A little iPhone magic, captured one evening as I was taking the Metro home after some twilight photography in Rosslyn, Virginia at the U.S.Marine Corps War Memorial. Taken at the Washington, D.C. Metro subway rail station (Rosslyn, Virginia stop).
This photograph will be published in the "Gather No Moss" section of the September 20, 2012 print edition of the San Diego Reader magazine.
Happy Travels!
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Monday, December 24, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Come Sail Away in America’s Finest City
Since leaving the Midwest last year, I’ve been meaning to photograph the Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge in downtown San Diego. The bridge connects the convention center with Petco Park (home to San Diego’s Major League Baseball team the Padres). At 550 feet, the bridge is one of the longest self-anchored pedestrian suspension bridges in the world and is supposed to look like a sail to fit in with San Diego's nautical history.
I took this photograph from the top floor of a parking garage. I like this view since it not only includes the new Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge, but also Petco Park, the new Central Library and the East Village District which is San Diego's largest and most rapidly developing neighborhood.
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I took this photograph from the top floor of a parking garage. I like this view since it not only includes the new Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge, but also Petco Park, the new Central Library and the East Village District which is San Diego's largest and most rapidly developing neighborhood.
Happy Travels!
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Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Do you have a dream?
On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his 'I Had A Dream' speech on August 28, 1963.
Happy Travels!
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Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Still figuring out Google +
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Thursday, October 11, 2012
Special Price for all my Friends...Individual Photo Workshops for only $395!
Special Price for all my Flicker Friends...Individual Photo Workshops for only $395!, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.
Speaking of photographs, Washington, D.C. is a very photogenic town and you’ll be taking your fair share of photos of the memorials and monuments. You’ll be taking photos of other tourists too, whether you want to or not.
Everywhere I went people would ask me to take a photo of them in front of some memorial or monument. I don’t mind doing so for people, but not when I’m behind the lens trying to compose a shot of my own.
I would have my Canon 5D Mark II on a tripod and just a like a magnet, tourists would swarm around me to ask to have their photos taken of themselves with their camera. So I would have to take a couple of steps aways from my gear hoping somebody wouldn’t grab it and run away with over $3,900 dollars worth of photo equipment. Sometimes they would be a couple of yards away from where I had my tripod mounted gear, so I would have to gather it up and take it with me and then go back and reposition everything.
One night I was photographing at the Reflecting Pool in front of the U.S. Capitol. I got there a little late so I set up really quick and just starting shooting with my eye glued behind the camera eyepiece. Sure enough, out of the corner of my other eye some guy was standing right next to me and asked to take a photo of him and his friends.
Are you kidding?
No, I’m not busy at the moment and the blue hour only last a couple of minutes. Let me stop what I’m doing so I can photograph you guys with your Android phone and then later you can post your photos to Facebook of you guys doing the “holding up” pose of the Capitol.
The worst offender was when I was shooting here at the Marine Corps War Memorial. I was position further back from the Memorial and on top of a four foot concrete block so I could include both the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol in the frame.
“There’s a guy with professional equipment. Could you take a photo of me and my girlfriend?” Some stranger asked in the dark.
Being the nice guy I am, I stepped down from the block and took a photo of them, but one wasn’t enough. They wanted one vertical, one with funny faces, standing back to back, etc.
He asked how the night time mode on his camera worked and if I could take another set of photos with it on.
“$495 dollars,” I stated.
“What’s that for?” He replied.
“That’s my fee if you want my full time instruction,” I indicated.
With a puzzled look he asked, “Why the amount of $495 dollars?”
“$495 dollars sounds much more marketable than $500 dollars. Cash only please,” I demanded.
I left him with his girlfriend in the dark still bewildered and trying to figure out the night time mode on his camera.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Arlington Memorial Bridge at Dusk - Washington, D.C.
Another three in one photograph.
From the banks of the of the Potomac River you can get a great view of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, The Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument all in one frame.
The Arlington Memorial Bridge not only links the state of Virginia with the District of Columbia, but also the Civil War era North and South.
On one end you have the Union’s Lincoln Memorial and across the Potomac on the Virginia side you have the Confederacy’s Robert E. Lee Memorial.
Some of you have commented on the recent watermarks on my photos. It’s there for a reason. People have been using my photos without my permission or compensation. If you want to use my photos please let me know and I would be more than happy to share them with you. Just drop me an email.
Don’t steal! The government hates competition!
Happy Travels!
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From the banks of the of the Potomac River you can get a great view of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, The Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument all in one frame.
The Arlington Memorial Bridge not only links the state of Virginia with the District of Columbia, but also the Civil War era North and South.
On one end you have the Union’s Lincoln Memorial and across the Potomac on the Virginia side you have the Confederacy’s Robert E. Lee Memorial.
Some of you have commented on the recent watermarks on my photos. It’s there for a reason. People have been using my photos without my permission or compensation. If you want to use my photos please let me know and I would be more than happy to share them with you. Just drop me an email.
Don’t steal! The government hates competition!
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Thursday, September 13, 2012
The Dangers of being a Travel Photographer
I was standing in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. when I took this photograph between honking cars and speeding bicyclists. I was arrested by the local police because they considered my tripod a dangerous weapon. I was handed over to the Department of Homeland Security, interrogated and labeled as an “enemy combatant” ready to be renditioned to Guantanamo Bay.
That wasn’t even the bad part.
My poor Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera was scanned, swabbed and fingered by some unsavory guys wearing pink shoes, purple smocks and white gloves.
I finally yelled out from the top of my lungs, “Photography is not a crime!” and handed them a copy of this:
Find out your rights as a photographer by clicking this link
They put a black bag over my face and forced me into some vehicle. After an hour or so I was then thrown out of the vehicle and found myself in some place called Freedom Plaza back on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Yes, it’s tough being a travel photographer.
I also have a wild imagination.
None of this is true (but this could be the next Dan Brown novel) with the exception that I really was on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. taking this photograph from Freedom Plaza.
This is a great location to photograph the U.S. Capitol with a city view. It looks like I’m standing in the middle of the road, but actually Pennsylvania Avenue takes a slight bend where the plaza is at so you have a direct view of the Capitol with the traffic coming straight toward you.
If for some reason when you come back to my blog and it hasn’t been updated for a while, then you’ll know the U.S. government has really temporarily relocated me to Guantanamo Bay!
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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That wasn’t even the bad part.
My poor Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera was scanned, swabbed and fingered by some unsavory guys wearing pink shoes, purple smocks and white gloves.
I finally yelled out from the top of my lungs, “Photography is not a crime!” and handed them a copy of this:
Find out your rights as a photographer by clicking this link
They put a black bag over my face and forced me into some vehicle. After an hour or so I was then thrown out of the vehicle and found myself in some place called Freedom Plaza back on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Yes, it’s tough being a travel photographer.
I also have a wild imagination.
None of this is true (but this could be the next Dan Brown novel) with the exception that I really was on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. taking this photograph from Freedom Plaza.
This is a great location to photograph the U.S. Capitol with a city view. It looks like I’m standing in the middle of the road, but actually Pennsylvania Avenue takes a slight bend where the plaza is at so you have a direct view of the Capitol with the traffic coming straight toward you.
If for some reason when you come back to my blog and it hasn’t been updated for a while, then you’ll know the U.S. government has really temporarily relocated me to Guantanamo Bay!
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Tuesday, September 4, 2012
A City of Monuments, Memorials and Criminals
It’s been about two months since I returned from my amazing journey in Southeast Asia, but that does not mean I have stopped traveling. Since my return I have traveled to Chicago, Wisconsin and the nation’s capitol Washington, D.C. where I was all last week.
So let me give you a warm welcome to Washington, D.C. otherwise known as the District of Criminals!
I have a confession...I am a recovering political junkie. I use to eat, sleep and talk politics, but thankfully Washington, D.C. cured me of that. The crime, corruption, graft...and I'm just talking about the halls of Congress! Apart from that, Washington, D.C. is a wonderful city, especially if you can squeeze in a visit between its frigid winters and humid summers. Unfortunately, for me that seems like the only time I visit Washington, D.C.
For Washington, D.C. and its politicians it is all about access. Thankfully, for tourists you have free access to all the monuments, memorials, Smithsonian Museums and even the zoo! As a result, you may want to try to squeeze in as much as possible on your visit.
So here’s a photograph where I squeezed in three in one!
Three icons most people recognize of Washington, D.C.: The Lincoln Memorial, The Washington Monument and The United States Capitol. I took this shot in front of the Netherlands Carillon. What and where is that you may ask? It's right next to the Iwo Jima Marine Memorial which is across from D.C. in Arlington, Virginia.
If you take a trip to the nation's capitol just watch out for your wallets, not from the street thieves, but rather from the members of Congress who are full of bloated promises and quick with a phony smile.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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So let me give you a warm welcome to Washington, D.C. otherwise known as the District of Criminals!
I have a confession...I am a recovering political junkie. I use to eat, sleep and talk politics, but thankfully Washington, D.C. cured me of that. The crime, corruption, graft...and I'm just talking about the halls of Congress! Apart from that, Washington, D.C. is a wonderful city, especially if you can squeeze in a visit between its frigid winters and humid summers. Unfortunately, for me that seems like the only time I visit Washington, D.C.
For Washington, D.C. and its politicians it is all about access. Thankfully, for tourists you have free access to all the monuments, memorials, Smithsonian Museums and even the zoo! As a result, you may want to try to squeeze in as much as possible on your visit.
So here’s a photograph where I squeezed in three in one!
Three icons most people recognize of Washington, D.C.: The Lincoln Memorial, The Washington Monument and The United States Capitol. I took this shot in front of the Netherlands Carillon. What and where is that you may ask? It's right next to the Iwo Jima Marine Memorial which is across from D.C. in Arlington, Virginia.
If you take a trip to the nation's capitol just watch out for your wallets, not from the street thieves, but rather from the members of Congress who are full of bloated promises and quick with a phony smile.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Ready for Take Off in Kon Tum, Vietnam
Meet the Spiderman of Vietnam or otherwise known as the Airplane Boy.
He was featured in a photo blog I did a while back. Read the story HERE.
In a sense this photo makes me sad because I’ll probably never get a chance to meet this young man again. I’ll always wonder what the future will hold for him.
Will he continue to live in poverty?
Will he leave his village and head for the big city?
Will he get a decent education to handle the challenges of an every increasing global economy?
Will his ethnic minority tribe ever be assimilated into the Vietnamese majority?
I pray his future would be one of optimism and opportunities. May it “take off” and know no bounds.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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He was featured in a photo blog I did a while back. Read the story HERE.
In a sense this photo makes me sad because I’ll probably never get a chance to meet this young man again. I’ll always wonder what the future will hold for him.
Will he continue to live in poverty?
Will he leave his village and head for the big city?
Will he get a decent education to handle the challenges of an every increasing global economy?
Will his ethnic minority tribe ever be assimilated into the Vietnamese majority?
I pray his future would be one of optimism and opportunities. May it “take off” and know no bounds.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Saturday, August 11, 2012
Apsara Dancer - Angkor Wat, Cambodia
"The truest expression of a people is in its dance and in its music. Bodies never lie." -Agnes de Mille
Apsara dance is the traditional Cambodian dance that was practiced in the royal palaces. This traditional dance almost went extinct during the bloody reign of the Khmer Rouge.
The Khmer dance is characterized by intricate finger and body movements (i.e. flexibility) which usually convey a story or message.
What better way to understand Khmer history than photographing an apsara dancer at historical Angkor Wat. On this particular morning a celestial dancer descended from the clouds to be my model at the Bayon temple. I don’t what kind of story her fingers were telling me that morning, but I think it had to do with a gratuity.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Apsara dance is the traditional Cambodian dance that was practiced in the royal palaces. This traditional dance almost went extinct during the bloody reign of the Khmer Rouge.
The Khmer dance is characterized by intricate finger and body movements (i.e. flexibility) which usually convey a story or message.
What better way to understand Khmer history than photographing an apsara dancer at historical Angkor Wat. On this particular morning a celestial dancer descended from the clouds to be my model at the Bayon temple. I don’t what kind of story her fingers were telling me that morning, but I think it had to do with a gratuity.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Wednesday, August 1, 2012
The Shadows of Mui Ne, Vietnam
I spent more time in Vietnam than any other country I visited in Southeast Asia because I found the country fascinating, photogenic and frustrating.
Let’s focus on the photogenic part.
Mui Ne is not only known for its amazing coast line, but also for its rich red sand dunes. The coastal charms of Mui Ne was a direct contrast to the motorbike filled concrete jungle of Saigon.
In Mui Ne I enjoyed great weather, great beaches and the photogenic sand dunes. You can read about how I captured this scene from this previous post Good Morning Vietnam!
I liked how the glow of the late afternoon light and the woman’s shadow came together in this photograph.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
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Let’s focus on the photogenic part.
Mui Ne is not only known for its amazing coast line, but also for its rich red sand dunes. The coastal charms of Mui Ne was a direct contrast to the motorbike filled concrete jungle of Saigon.
In Mui Ne I enjoyed great weather, great beaches and the photogenic sand dunes. You can read about how I captured this scene from this previous post Good Morning Vietnam!
I liked how the glow of the late afternoon light and the woman’s shadow came together in this photograph.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Monday, July 30, 2012
Going for the Olympic Gold!
As the London 2012 Summer Olympics get underway I want to wish all the athletes a great Olympic games. Of course, I’ll be cheering for the United States of America as they go for the gold!
Speaking of gold, this is one of Bangkok, Thailand’s iconic landmarks, Wat Arun or the Temple of the Dawn. It is a Buddhist temple that is located in the Thonburi district on the banks of the Chao Praya River.
At night the temple is lit up and its golden color illuminates the Bangkok skyline.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Speaking of gold, this is one of Bangkok, Thailand’s iconic landmarks, Wat Arun or the Temple of the Dawn. It is a Buddhist temple that is located in the Thonburi district on the banks of the Chao Praya River.
At night the temple is lit up and its golden color illuminates the Bangkok skyline.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Wednesday, July 25, 2012
How to take more Intimate Travel Portraits
"If your photographs aren't good enough, you're not close enough." - Robert Capa
Banlung is the provincial capitol for the Ratanakiri Province in Cambodia. Located in the northeastern part of the country, bordering both Vietnam to the east and Laos to the north, it is one of the least visited provinces.
I stayed at the exceptional Treetop Ecolodge run by Mr. T (not that Mr. T from the “A” Team). I rented a bicycle to visit nearby Yak Loum Crater Lake. Mr. T recommended I get there first thing in the morning to capture the best light. He also mentioned that I would probably be the only foreigner there since the lake is mainly visited by locals.
He was right about being the only foreigner there, but the morning light was terrible. The only people around were the local vendors selling food and drinks. I decided to just put my camera down and appreciate the crater lake with my own eyes. Afterwards, I bought a drink from one of the vendors and her two children started to play with me.
I took a couple of photographs of her daughter and she would laugh hysterically every time I showed her picture on my LCD screen. Because of the proximity that I was photographing her there was a clear connection between both of us. Her eyes were the landscape of Cambodia...one of struggle and hope for the future.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Banlung is the provincial capitol for the Ratanakiri Province in Cambodia. Located in the northeastern part of the country, bordering both Vietnam to the east and Laos to the north, it is one of the least visited provinces.
I stayed at the exceptional Treetop Ecolodge run by Mr. T (not that Mr. T from the “A” Team). I rented a bicycle to visit nearby Yak Loum Crater Lake. Mr. T recommended I get there first thing in the morning to capture the best light. He also mentioned that I would probably be the only foreigner there since the lake is mainly visited by locals.
He was right about being the only foreigner there, but the morning light was terrible. The only people around were the local vendors selling food and drinks. I decided to just put my camera down and appreciate the crater lake with my own eyes. Afterwards, I bought a drink from one of the vendors and her two children started to play with me.
I took a couple of photographs of her daughter and she would laugh hysterically every time I showed her picture on my LCD screen. Because of the proximity that I was photographing her there was a clear connection between both of us. Her eyes were the landscape of Cambodia...one of struggle and hope for the future.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Still figuring out Google +
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Monday, July 16, 2012
Seeing Red in Sapa, Vietnam
“Also, being a photographer gives you a license to steal experiences that you ordinarily wouldn’t have. You enter into other people’s worlds who are usually very highly specialized, very rare.” - Jay Maisel
I love and loathe Sapa, Vietnam.
Loathing maybe too harsh of a term.
Let’s just say I found some aspects of traveling in Sapa irritating.
Sapa is located in northwest Vietnam and is known for its stunning scenery, treks, homestays, the colorful dresses of the local hill tribe ethnic minorities and the pestering sales tactics of local hill tribe ethnic minorities who wear colorful dresses.
As a photographer I found Sapa frustrating because every time I would ask a local if I could take their photo they would either demand money or I had to buy one of their souvenirs. In addition, whether I was walking down the street in downtown Sapa or trekking through the beautiful rice terraces, I was accompanied (i.e. stalked) by members of the Black H’mong tribe (i.e. Sapa’s #1 aggressive sales team) who were relentless with their standardized sales pitch.
After a couple of days of this I reached my boiling point.
I was hiking in the Black H’mong village of Cat Cat and started to descend a steep staircase when I saw the perfect candid moment of a group H’mong children who were approaching me. I took a photo and when I lowered my camera they extended their hand and said, “One dollar!”
“I’ll give you five!” I replied.
They all jumped for joy and then I extended my hand in the air and gave them all a high “five.”
I don’t think they were expecting that type of five.
While the Black H’mong are well represented in Sapa, The Red Dzao (also known as Yao or Dao) tribe are also another colorful hill tribe you will encounter, whether you want to or not. They are noted for their bright red head dress and shaved foreheads and eyebrows.
After a couple of days in Sapa, I really wanted to know the people behind the constant sales chatter of, “You buy from me!”
So one day I rented a motorbike and drove twelve kilometers from downtown Sapa to the Red Dzao village of Ta Phin. It was here I met Tami and before she could employ her crafty sales tactics I stated that I wanted to buy something from her. Not one of her handicrafts, but her time. I asked her to tell me about her family, the history of the Red Dzao people, her daily activities and how tourism has affected her village.
She extended an invitation to me to visit her home which was a mile away. On the way we passed by the local school which was recently built by the Vietnamese government. I asked why it was painted a bright yellow color and she said that government buildings in Vietnam are painted yellow. Our visit coincided with recess so she introduced me to her daughter and son who were playing in the school yard. Afterwards, we walked by some picturesque rice fields where I asked Tami why it was mainly the women who were employed in the tourism industry.
“The men work in the fields,” as she pointed to the farmers, “their English is not good so it’s hard for them to talk to the tourists.”
At her home she offered me a drink and gave me a quick tour around her home. I asked her how tourism affected her village.
“I like the tourists because it provides money for us,” she replied, “I like it because I get to practice my English.”
The whole time I had my Canon 5D Mark II at my side and she looked at it and asked, “Do you want to take a photo?”
I asked her to move to the open doorway where some nice, diffused light was coming in. Again, the low light capabilities of the Canon 5D Mark II came through as I shot this at a clean 3200 ISO.
We both enjoyed our time together. She wasn’t pressured to make a sale and I didn’t need to engage in any “run and gun” travel photography.
Even though I took only three photos of Tami, my camera gave me “a license to steal an experience” that morning.
I think I’ll be returning to Sapa soon.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery
Sam's Other Travel Photography Gallery
I love and loathe Sapa, Vietnam.
Loathing maybe too harsh of a term.
Let’s just say I found some aspects of traveling in Sapa irritating.
Sapa is located in northwest Vietnam and is known for its stunning scenery, treks, homestays, the colorful dresses of the local hill tribe ethnic minorities and the pestering sales tactics of local hill tribe ethnic minorities who wear colorful dresses.
As a photographer I found Sapa frustrating because every time I would ask a local if I could take their photo they would either demand money or I had to buy one of their souvenirs. In addition, whether I was walking down the street in downtown Sapa or trekking through the beautiful rice terraces, I was accompanied (i.e. stalked) by members of the Black H’mong tribe (i.e. Sapa’s #1 aggressive sales team) who were relentless with their standardized sales pitch.
After a couple of days of this I reached my boiling point.
I was hiking in the Black H’mong village of Cat Cat and started to descend a steep staircase when I saw the perfect candid moment of a group H’mong children who were approaching me. I took a photo and when I lowered my camera they extended their hand and said, “One dollar!”
“I’ll give you five!” I replied.
They all jumped for joy and then I extended my hand in the air and gave them all a high “five.”
I don’t think they were expecting that type of five.
While the Black H’mong are well represented in Sapa, The Red Dzao (also known as Yao or Dao) tribe are also another colorful hill tribe you will encounter, whether you want to or not. They are noted for their bright red head dress and shaved foreheads and eyebrows.
After a couple of days in Sapa, I really wanted to know the people behind the constant sales chatter of, “You buy from me!”
So one day I rented a motorbike and drove twelve kilometers from downtown Sapa to the Red Dzao village of Ta Phin. It was here I met Tami and before she could employ her crafty sales tactics I stated that I wanted to buy something from her. Not one of her handicrafts, but her time. I asked her to tell me about her family, the history of the Red Dzao people, her daily activities and how tourism has affected her village.
She extended an invitation to me to visit her home which was a mile away. On the way we passed by the local school which was recently built by the Vietnamese government. I asked why it was painted a bright yellow color and she said that government buildings in Vietnam are painted yellow. Our visit coincided with recess so she introduced me to her daughter and son who were playing in the school yard. Afterwards, we walked by some picturesque rice fields where I asked Tami why it was mainly the women who were employed in the tourism industry.
“The men work in the fields,” as she pointed to the farmers, “their English is not good so it’s hard for them to talk to the tourists.”
At her home she offered me a drink and gave me a quick tour around her home. I asked her how tourism affected her village.
“I like the tourists because it provides money for us,” she replied, “I like it because I get to practice my English.”
The whole time I had my Canon 5D Mark II at my side and she looked at it and asked, “Do you want to take a photo?”
I asked her to move to the open doorway where some nice, diffused light was coming in. Again, the low light capabilities of the Canon 5D Mark II came through as I shot this at a clean 3200 ISO.
We both enjoyed our time together. She wasn’t pressured to make a sale and I didn’t need to engage in any “run and gun” travel photography.
Even though I took only three photos of Tami, my camera gave me “a license to steal an experience” that morning.
I think I’ll be returning to Sapa soon.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Friday, July 13, 2012
How I became a Superhero in Kon Tum, Vietnam!
While the rest of the world was going gaga (not Lady Gaga) over “The Avengers” movie, I was busy being a superhero to some enthusiastic kids at a minority village in Vietnam.
The town of Kon Tum is located in the central highlands of Vietnam. While not as popular as the beach resorts of Nha Trang or Mui Ne, Kon Tum is where a high density of Montagnard minority villages are concentrated
Most of these villages are known for their traditional communal structure known as a Rong House. They are used as places of worship, weddings, village get togethers and sometimes as a school. As a rule of thumb, the bigger and more intricate the Rong House, the more affluential the village.
Motorbiking through the region I had the chance to meet and spend time with many minority villages. A great majority do not see many western travelers so it was always a treat to be welcomed in their homes.
After spending the morning riding around the various villages and seeing my umpteen Rong House, I was about to pass up another one when I saw some children playing outside in the yard, so I stopped and starting talking with two boys who were climbing a pole.
The other children came by and invited to come inside the Rong House which served also as their school. Apparently their teacher was too busy having a conversation with somebody outside so I quickly introduced myself to the classroom and decided to be their teacher for the next couple of minutes.
“My name is Sam and I’m from America,” I announced.
“Sam!” they enthusiastically responded in unison.
“I will be your English teacher today and I will teach you a couple of phrases,” I stated.
Before I could start my informal lesson they demonstrated their proficiency in English by peppering me with questions.
“How many brothers and sisters do you have?”
“What city do you live in?”
“Are you married?”
“How old are you?”
After handling their barrage of questions (these are common questions Westerners are asked when traveling in Vietnam), I started my informal lesson.
“Now everybody repeat after me,” as I started the lesson, “Sacramento is the capitol of California.”
“Washington, D.C. is the capitol of the United States of America.”
“I love to eat carne asada burritos.”
“Sam Antonio is the world’s greatest travel photographer.”
There was a young boy dressed in a yellow shirt who was overly enthusiastic. He had made a paper plane and was launching it in every direction. If that wasn’t enough he would climb a top a chair, desk or on the side of the walls to launch the paper plane from a higher elevation.
After observing him do this a number of times, I said out loud, “Spiderman!”
He responded by pointing at me and crying out, “Superman!”
“That’s right I’m Superman Sam!” I replied.
Then the whole classroom erupted in unison, “Superman Sam! Superman Sam! Superman Sam!”
The English language lesson had now turned into a chorus so I started to photograph the children in their over enthusiastic state. We had fun just laughing, screaming “Superman Sam,” and passing my camera around so all the kids could see themselves on the LCD screen.
There was one girl who was very shy and always avoided my camera. Each time I tried to photograph her she would always hide behind her friends. To get her to open up I abruptly grabbed my camera and declared, “Superman Sam is leaving! Goodbye!”
I just exited the doorway when she ran out and in her quiet voice said, “No.”
I turned around with a big smile and replied, “OK, I’ll stay.”
The whole classroom erupted in cheers and I quickly composed this photograph with the shy girl in the doorway. I think National Geographic would be proud.
Marvel may have their superhero team in The Avengers, but I had my own superhero team, although brief, that afternoon in Kon Tum, Vietnam.
Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!
Yes, that’s me...Superman travel photographer Sam Antonio!
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
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The town of Kon Tum is located in the central highlands of Vietnam. While not as popular as the beach resorts of Nha Trang or Mui Ne, Kon Tum is where a high density of Montagnard minority villages are concentrated
Most of these villages are known for their traditional communal structure known as a Rong House. They are used as places of worship, weddings, village get togethers and sometimes as a school. As a rule of thumb, the bigger and more intricate the Rong House, the more affluential the village.
Motorbiking through the region I had the chance to meet and spend time with many minority villages. A great majority do not see many western travelers so it was always a treat to be welcomed in their homes.
After spending the morning riding around the various villages and seeing my umpteen Rong House, I was about to pass up another one when I saw some children playing outside in the yard, so I stopped and starting talking with two boys who were climbing a pole.
The other children came by and invited to come inside the Rong House which served also as their school. Apparently their teacher was too busy having a conversation with somebody outside so I quickly introduced myself to the classroom and decided to be their teacher for the next couple of minutes.
“My name is Sam and I’m from America,” I announced.
“Sam!” they enthusiastically responded in unison.
“I will be your English teacher today and I will teach you a couple of phrases,” I stated.
Before I could start my informal lesson they demonstrated their proficiency in English by peppering me with questions.
“How many brothers and sisters do you have?”
“What city do you live in?”
“Are you married?”
“How old are you?”
After handling their barrage of questions (these are common questions Westerners are asked when traveling in Vietnam), I started my informal lesson.
“Now everybody repeat after me,” as I started the lesson, “Sacramento is the capitol of California.”
“Washington, D.C. is the capitol of the United States of America.”
“I love to eat carne asada burritos.”
“Sam Antonio is the world’s greatest travel photographer.”
There was a young boy dressed in a yellow shirt who was overly enthusiastic. He had made a paper plane and was launching it in every direction. If that wasn’t enough he would climb a top a chair, desk or on the side of the walls to launch the paper plane from a higher elevation.
After observing him do this a number of times, I said out loud, “Spiderman!”
He responded by pointing at me and crying out, “Superman!”
“That’s right I’m Superman Sam!” I replied.
Then the whole classroom erupted in unison, “Superman Sam! Superman Sam! Superman Sam!”
The English language lesson had now turned into a chorus so I started to photograph the children in their over enthusiastic state. We had fun just laughing, screaming “Superman Sam,” and passing my camera around so all the kids could see themselves on the LCD screen.
There was one girl who was very shy and always avoided my camera. Each time I tried to photograph her she would always hide behind her friends. To get her to open up I abruptly grabbed my camera and declared, “Superman Sam is leaving! Goodbye!”
I just exited the doorway when she ran out and in her quiet voice said, “No.”
I turned around with a big smile and replied, “OK, I’ll stay.”
The whole classroom erupted in cheers and I quickly composed this photograph with the shy girl in the doorway. I think National Geographic would be proud.
Marvel may have their superhero team in The Avengers, but I had my own superhero team, although brief, that afternoon in Kon Tum, Vietnam.
Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!
Yes, that’s me...Superman travel photographer Sam Antonio!
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Thursday, July 12, 2012
Buddha Power in Ayutthaya, Thailand
The beautiful city of Ayutthaya, Thailand which was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong and was the capital of what was then known as Siam. It became the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai.
The ancient city of Ayutthaya is an island, surrounded by the Chao Phraya, Lopburi and Pa Sak rivers, and it’s quite a mixture of old and new. It's an easy day trip from Bangkok, but I decided to stay here for a couple of days to take in the history and the charms of the city.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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The ancient city of Ayutthaya is an island, surrounded by the Chao Phraya, Lopburi and Pa Sak rivers, and it’s quite a mixture of old and new. It's an easy day trip from Bangkok, but I decided to stay here for a couple of days to take in the history and the charms of the city.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Wednesday, July 11, 2012
“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself” -Chinese proverb
“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself” -Chinese proverb, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
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Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Wat Phu Khao Thong - Ayutthaya, Thailand
I'm in the beautiful city of Ayutthaya, Thailand which was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong and was the capital of what was then known as Siam. This is Wat Phu Khao Thong or the “Monastery of the Golden Mount”.
Can you name the four neighboring counties along the borders of Thailand? No Googling!
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
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Can you name the four neighboring counties along the borders of Thailand? No Googling!
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Monday, July 9, 2012
What is the Eiffel Tower doing in Dalat, Vietnam?
Dalat is nestled in the hills of the Central Highlands of Vietnam. It is a great place to unwind in the cool mountain air. Vietnam is a very intense country from the chaotic traffic, to the stifling heat to the endless bickering with the locals to avoid being ripped off. Dalat is literally a breath of fresh air.
After three wonderful days at the beach in Mui Ne it was time to move on so I took a very crowded, bumpy and cramped bus (yes, your typical bus ride in Southeast Asia) to Dalat. Once we arrived into town I thought the bus driver took a wrong turn and ended up in my home state of California...Anaheim, California, in particular, the home of the “happiest place on earth,” Disneyland.
Dalat is not your average city in Vietnam. It has cooler temperatures, it’s clean and the attractions are borderline kitschy.
Dalat became a popular hill town with the French who wanted to escape the heat and humidity of the city. You can still see that influence today with the city’s small Eiffel tower, villas modeled after regional French architecture, and a train station which looks like it could be from any French village.
I rented a motorbike for the day and found this viewpoint compliments of a gentlemen I met earlier in the day while having my morning espresso. He saw my large Canon DSLR on the table and immediately told me of a wonderful viewpoint that I could photograph from.
Knowledgable, friendly and courteous locals...this place must be Disneyland.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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After three wonderful days at the beach in Mui Ne it was time to move on so I took a very crowded, bumpy and cramped bus (yes, your typical bus ride in Southeast Asia) to Dalat. Once we arrived into town I thought the bus driver took a wrong turn and ended up in my home state of California...Anaheim, California, in particular, the home of the “happiest place on earth,” Disneyland.
Dalat is not your average city in Vietnam. It has cooler temperatures, it’s clean and the attractions are borderline kitschy.
Dalat became a popular hill town with the French who wanted to escape the heat and humidity of the city. You can still see that influence today with the city’s small Eiffel tower, villas modeled after regional French architecture, and a train station which looks like it could be from any French village.
I rented a motorbike for the day and found this viewpoint compliments of a gentlemen I met earlier in the day while having my morning espresso. He saw my large Canon DSLR on the table and immediately told me of a wonderful viewpoint that I could photograph from.
Knowledgable, friendly and courteous locals...this place must be Disneyland.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Sunday, July 8, 2012
This is why I am a Photographer!
Back in May I had the opportunity to photograph the Can Cau Market. This is Vietnam’s most authentic and isolated market. It is held only on Saturday every week and is located about an hour drive from Bac Ha in Northeastern Vietnam and nine kilometers from the Chinese border. The market is spread out over various hillsides and features food, clothing and livestock (dogs are for sale and not for pets if you know what I mean).
From a photographer’s point of view the beauty of the market is the riot of colors from the clothing of the various ethnic hill tribe minorities, the most colorful being the Flower Hmong tribe.
I got up early in the morning and drove on a windy, muddy and dangerous mountain pass in the rain on a motorbike for over twenty kilometers. The bike nearly lost traction two times. Later, I was stopped by the local police for driving without a license and had to make a "donation." At the market I lugged around my camera equipment that weighs a ton in the heat and humidity. Harassed by aggressive sales ladies and flies, I was about to pack up and head back to my hotel when I saw this little boy on a motorbike just blowing bubbles in the wind without a care in the world.
This is why I am a photographer.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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From a photographer’s point of view the beauty of the market is the riot of colors from the clothing of the various ethnic hill tribe minorities, the most colorful being the Flower Hmong tribe.
I got up early in the morning and drove on a windy, muddy and dangerous mountain pass in the rain on a motorbike for over twenty kilometers. The bike nearly lost traction two times. Later, I was stopped by the local police for driving without a license and had to make a "donation." At the market I lugged around my camera equipment that weighs a ton in the heat and humidity. Harassed by aggressive sales ladies and flies, I was about to pack up and head back to my hotel when I saw this little boy on a motorbike just blowing bubbles in the wind without a care in the world.
This is why I am a photographer.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Thursday, July 5, 2012
Coffee, Tea and the 5D in Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands
Coffee, Tea and the 5D in Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.
I photographed this evening scene on the main street in Tanah Rata, which is the backpacker area in the Cameron Highlands. As a travel photographer I'm always looking for a unique point of view and as sunset was approaching I still couldn’t find a suitable location.
Sometimes the obvious can be staring right at you.
When I arrived into town via the bus station the day before, I noticed a parking structure attached to it. So that evening I walked toward it and it became apparent that the parking structure, the tallest point in town, would be the perfect spot.
I climbed four flights of stairs to the top floor. I prepared my equipment and had my Canon 5D Mark II mounted on my Manfrotto table top tripod which in return was hanging precariously on the edge of the parking structure wall. With one hand I held my remote shutter release while my other hand held on to my tripod all the while praying that a gust of wind wouldn’t blow it off the parking structure and down four stories.
What I wasn’t prepared for was the amazing sunset that evening. It was one of the few times I was able to capture an incredible sunset as it blended into the blue hour.
Because I was in Malaysia’s top tea-producing region, what better way to top off a great evening with a drink. So I walked into the only Starbucks in the area and ordered a double latte! Sorry, I'm more of a coffee drinker than a tea drinker.
To quote one of my favorite photographers David duChemin, “May the wind be at your back and the light be in your favor.”
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Cooling off in the Cameron Highlands
I left the smog and the humidity of Kuala Lumpur for the beauty and cool weather of the Cameron Highlands. This area is Malaysia’s largest tea-producing region. The highlands possess all the right attributes for growing tea - moderate temperatures, high altitude, abundant rainfall, long hours of sunshine and well-drained soil.
A former British hill station, the Cameron Highlands are located 136 miles (219 km) north of Kuala Lumpur in Pahang, Malaysia. It’s a 2 1/2 hour bus trip from Kuala Lumpur along a very windy, but scenic road.
The rolling hills of the Cameron Highland's tea plantations are lush and tranquil in the extreme. This place has rejuvenated my love for landscape photography.
Famous for their black tea production, this is a scenic view of the BOH Tea Plantation. The overcast weather provided the perfect diffused light which resulted in giving the colors that added pop (okay Photoshop had something to do with it too, but most of it was mother nature).
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
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A former British hill station, the Cameron Highlands are located 136 miles (219 km) north of Kuala Lumpur in Pahang, Malaysia. It’s a 2 1/2 hour bus trip from Kuala Lumpur along a very windy, but scenic road.
The rolling hills of the Cameron Highland's tea plantations are lush and tranquil in the extreme. This place has rejuvenated my love for landscape photography.
Famous for their black tea production, this is a scenic view of the BOH Tea Plantation. The overcast weather provided the perfect diffused light which resulted in giving the colors that added pop (okay Photoshop had something to do with it too, but most of it was mother nature).
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Tuesday, July 3, 2012
How to do the Hanoi Hustle!
Navigating Hanoi’s traffic is akin to a dance. Cars, taxis, buses, trucks, motorbikes and pedestrians all work in harmony to navigate the city’s traffic circles, narrow alley ways and boulevards. The best way to describe Hanoi’s traffic is organized chaos.
At first glance, crossing the streets in Hanoi, Vietnam seems like an impossible task. Just take a deep breath, follow the lead of the locals and keep a slow and steady tempo and soon enough you’ll join the “chicken” on the other side of the road.
I took this photo from the fifth floor of the City View Cafe. With great views of Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter, it has the best vantage point of the crazy Hanoi traffic below.
I left my Canon 5D Mark II back at my hotel by its lonely self and brought his little brother, the trusty and reliable Canon Powershot G9. I also brought along my Manfrotto table top tripod to help with the long exposures (one of the few times I used it on this trip).
In between exposures I enjoyed a cold Hanoi beer and fresh spring rolls. What better way to enjoy the hustle and bustle of Hanoi!
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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At first glance, crossing the streets in Hanoi, Vietnam seems like an impossible task. Just take a deep breath, follow the lead of the locals and keep a slow and steady tempo and soon enough you’ll join the “chicken” on the other side of the road.
I took this photo from the fifth floor of the City View Cafe. With great views of Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter, it has the best vantage point of the crazy Hanoi traffic below.
I left my Canon 5D Mark II back at my hotel by its lonely self and brought his little brother, the trusty and reliable Canon Powershot G9. I also brought along my Manfrotto table top tripod to help with the long exposures (one of the few times I used it on this trip).
In between exposures I enjoyed a cold Hanoi beer and fresh spring rolls. What better way to enjoy the hustle and bustle of Hanoi!
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Friday, June 29, 2012
Riding the Bamboo Train in Battambang, Cambodia
I’m in Battambang, Cambodia riding the bamboo train! A makeshift train composed of a wooden frame with slats made of bamboo and powered by a six horsepower gasoline engine. The bamboo train runs on a single, narrow gauge track built by the French in the 1920s.
To accommodate two-way traffic on a single line, custom dictates that when two trains meet, the one with the lighter load leaves the track. Drivers and passengers pitch in to disassemble and reassemble the trains to allow passage. Due to the lightweight materials this is all done in a matter of seconds. Cambodian engineering at its finest!
Rumor has it that the Bamboo train is likely to see its end within a few years. The Cambodian rail company is upgrading the tracks and when the new trains and tracks are in place the bamboo train will be stopped for safety reasons. Even more reason to ride the bamboo train today. Book your ticket for Cambodia!
A picture of my train operator and a view of the Cambodian countryside. A classic rail journey!
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
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To accommodate two-way traffic on a single line, custom dictates that when two trains meet, the one with the lighter load leaves the track. Drivers and passengers pitch in to disassemble and reassemble the trains to allow passage. Due to the lightweight materials this is all done in a matter of seconds. Cambodian engineering at its finest!
Rumor has it that the Bamboo train is likely to see its end within a few years. The Cambodian rail company is upgrading the tracks and when the new trains and tracks are in place the bamboo train will be stopped for safety reasons. Even more reason to ride the bamboo train today. Book your ticket for Cambodia!
A picture of my train operator and a view of the Cambodian countryside. A classic rail journey!
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Sunday, June 10, 2012
Trying to Fit in as an American at the Cu Chi Tunnels
Trying to Fit in as an American at the Cu Chi Tunnels, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.
In Saigon (it is official called Ho Chi Minh City, but I like to call the city by its pre-communist takeover name), remnants of the war can be seen in its monuments, museums and day trips to places like the Cu Chi Tunnels.
The Cu Chi Tunnels are a vast network of underground tunnels about 45 km from Saigon. The Viet Cong used these tunnels to not only hide from American forces, but used them as living quarters, a hospital, a supply route, weapons cache and as a base of operations for the Tet Offensive.
If you are claustrophobic and dark places make you want to scream, then the tunnels shouldn’t be on your list of places to visit while in Saigon. Since the tunnels are a popular destination for so many Western tourists, they have enlarged some of the tunnels to accommodate them.
Unfortunately, this is still a problem for many American tourists. We like our beers, juicy burgers and overpriced Starbucks coffee that contribute to our obesity. Fortunately, I’m not one of those Americans, but I still had problems crawling through the tunnels. You have to remember the average Viet Cong soldier was very short and skinny.
Normally the soldiers would duck walk though the tunnels, but due to my height I had to crawl on all fours and at times get on my belly. By the time I emerged from the other side, the heat, humidity and the dirt from the tunnels made for a memorable experience.
You can see from the photograph one of the secret entrances to the tunnels as demonstrated by one the guides. I also had the opportunity to squeeze in the tunnel entrance and believe me it was a close fit.
After crawling through the Cu Chi Tunnels I now know why Vietnam is Southeast Asia’s “skinniest” country.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
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Friday, June 1, 2012
Travel and Prejudice
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." - Mark Twain
I photographed this little girl on my two day cruise on the Mekong River to Luang Prabang, Lao. We stopped along the river to visit an ethnic minority village and this was one of many photographs I took of the photogenic children.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
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I photographed this little girl on my two day cruise on the Mekong River to Luang Prabang, Lao. We stopped along the river to visit an ethnic minority village and this was one of many photographs I took of the photogenic children.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
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Thursday, May 31, 2012
Good Morning Vietnam!
Or rather good afternoon from Vietnam!
When you mention the name Vietnam images of jungles, pho noodles and the Vietnam War as portrayed in Francis Ford Coppola’s classic movie “Apocalypse Now,” and Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket” come to mind. So what does a young Vietnamese woman walking through sand dunes have to do with Vietnam?
This is the Red Sand Dunes in Mui Ne, Vietnam. Mui Ne is a beautiful beach resort that looks nothing like the rest of Vietnam. Inundated with backpackers, boutique resorts and tons of Russian tourists (where’s John Rambo when you need him), this is where you go if you don’t want a slice of the real Vietnam. I came here for some welcome relief from the madness otherwise known as Saigon otherwise known as Ho Chi Minh City. Besides the beach, Mui Ne is famous for windsurfing and their white and red sand dunes.
Walking through the dunes was a surreal experience. It reminded me of a mini Death Valley National Park and at other times I had my “Lawrence of Arabia” moments.
After walking through the dunes for an hour or so in the hot sun I wasn’t feeling the inspiration for a great shot. So I walked back to the cafe across the street where I parked my motorbike to get a cold beer. I met this young woman and an older woman in the cafe who were models for a photo shoot earlier in the day. I asked them to be my models and in return I would send them copies of my photographs. They agreed and we headed back out to the dunes.
The sun was setting quickly so I had only about ten minutes to photograph them. Under the time constraints and changing lens in between shots (not a good idea with so much blowing sand around you), this was perhaps this best of the series of shots I took.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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When you mention the name Vietnam images of jungles, pho noodles and the Vietnam War as portrayed in Francis Ford Coppola’s classic movie “Apocalypse Now,” and Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket” come to mind. So what does a young Vietnamese woman walking through sand dunes have to do with Vietnam?
This is the Red Sand Dunes in Mui Ne, Vietnam. Mui Ne is a beautiful beach resort that looks nothing like the rest of Vietnam. Inundated with backpackers, boutique resorts and tons of Russian tourists (where’s John Rambo when you need him), this is where you go if you don’t want a slice of the real Vietnam. I came here for some welcome relief from the madness otherwise known as Saigon otherwise known as Ho Chi Minh City. Besides the beach, Mui Ne is famous for windsurfing and their white and red sand dunes.
Walking through the dunes was a surreal experience. It reminded me of a mini Death Valley National Park and at other times I had my “Lawrence of Arabia” moments.
After walking through the dunes for an hour or so in the hot sun I wasn’t feeling the inspiration for a great shot. So I walked back to the cafe across the street where I parked my motorbike to get a cold beer. I met this young woman and an older woman in the cafe who were models for a photo shoot earlier in the day. I asked them to be my models and in return I would send them copies of my photographs. They agreed and we headed back out to the dunes.
The sun was setting quickly so I had only about ten minutes to photograph them. Under the time constraints and changing lens in between shots (not a good idea with so much blowing sand around you), this was perhaps this best of the series of shots I took.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Why We Travel
“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again.” - Pico Iyer
I photographed this little girl on my two day cruise on the Mekong River to Luang Prabang, Lao. We stopped along the river to visit an ethnic minority village and this was one of many photographs I took of the photogenic children. It was very hard to see the poverty, living conditions and hardship of the village.
Yes, travel will open our hearts and eyes. It is the greatest cure for ignorance.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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I photographed this little girl on my two day cruise on the Mekong River to Luang Prabang, Lao. We stopped along the river to visit an ethnic minority village and this was one of many photographs I took of the photogenic children. It was very hard to see the poverty, living conditions and hardship of the village.
Yes, travel will open our hearts and eyes. It is the greatest cure for ignorance.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Thursday, May 10, 2012
The Greatest Saleslady You'll Every Meet
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market outside of Bangkok is a photographer's paradise. Get there early to beat the crowds and you'll be rewarded with great shots like this this one.
This old lady had such a charming smile and without one of word of English was selling what looked like pot stickers to all the tourists. I sat there for about ten minutes photographing her until her engaging smile beckoned me to buy one of her pot stickers.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
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This old lady had such a charming smile and without one of word of English was selling what looked like pot stickers to all the tourists. I sat there for about ten minutes photographing her until her engaging smile beckoned me to buy one of her pot stickers.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
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Wednesday, April 18, 2012
The Greatest Salesgirl You’ll Ever Meet
I was going to post photos from my Southeast Asia trip in chronological order but that’s going out the window. I’ll be posting photos that I find compelling or I just happen to process at the moment. In the meantime if you do want to follow my trip with daily blog updates be sure to check out my Facebook and Twitter pages.
I’m currently in the beautiful country of Lao and in the southern region known as the 4000 Islands. I have a bungalow on the Mekong River (a whopping $6 U.S. dollars a day) and I spend all day in my hammock sleeping, listening to my iPod, reading and drinking Beerlao. Yes, life can be so hard.
So I have some time to write a quick blog post and surprisingly this place has a decent internet connection.
As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I have graduated from my backpacker days to being a flashpacker. After Thailand I headed to Lao and a popular way to get there is a two day slow boat cruise down the Mekong River. There are many options and the most common and cheapest way is to take the public boat.
If you like being crammed in a boat with 100 passengers that normally seats 70, sitting for hours on a hard wooden bench, sleeping on a floor and having to share one bathroom (or more like a hole in the rear of the boat) then by all means choose this option. I chose to go with a private boat. In total we had 13 people on our boat: 9 passengers and 4 crew members.
We cruised down the Mekong River in comfort.We had wonderful meals on board (on the public boat you have to bring your own food), plenty of room to stretch out and a real bathroom with a flushing toilet!
The best part is that we made a couple of stops to ethnic minority villages along the riverside. The moment our boat pulled up this girl started to work her sales magic on me. She never said one word to me. She didn’t have to since everything she had to communicate to me were in her eyes.
Communication without words...simply powerful.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
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I’m currently in the beautiful country of Lao and in the southern region known as the 4000 Islands. I have a bungalow on the Mekong River (a whopping $6 U.S. dollars a day) and I spend all day in my hammock sleeping, listening to my iPod, reading and drinking Beerlao. Yes, life can be so hard.
So I have some time to write a quick blog post and surprisingly this place has a decent internet connection.
As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I have graduated from my backpacker days to being a flashpacker. After Thailand I headed to Lao and a popular way to get there is a two day slow boat cruise down the Mekong River. There are many options and the most common and cheapest way is to take the public boat.
If you like being crammed in a boat with 100 passengers that normally seats 70, sitting for hours on a hard wooden bench, sleeping on a floor and having to share one bathroom (or more like a hole in the rear of the boat) then by all means choose this option. I chose to go with a private boat. In total we had 13 people on our boat: 9 passengers and 4 crew members.
We cruised down the Mekong River in comfort.We had wonderful meals on board (on the public boat you have to bring your own food), plenty of room to stretch out and a real bathroom with a flushing toilet!
The best part is that we made a couple of stops to ethnic minority villages along the riverside. The moment our boat pulled up this girl started to work her sales magic on me. She never said one word to me. She didn’t have to since everything she had to communicate to me were in her eyes.
Communication without words...simply powerful.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery
Sam's Other Travel Photography Gallery
Saturday, April 14, 2012
The Batu Caves Stink...Really Stink!
After starting my Southeast Asia trip in the lovely city-state of Singapore it was off to the Changi airport to catch my Air Asia flight to Kuala Lumpur.
The day before I met some travelers at my hostel who were from Kuala Lumpur and they were puzzled why I was going to visit their city.
“Kuala Lumpur is just like Singapore but dirtier, noisier and stinkier,” one of the Malaysians exclaimed.
All three were true, but I got a real dose of the worst stench I have ever confronted when I visited the Batu Caves, located 35 minutes outside of Kuala Lumpur.
The Batu Caves are a sacred site to the Hindus in Malaysia. Every year in late January, early February the Thaipusam Festival is celebrated at the caves. The festival can attract over 800,000 people and is noted for the devotees piercing their flesh with hooks and skewers. The day I landed in Kuala Lumpur the festival was already underway so I would miss the event, but not the stench.
After a couple of days in Kuala Lumpur I took a day trip to the caves. Of the three major caves the most significant one requires a climb of 272 steps to get to. Once I got on top of the staircase I was rewarded with a great view of the city skyline and the stench that would pervade my nostrils and clothes. Apparently, the foul smell was a result from the recently concluded Thaipusam Festival and the celebrants depositing their waste (both human and manufactured) in the cave.
Nearby I witnessed other travelers in near vomit mode and others took the wise route and simply turned back and left. After I left Kuala Lumpur and traversed through the rest of Malaysia a common way other travelers would open a conversation with me would go something like this.
“Did you visit the Batu Caves?”
“I didn’t visit the Batu Caves, I smelt it,” I would reply.
We would share a laugh and then exchange our experiences of our day at the cave.
At the caves you’ll make many friends...not human friends, but rather the long tailed macaque monkeys that love to harass visitors. What better way to get acquainted with these monkeys than sticking my wide angle Canon 17-40 lens inches from their face?
That’s what I did with this monkey and he didn’t seem to mind. I guess he was too busy gasping for fresh air.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
Sam's Photography Blog
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The day before I met some travelers at my hostel who were from Kuala Lumpur and they were puzzled why I was going to visit their city.
“Kuala Lumpur is just like Singapore but dirtier, noisier and stinkier,” one of the Malaysians exclaimed.
All three were true, but I got a real dose of the worst stench I have ever confronted when I visited the Batu Caves, located 35 minutes outside of Kuala Lumpur.
The Batu Caves are a sacred site to the Hindus in Malaysia. Every year in late January, early February the Thaipusam Festival is celebrated at the caves. The festival can attract over 800,000 people and is noted for the devotees piercing their flesh with hooks and skewers. The day I landed in Kuala Lumpur the festival was already underway so I would miss the event, but not the stench.
After a couple of days in Kuala Lumpur I took a day trip to the caves. Of the three major caves the most significant one requires a climb of 272 steps to get to. Once I got on top of the staircase I was rewarded with a great view of the city skyline and the stench that would pervade my nostrils and clothes. Apparently, the foul smell was a result from the recently concluded Thaipusam Festival and the celebrants depositing their waste (both human and manufactured) in the cave.
Nearby I witnessed other travelers in near vomit mode and others took the wise route and simply turned back and left. After I left Kuala Lumpur and traversed through the rest of Malaysia a common way other travelers would open a conversation with me would go something like this.
“Did you visit the Batu Caves?”
“I didn’t visit the Batu Caves, I smelt it,” I would reply.
We would share a laugh and then exchange our experiences of our day at the cave.
At the caves you’ll make many friends...not human friends, but rather the long tailed macaque monkeys that love to harass visitors. What better way to get acquainted with these monkeys than sticking my wide angle Canon 17-40 lens inches from their face?
That’s what I did with this monkey and he didn’t seem to mind. I guess he was too busy gasping for fresh air.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery
Sam's Other Travel Photography Gallery
Friday, April 13, 2012
Warding off Photographers in Singapore’s Chinatown
This Hindu priest is not waving hello to me. He is imitating the Protection Buddha which is to have the right hand raised, palm outward so as to offer protection or to ward off fear, delusion and anger.
Or maybe he just trying to wave off another foreigner from taking his photograph?
While on a photo walk with local photographer Charlie Kwan we explored Singapore’s very compact Chinatown. This being Singapore with its mixed culture, right in the middle of Chinatown is The Sri Mariamman Temple, which is the country’s oldest Hindu temple.
As a Christian I love to learn and immerse myself in world religions. I strive to understand people’s faith and to appreciate their worldview.
Singapore is a perfect place for such an endeavor because in matter of moments you can hear the call to prayer from a mosque and then right around the corner you can step into a Hindu temple and be overwhelmed by the sights and smell. In fact, right after we left the Hindu temple we walked five minutes to a Buddhist temple.
I thanked the Hindu priest for his time and then as any true American would do gave him a high five (that last part I made up, but I was thinking about it).
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery
Sam's Other Travel Photography Gallery
Or maybe he just trying to wave off another foreigner from taking his photograph?
While on a photo walk with local photographer Charlie Kwan we explored Singapore’s very compact Chinatown. This being Singapore with its mixed culture, right in the middle of Chinatown is The Sri Mariamman Temple, which is the country’s oldest Hindu temple.
As a Christian I love to learn and immerse myself in world religions. I strive to understand people’s faith and to appreciate their worldview.
Singapore is a perfect place for such an endeavor because in matter of moments you can hear the call to prayer from a mosque and then right around the corner you can step into a Hindu temple and be overwhelmed by the sights and smell. In fact, right after we left the Hindu temple we walked five minutes to a Buddhist temple.
I thanked the Hindu priest for his time and then as any true American would do gave him a high five (that last part I made up, but I was thinking about it).
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery
Sam's Other Travel Photography Gallery
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Why Singapore is a “Fine” City
Singapore has been well-known as a "fine" city, which has been embedded with two different meanings. One as a fine city to be living in while another means fines that keep the country in order.
This city is impeccable clean. It makes Main Street in Disneyland look like the Bronx in New York. How do they do it? Singapore levies a multiple number of fines to maintain their squeaky, clean image.
Here are punishable offenses in Singapore:
The sale of cigarettes to minors (under age 18)
The sale or possession of chewing of gum
Vandalism
Spitting
Littering
Urinating in elevators
Feeding the pigeons
Jaywalking
Possession of firecrackers—caning
Eating or drinking in the subway
Not flushing the toilet
The Possession or trafficking of >20 grams of drugs—death
Now before you cross off Singapore from your travel list keep this in mind, it is a city built for travelers: a clean and efficient public transportation, low crime, easy to navigate airport and diversity of food, culture and religions.
My visit was further enhanced when I met up with fellow Flickr member Charlie Kwan. He was gracious enough to take me around his city and treat me to some great meals. Thank you for your hospitality Charlie.
As part of our photo walk around the city, we photographed around the Marina Bay Sands Resort. I crouched down low with my wide angle lens to capture this amazing foreground of the Artscience Museum with the Marina Bay Hotel Towers in the reflection.
If you have a chance to visit Singapore please do so...just remember to flush the toilet.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery
Sam's Other Travel Photography Gallery
This city is impeccable clean. It makes Main Street in Disneyland look like the Bronx in New York. How do they do it? Singapore levies a multiple number of fines to maintain their squeaky, clean image.
Here are punishable offenses in Singapore:
The sale of cigarettes to minors (under age 18)
The sale or possession of chewing of gum
Vandalism
Spitting
Littering
Urinating in elevators
Feeding the pigeons
Jaywalking
Possession of firecrackers—caning
Eating or drinking in the subway
Not flushing the toilet
The Possession or trafficking of >20 grams of drugs—death
Now before you cross off Singapore from your travel list keep this in mind, it is a city built for travelers: a clean and efficient public transportation, low crime, easy to navigate airport and diversity of food, culture and religions.
My visit was further enhanced when I met up with fellow Flickr member Charlie Kwan. He was gracious enough to take me around his city and treat me to some great meals. Thank you for your hospitality Charlie.
As part of our photo walk around the city, we photographed around the Marina Bay Sands Resort. I crouched down low with my wide angle lens to capture this amazing foreground of the Artscience Museum with the Marina Bay Hotel Towers in the reflection.
If you have a chance to visit Singapore please do so...just remember to flush the toilet.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery
Sam's Other Travel Photography Gallery
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Google +?
Everyday there seems to be another social networking site demanding our time and compromising our privacy. We are faced with the dilemma of where to invest our time to build up our social network: Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Google +, etc.
For the next couple of months I will be immersed in the original social networking...backpacking or in my case flashpacking.
Backpacking is a term associated with low-cost, independent international travel. Flashpacking is backpacking but with a bigger budget. Usually the flashpacking crowd are individuals who have backpacked in the past but now are a little older and have more disposable income. On the other hand, because they have a background in backpacking, they realize the benefits of budget travel, but also the little quirks associated with it too. Shared bathrooms with clogged shower drains, sleeping in bunk beds in a huge dormitory with twenty snorers, riding public transportation with a fellow backpacker who hasn’t showered in a week and with a local whose pet (i.e. rooster) attempts to poke your eye out at every opportunity.
Occasionally I will still engage in my backpacking roots by staying in a hostel and sleeping in a dormitory. It’s a great way to meet other travelers and to get up to date travel information. For the most part, I stay in guest houses with private rooms with a bathroom and hot shower. The only snoring is my own.
Flashpackers also happen to travel with laptops, iPods and fancy Canon cameras which perfectly describes me.
Traveling independently on a budget is a great way to network with fellow travelers and locals. Unlike Facebook, Twitter and Google + you don’t post photos from ten years ago when we were thirty pounds lighter and had less facial wrinkles. What you see is what you get. You talk, exchange travel stories and share where you’ve been and where you’re going. The best part is there’s no typing involved, thus giving your fingers a rest.
I started my trip a month ago in the beautiful city-state of Singapore. The moment I landed in their world class airport I fell in love with the city. What’s not to love? The diversity of cultures and religion, the amazing food, clean streets, low crime and they hang (that’s right hang) people who are involved in any drug related crimes. My type of city.
The moment I arrived at my hostel I met John from England. He had been in Singapore for over a week and offered to give me a quick tour of the city. We covered Little India, Burgis Market and the Clarke Quay. We had dinner at a great hawker stall and then headed out to the Marina Bay Sands Resort. Billion dollar views and the construction costs to match it.
This is a photograph of the ArtScience Museum (part of the Marina Bay Sands Resort) with the Singapore skyline in the background. I shot this handheld as I didn’t bring my normal Manfrotto tripod for space considerations (I did bring my table top Manfrotto tripod but I didn’t have a place to elevate it for this shot). A great introduction to a great city.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery
Sam's Other Travel Photography Gallery
For the next couple of months I will be immersed in the original social networking...backpacking or in my case flashpacking.
Backpacking is a term associated with low-cost, independent international travel. Flashpacking is backpacking but with a bigger budget. Usually the flashpacking crowd are individuals who have backpacked in the past but now are a little older and have more disposable income. On the other hand, because they have a background in backpacking, they realize the benefits of budget travel, but also the little quirks associated with it too. Shared bathrooms with clogged shower drains, sleeping in bunk beds in a huge dormitory with twenty snorers, riding public transportation with a fellow backpacker who hasn’t showered in a week and with a local whose pet (i.e. rooster) attempts to poke your eye out at every opportunity.
Occasionally I will still engage in my backpacking roots by staying in a hostel and sleeping in a dormitory. It’s a great way to meet other travelers and to get up to date travel information. For the most part, I stay in guest houses with private rooms with a bathroom and hot shower. The only snoring is my own.
Flashpackers also happen to travel with laptops, iPods and fancy Canon cameras which perfectly describes me.
Traveling independently on a budget is a great way to network with fellow travelers and locals. Unlike Facebook, Twitter and Google + you don’t post photos from ten years ago when we were thirty pounds lighter and had less facial wrinkles. What you see is what you get. You talk, exchange travel stories and share where you’ve been and where you’re going. The best part is there’s no typing involved, thus giving your fingers a rest.
I started my trip a month ago in the beautiful city-state of Singapore. The moment I landed in their world class airport I fell in love with the city. What’s not to love? The diversity of cultures and religion, the amazing food, clean streets, low crime and they hang (that’s right hang) people who are involved in any drug related crimes. My type of city.
The moment I arrived at my hostel I met John from England. He had been in Singapore for over a week and offered to give me a quick tour of the city. We covered Little India, Burgis Market and the Clarke Quay. We had dinner at a great hawker stall and then headed out to the Marina Bay Sands Resort. Billion dollar views and the construction costs to match it.
This is a photograph of the ArtScience Museum (part of the Marina Bay Sands Resort) with the Singapore skyline in the background. I shot this handheld as I didn’t bring my normal Manfrotto tripod for space considerations (I did bring my table top Manfrotto tripod but I didn’t have a place to elevate it for this shot). A great introduction to a great city.
Stay tuned for more of my adventures in Southeast Asia.
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
Sam's Photography Blog
Sam's Travel Photography Gallery
Sam's Other Travel Photography Gallery
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Good Things Come in Compact Packages
San Diego’s Balboa Park is the largest cultural complex west of the Mississippi River. The park encompasses over 1,200 acres and is larger than San Francisco's Golden Gate Park (1,107 acres) and New York's Central Park (843 acres). Established in 1868, the park came into prominence with the arrival of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. The park has everything for everyone from museums, theaters, animals, architecture, flora and sports facilities.
Every December Balboa Park celebrates Christmas with a festival called Christmas on the Prado. It has now been renamed Balboa Park December Nights since it is politically incorrect to speak of the name Christmas. I love to be politically incorrect so I still call it by its original name.
Christmas on the Prado reminds San Diegans the cultural value of Balboa Park by allowing free admission to all the museums in the park. In addition, there is food, music and live entertainment.
On this escapade I took my compact Canon Powershot G9 and my Manfrotto table top tripod. I was having too much fun in the Aerospace Museum when I realized I was about to miss out on the blue hour. So I hurried my friends out of the museum and rushed to find this spot in the amusement park zone. I got down low on the ground to set up my little tripod, all the while passing spectators were probably wondering what a deranged man was doing on the ground.
Again, the Powershot G9 came through with flying colors (literally). Goods things do come in compact packages.
EXIF: ISO 80, f/8, 13 seconds, -1/3 exposure
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
Why don't you join me on Facebook?
Still figuring out Google +
Follow me on Twitter!
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