Participant's Images

Now that the Vietnam Trip is finished, I would like to showcase some of the participant's images. Everyone captured some truly amazing photos. It's always exciting to see how each person "saw" a particular scene.

This outstanding image shot by Steve Chan was made during out boat trip on Halong Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin, north Vietnam

Vietnam Tour & Angkor Wat extension finished!

 Well folks, it was a great trip...our first, annual Vietnam photo tour! I know everyone who came along had a great time and I hope that all of you following the blog enjoyed all the updates and images. Now I would like to point you to a blog written by Anientra Hamper (daughter of Robbie Hamper, who's been on almost all of my tours, and a few of Jim's). Anietra was a first tim Jim Cline tour guest. She's a news anchor for 10 TV in Ohio. If you have a moment, have a look at what a real writer can do with a blog! I was blown away by her descriptions of the tour. Here's the link Enjoy!

Photo Tour Extension to Angkor Wat Cambodia:

We have arrived in Siem Reap, home of Angkor Wat. It's been a non stop photo shoot!

No time to write anything, but I wanted to share a few images.

Cheers, Karl 

Apsara Dancer and Huge heads at Bayon Temple, Angkor Thom Above, 

Below: Tour guests Steve and John exploring Beng Mealea temple.

Kompong Kleang fishing village on the Tonle Sap Lake

Mother with children Kompong Kleang

Kids having fun playing with my cameras.

 Sunset Angkor Wat

Ouch!

Drizzly conditions make for slick pavement, which is great for photos but dangerous for walking. While photographing this flower vendor on the streets here in Hanoi about an hour ago, I stepped on a wet curb, slipped and fell, dropping my Mark II with the 16-35 f2.8 as I went down.

I saw the camera leave my hand, and watched its trajectory in slow motion, then heard that nasty shattering sound and saw some glass flying out past the lens hood as it hit concrete. All the Vietnamese sidewalk vendors gasped and frankly I feared the worst too. Picking up my camera, which had landed with the lens facing away from me, I was thinking to my self; this could be expensive, As I turned the camera towards myself I noticed that it was only the UV filter that had been obliterated. The lens’ front element was intact. I did a quick examination of the camera body as I picked the last chunks of remaining glass out of the bent filter ring.

I snapped off 2 frames; one of the crowd that looked on in horror (above) and one of the noodle shop guy who was standing next to me (below). Everything seemed to be working fine, so I showed the noodle guy the back of my camera, he broke out in a huge smile, the crowd cheered and I breathed a sigh of relief, raised my camera up high, smiled back at everyone and went on shooting.

Damn, these Canon Mark II bodies, and the pro quality lenses are built tough! I'm not so sure that a lesser quality, cheaper built camera and lens could survive this type of accident. Just another chapter in my "Thrashed Canons" story. Cheers, Karl

Hanoi drizzle...that's a good thing!

We arrived back in Hanoi this morning at 4:30 am on the train from Lao Cai. Since we were not able to check into our rooms, we grabbed an early breakfast and then hit the streets. Thanks to overcast skies and light drizzle, the streets were glossy and reflective, making conditions outstanding for photography.

Tonight we have a big photo sharing session and farewell dinner for those who won't be joining us on the Angkor Wat extension.

Bac Ha Bonanza!

I just can't stop shooting, today has been totally amazing and it's not even noon! The photo opportunities are incredible. The Sunday market here in Bac Ha has offered up  more than we can even keep up with! Totally amazing!!!!

Sunday Market Bac Ha

Morning in Bac Ha was amazing! There were hundreds of Flower Hmong hill tribe folks coming into town and we captured the activity as it happened. The light was fantastic; overcast and soft, with areas of shade and strong light making conditions for "people photography" just perfect!

A 15th of a second pan shot using exposure compensation set to minus 2/3

Bringing a water buffalo to market

Jim sharing photos with a group of Flower Hmong women

 Waiting for a customer

Man in traditional dress

Afternoon Motorbike Ride, Bac Ha

On our ride through the countryside this afternoon we spotted some women returning from working in the fields. By waiting until they were in the correct part of the path, we took advantage of a stong lead line to make some nice images.

This was Barb's first time on a motorbike and within a few minutes she was as comfortable as the locals!

We have arrived in Bac Ha

We arrived in Lao Cai this morning at about 5:00 am on the overnight train from Hanoi.

We drove directly to Can Cau market and had a great time. More images and info soon, but I have to get some lunch!

Cruising Halong Bay, Gulf of Tonkin, South China sea, Vietnam:

Last night we arrived on Cat Ba Island in the gulf of Tonkin. Cruising Halong bay on a Chinese Junk boat was an amazing experience.

We were virtually alone on our trip through the limestone monoliths because we were taking a unusual route.

One of the tour guests, Jim House, who’s previously been on several of our tours is shooting a medium format Pentax. He’s having a blast shooting through tons of film!

Earlier in the day, on our way from Hanoi to Halong City (where we caught our boat) we stopped at some rice paddies long enough to make some great photos.

If you are interested in coming along on one of the small group photo tours that Jim Cline and I are leading, please check out this link

Our private boat arriving at Cat Ba Island

Today we head to Hai Phong, then by road to Hanoi and catch the night train to Lao Cai. Upon arrival in Lao Cai, we’re going to visit some local hill tribe markets around Bac Ha. I’ll try to post from Bac Ha, if internet is available. Cheers, Karl

Hanoi, Vietnam, Day 2:

Today we hit the streets of Hanoi again, visiting the old quarter, some markets, and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Tomorrow we are off to Halong Bay. I wish I had time to write more. Cheers, Karl

 Silk Street, old quarter, Hanoi

 Modeling on the red bridge, Hoan Keim Lake

 Rushing along

 Shot for my buddy, Ken Rockwell

Wedding couple

Things have a way of balancing out...

Today started out pretty poorly and didn't seem to get much better.

Around 9:00 am, I left my ATM card in the ATM machine at the airport in Danang and didn't realize it until I got to Hanoi. Then I set out on our afternoon photo shoot with what turned out to be, not one, but two near dead batteries; one in each camera. After about 6 shots I was out of juice and my two cameras became "dead weight"....bummer.

But as you might have guessed by the title of this post, things got better, a whole lot better......

While walking around Hoan Kiem lake near Hanoi's old quarter, I looked up and saw someone that I immediately recognized. It was Nick Ut, an Associated Press photographer from Los Angeles. His Vietnamese name is Huỳnh Công Út  and he is best known not by his name or his face but rather by his Pulitzer Prize-winning picture of Phan Thị Kim Phúc, a burned and naked 9-year-old girl running toward the camera to flee a South Vietnamese napalm attack on the Trang Bang village during the Vietnam War. The picture became know as "the Napalm girl" and it is an image with such impact that many believe that it changed the course of history.

Photo by Nick Ut

I approached Nick, introduced myself and we started talking. In a few moments many of my tour participants arrived, so I introduced Nic to them and explained who he was. What an amazing opportunity, to be in Hanoi and run into Nick Ut, especilly having just come from Saigon and a visit to the Requiem photo exhibit at the war museum! What a tremendous thrill it was to meet the man behind the photograph.

 

Photo by John Rickaby

What started out as a bad day will be a day that I remember forever...a brush with photojournalism history... a hand shake, a short conversation and a photo with a legend....Nick Ut....wow....that's all I can say....WOW!

 Photo by John Birgiolas

Following up on a promise:

During last month's SEAsia photo tour, I promised everyone that I would post one of their images on the blog. Well, here in Hoi An, Vietnam, I have a free day, so I am starting to place some of the pictures. If you were a participant on the trip and you're reading this, please email me a few low resolution versions of your favorite pictures from the trip and I'll start posting them. Cheers, Karl

Below, are my favorite participant's images....enjoy

Ruth's shot from the Leper Terrace, Angkor Tom, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Henry's image of monks, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Nadine's photo of a boy in Kompong Kleang, Tonle Sap, Siem Reap, Cambodia

 

Darren's image of three monks at Angkor Thom, Siem Reap, Cambodia

 Fara's photo of a Padong Longneck Karen woman in Northern Thailand

 Kim's photo of a schoolboy on a field trip, visiting the same temple we were photographing

 Marlyn's image of two monks praying in northern Thailand

 Joel's shot of a monk walking the halls at Angkor Wat, Cambodia