Glen Howey, our local guide, kept bringing us to new photogenic places in rapid succession. One late afternoon he brought us to the Glenorchy jetty on Lake Wakatipu and suggested it would be a good location for dramatic images. I was skeptical at first, and captured a standard photograph of the pier (lower-left) in late […]
New Zealand 2 – Landscape Photo Tour 2
Sunrise on Aoraki/Mount Cook, which is home of the highest mountains and longest glaciers in the Southern Hemisphere. It is an impressive landmark in the Southern Alps at 12,218 feet. The mountain was formed by the collision of tetonic plates that uplifted to form the Alps. Aoraki is the Mäori name for Mount Cook, meaning […]
New Zealand 1 – Landscape Photo Tour 1
New Zealand is photographically best known for its stunning landscapes. Many of the best locations are well off the beaten track though, and difficult to find when traveling solo. We therefore decided to include one more organized photo tour to finish 2023, and to introduce us to the grander landscape scenes in New Zealand. Our […]
Vietnam #5 – Traffic and People
Here is a photo of the motorbike traffic below our hotel room in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon)– it was madness. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City were the only two cities where the guide had to show us how to safely cross the street. There were so many vehicles that to cross the […]
Vietnam #4 – Hanoi, Sapa, and Pearls
At sunset, we shot the famous Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi, the oldest Buddhist temple in Vietnam, which dates back to the 6th century (bottom). This 1500 year old landmark is located on a peninsula on the east side of Hanoi West Lake, and the mirrored reflection was perfect.. While we were photographing the Long […]
Vietnam #3 – Life on the Mekong
The Mekong River Delta located in southern Vietnam is the major water source for many people. The Mekong Delta in Vietnam’s is also their most important fishing area and Vietnam’s rice bowl, which is intensely developed for agricultural production. Above is a fisherman in Hue at sunrise. Some 20%, or 21.5 million people live in […]
Vietnam #2 – Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay, named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 and 2000, is located in the northeast part of Vietnam. It is known for its towering limestone islands and emerald color waters. We were first here 12 years ago. The islands were not accessible to tourists at that time, so it was a […]
Vietnam #1 – Rice and Incense
The rice terraces in the Mù Gang Chài district in northern part of Vietnam are stunningly picturesque. While rice is grown on relatively flat plains in the centre and south, in the North, they are grown in spellbinding terraces carving up mountainsides reaching to the sky and are quite spectacular. While you can enjoy the […]
Laos #3 – Luang Prabang and Surrounding Area 2
Luang Prabang was an ancient capital located in northern Laos, and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Center in 1995. It is a well developed town, fusing traditional Lao urban architecture with the French colonial architecture. Laos is the only landlocked country in the area and has been isolated from the rest of the world, called […]
Laos #2 – Luang Prabang and Surrounding Area 1
Tucked in the jungle is Kuangsi Waterfalls, a 3-tiered waterfall located 18 miles south of Luang Prabang. It is known for its milky turquoise color and its tranquil setting. We got up by 5:00 AM to watch the monks collecting alms early in the morning around the Wat Xieng Thong Temple. Along the Mekong River, […]