I will be writing about my film in upcoming blogs so be on the lookout for it.

During the time I've been making my film and working, also been filming little time lapses here and there and editing short travel clips from my past travels. So over the coming year I will be publishing and writing about those on the blog.

So to start of with, here is a time lapse I filmed just last week

Check out my other travel photos 

So subscribe to my channel to get updates on my videos and future projects

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my other blog posts

First off, I had seen a photo taken in Mt Koya online and it was really that photo that made me want to see this place. It looked other-worldly, majestic, from a time not of this planet. I researched online to see exactly where Mt Koya is located and if it was easy to get to. Frankly, no is the answer regarding if it's easy to get to. As it took me nearly 3hrs taking 3 trains, a cable car and then a bus. To some people reading this, you're probably thinking that's nothing, but what adds to the journey is the challenge in reaching the area. It also didn't help the fact that I was travelling solo and had 4 bags with me (mostly camera gear). But I wasn't deterred and the great folks at InsideJapan Tours made sure my journey there would go smoothly (it did!).

Mount Koya was originally a monastery built away from Kyoto. It is now a city with over 100 temples along with universities dedicated to religious studies. More so, it is a very important meditation place for many pilgrims from all over the world. Not forgetting that it is the start and end point of the 88 temples of Shikoku’s pilgrimage.

Arriving in Mount Koya, I instantly knew I would fall in love with the place, my image of Japan is mostly that of the bright lights of neo-Tokyo. In Mount Koya you knew you were in the Japan of old, a time of the past that is present. Seeing temple buildings that to my senses they were steeped in history. More so life seemed way slower pace compared to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, just the act of being there was amazing.

I stayed at Ekoin Temple for 2 nights. Most people opt for 1 night, but I would suggest 2 nights to get most out of your time in Mount Koya. Plus you've spent so much time getting there, it would be a shame to leave the next day. I was surprised by my room, very simple and sparse but in a good way. Now before I go on, when it comes to hotel rooms etc, I just want a place to rest, I'm not too hung up about if the room has a fridge, tv, internet etc or if the wallpaper is at least from circa 2005. I enjoyed the fact that monks would come in and make my bed. I found this interaction culturally important as it forced me to make conversations with them and find out more about them.

Speaking of which, the monk that was assigned to my room, his name was Yuta and he would also serve me my breakfast and dinner. Through our conversations I found out that he actually lived in Manchester (UK) for 6 months and I was impressed by his grasp of the English Language. He told me that as part of their training to become monks, they are offered to experience living elsewhere for 6 months to see how others live as to make them better understand the world as a whole. I got on so well with him that as I gave him a gift which was a small photo book of my photos which he took with a smile.

One of the highlights for me staying at Ekoin Temple was the chance to attend the morning prayers and the Goma fire ceremony which was an experience I will never forget. I would urge you to do the same, get up early, be ready and participate. Check out my vlogs to see what I experienced and to give you a sense of what to expect.

The food offering was something else, I'm not a foodie or food connoisseur but the breakfasts and dinners that were made and delivered to my room was just exquisite and tasted amazing on my dull palate that was my tongue. Also the food served at Ekoin is Syojin Ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine).

The second highlight for me was Okunoin cemetery which is a 5 minute walk from the temple. It is also from Ekoin Temple that you can do night tour of the cemetery. One of the monks will take you on a walking tour explaining the history of the cemetery along with interesting facts.  The cemetery is lined with great tall ceder trees and on either side of the paths are shrines, some small, some large, but walking through Okunion cemetery which is the largest in the country with  estimated 200,000 graves, but a site which is sacred to the Shingon School of Buddhism, being where the mausoleum of the sect’s founder, Kukai or Kobo-Daishi, is located and where he is said to lie in eternal meditation. The cemetery, together with the mausoleum at the end of a 2 kilometre walk through the cemetery is in fact a pilgrimage site for Shingon Buddhism, one of the mainstream schools of Buddhism in Japan.

Check out my daily travel vlogs from my time here in Mount Koya

Get 25% of my Japan photos using coupon code 'japan25'

Check out my other travel photos 

So subscribe to my channel to get updates on my videos and future projects

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my other blog posts

Nara

The lasting image I have from my first visit to Nara back on 2005 is the massive Big Buddha Statue at Todaiji. For me it was so imposing, looking up and having to lean back when you were up close to it. It was also majestic to look at. The fact you can't see clearly or properly when you're walking towards it, it's not only when you climb the steps and step over into the temple. It's here that when your eyes adjust, you seem to see something appearing out of the shadows and then bam! your eyes finally see it, you will be amazed.

Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall) is the world's largest wooden building, despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two-thirds of the original temple hall's size. I had to get my head around that! It's one impressive piece of engineering. To visit and see the Daibutsuden Hall, it will cost you 500yen , well worth it and you won't be disappointed! It's something to behold seeing this giant structure up close and personal, it truly does make you feel small.

When approaching Todaiji stands the Nandaimon Gate. It's a large wooden gate watched over by two statues. Representing the Nio Guardian Kings, the statues are designated national treasures together with the gate itself.

The other thing that people should know about Nara is of course, the wildlife, especially the deer which roam the Nara Park which is opposite Todaiji. As a public service announcement, these deer are wild. Though they may look tame and cute, you will notice signs around the park warning visitors that the deer are wild and to take care. The deer will gravitate towards you as they think you will give them shika senbei, special crackers for deer that are sold for around 150 yen.

You could easily spend a whole day in Nara, exploring the smaller temple halls around Todaiji complex but if you are pressed for time, then half day will be just as fine.

Check out my 4K timelapse I filmed on my visit to Nara below.

Byodo-In

On the back of the 10 yen coin is the Phoenix Hall in Byodo-Inn. Like with many architectural gems located in Japan, this is also regarded as being Japan's most beautiful building. That becomes a problem when travelling in Japan, just when you thought you found the most amazing building another one will surpass it, but bottom line is the country is full of awe inspiring buildings.

Byodo-In Temple is located in Uji which is you can get to on the JR Nara line. So if your coming back from visiting Nara, I would suggest you stop off at Uji to take in Byodo-In temple which is only a 10-15 minute from the station and is clearly sign posted.

Byodo-In was also suggested to me by InsideJapan Tours who organised my trip to Japan and I'm glad I took it on board. It costs 600yen to enter the temple grounds and the museum. If you wanted to view inside the Phoenix Hall, then an additional 300yen can be bought from inside the grounds.

When I visited, there was a school load of children admiring the temple. First thing you should do when you pay your entry ticket is to take the left hand path around the lotus pond and just admire the full view of the temple, see how its reflected in the pond. Its pretty amazing. It's from here that if you happen to have a 10yen coin in your pocket then you might want to compare it with the actual viewpoint. As its this view of the Phoenix Hall being shown on the coin.

Check out my photos

Check out my daily vlog below of my visit to Nara and Byodo-In.

Get 25% of my Japan photos using coupon code 'japan25'

Check out my other travel photos 

So subscribe to my channel to get updates on my videos and future projects

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my other blog posts

So much has been written about Kyoto and its temples. A stark contrast to the dizzying neon lights of Tokyo, a city that seems to be the opposite of the capital. It's refreshing that such a city exists. If your planning to visit Japan, no doubt you will visit both Tokyo and Kyoto, its a must anyhow. You will see the difference between the two. Things in Kyoto are taken in a more relaxed manner than Tokyo, the only semblance you will see is in Kyoto Station during rush hour or when trains pull up. The hordes of people somehow make the station come alive.

The other interesting thing I didn't know about Kyoto, it largely escaped Word War 2 bombs because it was not included in the American invasion plans. There were talks of dropping the Nagasaki bomb on it, but the Secretary of War vetoed the idea, and so the Imperial City of Kyoto has more pre-war buildings than most other Japanese cities taken together.

Here are some facts about Kyoto in no particular order

• Easily reached from Tokyo in about 3hrs via the bullet train

• It is part of the Kinki region which includes Osaka and Kobe

• It has several hundred Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, a castle , three palaces, beautiful parks and gardens

• Most outstanding monuments according to people are the Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle and Katsura Imperial Villa

• The Heian Jingu though only erected in 1895 to commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto is the most impressive being based on the old Imperial Palace.

• The Yasaka Shrine founded in the 7th Century is dedicated to Susa-no-wo, the patron deity of Kyoto.

• It is regarded that some of the Kyoto's Buddhist's temples are considered to be the finest in all of Japan.

• Ryoanji, founded in the 15th Century, famous for its rock garden, designed by Soami under Zen inspiration. 

• The Kyomizu-dera, which was founded about 800 but with present buildings mostly of the 17th century, offers a panoramic view of the city.

• The original name of Kyoto was Heiankyo meaning Capital of Peace.

For my 2012 trip to Kyoto, I stayed in the Ryokan Shimizu, which as a 5 minute walk from Kyoto Station. For my 2016 trip to Kyoto, I stayed in the Yoshimizu Ryokan which is located in the woods at the top of Maruyama-koen Park, surrounded by by maple and bamboo trees, its a perfect spot to come back to to chill and relax.

Saiho-Ji-Temple (Kokedera Moss Temple)

I had come across this temple through photos I had seen online and read a few articles about it. What I wasn't aware of,  was that you can't just turn up and see it, but rather you had to make a reservation to visit. The way you do this is to send your request by postal mail to the temple with your name, how many of you will be attending, name and adress of the main group contact, the proposed date of when you want to visit, and not forgetting a self stamped addressed envelope or postcard. It's recommended that you do it at least 7 days before your visit, but I would advise to do it a few months (if you can, that's what I did). 

The temple address is: 
Saihoji Temple 
56 Jingatani-cho, Matsuo 
Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8286, Japan

The admission fee of 3000 yen per person is paid at the time of the visit.

If you live in Japan, you can obtain a special return postcard called an ofuku hagaki is available from the post office for exactly these purposes. But if your an overseas visitor (like me) you have a few options. One being using an international reply coupon which can be found in most post offices around the world.  Second you can use this site  who can take care of the difficult reservation process for you. They charge at time of writing 2200yen on top of the 3000yen you will have to pay at time of visit. The third option which I used was I asked my travel agent to organise it for me. The lovely people at InsideJapan Tours organised my whole Japan trip and also took care of reservations at Saiho-Ji Temple for me.

Before you actually get access to the gardens, visitors are taken in where they pay their entrance fee and are seated at one of many low writing desks. A monk would then lead into the room in sutra chanting and its only then the copying begins. The whole process takes up to an hour. For those not able to sit down, they do have chairs available. If all this sounds challanging such as writing for an hour, its not! Copying the sutra is relatively easy, as a tracing of the Japanese characters is given to guide those without knowledge of Japanese calligraphy. I found the whole process really therapeutic . When a visitor is done copying the sutra they take it to the alter, offer a prayer and its only then that you are allowed into the moss garden. It's one thing to see it in photos and hear people talk about it, but its something else seeing it in person. Such a magnificent sight. I'd seen some impressive Japanese gardens but this one was something else. It was like stepping into a magical world. I knew it to be real as your eye would notice gardeners tending to the gardens, other than that, as your walking through, you seem to loose yourself in it. 

Chion-in Temple

Chion-in is the head temple of the Jodo sect of Japanese Buddhism, which has millions of followers and is one the the most popular Buddhist sects in Japan.  You will see from a distance that the temple is pretty grand in design and when you get closer, it only magnifies how grand it is. When entering through the san-mon gate, pause to reflect to skills needed to build this amazing gate,  seeing the complex joinery is somewhat amazing. 

For those wanting to visit, please be aware that Chionin's main hall, the Miedo Hall, is undergoing  a major renovation work that fully started in 2012 and will most likely last until March 2019. During the renovation works, the hall is covered by a large scaffolding structure and closed to visitors. The Honen Shoin Mido Hall is used for the main ceremonies, instead. So do bear this in mind if you are planning to visit

Kinkakuji

Kinkakuji aka The Golden Pavillion is one of those temples in which you have to see it to believe it with your own eyes. The top two floors of the temple is completely covered in gold leaf and if you manage to visit on a nice day, with blue skies and rolling clouds, what you will see is something truly stunning! The temple is built overlooking a pond which adds to the visual impact of it.

The temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and after his death it became a Zen temple. The temple itself is the only building left of the villa as it has been burned down several times through its history. The present temple was rebuilt in 1955.

Ryoanji

Meaning Peaceful Dragon Temple is a World Heritage Site. Famously known for its Zen garden which to anyone seeing it first time round, a simple gravel and rock arrangement. But that arrangement is meant to inspire peace and contemplation.

The garden is thought to be dated from the late 1400's. It is one of the most notable examples of the dry-garden style. People say it is the highest expression of Zen art and teachings and perhaps the single if not the greatest masterpiece of Japanese culture. No one knows who laid out this simple garden, or precisely when and that's the allure of this garden. The Zen garden has an arrangement of 15 rocks resting on white gravel, surrounded by low walls. The rocks are placed so that when looking at the garden from any angle, only 14 are visible. In the Buddhist world, the number 15 means 'completeness'. So in essence you must have total view of the garden to make it a meaningful experience, but this is not possible. To most people looking at the garden and the layout of the rocks, its not hardly impressive, even from a technical standpoint but rather its through minimalism that inspires contemplation and introspection and that's the real draw to this Zen rock garden. To really enjoy it, its best to go early in the mornings before the crowds start appearing.

Arashiyama

If its from 1 day or 3 days you have when in Kyoto, going to visit Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is a must! It's one of the most photographed sights in the whole city, you can spend all day here snapping away but that's not what makes it an amazing place to visit. No photo can capture the feeling of standing amongst the bamboo groves. If you can get there early (and I mean early before the droves of visitors that will come after 8am) then you will have the chance to experience something unique and wonderful and that is this sense of otherness unlike that of any other forest you know of. Hearing the wind move through the groves, look up and you'll be enchanted into a dream like state by virtue of you moving from side to side with the motion of the bamboo in the wind. It's best you just see the following photos to get an idea of what I'm talking about!

Kiyomizudera Temple

The name Kiyomizudera means 'Pure Water Temple'. When I first visited back in 2005, it blew me away. The wooden stage that juts out from the main hall 13 meters above the hillside is something to see. It's like looking back in time. The stage gives visitors some great views of not just Kyoto but maple and cherry trees below it.

The other outstanding fact I learnt was that the main hall along with the stage was built without the use of nails which houses the temples primary object of worship. That being a small statue of the 11 faced, thousand armed Kannon.

Fushimi Inari-taisha

Famed  for its thousands of vermillion torii gates. The gates hedge a network of trails behind the main temple buildings which lead into the forest of the sacred Mount Inari which is roughly 230 meters above the shrine grounds. 

Foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers, which gives arise to the many fox statues across the grounds. Whilst the main reason for many tourists to visit the shrine is because of the torii gates and mountain trails, people tend to overlook the shrine building themselves. It's worth walking around the grounds to explore these buildings

If you have any questions about Kyoto, please get in touch!, also check out my daily vlogs from my time in Kyoto, this will give you a better feel for this amazing city!

Get 25% of my Japan photos using coupon code 'japan25'

Check out my other travel photos 

So subscribe to my channel to get updates on my videos and future projects

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my other blog posts

It was a wise decision to spend two days in Hiroshima, not only to see the sights and explore but to also give you space to go further afield. For my second day I knew I would be going to Miyajima to see the sunset, but didn't know what to do for the first half of of the day. As with last minute decisions, I googled to see what else was of interest of me and I came across Mitaki-dera Temple, and was only a 20 min train journey. The other thing I read online was that hardly anyone visits this temple, I had seen a few pictures of it and at first wasn't that blown away by it to be honest but that would change when I eventually got there. Getting there is pretty straight forward, taking the train 2 stops from Hiroshima Station to Mitaki JR Station. From here its roughly a 20 minute walk up a steep hill (which you can see in this vlog)

The Shingnon Buddhist temple here dates back to the year 800 and situated in the forested valley of Mitaki-yama. The name comes from the 3 waterfalls within its grounds. The draw and charm of Mitaki for me was its atmosphere, so calm and peaceful and I for most portions of my time there, had the place pretty much to myself. As you make your way through the temple complex , going over the moss covered stones, out of your corner of your eye you notice at first the odd one jizo statues in their bright red caps and bibs but then you realise there are hundreds all over the temple complex. With the waterfalls around, you are surrounded by a lot of greenery, as you delve deeper into the grounds, you will notice that the trees seem more magnificent than the previous one. You can easily spend a whole day here and not even notice the time passing. It's that enchanting it was amazing. 

Miyajima Island

After coming back from Mitaki, I had a few hours to go back to the hotel, this gave me time to charge my camera batteries and relax before heading back out again.

The main attraction of Myaijima being the red shrine gate of Itsukushima-jinja which is standing out in the sea . I wanted to go there for sunset, as we al l know sunsets are pretty cool when your travelling. The other thing people don't tell you about Miyajima Island is the wildlife and by that I mean the deer that roam freely. To be more specific they are Sika Deer, and are sacred animals in Japan. In the ancient times, they were worshipped as messengers of the Gods.

The deer seem very calm but can be mischievous as some will follow you and if your bag is open, they will pounce and try and grab anything that is in there, and also snatch any food you may have in your hands, so you have been warned.

Sometimes you can't help taking a thousand photos of something you've already seen in photos and magazines but when you're here, you just do it instinctively, snapping away at the giant red tori gate. It's quite and overpowering feeling.

The shinto shrine Itsukushima-jinga that the red tori gate belongs to it also a marvel to see and explore. The constructions of the shrine is that of like a pier. The reason for this is that the island has a holy status and as such commoners were not allowed to actually step on the island and had to make the approach to the shrine thought the floating gate by boat.

If you do have the time, then stay for sunset, grab a spot and just sit there looking out. It can get crowded with people vying for the best spot but you will be rewarded with one of the best sunsets you will ever see. You just don't want it to end. It is that magical!

Check out my daily vlog when I visited Mitaki and Miyajima

Get 25% of my Japan photos using coupon code 'japan25'

Check out my other travel photos 

So subscribe to my channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my other blog posts

I was determined to visit Hiroshima on this visit to Japan. I felt bad that I didn’t create the opportunity on my previous visits to Japan. I stayed there for 2 nights, I read in most places that you can do it in 1 day but to truly feel how great the city is, you should opt to stay at least 2 nights. The hotel I stayed in was the Dorny Inn Hiroshima which was a 10 minute walk from the Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum and Peace Park which also has the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. It's a very moving experience to be there and I spent both evenings sitting by the Motoyasu River and gathering my thoughts with the bombed scarred Atomic Dome in the distance. It's also nice to see other people of all ages sitting by the river, a reminder that even though the past was horrific the city and its people have picked themselves up and its thriving with small bars and restaurants that lined the streets, it was really nice and ended up having a late dinner in one of them thinking why don't more people come here.

Another thing I loved about Hiroshima was taking the trams around the city. A stark change from metro trains in Tokyo and it allowed me to slow things down and appreciate the city more.

Whatever seems to happen in the world, whether its wars, people fighting  each other, there is a deep feeling that we can work together to create a better future for generations to come. Sitting here watching across the river is a symbol of hope, not just for opposing sides but also for individuals who have struggle's in their lives. It's hard to describe the emotions that go through your mind when you reflect on what has gone before you and what will come after you

Check out my daily vlog I did in Hiroshima

Get 25% of my Japan photos using coupon code 'japan25'

Check out my other travel photos 

So subscribe to my channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my other blog posts

I had seen photos of Nikko in the past and they looked impressive and wanted to get some of my own. Nikko is famous for the Nikko Toshogu Shrine and from the photos it looked stunning.

On my visit it was raining all day but that didn’t deter me nor the other visitors who were there, so remember to be prepared and bring waterproofs or at least an umbrella as it was non-stop rain when I was there. It actually added to the atmosphere and made it feel like being in ancient Japan.

Check out my vlog about visiting Nikko to give you more of what is was like

Get 25% of my Japan photos using coupon code 'japan25'

Check out my other travel photos 

So subscribe to my channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my other blog posts

• Asakusa
• Meji Shrine
• Shibuya
• Shinjuku
• Ueno Park
• Nikko* (this was a day trip from Tokyo to Nikko, I will write about this in a separate blog)

A great travel tip I would advise you to do if visiting Japan is to rent Pocket Wi-Fi, it will be a lifesaver, and on most rental Pocket Wi-Fi units you can connect more than one device. The 4G network speeds are pretty consistent and the speeds you get are usually faster than the ones you normally get in hotels. I did a lot of travelling on this trip and it was great to check train times, emailing hotels and also watching tv shows on my bullet train journeys between cities.

You’ve probably read all there is to know about Tokyo but if you do have questions, then please do get in contact with me via email or leave a comment down below. Reason I say this is because I’m going to show you what makes Tokyo amazing through the power of photography as images can help shape and change the way you think about a place and even make you book a plane ticket and visit.

Sensoji Temple

Also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple located in Asakua. Depending which way you enter, you will most likely visit through Nakamise, a street which is over 200 meters long with shops that sell Japanese souvenirs to snacks. Sensoji Temple is one of the most popular temples in Tokyo as well as it being colourful. If you can try see it at night as well as during the day as its pretty magical.

Meji Shrine

The shrine is adjacent to Yoyogi Park and both make up a large forested area within Tokyo which is amazing considering how densely populated the city is. The spacious shrine grounds offer a great respite from the hustle and bustle of this amazing city and great for relaxing walks.

Shibuya

If there is one image of Tokyo that people know of or will see in travel magazines or through friend’s photos that have visited, it will be that of Shibuya Crossing! Shibuya is also the centre for youth fashion and the surrounding streets are the source of many of Japan’s fashion and entertainment trends. 

Shinjuku

I booked a photography tour one evening as I never had done one before in my life. Plus I really wanted another photographers perspective who does what I do but lives in Tokyo. Things didn't go to plan as in my haste to catch the train I got on the wrong one and ended up in Shinagawa when I should've got Shinjuku. The tour company which organised this Inside Japan Tours managed to phone me whilst I was making way to Shinjuku to make sure I was on my way and informed the photo tour guide that I would be late. Luckily I was only 10 minutes late to meet my photo tour guide, and after navigating the maze that is Shinjuku Station we made our way out. He took me to some nice spots around the station and within walking distance and we spent an hour photographing and talking about our love of Japan in general.

Ueno Park

A large public park right next to Ueno Station. The park boasts many museums and also home to Japan’s first zoological garden. Not forgetting that Ueno Park is a great spot to see witness the Cherry blossoms as it has over 1000 cherry trees that lines its central pathway. Like Meiji Shrine, the park is a nice spot to relax away from the frantic pace that you will see in Tokyo. 

If you want to get a better insight into my time in Tokyo, check my daily vlogs below that I made there purely to give people an insight of what Tokyo is like and to for me to have a record of my time there not just through photography but daily vlogging.

Get 25% of my Japan photos using coupon code 'japan25'

Check out my other travel photos 

So subscribe to my channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my other blog posts

Why I am saying this? Well most travel trips I do seem to have a soundtrack to it, not by choice but through circumstance. We all listen to music when we travel (well I hope so, helps pass the time). It's through the confluence of travelling and the things you do there that music seems to provide a sense of glue to it all.

Let's go back a few weeks. I'm fan of Chance the Rapper's music and like many fans around the world, was waiting patiently for him to release his latest mix tape though no official release date was announced. The week of May 9th I was getting my gear ready for my trip to Japan, it was announced that the album would drop on May 12th 2016 in the US. I was working out time differences in my head and thought I won't be able to get it as I'll be making my way to the airport on May 13th. So come May 13th , I'm sitting in departures, going through some paperwork and checking my camera gear and decided to check if the mix tape had come out. I had 40 minutes before I had to board my flight and looking at me on my laptop screen was the download link! I knew then that this mix tape would be my soundtrack to this trip.

Right, back the trip.

This was my third visit back to Japan, a country in which totally enchanted me when I first visited in 2005 and back then I said that I will always come back to Japan time and time again. There is that saying you should always visit new countries and not go back to the same one again and again. My answer to that is simple, do what makes you happy.

The two main reasons why Japan for me is amazing and so enchanting is first the culture and second is the stunning temples and shrines it has to offer. Of course there are loads more reasons such as:

• the amazing landscapes

• How clean the country is

• compared to my western upbringing, how wonderfully weird it can be

• The transport! Compared to the UK, its so efficient

• the food is amazing (even though I'm not a foodie)

• It's one of the safest countries I've visited on my travels the past decade.

• The people are just awesome

• oh and the Bullet Train!

There are loads more but think you get the idea. But unless you've been to Japan its hard to describe the feelings of emotion one gets when trying to explain why its such an amazing place.

Sorry to keep taking you back in the past, but back in 2005 when I first visited, the visit was sort of a sensual overload in my brain. It was hard to process what I had seen, experienced and done. It didn't help that this visit was part of my round the world trip so after Japan I was flying to Australia. But the good thing was that I kept a diary and took photos and video to remind me. If your wondering what my music soundtrack for that trip was, well it was 'Details' by Frou Frou. It's an album I still listen to this day.

Everything I wondered about Japan prior to my 2005 visit was not only realised but was superseded. Watching Anime shows, film and documentaries about Japan only satiated my curiosity as to what this weird wonderful place is but more so I wanted to be out of my comfort zone, I wanted to be tested where I couldn't rely on what my upbringing had taught me. Japan forces you to look within to pluck up courage, whether its asking for directions, getting a bus ticket, navigating the many exits that a train station will have. Or trying weird and wonderfully colourful food it has to offer. It goes far beyond your normal level. In a way I like to discomfort it gives me, the clash of cultures. On the whole Asia is where culture shock is definitely abound compared to my western upbringing.

Having visited 3 times now, things are easier thanks to smartphones and your greatest friend that you'll ever have in Japan, and that is Wi-Fi! Even the trains now will tell you what stop your at in English. Even with all this help, I still get in awe being there.

Japan is one of the few places where I truly felt safe, I mean everywhere. I'm from London, and like most major cities around the world, it can be safe, but whether your actually FEEL SAFE is another matter. In Japan the sense of caution vanished, I wasn't paranoid about my camera bag being taken, being pick-pocketed or even robbed.

You must've heard about how great the customer service is in Japan? Hearing 'Irashiamase' was something that made me smile, the warm greeting that was voiced every time I entered a store in Japan, actually any store in Japan! From small convenience stores, big brand stores, restaurants and hotels. Unlike shops in UK and the US, the shop staff managed to balance not to be so intrusive such so I hated the shopping experience but managed to give me their undivided attention.

The other thing I love about Japan is the expressive creative freedom that the younger generations seem to radiate. Each day when walking the streets exploring, I would notice the youth of Japan expressing their creative wears from dressing up as cosplay characters, goth inspired, to wearing Victorian era clothing, this was just amazing to see, they just went about their day, there was no other groups sneering at them nor mocking them. It was a cohesive community where you can live the way you want to, that was something pretty special to see in Japan.

If your wondering what the photo at the top of this post is about, well it's the very first photo I took in Japan in 2005. Taken roughly 20 mins after landing in Tokyo, just outside Narita Airport waiting for the Airport Limousine bus.

I should add the other reason why Japan means a lot to me on a personal level, is prior to the trip me and my friend decided to pack our jobs in and make the decision to travel the world. We made a list of places we really wanted to visit and Japan was 2nd on my list behind seeing the Redwoods. I at first was hesitant because of the unknowns, what do I do about my bills, my temping work etc. Then he just told me he booked the tickets and we we're going. It was then my fate was sealed. In life we need someone or something to push us forward into the unknown, to help us face our fears and jump into the new. Japan for its intent and purposes at the time for me ticked all those boxes and has given me the confidence in pursing my dreams and aspirations. 

I am just being honest here, as a photographer, it can get to you trying to be creative all the time. There are long periods where you just don't want to pick up the camera nor even edit your photos and that is actually fine. For me, travelling in a way re-energises me, feeds my creativity and gives the added boost that I need. But it's Japan where I feel it the most, its a cerebral experience and it washes over me and I feel truly great. Every time I see the photos I've taken of Japan, they always give a small boost of energy, and I think that's what photos should do, they should make you feel something in someway.

Over the next few blogs I will try and attempt to show you why I love Japan and hopefully you will visit this wonderful country full of contrasts, it truly is like a country like no other and why it stays on top of many people's travel bucket list!

Get 25% of my Japan photos using coupon code 'japan25'

Check out my other travel photos 

So subscribe to my channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my other blog posts

The notion that throughout your life you only have a handful of friends that you can rely on, to help you out, shoulder to cry, have fun, or just to be there is a fascinating concept. The need to form friendships or connections need not be that of lifelong promises.

When you’re travelling, be it on your own or with friends, you’re never stationary, always moving, so when meeting new people you’re not that bothered if they’re going to be great friends or not.

I’ve always been a proponent of travelling being the best education one can get. It forces you out of your comfort zone, forces you to looking within to see out worldly into the new. The people you meet on your travels offer a different form of friendship. They might not be there to help you out, or there to listen to your woes or even be invited to your wedding (mind you, I was invited to a wedding of a person I’d met travelling just 18 months prior, more on that later). They were there when you experienced the most amazing sunset together, they were there when you ventured into the jungles to seek out lost temples, partied on the beach till the sun came up! That weird moment when you add a new friend on Facebook then out of nowhere it suggests a dozen more. This doesn’t happen with travel friends who are literally from the other side of the world. They don’t know you or your embarrassing past or about what happened at the famed party like your lifelong friends do. In a way travel friends offer a clean slate on which you can offer friendship completely free of expectations, you can in a way be yourself without being judged. This manoeuvres into being exposed to people from all walks of life with different views on life and having different life experiences. This can be an overwhelming at first but is always a beautiful moment. There is nothing wrong with wanting a new audience to tell your story to, especially if you’ve told the story over and over again to your friends who now don’t show the enthusiasm as they once did. But with travel friends, you can share that story and many more as they won’t be put to sleep by it because they are a new audience. That’s a nice feeling.

We seem to be obsessed trying to be someone or something, trying to ‘fit in’, be a certain type of person. This after a while makes you feel trapped. Your friends having a set idea of how you act in their brain. Whereas travel friends don’t actually know you at all. You are free to be ‘you’. You are not bound to hide the ‘inner self’. You can be whoever you want to be and your travel friends won’t see it as weird. The friendships at home are made up of small things that over time develop into long-term friendship and will eventually mould into what we call ‘normal life’, not to say nothing is wrong with being normal, but with travel friends you are welding something from the outset which can lead to a cerebral connection. The places and adventures you experience with travel friends is so far removed from your ‘normal life’, that it’s elevated to another place. You are on this amazing adventure, making and creating amazing memories, together. That’s where it matters. Your friendship with your travel friends is completely divergent to the ones you have at home and in a way that makes it more special and singular. I don’t think people who travel go on the basis to make friends but when they do you end up with connections that rate highly and will always remain somewhat special in their hearts, mind and soul. That wasn’t my intention when I started travelling. I wanted to explore the world, see different cultures, experience things I had only learnt from a school text book. But you will eventually meet people along the way, whether it’s for a fleeting moment or a moment that you will know, alter you in a small way.

I first went travelling back in 2005 and the people I’d met along my way around the world, I am still in contact with to this day. Thanks to the internet and social media, the fact that we all live on different parts of the planet we are all still connected.  Which brings to me to when I did tour in Cambodia in 2013, a country that I wanted to visit mainly to see and explore the temples and its history.  You never really know how well you’re going to get on with your fellow travellers whom you meet on tour. But this notion dissipated very quickly. I met and made some amazing friends on that tour, the impact of which has altered my outlook, and that is a powerful feeling. On that tour I became very close to a group from Australia and the Netherlands. We all bonded and had an amazing time. So amazing was the connection that a year later I was invited to the wedding of the person I had met in Cambodia. That is a very special thing to have happened. I was at first taken aback, then was awash with emotions of what travelling has enabled in all of us, this sense of awe and wonderment in meeting strangers who become travel friends, the intense connections we form which are unlike those formed with your best friend from school or even work.

Best of all, you don't feel this sense of despondent guilt when parting ways with your travel friends. You get their email, connect through the various social networks and promise them a room to stay when they're next in town

So what are you waiting for, there is a whole world to be explored! Amazing experiences to be had and the most amazing connections yet to be made!

I attached my small action camera to the roof of a building to film a time-lapse of the clouds rolling over London.

Just to showcase a small sample, I've selected a few weddings I've photographed over the years.

If you interested in working with me regarding your wedding, advice or just want to chat, then please drop me an email on [email protected]

Check out my travel photos 

So subscribe to my channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my other blog posts

• Construction began on May 15 2009 at Canary Wharf
• Tunnelling began in May 2012
• The route will  run over 100km from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through new tunnels under central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east
• 10,000 people are working on the project, with some 400 apprentices at peak rate
• Two tunnel machines used, called Elizabeth and Victoria respectively, each weighing 1,000 tonnes, 150 meters long and about 7 meters in diameter.
• Roughly 4.5 million tonnes of excavated material from the tunnels has been and still being shipped to Wallasea Island in Essex where it is being used to create a new 1,500 acre RSPB nature reserve.
• Liverpool Street is one of the 10 new Crossrail stations being built in central and south east London.
• Total cost is estimated to be £14.8 billion.

It’s from Liverpool Street Station that I ventured into or rather down to see the immense construction project taking shape. I was taken aback by the vast scale of the work. It’s one thing seeing it on the news and papers but to actually see it and walk in the tunnels. That’s when you truly appreciate the scale and immensity of the construction taking place. All this whilst no more than 20-30 meters above your head, London is going about its daily business, people unware of what happening beneath their feet. Not forgetting also other tube lines that cut through London, the margin of error in making sure Crossrail didn’t impact those lines as well as London above is feat of engineering not seen.

Having seen the process of this infrastructure project take shape and understanding the challenges, I am looking forward to seeing it completed and passengers enjoying the improved transport links.

In my limited time I took the following photos and filmed a time-lapse of my visit there.

Time-lapse

Sunset on the island of Genovesa in the Galapagos

Being on a boat has its benefits; the joy of witnessing sunsets and sunrises across the open sea is quite soothing for the mind and body. This particular sunset I filmed was even more special as it was my birthday. There’s seem to be some magical pull when seeing a sunset, almost spiritual in its movement, you seem all but transfixed on the golden disc. Yet it’s due to this very golden disc that your are alive.

To find about more about the Galapagos, visit my blog post about my time visiting the Galapagos

For my travel videos, please head to http://vimeo.com/m24instudio

Check out my other travel photos 

So subscribe to my channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my other blog posts

I’ve taken thousands of photos and there are some that truly move me and affect me on a level unlike any other. This is one such photo

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

They say a portrait should tell a story, and that story should relate to the person in the photo.  But it’s impossible to tell a story of a person in one photo due to the innate nature of humans in that we are too complex to sum up in one image.

The following sets of portraits were taken between 2008 and 2015 when I visited Bangladesh. During the visits I took time to photograph the people that were around me and to capture something special about what makes them unique.

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

If you have any questions, email me on [email protected] 

Comparing safety of transport of one country to another soon becomes irrelevant as you some how accept it is the way it is. This notion is pretty scary to have when you know that accidents are common in the countries river network with overcrowding and lack of health and safety on boats.

St Martins Island is about 9km from Cox's Bazar. My cousin sorted out a day trip to visit which included a bus ride to a port/pier onto which we would embark on a boat that would eventually take us there. Arriving at the port/pier, it wasn't made very clear which boat was for us as there was 3 boats moored.

First off the ships didn't give me that much confidence and when I looked at the amount of people getting, I was at first hesitant that it would stay afloat! Once people were all on board, the ship made its way to St Martin's Island. The journey time was roughly 2 hours and with the that time and to ease my mind about the ship, me and my cousin went to the top deck to take some photos and to see the landscape with views of the Teknaf Hills on one side and Myanmar on the other. I always find its extraordinary to see another country from across a river.

The few hours I'd spent on the island I enjoyed. 

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

If you have any questions, email me on [email protected] 

It’s an 8hr bus ride to get to Cox’s Bazar from Sylhet changing at Chittagong. I’d never been and went with my cousin. The only thing I knew about Cox’s Bazaar was that it has the world’s longest beach, well to be more accurate the world’s longest uninterrupted natural sandy beach, a 125km unbroken beach at that.

I knew that it wouldn’t be National Express type service but was pleasantly surprised by the coach, all big reclining seats and very comfortable. The journey too Chittagong was shall I say speedy. Comparing to the coach journeys I’ve experienced elsewhere on my travels, it seemed the driver was in a hurry to get to Chittagong. There was a lot of swerving at high speed and to be honest wearing the seat belt didn’t bring me any consolation for road safety. That said we did get to Chittagong in time and had a 40 minute wait for the next coach that would take us onto Cox’s Bazaar.

My fears for a much ‘safer’ driver was quickly dashed from Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar, but having survived the first leg of the journey, wasn’t that bothered. Arrived early morning in Cox’s Bazaar and the hotel we booked was a short walk from the bus stop. We checked in, freshened up and made our way out to get the lay of the land.

We headed to the beach and it was vast. Walking towards the water, I was quickly approached by 2 men who were keen to see what I camera I had round my neck. Cox’s Bazar is on the most visited tourist destinations in Bangladesh and it has sprouted a boom in the tourist photography trade, where you get your photos taken at the beach and delivered to you the next day. I noticed a few young photographers on the beach. Once they see you step on the sand, they all clamour to ask to take your photo as a souvenir.

There weren’t many people on the beach at the time but as time passed more and more people just appeared. Maybe because I was focused in getting my photos I just didn’t notice the people. After a while I’d notice groups of children that seemed to be from schools on a day trip, families, couples, and groups of friends enjoying themselves on the beach. It was somewhat nice to see and witness it all while the sun was basking.  

That evening we visited the Cox’s Bazar markets. Vibrant as markets can be but clearly aimed at the tourists. My cousin took the opportunity to see if he could find a decent pair slippers and whilst browsing tried on some sunglasses. He didn’t buy anything in the end. Even though my time at Cox’s Bazar was short, I could see the potential of it being a great tourist destination with focus on building up the infrastructure, better transport links and more hotels as the people here are waiting to show it all off to those who come.

20 years ago Cox’s Bazar was largely a quiet beach town which only locals and other Bangladeshis would visit as a weekend getaway or short family trips. During that time there have been dozens of buildings from hotels, apartment blocks to restaurants. Even on the beach itself there are loads of shops selling souvenirs, toys and fast food. There has been concern from environmentalists that buildings and planning procedures have been obtain illegally and if something isn’t done sooner than rather, then the unrivalled beauty of Cox’s Bazar will be lost. Coupled with this is the ever increasing numbers of visitors which is also having an impact not on just the beach but also on the marine environment. It’s said the ever increasing number of tourists take sea coral home as gifts and this has spurned local traders and locals to collect coral from St Martin’s Island nearby.     

Tourism hasn’t been a top priority for Bangladesh over the past decades but amid economic uncertainty, I think tourism could pave the way to offer a perfect opportunity to diversify its revenue base and change its image to the rest of the world. That will be the challenge for the government, the need to promote development without hurting local ecology. I think promoting and marketing sustainable tourism will pay great dividends and attract tourists from all around the world to Bangladesh and make it a top destination for travellers.

It was a 1hr 30 min car trip to visit Jaflong from Sylhet. Had my camera gear packed and loaded in the boot and off we went. If you haven’t been to Sylhet, to roads can be somewhat hit and miss. With half completed roads, and potholes everywhere, enjoying the ride is an understatement. That said there are portions which are smooth and carefree.  I managed to sleep through most of the journey, and those that know me, know that I can sleep through most things, so the constant roller coaster ride through potholes, humps, bumps etc didn’t affect me one bit.

Upon arrival I was woken up by my driver to say that we have arrived, my first thoughts looking out the window was have we just pulled up inside a mining operation. Both sides of the roads were filled with boulders of all sizes, trucks ferrying them to and fro. Also on the sides of the roads was workman breaking down these boulders with strong hard labour, followed by people carrying them on their backs. As the car traversed its way through the maze that was a road, I could see food stalls and shops.

Once parked up, we took a short walk. At first I was thinking this isn’t the Jaflong people were talking about. It was meant to be a tourist spot, but from what I was seeing, it felt like a mining town. Walking along, it slowly dawned on me as I approached a cliff edge that it from there I was to see something. Before me was a vista like that of old Constable Paintings. I was told by my driver that the ‘river was low for the season, but you get the idea’. I can see why people are drawn to it. You could see the mountains and forests on either side of the river. It was pretty amazing sight to see. As I slowly panned, I made out boats, trucks, and people on the river side washing. It was a weird wonderful confluence of the old and new.

I made my way down to the river bank. As I took photos the people seemed nonchalant. While I was taking photos, a few young men looked curious and seemed to shadow me as I walked along. It was only when I actually looked at them and found out that they too were photographers and were intrigued as to why I was there. I explained I’m just visiting and taking photos for a project. I asked them why they do photography and they explained that people in love come here; partners on vacation, ‘people will wear their nice clothes and come here to get their photos done here in beautiful Jaflong’. I could see why!

Jaflong is located in the Gowainghat Upazila of Sylhet District and situated at the border of Bangladesh and the Indian state of Meghalaya. It’s nestled at the foot of the Khasia-Jainta hills, which is stunningly beautiful. Behind this greatness lies a disturbing ecological disaster that will ruin the landscape and change it beyond recognition. It’s stone mining in the area.

Stone mining has become one of the leading industries for the small community here in Jaflong. During the monsoon season, the river currents wash down rocks and pebbles from India into the Jaflong area. At dawn every day, hundreds of little boats with labourers enter the Piyain River with buckets and spades collecting the stones that will be ground up and sold to create concrete. The mining is extremely harmful to both the workers and the environment as stone mining creates air pollution, noise pollution, destroys the unique landscape and exploits laborer's  . The miners work incredibly hard working with bare hands. The industry is unregulated, the labourers receive no legal nor health benefits and the stone crushing machinery creates hazardous clouds of dust. It is estimated that more than 2,000 women work the stone mines and they receive less pay than their male workers. Many women raise their families near the mines and struggle to make ends meet and provide for their children with their low daily wages.

I witnessed the sheer hard work these workers do and when I was filming one mine, I was told to stop by someone who’d seem to be instructing the workers who had noticed me filming. I duly obliged and had enough footage recorded.

I talked to a local worker and he told me that the stones that come from the riverbed in India are decreasing in volume and that some workers are already taking the risk of going into the no-man’s land in the Indo-Bangla border to mine stones.

Time was made to visit the tea gardens surrounding Jaflong which are beautiful to see amongst the rolling hills and quite a sight. To see the tea leaves and even taste a variety by local market stalls beside the tea gardens.  

It was an amazing experience to visit Jaflong and a reminder of economic prosperity to the detriment to the environment, the divisional split between those who work to feed their children, to those who seek profit and to those who want to preserve Jaflong and to regain the paradise.

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

If you have any questions, email me on [email protected]  

Photos have a genuine power to inspire, change and provide a sense of wonderment to a person or to people all at once. Taking photos over the past decade has given me the most immeasurable thirst for adventure and exploration on this rock called Earth.

For the first time in 10 years, these photos are being shown together. I’ve shown one or two over the years but not like this. These photos are for me the best I’ve taken. I've travelled to some amazing places on this planet but the reason why these selection of photos for me are the best and will never be bettered is purely because for me they capture the essence of exploration and adventure, the intangible desire to explore, challenge the boundaries of what we know and where we have been and ultimately where we are heading. Every time I look back at them, I get re-energised, I feel truly alive.

Sometimes you need what I call ‘constants’ in life, key markers in which you can look back on to see how far you've travelled, not necessarily in the literal sense but emotionally, psychologically, and mentally. These selection of photos are my ‘constants’ and one of the most powerful.

It’s hard to describe the feelings that went through my mind witnessing the sun setting above the clouds. To say it was an awe-inspiring experience is an understatement. Standing there was an achievement of sorts, notwithstanding that I was still able to breathe. Mauna Kea is one of the only places in the world where you can drive from sea level to 14,000 feet in about 2 hours, so altitude sickness is a high possibility. There's 40% less oxygen than at sea level at Mauna Kea. I certainly felt it but we made stops on our ascent to acclimatise. It’s weird breathing thinner air, we were told to move and walk slowly, don’t rush. That was the mantra as told by our guide.

Hawaii was the midway point on my round the world trip back in 2005, it was the destination for which I would relax for a week as the previous 2 months was just non-stop travelling around Japan, Australia and New Zealand. I’d been taking photos since Japan, but nothing would prepare me for Mauna Kea. Having only spent 3 days on Waikiki, and on our way out of our hotel, we hastily decided that Waikiki was boring, well I got bored of it and we headed to the hotel travel rep and within 20 mins had booked 4 days on the Big Island.

I loved everything about the Big Island and I felt more relaxed. Being surrounded by wild landscapes was a breath of fresh air. It was on the very first day that we went for a walk to get our bearings from the hotel and came across a tour company offering visits to Mauna Kea and the only day they did was on the second to last day of our visit. After deliberating for all of 2 mins, plumped up payment from my card and paid for the tour. That being sorted, we headed to a nice ocean view restaurant and ordered chips, and chicken burger with pineapple.

These photos offer a deep personal reflection on not just me, but on life and the whole universe. A universe with some estimated 100 million black holes in our galaxy in which time itself doesn’t exist. Yet time is something we as humans celebrate as well as something we denounce. The world isn’t perfect and there is a lot of sorrow and heartache that takes place on this planet. When you think about it, this ‘lonely speck’ is full of amazement. All around, there is life, with boundless variations of colour, all weird and coming in wonderful shapes and sizes. We humans, while capable of the most atrocious crimes also have the infinite capacity to do good. The technological innovations, the knowledge in the sciences and the wide canvas of the arts never cease to surprise me and every one of us, every day. As a photographer, I use my camera as a tool for exploration, as an instrument to evoke change and ultimately to connect us all, as images speak the same language, when it comes to taking photos and using the moving image, there are no barriers.

We all live in the vast cosmological black but if you look around, there is also the light. We are the very stuff of the cosmos. The atoms that were born from exploding stars, billions of years ago. We came to be out of the confluence of matter and energy to realize ourselves and to know what surrounds us. A quote by Professor Brian Cox saying ‘we are the cosmos made conscious and life is the means by which the universe understands itself’ sums it up.

In the vast cosmic darkness on other planets, other life exists, all made of the same atoms we are made of and like us, they too are searching, searching for answers. The yearning to look to the stars is the same no matter what planet you're on.

We really only know a handful of people on this pale blue dot that we call home.

We that all said, it still can feel lonely when we know that the only thing that is certain is the emptiness at the end of our existence. We rarely talk about it or address it but does linger in our minds from time to time. From the moment your born, time starts ticking.

Over the years, some have said to me how can I live without believing in a God, heaven or hell. How empty I must feel and sad I had no one to look up to or pray to. Religion was an ideology that went through my mind. I’m not religious and lost faith with it when my dad died over 20 years ago. I believe in myself and ultimately I'm in control of where my life is heading. Proof of this was happening right there and then. But actually, for all my apprehension caused by the void, I truly feel more alive than most people I know. Done things which most will never do in their lifetime. I’m alive and lucky that, in all the magnitude of space, a place that we can barely grasp, I'm committed with the privilege of exploring and seeking adventure, and meeting the people I love. A wondrous chain of events shaped our lives and made all of us meet in the vastness of this cosmos. This through travelling all over the world. That's truly amazing, suffice to say its pure awesomeness!

We live in a world where as much as we talk of global peace, inherent democracy that works for all, we as humans will never achieve such heights of fancy. History has shown us to be greedy, selfish, murderers and stupid but more importantly that we as a species like all others have flaws in which are not easy to talk away or hide and ultimately unless something happens, the only thing that is killing us is ourselves. The planet will survive just fine without us and has done in the past.

We forget we are lucky. How happy we should be, even if things don't work out as we want in life. This is a tall ask in this day and age, in that we should put aside our hate and sadness. Instead, we should be conscious of what we have and embrace the brief moments and time we share, the universal supernovas of genuine love and care that permeates throughout the planet with the light of a million Gods. Life, is going to be fine and to finish on a favorite quote of mine by Ralph Waldo Emerson, 'To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment'.

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

If you have any questions, email me on [email protected]  

I was picked up at my hotel by the tour minivan, me being the second pick, zig-zagging across central Melbourne picking up the rest, we were on our way on the Sunset Great Ocean Road tour. First stop was on the tour was the a visit to the Cape Otway Lighthouse. It is Australia’s oldest surviving lighthouse. Spent about 30 minutes, some of the tour group ventured down to the viewing platform overlooking the coast. The wind was slightly on the strong side but the views were amazing. Next stop was a stop to see the Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch. A tribute to the World War One serviceman who built the Great Ocean Road. The present arch is actually the third built to replace the second one which was destroyed in the Ash bushfires of February 1983. Those that wanted to in our group had their photo taken with the famed Arch in the background. Once all the photos were taken on mobiles, pocket cameras, we all were on our way to the next stop on this tour which was the rainforests of the Otway Ranges. Spent roughly 30 minutes walking amongst giant tree ferns and lush plant life. The Otways receieve Victorias highest rainfall, so its no surprise to see this temperate rain forest flourish, hence it being lush.

Next stop was Lord Ard Gorge which is famed for the survival of two young people Eva Carmichael as a passenger and Tom Pearce as crew on 31st May 1878 on the ship called Lord Ard an iron-hulled clipper ship that was sailing between England and Melbourne. Walked around the cliff top to enjoy the stunning views even though it was windy.

It was now getting to around 7.30pm and being on the sunset tour, we all hopped back on the tour van and headed to see the 12 Apostles, giant rock formations located within Port Campbell National Park. To be honest as we were parking up, seeing the sunset was not going to happen due to it being cloudy and grey. But the sun did poke through now and again. Felt like it was teasing us, having come all this way! Nature doesn't guarantee anything, that’s what I've  learnt in 10 years of travelling around the planet.

Seeing the 12 Apostles was impressive to say the least, even though the light was rubbish, I did manage to get some good shots that I’m more than happy with. Even though you can't guarantee  good weather, the first time you lay your eyes on them is pretty spectacular.

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

If you have any questions, email me on [email protected]  

Upon arrival, a friend of 20 years picked me up from the airport and took me on a quick tour of the city. He and his wife we're in love with the city having moved from Brisbane. He pointing out that drink and food is way cheaper, plus the people are friendlier and its way better than Brisbane and Sydney full stop. Saying all this and I hadn't even left the airport!

I had landed on Melbourne Cup day, so most things were shut but also saw people making their way to the races and also to local pubs to celebrate this crazy day where literally the whole city shuts down and makes way for the one of the greatest horse racing events in the world.

That evening, met up with another friend who drove me to St Kilda to see the beach huts, we walked along the beach, trying to photograph the beach huts without people in the background. Basically we were being selfish in wanting the whole beach to ourselves, eventually time played its part and we did have the beach to ourselves but only because the sun was going down and it was getting windy and cold. We also went down to the Princess Pier Port Melbourne for sunset. The colours in the sky were amazing and spent about 20 minutes taking photos. It just wasn't  me on the pier, there were a few others taking photos of the stunning skies. It was one of those contemplative  moments where for that few moments you realise where you are, what your doing and where your heading. I've had too many moments like on my travels over the years.

On my second day in Melbourne I decided to take a day trip to the 12 Apostles. At first I wasn’t sure I wanted to go as I was only going to be in Melbourne for a few days and wanted to catch up with friends. But after some goading via whatsapp by friends, decided to do it. I've written about this in another blog post with more photos but just to give you an idea of what I saw, see the photo below.

Third day in Melbourne was spent with a friend whom I hadn't seen for over 18 months since we met in Cambodia. Truth be told I was a bit worried as I hadn’t seen her in over 18 months and what would I say, what would she say, all these things go through your mind. But it was all for nothing as when we met, it like no time had passed at all. Another virtue of travelling and making great friendships that last. We chilled for a bit at Federation Square, visited the Eureka Skydeck, walked along Hosier Lane to see the vibrant graffiti, followed by a film at the IMAX at Melbourne Museum followed by dinner. I had no plans to travel in 2014 as I wanted to take some time away from travelling and just have time to relax and process the photos I had taken over the years, but one thing I realised was that the friends you make on your travels is worth the journey. Having spent the whole day with my friend, it dawned on me that distance is really no barrier to the power of true friendship and was glad I made the journey.

My last day in Melbourne was doing my usual ritual of checking all my gear over a gazillion times. Seems my OCD on checking my stuff when travelling has never let up since 2005, its pretty much stayed the same level. Spent the morning doing some last minute shopping and then getting a cab to my friends apartment whom picked me up from the airport when I first landed. Spent the whole afternoon relaxing, talking about life, how far we’ve come and to top it all off, he busted out the Christmas play we both starred in which was filmed by his grandma from way back in 1992 during our time at middle school. Never had I had so much jokes and smiles whilst watching a younger version of ourselves and many friends past and present on TV.

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

If you have any questions, email me on [email protected]  

Getting there took two buses from Kingsford, one to get me to Bondi Junction and another to get to Bondi, a fairly easy task. Plus at Bondi Junction there were ample signs telling people which stops to get the bus to the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition. One stop had a very long queue but with foresight they were running buses frequently with the drivers being very helpful and at times patient with the large draw of tourists.

I found the exhibition weird, wonderful, strange, bizarre, random and amazing all at the same time. It’s the diversity of the art that makes the exhibition work so well. Also that it’s by the sea is a massive draw and a great day out for all, it was amazing to see people of all ages appreciate, talk about it and of course taking lots of photos. The hot weather helped, with the sun beating down, some of the brightly coloured sculptress stood out and those with metallic like surfaces and finishing glistened.

Below are photos I took and description (at bottom of photo) of the sculptures are taken from the official catalogue. All photos taken on Canon 5Dmk2 with lens 24-105 f/4 L IS.

Artist: Will Maguire

Title: big man

Statement: confident and content in the knowledge that he is big and he is man

Artist: Tetsuro Yamasaki

Title: metamorphosis – to the sky

Statement: the work was created with iron whilst imagining how man must have been surprised and exited when he discovered iron

Artist: Takahiro Hirata

Title: dark knight shine 2014

Statement:  In Japan, an arrow is a talisman that shoots and protects against evil spirits. The work envisages a shining arrow which breaks through darkness 

Artist: Janaki Lele

Title: look who’s here

Statement:  The work explores animal forms, nature and architecture through paper. The technique and subject matter kindles curiosity and amusement

Artist: Ian Swift  

Title: the boat pool

Statement:  From the South Coast to Newcastle, ocean pools were largely made by families wanting a safe place to swim. Could it happen now?

Artist: Kerrie Argent  

Title: overconsumption

Statement:  We are threatened by the mountains of floating rubbish. Five great garbage patches, more every day

Artist: Koichi Ogino  

Title: pink granite

Statement:  We live on earth having nothing to do with a lot of other people. To help each other, we need to be considerate of our neighbourhood and be at peace with the world

Artist: Cave Urban  

Title: save our souls

Statement:  Just as the flash of a lighthouse is a welcome sign of hope, safe harbour and humanity, it may warm the uninvited to stay clear of a hostile shore

Artist: Ayako Saito

Title: morning star

Statement:  This open structure with its suspended shapes is like a morning start, hovering in the sky 

Artist: Braddon Snape

Title: nothin’ but sky

Statement:  The work beckons one to immerse themselves, to funnel and focus their view of the expansive Australian sky, in a moment of isolation  

Artist: George Andric

Title: sisyphus

Statement:  The artist strives to find some sense of order that is independent of the world that presents itself – which at times can be deceptive and illusory 

Artist: Melissa McElhone

Title: vessels of destiny

Statement:  The vessels are inspired by journey and its resulting life changes 

Artist: Jock Clutterbuck

Title: oceania cartouche

Statement:  Based on the oceanic tradition of sand drawings in Vanuatu, an ancient fabric of tribal calligraphy spread amongst the people of the region and still practised today

Artist: Stephen King

Title: the folly (2012)

Statement:  Wood is good

Artist: Michael Le Grand

Title: headrest

Artist: David Cerny

Title: babies three pieces

Artist: Harrie Fasher

Title: which was forwards?

Statement: A double headed rocking horse is a humorous look at our different approaches to life. Pulling in opposing directions, one end gallops into the future whilst the other proceeds with control and power 

Artist: Wang Shugang

Title: man playing with birds (2012)

Statement: The work explores the relationship between man and nature. It combines the traditional material of bronze with the traditional arts language  of realistic representation 

Artist: Greger Stahlgren

Title: stone baskets

Statement: Inspired by things seen in nature, different materials, traditional craftsmanship and classical architecture. All materials can be reshaped 

Artist: Julie Donnelly

Title: sentinals

Statement: Emerging from underground the Sentinals navigate the residue of the past and create identities. They span time and space.

 Artist: Thomas Qualye

Title: comenavadrink and waddayalookinat

Statement: Inspired by people I grew up with. People who lived in excess, drank heavily and spoke with one word sentences   

Artist: Neon

Title: house of mirrors

Statement:  The work re-defines the architecture of the common beach hut. It is camouflaged into its surroundings with an interior that accentuates key views of the outside world   

Artist: Philip Spelman

Title: redtrumpet redtable

Artist: Koichi Ishino

Title: wind stone – the threshold of consciousness

Statement:  It takes you from once place into another, and when you are about to start something new, you are also on a threshold  

Artist: Brad Jackson

Title: wanderers

Statement:  The wanderers are a passing family group of travelling orbs. Their origin, destination and intentions remain unknown  

Artist: Andrew Hankin

Title: we’re fryin out here

Statement:  The work asks us to stop and think about the damaging effects of the sun, and the need to ‘cook’ ourselves at the beach  

Artist: Alejandro Propato

Title: permanent sunrise

Statement:  This installation is dedicated to the sunrise at Bondi. It is ephemeral but we can imagine that its beauty could be forever  

Check out my short travel film, that I shot over 4 years across amazing locations around the planet

To view the video on Vimeo please click here 

To view it on YouTube please click here

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

If you have any questions, email me on [email protected]  

For best viewing experience, please view this in HD over at YouTube. Follow the link - http://bit.ly/1sSbQa3

Background Information

When I first started out doing photography and in doing so, wanting to do travel photography, I knew that somewhere down the line I would venture into film. How and when, that I did not know nor did I plan.

Back in 2010 I bought the 5Dmk2 as I had planned to go the Galapagos. Going all that way just to take photographs was not enough for me. I wanted to capture some footage whilst I was there, mainly to show people how amazing it was. So it was then that I started filming on most of my travels since then. Still photography was and is my passion and drive. I love it. Early on when using the 5Dmk2, I had to be consciously thinking about film, switching the settings so that I could record. My mind is always in photo mode and instinctive, but not so for when it came to filming.

As an artist, creative, photographer or filmmaker, you sacrifice a lot in terms of achieving your goals, whether it’s through working multiple jobs, not going out, working long hours, not having time for your friends, family or even loved ones. It’s the struggle that many go through. But there will be a time when all of the pain, stress and financial cost makes it worth it. For me, it’s been, some could say a 10 year wait, multiple trips to some amazing places on this planet that culminates in something that is only 5 minutes long. Ultimately I’m never going to stop this journey, been on it for 10 years and wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve learn’t to slow things down a bit more, take things slowly, not the rapid pace when I first started out, but that insatiable appetite to explore the new, seek the untouched has always been inside of me and that will never slow down.

I’ve said that travelling is the best education one can get, you learn more about yourself and the space you occupy than anything else. To go out there, to travel to new places, experience cultures, stepping outside of your comfort zone, that’s when your learn, that is when you educate yourself. It can be a scary experience but its having that fear that drives me to do what I do.

Initial Idea

My initial idea stemmed from films by Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson, the duo behind the Baraka and Samsara and those films to me are just amazing. The first time I watched ‘Baraka’ I was totally floored, never seen anything like it, then came along ‘Samsara’ the was totally blown away with the visuals, the richness in content and both are powerful pieces of cinema, that not only moved me but also questioned by place on the planet. Its rare for films to do that. Every time I watch these films, its a sensory overload, but one which calmly enables you to process what you're seeing.

I originally storyboarded an idea that I would film on a trip to America where I would film on both the East and West Coast. I also searched online for places to film and working out logistics in how I would do it. It was not until I started shooting my planned shots that I realised that it didn’t feel right, the dots were not connecting for me. It was filming in Humboldt Redwood National Park that the idea of trying to achieve something far bigger in scope that I decided that I would incorporate footage that I had previously filmed in other countries over the previous years into what you see now. Once the idea was settled, I carried on capturing my planned shots and continued to film more scenes that wasn’t planned as I didn’t know if and when I would get the opportunity again.

Post Work

I chose 10-15 clips from the countries I wanted in the film and put them all on a hard drive and gave it to Jim. The premise was simple. He didn’t want to know what the clips were about or what they showed. I gave a brief overview of what I wanted out of the film and what I was trying to achieve.. I’ve never worked like this before and it was a gamble but at the same time it was refreshing. To give utmost trust in an editor to cut my film. I have met Jim through work in which I worked under him on another short in which he was Director of Photography and I was the cameraman. I didn’t know what to expect in how Jim would edit the clips, but it all worked out in the end.

Colour grading was done by Michael Gibson (www.michaelgibson.cc). I always wanted my film to be colour graded but I personally didn’t have enough knowledge to pull it off. Jim got in contact with Michael and he accepted the job and I am thankful he did. He did an amazing job, even explaining why he graded the way he did. Even though I did not sit down with him to colour grade, just seeing the graded footage, I learnt a lot in terms of how saturation, hues, shadows etc can change the feel and look of the image and the impact it that can have on the viewer.

Working with these two has made me realise the importance of editing and colour grading, both of which I want to learn more of as I develop my skills as a filmmaker and hopefully work together on potential future projects.

I would get rough edits every few weeks from Jim and I would review the footage and ask for subtle changes until I was happy with it. In all there were about 5 edits (I think?) Each one better than the last, tweaked and more slightly refined.

It was a pleasure working with both Jim and Michael, between them they have great knowledge in their respective fields and I would definately work with them again on future projects. But more importantly working with an editor and colour grader has taught me how important they are to the film making process and getting them on board early on will not only improve you as a filmmaker but make the final product as close as to what you had in your mind which is where all ideas come from.

Jim Robinson - Email: [email protected]

Web:http://jimrobinsonmedia.foliohd.com/

Michael Gibson - Web: www.michaelgibson.cc

Gear Used

Camera: Canon 5Dmk2

Lenses used:

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS

Canon EF 8-15mm f/4 L USM Fisheye

Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye

Canon EF 14mm f/2.8 L II USM

Edelkrone Slider

Giottos Vitruvian Tripod

Manfrotto 501 fluid head

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

So subscribe to my channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Check out my other blog posts

Mamun Humayun
www.m24instudio.com

It’s hard at times not to think of our potential. I grew up and was educated, the early years were great, and being told you can do and achieve anything you want was liberating. As a young child that notion of freedom opens one’s eyes to the endless possibilities of what lies ahead. But as I progressed through the education system, slowly limits were placed; my educators who sought out the best for me now had to juggle what my dreams were and what I was actually capable of. As a child you think differently and you see the world in a way unlike any other. Then as I progressed through the system, those dreams I had as child were mere memories but great memories at that. It wasn't until in my early adult hood that I harked back to my dreams and now doing things which I thought not possible. It’s a fine line thinking you can do anything in the world, but that’s just it, that fine line are people who tell you that you shouldn't do it, that fine line are the doubters who place fear in your mind and soul, it’s that fine line that separates you from achieving your dreams no matter how extraordinary or out of this world it will be. To parents, educators, I implore you to allow your children and students to dream big and harness the power of those dreams to enable them to live it, in any capacity possible. I was not giving the chance but I still turned out all right, not all will have this chance, but everyone has the right from birth to dream, don’t let the dream be extinguished before the fire in them burns out too soon.

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

If you have any questions, email me on [email protected]

Hard to believe I went in 2011 and yet it feels like yesterday. The power of destinations we travel to have this hold on us. The memories we form in our minds, the experiences we shared with other like-minded travellers, but also the actual destination that lends itself to what was an life changing experience for me.

You can read it about it all here

Read my interview I did with Detour Destinations about my experiences at the Galapagos here http://bit.ly/Js1Y7N

To see my photos from this amazing trip, head over to https://www.flickr.com/photos/moon24/sets/72157625758754443

To see my videos that I shot out there, then please head over to https://vimeo.com/album/1593075

Prints from my trip to the Galapagos are available to purchase from http://www.m24instudiophotography.com/p134219154

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Check out my other blog posts

Mamun Humayun
www.m24instudio.com

To find about more about the Galapagos, visit my blog post about my time visiting the Galapagos . If your thinking of going yourself then email me and I'll gladly help you, but be rest assured a trip to the Galapagos will truly change your life!

For my travel videos, please head to http://vimeo.com/m24instudio

Check out my other travel photos 

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Jadav Payeng has to date single handedly planted a forest larger than Central Park NYC. His forest has transformed what was once a barren wasteland, into a lush oasis in which tigers, elephants and wildlife now thrive. This is his incredible story and just goes to show his passion and determinism in protecting our planet.

Short film that William Douglas McMaster made about Jadav Payeng here entitled ‘Forest Man'

Here are links to more articles about this remarkable man

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/stoi/deep-focus/The-man-who-made-a-forest/articleshow/12488584.cms

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/03/indian-man-jadav-molai-pa_n_1399930.html

http://www.sanctuaryasia.com/magazines/features/191-features/9122-the-strange-obsession-of-jadav-payeng.html

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

If you have any questions, then feel free to email me on [email protected]

Tom initially contacted me regarding wedding photography and upon our first initial meeting with him and his fiancé Sam, it was evident that these two were very much in love. They were very relaxed in what they wanted which made my job easier but also allowed me to capture their day without pressure. As the day unfolded, I just snapped away. It also helped that the weather was great on the day, the sun out, blue skies which pretty much made the whole day that much more memorable.

Below is a selection of photos from their wedding.

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

Got questions, looking for a wedding photographer? then get in contact via email [email protected]

Connect with me on Facebook , Twitter , Flickr , Instagram , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

Bayon Temple

Pre Rup

Banteay Srei

Ankgor

Check out my short travel film, that I shot over 4 years across amazing locations around the planet

To view the video on Vimeo please click here 

To view it on YouTube please click here 

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

If you have any questions, email me on [email protected]

I will always remember the moment I set eyes on a Galapagos Giant Tortoise. Having read about them in books, seen them on numerous nature shows, nothing really sets you up for a close encounter with one. I confess my heart was somewhat in a more bouncy beat and the sense of trepidation of actually seeing one, right there, in front of you and then finally to see one in the wild, in my head I was thinking ‘truly breathtakingly beautiful’, in real life I was speechless, somewhat like a child seeing something wonderful for the first time. In awe and motionless, just standing there and watching. The short video you just watched was me trying to capture all those emotions and show how these creatures in a new light. Truth be told, this video still makes takes me right back to when I filmed it and opens the memories of my time at the Galapagos.

To find about more about the Galapagos, visit my blog post about my time visiting the Galapagos

For my travel videos, please head to http://vimeo.com/m24instudio

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world 

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Why am I talking about this in relation to S-21, because those scenes in the film although fictional for Hollywood purposes mirror similar horrors that took place in Cambodia. The torture system at Tuol Sleng was designed to make prisoners confess to whatever crimes they were charged with by their captors. Prisoners were routinely beaten and tortured with electric shocks, the use of searing hot metal instruments and hanging were deployed, as well as through the use of various other devices. Some prisoners were cut with knives or suffocated with plastic bags. Other methods for generating confessions included pulling out fingernails while pouring alcohol on the wounds, holding prisoners’ heads under water, and the use of the waterboarding technique was used. Some prisoners were even experimented on, by draining all their blood whilst alive and being disembowelled alive to see how long a prisoner would survive.

I knew going to Cambodia would include a visit to the ‘Killing Fields’. I first knew about it from my brother who talked about Roland Joffe film ‘The Killing Fields’. I had watched it when I was younger and thought nothing of it until I learnt more about the history in school albeit briefly. To hear stories and see a film is one thing but to actually visit the prison and the actual killing fields, it hits home the horror and sadness. I was angry because we as people allowed it to happen, horrified due to what was inflicted on young children, women and men, the barbaric tortuous methods deployed. It made me think of how far we really have come in this day and age.

Walking through Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, which is the former sight of a high school and was used as the notorious Security Prison (S21) is a sobering feeling. To walk through hallways and rooms it’s hard to realize as many as 20,000 prisoners were killed, mutilated and raped. Tuol Sleng was one of about 150 execution centres that were dotted all around the country. I didn’t feel right, but that’s what’s needed, you need to be jolted from your comfort zone, you need to see, feel and hear with your own senses to truly grasp what happened. It’s not easy and it never will be, but doing this has undoubtedly made me appreciate the fragility of the human consciousness. It's not easy to be there. To walk on the blood stained floors, to look eerily into the cells and listen to the silence, to feel the course brick work of the walls on the skin of your fingers, it’s quite chilling and makes you question what makes you ‘you’.

A prison in some sense but more like a real world version of hell, reading and listening to accounts of those who survived , stories of women who would literally throw themselves off the side to kill themselves as that was better than being repeatedly raped.

It’s heart wrenching to live in a world where humans can do such atrocious crimes against humanity. To commit, to facilitate pain and murder is something we as a global populace have to accept. No amount of talking about it saying its wrong, world leaders condemning from their ivory towers will ever change that. Fundamentally it seems we as humans are flawed and we are not meant to be perfect. But saying this, there is some light in humanity, the briefest of moments that shine and gives us hope. Ultimately we have a choice and it's up to us to choose which way we go.

We as a society should remember and learn from the past and going forward understand ourselves a bit more. History has told us that we should learn from the past and create a better future? But if atrocities keep happening, the question we need to ask ourselves is why do we keep letting it happen?

There is a quote that resonates with me here regarding my visit and that was by Stanley Kubrick in which he said 'However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light'

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

If you have any questions, email me on [email protected]

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

If you have any questions, email me on [email protected]

One of my images was included for their launch event in New York at the Soho Arthouse, 138 Sullivan Street, NY 10012

I'm honored  to have my photograph on display in New York and it made my day when I got the email from the Crated team!

Check out my Crated gallery

Connect with me on Facebook , Twitter , Flickr , Instagram , 500px and Tumblr

While you are here, check my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

If you have any questions, then feel free to email me on [email protected]

So skip forward to the day of the wedding of Kate and John, the sun was out, although there were threats of rain, in the end the sun won out. I had been to London Zoo countless times when I was younger and have taken my nephew when he was 3 years old, but to photograph a wedding was going to be something else.

The wedding took place in the beautiful Grade II listed Mappin Pavillion next to the Outback enclosure. The decor was great, simple and elegant. Both Kate and John looked amazing and they were up for anything which enabled me to capture some truly emotive moments from their day. I truly enjoyed photographing this wedding, the couple, their family, their friends and of course the venue which was London Zoo which made the whole day even more memorable.

If have any questions or you're looking for a wedding photographer, then please contact me via email on [email protected]

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

While you are here, check my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

Land Iguana 

Whilst walking on Santa Fe Island I came across this fellow and decided to nestle low and film the feast the iguana was having eating a cactus. Land Iguana’s primarily eat cactus fruits, though they do eat other fruits and insects. For water, they will drink from small puddles but as it does not rain that often on the islands; most of the water they need stems from their diet.

Below are more photos that I took on Santa Fe

To find about more about the Galapagos, visit my blog post about my time visiting the Galapagos

For my travel videos, please head to http://vimeo.com/m24instudio

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world 

Connect with me on Facebook,  Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

The following photo captures not just a moment in time but captures all that went before it up until that point and what came afterwards. It’s powerful, emotive and moving for me because I personally know the two people in the photo, I know what choices they made and the consequences of those choices they made would have not on just them but those they love close to them. It captures a spirit of togetherness, powerful sense of unity and an abounding amount of love.

Having gone travelling the previous 2 years before the photo was taken and finally setting up a new life in Sydney, Australia, they came back home for a few weeks and with them their daughter who was 10 months old whom some would be seeing for the first time.

Connect with me on Facebook , Twitter , Flickr , Instagram , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

Day 1 - Bangkok

After a 12hr flight from London, going through the mandatory airport process of passport checks, collecting bags, I hopped into a taxi to take me into Bangkok. It was evening and I was tired and was just looking forward to getting something to eat and some rest. I flew in a day early before my tour started, just so to get my bearings. The hotel I checked into was also the one the tour would start from which is a good idea for those doing tours, it just makes things easier and provides less hassle. I for one don’t want to be in a hotel in the other side of town when the tour starts in another hotel.

Day 2 - Bangkok

Had to check out and check in again. Checked the news board to see what time the tour group would be meeting, once that was noted, headed out into the city, went to Wat Phra Kaew for a few hours. It was a hot day. That afternoon was back at the hotel and was given my new room key, so dumped my bags in there and noticed a fellow travelers bag in the room. Made my way to the reception area for the meet-up. Our tour leader Kevin seemed an eccentric character on first impressions. He herded us all into the restaurant where we all spent an hour hearing what we’re going to do. This time also allowed us to introduce each other to the group. Daunting when its just you amongst strangers. Within a short time, we formed connections that would later define friendships. On Kevin’s suggestion, we all went to dinner that evening, after dinner Kev took us to Khoasan Road, vibrant, loud, in your face, an experience.

Day 3 - Battambang

Early morning departure, those who did, had breakfast, then we boarded our minivan to the border at Poipet in which we crossed by foot through immigration. It didn't  take long but once everyone was cleared, we all casually crossed the border into Cambodia. We got onto another minivan and carried on our journey to Battambang which took about 2 hours. Once checked into our hotel and freshened up, we all made our way to ride the Bamboo train.  Run by a six horse power engine, these makeshift improvised rail vehicles are made out of bamboo where a small mat is placed for sitting down. Being so low to the ground and running up to speeds of 50 kilometres an hour, you really feel as though you're humming along the old rickety tracks, you’ll definitely feel it in your hips. It’s fast and to the western world highly dangerous, but it sure is great fun to ride it.

Day 3-5 - Siem Reap

These 3 days were amazing. Once checked in, we all had a few hours to chill, some decided to do their washing, some rested up and some just relaxing by the pool. Over the course of these days, we had fun, explored, did a cookery class but least not forgot, visit the mighty impressive Angkor Wat. Enough of me warbling, here’s the photos to explain it all!

Day 6 - Kampong Cham

Travelled to the 3rd largest city in Cambodia. Arrived slightly earlier than scheduled. Options available to us was to meet for lunch and then afterwards either take a boat cruise or hire bikes to ride across the Bamboo Bridge which spanned the Mekong River.The majority choose the bike ride. The bridge is a solid bamboo structure built on Koh Paen Island across the Mekong. On the other side are Cham and Khmer villages, entirely mounted on stilts. The bamboo bridge can withstand  heavy loads such as trucks. The bridge is washed away as the river rises in the wet season, and access to the island is only possible by boat, but it is rebuilt again every dry season. At first you feel apprehensive cycling but the nerves soon fade away. We visited some temples on Koh Paen Island and even stopped to have fresh mango. There was a slight accident with one member of our group on the bike. The bike chain snapped and he fell off with cuts to his knee, arms and elbow. It wasn’t serious though did look painful. So word of warning, just be careful when riding. That evening we enjoyed a local dinner. We were all guests to a beautiful family who cooked for us. It was pretty amazing, to be invited into a strangers house then then to be offered food. It’s times like these that make you wonder the wonderment of humanity. Everyone enjoyed themselves and with the two hammocks in the room, some of us decided to make use of them for a post food nap to the amusement of the others.

Day 7 Kratie

On day 7 it was a 7 hour drive from the North West to the North East of the country passing through villages, rural landscapes before we eventually arriving at Kratie on the banks of the famed Mekong River . We all headed to Kampi and on arrival made our way down the banks to spend the afternoon chilling and relaxing and enjoy the moment. Most of us dipped into the very fast currents of the Mekong and some including myself spent some time basking in the heat of the sun whilst being cooled by the water. Later on we all headed out to a big waterway with local boatman to try and spot the endangered Irrawaddy Freshwater Dolphin. As we waited patiently the Dolphins would tease us ever so warmly, only giving us glimpses of them before vanishing. I didn’t manage to photograph them but as a consolation did capture the golden sun in the late afternoon as well as attempts of the group trying to photograph these wonderful creatures.

Day 8-9 Phnom Penh

Spent 2 days in the capital. Upon arrival, we all went out on a Cyclo Tour of the city, each having their own Cyclo driver. Our drivers were sourced through the Cyclo Centre, an NGO that was set up in 2004 that provides micro-finance, health programs, language lessons and cyclo workshops for the drivers. It was pretty amazing to experience the city whilst sitting in front of the cyclo, watching traffic pass by, early on it was a bit unnerving but the nerves soon disappeared and I got into my stride of taking some great photos from a great vantage point. In the evening we all visited the famed FFC Club for light eats and drinks. The Foreign Correspondents Club is on the second floor of an old French Colonial building which is somewhat popular with ex-pats  and tourists alike. The open balcony gave us views of the river front whilst slowly sipping the evening away and using the time to get to know my fellow travellers a bit more and reflect on the trip to date. On the second day we made our way to visit the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. You can read about my visit here

Day 10 - Kampot

A short 2 hour drive eastwards along the coast to Kampot and the world renowned Kampot peppers. We visited Phnom Vor Farm to see these famous peppers first hand and some even tried it and others bought some to take home. Like the days before us, it was hot and we all made light of it all, some of us even danced around plantation. A brief history lesson regarding Kampot pepper in that it has been cultivated in Cambodia for more than a 1000 years. The first known document account is from the Chinese emissary Zhou Daguan in his reports of his visit to Angkor in 1296. Forward onto the French colonisation of Indochina in the 1800’s, this brought Kampot Pepper to the dining tables of the West for the first time and its stayed with us since.

On our way back we made a stop to visit the Phnom Chhnork Cave Temple along a very dusty road, so dusty our driver stopped to buy us dust masks.  As soon as we arrived children surrounded our tuk tuks and like tourist police, they offered to guide us to the Cave temple for a small fee. Infectious group of children they were, ever so inquisitive asking a hundred questions. Walking up to the Cave was still dusty. I kept worrying about my sensor and lenses on my camera, followed by the immense dust on my trousers. Sounds childish thinking about it now but then it was a concern for me, the dust on the sensor and lenses that is. The temple is a Hindu cave temple, and only accessible by climbing stone steps up rock faces which some may find difficult as there is no safety measures in place, so word of warning so those who are more safety inclined but that said if you're up for a little adventure and small spaces its an experience to be had.

The most memorable moment of the day was yet to come, on our way back to our hotel, we stopped just before the sun was setting at the Kampot salt fields. Seeing the sun setting was beyond stunning, the colours changing and we all collectively stood there admiring it all and for me it was a realisation that this trip would soon end but also of the friends I’ve made along the way, a truly epic moment and a gift from Cambodia.

Day 11-12 - Sihanoukville

For me this would be the last two days I would have with an amazing group of people whom were now my friends. It’s sort of bittersweet knowing that the journey would end but I didn’t want it to end, like the fire in all of us who travel, I wanted it to shine bright and last forever, to keep the happy smiles, the laughter, the jokes the sense of unity going! We were just getting used being around each other, being more and more comfortable with everyone, slowly being ourselves without the worry of what they would think. But all good things always come to an end.

We were in Sihanoukville, the beachside town with a coastline bedecked with sandy beaches and picture perfect tropical islands fringed with coconut trees swaying ever so effortlessly. Somewhat fitting end to a near 2 weeks of adventure, discovery and wonderment. We all took a stroll down to the beach to grab a bite to eat, the hotel was about a 10 min walk away. On these last two days we went to an island to soak up the sun, swim, relax, play games, the things you do when you in the sun, with water around you and your with friends. We also splintered off into our little groups to explore, some cycling to other beaches, and on the last day we all had the last meal (well for me anyhow) on the beach with the open seas behind us. It was pretty memorable. Kevin had bought some fireworks for us to let off once the sun went down, you had children coming round ever so often offering to sell them. To the westerner these looked pretty dangerous, I mean I’m pretty sure you could lose an eye if it wasn’t pointed in the right direction. Actually one flew over my head whilst I was trying photograph them. The thing is when your with great company you tend you let yourself go a little, you learn to embrace the differences that world cultures offer and above you learn to use common sense. That night we hit a few clubs with what was left of us and we danced the night away until we couldn’t stand and we slowly headed back to our hotel at 2am or so.

To sum up the time I had in Cambodia ...throughout life, you meet people who will leave an indelible footprint in your psyche, sometimes you meet them in a group, like I did on my amazing journey through Cambodia. They each in turn enable you to see things and do things you never thought possible and they open your eyes to the wonderful world we live in. A year on and I am still in contact with the friends I made on that tour, just goes to show the power of allowing yourself to let go and embrace the new and unknown 

Travelling is an amazing experience, its the greatest education one can get and adds more value to you as a person than anything else possible, live free, love life, go explore and see the world! 

If your wanting to see more photos of the temples in and around Angkor then head here 

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world. The photos in this blog post are available under license, if your interested, please email me on [email protected]

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

It was my first time going to India and although it is on my list of countries to visit I wasn’t expecting it to visit so soon but when a chance to photograph a wedding in India crops up, its difficult to say no. I landed at night and after collecting my bag, headed outside to meet my driver who would drive me to Navsari. It was a 7 hour drive of which I slept most of it. Arriving early the next morning to the apartment where I would be staying which so happens to be where the groom (my friend) and his family were staying.

The one thing that was good and bad at the same time was the weather! It was hot, really hot, talking 35-42 degrees celsius on the day of the wedding. To some people thats great, even amazing and you're probably thinking what’s to moan about. Photographing in these temperatures is difficult at times, with the lack of ways to keep you cool, you sweat a lot.  It wasn’t just me who felt hot but also the locals, for them to say its hot then you know its hot! But that said I worked with it and didn’t let it impact the photos I was getting. So below are the photos I captured of that day, and what a day it was!

I had an amazing time, full of love, fun , laughter and of course a great wedding, the late night banter that would last well into the early hours, the hosts were gracious housing me, feeding me and making me feel like one of their own and remembering this was my first time in India and it sure was a memorable one!

I keep saying , travelling is an amazing experience, its the greatest education one can get and adds more value to you as a person than anything else possible, live free, love life, go explore and see the world!

If have any questions or you're looking for a wedding photographer, then please contact me via email on [email protected]

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

The exhibition  runs from 2nd - 28th April 2014 at Frame Gallery, Southwark, SE1 0UH so please do check it out!

For more information please head the Sensory Spectacle website for more information

Below are photos to show you what its all about

Photo of Bekky Lyddon and Jon Adams

Below a photo of Jon Adams with two of his works. Jon works in a wide range of media to explore the 'hidden or layered' playing with perceptions of what is normal or what is inaccessible  

The installation below is 'Lolas World' - a mirrored installation giving the viewer the opportunity to see their surroundings how someone with a visual processing disorder may be seeing

The installation  below is 'Being Ben' a head box focused on communicating how it may feel to have an auditory processing disorder.

This installation below is 'Cristina', 2012, Vestibular Processing. Cristina is based on the 'classic' austistic rock. Rocking is also referred to as stimming, a repetitive movement that helps to calm the sensory system. Cristina encourages you to experience how this movement may calm and stimulate your senses

Remember the exhibition  runs from 2nd - 28th April 2014 at Frame Gallery, Southwark, SE1 0UH so please do check it out!

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Please check my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

Travelling is an amazing experience, its the greatest education one can get and adds more value to you as a person than anything else possible, live free, love life, go explore and see the world!

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Please check my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

Connect with me on Facebook , Twitter , Flickr , Instagram , 500px and Tumblr

Please check my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

Travelling is an amazing experience, its the greatest education one can get and adds more value to you as a person than anything else possible, live free, love life, go explore and see the world!

Connect with me on Facebook , Twitter , Flickr , Instagram , 500px and Tumblr

Please check my collection of photos that I've taken across the world

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

The window seat on the plane is desired by many. It offers a view onto the world unlike any other (unless you’re a pilot or an astronaut). The views helps bide time whether you’re going or coming back home, but more so they offer the spectacular vistas of our planet. I’ve always said from the air its a pure view devoid of any politics, religion and borders. From the air you just see one breath taking sight of natural beauty that speaks on so many levels. In ways, it’s somewhat spiritual and life affirming, to see and feel that you are somehow apart of this world. Similarly I compare to ‘The Overview Effect’, granted I’m not in space to see the world as a whole, but from the high vantage point I sense the fragility of our planet but also I am in awe in the utmost beauty the planet has to offer us, the humans who inhabit it.

Here are a selection of photos I’ve taken over the years on my travels.

Below are quotes from airlines about the photos

'Those are some amazing photo's!' - Air Canada Rouge

'Wow, that is an amazing set of photos! - Heathrow Airport

'Those are definitely some impressive views!' - KLM

'Thank you for sharing those wonderful pictures' - Air Canada

'Those shots are amazing' - American Airlines

'Very nice images you have captured there!' - Virgin Australia

Check out my short travel film, that I shot over 4 years across amazing locations around the planet

To view the video on Vimeo please click here 

To view it on YouTube please click here 

Subscribe to my Youtube channel to get updates of my videos and future projects

Check out my collection of photos that I've taken across the world. The photos in this blog post are available under license, if your interested, please email me on [email protected]

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

Connect with me on Facebook , Youtube, Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px, Vimeo and Tumblr

Below is a selection of photos to show their day

Magnet Street wrote an article about Irene and Aaron's wedding on their site along with my photos, check it out here http://www.magnetstreet.com/wedding-blog/real-uk-wedding-irene-aaron

Beyond Black & White talked about Irene and Aaron's wedding on their site along with my photos, check it out here http://www.beyondblackwhite.com/irene-and-aarons-blissful-uk-union/

Connect with me on Facebook , Flickr , Instagram , Twitter , 500px and Tumblr

Got questions, looking for a wedding photographer? then get in contact via email [email protected]

Check out my other blog posts for inspiration, advice, tips or for just general reading!

Below is a selection of photos that I took

These photos are available under license, please get in touch with me on [email protected]

Connect with me on Facebook,  Twitter , Instagram , Flickr , 500px and Tumblr

Check out my other travel photos and my other blog posts

Giant Galapagos Tortoise

After spending some time visiting The Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) Located on Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. I walked around to visit and see conservation in action. I just wanted to see the Giant Galapagos Tortoise. The feeling of seeing one with your own eyes in something I will never forgot, I filmed this short piece to give people a sense of what I felt.

The main aims of the CDRS is to conduct scientific research and environmental education for conservation.  It was also here I saw Lonesome George, a symbol for conservation efforts in the Galapagos Islands and the world.

Below are more photos taken by me from my visit