Your Scene Photographer of the Week - Gisene

Gesine’s photos of the wildlife in Africa caught our attention on our Your Scene Travel photo sharing community. We were able to track Gesine down and she was kind enough to answer a few of our questions.

If you haven’t had a chance to see all of the Your Scene travel photos and videos, check it out. Here are links to recent interviews with Isa and Miriam.

Share your favorite travel photos or videos by uploading them here.

TRAVEL VITALS:

Real name: Gesine Firestone

Home base: Camarillo, California (Ventura County)

Job/work/passion: A retired controller, travel and photography are now my passions. Most of the year, my husband and I travel throughout California or neighboring states. But when I go camping to the Sierra Nevada, I go by myself. I love this beautiful mountain range and have hiked the majority of its eastern and western trails throughout every season of the year. The ever-changing, breathtaking scenery and wildlife have been captured by my camera countless times. Our travels have also taken us to many parts of India, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Peru, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, the Canary Islands, Italy, France, Holland, Austria, Germany (where I am originally from), the African countries of Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania.

Last city/country visited: Beautiful French Polynesia: Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Raiatea and another small island. I had been there in 1972 and wanted to see it again; it was still wonderful, but increased tourism and commercialism had taken its toll.

Favorite/repeat go-to destination: I fell in love with Africa. My husband and I went together on the first trip. The second trip I did by myself with a small group. The scenery in the various national parks, the abundant wildlife and the different people were exciting, beautiful and fascinating. I saw the migration from a hot-air balloon in the Masai Mara, wildebeests and zebras stretching from horizon to horizon, hyenas hunting wildebeests in the early morning hours in Ngorongoro Crater, their kill then being taken over by a large male lion. A close call with a large male lion: We were watching him and his sibling sitting in the shade of some large trees, their half-devoured kill out in the hot sun, vultures on the surrounding trees, jackals cruising nearby waiting, when all of a sudden the large male roared and came running toward us. I was mesmerized by his beauty, by the graceful movement of his muscled body. The lion was heading right toward me in the backseat of the safari vehicle. I thought for sure he would jump right into my lap. I stared into his yellow-green eyes and he into my eyes. I heard one of the other passengers tell the driver: “Go, start the car!”Just as the car started to move very slowly on the sandy ground, the lion suddenly stopped about 10 feet from the vehicle and roared again. It was such an exciting adrenalin rush, and I loved it!!! I will never forget these few heart-stopping moments. We walked among many animals along the Chobe River: hippos, crocodiles, impala and many large birds. The beauty of the Okavango Delta at sunset. Breathtaking Victoria Falls. Also Capetown, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Every time we had to leave Africa, tears came to my eyes.

Earliest travel memory: My Mom and little sister on a train from Austria to Germany, I was about 6 or 7. At one of the stops, I got off the train to get water or something. The train went on without me. I approached a conductor and told him what happened. They put me on the next train and somehow I caught up with my Mom. I was always very adventurous and unafraid and always will be.

Our next trip: Istanbul, then a cruise down the coast of Turkey, visiting ancient sites and also several of the Greek Islands, ending in Athens.

Top of your travel life to-do list: I hope I live long enough to see the rest of the beautiful places on Earth that I have not seen yet.

GETTING THERE:

Describe your travel style: usually with my husband with small travel groups.

Who calls the shots: We both decide together.

Biggest trip-planning sticking points: At this point, to pick a trip that is not too much for my husband, his health is not so good anymore.

Do you have a fave airline/hotel chain/tour operator? Overseas Adventure Travel: We have done five trips with them. They have been absolutely fantastic: There were never any problems, good guides, always great accommodations, etc., and, of course, what we like most, small groups of 15 or 16 people only!

MEMORIES:

The funniest thing… It was actually here in California: A large elk herd was in a huge field next to the highway between Independence and Bishop. I crawled on the ground hoping the elk would not see me, but all along I’m sure they did. When I was fairly close, 30 to 40 feet away, I stood up and started to take pictures, and the elk started running around me in a big circle, their breath showing in the icy morning air. I was hoping that no passing motorists saw me. I had to laugh at what I had done.

Most memorable moment taking a photo: One early morning in Sequoia National Park, I drove along the road, then I stopped because there were small meadows on each side of the road. As I walked over to the other side, I saw a deer that kept turning his head toward his tail. I kept watching and within a couple of minutes I knew why: she was having a baby! I could tell my presence also made her anxious, so I stood perfectly still with my coffee cup in my hand. A couple of cars passed, but nobody else stopped. She quickly started cleaning off the fawn, and as it was trying to stand up on its wobbly legs, I ran to the car and got my camera.
I was able to get a couple of shots before the mother led the little one off into the forest. I was so humbled to have witnessed one of life’s small miracles!

Have you ever regretted missing a shot? Yes, when that lion from earlier in the story came running toward us, I had the large lens in the camera, (I then had a Fuji Pro S 2) which was no good for taking a fast-moving animal!

Favorite travel TV show/travel writer: Jeff Corwin / Animal Planet

Camera: Leica V-Lux 1 has a lens from 35mm to 420mm all in one (no more carrying around different lenses).

What do you never leave home without? my camera

How did you discover the L.A. Times Travel website: through the L.A. Times newspaper

— Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel Deal Blogger
[Photos: Gesine Firestone]

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This entry was posted on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 2:10 am by Jen Leo and is filed under Africa & Middle East, News, Tips & Advice, Travel Photography, Travel Q&A. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.