Spinning Stars
An update to last year's feature on shooting star trails. By combining a "bright frame" with the trail you can achieve a smoother and more pleasing look to your trails.
Star Trails at Sunset
This is the third evolution of my star trails guides, a small refinement but one I plan to use quite a lot in future. This feature adds onto the previous two guides which go deeper into the technique of capturing and stacking a star trail sequence.
Shooting Sunrise at Meili Xue Shan
Iconic mountains capped with snow and untamed by man. Of all the legends that circulate around the newly named Shangri-La county, the "Snow Mountains" known simply as Mei Li are easily the most convincing. Majestic peaks alter the weather and thrill the crowds. There are no certainties about getting clear skies for sunrise, but true landscape photographers are a patient lot anyway.
Yunnan Beyond the Yaks
China's increasing middle-class growth is putting pressure on the traditional flavour of tourism across the country. In Yunnan there are still plenty of gems to be discovered, but expect to dig a little deeper to find them.
Uluru for Photographers
This magnificent monolith in the heart of Australia's Red Center is one of the world's most inspiring locations for a photographer to visit. Be warned however, it is also a subject that demands care and respect.
When The Stars Come Out
Photographing the night sky is easier than you think, provided you can find the darkest of nights and stay away from city lights.
Below the Treetops
Two hours drive from Brisbane or the Gold Coast is Lamington National Park and a patch of highland rainforest surrounded by valleys of eucalyptus woodlands. Much of this region is regrowth that has re-established after being cleared by graziers in the early 1900s. Today these forests are home to numerous species of birds, and the cattle have been replaced by tourists. Birders and photographers come here especially to see the Regent Bowerbird, and enjoy a number of other hard to find species.
Sunbirds in the Carpark
If your goal is to catch great photos of birds, your best opportunities might be easier to access than you imagined.
Canal Town of Xitang
Xitang is a taste of old China, old Shanghai and old charms. Hidden away from the madness of Shanghai and its every expanding skyline, the remnants of Xitang's old town is something of a rarity. The town is both popular but photogenic, a genuine attraction for tourists and photographers that is close to Shanghai, yet worlds away.
An Elephant in my Tuk Tuk
After a decade of journeys through South-East Asia and countless encounters with elephants in the jungles of Thailand the question of whether tourism is good for these graceful creatures is still an important one. Exploring the culture of elephants in Thailand makes for a wonderful journey, and if you chose with care, your travel dollar can greatly improve the lives of the elephants as well.
Bangkok for Photographers
Bangkok is a big city that evokes an immediate reaction from visitors, usually a polarised preference somewhere between heaven and horror. For photographers Bangkok is a challenge of chaos and confusion. My advice is to simply slow down.
Heading North of Hanoi
It's all about the rice. Rural life in Northern Vietnam is heavily focused on the production of rice grain, but there's more going on around the paddies than just planting and the harvest. Ethnic diversity and the history of a nation are a part of the landscape too.
