How to not land: A picture lesson courtesy of Iberia

by Grant Martin on

It’s difficult to say exactly what was at play in these conditions, but the position and response of this photographer gives a great vantage point of an aborted Iberia (IB) landing in Bilbao earlier this week.

The consecutive photos posted here show a quick time lapse of what was going on in a few scary seconds over the tarmac.

Among the airline community, the general consensus is that wind conditions caused significant shear near the runway, resulting in turbulent gusts just prior to wheels down. After two tries at landing on this in Bilbao the IB flight had to divert to Vitoria for another rough (albeit successful) landing.

So don’t rush off to hate on the Iberia pilot. As we learned from last year’s One-Two-Go crash on Thailand’s Phuket island, landing in high winds can be extremely tricky.

I’ve been through a couple of aborted landings, but never one that has actually touched down and returned to the skies. As docile as my experiences were, they were still frightening. I wonder what people on this flight were thinking.

One for the Road: Evidence of My Existence

by Kelly Amabile on

Jim Lo Scalzo has been a staff photographer for US News & World Report since 1994. His new memoir is a moving look at the life of a photojournalist who has traveled the world. Evidence of My Existence tells the story Lo Scalzo’s 17 years on the job as an “obsessive wanderlust” — He handled assignments in over 60 countries, capturing important news stories, while jeopardizing his relationships and his very own life, for the sake of his career.

Eventually, Lo Scalzo had to make a choice, as this recent book review explains: He had to make a decision about what was the most important to him: his profession or his family. It is a decision that many photojournalists have to make but rarely talk about in the direct way that Lo Scalzo does.

Be sure to watch the compelling trailer for the book, which begins with the question, “How to stop moving?” Whether we’re taking photos or not, it’s a question that all travelers are faced with. This book explores how one man answered the question for himself.

One for the Road: Planet Earth

by Kelly Amabile on

The BBC’s much-praised Planet Earth series was shown in the US on the Discovery Channel earlier this year. It was accompanied by the publication of a companion book, Planet Earth: As You’ve Never Seen It Before, which jumped up some notches on the New York Times bestseller list this week, partially due to an encore presentation of the show.

As another year of traveling comes to a close, the book offers wanderers an opportunity to sit back and truly look at the bigger picture: this astounding planet that we all move upon, and all the amazing creatures we share it with! Over 400 color illustrations create a “visual odyssey” of landscapes, packaged beautifully in 300-pages! The spectacular collection of photos takes readers along to remote and far ranging locations – mountains, forests, deserts and rivers, showcasing natural wonders and wildlife from around the world. Nomads from all walks of life will appreciate this hardbound tribute to our shared home.

One for the Road: Instant Gratification

by Kelly Amabile on

Gadling goddess Adrienne Wilson hasn’t written here in awhile, because she’s been super busy traveling the world and…making a book! As she explains in detail on her personal blog, Instant Gratification is a first volume of photographs from Adrienne’s growing collection of global snapshots, many taken during her travels over the past seven years.

In her own words, Adrienne explains the project: In its simplest form, Instant Gratification: Photos for your Coffee Table in Exchange for Money in my Pocket, can be described as a travel catalog comprised of a spirited mixture of color, B&W, film, digital, and lomo shots from around the globe. Feel gratified at once for once!

But there’s a hook! She then goes on to explain the super-cool generosity behind the creation of this book: Additionally, there won’t be any money placed into my pocket from your purchase of this book. Since I don’t bake cookies, I’m using this book as a fund raising tool. All the profit will be donated to a charitable organization that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.

Actually, all profit from book sales will go towards a Global Village build Adrienne is planning to lead next year with Habitat for Humanity. To raise funds for the service experience, she used her smarts to create a fundraising tool that puts a beautiful book in the hands of those who give. A creative masterpiece that benefits more than the buyer — instant gratification for all, and a wonderful idea. Kudos and congrats to Adrienne on her do-good self-publishing venture. (By the way, she used Blurb, and has lots of great things to say about them too.)

Chinatowns of the World

by Kelly Amabile on

Travelers create all sorts of interesting themed trips these days, but I don’t recall hearing about a tour that visits all the world’s Chinatowns just yet. Have I missed it? Well, if it hasn’t been done yet, someone will get around to planning such an adventure eventually, I’m sure. In the meantime, a new exhibit that opens in New York this week offers a nice overview that can help with itinerary planning — if you’re up to the challenge of visiting the more than 300 Chinatowns that exist around the world today!

In association with New York’s Chinatown Film Festival, the Storefront for Art and Architecture is hosting Chinatowns, a collection of over 1,000 images taken by almost as many photographers. This global tour spans over 100 cities on four continents: “It is a visual tribute to the diversities and idiosyncrasies, as much as the similarities, that unite these urban communities scattered all over the world.”

The exhibit opens on Tuesday, December 11 and will run through December 22, 2007.