC based digital photography, key note speaker, travel writing and photography and fabric arts teachers for people, places & things -worldwide.

Vancouver, BC - HANDS ON DIGITAL CAMERA WORKSHOP AND FIELD TRIP

2008-05-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

HANDS ON DIGITAL CAMERA WORKSHOP AND FIELD TRIP FOR VANCOUVER , BC AREA PHOTOGRAPHERS

A HANDS-ON approach to learning digital photography. A combination workshop and local field trip to learn how to use your digital camera and the principals of digital photography with constructive critique of your images. Bring Your camera!

Ferry Building Gallery,
June 5/12, 2008
2 Thurs. evening classes 1414 Argyle Ave., West Vancouver, BC
HANDS ON DIGITAL CAMERA WORKSHOP AND FIELD TRIP
2 eve. course $55 7-9
To Register: 604-925-7270 Course No 471867

Surrey Art Gallery .
Sunday daytime June 22, 2008
1 Sunday daytime class Surrey At Centre, Bear Creek Park, Surrey BC
HANDS ON DIGITAL CAMERA WORKSHOP AND FIELD TRIP
Full Day 9:30am-4pm $54 Surrey Art Gallery
To Register: 604-501-5100 Course No. 599606

LIVING THE DREAM WITH BAGS ALWAYS PACKED

2008-05-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

David and Anna Smith of West Vancouver always have their travel bags packed. As frequent guest lecturers of Holland America Cruise Lines, they get to travel the world and talk about their respective passions – photography and exotic fabrics - and sometimes with just a few days notice. Since January of last year they have been to South America, the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, the Hawaiian Islands, the South Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia and will be traveling to Africa, Russia, Japan, China, Viet Nam and Thailand this year.

“We are really fortunate to have such a wonderful life. The only reason we come home from our travels is to change our clothes and see our 4 (soon to be 5) grandchildren” comment the jet lagging Smiths between trips.

David is a professional photographer and founder of Image by Interface, specializing in digital photography for people, places, events and things - worldwide. His passion is the photography of people (“I love to make anyone look good!”) and world locations (“traveling is a passion”). He loves to photograph weddings, events and objects and is available for assignments globally. He a keynote guest speaker on digital and travel photography, travel & lifestyle subjects and is represented internationally by stock photo agencies. His images have been published in magazines, books, websites, and newspapers. He is a professional member of the Editorial Photographers Association and past President of the North Shore Photographic Society of West Vancouver, B.C.

Anna instructs fabric arts, quilting and photo transfer classes at art galleries and quilting guilds. Color and fiber have influenced Anna since her youth. It is her mission to search out new textiles and innovative art techniques at all destinations to build her “stash” for her teaching and creative projects. Anna approaches her art projects with energy and enthusiasm whether it be arc welding metal designs, intricate embroidery or multi-year photo memory quilts. When Anna added photography to her many passions it was only time until she needed to preserve her special photos and works of art into fabric/photo creations.

Anna’s motto “to live each day to the fullest, just like my overflowing fabric studio”.

They particularly enjoy the people they meet while pursuing their passions and have lots of travel tales. Either one is bound to entertain, inform and inspire you with enthusiasm, passion and a sense of humor. They will be sharing their knowledge and travel adventures in a variety of presentations on the North Shore this Spring. David will also continue his popular series of local digital photography classes between trips.

Morocco Madness by Anna Smith

2008-05-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

© 2008 Anna Smith www.imagebyinterface.com Do not reproduce content or images in any manner without written consent. All rights reserved.

I must say Morocco was a huge culture shock for me and can't believe how many different ways they have to con you out of your cash. Anyway, the sights we saw were all very worthwhile and the photos we have are tres amazing. The architecture and design work in the Riads (small guesthouses) left us feeling very much in awe and taught us life really needs us to go slower and enjoy the candlelight more often. We did notice how DRY Morocco is, can hardly get wine or beer anywhere so on Dave's birthday, April 4th, I took him to the Hotel Meredes overlooking the Old Medina in Fez where we did score some spirits and spent the evening enjoying the lights and warm climate. We found Casablanca to be like a war zone as far as driving to our hotel, buildings crumpling down cement dusty but our hotel Ibis right beside the train station was basic, convenient and stored two of our suitcases until we returned so that was a Big Bonus. We made a visit to the Ancient Medina and with help of tour guide Mustafa saw quite an eyeful (more photos)!!

Food all over Morocco was delicious, my favourites being the Tajines, Couscous and Pastilla. The Pastilla is sweet savoury wrapped phyllo pastry around a mix of chicken, almonds, onions & honey, the top of the round pizza shape dish is sprinkled with icing sugar and designs made with cinnamon, a must try! I did purchase a cookbook there as well as kilos of spices so I'm in to some serious cooking with my new tajine dishes. Hopefully, I will have it mastered by the time you come to visit this summer.

The areas of Marrakesh, Essaouira and Fes were all very different and each offered us great delights. Marrakesh had the great square, medina and souks that provided nonstop excitement and shopping. We hired a tour guide and car for a day trip to the top of the High Atlas Mountains which was magnificent; may even consider a return visit to hike there and see some fabulous waterfalls. The people were so colourful and live in very harsh conditions but seem very content. We ended that day with the dinner show Fantasia, the Arabian horses and stunt riders together with all the folkloric costumes and music topped our day and depleted our memory, i.e. the digital cameras were burning up from over 1200 images between us. Our stay at the Riad Jonan was grand and finished our days up on the rooftop chatting with many English guests.

Essaouira was reached by Suprabus and we had a porter pulling a uhaul type wagon to take us to our Riad. Point to mention, no Riad in any medina can be found by a visitor you need Help. Here we scored the one and only room located on the rooftop, where doves and birds sang and we spent many a relaxing time on cushioned couches as well as enjoying our breakfasts (all included for $75 US a night). The medina here was much more laid back (not as aggressive as Marrakesh) and I felt very safe walking around on my own as David took a few days out here to have flu like symptoms, couldn't have been in a nicer spot. We walked the ocean shores and I got up for a short camel ride, like how tall are those guys, I felt way too high off the ground to even consider jumping or falling off. They also had a great fish market where you go and chose your fresh catch, take it to the kitchen where you see them clean it and cook it and serve you, sole, red snapper and shrimps were our pick and they tasted delicious. More candlelight at night!!

We bused back to Marrakesh, caught the train to Fes (6:00 am to 6:00 pm travel time), I liked both methods of travel and they were quite comfortable and civilized once you got your seats! Fez is remarkable both in history, culture and landscape. Our Riad Dar Cordoba was a house that was once owned by a Pasha (equivalent to a Prime Minister) bought by this charming couple from Andalusia, Spain who had just recently opened their home to guests. The ceilings went up to the sky and our room was totally awesome, 2 bathrooms and a tub plus breakfast that would put a trucker under the table. Let me tell you, David had just a few days to organize all these Riads but he did a great job and we will certainly be writing more about our wonderful experiences. Our tour with an official Government educated guide through the Old Medina took us back to the 8th century and stories and info to fill your mind with wonder and images of how life was in the old days - A definite must see. I ventured in to a traditional Hamman where I got a scrub from what could have been Mother Teresa's twin, this was all too questionable and no English spoken anywhere. Spent our evenings at Chez Rasheid watching the never ending crowds walk by as we enjoyed more good food.

Now that you have heard about Morocco, let me just say our time on the good ship Prinsendam and the World Grand Voyage on the Amsterdam was Decadently Divine and how Welcome we always feel by the wonderful crew and staff! We have travelled to the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Bali home for 10 days then off to Africa via the Caribbean where we visited St. Maarten, Puerto Rico and Turks & Caicos sailed the calm seas across the Atlantic to Madeira on to Casablanca where we disembarked to start our own adventures. We are very blessed to have this opportunity and certainly enjoy the interesting people we meet. How full our days are with great adventures and new friends!!

I would love to share this special story with you that happened to me. While in Fes I tried out one of the Hammans, quite the experience; but I must have had some glow on or looked content because as I was walking back to our Riad a cute young man stopped and asked my name and these were the next words out of his mouth "You Shock My Heart with Your Beauty", needless to say I was shocked myself by such a statement and he invited me to share tea with him in his gallery (not come up and see my etchings) and I replied maybe tomorrow as I was on my way to see my husband.

Vancouver BC Area Digital Photography Classes

2008-05-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

For Vancouver, BC area photographers and travellers here are upcoming Digital Photography Classes:

Introduction (Level 1) to Digital Photography. David will conduct this class at the Surrey Art Gallery on Sunday May 4, (register call 604-501-5100), and also held at West Vancouver's Ferry Builidng Gallery on the evenings of May 8 and 15 (register 604-925-7270) and at the Kerrisdale Community Centre on evenings May 12/13 (Register 604-257-8100).
Some of our classes sell out so register early

An Intermediate Level 2 Digital Photography class will take place at the Surrey Art Centre on Sunday May 25 (9:30am-4pm) - to register call 604-501-5100

David will commence a NEW Lighting and Digital Photography class on using natural light, flash and studio lighting systems at the Ferry Building Gallery on May 22/29 (2xThursday evening sessions 7-9:30pm; register @ 604-925-7270)

In June a Digital Photography Workshop & Field Trip Class will be conducted at all three locations: Kerrisdale Community Centre (June2/9; 7-9pm regisiter @ 604-257-8100); Ferry Building Gallery (June 5/12; 7-9:30pm; register @ 504-925-7270) and the Surrey Art Centre (Sunday, June 22; 9:30am-4pm; register @ 604-501-5100)

Details of all other classes, future events and presentations is here

Can't attend? Don't miss out. Purchase our digital and travel photogaphy Tutorial CD! Click here