Your Bio

You'll see from the galleries here that travel photography is a special passion.

I've been doing that since 1968, when posted to a NATO headquarters in Izmir, Turkey for service in the U.S. Army. That's where I bought my first SLR cameras, two Minolta 101s. I continued to use manual focus Minoltas regularly, either the original SRTs or an XE-7 and an XK acquired in 1999 to "update" my kit until just a few years ago.

My only auto focus film camera is the Vectis S-1... received as a gift and not valued until the first travel trip in 1997 when the reduction in size and weight was much appreciated. The APS format has limitations (film choice, negative size if you want prints larger than 8x14, and slow aperture lenses) but used with 100 ISO film and a tripod when needed, this was my preferred travel kit unitl about spring 2010 ago when I purchased a Panasonic G1.

The G1 and lenses has similar size and weight advantages as the S-1 (to my surprise, it is lighter than the S-1) and a magnificent view finder if you don't mind waiting just a bit as it refreshes itself between shots. With an adpator, I use some of my old Minolta MC lenses while a collection of Lumix lenses grows.

I travel often in my work. A Contax Tix APS camera came with me for a few years. Probably the best lens on any APS camera. In 2009 I purchased a new but ancient in digital terms Contax Tvs Digital. Yes, I'm a bit fascinated by unusual cameras. The Tvs did yeoman service on a visit to Denmark in 2009 but the tiny LCD screen expired early in 2011.

My personal favorite gallery here? The Albany Rural Cemetary.

If you decide to use Smugmug services after visiting here, go to http://www.smugmug.com/?referrer=fRmsxl7VU0zrU to start your account... you will receive a $5 credit to your fee.

Enjoy the photos. Travel well. Photograph often!

Bob Johnson

Featured Galleries

Travels in Provence : Images from a September-October 2008 visit to areas of Provence.

Travels in Provence

Images from a September-October 2008 visit to areas of Provence.

Updated: Dec 31, 2012 11:53am PST

Cars, Colors, Emblems... 50s & 60s : Marshall, Michigan hosts an annual "Cruise to the Fountain" that attracts 750 to 1000 restored 50s and 60s cars... these views are from the 2005 event. For the detail lovers, these are taken on a Minolta S-1, 50mm lens after the first two shots (80-240mm for those), Fuji Nexia 400 film. Comments are welcome.

Cars, Colors, Emblems... 50s & 60s

Galleries

Eyes of a Raptor : The owl and the hawk were at the Audobon Society's annual Carefest exhibit weekend in Michigan, held each October weekend as masses of cranes migrate from northern Michigan to Florida, feeding in the area corn and soybean fields en route. The raptors are on hand for close exam by people attending the festival. A bit more light would have given just a bit more shutter speed with the Vectis S-1 80-240 lens used to take these shots with Nexia 400 film. Alas, even with the Vectis 400mm and a tripod, the cranes are too far away. But these chaps were ideal photo opportunities.

Eyes of a Raptor

The owl and the hawk were at the Audobon Society's annual Carefest exh ...

Updated: Oct 18, 2007 7:11pm PST

Cars and colors... Part II : The 2007 Cruise to the Fountain in Marshall, Michigan features cars from the 1950s and 1960s. This set isn't as extensive as my 2005 photos in another gallery as I missed the first and primary night. Everyone you see here was still cruising on the second night of the weekend. All photos are APS shots, most with a Vextis S-1 and 22-80 mm lens and Nexia 400 film and a few with a Contax Tix and Nexia 100 film.

Cars and colors... Part II

Texas Hill Country : Clouds and rain for this 5 day visit to the rolling hills of Texas, more or less north of San Antonio and west of Austin. Vineyards, sheep and cattle, and President LBJ's ranch are some of the highlights.

Texas Hill Country

Blue Ridge Mountain Scenes : Mid-May in the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina, near Asheville. Not quite prime flower time in the mountains... but a beautiful place nonetheless.

Blue Ridge Mountain Scenes

Mid-May in the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina, near As ...

Updated: Dec 28, 2012 7:06pm PST

Rosco :

Rosco

Updated: May 30, 2006 6:18pm PST

Albany Rural Cemetary : The cemetary is in Albany, NY. The statuary and sculpture is very extensive. People are here who were born before 1800... many with names of the earliest days of Dutch settlement in this area... a U.S. president, Chester Arthur... the only Army officer from the Revolutionary War who was still on active duty when the War of 1812 began. For those interested, most of these photos are scanned from Fuji Reala film and were taken with and without a tripod with various Minolta MC Rokkor lenses from 21mm to 135mm, most often with an XE-7. These were taken from 2001 through 2004 on weekend and evening walks. Comments are welcome.

Albany Rural Cemetary

Travels in Maryland... Sanctuary Birds :

Travels in Maryland... Sanctuary Birds

Updated: Aug 01, 2005 3:20pm PST

Scenes in Scotland : These scenes from a fall 2002 visit to western Scotland are what remind me today in 2005 of the most lasting impressions... stark mountains, fine flowers and gardens, sheep, the sea, distilleries, narrow roads. Very fine vacation travel. Comments are welcome.

Scenes in Scotland

Paris Scenes : Paris is, as many of you know, an astounding city. I have been three times: 1997 in April, 1999 to May and 2010 in October. Here are photos from around the streets and inside the museums that capture a very small part of the city. Cameras used: a 35mm Minolta SRT-101 in 1997, an APS Minolta Vectis S-1 in 1999, and a m4/3 Panasonic G1 and Canon SD950 in 2010. Comments are welcome.

Paris Scenes

Paris is, as many of you know, an astounding city. I have been three t ...

Updated: Dec 27, 2010 1:14pm PST

Monet's Gardens : A rainy April day not far from Paris... on the way to Normandy. Comments are welcome.

Monet's Gardens

A rainy April day not far from Paris... on the way to Normandy. Commen ...

Updated: Jan 25, 2005 7:35pm PST

Travels in Burgundy : Scenes from a March 2004 two week trip through Burgundy. From Troyes to Dijon to Beaune to Chablis and places en route. Most photos with a Minolta Vectis S-1 and various lenses, some with a Contax Tix, most often with Fuji Nexia 100 film. Comments are welcome.

Travels in Burgundy

D-Day in Normandy : D-Day photos taken during a 1999 trip to Normandy and Brittany and separated here for those just interested in the D-Day sites. All taken with a Minolta Vectis S-1 camera, most with an 22-80 lens (in APS terms) and some with an 80-240 lens. No tripod, although one would have been helpful on the very cloudy afternoon part of the day. Comments are welcome.

D-Day in Normandy

D-Day photos taken during a 1999 trip to Normandy and Brittany and sep ...

Updated: Oct 26, 2004 11:28am PST

Savannah... Streets and Shops : Savannah is a lovely city to stroll about in... and that's what these picture show from a time in May. Antiques, homes, parks, crafts in a city that moves at a slower pace than Charleston. Comments are welcome.

Savannah... Streets and Shops

Travels in Oregon :

Travels in Oregon

Updated: Feb 07, 2005 10:21am PST

Cars, Colors, Emblems... 50s & 60s : Marshall, Michigan hosts an annual "Cruise to the Fountain" that attracts 750 to 1000 restored 50s and 60s cars... these views are from the 2005 event. For the detail lovers, these are taken on a Minolta S-1, 50mm lens after the first two shots (80-240mm for those), Fuji Nexia 400 film. Comments are welcome.

Cars, Colors, Emblems... 50s & 60s

Vectis 17mm : Photos taken with the 17 mm lens on a Minolta Vectis S-1 camera. Originally produced for a digital camera, Minolta warned it should not be used on a Vectis film camera. Perhaps because of the weight of the all metal 17 mm lens creating stress on the lens mount? If that was possible, holding the lens itself solved that problem. In the 35 world, this lens was approximately equivalent to a 24 mm lens.

Vectis 17mm

Photos taken with the 17 mm lens on a Minolta Vectis S-1 camera. Origi ...

Updated: Dec 28, 2012 7:07pm PST

Flowers of 2005 : Flowers are everywhere, including the home gardens where these images were taken at various times during the 2005 garden season.

Flowers of 2005

Flowers are everywhere, including the home gardens where these images ...

Updated: Jul 29, 2005 10:21am PST

Travels in Provence : Images from a September-October 2008 visit to areas of Provence.

Travels in Provence

Images from a September-October 2008 visit to areas of Provence.

Updated: Dec 31, 2012 11:53am PST

Florida Wildlife :

Florida Wildlife

Updated: Mar 28, 2009 7:15pm PST

Florida Wildlife (new) :

Florida Wildlife (new)

Updated: Mar 28, 2009 6:37pm PST

Charleston 2010 :

Charleston 2010

Updated: May 22, 2010 5:39pm PST

Carewords Dublin 2010 :

Carewords Dublin 2010

Updated: Sep 25, 2010 11:20am PST

Travels in Paris and Alsace... 2010 :

Travels in Paris and Alsace... 2010

Updated: Dec 31, 2012 1:06pm PST

Detroit Kennel Show 2011 :

Detroit Kennel Show 2011

Updated: Mar 05, 2011 7:41pm PST

Michigan.TraverseCityArea.6-11 :

Michigan.TraverseCityArea.6-11

Updated: Dec 31, 2012 1:48pm PST

empty gallery

Australia Visit 2011

Updated: Oct 10, 2011 3:54am PST

The Swag -- Fall 2011 :

The Swag -- Fall 2011

Updated: Dec 31, 2012 1:25pm PST

Italy.2012.Jeanne :

Italy.2012.Jeanne

Updated: Apr 26, 2012 10:03am PST

Jeanne.Italy.2012 :

Jeanne.Italy.2012

Updated: Apr 26, 2012 2:57pm PST

Venice at Night :

Venice at Night

Updated: Jul 06, 2012 6:37pm PST

Quebec City August 2012 :

Quebec City August 2012

Updated: Dec 31, 2012 12:30pm PST

Faces :

Faces

Updated: Dec 31, 2012 1:50pm PST

Cranes... Michigan :

Cranes... Michigan

Updated: Nov 26, 2012 7:13pm PST

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