Tag: Travel Photography

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Photo of the Month: February 2024

Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For February we chose an image taken on our Indonesia Workshop. The image was taken by Richard Epter during a photo shoot in a rice paddy near Malang on East Java. Richard is a wildlife and landscape photographer from Augusta, Georgia.

Congratulations to February 2024 ‘s featured photographer – Richard Epter

Richard Epter in Indonesia

The Story… 

I remember that we got to sleep in. We left at 4am which was later than the days before. I had no idea what we were going to see because I had never been to a rice paddy before.

When we got there, we walked through some fields and then the view opened up. It was twilight and we were just starting to see light. In the distance I could see terracing. I could’t see much beyond that because it was cloudy and too dark.

There was a short wall made of mud on our right. The walls were a foot think. I thought it was gorgeous to see that. Terracing has always been fascinating to me. Earlier on the trip we saw terraces on the sides of mountains and I was amazed at how steep they were.

During the shoot, I learned how the local men in the rice paddies make the walls. They dig up mud, push it to the edge of the paddy and manually build up the the walls, layer by layer. It all happened right before us.

In my photo there are tiny rice plant shoots in the foreground. Rice is one of the few aquatic crops other than taro. The image shows a lot of water with the rice plants just starting to grow. As they grow they don’t need as much water.

I found it very interesting that on the downhill edge of each paddy, there was a small 6 inch gap that drained the terraces. This allowed the entire field to drain slowly throughout the day.

As the sun rose I could see a huge mountain in the background. I was so surprised to hear that it was Mt Semeru. Semeru is the the same mountain we had photographed days early with volcanic gases escaping. We were on the opposite site of the volcanic massif. It was not just a coincidence. That was fantastic to see and photograph both sides.

When we were walking back from the shoot, I was looking for an angle that really accentuated the lines of the terraces and the reflection of Semeru. I used a low perspective to get the entire mountain in the reflection.

It wasn’t until I got on the computer that I realized what I had. I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was,

Photo of the Month – Malang Rice Paddy with Mt Semeru by Richard Epter

EXIF Data:

Camera: Nikon Z9

Lens: Nikon 24-120

Aperture: f11

Shutter: 1/13 sec

ISO: 64

Mode: Manual

About Photographing in Indonesia

This was my first time to Indonesia. It has so much natural beauty. The people were so nice everywhere we went.

The only volcano I had ever seen was Haleakala in Hawaii a long time ago. All of my pictures were blown out then. I did a much better job this time around.

Our sunrise shoot at Semeru was very impactful for me. It was interesting to be so close to an active volcano. You never know what it is going to do. That is exciting in and of itself.

This was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. The gases were spewing perfectly to catch the colors of sunrise in the clouds. The sun started strolling down the sides of the volcanos and brought out all of the volcanic ridges.

Every day in Indonesia was exciting. We never knew what we were going to see.

The monkeys and orangutans in the wild made it feel like we were on the set of Tarzan. The skills of the guides were terrific. They could see and hear things that none of the rest of us could. They were fantastic. They would point out a kingfisher on a limb and I couldn’t even see the limb! It helped me learn to train my eye.

This was one of the most adventurous trips I’ve ever taken.

Mt Semeru at sunrise

Richard’s Tips for Travel Photography

Tip 1

Take an extra minute or so to access the angle of view. Try moving up and down to change your perspective. A foot to the left or right can also make a hug difference. When I squatted down, I was able to get the entire reflection of Mt Semeru in the photo.

Tip 3

Don’t worry about taking too many frames. Shoot at a high frame rate, especially if you are on a moving boat. I tend to shoot wildlife at 20 frames per second. This really helps capture more images where the animal is looking right at you. This makes a more engaging shot.

Tip 4

Use the lowest ISO that you can. I learned this from Tom in Indonesia. Now I try to use ISO 64 when I can to keep the noise low. Noise reduction software can make a big difference, but it’s even better to start with a low ISO.

Proboscis Monkey (left) Orangutan Juvenile (right)

On Richard’s Horizon:

Africa: Botswana, South Africa

Alaska Bears in Katmai

Iceland and Scandinavia

Ireland

Richard and Wendy Epter enjoying Borneo

Interested in joining us for a photo adventure in the rainforest? We have space available on our Costa Rica Rainforest Workshop in 2025 Learn more

Happy trails!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Indonesia Workshop: Trip Report

Tom and Cree just finished their Indonesia Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They traveled with their group to Borneo and East Java in Indonesia to photograph the colorful people, places and animals of the area. Our group enjoyed the interactions among orangutans and were astonished at how human-like they were.

To see photos from our 2024 Indonesia: Orangutans and Volcanos, check out our trip report by clicking here

What’s next:

Tom and Cree are headed to Alaska for Northern Lights and the Iditarod. We will be photographing the “Last Great Race” in three different locations and then searching for aurora in Talkeetna, Healy and Fairbanks, Alaska. As part of our route, we drive right by the entrance to Denali National Park.

Thank you for reading our trip reports!

Tom and Cree

Indonesia Workshop
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Photo of the Month – January 2024

Tom and I celebrate great images from workshop participants by selecting a Photo of the Month. For January we chose an image taken on our Oaxaca Mexico Workshop. The image was taken by Monica Whitt during our Dia de los Muertos photo shoot. Monica is a commercial and portrait photographer from Anchorage, Alaska. Check out her work at Monica Whitt Photography

Congratulations to January 2024 ‘s featured photographer – Monica Whitt

Monica in agave fields of Oaxaca

The Story… 

The way the lights were set up was amazing. The Clam Shell format is pretty cool. It really highlights the face.

The background light was also convenient. The wall was already red. The background light with the red gel cap accentuated the color and added mood.

It was great to have the strobe trigger and be able to direct the model. I tried to get as many expressions in the face as possible. I asked her to turn around and to tilt her face a bit.

I also shot in portrait and landscape. I zoomed in and out. I was using my Canon 28-70 2.0 lens. This worked well for zooming. I just kept experimenting to see what worked best.

The villa was amazing. The arches, the color, the flooring. The whole place helped the mood and the vibe. It was comfortable and not at all hot. So colonial. I loved it!

Photo of the Month – Sofia - Day of Dead

EXIF Data:

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Lens: 28-70 2.0

Aperture: f8

Shutter: 1/100 sec

ISO: 100

Mode: Manual

About Photographing in Oaxaca

It was my first time in Oaxaca. Photographing people was a highlight of the week. This is why I signed up for the workshop.

I was also fascinated by the murals all over town. Then adding the couple (of models), this made it so much better.

I frequently had to decide what angle to photograph. Literally in a 360′ view, there would be 1000 photos right there. The people were just wonderful.

Chef Alejandro Ruiz at the market

Monica’s Tips for Travel Portraits

Tip 1

I recommend environmental portraits in Oaxaca. They showcase where the person works and the area.

Tip 2

Shooting in shade makes for even lighting. If there is no shade, try putting the sun behind the person.

Tip 3

Depending on their comfort level – tell the models to do whatever they want. They feel free and really show more natural expressions and genuine smiles.

Tip 4

I try to get a variety of expressions. When I work with high school seniors I ask them funny questions like, “Are you the smart one in the family?” They laugh and I get great expressions.

Working the agave fields

On Monica’s Horizon:

Patagonia

Germany – to visit family

Portraits of Native Alaskans

Interested in joining us in Oaxaca in January 2025? Learn more

Tom and Cree are headed to Borneo with a workshop this weekend. They will be photographing an area with the largest population of Orangutans in the world. After that they join a group in Alaska for Northern Lights and the Iditarod.

Happy trails!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Oaxaca Mexico: Trip Report

Tom and Cree just finished their Oaxaca Mexico Workshop and are sharing the highlights with you. They traveled with their group to Oaxaca de Juarez in the mountains of Mexico to photograph the colorful people, places and food of the area. They loved the photo opportunities there so much that they decided to return for another workshop in Oaxaca in January 2025. We hope you will consider joining us.

To see photos from our 2024 Oaxaca Mexico Workshop, check out our trip report by clicking here

Note about covid on this workshop:

On the fourth day of the workshop Cree tested positive for covid. We want to share this experience to help you understand what that looks like on a workshop. As soon as Cree felt a sore throat she used a rapid test and it was positive. She immediately isolated from the group and spent the next 3 days in her room watching Netflix and learning online Spanish. Because she isolated so quickly, no one else on the group came down with covid. Tom tested negative and was able to continue teaching. He decided to wear a mask for the remainder of the workshop to protect others.

A few take aways from this experience:

Realize that covid is still going around and as a traveler you could catch it. If you have any syptoms that could be covid, notify the trip leaders immediately.

Always travel with several rapid tests, masks and extra medication in case you need to stay longer. We recommend talking to your doctor about bringing covid medications.

Realize that if you test positive you cannot travel with the group and will need to isolate yourself. You will need to pay for any extra rooms, meals or transportation required for your isolation. We strongly recommend travel insurance for all of our workshops for that reason.

Fortunately, the recent strains have been fairly mild and most people recover quickly. Preparation and early detection are key to keep the group protected. Keeping everyone healthy is a top priority at TBPW.

What’s next:

Tom and Cree will be heading to the jungles of Borneo and the volcanos of Java for the Indonesia Workshop. Then it is off to Alaska for Northern Lights and the Iditarod. Very different packing for those two workshops!

Thank you for reading our trip reports!

Tom and Cree

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Route 66 East Trip Report

Tom and Cree just finished their Route 66 East Photo Workshop and want to share the highlights with you. They traveled with their group from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Amarillo, Texas photographing people and places from a time gone by. Speedlights, strobe lights and neon lights were all part of the trip instruction. Expect to see this trip again in 2026.

To see photos from our 2023 Route 66 East Workshop, check out our trip report, click here

What’s New:

Tom published another new article for Nikon called Tips for Photographing Fall Color: Click here to read the article. You will see photos from several past workshops like Ouray and Acadia.

Interested in joining us in Alaska to photograph northern lights? Three spaces on our Northern Lights and Iditarod Workshop in March 2024 just opened. This workshop will take you to three different Alaskan towns to photograph aurora as well as to the heart of the Iditarod. We even fly out to one of the Iditarod checkpoints to get closer to the action. Learn more

We will be in Haines, Alaska for the next two weeks to photograph eagles on the Chilkat River. If you are interested in travel and wildlife photography, we have just one space open up for our Orangutan and Volcanos in Indonesia Photo Tour. Learn more

Happy trails!

Tom and Cree

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September 2023 – Photo of the Month

Tom and I celebrate great participant images by selecting a Photo of the Month. For August we chose an image taken on a Strabo Photo Tour, the Impressions of France. The image was taken by Cheryl Sackett in the Loire Valley town of Chedigny. Cheryl is an avid travel photographer and did a masterful job capturing the elegance of the French countryside.

Congratulations to September 2023 ‘s featured photographer – Cheryl Sackett

Cheryl in the Priest’s Garden at Chedigny

The Story… 

I love table settings and have photographed them before. I liked the lighting in the area and the small set of stairs in the background. It was very elegant the way they had it set up.

This scene is from the restaurant in Chedigny, France where we ate lunch, La Clos des Roses. It felt like a very private restaurant with the number of people in it.

The food was excellent. it was probably the best meal of the trip. I remember the main meal was two types of veal. The meat was very tender and both versions were delicious. We also got to meet the chef and she was very cute.

We were already sitting down at lunch and my cell phone was the only camera I had at the moment. I looked over my shoulder, saw the scene and wanted to capture it.

La Clos des Roses restaurant in Chedigny, France

EXIF Data: Apple 11 Pro – we were already sitting down at lunch and my Canon camera was put away. All of my other photos were taken with my Canon.

Monet’s Garden at Giverny

About Photographing in France

I loved seeing the iconic Paris sites like the Eiffel Tower and the Seine. I also liked getting out of the city. The small village of Chedigny was beautiful and takes you back in time.

The grandeur of the chateaus in the Loire Valley was amazing. The architecture was wonderful. We stayed in a castle called Domaine de la Tortiniere. It was an old chateau with modern settings like a pool and conference center. I stayed in a very quaint annex overlooking the chateau.

Hot air balloon photography over the Loire Valley

Cheryl’s Tips for Travel Photography

Tip 1

I travel very simply with my Canon camera and one or two lenses. For this trip I mostly used my Canon 18-400 mm. It covers just about everything.

Tip 2

I try to get the big picture first and then go for smaller details.

Tip 3

In Chedigny I was looking for interesting scenery and the smaller pictures. I loved the shutters and flowers near the windows. I like to capture people in the background. It was great that there was nobody there but us.

Vin rouge

On Cheryl’s Horizon:

Ouray, Colorado

Greece

Egypt

Oaxaca, Mexico

Costa Rica

Antarctica and South Georgia

Cheryl – the French Chef

Tom and Cree will be closer to home for their next tour, Ouray Fall Colors. In October they are headed to Slovenia with Strabo Tours again. Slovenia is known for its striking variety of landscapes: coastal Mediterranean towns, rolling foothills like in Tuscany and charming mountain towns like in Switzerland. Take a look at other Strabo Tours here.

We hope you have some good Fall trips planned!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Tucson Trip Report

Tom and Cree just finished their Tucson and Saguaro National Park and are on their way to Utah next. There was a spectacular flower bloom this year in Tucson. With plenty of rain in February and March, the Sonoran Desert exploded in color.

To learn more about our Tucson and Saguaro Workshop, check out our trip report, click here

Looking for a trip to join in 2023?. We have a few last minute openings on trips including: Bears at Summer Solstice and Route 66 East and Impressions of France Click on the underlined links to learn more. 

Thanks for reading our posts. Happy spring wherever you are…..Tom and Cree

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Old Car City in Spring: Trip Report

Tom and Cree are just back from their East Coast workshop in the hardwood forest of Northern Georgia. They broke out speed lights, strobes and models to make the most of the collection of old cars at Old Car City. The budding dogwoods and red buds were a much appreciated welcome to spring….

To learn more about our Old Car City Workshop, check out our trip report, click here

Looking for a trip to join in 2023?. We have a few last minute openings on trips including: Utah Landscapes Workshop, Bears at Summer Solstice and Ecuador Cloud Forest Click on the underlined links to learn more. 

Thanks for reading our posts. Happy spring wherever you are…..Tom and Cree

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February 2023 Photo of the Month

At Tom Bol Photo Workshops, we celebrate great images created on our workshops by selecting a Photo of the Month. For February we chose an image from our Norway in Winter Workshop created by Ellie Burns-Brookens. Ellie is new to Tom Bol Photo Workshops and recently traveled to both Patagonia and Norway with us. We hope you enjoy Ellie’s images as much as we do!

Congratulations to February 2023 ‘s featured photographer – Ellie Burns-Brookens

The Story… 

We walked through a little gate and could see this amazing color down the fjord. It was a lovely fjord with a beautiful view, but it was the color that first caught my attention.

The challenge for me was deciding what to include. What was my composition? What was my subject? The little town on the fjord caught my attention. There were so many beautiful things in the area.

I decided the color was the most interesting thing about the scene.

I had my 24-70mm on the camera to capture the entire scene. But I decided the mountains, the orange light and the sun were the real subject of the photo.

February 2023 Photo of the Month

I switched lenses in the freezing cold, which I never do, so I could zoom in more on the mountains.

Then, I noticed that there was a very large dynamic range to the scene. I asked myself, “What do I do now?”.

I decided to wait for the sun rays to peak through the clouds and then take 3 different exposures. I did this manually and shot at 0, then -1, then -2. I blended the 3 images in Lightroom. I wanted to bring the direct sunlight down and get some more definition in the brighter areas.

We saw this combination of orange and blue light several times in Norway. It almost did not look real, but that was the color it was. It was so stunning.

EXIF Data:

Canon R6 with a 70-200mm lens

ISO 100 1/800 sec f8

Aperture Mode

Shot at 138mm on a tripod

About Photographing in the Lofoten Islands

Every time I turned around it was “Oh my god!” It was so beautiful everywhere we went. There were small villages, tall mountains and stunning fjords.

I loved the snow. I really like the constant contrast of the orange, blue, read and yellow with the snow.

I think the Lofoten Islands are the most beautiful place that I’ve brought my camera to.

Ellie’s Tips for Travel Photography

Tip 1: Research in advance to figure out where to go. I often look at 500px. I like to know where other people have shot.

Tip 2: Then look for what is interesting when you get there. I look for curves, angles and leading lines.

Tip 3: Remember what your subject is. Try to tell a story with an image.

On Ellie’s Horizon:

Lake District in England – big rolling landscapes

Highlands in Scotland – old castle ruins

Faroe Islands – quirky cousin of Iceland

Ellie composing her image in Norway

Last minute openings on 2023 workshops:

Louisiana Birds and Bayous, May 10-14, 2023 – 2 spaces available. Photograph wading birds in the beautiful cypress swamps of Cajun Country in Louisiana Click here

Bears at Lake Clark, June 18-23 – 1 space available. Photograph grizzly bears with cubs in Alaska Click here

Ecuador Cloud Forest July 30-August 7, 2023 – 1 space available. Photograph exotic hummingbirds with long tails and beaks, toucans, barbets and more: Click here

Where are Tom and Cree?

Next stop: We are headed to Alaska next for an assignment with the Matanuska-Susitna Visitor’s Bureau. We’ll be photographing the Iditarod start in Willow, snow machining, skiing, snow shoeing. If we are lucky, we will find some aurora at night as well.

We hope you are enjoying the winter photography in your area of the world. Thanks for reading our posts!

Tom and Cree

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

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Easter Island and Chile Trip Report

Nothing like a few days on a tropical island in January to shake off the winter blues. We just returned from Easter Island and Chile and could not have had better weather: warm breezes, afternoon clouds and tropical flowers in all the right places.

To learn more about our Photography Workshop in Easter Island and Chile, check out our trip report, click here

We will be heading back to another sunny destination in January 2024. We have three spaces available on our Oaxaca: the Colors of Mexico Workshop. We will be photographing vibrant art, food, people and more with Marcelo along to show us the sites. Read more

Want to learn more about using speed lights? Join us in Old Car City in March 2023 and we’ll teach you to light cars in creative ways and to create portraits with speedlights. Read more

Thanks for reading our posts. Happy photographing from our family to yours…..Tom and Cree