After four days in Mexico at El Dorado Maroma, I did not take a single photo; I was surprised. It’s not that I didn’t want to, but I was enjoying the company of others. I hadn’t seen anyone in a whole year, and I was meeting others for the first time. With numerous restaurants to choose from, we had a good choice of places to indulge, but on a few nights, it went a bit too late; the comfortable bed and the air-conditioned room became difficult to abandon in the early mornings.

In May last year, Lisa and I went to Mexico to stay in El Dorado Maroma, meeting up with some colleagues she has worked closely with, primarily virtually until then. We have been to numerous resorts and had great times, but resorts have never been our primary travel style choice. We enjoy exploring cities and local neighbourhoods, trying restaurants, and seeing landmarks. Still, every few years, we get the urge to get away and relax without worrying about additional planning and expenses.

For my trip to New York last month, I used my Fujifilm X-E4, which has now become my only camera choice for travel. I had limited myself to only the 35mm f/2 to travel lighter and make my composition and photography choices easier. In addition, I was also able to utilize two film simulations, the same ones I had used in London the week before this.

I spent a week exploring the city and doing street photography in London in late February and early March. While I was excited to get to the city again, arriving at the end of February, I was concerned about what kind of weather I’d be experiencing there. Checking a week before departing, the forecast was quite optimistic, with a mix of sun and cloud for the week and an average of about 6°C, but a week-out forecast is not the most accurate, and I was aware that this could and probably would change.

Returning from London, I landed in Halifax on March 4th, and today, March 6th, Lisa and I are leaving for New York for a few days. Regarding places we plan to visit, we will spend some time down by One World Trade and the Oculus, as I enjoy that area, and we will walk the High Line and visit Little Island, as Lisa has not been there yet.

As I sit here at Halifax International waiting to board, I think of the first day of 2013 as that was the last time I had been to London. Lisa and I spent a few days there, and on January 1, we boarded the train to Paris. London was my first European destination, and I look forward to returning to the city later tonight. This London trip came together quickly as I just booked this last week.

The world of photography has many different genres; sometimes, those genres have aesthetics that blend into others. Street and travel photography are two genres that share a lot but also have aspects that make them differ, and we will look at the similarities and differences between street and travel photography and how they relate to each other.

When you’re travelling, it can be challenging to know when to shoot. You want to ensure you have the time to get the perfect shot, but you don’t want to miss out on other opportunities or plans. I travel for pleasure and the experience I share with Lisa, but I love to capture the cities I travel to as best as possible, considering my limited time and the awareness that I am usually there to enjoy a vacation.

Travelling somewhere new is one of the most exciting things you can experience. When I travel to a new place, I do five things as I get closer to the departure date to prepare and maximize my limited time there. Reading up on where you are going is necessary to know what you want to do and what you want to see. Along with general Googling of the destination, I frequent a few sites to help me choose restaurants, sites, and neighbourhoods to stay in.

Lisbon is the capital city and the largest in Portugal. It is the second oldest European capital after Athens, Greece. Exploring Lisbon will take you through numerous neighbourhoods ranging from lively shopping and nightlife districts to older, more scenic areas. I travelled to Lisbon for a few days this month to explore, enjoy, and photograph the city. I spent three days exploring the top spots in the city, including Baixa, Rossio, Bairro Alto, and Alfama.