Behind the Shot - Seasons End
There is something fitting about how my final lead tour of the season came together.
It was a two-day solo tour, much like the first tour I led this year. In fact, as I look back at the season, I realized there are a few more similarities.
I started the year with a solo tour.
I started with foxes.
I started with puffins.
And I started with a blue-hour photograph of the Ryan Premises.
Now, here I am at the other end of a very busy season, once again on a solo tour.
There were foxes again.
There were puffins again, though not near so many and near so close...
And I finished with another blue-hour photograph of the Ryan Premises.
Of course, a lot has changed in between.
There have been countless kilometres on the road, early mornings, late nights, changing weather, new places, familiar places, and a whole lot of time spent behind the camera. I've had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and share some of the places and wildlife that make Newfoundland special to me.
This was my last tour as the lead for the season, and it was a wonderful way to finish.
I still have one tour remaining, but this one will be a little different. The Autumn Workshop will be led by Gord Follett, and I'll be there in a supporting role. I'm looking forward to being on the other side of things for a change and enjoying the workshop with Gord and the group.
Looking back, I think there is something comforting about those things that remain the same.
The foxes are still out there.
The puffins may be sparse but there is always something living on the edge of the ocean.
The Ryan Premises still look pretty good at blue hour, and the harbour as well.
But everything around them keeps changing.
And maybe that's what I like most about doing this.
Every tour is different, even when I find myself standing in the same places, looking at the same things.
Because while these may be photo tours, I've come to realize that the photography is only part of the story.
It continues to be about the people.
The conversations in the van. The laughs along the way. The unexpected moments. The stories people bring with them and the stories they take home. The connections made over a shared experience and, of course, the photographs that help us remember it.
That's the part that stays with me long after the cameras are packed away.
Things change, while sometimes remaining the same.
And after a very busy, but incredibly rewarding year, I can't think of a better way to end my time leading tours for the season.
A Final Thank You
Before I close out the season, I want to take a moment to say thank you.
A tour like this doesn't happen because of one person. There are a lot of businesses, large and small, that help create the experience our guests have when they come to Newfoundland. From the places we stay and the restaurants where we share meals, to the boat operators, local businesses, accommodations and all of the people who welcome us along the way, every one of them plays a part.
To all of the businesses who have welcomed us, worked with us, accommodated us, fed us, transported us and helped us make these experiences possible throughout the year, thank you. Your contribution is a much bigger part of these tours than you may realize.
And of course, a special thank you to Newfoundland Photo Tours for giving me the opportunity to spend another season doing something I love, sharing this place I call home with people from all over the world. I'm proud to be part of a team that understands that these tours are about much more than photographs.
If you'd like to learn more about the tours and workshops, you can find them here:
To everyone who was part of the journey this year, whether you travelled with us, worked with us, welcomed us into your community or simply shared a conversation along the way, thank you.
It was a hell of a year. And I wouldn't have wanted to spend it any other way.