Stock photo alternative

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advertising, architecture, blogs, brianscantlebury photos, business, commercial images, digital images, fine art photography, landscapes, new zealand, newsletters, photography, photos, portraits, signs, stock photos, travel, USA

An alternative to the traditional stock or micro-stock sites offers economic digital photographs covering most categories.

New Zealand wide (over 30 galleries),                         Plants, flora/fauna & macro,                                           travel, around the world, (55+ galleries)

architecture & fine art , street scenes, wildlife,people, portraits, events, commercial, abstracts and backgrounds plus client works.

Digital images from stock photo sites provide an enormous range of images for all purposes, but at www.brianscantlebury.com you’ll find something a bit different to meet your needs.

There’s no subscription required, just buy as you need in a range of size and price options. Take a look and click the buy button above any image.

For your blogs, newsletters, advertisements, posters, banners, decals and signs or indeed any photo imagery requirements, check us out now;

 

Wild Horse Mountain – well worth the stop

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australia, brian scantlebury, brianscantlebury.com, coochin creek, forestry, landscape, movies, photography, photos, places, Queensland, Sunshine Coast, travel, view

Just off Bruce highway is this, the smallest of the Glass House Mountains just inland on Queensland’s  Sunshine Coast this lookout built as a fire lookout for the surrounding bush and forestry presents a 700 metre climb from the carpark to peak and surrounding views. Well worth the stop that created an opportunity to add to my Australian landscapes. 

Surrounded by plantation forestry pines and natural bush the 360 degree views are spectacular.

I venture, most visitors to these spectacular views just drive right by these threes on the way in and out.

So, to help you, if you are one of those, to catch up;

See what you might have missed?

For more click on my Australia gallery.

Tauranga Photos ++

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photography, photos, places, stock photoghy, tauranga, tauranga photos, Tauranga scenes, Tauranga stock photos

Stock photos, digital downloads across all genres at prices you find find anywhere for less.

Take a look and see if I’m right, see if you can challenge my claim, for top quality photographic images. I love a challenge so if you can let me know. http://www.brianscantlebury.com

As a Tauranga photographer my gallery of Tauranga photos and Mount Maunganui photos covers the bases and is continually growing. New Tauranga and Mount Maunganui photos are added continually expending the range and quality of available stock photos.

Economical images, no credit purchase required, just pay as you use, or get a 12 month subscription.

 

 

                   Images for as little as $5.95 per image.

To obtain 12 month http://www.brianscantlebury.com subscription please email photo@brianscantlebury.com for details.

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But that’s not all, you’ll find most of New Zealand covered too.

 

For backgrounds and abstracts or global travel images there are also great selections, and all at pricing you won’t have seen before!!

 

Why Namibia? – more just than a few reasons.

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africa, aloe, animals, big cats, bildlife, bird photography, birds, brianscantlebury.com, cheetah, dancing, Dead Vlei, digital images, gecko, goshawk, Hidden Vlei, Himba, images, Keetmanshoop, landscapes, light, lion, lions eating, lizards, Namibia, palmato lizard, people, photography, photos, places, portrait, Quiver Tree Forest, rosie-faced lovebird, sand dunes, secretary bird, shade, small animals, Sossusvlei, sun, traditional, travel, trees, tribal people, whydah, wild animals, wildlife photography

That’s the question, why Namibia?

Have just returned from a three week tour with World Photo Adventures of this startlingly stunning country and through the images shared here hope to give you more than a few reasons.

With the thousands of images I have returned with, it will be quite a while before I get through them all. So, this will be an evolving blog. It will be updated progressively.

And back to the “more than a few reasons;

Landscapes, I’ll bet you’ve never seen anything like what Namibia has to offer;

Sossusvlei dunes are breathtaking. Dead Vlei and Hidden Vlei are so immense and stunning

Touring photographers cast shadow on golden sand dunes.

Then there’s the Quiver Tree Forest with it’s unworldly aloes  scattered randomly across a rugged rocky terrain;

    

Wildlife, big cats, Lions and cheetahs in particular, there’s more to come of these;

And birdlife;

   

Great white pelican portrait

                                       Secretary bird 

The diminutive long-tailed or paradise whydah

Rosy-faced lovebird

 

 

 

 

 

Pale chanting goshawk on top of acacia bush.

Flight of the flamingos at Swakopmund as sun sets over wetland

We came across these lions, him & her, not long after they had made their kill. Here feasting happily together. We went back next morning and watched him take charge and drag the rest of the carcass away from her. She then left the scene and headed to a water hole about a kilometer away, as the crow flies, where we came across her again.

All creatures great and small;

 

Small desert adapted lizard and a shy palmato lizard poking its head out of the sand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What about the people;

Portrait of traditional tribal woman holding child.

Dancing in the tribal way. The Himba people in their small remote village and woman sitting outside shack (below)

And finally some birds in flight, Southern Yellow Hronbill, pale chanting goshawk and lilac breasted roller below.

More to come, check back please. and large digital images are all available at www.brianscantlebury.com The Namibia images are in the travel folder, Africa library.

 

Wellington new stock images New Zealand

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"travel image", #brianscantleburyphotography, #newzealand, brianscantlebury.com, city life, fine art photography, photography, scenic, street scene, travel images, urban, Wellington, Wellington architecture photos, Wellington night photos, Wellington stock images, Wellington stock photography, Wellington Stock photos

New Wellington stock images to show some of the vibrant creative capital city recently added to http://www.brianscantlebury.com stock photo library

Wellington is a cosmopolitan city with an energetic personality. Please click on the images here to link through to these and more similar Wellington stock photos.

Windy Wellington sign on hillside at Miramar in white corrugated iron mounted on side of hill to look like it is blowing away with Weta Cave tourism sign below.

The city is surrounded by wonderful scenic bays

Evans Bay from Shelly beach Road Wellington

Titahi Bay, Wellington New Zealand

rocky foreshore at Breaker Bay at entrance to Wellington Harbour

Some with classic old beach or boat sheds

Titahi individually leased and painted boat-sheds along the beach Wellington New Zealand

Coastal road around Wellington harbour Lowry Bay with bright coloured boat shed.

Skerrett Boat Shed Lowry Bay Eastbourne Wellington white weatherboard construction with olive green door owned by Hutt City Council in February 2016

Titahi individually leased and painted boatsheds along the beach Wellington New Zealand

Monochrome nautical image of hanks of rope hanging on inside boats sheds on harbour edge with open door and dinghy stern in opening.

 

Rufus, the owner of this homely shed had just returned from his morning paddle in Titahi Bay, Wellington New Zealand

And the city waterfront is constantly busy and interesting whter is people watching, the coastal scenery, the public art trail or old architecture one can spend hours there and still miss so much

Summer day people enjoying Wellington waterfront strolling along the esplanade watching and relaxing in warm coastal public space.

Mooring ropes lying on dock Oriental Bay Boat sheds and boats across bay Wellington New Zealand

Old white weathered warehouse buildings Shelly Beach Road, Miramar, Wellington New Zealand

Markets like the Porirua Market enable a visitor to share some of the life and cultures

Lions Club of Titahi Bay Porirua Saturday Market early morning on Feburary 13 2016 stall holders are open for business and locals arriving and wandering buying food, fresh produce and nick nacks. Model/property Release; No, for personal and editorial use.

Lions Club of Titahi Bay Porirua Saturday Market early morning on Feburary 13 2016 stall holders are open for business and locals arriving and wandering buying food, fresh produce and nick nacks. Model/property Release; No, for personal and editorial use.

 

 

Like any cosmopolitan city, there are the characters and street scenes that captivate too

Street scene of bare backed with spiky hair Wellington street car window washer Willis Street cleans windscreen of car stopped at intersection lights

Wellington wooden architecture old shop building now coffee outlet and Fidel’s cafe

Wellington architecture Shepherd’s Arms Hotel in Tinakori Road dates from around 1870, this laid-back hotel in the historic Thorndon suburb .

 

Red car in front vintage effect cottage in Tinakori Street, Wellington

 

Outdoor cafe patrons enjoying the activity and warmth on Evans Bay Shelly Beach Road Wellington

 

Inside the historic Railway Station

Wellington Railway Station classical architectural style concourse with granite floor and inlaid compas

Wellington Railway Station classical architectural style intricately decorated main concourse domed ceiling.

 

Night scenes around the spectacular harbour enthrall anyone taking a walk after dark.

City lights across Oriental BAy to boat sheds and city buildings Wellington New Zealand

Hectic night scene of buildings, streets, lights tram lines and power poles across Jervois Road with The Rugby World Cup Celebration sculpture in small park Wellington New Zealand

Light effects created by zoom blur through Te Aho a Māui split pyramid sculpture with path leading to Civic Square and city lights and scenes Wellington New Zealand

And there is so much more – Wellington

 

Auckland, Tauranga New Zealand model shoot with my Sony kit

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@kennedyyounan. model, Auckland, McLaren Falls, model shoot, mount maunganui, nature, photo shoot, photography, photos, places, Sony A6000, Sony A7R11, tauranga, urban, woman

Selecting interesting, yet recognisable, backgrounds for the lovely model Kennedy was the task. Wanting not just to show off Kennedy’s beauty but also to showcase some urban scenery and some of New Zealand’s natural scenic beauty as well took us to downtown Auckland and to Tauranga for the amazing scenic variety found there. We had two days to optimise our time and photographic experiences with my Sony A7R11, A6000 and range of lenses.

Here’s a sampling of what we found;

 

 

 

Down at Auckland’s Wynward Quarter Silo Park Kennedy sets-off the industrial feel of a tank.

 

 

 

 

 

I am not a regular model photographer by any means. I consider photography of any genre is an extension of all other genres.  You scope out the locales envisage the final image, light and, composition then let your instincts take over.

We headed downtown Auckland for a few hours and here’s some of what we found.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are interesting backgrounds everywhere, including walls and doors and street art.

 

A ‘borrowed” electric scooter on an intersection adds a contemporary urban touch, while heavy industrial background below provides a contrast.

 

In Tauranga we use the natural settings of NZ bush scenes, waterfalls, lakes and walks are all things both Kiwi’s and tourists enjoy. McLaren Falls in the Kaimai Range is a great and very accessible base for a range natural settings.

 

Desaturating the background seems to add something to the colourful casual attire of the model and the classic styling of Triumph Bonneville motorcycle.

Container background on Sulphur Point and                         vintage records in Roundabout Records in the Tauranga Historic Village                                                               proved two more interesting photographic locales.

Sitting in sand dunes at Mount Maunganui rounded out the two days.

For all the images taken over the two days please check out this gallery.

and,  www.brianscantlebury.com/New-Zealand-photos/Tauranga-photos

A great bis thank you to @Kennedyyounan for her contribution to the 2 days and about a hundred great images.

Instagram; @kennedyyounan

@briansphotography

Twitter; @briansphotograf

Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/brian.scantlebury1

 

Running out of photo storage space is a risk I am warned, as I head for Lady Elliot Island.

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animals, australia, baby, bird, bird species, buff banded rail, chick, conservation, death, easternreef egret, experience, Golden Plover, Lady Elliot Island, Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, lighthouse, nature's cruelty, nesting, photography, preservation, Queensland, roseate tern, strawberry hermit crab, travel, turnstone, turtle, white caped noddy, wildlife

Lets see if that plus what the world is being told about the pending ruination of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef are both true. I’m excited as we fly from Hervey Bay.

Landing, birds are everywhere, nearly tame too, very reminiscent of Galapagos Islands.

Noddys like the white capped noddy and terns and their nests  surround the terminal and landing strip 

 

We are to spend the next 5 days at Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort. Every night at this time of the year turtles of three varieties come ashore to lay eggs, usually returning to sea before dawn. However, sometimes the leave their run too late and get left high and dry. The next high tide is then required to enable them to make their escape.

water returns and lets them dip their heads in to cool by cycling it through their body.

A colourful inhabitant of the island is one of the smallest.

The Strawberry Hermit Crab carries his home high of the sand.

It’s nesting season, and everywhere you turn there are birds like this white capped noddy carrying nesting material.

Roseate tern chick waits for it’s next feed.

Below are three of the ground and shore birds found on Lady Elliot.

 Speckled gold-and-black migratory Golden Plover

Buff banded rail

Ruddy Turnstone

Nature can be so gruesome and cruel.

Naturally beige coral surrounds the island and we are advised is very healthy.

The sunrises and sunsets are worth hanging about for too.

The island’s iconic and historic lighthouse.

Well, all in all the birdlife was amazing, learning about the turtle populations and breeding  informative and snorkeling was fun.

I did use a lot of photo storage, but thankfully didn’t run short.

 

Another book project completed

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6 Maidstone Place, Australiana, bits and pieces, Cars, collectibles, collection, garden, home, memories, museum, personal assets, photography, photos, Redding, things, vintage

Had some real fun putting together another book project in Aussie on the Gold Coast.

A private home with the feel of comfort and relaxation but also one the most amazing collections of memorabilia, antiques and Australiana ever put together presented a little challenge that resulted in what I hope is an outcome to be proud of.

It was a real pleasure to spend 2 – 3 hours photographing for this book.

 

http://bit.ly/briansphotobookstore

A couple of images from the book.

Ford Tickford and Datsun Fairlady, note the number plates.

 

Items and collections can be found in all parts of the garden strategically placed, around and throughout the home.

I’m often told photography is a wonderful way the preserve memories and recollections of places, activities or properties that we have and that we’d love to share or retain as memories for our families, or even a wider market.

Whilst photo books can be reasonably easily put together these days, a professionally photographed and composed book will present those lasting memories in a light to be proud of. Or for marketing, of course, displays and sells in the best light.

If, for private or public consumption, you’re wanting to get yourself noticed, sell more product or service or really just want to leave something a professional photographic book will do it.

To see some of my other book projects & travel books or check out; http://bit.ly/briansphotobookstore 

Enquires; brian@brianscantlebury.com

http://www.brianscantlebury.com

 

Another book project completed

Tags

6 Maidstone Place, antiques, brian scantlebury, collection, home, memorabilia, photography, photos, Redding, www.brianscantlebury.com

Had some real fun putting together another book project in Aussie on the Gold Coast.

A private home with the feel of comfort and relaxation but also one the most amazing collections of memorabilia, antiques and Australiana ever put together presented a little challenge that resulted in what I hope is an outcome to be proud of.

It was a real pleasure to spend 2 – 3 hours photographing for this book. and then putting it together over the next day or two. Hope you like the outcome as much as I do.

 

http://bit.ly/briansphotobookstore

A couple of images from the book.

Ford Tickford and Datsun Fairlady, note the number plates.

 

Items and collections can be found in all parts of the garden strategically placed, around and throughout the home.

I’m often told photography is a wonderful way the preserve memories and recollections of places, activities or properties that we have and that we’d love to share or retain as memories for our families, or even a wider market.

Whilst photo books can be reasonably easily put together these days, a professionally photographed and composed book will present those lasting memories in a light to be proud of. Or for marketing, of course, displays and sells in the best light.

If, for private or public consumption, you’re wanting to get yourself noticed, sell more product or service or really just want to leave something a professional photographic book will do it.

To see some of my other book projects & travel books or check out; http://bit.ly/briansphotobookstore 

Enquires; brian@brianscantlebury.com

http://www.brianscantlebury.com

 

There’s something in the Aussie air right now.

Tags

architecture, australia, beach, Gold Coast, photography, photos, places, Queensland, travel, Wild Horse Mountain

Flying into the Gold Coast I was (as was everyone arriving lately) mindful of the serious bush wildfires wreaking havoc and destroying property through large swathes of NSW and to a lesser extent, Queensland.

There was something different in the air.

A quiet week on Gold Coast with a couple of short journeys. Firstly, to the Broadwater and Spit for a coffee and quick look, also had a wander around the brightly coloured apartment village that was originally for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

 

Then to Byron Bay and the lighthouse before heading off to Hervey Bay to start the Lady Elliott Island experience.

Travelling north the wide Queensland landscape becomes viewable from the lookout on Wild Horse Mountain.

 

Black and white photo-art, 4 images that just beg your comments!

Tags

art, black and white, monochrome, photography, photos, places, Red Shed; Rye; East; Sussex; East Sussex; Rye Nature Reserve; england; nature; outdoors; travel; travel destination; travel image; uk; united kingdom, travel

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10206118271911805&id=1713173419&sfnsn=mo

http://bit.ly/fineartstockphotos

Stripes, in Sissinghurst

Red Shed, Rye Nature Reserve. Actually black walls , white windows and red roof, this shed is a standout feature of the nature reserve.

Rye Nature Reserve in monochrome. Thistle heads and grass bent in wind with Red Shed and people on walk.

Rye street scene through architectural arch

Stunning White Cliffs of Dover with bold white beach stones contrasting with darker rock and seaweed.

Beach sheds, Deal waterfront with old historic buildings and shadows from low sun leading into image.

Silhouette into morning sun with seagull with wings at the ready on Deal coast in South of UK.

 

Santorini sunrise and silhouettes from Ampelonas.

More Fine art Photographic images at;  http://bit.ly/fineartstockphotos

http://www.brianscantlebury.com

 

 

Tauranga customised photo tour

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Bay of Plenty Photo Tours, brian scantlebury, ideas, mount maunganui, photo tour, photography, photos, places, Rotorua, sunset, tauranga, Tauranga Photo Tours, Tauranga photographer, travel, www.brianscantlebury.com

Tauranga customised photo tour starts today (Sept 18) with airport collection about midday.

I have designed a personalised tour focusing on landscapes and night shoots commencing in Rotorua for the first afternoon then shifting to Tauranga.

First stop, Redwood Forest in Rotorua where we captured some impressive shots showing the height depth of the forest of these 118 year old trees.

Taking a break, Anne sits on bench part way through.

Forest floor and mossy dead tree trunk

 

 

Looking up applying selective focus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creating forest abstract vertical motion blur was a lot of fun and produced some interesting results. Also received some pretty good instagram reponses. Check out @lex2891 on instagram.

And, a little culture at Ohinemutu on the way out.

A stop in bottom of Pyes Pa Gorge Road on way to Tauranga for some long exposure shots round off the afternoons shooting.

 

Morning beach sunrises, bush walks, waterfalls, and evening harbour and night lights shoots will follow over 4 days. We’ll throw in travelling in a vintage Ford Model T for a visit to a kiwifruit orchard, its pruning season, so not most interesting time but expect to see workers in action, and a cruise across, and around, Lake Rotoiti in a vintage boat with fish and chips lunch.

So here’s a little summary of the tour. It’s fair to say it went really well. We covered a lot of territory in the days available, we were able to share photography techniques, see some new ones tried and in the evenings look into expanding the use of Lightroom by a better understanding of some of its features.

Early morning, blue hour at Mount Maunganui;

Marine Parade corner during blue hour.

 

Following the early start we head up to McLaren Falls in the Kaimai Range

 

Lex sets up for a shot of stream while Lex and Eric take in the view.

The afternoon sees us head to Te Puna Quarry. A chance to build on our botanical collections. Bright Maori carving above stands over entrance to one of the Quarry paths.

Then down to Tauranga Marina for the sunset.

Spinifex, large highway sculpture makes a striking image against sky just before sunrise as we head to Papamoa for a sunrise beach shoot.

 

Beach grasses while sun is still low make for a great study along with the myriad of beach shots.

 

Lex lines up a log and casts a                              long shadow.

 

 

 

Then off to see a kiwifruit orchard in 1930’s Ford. Stopping by the orchard outhouse for workers.

 

From the orchard to Otaramarae and the vintage “Cappy” for a small geese call and trip trip across Lake Rotoiti for lunch.

Lex and captain John tuck into a lunch of fish and chip on back of the boat.

Lex

Crossing the lake.

An afternoon on and around Tauranga harbour yields some great scenic shots. Above, Mount Maunganui and below a couple of freight ships in port.

Before leaving the harbour, container cranes under a sunburst.

 

At the Bridge Marina for our last dinner together when we caught this little tacker on a scooter.

 

 

 

 

 

Last shoot, Okere Falls en-route to Rotorua Airport and return home.

Four days, a great range of photo opps, and the chance to utilise a range of photographic techniques – a great few days.

These and a selection of other images can be seen at www.brianscantlebury.com

Tauranga images              Rotorua images      enquiries; brian@brianscantlebury.com

 

 

 

 

 

To some Greek Islands, and a day to remember on Naxos

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advice, brian scantlebury Photography, European, Greece, Greek Islands, ideas, Naxos, photography, photos, places, Santorini, Skiathos, travel

A rushed drive from Delphi to Athens, deliver the car and and get to airport to fly to the island of Skiathos started our time heading for our Greek island experience.

In all we will spend near three weeks on the three “postcard” islands of Skiathos, Santorini and Naxos.

First Skiathos, a typically Greek/Mediterranean  island, (really, the second of the 4 for us including a short visit to Hydra), is a relaxed and popular place for tourists.

As always there are some thrills, some issues and some fun and lots more of photographic images to share than can be included in these blogs.

Walking the streets, lanes and beaches of these islands provides lots of photographic opportunities.

A few facts, Skiathos is one of the northern Sporades group in the Aegean with a current population of abut 8,000, is recognized as a party island with tourist numbers said to reach up to 70,000 at a time. Its known for its beaches, olives and is very green compared to the mainland.

Walking the streets for a meal you’ll come across large trays of whole fish packed in ice, ready for your selection for dinner. This was along waterfront restaurants on Skiathos.

Cafes, shops and tiered buildings in Skiathos opposite the new port.

The streets are deserted at 6.00 am, peacefully awaiting the jostling hordes. The high point and church though looking distant here are only a short walk and climb.

From the hill with Church of Saint Nikolas, the town can be seen laid out below with it’s characteristic terra-cotta tile roof tops and whitewashed buildings.

Lights of Skiathos Town reflect along the water’s edge.

Streets of Skiathos

Though some of these shots show empty streets, July & August are the hot months, both from point of view of tourists and temperatures which have been well up into the 30’s.

Colourful quaint boats in Old Port at Skiathos

The sky’s have never had a cloud in them and the sunrises and sunsets are intense, especially on Santorini. The Greeks are on holiday too, and swelling the numbers of tourists and those returning home from the mainland, so hectic is the way here at this time of the year. Many heading to the beaches to hire a deckchair and umbrella, bare some flesh and darken their skin a little as well as bathe in the luke warm Mediterranean water and sipping the odd cocktail in between.

While on the subject of baring some flesh, see if you can read this fruiterers sign above the nectarines!

Dining on these islands offers great variety. From the rip sh.. and bust fries with everything including your Greek salad (excuse the mild exaggeration)to really lovely “fine dining” restaurants.

Luckily we spent our time here with a group of great friends who ensured we dined in splendor.

Our hotel at Santorini, our next stop, deliberately chosen to be out of the two main touristic hotspots of Ia and Fira is just the best. The Ampelonas Apartments, it turns out is situated at the highest point of Santorini. And it it is a lovely comfortable and well run property. Sunsets and sunrises without moving (other than to wait 10 hours and turnaround that is), quite unique.

And turnaround – 10 hours later;

Another Santorini sunset, with silhouetted thistles

This is an island in the Cyclades group. Has a resident population around 16,000 before tourists arrive. Grow grapes and olives and is comprised essentially of the 2 cities (Ia and Fira or in their alternative spelling Oia or Thira) built on the caldera.

From our hotel in Imerovigla its only about 20 minutes walk to Fira, one of the 2 postcard style towns and the capital of the island, and about 30 minutes bus or taxi (a story about this later) ride to Ia (or Oia).

Probably the most photographed church on Santorini, The church and Three Bells of Fira, with sailing cruise ship in bay below. But there is so much more photographically in this town.

As well as the over-exposed whitewashed buildings, there’s the fascinating  walkways and staircases seemingly ending nowhere and everywhere

The classical Oia hillside shot.

 

Busker at top of the 230+ Oia steps to Ammoudi Bay below.

Mules, waiting to carry tourists up, in the heat can’t even keep their eyes open standing at bottom of Ammoudi Bay steps 

Octopus drying by restaurant at Ammoudi Bay

So to Naxos on the ferry. Hell just getting on and off this this thing is an experience. The mayhem of Greek organisation seems at it peak in this exercise. No signage for the hordes to work out when or where to move, just people shouting unintelligible instructions, men in uniforms blowing whistles and waving their arms while the aspiring travellers rush about in some form of unmitigated confusion and chaos. Somehow most seem eventually to make it. A bit like the bus timetables, a lower level of chaos, but then often the bus will depart 5+ minutes early, so don’t arrive bang on time and expect to be on. That it seems to me is high -risk strategy.

Trucks, cars and poorly informed tourists all jostling to get aboard a Greek ferry leaving Santorini for Naxos.

Like the others the island of Naxos comprises historic buildings and not so historic presented for the tourists, separated by narrow stone paved lanes with those white painted mortar patterns.

Tourists traipse up the low climb to experience a sunset at another Temple of Apollo, this time at Naxos.

Along with the flowering bougainvillea, the oleanders, the wild figs and olive plantations cats abound. Little wonder there’s no birds or wildlife to speak of. They are everywhere and if you look, they are usually in multiples.

 

 

But our find in Naxos was in form of a very pleasant and helpful guide, Stuart Thorpe,

And here’s some shots from the day.

 

There’s little sign of any industry that’s not tourism or olive related, but this old abandoned industrial building just out of Chalki (or Halki) caught my eye as we walked between a couple of villages with Stuart.

We had to shift a modern wooden and iron bench seat placed for locals to rest on in front of this irresistible old wall. We did put it back! Other than a locked church and a few homes there was little else here in Kaloxilos, the next village

 

Byzantine era church of Agios Apostolos which although we didn’t see them has frescoes inside dating its construction back to 12 or 13th centuries.

Only standing part ot these stone remains in the countryside, an arch through which there’s a landscape of olive trees and in the distance, the methodologically named Mount Zeus, highest peak on Naxos

Ancient olive trees are the dominant landscape feature around here.

Couple of men in small town of Filoti, doing what old Greek men do best. Sit, drink and endlessly hour after hour philosophise.

Thanks to Stuart, we got to out of the way villages, a Byzantine church in a paddock somewhere and an authentic lunch up in the hills at a family run taverna. The owners quickly prepared a range of dishes we shared. All the produce was grown on their own small farm. A great experience and one to be recommended if you are seeking a bit more than the typical tourist.

Open sign on the only food place for miles, a family run restaurant in Moni in the hills of Naxos where all the produce is grown on their own small farm. An experience to stop for, and another we’d have totally missed without Stuarts guidance.

Below, the remains of our multi course meal.

Inside another small church next to where we stood to take the photo below at a spot known as Stavros Keramotis.

View to coast from the only spot on Naxos where you can see both coasts, by turning around off course, Stavros Keramotis.

A couple of cheese makers selling their artisan cheeses on the street in Filoti. Generously they cut sizable slices for us to try.

 

We had the opportunity to spend 4-5 hours with Stuart, a photographer and guide.

Stuarts contacts are;

https://www.facebook.com/stuart.thorpe.14 and email; phototoursnax@gmail.com

Would have to say this was probably the best value for money spent while here on Naxos.

Stuart’s knowledge and taking us to places we wouldn’t have made it to if we’d hired a car, which was the option we considered, was simply excellent.and cost effective too.

So, over 5,000 images, a number instagram posts and many to publish to my website there’s plenty more if you are interested, now we are about to complete our journey and head home to get stuck into processing all these images. Perhaps we’ve shared some travel inspiration and ideas through our experiences over these blogs.