Nice news - Southampton International 2012

A short note to share good news. Five of my photographs were just accepted for the prestigious Southampton International Photo Exhibition -2012 (in UK) - one of the oldest Photo Salons in the world. Additionally, one of these five photographs got awarded. It is even a more nice news when considering that around 15,000 entries from all around the world were judged.
Here are small copies of my qualified images.

For I Know Your Sins

Sinister Kabuki

Unfinished Solo

Handful of Rice

Awarded image: Volta

It is official - we work on our next Caribbean title

Following the success of our first two big, heavy Caribbean books and keen interest in our next upcoming title – we decided to work on yet another Caribbean title.
Here is more:
As many of you already knows Tropical Homes of theEastern Caribbean and Exotic Gardens of the Eastern Caribbean won several international awards – Benjamin Franklin and Nautilus – to name just couple of them. Enthusiastic reviews and features in major magazines, endorsements from the world of media and art added to their visibility and success. But most importantly – they sell, which is the best proof of their popularity. On the little island of Barbados alone they already sold in four-digit numbers, and are available in virtually every book store.

Fish market scene - Barbados

Our next upcoming book “The Caribbean Architect” presenting works by renowned Lane Pettigrew around the Caribbean region - already found itself in major features of several magazines – long before the title will officially launch.

Therefore it is only logical that we should continue our work, which - as it happens - is also our passion. We decided to start perhaps a series of smaller soft cover books. Each will highlight a different island, but won't be limited to only architecture or gardens as it was the case with our previous coffee table books. They will be colourful kaleidoscopes showing local traditions, landmarks, beautiful landscape and nature – as well as selected fine homes and gardens loved by locals and tourists. Filled with colourful photographs and lively stories they will give a taste of all the best each island has to offer.

Little Bay in north of Barbados

First of these lively stories will be devoted to Barbados – the island which clearly showed the most interest in our publications. We plan to continue the series with highlights of other islands – but that will be the news later on, some other time.

For now we are happy to officially say – we are working on Highlights of Barbados, and we thank all of you who showed support and appreciation for our coffee table books.
During our latest Caribbean trip we photographed Barbados life extensively, and we plan to return there soon for more stories and pictures...

Hunte's Gardens - Barbados

Stay tuned, and if you like this news – click “share” or “like” and also click to follow our blog. This way you will be the first to know when we have some unofficial photos from locations, or share some funny stories from our work.

Thank you for now, cheers!

Derek and Margaret

Our next trip - our next book!

Surreal landscape of Barbados

Time came for us to pack our bags and travel again! Off we go to Barbados, where we will start work on our next book "Barbados Highlights". We will photograph there several spots, including some fine landscape and landmarks, such as an old sugar wind mill, now under care of Barbados National Trust.

Then we will visit Dominica. It will be our fourth visit to that amazing island, and we plan to photograph there picturesque Indian River, couple of waterfalls, and also Kalinago people - one of only two last remaining Carib tribes in the whole Caribbean. I am quite excited about this rare photo opportunity.

Material from this shoot along with interview by Margaret will be used for a story in Real Life Caribbean - fine lifestyle magazine from Cayman Islands.
We will also photograph amazing eco-resort in Dominica called Secret Bay. Beautiful place, we are happy to return there.

What else?  ZING, Liat Caribbean airline in-flight magazine published our story and photographs presenting fine architecture by Lane Pettigrew, known Caribbean architect.

Also another Caribbean magazine MACO used lots of my photos for their 10 page story on mentioned above Secret Bay. My photo of Secret Bay bungalow at night also landed on their cover.
Long overdue, Maco!

and last news for today: We will be publishing a fine art book of paintings by known artist devoting his work to the beauty of tiny island of Bequia. Bequia is a tiny island between St Vincent and Mustique - another fine place we visited when working on our first book, Tropical Homes of the Eastern Caribbean.
Stay tuned - you will be the first to see photos from our trip - and soon! And, as always - click Like or Share, if you like these short updates from our work! Cheers!
Derek

5 Ways the Caribbean Uses Green Power

A small stream in the middle of tropical forest in Dominica
offers fine drinking water for passing drivers.

While travelling and working in the Caribbean, we are always impressed with many ways Caribbean region embraced "green technologies". While here in Western world it is rather a talk of the future and a big business with solutions available mostly for rich people (therefore defying its purpose), the Caribbean, being rather a poor region - uses "green energy" everyday, because it is convenient, inexpensive - and simply better.
Today, I invited a guest blogger and expert to tell us a bit more. Hope you enjoy. So, here is Shelly Mirriam, until next time, cheers!

Derek
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In the United States and other parts of the world, there is always the debate of when and how the switch to green energy will come. But did you know that the Caribbean is already using it on a large scale? To prove it, we have gathered five ways the Caribbean is using green power.

1. Solar water heaters – In the tech world, there is a debate between traditional tank water heaters and tankless. There is even a huge push in the United States to use the more environmentally sound tankless kind. But did you know that there is such a thing as solar water heaters? Because people in the Caribbean have low incomes and limited access to electricity, they often rely on solar heaters. Barbados itself is said to have 32,000 solar water heaters and the second highest per capita usage of them in the world.
2. Water recycling – In other countries, rain water is left to run where it falls. However, in the Caribbean this water is often harnessed, stored, and reused. Often referred to as rainwater harvesting or water catchment in the U.S., it is simply known as collecting rain water to be used in gardening, washing, etc. in the Caribbean.
3. Hydroelectric power – In addition to recycling, did you also know that water can also create electricity? This is called hydroelectricity and is best known in dams such as the Hoover Dam. However, streams, rivers, lakes, etc. can also produce hydroelectricity. So much so, that in the Caribbean and Central America, it’s production has tripled from 1980 to 2006. There is even a large use of waterfall energy in the island of Dominica.
4. Geothermal – Often the topic of science fiction, geothermal energy is harvested by drilling into the Earth, both a potentially rewarding and dangerous source of energy. But there is already a plant in Guadalupe that has been in operation since 1984. There are even plans to get the benefits of building similar plants in Dominica, St. Lucia, and Montserrat.
5. Wind energy – With so many beaches and so much natural wind, it makes sense to have wind energy in the Caribbean. A company from the Netherlands felt the same way and installed the first windmill in the region at a hotel/resort in Grenada. Similar plans for future ones are also in the works.

Shelly Mirriam is a science student and also writes for Masters inEnvironmental Science which helps students find the right environmental science degree.

As always, if you like this story - please "share" it.

Happy New Year!

Thank you for your support and interest. we are just starting work on a brand new Caribbean book. Details coming soon. For now - I just wish you a fantastic, magical New Year 2012!
Derek

Merry Christmas! And our Christmas Gift to you!

We all at Ozone Zone Books would like to extend our warm Christmas wishes to all our friends and blog readers. Thank you for your support, it means a lot to us!
To show our gratitude, we are happy to give you a small gift:
TWO FREE CHAPTERS from our two award-winning books.

Chapter from Tropical Homes of the Eastern Caribbean showing a luxury villa (and also exclusive vacation rental) on the famous private Mustique Island. This is a rare glimpse one can have at the island of celebrities - so exclusive that one can't visit it without an invitation!

Get it below, right click on the link and save to your computer:
http://ozonezonebooks.com/archive/LAnsecoy-small1.pdf

And a Chapter from Exotic Gardens of the Eastern Caribbean showing spectacular, huge Montreal Estate Gardens high in the mountains of St Vincent island. It is so lush and huge, it is hard to think it is a garden!

Get it below, right click on the link and save to your computer:
http://ozonezonebooks.com/archive/Montreal gardens.pdf

We hope these beautiful places will let you forget about the cold weather, and will transfer you to sunny, tropical paradise!
But hurry - this is only our Christmas offer, and these links will be removed at the end of Holiday season!

We hope you like our gift - and if you do - please click SHARE, or LIKE on this page, let your friends enjoy it while it is available. Thank you!

Merry Christmas once again!
Derek and Margaret
www.ozonezonebooks.com

P.S.
another Christmas offer from Ozone Zone: these books can be ordered for only $20 each! That is over 60% off the cover price. Email us for details, local pickup available to save on shipping. Valid until end of December only!   office@ozonezonebooks.com

What's new at Ozone Zone?

I have been quiet for last couple of months. It doesn't mean there is nothing to report, quite contrary.
We are happy to announce our new Web site www.ozonezonebooks.com . It was time for a new look and more friendly layout. We are really happy with outcome, and thank for that really fine team of Web developers http://bugtreat.com/  If anyone is looking for a modern site at a very reasonable cost, and a really fine support while everything is done - and after that too - I offer them my most sincere recommendation. They proved to be top guns.

What else?
We are working on starting on-line photography salon - competition. Soon, fully interactive system will be finished and our first photo competition will be open! We are thrilled to promote this way fine photography. I am quite passionate about it, and I hope to find support from RPS (Royal Photographic Society) of which I am a member.

and - what else?
I was very busy photographing locally, in British Columbia, Canada. I did several trips to photograph wildlife. I photographed a jazz performance of a Cuban band Cuban Party, and I did several portrait sessions.

  I also photographed some real estate for Sotheby's agency as well as for a luxury magazine here in Victoria.
My series of portrait photos Sinister Kabuki was published by Canadian Camera magazine, where also is printed another recent photo of mine - Tile Tales, winner of a honorary award in CAPA annual Canadian competition. And soon, we will be heading to Caribbean islands for another series of location shoots.

Anything else?
Yes! We would like to wish all of you fantastic Holidays and a great New Year!
Cheers!

Derek

Fun in Langford - my home town

I often shared with you on this blog our experience from various countries we visited.
What we find most enjoyable during our travels is that each country, each region has its own traditions, rituals, festivities. The culture is so diverse, there is so much to explore.
One can go to the Caribbean and participate in a Creole Fest. Enjoy a tea ceremony, or a traditional Kabuki theatre in Japan. Travel to Austria and experience Mozart festival in Salzburg, and so on, so on.

This gave me an idea to show you all, that the city I live in also has its tradition. I showed you lively photos from our travels – now perhaps it is time to share with you fun we can have here, in Langford – near Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Langford is where we live, so I can be proud to call it my hometown. And, as already said – our town has its own tradition too. Unlike some others – this tradition is thousands of years old, and has roots in early Roman times, so we need to respect it and share with others with pride. Already in Roman times big Emperors concluded that their people need fun, games and excitement. Big Colosseums were built, where men in heavy armour struggled against each other, to give joy to ecstatic, entertained public. We learn about it in schools, and it is one of perhaps most known facts and traditions of fun and entertainment in human history.

We have our little Colosseum too, here in Langford on Luxton community playgrounds. And every year there are organized 4x4 truck challenges, where men in heavy armour of their cars struggle to woo the happy, entertained public. It is a weekend-long fun for everybody.

Last weekend our friends recommended that – after living here for almost 8 years – I should go and join the crowd, to enjoy our local life and attractions.

Surely I took my camera with me, and here I share my quick snaps with you. It was real fun to watch the trucks trying to get through heavy rocks and other obstacles, and cheers were most spontaneous when a strugling truck went belly up, and an ambulance was called to the scene.
Unfortunately, it was a hot day with strong sun – and when after an hour or so I noticed that my neck gets similarly red to exposed to sun necks of my neighbours – I decided to call it the day and go home. Therefore I never learned which of local gladiators won, but this – as I noticed - was not really that important. The idea was to just have fun and a joyful experience.
I hope that my humble shots will transfer you for a few moments to Langford – the town I live in.
Enjoy!