Weekend reading: Orcas, sexy birds, iPhone pics

Happy Friday!

Here are some tidbits to enjoy before or after you head outside for weekend fun. Or to inspire you to travel somewhere new. Scotland, perhaps.

Photographer Jim Richardson, who shoots for National Geographic, took a trip to Scotland and documented it using only his iPhone. He has some stunning images from the trip. Scotland is a gorgeous place. I love his discussion about why he chose this medium:

Shooting for a “National Geographic” magazine assignment is a no-holds-barred exercise, sometimes taking years and every fiber of your being. This, by contrast, was a beautiful hike in the hills. All about being there in the moment, and sharing it in the moment. Ultimate technical image quality was less important than capturing the serendipity of travel.

Richardson has a collection of photography tips right here.

Now let’s check out this amazing video of orcas taken from Galiano Island, British Columbia. The audio is rather amusing. Not shockingly, the viewers are gleeful to be that near such a huge pod of orcas. Some babies even make an appearance.

Next up, a Cornell scientist and National Geographic photographer took 8 years to take photos and get video of all 39 species of birds-of-paradise. You can get a sense of what an amazing project that is in this video. (This video is a smidge long, but fascinating. Maybe save it for Saturday evening while you sip a cup of tea. Then you can learn all about birds-of-paradise at your leisure. )

Here’s a shorter clip, set to some jaunty dance music.

Now, much closer to home, see Gothic Peak and Del Campo from a new perspective. The Snohomish Helicopter Rescue Team shared this video from a recent mission to look for a missing climber.