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Friendship with Cambodia Study Tour Field notes for 19 Nov.- 3 Dec., 2011 by guide Donald Lyon (Siem Reap-Phnom Penh-Kampot-Phnom Penh) Nov. 19: Kate Miner (Singapore) arrived last night at 7:30 with her new Lumix GH2 by Panasonic. We examined her camera and made appropriate settings. We are staying at Jasmine Lodge—one of the guesthouses listed in Friendship with Cambodia’s (FWC) Responsible Travel Guide: Cambodia. Your humble correspondent (Don Lyon of Brownsville, Oregon, aka YHC) had arranged with our Tuk Tuk driver, Sam Boehm, to meet us at 6AM. We drove straight to the Bayon, the heart of Angkor Thom to begin our tuition in the fine art of photography, starting with some overviews including reflections in the pools of water. The light was fairly dull, especially for any subj... read more

Oregon Coast and Columbia Gorge, May 17-30, 2011, field notes from the journal of guide Donald Lyon. Day 1 (May 17) Arrivals in Portland: The plan was to photograph the Columbia Gorge and Oregon Coast at optimum times—i.e. late spring with the water falls in full throttle and when the off shore breezes would bring high waves and dramatic clouds to the coast. We had no way of knowing how well we would succeed! Oregon is famous for rain but today was picture perfect. Your humble correspondent (YHC, aka Don Lyon) had arrived the night before and was in position to pick up Scott Allen (Cheyenne, WY) when he called on his cellphone. We stopped by the Marriott for Frank Mertes(Oakton, VA) who arrived the night before. The three of us checked into Troutdale’s Comfort Inn ... read more

Photographer gives as much as he gets. Leading small groups of Travel Photographers to remote corners of the world is my passion as well as my work. The great reward, for me, is when my clients desire to give back to the communities that we visit. During the December 2010 trip our group visited a monastery school in the delta region near Yangon that had been hard hit by Cyclone Nargis several years ago. Our tour operator, Nee Nee Nyint, is the economic mainstay of the school, using profits from her business to pay teacher’s salaries, operate a health clinic and provide hot lunches for about 300 youngsters from very poor families. We arrived at lunchtime and photographed the kids savoring a hot meal and practicing their lessons. We donated clothing, basic medicines and cash that ... read more

OREGON COAST & CASCADES Field Notes from the Journal of Guide Donald Lyon. Day 1, August 24, 2008 Portland to Florence: A beautiful day in the Willamette Valley. Your humble correspondent (YHC) Donald Lyon of Brownsville, Oregon arrived at the Portland Airport Quality Inn at 9AM to meet Lee Brand (Tampa, Florida), Clarence and Grace Cramer (New Jersey), Stan Cutler (NJ), Len Rubin (NJ) and Maureen Munro of Cambridge, MA). We have eight days of exploring ahead of us. Our first stop was south of Salem at Willamette Vineyards. Deer were wandering through like so many itinerant pickers. The sun was well up in the sky at this point but we made some representative shots overlooking the vineyards looking west towards the Coast Range. This area is well known for Pinot Noir—we decided to make ... read more

Burma; The Land Beyond, November 27-December 16, 2010—field notes from the journal of Guide Don Lyon Day 1 Mae Hong Son, Thailand: Eight stalwart photographers gathered today along with their trusty guides Manop Netsuin (Chiang Rai, Thailand) and your humble correspondent (YHC, aka Donald Lyon, Brownsville, Oregon). Anand Khoka (Los Angeles, CA) and Sandi Kunz (Bend, Oregon) had arrived a day or more early and not without more adventures than one trip requires. Glenn and Jane Richards from Aurora, Colorado were also advance mattress checkers. “Beds as soft as a pool table with a sack of concrete for a pillow” was the description of our little Piya Guest House on the shores of Mae Hong Son’s lake. Jim Treat (Walnut Creek, CA), Patty Tauscher (Rochester, NY), Karen Molleson and Lowell Hill (Los Angeles, CA) completed the ... read more

INDONESIA’S ISLANDS—field notes from the journal of guide Donald Lyon. October 19-November 3, 2009 Day 1 (October 19, 2009) Sanur and Denpasar, Bali: As it does every day in Bali, the sun rose at 6:30. Our little band, almost complete, was stirring. Robyn Searl (Beijing, China), Marlin and Edna Owen (La Miranda, CA) had arrived on the 17th and were old Bali hands at this point. Yesterday Chris Kogut (Pittsford, NY), Ronnie Levin (Williamstown, MA) and your humble correspondent (YHC, aka Don Lyon) arrived in the afternoon while Bonnie Hegge (coming from Nairobi, Kenya) and Deanna Alderman (Arvada, CO--where Bonnie normally lives,) arrived in the evening. Jim Treat (Walnut Creek, CA) would arrive this afternoon. Visas at the airport were just a matter of standing in line at the airport and paying the $25 fee. Some ... read more

Cambodia and Thailand Field Notes from the journal of Donald Lyon, January 23-February 15, 2010. The purpose of these notes is to provide a record of images made by the members of the pre and post Friendship with Cambodia group and to provide a record of activities for the Friendship with Cambodia study tour group. January 23, 2010 (Day 1 -Bangkok to Siem Reap): For your humble correspondent (YHC) Donald Lyon (Brownsville, OR) and Connie Bull (Portland, OR) and Sylvia Giustina (Eugene, OR) the day began very early with 5:30 transfers from downtown Bangkok to the new airport. We looked for Denise Wendt (Creswell, OR) who was to join us and learned later she had cancelled her trip at the last moment—sorry Denise. We three were the first to clear customs in Siem Reap (one picture, ... read more

The Nature of Iceland; Field Notes from the journal of guide Donald Lyon, July 1-15, 2009 Day 1--Arrivals in Iceland: Fair weather in Reykjavik--close to shirt sleeves as Bob Ehrhart and Dolores Frank of the Sacramento region finally cleared customs but where is Chris Kibre of San Francisco? Your humble correspondent (YHC) Donald Lyon of Brownsville, Oregon couldn't get any news from the airline but via the grapevine we learn that weather conditions delayed flights landing at JFK. We hoped she would arrive the next day and contact either the hotel in Reykjavik or our guesthouse in Stykkisholmur where we would stay two nights. After sending e-mails and leaving notes for the local hotel to give her if she called or arrived, we made a quick tour of Reykjavik, including the Viking ship sculpture on the ... read more

Pueblos and Canyons; Expressions from America's Arid lands--July 22, 2009. 1-3PM at OASIS, Macy's at Valley River Center. Call 541 687 9178 to reserve. You will join photographer Don Lyon in a poetic photo exploration of the American Southwest. Contact Don at don@cuephoto.com for more information. Cambodia--Back from the Brink--July 29. 1-3 PM at Oasis, Macy's at Valley River Center. Call 541 687 9178 to reserve and join photographer Don Lyon as he examines both ancient and modern culture and history of Cambodia with lessons for our own culture. Don will also be leading tours to Viet Nam and Cambodia in support of Friendship with Cambodia in January 2010. Contact Don at don@cuephoto.com for more information. ... read more

Summer Travel (Armchair) Opportunities with Don Lyon: English Country Life (June 17), Galapagos; Islands in Time (June 24), Pueblos and Canyons; Expressions from America’s Arid Lands July 22 and Cambodia; Back from the Brink (July 29). These are the subjects of my summer slide programs at Eugene’s OASIS which is located on the mezzanine level of Macy’s at Valley River Center. Each two hour class includes a one hour slide program narrated and photographed by Donald Lyon. The fee is $5 per class. Reserve by telephone (541 687 9178) and arrive early to complete the free membership form. Oasis specializes in classes of interest to seniors. Visit their web site at www.oasisnet.org/eugene ... read more