Posts Tagged ‘Travel’

Posted on October 23, 2011 - by benmullay

Barcelona

Photos below are from a really enjoyable short break to Barcelona. I was keen to travel light so packed my Canon EOS 5D Mark II with only one lens – the Canon 28-135mm IS USM.

Posted on January 22, 2011 - by benmullay

Inverness Reflections

Pictured above is another image I shot when in Inverness for New Year.  I liked the way the street lights were reflecting off the roof of the cars.

-Ben

Posted on January 19, 2011 - by benmullay

Inverness Castle

Posted on January 19, 2011 - by benmullay

New Year in Inverness

I was away in Inverness for New Year and had a great time.   However, Loganair/Flybe did their very best to ruin the trip for me although they did redeem themselves just in the nick of time.

On check-in at Sumburgh I was told that my hand luggage was slightly too big and heavy to take into the cabin.  The bag contained my camera equipment and laptop so I was obviously keen to ensure the bag didn’t go in the hold.  I was informed that I could still take the bag as hand luggage but it would be marked as a ‘cabin bag’.  This would mean I’d relinquish the bag for it to be stored but could collect it again on arrival at Inverness at the foot of the steps.  Sounded simple!

The flight from Sumburgh to Inverness flies via Kirkwall in Orkney.  We remained on the plane in Kirkwall while passengers disembarked and new people came onboard bound for Inverness.

Loganair/Flybe lose my bag – 1st time!

On arrival in Inverness things started to go wrong!  I disembarked and waited at the foot of the steps.  Ken, the friendly air steward, asked if he could help and I explained that I was waiting for my cabin bag which had been put in the plane’s storage.  Ken said that he had no record of a cabin bag.  I watched as all the luggage was removed from the plane and my camera bag was nowhere to be seen.

I immediately contacted the Flybe information desk on arrival in Inverness.  Kat and Emma at the Flybe desk were very helpful.  Kat contacted the handlers in Orkney and discovered that the bag had mistakenly been removed in Kirkwall.  I was a bit frustrated but quite relieved to know where my bag was.  Flybe were to arrange for the bag to come down on the same afternoon flight the next day and send it via courier to my chosen address.

Flybe/Loganair lose my bag – 2nd time

8pm the following day (30th December) I had heard nothing about the delivery of my bag.  The flight was in the afternoon so I felt that I’d allowed plenty of time.  I contacted Inverness Airport and was told that there was nobody now left at the Flybe desk.  I asked to speak to Dalcross Handling who are the baggage handlers at Inverness Airport.  I queried as to why my bag had not been delivered quoting the lost baggage reference number I had received the previous day.  The lady had no record of my bag and could not see it in their storage department.  However, I was told I could phone back on the 4th January once all the staff were back after the holiday!

Hurray

I awoke with renewed hope on New Year’s Eve determined to find out what had happened to my camera equipment/laptop bag.  I had visions of my bag circling round a carousel in various Scottish Airports!

I had left a message with Loganair/Flybe lost baggage the night before explaining my situation but never got a reply.  As a result, my first phone call was directly to Inverness Airport.  I wanted to speak to Kat at the Flybe desk as she was the the last person who knew where my bag was.  I called Inverness Airport but they claimed they couldn’t put through incoming calls.  I explained my situation and was eventually put through to the Flybe desk where fortunately Kat was working.

After some persuasion, Kat kindly took it upon herself to contact the handlers to determine where my bag was – it had disappeared off everyone’s radar based on my call the previous night.  To my relief, I was contacted within fifteen minutes and told that the bag was in fact in Inverness and would be sent via courier later that day.

I received a call later from Inverness Airport who warned me that the bag was a bit damp and they were placing the laptop into a carrier bag.  I feared the worst at this stage wondering what state my gear was going to be in.  Despite being a few hours later than promised, my bag FINALLY turned up around 5pm on New Year’s Eve!

Based on my experiences, I would recommend the following when travelling with expensive equipment on a flight:

• Ensure all your equipment is insured, whether it be your home policy or through a specialist agent.  If you have travel insurance, check to see how much you are covered for in the event of a problem.  Also check what instances are covered ie theft, loss/damage
• Place a name tag clearly on all baggage with contact information including mobile number
• Keep all receipts/documentation, especially the baggage receipt on the back of your boarding pass
• Try and get a direct contact number to the airline representative
• Try and remember names of check-in staff, air stewards etc.
• Each airline is different with regard to hand luggage capacities so check this beforehand.  I didn’t do this admittedly but that doesn’t excuse the fact my bag was incorrectly taken off the plane in Kirkwall
• Ensure that your hand luggage/cabin bag is clearly marked with the destination airport.
• Pack your equipment very securely using the dividers to best effect

This maybe sounds simple but it’s so easy to overlook things sometimes and just presume travel plans will work out ok.

Thankfully for me I received my lost bag with contents undamaged.  However, I know there will be many who have received their lost luggage damaged or have never seen it again.

Despite the problems I can count myself lucky in this case.  It doesn’t excuse the fact that my bag was lost by the airline twice in two days.  What I found most annoying was that nobody would take responsiblity for the mistake when I called on the evening of the 30th.

Hopefully this tale of woe will make you wary when you’re next travelling.

All the best

Ben

Posted on December 1, 2010 - by benmullay

Digital Advent Calendar 2010 – Day 1

Those who were reading my blog this time last year would have been aware that each day in December leading up to Christmas I posted a quick-fire digital photography tip.  Well, this year is no exception and I’m back with a new set of tips which will hopefully be of interest to all levels of digital photographers.

Get a different perspective

My first tip originates from hosting the Shetland leg of the Worldwide Photo Walk in 2009 and 2010.  To see a review of the 2009 walk click here and 2010 click here.

How many times have we been on holiday to a popular destination and taken the classic tourist photographs which are the same as the majority of other holidaymakers take? If you want to go home with a unique set of images you must think outside the box.  Get a fresh perspective by getting down to a low vantage point or get up high for another different angle.  By doing this you should end up with a pleasing group of images which are more personal than the traditional picture postcard photographs.

-Ben

Posted on October 19, 2010 - by benmullay

Clava Viaduct over the River Nairn

Hi there, sorry for the lack of blogging recently.  I’ve been very busy and have also been on holiday.  Had a superb ten days away starting off in Inverness, London and finishing up in Aberdeen.

The photos below were taken at Clava Viaduct which is situated 6 miles East of Inverness.  The Clava Viaduct carries the railway from Inverness to Perth 39m (128 feet) above the valley of the River Nairn.  This beautiful Viaduct was built between 1893 and 1898, is some 549m (600 yards) in length and consists of 29 red sandstone arches. The viaduct was built by Sir John Fowler (1817-98) and Murdoch Paterson (1826-98).

Click on image for larger view

Click on image for larger view

Click on image for larger view

I have put all the above images in my non-Shetland image gallery which can be accessed here.  From here orders can be placed in a range of product options.

Thanks for reading,

Ben

Posted on October 3, 2010 - by benmullay

Cologne at Sunset

Pictured above is an image I made in 2008 when visiting Cologne for Photokina 2008.

There was hardly a soul in the area when I scouted this location and started getting the camera gear ready.  By the time I’d finished I turned around and was startled because there were tens of people behind me taking exactly the same shot.  They must have seen I was onto a good thing!

This image is available to purchase in a range of different products over on my gallery page here.

-Ben

Posted on July 9, 2010 - by benmullay

Princes Street Gardens

(click on image for larger view)

Pictured above is an image I made when on a recent break in Edinburgh.  I spotted these two people relaxing on a park bench in Princes Street Gardens.  I was thinking about how to frame  the image when the heavens opened and out came the ladies umbrella.  Just as I was about to click the shutter, a friendly seagull landed at a spot where I couldn’t have placed him/her better myself!

I have given the photograph an antique styled look to go with the urban theme I envisaged during capture.

Photo Walk Update

Remember, my Shetland leg of the Worldwide Photo Walk takes place on the 24th July.  For full information click here and to sign up click here.  I hope to see you there.

-Ben

Posted on June 5, 2010 - by benmullay

Shetland Classic Motor Show 2010

I was on the Hrossey Wednesday night from Aberdeen and I wondered why I had problems booking car space when I made my original booking.  After driving down Market Street and then onto the ferry at Northlink, a fantastic sight of vintage cars lay before me which were heading to Shetland.  The drivers were basking in the Aberdeen heat which topped 25°c that day.

The Shetland Classic Motor Show takes place this weekend at the Clickimin Leisure Complex.  For a full event program click here.  It promises to be a fantastic event and I would thoroughly recommend attending.

-Ben

Posted on September 2, 2009 - by benmullay

Out & About # 6 – Portland Bill

Pictured above is one of my favourite shots from a drive to Portland Bill when we were on our holidays a few weeks ago.

I’m a bit too young to remember, but Portland Bill is famous for the children’s television series ‘The Adventures of Portland Bill’ made in 1983.

It was particularly evident walking around the cliffs that the strong seas have a major impact with piles of stones scattered around.  The strong tides also means there are three lighthouses to protect shipping as this area is an important hub for coastal traffic.

For full information on the area then please go to http://www.portlandbill.co.uk/index2.htm

-Ben