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Tokyo, The Centre Of The World // Photo Essay
Japan’s Tokyo is a mega city, it’s the most populated city on earth with Delhi, India coming in second and China’s Shanghai in third place!
Tokyo, The Centre Of The World // Photo Essay
Japan’s Tokyo is a mega city, it’s the most populated city on earth with Delhi, India coming in second and China’s Shanghai in third place! It’s a vibrant, crazy, exciting urban playground that feels more than just alive, in fact it can feel overwhelming at times!
After living in the city for around 9 months I found myself feeling that I knew my way around Tokyo like the back of my hand but at the same time making new discoveries every day. Nevertheless for this article I’d like to introduce Makoto (真琴), a local who has lived in Tokyo for several years but has also lived in the quieter countryside of Japan, to give her thoughts and feelings on this iconic city.
Coming from Shizouka, a small town at the base of Mt. Fuji I am a bit of a countryside girl, so I was a little bit scared to start my new life in the big city of Tokyo. People look exhausted because from long work hours and don’t make eye contact with strangers, “typical” city people.. however, my perspective was changed after living there for several years.
Tokyo is a place where everything happens, Odaiba is one of the most popular places to visit not only for foreigners but also for Locals. If you want to find a place to go on a date with someone then this is the place! You can go shopping in future robot malls, play some old-school Japanese games in retro arcades and lots of events are held every month, you can basically do everything in Odaiba.
One of my most favourite places is the TeamLab Borderless digital art museum pictured above! I was absolutely immersed in the magical lights!
Every morning and evening I had to ride a train for one hour to go to and from work, I’ve never experienced such crowds in my life and I was regularly already tired before starting work. I felt like I had to be ready for a battle of winning a seat against strangers but normally I ended up standing for the whole journey. One time Taran joined me in rush hour, he was holding onto a handle but a surge of humans rushed in and all of a sudden his feet were lifted off the ground and he spent the next 10 minutes holding on for dear life or face falling onto the people sat below! I now understand why Tokyoite’s always look tired.
I’ve come to realise that Japanese people love travelling inside Japan almost as much as going abroad, they dress up in kimono’s to go to the famous Sensoji temple in Asakusa, wear yukata’s for firework festivals or go to kawaii (cute) little animal cafes. One of the things I like about Tokyo is it feels like you’re sightseeing all the time in your own country!
Another thing I like about Japan is how many people enjoy dressing up in their favourite costumes to meet up with other passionate cosplayers, me and Taran were amazed to see everyone was super friendly and confidently welcomed the photo shoots.
Even if you are in a busy urban jungle like Tokyo, you can still enjoy the beauty of nature, you can admire seasonal events, for instance when it’s the rainy season you can go to Kamakura to see Ajisai flowers (Hydrangea) and in the spring season you can see the lovely views of Sakuras (cherry blossoms). Just outside of Tokyo resides my hometown of Shizuoka featuring Mt. Fuji, Fuji San is normally a little bit shy, hiding behind clouds, but if you are lucky you can see the whole figure of the highest mountain in Japan.
Overall, I would say I liked living in Tokyo, of course there were times I was sick of so many people surrounding me all the time on trains and everywhere you go but at the same time I enjoyed seeing and experiencing lots of different aspects of the city.
“Tokyo is a traveller’s playground, every corner you find something interesting and cool to see.”
Thanks Makoto for giving us a insiders view on this iconic city and what it’s like to live there.
Now check out my ‘Japan’ photo-book on Amazon including some of the photos above and many more:
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
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Living On Top Of The World // Hakuba Mountains
Upon arriving in Japan my mission was to find some work, well, it was second on my list while I explored this new land, but while I was in Tokyo I cam across an opportunity..
Living On Top Of The World // Hakuba Mountains
Upon arriving in Japan my mission was to find some work, well, it was second on my list while I explored this new land, but while I was in Tokyo I cam across an opportunity..
I was being hosted my some lovely couch-surfers when the conversation got onto photography and one of them mentioned some work they had done up in the mountains that had some crazy views a photographer could only dream of!
And so she introduced me to someone currently working there, I sent my details and before I knew it I was crouching on the ground about to fly in a helicopter for the first time! I was pretty lucky in that 90% of the staff have to hike the 4 hour journey up the mountain.. but they had a spare seat so I jumped at the chance!
The Views
Arriving in my new home for the next 2 months I was greeted with the most spectacular view from my little window, my room was a tiny box with no electricity, no internet and no heating, but it didn’t matter because this view was unreal! It looked like my window was actually a desktop wallpaper!
These were the views I had to put up with everyday! The evening sunsets were unreal and being able to see distant mountains on clear days was a real treat, annoyingly My work shifts landed right on sunset but seeing gazing at the colourful clouds on my 10 minute breaks was quite something.
The Work
It wasn’t anything glamorous, I was working in the kitchen mainly, this included waking up early to start work at 4am making breakfast/do the washing up. I also would have to clean the rooms and then later in the evening prepare dinner/again more washing up.. The work was every single day unless a day off was requested, which was great for my savings but pretty flipping tiring.. Can you guess which is my pair of gloves above?
The Wildlife
About halfway through my time on the mountain I celebrated my birthday by taking a day off (this and one weekend down from the mountain were my only breaks). I went for a morning hike, hoping to reach the top of one of the tallest mountains in the area but about halfway there I bumped into a family of wild Japanese macaques!
If you want to see what camera I use, go here!
They were enjoying the morning sun and didn’t take much notice of me.. at first. I managed to get pretty close and take some really nice photos but then they decided I had overstayed my welcome or maybe got a little too close, as the adults started to run at me while screeching! I decided not to stand my ground and fight, turning and hopping down the rocks away from them and throwing a few warning stones in their direction!! Luckily I was able to out pace them down the hill and they retreated back to the ridge.
The mountains are also home to a species of bird called raicho or ptarmigan in English, I managed to get up close with this little one who was a lot friendlier than the monkeys!
The Storms
My birthday was the start of what seemed like endless storms and dense cloud coverage that continued until the end of my time on the mountain, which occasional breaks for a day or two. This meant that the supply helicopter was unable to resupply us on my birthday, the day it was scheduled for.. it was eventually delayed by 10 days meaning that we almost completely ran out of food and had to start limiting the number of guests!
During this time the infamous typhoon Jebi that was said to be the most powerful Japan had seen in 25 years passed pretty close to our location. We had to evacuate our normal sleeping quarters and all move into one building for safety, we also spent the previous day putting metal shutters on all the windows and bringing everything not nailed down inside.. Luckily the only damage was cosmetic, few smashed solar panels and wall panels ripped off but it was still a pretty crazy few days!
The Views, again..
Its easy to get used the the views when you see them all day everyday, and it was no exception here, after a few weeks it got to the point where I was no longer sitting and staring during my time off, but every now and then nature would throw something new into the mix and give a glorious show again! Seeing the peak of Mt. Surugi poking out above the sea of clouds or the evening fog eerily sweeping over the mountains were some of those moments.
Seeing the Milky Way in such detail is something I always love witnessing, and was one of the reasons I came here after seeing my friend’s photo of the stars. We only had a few perfect nights for stargazing, but it was worth being mega tired in the morning as seeing this many stars is not something everyone gets a chance to see.
If you want some help taking great photos, check out my guide here!
The Team
I knew coming to Japan that I would face a language barrier that was going to take some work to overcome in terms of continuing to learn after spending 2 years learning bits and pieces via a phone app.. but I wasn’t prepared to be the only foreigner working here, and to make things even more difficult there was only 1 guy who could speak English fluently, a couple who knew about as much English as I knew Japanese and the rest couldn’t speak any English..
To make things more awkward, of course I was the only vegetarian.. which meant I couldn’t join in with the group meals and had to cook my own food as it seemed almost every dish cooked included some form of fish or meat.. gah! Above is my signature vegan burger which I actually ended up serving for a few vegan customers when the chef was stumped as to what to give them!
For all the isolation I felt from this place, it was a very memorable experience being the first time I had been this high (altitude wise :P), I was forced to improve my Japanese and it was a great way to learn, made some great friends, endured the worst typhoon to hit Japan in 25 years and most importantly enjoyed some amazing photo/video opportunities. Would you live & work in a place like this?
Now check out the awesome video I made about my time there..
Thinking about coming to Japan on a Working Holiday Visa?: Check out this handy guide
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
Related Articles:
Best Place To View Tokyo Tower
Managing to find a few rooftops that were easy-ish to access, I ended up sleeping on one with Tokyo Tower providing an dreamy view to drift off to and..
Best Place To View Tokyo Tower
Visiting Tokyo and want to get some incredible views of Japans famous Tokyo Tower? You could always visit it and pay to go up inside it, but in my opinion the best views of Tokyo Tower are the free ones in the evening when it lights up like a Christmas tree!
There are various quiet little spots dotted around the Tokyo Tower which offer great close up views and places to relax during the evening while taking in the awe of the light show.
One of my favourite places is a small circular park (Google Maps link) located about 200 metres from Tokyo Tower which seems to be the perfect distance to view the entire tower! It is a moderately sized open patch of grass which also happens to be visited my many dog owners in the evening, so while you're enjoying the lights you can pet some doggos as well! Bonus!!
Feeling a tad daring?
Your could always get an even crazier view that includes the city skyline from above, and I don't mean paying to go to observation deck.. I managed to find a few rooftops that were easy-ish to access, I even ended up sleeping on one with Tokyo Tower providing an dreamy view to drift off to and a welcoming sight to wake up to!
But you will have to find out these places for yourself.. and I accept no responsibility if you get caught :P
If you want to enjoy the tower without the crowds, this park rarely gets that busy and can be quite a romantic spot to visit :)
If you've got the time to spend an evening tower watching then I highly recommend this park, be sure to take a few snacks and your camera!
More from Tokyo:
Shibuya Crossing Secret Viewpoint
Surreal Digital Art Museum
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
Related Articles:
Borderless Exhibit // Mori Digital Art Museum Tokyo
Walk through a curtain hidden along one of the walls of the main hall and be transported into a mirrored realm of dream-like music and hanging lights..
Borderless Exhibit // Mori Digital Art Museum Tokyo
The Borderless art exhibit being permanently held at the Mori Digital Art Museum in Odaiba is a must see for anyone visiting Tokyo. After hearing about this new experience I knew it was going to be something I had to do, and luckily I managed to get some early tickets before it started selling out a month in advance (and I'm sure that it will only get more popular).
Upon entering this surreal world you will be instantly mesmerised as you find the main hall which has a raised platform which is a great place to take photos (it also acts a fun slide), the art in this room also interacts with you if you stand still!
Walk through a curtain hidden along one of the walls of this room and you will be transported into a mirrored realm of dream-like music and hanging lights, let your inner child come out as you follow the maze of paths though this bewildering forest of luminescence.
When you enter the flower forest you will be surrounded by mirrors and walls that will have you disorientated by the amount of colour and movement all around you. The feeling of sober hallucinating is intense and I cant only imagine what this would be like on some kind of drug, most probably too intense!
One of the most incredible parts of the exhibit was laying down on a huge net suspended in a cylinder shaped room and watching an explosion of shapes and colours dance above, below and all around us. Don't miss this part (although you will have to queue for a little bit to get inside).
After visiting this visually spectacular exhibit I am left wanting more, and luckily it seems like more of these types of modern art pieces are popping up in big city's around the world. I will definitely be on the look for the next trip down the rabbit hole, and so will you after you step out of wonderland..
Now it's time for the video:
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
Related Articles:
The Secret Viewpoint Above Shibuya Crossing
If you're visiting Tokyo, there's a good chance you will be heading to the famous Shibuya scramble crossing! Its a crazy, intense experience to navigate your way through the MASSIVE crowds.
The Secret Viewpoint Above Shibuya Crossing
If you're visiting Tokyo, there's a good chance you will be heading to the famous Shibuya scramble crossing! Its a crazy, intense experience to navigate your way through the MASSIVE crowds. You can get some awesome photos from street level of all the interesting characters ranging from busy salary-men & women to dancing cosplay fanatics using the crossing as a stage!
But to get some really awesome photos of Shibuya crossing, you will want to get above street level.. Most people will head to the nearby Starbucks cafe to get a slightly elevated view and enjoy a coffee, but this a such a popular spot that getting a seat near the window is near impossible!
Time for some stealth action!
To get views of Shibuya crossing from above like the ones in this article you will need to act like a secret spy and pretend you are staying in the fancy hotel that overlooks the crossing, this way you can get right to the 25th floor and enjoy some amazing sights of the city and the crossing!
Your mission, if you choose to accept it:
- Look for the building pictured and head towards it, you will find an entrance with 2 elevators.
- Head to the 5th floor (do not go directly to the 25th floor, you will be caught).
- Once you step out on the 5th floor, act like you know what your doing and walk directly ahead past the 'hotel guests only' sign, and to the other elevators.
- Now you can hit the 25th floor button!
This will place you in a area just out of view from the staff facing the regular lifts, and will give you ample time to snap some birds-eye view photos!
I even managed to get away with setting up a tripod on the window and recording a time-lapse, but after about 15 minutes I was finally caught! But don't worry, just be nice and say sorry and you will be shown the elevator.
More from Tokyo:
Best Place To View Tokyo Tower
Surreal Digital Art Museum
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
Related Articles:
Secret Rooftop Bar In Bangkok
Want to spend your last night in Bangkok on the roof of a tall building overlooking the city in all of its glory?!
Secret rooftop bar In Bangkok
Want to spend your last night in Bangkok on the roof of a tall building overlooking the city in all of its glory?! Of course you do, but do you also want to share that rooftop experience with a huge crowd of tourists? Probably not..
If you're interested in finding a quieter rooftop bar in Bangkok that allows you to relax and take in the sights in peace, you might find it here.. I cannot guarantee it hasn't been overrun by tourists now, but I checked in 2018 and it was still pretty chilled.
The name of the bar/restaurant is River View Guest House, and can be found here on google maps. This rooftop bar features a spectacular view over Bangkok river with a perfect angle to watch the sunset.
The Entrance
The entrance to the bar is located down a small alleyway that might be a little hard to find, but using google maps you should be fine, just look for this place in the photo above, the entrance in a hotel style reception, just tell them you are going to the rooftop bar and proceed to the lift.
Be sure to get there early to see the sunset, but don't forget to stay late to see some epic sights like above, if your lucky you might see lightning in the distance. With the river populated by brightly coloured tour boats of all colours and the sky flashing striking shows of electricity this will be sure to make a night to remember.. AND ITS FREE!!
For more Bangkok info check out: Cheapest ATM In Bangkok
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
Related Articles:
Abandoned Buildings - Rayong Coast
Along the coast a few hours from the bustling chaotic streets of Bangkok rests the small town of Rayong, a urban explorers dream come true..
Abandoned Buildings - Rayong Coast
Along the coast a few hours from the bustling chaotic streets of Bangkok rests the small town of Rayong and if you keep travelling (via local songthaews) you can reach the beach village of Hat Mae Rumphueng. An area built for tourism at only one time of the year it seems.. for as soon as the holidays are over the whole area becomes completely void of tourists.
I stayed in this hotel along with about 3 other guests.. Private room for 200 baht!!
Of-course, the locals still live here and go about their daily lives, but there is a completely different feeling from the normal backpacker routes of Thailand. During my week here I only saw about 3 other non-locals!
I'm not too sure on the full story, but it seems like this place had hopes to become a well known tourism hot spot.. But the dreams obviously didn't come into fruition..
The coast line is littered with abandoned buildings, apartments and huge hotels like the one above! There are hotels that have stayed open, but they remain almost empty and running a skeleton crew for most of the year.
This makes it particularly easy to stroll into any of these hotels and just take the elevator straight to the roof, no one is really paying any attention and you can get away with pretending you are staying there by just looking confident!
Sneaking into the tallest abandoned hotel
The hotel is basically this place on google maps, you will be able to spot it instantly if you turn on satellite view. The whole building is completely overrun by nature and is an amazing place to explore, the parking lot looks like something out of the game 'The Last Of Us' or the film 'I Am Legend'.
The inside of the building is completely gutted, and is probably the home to a few homeless people.. which for a solo explorer makes the place that much more eerie not knowing what will be around the next corner..
The views from the windows on the upper levels are incredible! A clean unspoiled coastline on one side, and a lush green expanse of villages with a mountain overlooking them on the other side.
If your interested in abandoned buildings and places a little off the normal beaten track then Rayong is definitely worth a visit.
For more travel photography check out: 14 Photos That Will Inspire You To Travel
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
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Camera Upgrade - Canon EOS M5 Review
The images that the Canon M5 produce are top notch, simply put if you are into landscape photography then this is the mirrorless camera you need..
Camera Upgrade - Canon EOS M5 Review
After 2 years of solid performance (examples here), my faithful Canon G16 has finally handed in its notice and is being replaced by a new workhorse known as the Canon M5. This new camera is a substantial upgrade in all corners of camera technology compared to the G16 bringing along with it an 8x bigger image sensor, double the megapixels and the ability to swap out lenses which will be a huge benefit.
The Key Specs:
- 24 Megapixels
- APS-C sensor
- Electronic viewfinder
- Mirrorless design
- Touch screen
- Articulating screen
- Flip flash
- Smartphone remote control
So firstly let's dive deeper into some of those specs and see what this camera is all about, starting with its mirrorless design. This is referring to the fact it doesn't use an actual mirror inside the camera to reflect the image passing through the lens up to the viewfinder, thus saving a large amount of space (ever wonder why those big DSLR's are so big?). In mirrorless designs the image you see through the viewfinder and on the back screen are both projected electronically straight from the sensor, this is excellent for people needing a more compact and lighter camera, perfect for travel!
Below is a quick sketch I did to help you visualize the differences:
Moving onto the APS-C sensor which is refering the size of the sensor, this part of the camera is important for a few things, one of them being the amount of light the camera can grab from the scene it see's when you press the shutter, the smaller the sensor the less light that will make its way onto the sensor meaning there is more chance of a noisy (grainy) image.
The sensor also helps create depth of field in a image, ever wonder why all those photos you take on your phone have everything in focus? A larger sensor gives greater depth of field meaning you can create beautiful photos with blurry backgrounds. The APS-C sensor is a pretty common size for mid to top-end cameras, with 'full frame' used in pro cameras and medium format reserved for concept cameras.
Performance:
So after giving the Canon M5 a decent run about with a few different lenses it's fair to say that the M5 is a pretty responsive camera, it has a high quality touch screen which is a really nice addition even if the dials and buttons are very intuitive and quick to use.
I noticed the camera seemed a little slow to process images after taking long exposures and the focus isn't the fastest.. But this camera isn't made for sports photography or subjects that need speedy auto-focus and high fps captures, where it excels is in its beautiful colours that create wonderful high quality images, which brings us to the next point..
Image Quality:
The images that the Canon M5 produce are top notch, simply put if you are into landscape photography then this is the mirrorless camera you need! Given the time you get when snapping landscapes this camera can really shine, its 24MP's can produce high detail colour rich shots ready for large scale printing.
'Beautiful image quality is where this camera really holds its highest cards'
Build Quality:
The camera at first glance looks delicate with so many dials and buttons and its small appearance, but after handling it you get the sense that it is made pretty sturdy with a metal hood around the top housing the dials. The rest of the body is made from high quality plastic and covered in a grippy rubber outer layer, in general it feels like it would handle a few knocks. The only thing that lets it down is the fold out screen, it has 2 very thin metal arms for support which with normal careful use will be fine but I could see them bending easily if the screen gets a knock while it is extended.
ISO Range:
I've tested the ISO abilities of the Canon M5 here with 4 identical shots in low light, as you can see the camera performed exceptionally well at ISO 1000 with a very clean image and no noticeable noise. At ISO 4000 the noise has started to creep in, but it is still at a useable level and won't destroy a perfect moment, when I got to ISO 10,000 the noise is clearly visible and thus won't be useful for any professional photography, but it will get you the photo you need (if you need it).
Surprisingly the level of noise at 25,600 doesn't seem to be that much different from 10,000, meaning you will be able to get a very dimly lit shot and not have to sacrifice having the image destroyed by noise, this is all likely due to the M5 running Canon's latest image processor the Digic 7 which is supposedly 16x faster than the Digic 6 and has much better noise reduction abilities.
All in all I would be very happy to recommend this camera to anyone who is an avid photographer looking to upgrade from mid-range cameras, this is Canon's flagship Mirrorless camera (as of 2018) and it does an incredible job for its size!
If you are a videographer then this probably won't satisfy your needs and vlogging is also not a strong point, but when it comes to landscapes and long exposure photography this camera stands out from the crowd. Below are some sample images taken with the M5:
If you're interested in checking out some of my photography that is available on canvas, click here! I am eternally grateful to anyone who thinks my work is good enough to hang on a wall.. ✌
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
Related Articles:
Punkle Fester Southampton / The Talking Heads - Photo Essay
Photo essay from a one day punk fest that took place at the excellent Talking Heads in Southampton..
Punkle Fester Southampton / The Talking Heads - Photo Essay
A one day punk fest at the excellent Talking Heads in photos by myself and Alia Thomas.
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
Latest Articles:
Cycling Around Angkor Wat, The Sacred Temples Of Cambodia
This is a city run by tuk-tuks, you will have a hard time finding other transport, but it is possible..
Cycling Around Angkor Wat, The Sacred Temples Of Cambodia
Arriving in Siem Reap you will be greeting by a city that is run by tuk-tuks, they are everywhere and they will do anything to get your business, which is fair enough in a poor country and in the grand scale of things they are very affordable. But when you have just forked out $60 for a 3 day pass to visit the Angkor Wat temples, a $15 tuk-tuk for the day can be a bit heavy (especially if your a backpacker on a budget).
This is your typical tuk-tuk in Siem Reap. One of the things I love about SEAsia is the variety of tuk-tuks from town to town, they all have their own styles.
By choosing to cycle yourself around the temples you will not only save a lot of money, but you will also have free reign of what you want to see and how long you want to stay places. I spent $1 a day on my bike!
An elder monk sat with a young apprentice, they were both talking when I spotted them and saw the epic framing that was just asking to be photographed! Its always polite to ask for a photo as some monks do not want to be photographed.
The sun rising behind the temples, this is one of the most popular spots to watch sunrise and if you hate crowds you will hate this. It is an incredibly beautiful spot though with the crystal clear reflection pool.
I arrived at the temple that everyone visits during sunrise at about midday and found the place empty, I almost had the temple to myself apart from 3/4 people!! Considering the 1000's of people visiting daily this was the thing that convinced me that taking a bike was truly the best option.
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The sunset at Phnom Bakheng temple, this place sits on top of a large hill that will take you about 10/15 minutes to walk up, but the views from the top a definitely worth it! It is a very popular spot and they only allow 300 people up onto the temple at a time so make sure you get there in advance!
On the road towards Angkor Thom you will be surrounded by jungle, if you're lucky you might spot a group of monkeys hanging out on one of the grass banks. Keep an eye out for people stopped on the side of the road, this usually means their feeding the monkeys.
If you do head to Angkor Wat for sunrise then you may be in for a treat, a parade of monks walking in a long line around the temple in their bright orange robes. Truly a once in a lifetime experience!
This is the big reservoir called Jayatataka that surrounds Neak Pean , this is one of the furthest temple you can go to and will definitely test you if your on a bicycle! I turned up just before sunset and had some really nice views, but then I had to cycle the 2 hour trip back as it got darker and darker..
Make sure to take a big ol' bottle of water with you, but don't worry about running out as there are plenty of stalls on the sides of the roads offering ice cooled drinks for $1 or less (depending on your bartering skills).
This is the sunset at Prae Roup Temple, another top spot to watch from as it has a high platform at the top with nice views. Beware though that the guards close this temple as soon as the sun hits the horizon, so the most beautiful sunsets will have to be watched from down at the entrance (that's where this photo was taken).
This is a truly must see collection of temples and although the entrance price can be steep there are ways of making the whole experience a lot cheaper.
Quick Facts:
Angkor Wat entrance fee: 1/3/7 day pass - $37/$62/$72 USD.
Bike hire: $1 to $2 a day.
Tuk-tuk hire: $15 to $25 a day.
Accommodation: $2 to $5 for a bunk in a hostel dorm room.
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
More South East Asia:
Meet The Inhabitants - Portraits From Around The World
We all occupy this small speck of space dust together, we are all briefly caretakers for our planet, we are all going in the same direction..
Meet The Inhabitants - Portraits From Around The World
We all occupy this small speck of space dust together, we are all briefly caretakers for our planet, we are all going in the same direction. No matter what you think of people from different cultures, you are all the same. You all have problems, you all think strange thoughts, you are all just trying to make your time here worth living.
Hopefully this brief collection of portraits taken from all around the globe will inspire a little humanity in everyone and remind us that we are all human.
Though some men took dancing too far, this wandering baba was all too happy to dance all day (in a non-creepy way) with me during Holi in Varanasi, India. Photo by Lost With Purpose.
Youngsters riding in a kart on Koh Rong island, Cambodia. Photo by Ana Coast River.
A young girl helping her mum serve near the town square in Guanajuato, Mexico. She was an expert and watching her make our esquite (corn cup) was so mesmerizing, she fought to hide a smile when we asked to take her portrait. Photo by Feather & The Wind.
In a small village in The Gambia a girl ran up to say hi, and show us the flowers in her hair that she was so proud. Photo by Travelboulevard.
Young busker plays to support her scholership fees in the middle of a market in Chiamg Mai, Thailand. Photo by me (Taran) check out more of my work here.
Colourful Thai ladies greeting travellers at Wat Arun, Bangkok. Photo by Roam Naturally
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"Put your bags down and join us for some chacha*" - an invitation you'll often here when in Georgia! (*chacha is the national drink of Georgia, a strong spirit distilled from the grape residue left after making wine, contains 60 - 80% ABV.). Photo by Journal Of Nomads.
A Indonesian man shares the treasures of the region where he grew up, Dieng, a volcano in Central Java. Photo by Marie Duthu.
Two young girls in Ghana buying water chanted 'obruni' as we walked past. We turned around to talk with them, but they just giggled, struck a sassy pose, and went on their way. Photo by Travel Outlandish.
A 3-year-old Dukha girl and her personal reindeer, living in the remote taiga region of Northern Mongolia. Photo by NOMADasaurus.
This man was playing in the street with his dog laying by his side. When I asked if I could take a photo of him he lit up and started talking about a trick that he did with his dog. He went on to show me the trick and I captured it on film. It was wonderful to see the pride and love this man had for his dog and their friendship when he had very little else. Photo by Alia Thomas Photography
An elder monk sits with his young apprentice in the sacred temple Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Photo by me (Taran) check out more photography here.
Thanks to all the photographers who made this possible with their great work!
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
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More photography:
The Life In Pai, Thailand
The journey to Pai is a 3 hour ordeal up & over a mountain, full of sharp turns, speeding vans and insane Thai drivers..
The Life In Pai, Thailand
Having heard on the backpacker grapevine that Pai was a must visit, Hannah & I booked our minivan and headed for the home-made hippie village in search of good food, chilled vibes and some great views.
The journey to Pai from Chiang Mai is a 3 hour drive up and over a mountain where you can expect hundreds of sharp turns, sped around at wheel screeching speeds by your insane Thai driver. You may want to pop a few motion sickness pills if that's your thing.
During the drive I spotted this monk getting a dubby. We overtook them seconds later!
The view over Pai from Yun Lai viewpoint; you'll need a scooter to find this place but its certainly worth it and its only 20 baht for entry!
Pai Canyons aren't so as big as you would expect a canyon to be, but they are certainly a great sight to check out. I have to say I had more fun exploring and climbing the narrow walkways with drops either side than the actual views!
Exploring Lod caves is really interesting and I would really recommend it! It will take about 2 hours to get there by scooter and there are some crazy steep hills going up and down.. But its so much more fun than getting a tour bus there, plus you can arrive a little later in the day and get the cave to yourself pretty much!! (We were joined by 3 people, normally the cave is full with 50+ people!).
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Mo Paeng waterfall is a really refreshing place to visit just outside of Pai, but we had more fun petting the SUPER friendly cows that live there; they just kept licking us and this one above was going in for a kiss with Hannah!
If you like animals, be sure to visit a elephant sanctuary and help fund the people saving elephants from torture & riding parks.
The White Buddha statue sits at the top of a big ol' flight of stairs, but once you reach the top the views are pretty epic and its a great place to watch the sunset. If your into temples, check out Bangkok's many grand temples!
This old western looking house, known as the 'Yellow House' is found on the road towards Pai Canyons. Its pretty interesting to stop off at and take a look around as there really isn't anything like it!
The food in Pai is amazing. We were treated to some of the freshest, most healthy snacks we've had in Thailand! There is a big hippie vibe in town and in turn, a lot of vegan and vegetarian places to eat, all cheap as chips too.
I urge you to rent a scooter (if your able to drive one safely) and just explore the area, turn off on random roads and just keep following them. We found some jems that we didn't even know existed just through a little adventure!
Our little red underpowered scooter!
Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about Pai!
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
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Liberated Elephants - The Muddening
The sad thing about all this is that these elephants will never be released back into the wild, primarily because..
Liberated Elephants - The Muddening
Visiting elephant in Thailand was always something I was extremely wary about, there are so many places that treat these beautiful creatures badly that still in 2017 get tourists visiting them.. It really does blow my mind to see posters advertising elephants riding and actually think that people my age are doing this sort of stuff!
The big problem is ignorance. People just simply don't care enough to do any research into what they throw their money at. If anyone was to actually look into the kind of practices that take place to condition these elephants into submission so that they allow people to ride them, they would be horrified! But then again, if people were to look into the kind of life a cow or chicken is given before its turned into food they would probably never eat factory farmed meat again.. But then again this brings up the subject of the horse meat scandal in the UK, where people value one animals life higher than another, people can be disgusted by the treatment of elephants and then happily sit down for lunch to eat a animal which suffered all the same. (PS: I don't believe eating meat is a bad thing, if you eat meat that has come from an animal that lived a good life and wasn't mass farmed or stuck in small cages then that's fair enough)
Anyway, the elephants, that's why we're here! As you can probably guess, I visited a elephant sanctuary where a small number of elephants who used to be used for riding are now free to roam the fields and do whatever they like (as long as they like getting muddy, swimming in the lake and eating lots of food fed to them by humans).
The owners who used to make money from the riding tourism have been visited by the Elephant Nature Park founders, who introduced them to the idea of tourism that means no harm to the elephants. This way the owners are happy, the elephants are happy and the tourists can leave happy!
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The day consisted of feeding the elephants breakfast followed by a hour or so of 'free time' in which the elephants just roamed around their fields and ate grass, this was an amazing experience being able to just walk freely amongst these massive creatures, it was also a great opportunity to photograph them behaving naturally.
Then it was time for the humans to be fed, we walked with the elephants towards our little shaded hut and had a great vegetarian lunch. Afterwards was time for the muddening to begin.. we gathered around the mud hole and awaited their arrival, sure enough they came.. and they sure got muddy! And so did everyone there, the elephants kicked and squirted mud everywhere and we threw some mud back at them.
Bathing time was up next, we joined them in the river to splash about and enjoy the sounds of enjoyment coming from them! The day finished with another feeding session, and then we watched them wander off to enjoy the rest of their day as we left..
The sad thing about all this is that these elephants will never be released back into the wild, primarily because they will just be caught again, they have become tame to humans and this is there downfall, capturers will have an easy time luring them back into captivity. At least with this current trend towards 'no riding' in the tourism business, elephants who once faced a life of performing, torture and captivity can now enjoy a life of less misery.
Planning on visiting a elephant sanctuary while in Asia? Let me know how it went in the comments..
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
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Epic Water Festival In Chaing Mai, Thailand - Photo Essay
"you will find yourself amongst groups of people from all races and walks of life, all smiling and laughing together as you spray, throw and drench each other in water!"
Epic Water Festival In Chaing Mai, Thailand - Photo Essay
Upon arriving in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, we were met with the craziness that is the Thai new year water festival, Songkran. This world famous week-long festival takes place all over Thailand but is known by many to be especially great in Chiang Mai, and it certainly didn't fail to blow us away (with water that is).
This ancient tradition that involves dousing everybody you see in water is a time of unity and people who have moved away return home to their loved ones, the pouring of water represents purification and the washing away of sins and bad luck. Of course, since this has become a must-see attraction for people all over the world the main bulk of the festival involves a huge water fight, and ancient traditions of pouring water over hands has been replaced with firing water guns at peoples faces while they drive past on their scooter..
Nether the less this is an epic water fight that is not to be missed if you get the chance, it really does bring everyone together, you will find yourself amongst groups of people from all races and walks of life, all smiling and laughing together as you spray, throw and drench each other in water!
Two young Thai girls waiting on the side of the road for someone to soak.
Joining in with the craziness and getting completely soaked! We joined this big group who stood by the side of the road and awaited victims to pass by..
The street market in Chiang Mai is epic in size, after walking for 30 minutes we still had not got from one side to the other, let alone seen all the stalls! Pictured above: a mother and daughter selling small trinkets to try and make a living.
Chiang Mai's centre is surrounded by a huge moat, this used to be the old perimeter of the city with some of the old walls still standing.
A group of friends and family stand outside their shop with hoses and water guns, laughing as they spray everyone that walks by.
Street food is a massive part of Thai culture, there a stalls everywhere and you can get just about anything, including full grilled squid for $2...
The temples around the city are a true work of art, and to keep them looking that way requires a lot of maintenance. Here is a classic example of Thai scaffolding, bamboo tied together with string.. If you work in health & safety, this picture must be giving you anxiety!
A sample of the artwork found inside the temples.
A young Thai girl sings her heart out while playing guitar, trying to earn money for scholarship fees.
A young monk on his way to class at the temple, we joined in with their English learning class by having a discussion with one of the monks. Interested in more temple photography? Check out 'Temple Hopping In Bangkok'.
My favourite picture from the water fight, this could easily be seen as a photo of a protest if the water guns were replaced with actual guns.
So are you ready for Songkran? I hope this article has inspired you to take the trip to Thailand and experience it for yourself!
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
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More wanderlust:
Koh Phangan By Scooter - Travel Guide
So your thinking of visiting Koh Phangan? Well if you aren't, you surely will be when you see this..
Koh Phangan By Scooter - Travel Guide
So your thinking of visiting Koh Phangan? Well if you aren't, you surely will be by the end of this article.
Koh Phangan is an island in South Thailand that's world famous for its massive full moon party's, but the party is only a small part of what the island has to offer. This smallish tropical island is fringed with palm laden beaches with clear blue cool waters, stunning view points and some brand new smooth roads that are just perfect for the scooters that South East Asia is famous for.
Check back to this map for reference points on the locations the pictures were taken.
ไปเลย! - Here we go!
Renting a scooter on Koh Phangan is kind of essential to seeing most of the islands hidden treasures; sure you can jump in the back of a 'taxi' but you will end up spending much more! As of 2017 scooters prices on the island are 250 Bhat a day which is more than most places in Thailand, but this island is notorious for its reckless backpacker crowd.. If you rent for more than 4 days you can barter and get a much better deal, for instance, I managed to get mine for 150 a day.
After jumping on your new mode of transport and most likely making a stop at the petrol station upon realising the garage gave it to you empty, you will find there is a pretty easy to follow route around the island, but stopping every now and then to check google maps might come in handy. Starting from the pier, one of the first sights (1) is this great lookout above which gives a great view of the coral reefs.
Your ride will then take you along a long stretch of road meters away from the water, which is where you can also spot a few (2) leaning palms that are doing a tremendous job of supporting themselves far out over the sea. If you're here during the low periods (in-between full moon party's) then you will have no trouble getting some awesome photos without too many people getting in your way.
One of the next stops you will see is at the top of a steep hill climb, where you can pull over on the roadside to get a (3) awesome view of the bay that is home to Secret beach and the crazy 'desert island' looking restaurant built right on the edge of the rocks! Definintly one worth checking out.
Upon reaching the north-west of the island you will find (4) a beach that has a small sand pathway leading to a tiny island named Ko Ma. It's a pretty picturesque place and is also home to some great snorkelling sites.
When you hit the north of the island you will come to (5) Chaloklum Bay which is home to a small fishing village which is a lot quieter than the rest of the island. The sand here is clean and white and the water is bright blue. This is a great place to stop for a bite to eat as its cheaper than the more built up areas where the hostels are located.
Coming down through the centre of Koh Phangan you will want to make a stop at (6) Phaeng waterfall, after a good few hours of riding in the sun, the refreshing water pools will be just what you need to cool off in. During the wet seasons (September to January) these falls will be flowing nicely, but during the dry season as pictured above the water is but a trickle.. still, the pools will be deep enough to go for a little swim!
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The next section of the island will probably be best to visit on your second day, although if you are short on time and don't mind quick visits then you can see it all in a day, I wouldn't recommend it though, I came here for a few days and ended up spending 3 weeks! Anyway, you will be heading to the east of the island this time, with your first stop being (7) Than Sadet waterfall, a fast flowing rocky place that doesn't have much room for swimming but great for just dipping your feet in.
A few minutes down the road you will come to (8) another section on the river which has much bigger spaces for swimming, it also has this awesome pile of balanced rocks (a cairn). Disclaimer: I cannot guarantee this will be here when you visit :P
Finally you will reach (9) Haad Than Sadet beach. This is an awesome place for swimming considering most of the beaches on the west side are extremely shallow, this beach drops off quite rapidly. It also comes complete with amazing palm trees, an awesome swing and great views from the surrounding rocks like above!
After a full days adventuring your gonna be feeling hungry... and Koh Phangan has some (10) amazing food markets! This one in particular, located in the central built up area quite close to the pier, has all kinds of foods and is much cheaper than any road side restaurant on the island. Be sure to try the insects if your not vegetarian..
Now for the sunsets..
After finishing your awesome meal at the local market you will want to head straight for a great place to watch the sun set over the sea. Koh Phangan is regularly surrounded by storms out at sea and this can make for some incredible colours lighting up the clouds! The above picture is taken at a little bar called (11) Apichada Lookout which is an incredible place to come at any time of the day giving you a panoramic view of the jungle below, the sea out in front and the opposite island Koh Samui. This little bar is pretty under the radar, is never crowded, they play chill out tunes and serve great fruit shakes. Be sure to say hello to the owner Eigo!
(12) Zen Beach is where this beauty was photographed. Its a quiet beach that is known for having people play live music during the sunset and practice all kinds of activities, and its got a very old skool hippie vibe to it. The sun sets right in front of you, giving one hell of a show if your lucky! Oh and its also a nudist beach ✌
Finally my favourite sunset from my time on Koh Phangan was watched while sitting next to the awesome (13) leaning palm from earlier in the article. The water here is extremely calm which makes the colourful reflections even more beautiful.
And there you go, you're all set to have an incredible adventure on this epic island!
For more great information about this beautiful island, check out Local Nomad’s complete travel guide!
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
More wanderlust:
14 Photos That Will Inspire You To Travel
Travel might be a great way to meet new people, grow, discover adventure, and learn about yourself, but primarily, its a feast for the eyes and the soul.
14 Photos That Will Inspire you to Travel
Travel might be a great way to meet new people, grow, discover adventure, and learn about yourself, but primarily, its a feast for the eyes and the soul.
We have brought together some amazing photographers from around the world who have captured it in all its majesty. We hope these photos will awaken your desire to wander and see it all for yourself.
// United States Of America
Vernal Falls in Yosemite National Park in California - a bit of a hike up from the bottom, but definitely worth the effort! - Laurence Norah is the author of Finding the Universe, a travel & photography blog, as well as the Superstar Blogging Photography course, where he shares his photography tips and tricks with the world.
// Australia
Here is a photo we snapped while on Magnetic Island, Australia, during one the the best sunsets we have ever seen! It definitely helped that the scenery around us was so picturesque.
// Russia
"This was taken at the spiritual Shaman Rock on Olkhon Island in the middle of Lake Baikal. Olkhon Island didn't have running water until very recently and most hostels didn't have it installed when I visited, so I spent three days using outdoor squat toilets in -30 degrees Celsius and brushing my teeth with sparkling bottled water. TIP: When walking on the frozen lake, remember to look closely under the ice for fish swimming below you!" Moomads.
// Chile & Argentina
"This photo was taken on top of Paso de Jama, a main road connecting Chile with Argentina. Since we first came to the Andes we have been astonished by their beauty. Although they can look relatively barren, the rock formations are often so colourful that they can take your breath away. The air is extremely clean, so you often get clear blue skies of unbelievable vibrancy and crystal-clear reflections in lagoons." Dare2Go
// Australia
Whitehaven Beach on the east coast of Australia, some of the clearest waters in the world coupled with some of the whitest sand in the world. Its a combination that makes this place the perfect beach.
// Faroe Islands, part of Denmark
"Driving around the Faroe Island is a slow and time consuming matter - not because the roads are bad, but because the landscapes are simply too beautiful to be true, and you'll want to stop around every bend to take a picture. The weather in the Faroes is cold and rainy pretty much year round - as a result, the grass is the greenest we've seen, and there are waterfalls literally everywhere. This is Gásadalur waterfall, next to the village of the same name, and barely 10 km drive from the international airport. It was the first place we visited during our recent trip to the Faroe Islands - it is one of the most photographed locations in the country, spectacular year round and in all kinds of weather." The Crowded Planet
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// Egypt
"This shot is of Khafe Pyramid in Giza - as a history lover seeing the Great Pyramids in Egypt was one of my favourite travel experiences this past year!" Jessica Norah is the writer at Independent Travel Cats, a travel blog focused on couples travel, travel history, and luxury travel.
// The Galapagos Islands
"The Galapagos Islands; where the land is made from fire, the birds can't fly, and the lizards live underwater (some of the time anyway). Nothing here quite makes sense" Lisle Gywnn
// Mexico
"This photo is of the gorgeous Cenote X'Canche which is located just 1.5 miles from the Mayan Ruins of Ek Balam in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Visiting this cenote after exploring the ruins makes for a perfect day trip. I absolutely loved swimming in the vibrant turquoise-coloured freshwater with lots of little black catfish. My friends and I were the only ones there which made for such a tranquil and magical atmosphere." Brittany Thiessen.
// Australia
We took this beauty at sunrise on a quiet beach in Cape Hillborough, Australia. We had heard via word-of-mouth that it was a great place to see kangaroos in the wild, and as you can see it truly didn't disappoint!
// Iran
"Roaming through the grassy hills outside Palangan, a mountain village in Iranian Kurdistan. Rippling grasses, blue skies, and fields filled with shockingly red poppies make Kurdistan one of Iran's most charming and colourful regions." Lost With Purpose
// Hungary
"After visiting many cities across Europe, Budapest is without a doubt our favourite city. There is so much to see and do and the history and architecture of the city are interesting to say the least. This is our favourite picture from our time there, looking across over to Pest and Margaret island from Fisherman Bastion." Flashpacking Duo
// Chile
Torres Del Paine national park. This stunningly diverse landscape in Chile's Patagonia region was captured by our good friend Chie.
// Mongolia
"Wild horses roam the Mongolian steppe at sunset, just outside of the capital city of Ulaanbaatar." NOMADasaurus
Need more inspiring?!
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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10 Stunning Reasons To Visit Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island is a rocky tropical paradise home to an abundance of Australian wildlife...
10 Stunning Reasons To Visit Magnetic Island
If you've never heard of Magnetic Island, its an abundantly interesting and sparsely populated Jurassic island.
When you arrive in the neighbouring city of Townsville you will be greeted with a spectacular view of the entire island just off the coast, and, if you climb to the top of Castle hill you will get an even better view just like the one below!
The atmosphere on the island is extremely laid back and friendly, which you would imagine from a place that only has a population of 2,107. The small bays dotted around the coast-line are home to a few shops and bars, where you can grab a cheap bag of chips and watch the sunset on the beach, which looks awesome set against the silhouetted hills that surround the bays.
The wildlife on the island is vast and you will be sure to spot more than enough to fill your camera up! Make sure to head to Bungalow Bay at 4.30pm where they feed the Lorikeets everyday.
Magnetic Island is famous for its hikes, which will lead you around the mountain tops and along the coast lines. Small sheltered bays like Arthur Bay, pictured below, will be a regular sighting during your walks.
Another incredible sighting is the rock wallabies that can easily be seen at Geoffrey Bay during sunset; many people come to this spot with wallaby seed and carrots to feed the wallabies. If you're lucky the kind old man who comes here every day on his mobility scooter will offer you some feed (if you ask nicely).
Make sure you keep an eye out for the mothers carrying joey's in their pouches! They are incredibly cute if you catch them poking their little heads out to join in the evenings action.
Magnetic Island is also home to over 800 wild koalas, and with it being such a small place you have a great chance of spotting one in its natural habitat! Just grab some water, head out on one of the various walks and keep an eye out for arrows people have made in the ground, as these will indicate where to look.
There are some interesting WW2 ruins dotted along the trails on the Forts Walk, and keep an eye out for bats and spiders in dark rooms like these ;]
Huge rocks make up most of the scenery on Maggie Island, which give the place a feel of real age. Some of these rocks formed over 270 million years ago... If your into rock climbing, you've hit the jackpot!
We had to finish with another koala shot of this little fellow who climbed down his tree right in front of us to say hello. A true money-cant-buy experience!
So now you know why Magnetic Island is a must visit, and you're wondering how you too can experience it!? Go check out our review of what we believe to be one of the best places to stay while you're there!
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, forcing Hannah to do crazy things, and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
Wanderlust not satisfied?
How To Capture Epic Photographs
Want to learn how to use the MANUAL mode on a camera and take amazing photographs? This masterclass will teach you how...
How To Capture Epic Photographs
Since setting out on our adventure we have witnessed some wonderful sights, sights that just cried out to be snapped! We travelled for 7 months just taking photos on our GoPro and phones.. But then we forked out and bought ourselves a Canon G16. Its a fairly mid range camera with no external lens, but we did our research and the picture quality this camera can give really speaks for itself:
This was a truly beautiful moment for us, waking up at sunrise and meeting kangaroos on a beach in Australia. And the new camera certainly proved its worth! "But how did you get such a picture" You may ask.. For the above photo I set a ISO-80 and f/2.8 and then chose a fairly quick shutter speed of 1/320.
Okay so some of you may have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about.. These are the things your camera will take care of when you have it set to AUTO mode, and while this will work most of the time, you will find that you can create photographs that are way more epic on MANUAL mode. Okay so lets take a quick course on the values and what they mean, and trust me, they aren't that scary when you get your head around them :P Lets start with the thing that took me the longest to figure out..
The F-Stop Value
The f-stop value refers to the size of the cameras pupil, in many senses it works the same way your eyes pupil does. A low value of f/1.8 will mean that the pupil opens up wide and lets in the most light, and you guessed it.. a high value of say f/8 will reduce the pupils size and let in less light. Below is a little graphic to help you understand:
But this is not the only thing affected by the value.. Low value f numbers will have a lower depth of field, meaning you can take those close up pictures with blurred backgrounds. Similarly high f numbers will produce an image that will have close and distant objects in focus.
So to summarise:
LOW F VALUE (f/1.8 or similar) = MORE LIGHT + MORE BLUR
HIGH F VALUE (f/8 or similar) = LESS LIGHT + LESS BLUR
The ISO Value
ISO numbers are basically a measure of how sensitive the camera is to light, low ISO numbers mean the camera will be less sensitive and high numbers make it more sensitive. This can be very handy when taking pictures at night or inside as it will allow you to keep a fast enough shutter speed to stop there being any blur.
But this added sensitivity comes with a drawback, the higher you set the ISO the less quality you will get in your pictures, generally when taking photos outside you will want to keep the ISO as low as possible as there should be enough natural light to keep the camera happy :] Here is a comparison of two photos but to be fair the low ISO side came out brighter just because the sun was shining straight through the window...
To summarise:
LOW ISO VALUE (ISO-80 or similar) = LESS LIGHT + MORE QUALITY
HIGH ISO VALUE (ISO-3200 or similar) = MORE LIGHT + LESS QUALITY
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And Finally, Shutter Speed
Okay, so finally we have shutter speed, I've saved the easiest till last. Shutter speed refers to how long you want to open the shutter for when you press the capture button. Opening the shutter for a very short amount of time will let in only a tiny amount of light so you will need to turn up the ISO, but you will be able to capture shots of fast moving objects without blur. Our Canon G16's quickest capture setting is 1/4000 of a second.. which is kind of ridiculous for most photography unless maybe your trying to capture a speeding bullet or something :P
On the other hand opening the shutter for longer will (you guessed it!) allow more light in. This can be very handy if you taking pictures in a dark room or at night, but you will need a tripod to keep your camera very still or the image will be blurry. This photo below was taken with the shutter open for 30 seconds in a area of low light pollution:
And so to summarise:
LOW SHUTTER SPEED (1/400 or similar) = LESS LIGHT + MOVING OBJECTS WONT BLUR
HIGH SHUTTER SPEED (30 seconds or similar) = MORE LIGHT + MOVING OBJECTS WILL BLUR
Now lets move onto the less technical skills, starting with: Focus
Sometimes there will be something that just stands out to you in the foreground of a scene, the best way to bring attention to it is to shift the focus to it! If you get a little bit further away from the object and then zoom on it you can get a good balance on the background being blurred.
Framing And Foreground Objects
A natural frame for your picture can draw your viewers eye to what you wanted them to see in the picture, as you can see above I have used part of a tree as a frame here and it doesn't overpower the image. Also the addition of a figure in the water completes a triangle of interest between the big leaf, the sun breaking through the clouds and the figure, this keeps the viewer looking for longer.
Combining Those Skills!
The above photograph was taken just after a sunset at the waters edge, I set the f value to f/8 so that the clouds and the tree where in focus. The ISO value was turned all the way down to ISO-80 to let in the least amount of light, as I was aiming at the area that the sun was still lighting up. I then let the shutter open for 15 seconds, which was needed to let some light in with the other settings, but it also gave the water an awesome effect that makes it look like mist!
Experiment!
Capturing lightning can be a tiresome thing to do.. It includes a lot of waiting around and hoping you have the camera pointing in the right direction! The picture above was taken on our GoPro silver, this was good because the wide angle lens makes it much easier to get a whole lightning bolt in the frame.
I found the easiest method was to set up the camera with the lowest settings possible on the GoPro, ISO-100 and that's all you get to change haha! Then mount it on a tripod, point it in the general direction of the lightning and turn on the time-lapse mode with the shutter speed set to 20 seconds. This way you don't have to keep pressing the capture button, you can leave it doing its thing for 30 minutes and then take a look at the results!
The Milky Way
Photographing the stars is one of my favourite things to do! To capture something like this you will need to set up your camera on a tripod preferably, I then used the settings ISO-800, f/1.8 and took a 15 second exposure. You will probably want to open the photo up in an editing program to do a few touch ups to bring the colour out and adjust the contrast (this ain't cheating by the way, no one ever gets pro Milky Way shots straight off the camera).
The above photo was compiled on the camera! The Canon G16 has a feature which does all the technical stuff for you, And gives great star trail results :P But there are some great free applications out there that will basically do the same! StarTrails.de is one example.
Any Questions? Just Ask In The Comments..
Thanks for taking this short master-class! There are a few links to the cameras and tools I used to get these photos and if you click these to purchase anything, you will be helping to keep our site running at no extra cost to you :D
Now check out our first year of travel in 12 stunning photographs.
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
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1 Year In Oz - Photography
Will these 12 reasons be enough to get you on a plane to Australia?!
1 Year In Oz - Photo Book ☀
So its been 12 whole months since we left the UK, the time really hasn't gone fast at all.. In fact its gone quite slow!! This past year has felt like a lifetime in Australia, but that's what happens when you change your routine all the time. We have had 4 different jobs in that time and are just about to start new ones, travelled to beautiful islands, partook in a cannabis festival, took shelter for two days while a massive storm destroyed the camp ground we were staying at, hitch hiked up the east coast, watched whales migrate to warmer seas, spent Christmas on a isolated desert island, jumped out of a plane and so much more!!
So here we are, our 12 most favourite snaps that capture the journey we have been on so far! Enjoy!
1 - Port Stephens, a small area home to the largest sand dune system in Australia! We really did feel like we had just been dropped off in the middle of a desert..
2 - Crystal Falls near the old fashioned town of Bellingen, we went on a trek into the local rainforest filled with views like this!
3 - We worked for a month at a beach resort in a small beach town called Bargara, the views of the milky way were spectacular! Another shot taken on a bloomin GoPro!!
4 - Second year visa farm work in Australia ain't all bad, we landed WWOOFing positions on a small macadamia farm in the middle of know where. This photo was taken during one of the forest burns we took part in (That was Hannah's 4x4)
5 - The storms over our farm house! We spent hours just sitting out on the balcony watching the lightning and listening to the thunder. We also had to run out into and get wet :P
6 - This haunting photo was taken just after sunset on our GoPro in the town of 1770. You can even see a few stars starting to shine in the sky!
7 - After working on the farm we headed to Fraser Island to do some paid work at a camp ground. Over the course of the 2 months we spent there we spotted so much wildlife, this is one of the native Dingos patrolling the beach.
8 - This is Fraser Islands west coast, none of the tours go to this side of the island, which made it such a peaceful experience. Fraser truly is a beautiful place!
9 - The Whitsunday Islands, home to the famous Whitehaven Beach. We got dropped of by a small boat and spent 2 nights camping on the island, during the day the beach was full of day trippers, but in the evening we were the only people on the island..
10 - Sunset on Whitehaven beach, an empty beach and a warm beer (next time we will take a cool box) perfection! We had so much fun here that we would recommend it to anyone travelling in Oz.
11 - Cape Hillsborough, a small area near Airlie Beach. If you go to the beach in the early hours of the morning just as the sun is rising, you will be greeted by a group of kangaroos and wallabies! They all seem to love the attention and pose for the camera like professionals.
12 - Finally we have Noosa, our current base. An up and coming beach town with a beautiful river system running around it (also great views of the mountains as you can see above).
The year ahead will be quite different, as we head up to the rainforest's of Cairns, then into the dusty red outback. We can't wait to see the real and raw Australia!
Thanks for joining us on this epic adventure!! ✌
Cheers for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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Fraser Island - 13 Must See/Do's
Planning on visiting Fraser Island? Here's all the info you need plus some insider tips on secret spots to explore!
Fraser Island - 13 Must See/Do's ☠
Our home and place of work for 2 months, we managed to explore in great detail the surrounding area. We didn't have a 4x4 during this time, but we managed to hitch-hike up and down the beach and hop on a few tours when they had spare seats. We loved spending our free time watching the wildlife around us and keeping an eye out for all the deadly creatures too :P
If you plan on visiting Fraser Island, this page will give you all the info you need plus some insider tips on secret spots to explore!
Visit the SS Maheno, a shipwreck about half way up the famous 75 mile on Fraser's east coast. It was washed ashore in 1935 by a cyclone, and has been slowly rusting away with the relentless forces from the south pacific ocean, be sure to check it out before its gone!
Go bird watching, the camp sites are frequently visited by many kookaburra's, most of them eyeing up the tour groups lunch's.. There are many different bird species on the island and a few eagles to spot if your lucky!
Go sand-boarding ✌ the island is full of sand blows, and some of them contain some insanely high dunes! Just remember to take some water with you or you'll end up like some of the dry sun bleached bones that scatter the empty dunes.
Look up. We ended lots of our nights down on the beach in the dark looking at the stars, here's a glimpse of what the sky looked like.. Of course you can never capture the true beauty of the night sky, it has to been seen with your own eyes! I can only imagine how amazing it would be during the time of year when the Milky Way is visible...
Spot the Fraser Island Dingo! Interesting fact - Its genetically unique because of its isolation from the mainland. But the sad fact is that increased tourism is also increasing the death rate for these endangered dogs, if you do see one, try your hardest to keep your distance and not to feed them.
Go surfing! Despite what they say, you can actually swim in the waters, just be sure not to go out too far... Yes there are sharks commonly spotted in these waters but they have no reason to come into the rough shallows and for that same reason the jellyfish are usually not on the east side of the island either. Just keep your wits about you, and have fun!
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Take a scenic flight! Air Fraser run a daily service that picks people up along the beach and gives them a 15 min flight over the island for around $80, if you've never been on a plane this small before then its worth it just for that!
Relax at Lake Mckenzie, arguable Fraser Islands best lake, and for good reason! The waters are crystal clear and the sand is silica white.
Get a wild fish pedicure at lake Wabby! This lake is only accessible via a 20/30 minute walk, but once you get out onto the sand dunes where the lake is located the views will blow you away! The dark emerald green lake is home to some quite big catfish and loads of little fish that will come over and eat up your dead skin if you sit still.
Spot some monitor lizards! Or as Australians call them, 'goannas'. These guys live all around the camp sites, you can easily spot 3/4 a day!! For people not used to them they are fascinating, but to the locals they are pests.
Explore the beautiful west coast of Fraser, there are no waves and no endless stream of vans driving on the beach.. It's about an hour drive through rough terrain and soft sand to get across the the other side, but if you manage it, its really worth the drive!
Spot a python! If your camping on the island you might be lucky enough to spot one, this dude was sat on a picnic bench for days just chilling.
Drive the 75 mile beach, the extremely popular drive up and down the which is often refered to as a highway because of the number of cars driving on it gives people a chance to stop at some amazing spots and also test their off-roading skills on the sand!
Read more about our time on Fraser or check out some more awesome photography!
Getting to Fraser Island
From Hervey Bay:
- You can hop on the the Kingfisher Bay ferry, return tickets cost $58 on foot or $175 for a vehicle. Try hitching a ride at the ferry terminal in a car with spare seats, or gather a group of friends and a car to lower the cost of the ticket.
- Feeling luxurious? Check out Air Fraser, a small family run air charter service that will take you on a breath-taking flight over the island and land you on the beach! Prices start at $150.
From Rainbow Beach:
- Gather some friends, hire a 4x4 from one of the many local hire companies and hop on the Manta Ray Barge which leaves from Inskip point every 30 minutes from 6am till 5.15pm. Return tickets are $120 for a car and this based on the car, not the amount of people inside it!
- Hitch-hike your way onto the island, this is a great way to see the island and pay nothing! Just be sure to grab a dingo stick while your exploring the island (just incase).
- Hop on one of the many tour groups that explore the many highlights of the island over 2/3 days! Depending on what your style is there are different tours for everyone, Pippies and RBAC host crazy drunken nights (just remember to respect the island) and company's like Drop Bear and Cool Dingo have a more relaxed vibe.
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, forcing Hannah to do crazy things, and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know us here!
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Taran & Makoto here, together we form Nomader How Far photography.
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