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Vance MacDonald describes his first attempt at photography—in a middle school photo club—as a flop. His attempts to load and process B&W film failed miserably and he all but gave up on shooting through his high school and college days.
After college, Vance purchased his first SLR on time payments from an "understanding" local camera shop and eventually traded up to a Nikon F2 which he stills puts through its paces today.
While his camera gear had evolved, he claims his photography remained at the point-and-shoot level for years. It wasn't until he retired from medicine that he began to get serious about learning photography as more than an occasional hobby.
Enrolling in Rocky Mountain School of Photography's summer intensive program in 1999 taught him the basics of photography technique and served as an introduction to the wet lab. Several workshops and seminars later, Vance feels he is, "finally beginning to understand light and how to capture it on film."
We first met up with Vance when he and his wife Anita traveled with us to photograph polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba in 1999. Since then, he and Anita, a non-photographer, have traveled with us on nearly a dozen trips. 2003 will prove a busy year of photography for Vance as he and Anita are scheduled to travel with us to Spain, Spitsbergen, Namibia, Botswana and the Falkland Islands. He says his enthusiasm for our tours is based on our ability to get him, "to the best spots, at the right times," and our photo leaders who are, "friendly, knowledgeable and helpful."
Over the past 4 years, we've watched Vance's photo abilities steadily progress. Each time he travels with us, his photo knowledge, skills and confidence have all increased. His work and dedication to photography have paid off and we are very pleased to share with you a sample of his work from the various trips he has taken with us.
Marine iguana, Galápagos Islands
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Sally Lightfoot crab,
Galápagos Islands
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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The local barbershop, Morocco
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Satellites in the desert, Morroco
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Kittiwakes take flight near blue-ice glacier, Spitsbergen
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Hippo in watering hole, Tanzania
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Autumn reflections in
Acadia National Park, Maine
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Picturesque Maine harbor
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Jabiru stork, Pantanal, Brazil
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Lobster pot buoys, Maine
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Great Indian rhinoceros, India
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Tiger resting in
Bandavgarh National Park, India
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Early morning light on
Taj Mahal, India
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Fisherman unloads the days catch, Finnmark, Norway
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Eye to eye with the mighty polar bear, Churchill, Manitoba
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Leopard cub, Kenya
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Capped heron in breeding plummage, Pantanal, Brazil
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Wildebeast herd, Kenya
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Prowling cheetah, Kenya
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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Masaai tribesman
on Christmas Day, Kenya
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Copyright © 2005, Vance MacDonald
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