From the end of July to the middle of August of 2016 I was fortunate enough to go with my family on the National Geographic Islander through the Eastern islands of the Galápagos in Ecuador. The Galápagos islands are extremely special because of the species of animals that are found on each individual island and nowhere else in the world. The trip started on the island of San Cristobal, where we spent two days hiking, watching the sea lions, and exploring the town. We then sailed to Española Island where there were gorgeous cliffs and geysers that housed many types of birds and thousands of marine iguanas. Española was my favourite of all of the islands because of the beautiful water and the variation of wildlife that is found in such a small area of land. From Española we went to Isla Floreana. After some snorkelling and many games of cards, we ventured to Santa Cruz where we ran in the complete darkness through old lava tunnels and walked among the tortoises in the highlands. We visited the Charles Darwin Research Centre in Puerta Ayora, Santa Cruz. From there we walked a mile back into town and explored the various fish markets and ice cream stores. From there we explored the cliffs and cactus trees of South Plaza Island, and then moved on to hike the islands of solidified lava. The younger people aboard the ship took out the Zodiacs that we used for transportation from the ship to the islands for a joyride, accompanied by the drivers of course. After a few more snorkelling expeditions, we ended the trip in Baltra where we disembarked the ship and flew back to the mainland of Ecuador to return home.

Best places for photography:

• Española Island
• the town of San Cristobal
• the town of Santa Cruz/Puerta Ayora
• South Plaza Island

Sparklers are a reminder of warm nights on the beach during the summer months, holiday festivities with friends, and all of the other joyous moments of our lives. I originally got this idea from @rmkhnert__ on Instagram, and decided to try it myself. I shot with my Canon EOS Rebel T6i and 75-300mm lens set on Sports Mode and automatic focus. For non-Canon users, Sports mode is a fast shutter speed setting with rapid-fire image capturing, disabled flash, and automatic light control. Because Sports Mode is not ideal for low light situations, you can also shoot in Manual mode with a slower shutter speed as to allow the light to enter the lens. I chose Sports Mode because of the natural light and because I wanted to capture the sparks without light trails. Make sure that the jar has a wide opening or that the flammable part of the sparkler is out of the jar, otherwise the heat will build up and the jar will break. I learned that the hard way. I'd recommend shooting in an f-stop that only brings the jar and sparklers into focus so that the background is not distracting to the camera or the viewer. Once all of that is set up, all you need to do is light the sparklers, sit back, and snap away!

Bermuda is not only my home, but it's also my favourite place to take photos. No matter where you go there are beautiful beaches, houses, or plants to photograph. While I was there, I walked down the streets of Salt Kettle and took pictures of the waterfront and houses. I also went to Coral Beach Club and took pictures from the terrace and beach patio. The waterfront across the street from my house gave me a perfect view of the sunset each night, which I often went out to photograph. One afternoon I drove over to Somerset and walked through the National Museum of Bermuda and around the underground limestone pools that are accessible from the lawns. I went back to Somerset again, and instead of taking pictures, I went parasailing! The view was beautiful and I wish I'd brought my camera up with me. The beaches at Tucker's Point Club and Mid Ocean Club are both scattered with beautifully eroded rocks that make for interesting compositions and good points to climb for photos.

During this time in Bermuda, I discovered these fantastic places to take pictures:

• The East-facing waterfront of Salt Kettle and Paget parish at sunset
• The upstairs porch of the National Museum of Bermuda
• Attached to a parachute sailing around the Great Sound (Make sure to bring a camera strap!)
• Stairs going down to the limestone pools at Somerset

Some of my all-time favourite places to photograph in Bermuda are:

• Grape Bay Beach
• Botanical Gardens
• Mid Ocean Club
• Front Street in Hamilton