Going Beyond the Viewfinder: Bali

With travel becoming cheaper and social media networking sites becoming more accessible, there’s never been a more perfect time to learn your way around travel photography. We recently partnered with Henry’s Professional and Fujifilm Philippines, putting together our first ever travel photography workshop with a small group of photography enthusiasts.

Missed our first stop in Bali, Indonesia? Don’t worry, we took notes and we’re sharing it with you.

Go with a passionate group

You know what they say: birds of the same feather, flock together. We were lucky enough to have our first batch of workshop attendees to be a fun, passionate bunch who made the trip more memorable. Going with a group who will encourage you and inspire you to make the most of you trip is definitely a must on your list!

Look for interesting details

Temples, such as the ones in Bali, are often a treasure trove of beautiful, intricate details. If possible, try to get closer so you can show off these details through your photography. You can also highlight snippets of daily life that you won’t get anywhere else. In Bali for example, we witnessed how the Balinese prepared and offered the canang sari, their daily offerings to give thanks to their gods or to appease evil spirits.

Interact with locals

Fujifilm X-Photographer Rommel Bundalian was also in attendance and he showed us the ropes on how to approach locals and when to find the best moments to shoot. Locals are, more often than not, happy to share their culture with travelers. Just make sure that you remain polite and that you ask permission before you shoot their photos.

Time it right

Some attractions look better when they’re shot during specific times of the day, like a sunrise in Angkor Wat or nighttime in front of the Eiffel Tower. A safe, foolproof time to shoot is during the late afternoon, which most photographers call as the golden hour. You can also catch this type of light shortly after sunrise, when daylight looks softer.

Find a new perspective

While traveling with other people also means sharing the views and the experiences, it doesn’t mean you need to see it from the same perspective. Look for a new angle by walking to a different spot, or by choosing to shoot from the ground or by even going for a bird’s eye view.

Photo Credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Special thanks to Henry’s Professional and Fujifilm Philippines for making our first travel photography workshop a success. Hoping to learn more about travel photography? Ask about our photo tours heading to Iceland or Bhutan later this year at helloangely@travelwithaccess.com.