Back from The Odyssey

It has been a long time since I've last posted a blog. A little too long, even for an "occasional" blogger.

Well I've had a fantastic summer, personally that is, with plenty of time off, and plenty of time spent with my family.

I'm sure many people are wondering where the heck I've gone and am I still at The Globe and Mail. The questions wouldn't be unfounded because it certainly has been a while since my images have appeared on a Globe page.



For these past two weeks (and a bit) I've had the absolute pleasure of accompanying many Globe colleagues and some 300ish guests aboard the Seven Seas Navigator during a fourteen-day cruise in the Mediterranean. The Globe and Mail's Mediterranean Odyssey has been like no other assignment I have ever had.


Rarely do newspaper assignments allow us to photograph people or places merely because of their beauty, but for the past couple of weeks I've been able to do just that.



In two weeks I've given two one-hour seminars on photojournalism, spoken to dozens of guests onboard about photography at the Globe and in general, got to meet and spend time with more of my Globe colleagues, made many new friends, and presented a half-hour video of about 400 images culled from the thousands I shot during our odyssey.



The sights and the sounds, not to mention the tastes of gourmet meals and fine wine, were spectacular!

Our voyage began in Istanbul, and included stops in the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey and Knossus in Crete. We visited Malta, Sicily, the ruins in Pompei, the beautiful isle of Corsica, and of course Florence, and finally, Rome and the Vatican.

To say it wasn't work would be a lie, but I have certainly worked under worse conditions.



But I'm back now, and my batteries are recharged. I'm ready to jump right back into work at The Globe. Ready to again start telling stories, in stills, video, and audio - whatever will work best. I've had a remarkable time, but for all of us at The Globe and Mail we have a very exciting time ahead of us. My boss, Moe Doiron, is excited about our future under the leadership and vision of our new Editor-in-Chief, John Stackhouse, as I am too, and our entire staff should be. It is a time of change, and an opportunity we should take advantage of.

Perhaps I may even start to post more often as well.