Uploads from blame_the_monkey, tagged travel

Soft Surrender || New Zealand

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 06:30:03 -0700

I’ve always been fascinated by locations that so many people walk by every day without a second glance. Locations that I think scream with color, shape, and texture, just waiting to be appreciated and admired. As a photographer, I'm always challenging myself to see the world differently in order to recognize the true potential of a scene, and not miss out on these little subtleties that can often pass us by.

So while I was on the South Island of New Zealand, standing near the broken pier on St Clair Beach, I couldn't help but admire the multitude of colors and shapes blending beautifully with the soft sunrise. While some people may simply see old broken posts, a photographer sees countless compositions and the possibility to capture something beautiful.

And yes, that island is actually positioned near the center of the posts. :)

View Post-processing details and Camera Settings

Castel Sant Angelo - (Rome, Italy)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 06:30:55 -0800

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Out of all of my travels, Rome continues to not only be one of my favorite cities but also one of my favorite photographic destinations. With each visit, I try to concentrate a few days on certain key areas, in an attempt to catch the best lighting as well as cool cloud formations.

On this trip in August, I spent quite a bit of time concentrating on the bridges surrounding Ponte Sant'Angelo. Rome was experiencing very high temperatures and very little rain so the skies were crystal clear blue for most of my visit. Sometimes blue skies can be brilliant in photography but other times they can add too much negative space to the scene. Thankfully on my last night in Rome, the weather gods smiled down on me and provided some much needed sky drama. Well, either that or they liked my naked rain dance. I guess we'll never know.

Technical Mumbo Jumbo

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: 24-70 f/2.8 (Shot at 28 mm)
Tripod: RRS TVC-33 / BH-55 Ballhead / RRS L-Plate
ISO: 100
3 Exposures at f/8: 2, 4, and 8 seconds.

Technique and Details: Digital Blending and Luminance Masking using 3 bracketed exposures -1, 0, and +1. I was able to get nearly everything I needed from the single 0 exposure and only used -1 and +1 to correct minor exposure issues. -1 was used to soften the lighting on Castel Sant'Angelo and +1 was used to increase the light ion the trees and plants.

Software: Lightroom, Photoshop, NIK Software

Espresso: Illy Medium that I had left over from Italy. I'm in Cambodia so I made sure to pack a bunch of espresso.

I Amsterdam - (Netherlands)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 07:02:32 -0700

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I Amsterdam || Rijksmuseum Blue

While I was in Amsterdam, I really wanted to make a cool shot of The Rijksmuseum during Blue Hour. The thing was, I had no idea how the building would light up, or even if it would light up at all. I find that this happens to me often in European Cities. I’ll get set up and wait for the magic to happen but then… no magic. It baffles me that people go through all of this trouble to design these magnificent structures with no thought to exterior lighting. I know that some of these buildings predate conventional lighting but still, come on Europe. One yellow flood light just doesn’t cut it. ;p

Since I’ve been burned this way so many times, I always make sure to get to my locations extra early. That way I can capture a Golden Hour / Sunset shot in addition to a Blue Hour / Night Shot. Then later on I can decide which version better represents the feeling of the location. Sometimes as a bonus, I end up with two beautiful versions to use.

For this shot I arrived a good 2 hours before what you see here. Once I picked a nice composition and tweaked all my camera settings, I kicked back, opened a bottle of wine, and waited for the magic to happen. I was confident that the dramatic weather would produce some awesome sky drama. All I had to do was be patient and vigilant.

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

The Light Within - (Istanbul, Turkey)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Tue, 29 May 2012 07:16:54 -0700

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The beauty of Istanbul’s Mosques at night reminded me of a conversation I had a few days ago.

I was talking with a good friend of mine about photography and he asked me, “I know you do Travel Photography for a living but what’s your favorite subject to shoot? Landscapes, architecture, conceptual stuff, naked girls, what?”

After lingering on the thought of naked girls for quite a few moments, I realized that I didn’t have an answer to his question, and that kinda startled me. I mean, excluding naked girls, I shoot all of those styles of photography but I don’t particularly gravitate towards any single one. So what is it then? What is the unifying subject that sparks my passion for capturing a moment?

And then it occurred to me, “It’s the light.”

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

Dance of Light - (Singapore)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:22:41 -0700

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Dance of Light || Announcing: HDR Workshop Singapore

From the first time I visited Singapore, I knew that it was going to become one of my favorite places for photography. Not only is it unique and beautiful city, but it’s also home to a wonderful community of very talented photographers. It’s truly a rare visual paradise that begs to be photographed. It’s no surprise that it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite destinations of all time. I’m literally drawn to it like a moth to a flame, or in this case, a moth to an awesome laser show. :)

That’s why I’m extremely pleased to announce my upcoming Secrets of HDR & Post-processing Workshop, on June 9th in Singapore. I’ll be covering my complete production workflow in an all day class followed by a guided “hands-on” photo walk around The Marina Bay Area. If you’re in the area and want to learn all about how I create my photographs, I’d love to have you!

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

To The Heavens - (Beijing, China)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Thu, 10 May 2012 06:59:25 -0700

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To The Heavens

This serene and empty view of The Temple of Heaven in Beijing was one of the trickiest locations I’ve ever had to shoot. It took me 2 visits to capture it but thankfully my perseverance (and rigid stubbornness) paid off.

I’ve always had a secret weapon for minimizing crowds and capturing my scenes free and clear of people. It may seem simple but all it takes is getting up early. I know it sucks getting up before the sun rises but it assures that you arrive at the location way before the tour busses do. It’s worked in every country I’ve visited except for China. All I have to say is, HOLY SHIT can those people get up early.

At the Temple Of Heaven Park, the tour busses were rolling in at 6:30am. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. In Europe for example, the earliest I’ve seen a tour bus show up is 8:00am, which — in most cases — is plenty of time after sunrise and AM Golden Hour.

So, to make a long rant short, I shot this just before sunset as the Temple of Heaven closed. This was captured literally 2 minutes before the uniformed guards blew the whistle on my little operation. I’m not speaking metaphorically either, they were actually blowing whistles at me.

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

Dreams In Color - (Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Tue, 08 May 2012 06:51:39 -0700

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Dreams In Color

Manarola, Cinque Terre is simply stunning any time of day but when the sky turns shades of pink, it’s out of this world. It’s at those times that the color sings. (Or maybe that was the wine talking)

I know that I’ve been releasing a lot of photos from Italy lately but I just can’t help it. I’ve said this before but Cinque Terre is my photographic happy place. Since I’ve been a little down with a virus over the last week (some really strange Chinese cough thing) , I’ve been using some of these italian photos to lift my spirits.

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

Reflections Of The Past - (Beijing, China)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:56:15 -0700

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New Adventures In Old Beijing

We've been staying in Beijing for over a week now is this shabby little apartment right across from the north wall of the Forbidden City. Today's photo is only a few minutes walk from our front door. Even though there are giant rats living in the ceiling, huge brown slugs sliming all over everything, and pipes breaking open to spew stinky brown goo, the location couldn't be more perfect. If I was a Realtor, all I'd say is, "It has character."

What you see here is the north entrance to the Forbidden City shortly after a beautiful sunset. On my second night in Beijing, I jogged the length of the top half of the ancient wall to find some cool vantage points. When I returned here to shoot, there were dozens of little bats fluttering all around my shot. They were a cool audition to the experience and they moved too quick to impact the exposure.

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

On A Clear Night - (Shanghai, China)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 07:00:31 -0700

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I spent a week in Shanghai and out of that week, the sky was never as clear as it was on my last night. All along the ride back to Shanghai from Tongli (photos coming soon), It was driving me crazy being stuck in traffic, knowing that the sky was perfect for shooting. I was watching the sunset from the taxi window and the atmosphere was crystal clear. There was no doubt in my mind that t was going to be a beautiful blue hour. I had to keep reminding myself to be patient and go with the flow. Besides, our taxi driver was already driving like a maniac, so if anyone could shave minutes off the ride, it was this mad man. Either way, I knew it was my last night and last chance to capture a clear skyline.

The moment we arrived at the hotel, I bolted to an area of the bund I had previously scouted. My wife stayed back to pay the driver, understanding that timing was crucial. After about a 15 minute sprint, I was perfectly in position and ready to capture the moment as well as my breath. It was the perfect finale to an amazing week in Shanghai.

A good piece of advice that I can share from this experience is: You should always take advantage of good weather, period.

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

Sydney Gold - (Sydney Opera House, Australia)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:47:34 -0700

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Sydney Gold || Sunrise Over The Opera House

When I first started blogging about photography, I really hated getting up for sunrise shoots. I mean, what’s to love about it, right? It’s f@#king way too early and you have to wake up before the birds do when it’s full dark outside, just to stumble groggily towards your destination, hoping that the sky produces something beautiful and worthwhile... Wait, so where am I going with this? Oh yea, that’s right…

Now, I love getting up early for sunrise shoots. After visiting so many world destinations I now understand that it’s the absolute best way to experience a place. Even excluding the (brilliant) photography opportunities, it’s a chance to be all alone in some of the most beautiful and visually stunning locations in the world. From Belem Tower in Lisbon, to The Colosseum in Rome, to The Mountain Top Spires of Meteora, all these places are best experienced on a personal level, when you’re all alone with just the sounds of the wind, and the soft bustling melody of the waking day.

As the sun rises over these stunning locations, all the aggravation of waking up at 4am disappears and you’re left with a perfect moment that’s almost spiritual in nature. Even if you’re not a photographer, I strongly suggest that you try it sometime. Go to Park Güell in Barcelona just as they open the gates at dawn. Experience the brilliance of Goudi’s Architecture before anyone else gets there. You will never forget it, I promise.

This particular shot was a specific goal of mine while I was in Sydney. The weather was very uncooperative while I was there so it took 3 (very groggy) 4am wake up calls in a row before I captured this beautiful sunrise. I can tell you that it wasn’t easy pulling myself out of bed at 4am and walking 30 minutes through the rain 3 mornings in a row, but on the 3rd morning, the sky opened up just for a few moments to produce this beautiful scene. I would have forgone a weeks worth of sleep to experience Sydney’s Opera House in this golden light. Was all that effort worth just this one, fleeting moment? I certainly think so, because for me it's all about getting the shot. :)

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

Sapphire Dreams || The Exquisite Marina Bay, Singapore

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 06:58:37 -0700

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My trip to Singapore was a complete success on many levels. Not only was I able to capture some beautiful imagery while enjoying the spectacular iLight Event, but I also made some great new friends and contacts in the process. When you combine the compelling beauty of Singapore with the openness towards photography you get a very special city. As a traveler, I’m often forbidden from shooting areas with a tripod but Singapore seems to welcome it. It’s an absolute pleasure to walk the perimeter of Marina Bay and find dozens of photographers shooting with tripods and enjoying the fantastic spectacle of light.

Thank you to everyone for making me feel so at home in Singapore and a very special thank you to my friend Edward Adios for making all this happen. I’m already looking forward to my next visit in June. :)

Getting the hang of the new mobile lifestyle.

On another note, I can’t tell you how happy I am to be editing photos again. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of events compounded by an overwhelming sense of freedom mixed with obligation. Managing a 100% on the road lifestyle with full time blogging, shooting, and photo processing is a tricky operation and the last few weeks have been a real wake up call for me. I learned a lot about time management vs time enjoyment and I’m discovering that living life must always come first. So while I feel like I’m relearning how to balance my life, I’m relishing in the simple pleasure of creating something beautiful.

And just as my life has been a collection of experiences that have led me to where I am today, this photo shares an important similarity. It’s a culmination of many techniques that I’ve learned over the years combined together to create something I call: Advanced Dynamic Blending. This photo is a great example because in essence, what you’re seeing is a single image that blends a dynamic 2 hours of time.

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

The Ring - (Dubai Mall)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:25:03 -0700

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The Ring || Adventures With Tripod Police

Every time I visit Dubai, I learn a little bit more about how to get away with using a tripod in restricted areas. The Dubai Mall for example, yea, totally restricted. So on my last visit I brought along a Joby Gorillapod thinking that it would be ninja enough to get the job done. I mean, who in their right mind would consider that a tripod. Right?

Now I have to admit, setting up a level and symmetrical ground level shot with one of those little rigs is tricky business. I had to sort of lay on my belly to line everything up, so I can’t really say that I was inconspicuous.

Just as I was getting into a groove, a security guard rushed up to me and asked me very curtly, “Are you a professional?” Clearly a yes answer would have been the wrong approach, so instead I looked at him, looked at myself lying on my belly, looked at my tiny Gorillapod setup on the ground, jiggled it for added effect and said, “Does this look professional to you?” We locked eyes for a moment and shared an awkward look, and then… He just walked away.

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

Falling Tide - (Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 06:48:27 -0700

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Apologies for the lack of posts over the last week but things have been absolutely nuts. With less than 2 days left before I begin my permanent traveling & location independent adventure, I have at least 10 days worth of work left to do! It’s a good thing I bought extra espresso yesterday. I’ve almost gone through an entire brick since then and I’m just getting started. Zooooom!

To prevent myself from continuing to bore you with the details of my current predicament, here’s another shot from the stellar Cinque Terre (aka, my happy place).

Post-Processing Before and After here:

www.blamethemonkey.com/falling-tide-manarola-cinque-terre...

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

The Future Is Now - (Dubai, UAE)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 06:45:14 -0700

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Even though I didn’t get out much to shooting Dubai a couple weeks ago, I made sure to get out to The Meydan Bridge. A big thanks goes to Daniel Cheong not only for driving me out there, but also for the great conversation and company. I always love connecting with fellow photographers and Daniel and I share a lot of the same philosophies on post-processing. In my opinion, he has some of the most beautiful photos of Dubai in existence - really stunning stuff. I recommend check out his Flickr Page to see some of the photos I’m talking about.

The Meydan Bridge is a VIP entrance to the Meydan Racecourse, a mega structure that is able to accommodate over 60,000 spectators in a 1 mile long grandstand. When not used for races it serves as a business and conference integrated facility. The thing is, like many other things in Dubai, it’s only used once (or so) a year. The rest of the time it’s mostly abandoned and this beautiful bridge is blocked from access. It was a strange feeling actually - to be standing on this opulent mega structure, in the middle of the desert, miles away from the city, and with nobody around. Half the lights were busted too. I guess after Tom Cruise was finished driving over it in Mission Impossible 3, they really didn’t have a need to maintain it anymore.

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

Hagia Sophia - (Istanbul, Turkey)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:38:42 -0800

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After auditioning quite a few rooftop vantage points, this was my favorite view of the Hagia Sophia. There are many breathtaking views in Istanbul so it was a little hard to choose. I thought this one had a really nice balance to it though.

Hagia Sophia is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is also said to have changed the history of architecture. It’s easy to see why. ;)

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

Golden Embrace - (Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 07:33:36 -0800

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“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”

~ Henry Miller

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

Above The Trees - (Kyoto, Japan)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 07:10:31 -0700

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Post-processing Before and After: www.blamethemonkey.com/above-the-trees-kyoto-japan-kiyomi...

Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto is very beautiful. With its tremendous architecture, It’s easy to see why it’s one of the most beloved structures in Japan.

I’m not much of a history buff but during the Edo Period, there was a tradition held that if one could survive the 13 meter jump off the stage of Kiyomizu, one’s wish would be granted. Out of the 234 recorded jumpers, 85.4% of them survived. My question is, what the hell did they wish for after the jump? New legs?

It’s also interesting that the expression “to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu” is the Japanese equivalent of the English expression “to take the plunge.” I wonder if the english expression “do-over” translates into Japanese. ;)

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

The Eternal City - (Rome, Italy) - (Rome, Italy)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Tue, 22 May 2012 06:43:20 -0700

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Walking along Ponte Sant'Angelo

The views from Ponte Sant’Angelo are some of the best that Rome has to offer. Whether you’re a photographer or just out for a casual stroll, it’s a serene and breathtaking experience. As you walk along the bridge, you can see the beautiful Vatican Cupola in the distance. Catch it at the right time and you can also watch the daylight fade as the city lights turn on.

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

Beyond The Fog - (The Great Wall of China)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:23:31 -0700

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As The Light Fades on The Great Wall

This is my favorite view from the top of The Mutianyu Section of The Great Wall Of China, just before the last rays of the sun disappeared into the thickening fog. It was a very spiritual moment for my wife and I, as we watched the soft light fade. We were all alone up there for the final hour of sunset, surrounded only by the gentle sound of the cool spring wind. It’s always been one of my dreams to visit The Great Wall and having finally seen it in person, I can happily say that it lived up to all my expectations.

Post-processing before and after

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!

Summer's Heart - (Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy)

nobody@flickr.com (blame_the_monkey) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 06:44:49 -0700

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Summer’s Heart || Italy Is Calling Me

Check out the Post-processing before and after comparison: HERE

I’m not sure why but I’ve been missing Italy like crazy lately. I just can’t seem to get it out of my mind. I’ve been feeling an intense pull, almost like someone has been calling my name. From the food, to the scenery, to the warm summer sun, Italy has been in my thoughts almost every day.

Since I’m not visiting again until this August, the only thing I could think to do about it was edit another photo from Le Cinque Terre, my photographic happy place. And this shot of Vernazza has been sitting in my “to process” gallery for almost a year now. As soon as I opened this file in Photoshop, my heart swam with warm emotion as I remembered being in this beautiful place. Then when I zoomed in, I noticed something very strange that made the hairs on the back on my neck tingle a bit...

Check out what’s written on the third boat to the right. It’s my name, Elia. Now that’s one hell of a coincidence, right? Maybe Italy really was calling out my name. I may need to visit earlier now... I don’t know if a message can get any clearer than that. See it HERE

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* All comments are welcome & Monkey Business is strongly encouraged. If you have questions, I would love to hear them. Check me out at BlameTheMonkey.comThanks for viewing!