Seven Day Nyepi Bali Photography Tour and Workshop presented by Mark Rayner and David Metcalf

Seven Day Nyepi Bali Photography Tour and Workshop presented by Mark Rayner and David Metcalf

26 March to 2 April 2014

Book now to secure your spot on this amazing photography workshop and tour. Hi , Dayak Dave (David Metcalf) and Buffalo Master (myself) are pleased to announce our next Bali adventure photography workshop and tour.

The workshop is planned to coincide with Nyepi, a very special week of festivities, held once a year on the Island of the Gods. This workshop is designed to challenge you as a photographer, teach you new skills and techniques under the watchful guidance of Mark and Dave, capture some amazing Images and give you a great insight into Balinese culture at a very special time of the year. This is a workshop not to be missed.

One day prior to Nyepi is Pengrupukan when monster replica’s or Ogah Ogah’s are paraded through the streets on the shoulders of village youths who have spent weeks preparing the colourful displays. This is a feast for those with a photographers eye. Nyepi day is preceded by ceremonies such as Melasti a purification ceremony. You will get to witness Balinese Hindus carrying temple offerings and other sacred symbols to beaches or springs where the purification rituals are held. This is a time of celebration and the Island is alive with dance and music.

Nyepi (the day of silence) is the most Important day on the Balinese calendar and a wonderful and unique opportunity to photograph the spectacular colour and spirit of the days before and after Nyepi. However this is not all you will see!

Dave and Mark will be take you to some very special non-touristy locations to photograph many aspects of Bali including stunning views over ricefields and Volcanos, Sunrise over Mount Agung and Lake Batur, ancient temples in the most historic area of Bali, Kusumba a fascinating fishing village and a opportunity to photograph the salt makers of the area and colourful fishing boats.

And then there's the wildlife! There will be plenty to interest bird and wildlife photographers as we include the famous Monkey Forest and Bali Bird Park, Rural Balinese life incl the duck farmers, however perhaps the greatest highlight will be the very special dance and music performance that will be performed by the local people from the ancient village of Pejeng.

The beautiful Balinese dancers will amaze you! The evening of dance is very unique, as not only traditional dance and music will be performed but also the amazing Kecak dance, followed by dinner under the stars in front of an ancient Balinese temple. This performance will be truly unforgettable and will be performed only for the photography group in a natural setting beside the World Heritage listed Pakerisan river.

David Metcalf, now living in Indonesia, has travelled extensively in Bali and Indonesia for the last thirteen years. In his younger days Dave and his wife Stephanie travelled 20,000 kms by bicycle through 12 different countries. Dayak Dave as he is known in Indonesia, due to his love and interest of the Dayak tribe of Kalimantan, has a great interest and passion for everything Indonesian and Bali in particular. Keep an eye out for his amazing new book about his travels throughout Indonesia to be released in the New Year. The price for your Bali Nyepi adventure is USD $3900.00 (sole occupancy) Which includes: * 7 Nights accommodation at the beautiful Puri Sunia Resort. * 7 Breakfasts * 4 Lunches * 4 Dinners * Special Dance performance at a historic village near Ubud * VIP 'Visitor On Arrival' service * All ground transport incl pick up and return to the airport. * Sarongs * E book with best Images from the tour * Professional photographers and guides fees. A $500.00 deposit will secure your position. To find out more about this incredible photographic adventure and learning experience click on the link -> here. To book, simply complete the form at the bottom of the page -> here. or call Mark on 0459 221678. In the spirit of Christmas, if you book before 31 December, we'll knock 5% off the workshop fee. We'd love to have you along. Cheers, Mark

Borneo 8 Day Orangutan, Wildlife and Dayaks Photo Expedition and Tour

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8 Day Orangutans, Wildlife and Dayaks Photo Expedition with Mark Rayner and David Metcalf 25 May - 2 June 2014 Hi Mark, This will amaze you. Join professional photographers Mark Rayner and David Metcalf on the trip of a lifetime to exotic Borneo (Indonesian Kalimantan) to experience something simply unforgettable – an opportunity to photograph and learn about the fascinating endangered Orangutans in their natural environment. What springs to mind when you hear the word Borneo? Prehistoric tribes living in the forest, orangutans in the wild, exotic wildlife, giant hornbill birds or maybe wild Indiana Jones type headhunters roaming the impenetrable jungle rainforest? Well its not quite like this these days, but if you long for an adventure into Central Borneo to photograph orangutans, large proboscis monkeys, unique birdlife and have the opportunity to meet the local traditional Dayak people whilst sailing along an ancient river in a house boat and going to sleep surrounded by pristine rainforests, then this is the trip for you. Mark Rayner (Buffalo Master) and (Dayak) Dave Metcalf will be leading this fascinating and unique photography adventure in late May 2014. Borneo (in Indonesia, known as Kalimantan), the Amazon of Asia, has a rich array of birdlife and wonderful primates including orangutans, which we get to see at close quarters. This is simply an unforgettable experience and one that will remain with you forever. But this is not all you will see. The shutters will be in overdrive as you witness the huge proboscis monkeys literally flying through the trees at dusk, from the comfort of our comfortable boat, known as a Klotok, as we glide up the river surrounded by the jungle. The immense beauty of the night sky in this wild and pristine place will no doubt captivate and inspire the creative photo-artist within you. We venture into the Tanjung Puting National Park, which is the size of Bali, and visit Camp Leakey where we will meet the orangutans face to face and have the opportunity to see how they live in the forest and photograph them in the wild. We also visit the education centre and learn about the future for their survival as a species. Watch for the huge native hornbills as they soar with their massive bulk through the Borneo skies as we glide along the black water lakes of Central Kalimantan witnessing the stunning afternoon light and brilliant sunsets in this ancient land. We also visit a floating village and meet the Dayak people who have lived in this area for thousands of years. The Dayak people are renowned for their beauty and graceful artistic dance and we have a very special event planned. A traditional warrior dance will be performed, just for our group, on a private island. A great photographic moment where you will have the opportunity to capture the elaborate costumes, array of feathers, colour, culture and watch a captivating performance of song and dance honouring their ancient past. This evening allows for a sharing of stories with the Dayak elders and learn something of their ancient ways and spiritual beliefs in their natural environment. This is an adventure specifically for photographers who want to photograph unique wildlife and experience the beauty and ancient lands of Borneo with like-minded people. Mark and David have a wealth of experience in tour leading and please be assured your safety and comfort are paramount at all times. “Life is not remembered by the breaths you take but those moments that take your breath away”. Please join David and Mark for many breath-taking moments and improve your photography skills, as we take you into the heart of Borneo to connect intimately with the Dayaks, the orangutans and exotic wildlife. For a complete day to day itinerary, pricing and booking please check out all the details on the Trekabout website here.

Kangaroo Island - Amazing Wonderland

Day 1

Thursday 19th September 2013

Wow, another amazing workshop to add to the list. This was our inaugural Kangaroo Island workshop and I'm pleased to say, an outstanding success.

Michael carried out a recce back in January to set up the workshop and was astounded at the difference in colour on the island. The recent rains gave us a wonderland of green and our timing, arriving in early spring, saw wildflower in abundance.

Our first day saw an easy start with our superb guide and driver, Ron (from Exceptional Kangaroo Island) doing the run around to collect the group from various accommodation. Once Annette, Esther, Marg, Peter and Alan were safely on board we were off.

Our transport for the week was an Isuzu 4x4 fitted with a custom built 12 seater coach body. High seating gave us all a terrific view as  we drove from place to place. After a pleasant drive through Flinders Chase National Park we arrived at Wallaby Heights for a BBQ lunch.

While Ron starting cooking the King George Whiting the group wandered around the picturesque setting taking in their new surrounds.

Then the hail arrived! Luckily we were under cover and enjoyed a delicious lunch straight after which the storm passed.

We then proceeded onto Kangaroo Island Wilderness Retreat to check into our home for the next five days. The retreat is located in the south west corner of the island and truly is surrounded by wilderness. It was the perfect staging point to visit the many wonders that the island had in store for us, the first of which was Admirals Arch and the resident colony of New Zealand Fur Seals.

Along the way we spotted dozens of Cape Barren Geese so a deviation from plan was called for and we held an impromptu bird photography session. Pretty hard to resist when chicks were spotted.

When we arrived at Admirals Arch the weather wasn't doing us any favours as the wind was extreme and the odd shower passed over but the fur seals more than made up for any discomfit. We watched as the young ones frolicked in the ocean leaping out of the waves practicing for when they would need those skills to escape predators. It was simply enthralling. As we proceeded down the boardwalk we found a number of juveniles very close. Ron commented hat he rarely saw them up this close so we were really given a special treat.

Back at the resort we cooked up a super welcome BBQ and hit the sack. It had been a big day and we would be up early for a sunrise shoot.

Day 2

Friday 20th of September 2013

The weather had a sombre mood to it for our first sunrise shoot at Remarkable Rocks. We were treated to the odd sprinkle and a rather cool breeze but the scenery was spectacular.

After breakfast back at the retreat we headed for Little Sahara. This area of sand dunes offered some spectacular landscape opportunities with ripple patterns and dune grasses offering excellent foreground detail.

After another superb lunch of chicken and pesto with salad we headed to the Rocky River precinct.  More Cape Barren Geese, kangaroos and Tamar Wallabies had the group captivated.

Vivonne Bay was our next destination with stunning coastal scenes followed by sunset at Point Ellen.

it was a very long day finishing with my Post-processing session to help everyone get the most from their images.

Day 3

Saturday 21st of September 2013

After a small sleep in we headed to Seal Bay and the Australian Sealion Experience. Our EKI guide is also a trained National Parks guide and we were indeed in for a treat under his guidance. The sealions were in fine form with the teenagers having a few squabbles and the huge old bulls showing everyone who was the boss.

Then we headed off to the Raptor Domain free flight show for an avian treat. Kestrels, owls and other raptors were on hand and we were all able to get up close and personal.

Some free time for everyone to catch their breath and then we were off to Grassdale for twilight and sunset photography. Kangaroos and incredible grass trees abound. The grass trees were huge with many being hundreds of years old.

Another sensational meal at KIWR and then the group were treated to a Wildlife audio visual from Michael.

Day 4

Saturday 21st of September 2013

Up early again for another sunrise shoot at Remarkable Rocks. Totally different conditions and light rewarded the group with another stunning landscape shoot.

Back to the retreat for brekkie  followed by an  Image Critique session followed by a macro shoot.

Off to Western River and another superb EKI picnic lunch. Grass trees and fields of colorful dandelions and then we visited Snellings Beach for panoramic landscapes and a gorgeous sunset.

Day 5

Monday 23nd of September 2013

All too soon we are checking out from KIWR and heading for Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. There is a large wild koala population in residence easily spotted and bird life abounds.

Duck Lagoon for lunch and finally we nail one of the shots we had been pursuing all week. The tiny Scarlet Robin put on a show posing for us momentarily before flitting off to another tree with a hoard of photographers in hot pursuit.

Finally we visit the very picturesque  Pennington Bay and Pelican Lagoon before saying our farewells.

What an amazing week with so many, many photographic opportunities. A fantastic group, fantastic island, fantastic guide, fantastic food, fantastic accommodation. Yep it was all pretty fantastic.

Bring on KI 2014!!!

See the Rainbow

Every day I have huge flocks of Rainbow Lorikeets come around to the garden to display their amazing colour. I love watching their antics as they hop around squabbling and working out who's the boss. Sometimes I think they all reckon they're in charge. It truly is hilarious. 

I guess, as they are always around, you tend to get a little blasé and just take them for granted. 

Sometimes, though, the camera has just got to come out to capture their amazing display. 

The light was gorgeous but failing fast so I used a little flash fill to bring out the colours of the rainbow. 

Have a great week everyone and enjoy the wonders in your garden. 

The Future of Post Processing for Photographers

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So, I've just completed a booked out Digital Processing Bootcamp weekender at Redcliffe with a great group and I got to thinking about a few things. 

It is becoming more and more obvious that to me that photographers don't need all the whiz-bang tools and features in Photoshop. 

In fact the user interface of Lightroom 5 is very easy to learn and most tasks performed by most photographers can be carried out without needing to resort to the 'heavy lifting' in Photoshop. 

Sure, there are many professional photographers out there who have some unique and specific uses for Photoshop with tried and tested formulas, actions, scripts and so forth, me included. But, for the everyday 'hobbyist/serious amateur' photographer Lightroom will do the job. 

When I talk about heavy lifting, I refer to layers, composites, large blemish removals and the like.
For most though, the import, library, cataloging, adjusting, cropping, straightening, colour correcting, exporting, printing, etc. etc. can all be taken care of more than adequately in Lightroom. 

Of course, add in a couple of magic plug-in suites such as NIK or OnOne and you have a very powerful editing tool.

The reason I bring this up is that we spent less time in Photoshop over this last weekend's bootcamp but it really made no difference. We accomplished all that was needed in Lightroom and a couple of inexpensive plug-ins.

With the recent changes that Adobe have made to the way you can purchase Photoshop through the Creative Cloud (or rather can't purchase photoshop) you may be better served using Lightroom 5 (which has the very latest whiz-bang RAW convertor) and Photoshop Elements. 

Elements is far cheaper and has many, many of the important features found in the full version of Photoshop. It could just be your perfect post-processing solution.

As an added bonus with the money you save, you can come along to my digital processing bootcamps and learn how to get the most out of your images with Lightroom  

Here is our happy group at the end of their gruelling weekend bootcamp. Have a great week everyone. Cheers, Mark

Bali and Borneo Amazing Photography Adventure

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Bali Culture, Volcanoes and Orangutans in Borneo - Just released for late November 2013

I have just officially released an amazing photographic tour and workshop for late November in Bali and Borneo.

Dave Metcalf (Dayak Dave) and myself will lead this incredible adventure over 8 days taking in (amongst other things) the following:

• Ancient temples of Bali, 100 dancers at special performance in an ancient temple just for our group, Balinese landscapes, cultural ceremonies
• West Bali -Buffalo races plus colourful Bugis boats, terraced rice fields, volcanoes
• Orangutans in Borneo plus birdlife and native Dayak culture
• Monkeys and the stunning Bali Bird park
• Borneo traditional villages, beautiful rivers, stunning sunsets
• Special dance performance on a private island - Kalimantan
• Challenging travel photography
• Feedback sessions on photography and post processing techniques

and much, much more.





Read more here...

The Art of Shooting in the Wild

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Guest contributor, Julie Roper, shares the Trekabout philosophy of enjoying and photographing  Australia's landscape and wildlife responsibly. We trust you enjoy her enlightening article.

The Art of Shooting in the Wild 

by guest contributor - Julie Roper

Australia is a continent of wide-open spaces, from its panoramic coastlines to its outback and mountains; there is an abundance of photographic opportunities available for enthusiasts who want to capture the essence of this country’s wilderness. By following a few guidelines about shooting in the wild, you can create stunning vistas and animal portraits on your trek that will be long remembered.

Panoramas

Australia’s landscape is made for the panoramic shot, but this can be difficult to capture on film, with lenses covering up to 90 degrees, so you may find you need to take a series of photographs of your panorama and join them up to create the full effect.

In the old days, this would mean lining the shots up by hand to frame them, but now with the software available, the job is made easier for stitching together shots. You should aim to overlap your shots when you take them by up to 50 per cent so that you make sure you capture the entire subject. Shoot from left to right, so that they are in the correct order and then choose a stitching software package such as Adobe Photoshop, Double Take or Adobe Elements.

Some tips for capturing the best panoramas on your camera include shooting on manual to ensure the exposures have continuity to them. Avoid polarisers and keep the horizon near the centre of your picture so that it doesn’t curve too much.

Shooting the Outback

The Outback has been fascinating photographers for many years, with its lunar like landscape and panoramic views. Understanding this environment is important to being able to capture it successfully. The Outback can reach temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius and you and your equipment need to be vigilant in the heat. Cameras can be damaged by excessive temperatures, whilst photographers become dehydrated quickly. Preparation is the key to an Outback expedition: make sure you invest in the appropriate cover for your gear in case of any accidents and damage occurring. Your equipment is expensive and you need to protect it, particularly out in the open where it is more vulnerable and at the mercy of the environment, or where it might be dropped. Keep your camera in a bag and away from direct sunlight where possible. The dust is another major factor to consider as it can seriously damage your equipment so make sure you only take your camera out when you are shooting.

Another useful tip when shooting in the Outback is to make sure you carry enough water for your trip. A dehydrated photographer will not be thinking creatively about the next shot.

The light in the Australian Outback is remarkable and will give your photographs a unique, surreal look to them, but be careful of glare as this can destroy shots. Adjust your camera to take harsh glare into account and consider using filters to create the effect you want.

Wildlife

The key to photographing wildlife is to focus on the eyes, as this ensures you have the animal in your sights and can capture it accurately on film. A good tip is to shoot quite a few frames, pausing to refocus to make sure you iron out any errors that might show up later on. Wildlife is notoriously difficult to shoot successfully and practice definitely makes perfect. If the subject is still, the job is made easier and you might use a manual focus for a long lens. Remember that the eyes should always be the focal point to your shot and that the centre of the focus will be the most accurate part of the composition. Many photographers use a flash, which is on a low setting when they shoot wildlife pictures. This will fill in any shadows and highlight the eyes, bringing animals and birds to life on film.

There is a code of conduct that photographers should adhere to when shooting in the wild, to avoid too much stress being put on animals and birds in their natural habitats. Observe conservation laws in local areas, taking notice of restricted areas. Obtain permission if you need to gain access to private land. Birds that are nesting may be put at risk by photography and detailed knowledge of the species and their habitat should be sought before shooting takes place.

Shooting in the Australian wilderness is a rewarding experience and, by following some simple guidelines, you should be able to create some stunning photographs of this fantastic land and its wildlife.

New Melbourne Post Processing Bootcamp Announced

Weekend Photoshop and Lightroom Bootcamp Workshop Class with Mark Rayner

Where: St Kilda - Melbourne
Next workshop: 31 August - 1 September 2013

Due to increasing requests we are pleased to offer a digital post-processing and workflow program with particular emphasis on Adobe Lightroom 5 and Adobe Photoshop in Melbourne.
The workshop is spread over two days, incorporating 5 two hour sessions and a 3 hour 'Phototrek' to begin the workshop. Held in the air conditioned Oakley South Pacific, Head Office at St Kilda, there is plenty of parking available with easy access. Morning teas will be provided.

The workshop will cover:

Importing and opening images ◦ Image resolution ◦ Selections and masks
Colour and white balance adjustments ◦ Retouching ◦ Histograms
File formats ◦ Filters ◦ Actions ◦ Scripts
Plug-ins ◦ HDR ◦ Metadata ◦ Batch processing
Presets ◦ Keyboard shortcuts ◦ Exporting and saving ◦ Automating tasks
Re-sizing ◦ Sharpening
Noise reduction ◦ and much, much more.
Program:

Saturday and Sunday 8:30am to 5:00pm
The Phototrek

We commence proceedings shooting the St Kilda foreshore, Luna Park and surrounding areas during a 3 hour photo walk. We will all be photographing together and this shoot will provide much of the imagery for the weekend's processing tuition. You will be working from scratch on images from your own camera.

Session 1
This session covers the basics of Adobe Bridge and Camera Raw and de-mystifying the connections of both with Photoshop. Mark will show you how best to transfer your images to your computer and some convenient protocols for folder naming and storage. We will also look at how Adobe Lightroom can be incorporated ion your Photoshop workflow.

Session 2
This session will cover image adjustment and enhancement in Camera Raw and look at a number of techniques to speed up the post-processing workflow. We will look at the various adjustment modules and tools which will become the backbone of your image processing.

Produce amazing black and white results

 

Session 3
We will start to get into some of the new user friendly aspects of Photoshop and really begin to make a difference to our RAW files to produce images with that "Wow" factor. We'll look at the best way to set up your tool panels and optimise your workspace to suit your style and needs. You will explore the different tools available in Photoshop and how and when to use them.

Learn how to turn an overexposed washed out image ........................................into a dramatic, punchy photograph in just a few easy steps.

 

Session 4
To help speed up the workflow process we will begin to incorporate plug-ins, presets, actions and scripts. As well as providing you with many ready to use presets and actions, Mark will guide you through the process of creating your own actions to speed up processes that you find yourself doing more often.
You'll learn how to create stunning, unique and interesting backgrounds for your "studio" portraits and much more.

  

Session 5
By this session you will have a new understanding of presets, actions, scripts, plug-ins, batch processing, curves, layers, masks, resolution, filters and many more terms.This session will put your new found knowledge and skills to work and consolidate what you have learned into a smooth and efficient workflow. We will also look at the basics of some of the hot topics of digital photography such as HDR (High Dynamic Range), Panorama stitching and more.

All attendees will receive a complimentary Photoshop actions, presets, scripts, printable cheat sheets and more.

More....