Vulcanello

The main photo is a simulation from a photo I took back in May 2018. Vulcanello is that islet which got connected to the main island of Vulcano, in the Aeolian Islands north of Sicily. You could see the 123 m high Vulcanello from the beach where we where living at the time. However, I took away all the houses and lights - in order to simulate a state of eruption from the islet.

Apparently, if i understood it correctly, the whole core family will meet for a short trip to Vulcanello in October 2024, and celebrate that power girl Mary goes into pension after a long life as a sport teacher and sport instructor. A long, very active sport life she had, and still has. As her mom Anna did, and her daughter Paola does; all going in the same footsteps.

Remarkable !

• The original photo of Vulcanello, May 2018 with Olympus EM1 Mark II, ED 17mm f 1.2 Pro

Isola di Stromboli

I must say; i LOVE Vulcano. I don't know what it is about the island that made me become so fond of it. I mean Stromboli has the action with lava streams, and pulsing eruptions, and unfortunately also dangerous, lethal pyroclastic clouds at major events. Like the past year have shown that Stromboli is anything but a tame volcano - on the contrary, rather unpredictable and highly dangerous at those major events, where lava bombs can reach any spot on the island, setting it on fire. There were some truly occurrences happening - and I have changed my mind.

I liked Stromboli because of the volcanic activity - but didn't like the people who worked there (not talking about the people who lived there). During tourist season i felt that there was a kind of snobbishness going on. Not to mention exaggerated prices. (I still liked it there, nevertheless).

On Isola di Vulcano

on the other hand, things where far more relaxed - and friendly. The main volcano is pretty impressive to look at, despite being smaller than Stromboli. And going up there, is quite the adventure, with fantastic views ! Nowadays the crater region is open to the public again, likely due to that it has settled down a bit, compared to the warnings a couple years ago, with stronger fumarolic activity, as well excessive CO2 leakages from places in the village where recorded - which is highly dangerous (no smell, and you can easily die in your sleep).

They all are volcanoes, you know - not cozy teddy bears.

Photo equipment

I am still gauging in what to take with me, since we only will have cabin (backpacks) bags with us. AS of now, and because of Vulcano and Vulcanello - i am inclined to take with me the mediumformat camera, Fujifilm GFX with me. And perhaps scale down on the Olympus camera system. Albeit, the Olympus allows me to take images at low light, and being without a tripod, the extreme effective Image Stabilization really comes in handy. So, it looks like i will have a combination between Fujifilm GFX, and Olympus OM-1 (or OM5), together with the super bright ƒ 1.2 lenses, like 17mm and 45mm (35 & 90 mm focal length). Those two are so good in so many ways - you never go wrong with them.

• Island of Vulcano together with the Moon | May 2018 with Olympus EM1 Mark II, ED 17mm f 1.2 Pro

XPan Panoramas on Vulcano

really makes me excited !!! The previous two visits to Vulcano, I already used the Olympus system. But it would be absolutely wonderful to use the large sensor Fujifilm GFX camera, for some really beautiful panoramas. After all - the whole handling is a bit slower, and i let that take its time, because I know, when i do things right - the quality is simply superb. Even from the now "old" 51 MP sensor - the output is really, really good !

I my case, with all my cameras which are around 20 MP - of course the Fujifilm GFX with its 51 MP sets itself apart from the rest. And not that I even need that kind of resolution in my "work" (hobby). I don't need it, to be honest. Another things that strikes me every time, is how much the colors can be saturated compared to let's say Micro Four Thirds sensor, even to the Canon fullframe sensor - there is a difference with the Fujifilm GFX. Different. Not necessarily easier, but there is a lot of power and quality in that 51 MP mediumformat sensor, for sure.

Ultimately

it is the backpack and its space, that decides what follows with me to Sicily in October 2024.

• Approaching the harbor at the steep sided Vulcano | May 2018 with Olympus EM1 Mark II, ED 17mm f 1.2 Pro

October is outside the season

While the waters are still very warm (warmer than May), but the weather can at times be highly unstable with torrential rainfall and thunderstorms. Or not. Nevertheless, we are going to be all together as a family, and i truly look forwards to just.... be, you know.

And I am sure, Mary, Sal, Paola and Carla do, too !

Panorama & Panorama

Well, for my homepage, apparently i can simulate "XPan Panoramas" even with a small Micro Four Third sensor. Whether i make several images, or just cut a single image to an "XPan Panorama" - they all work. *pondering*

It doesn't need a large sensor camera like the Fujifilm GFX, really. I mean not for my homepage (albeit all images on my homepage are high res images, twice the size in reality (and therefor can be zoom in a bit further, without looking details).