I want to express enthusiastic thanks to Rick for the honor of being invited to write this third guest blog.
A vital part of capturing strong images is to discern, appreciate and capture the rich patterns and textures that we see around us in this awesome creation that we get to enjoy every day.
Of all the regions I’ve visited, there’s no region that serves up more beauty & variety than the exotic Indonesian archipelago.
Opening Image: Mount Bromo and the Sea of Sand, from Cemorolawang, East Java, Indonesia
This dawn view of Mount Bromo and its surrounding sea of sand—the Grand Canyon of SE Asia—provides beautiful contrasts. Roughly eroded volcanic peaks, jagged cliffs surrounded by wispy, walk-in-the-clouds mist and the vaulted clear sky above nearly always provide remarkably memorable landscapes.
Above: Borobudur Temple & Central Java Plain at Sunrise, Indonesia
From this hilltop in Central Java you have opportunity to capture the continuity and contrast of Borobudur Temple rising slightly above the mist enshrouded plain just as the sun begins to peak over the shoulder of Mount Merapi’s volcano. Bororbudur—still the world’s largest Buddhist shrine 1,100 years after it was completed—subtly stands out above the tree tops.
Above: Javanese Village Tofu Maker, near Borobudur, Central Java, Indonesia
I shot many photographs of this young Javanese man making a local version of tofu in a rustic village “factory.” When culling through my images, I noticed this yin-yang pattern in the mix. I selected this image not only because its aesthetics. I prefer to use photographs that reflect the locals’ worldview and that they themselves, as much as anyone else, will appreciate as a faithful depiction of their lives.
Above: Moonrise over Pemuteran Beach, Bali, Indonesia
We’ll be rewarded when we view our world with anticipation—being conscious to discern the patterns and color-plays appearing before our eyes. The curve of a cloud line mirrored by the water’s edge and a couple admiring the moonrise over the cape—they all cry out to be captured and remembered.
Like the landscapes and cultures that you see here?
Don’t miss out on what’s likely to be 2015’s best value in a photo tour. You’ll travel in this stunning region during dry season—the safest and most comfortable time of year to travel here.
Take your photographic skills beyond the next level with Rick Sammon’s world-renowned coaching while enriching your portfolio with your very own stunning images from these legendary locales. You’ll get to shoot in each of these locations with a small group of no more than twelve participants.
And, hey, you’ll doubtless be the first of your friends to shoot in this—one of the world’s hottest emerging locales for photography tours—the exotic Indonesian archipelago!
If you pay in full before the end of February you’ll get a hundred extra dollars knocked off the cost! If the price shows as $4,250, enter the Promotional Code “FebruarySavings”.
See the details and register for the August-September 2015 Java-Bali Photo Tour with Rick Sammon at a one-time, introductory special price.