10 minute read
Focus: Pantanal, Brazil
HER TRAVELS
Focus: Pantanal, Brazil
STORY AND PHOTOS BY GAIL CLIFFORD
The Pantanal, encompassing the world’s largest tropical wetland area, is located mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, thousands of species thrive there, including jaguars, anaconda, toucans, the imperiled hyacinth macaw, giant river otters and animals you’ve maybe never heard of — caiman and capybara.
When I travel solo to a new place, I enjoy the safety and comfort of an all-inclusive
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travel package from a reputable group. Great Escape Publishing meets those criteria and their itinerary helps me focus on what’s important to me.
In this case, it was learning to become a better photographer. With no humility, I freely recognize that I was the worst photographer of the bunch. That didn’t mean I couldn’t learn more, as long as I could keep my frustration levels under control. After all, even a broken clock is right twice a day, right?
Our photographers for this trip were Emmy-award winning photographer Joe Sindorf and National Geographic featured photographer Bonnie Caton.
We 14 met our guide and interpreter in Cuiaba, lunched and boarded a coach to our first stop, Santa Tereza.
On arrival, they sent us right into the dark for our first cat viewing and Ana, the ocelot, did not disappoint. We were told she had two cubs and the food provided at this photographers’ blind, supplements what she kills and reduces her stress to nourish those babies better. Win-win.
I looked at my photos and saw about 90% were blurred, only a few could be blamed on Ana’s graceful movements. The problem was how I managed my camera settings.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all there is to learn about DSLR cameras. Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, are absolutely critical, and any one of them being off causes problems. You can leave them all on AUTO but then your photos can look flat.
Bonnie was able to help me with settings and made what seemed a really basic suggestion, “Work on your focus.”
It’s as if she was speaking directly to my heart. My entire life I’ve focused on accomplishing my professional goals as a physician. As I consider retiring, and with the kids out of the house, I have to focus on what I want to do next. My hobbies have never been at the forefront. But now, I have the opportunity to
pursue other passions.
I’ve written articles, screenplays and unpublished books. I’ve started a workbook for hospitalized patients to help ward off boredom. I’ve helped my daughter with a couple great children’s books. And been road blocked at the last steps a lot of the time. I needed someone to help me climb the final hurdle. Something else draws my attention away, and it’s left in the To Do pile.
So, I worked on my focus.
The first jaguar we spotted was one that had not been seen by scientists in the region — so we got to name him. “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” or “Flash” for short, joined Mick Jaguar. Despite the ground cover and landscape obstructions, and with my limited skills, I was able to capture a few great photos of him.
By the third day, Bonnie and Joe had me well enough trained with this camera that they could shout out camera settings and I could change them.
Photo reviews became less frightening. One photographer there said she never submitted photos. She didn’t want anyone seeing her photos — didn’t even look at them herself until she went home. Not me. What do I have to lose? My photos aren’t as good as people that have been doing this professionally or for years? Big surprise. Embracing where you stand at this moment in a particular skill, when you have a desire to improve, is a wonderful thing.
And I embraced it. I took notes on what Joe and Bonnie said about my photos. And I adjusted. I worked hard at focus. I even captured a bird in flight. When Bonnie and Joe said it was worthy of fine art, I was shocked. Is the resolution good enough? They checked my numbers. It just made it. Wow.
I didn’t know how good I could be. And I don’t manage it all the time. Sometimes it’s just luck. But my focus on objects has gotten better. It’s one thing I can do that makes everything better.
If you find something like that, hold onto it.
Taking the time to explore new locations and old or new hobbies is especially important as we face other life changes, like an empty nest. Meeting new people with similar interests helps expand my horizons. All play a role in reinventing oneself and preventing stagnation. With your focus fixed, fun things are more easily found on the horizon.
Despite the ground cover and landscape obstructions, and with my limited skills, I was able to capture a few great photos of Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” Gail Clifford said.
Gail Clifford, a physician for more than 30 years, has traveled to five continents and all 50 United States. An avid traveler, she happily goes on new adventures, especially on birthdays. She enjoys inter-generational and solo travel focused on learning a new skill. When traveling locally, she enjoys digging deeper into history to discover new things about old experiences. Her articles have been published in area, national and international magazines and websites. She divides her time between Ireland and the U.S.
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