Welcome to the Travel Photoblog of William J Palank. I’m a  Freelance Photojournalist and Fine Art Printer based out of San Francisco, CA. Being born on a US Air Force Base in France and acquiring my first Passport by the age of 4 weeks may help to explain my insatiable hunger to explore the world and it’s hidden recesses.

If I were to choose a photographic specialty or a subject in the photographic arts I’m most drawn to, it would be Environmental Portraiture. In other words, I’d rather be on anti-malarial medications in the swamps of Burma slurping a bowl of mohinga and knocking elbows with some hill tribesman at 6 AM than jockeying for position along with 200 other photographers armed with tripods waiting for the sun to rise and reflect off a rock.

My kit consists of a Leica M9 Rangefinder digital camera and a few Leica Summilux lenses. The attributes I find most appealing about my camera set-up is its relatively small size and portability (when compared to your average DSLR) along with its ability to capture sharp images and creamy bokeh (the quality of the out of focus areas of an image).

So as I begin exploring this new adventure of writing about my passion for Travel and Leica photographic products, I’m hoping to instill some insight into what is happening behind the camera and in the digital darkroom as I prepare my images for the web or a textured print medium like Hahnemühle FineArt papers. Along the way I hope to offer some useful travel tips with the emphasis on packing light, compact and tight. Again, Welcome.