Andaman Islands, travel reportage for Escape magazine

The Last Light of Autumn

Soft romantic colours and materials of Danish designers. Shot on a cold, grey and totally overcast October day against a withering castel garden. One hand held warm light (Coloured Gel infront of the strobe...I used a mix of a soft pink and a yellow light creating almost a salmon colour effect) through the foilage creates the feeling of a distant sun. I am at 6:00 O'clock and the model at the centre of the clock facing me or on a slight angle, the strobelight was held at 10:00 or 2:00 O'clock, pointing towards the model through some foilage. Canon 5D Mark II Tokina Macro Lens 100 f 2.8 I used a very short depth of field, ranging from 2.8 to 4.0, making the background blurry and creating a softer romantic look QFlash Trio (QF8) Qflash Pilot (Wireless Control) Quantum Turbo SC Power Pack I used the Quantums standard light shaper with gels that I cut out from sheets myself. They have filter and gel packs that they sell but often I find them to strong when I want a soft natural effect. http://www.qtm.com Desaturation and filters in Lightroom and skin retouching in Photoshop

Spa Lover

Yes, I confess, I am a Spa lover. It’s not just about the pampering and the treatments…for me it’s an escape in to a more beautiful and peaceful world. A good quality spa, health centre or clinic is a place where you not only can get help to ease sore muscles, detoxify, relax and boost your overall look and wellbeing, but also a place to pause and reflect over your lifestyle, thoughts and habits. A place where you get inspired to be a better and healthier you, where you get reminded to take care of your health…both physically, mentally and spiritually. The modern day’s men and women lead very stressful lives with huge burdens on their shoulders of all the things they should be, do and become: successful, a good father/mother/friend/college/neighbour, rich, healthy, famous, beautiful, fit, handy, good cook, great lover, spiritual, cool, be mega social on twitter, facebook and your own blog etc. Not to mention all the things to decide about: from which phone and electricity company to use, to where to go for holidays, how to decorate the home, what to eat for dinner, which TV channel to watch, what politicians to follow, school for your children, house and car loans etc. You also have to worry about or take part in the debate about the end of the world, global warming, poverty, war, earthquakes, the collapse of the economy, trafficking, drugs, corruption and all types of pollution. Then you have the constant physical threat of additives in food and skincare products, harmful chemicals in fabric dye, wall paint ant inflammable protection for furniture, clothes and beds, air, noise and water pollution, radiation from cell phones, computers, TV’s etc. No wonder people stress out and hit the wall, eat anti depressants and medicine for stomach ulcers. Choose a holiday that is beneficial for your overall wellbeing Instead of just booking another shopping, party, or hang on the beach holiday….that might leave you with a lot to tell friends about, a nice tan and some new souvenirs…why not plan a holiday that is really beneficial for your overall wellbeing instead. Something that not just is enjoyable in the moment but also leave you recharged, refreshed and inspired. I have met too may people that try to fit in too many things to do and places to see in their holiday that they feel more stressed after the holiday than when they left. Many people have a tendency to drink a lot of alcohol or experiment with drugs on their vacations and feel worse than when they jumped on the plane in their home country. Over eating or eating the wrong things that result in a bad stomach is also common. Destination spa’s, day spas, healing clinics and hospitals, temples, ashrams and beauty parlours exist all over the world, from busy cities to empty beaches or magic mountaintops. Even if I am one for and completely recommend total emersion, you might not necessarily chare my passion for the intensive, results orientated spa experience. You can choose anything from intensive health regimes that lasts for months to the 30 min facial or foot massage. You can choose the spa as your destination or you can choose a destination near by a spa. Sometimes you have to compromise with your travel partner/partners or mix work with holiday…but there is always a healthy alternative that will fit your trip. Where as western medicine has a strong focus on the physical aspect of our being, Eastern medicine pay just as much attention to the mind and the spirit as the physical body. If you want an experience that is more than just skin deep, a trick is to look for a place where they have a tradition of practicing meditation and yoga. Below are some good websites that help you find the right spa for you http://www.fivestaralliance.com/besthotels/list/worldsbestsparesorts http://www.gayot.com/lifestyle/spa/thebestspas.html http://www.spafinder.com/

Travel Inspiration in Blue

Travel Inspiration Painted Blue Breathtaking panoramas, quiet beaches, deep waters and cloudless skies. Surrounded by blue, I never feel blue. Blue above and blue below, watching how they meet at the horizon...that's when I relax the most

Faluknama Royal Palace, Hydrabad, India

Taj Falukname Palace and Jiva Spa, Hydrabad India The Royal Luxury of Yesteryears

Back from India

Indian Hideaways Just got back from a fantastic 6 week trip to India…part holiday part work. I will show you some special places and a lot of great photos as soon as I have sorted them out. You will get some tutorials and behind the scene footage as well. Some of the places that I will show you are: Taj Faluknama Palace in Hydrabad http://www.tajhotels.com/Luxury/Grand-Palaces-And-Iconic-Hotels/Taj-Falaknuma-Palace-Hyderabad/Overview.html Barefoot at Havelock, Andaman and Nicobar Islands http://www.barefootindia.com/ Kalari Kovilakom, Kollengode http://www.kalarikovilakom.com/ Malabar House Fort Cochin Serenity at Kanam Estate Purity at lake Vembanad http://www.malabarhouse.com/ Palmtree Heritage, Varkala http://www.palmtreeheritage.com/ I’ll also give you a quick review of some other places we stayed at on Kuzhupilly Beach, on the beach in Madras and in Kalkutta and Puthenthop. Check back shortly!

Photos for Hotel Imperiale

5 star Hotel Imperiale in Taormina asked me to help them take photos of their terrace. They wanted to show the terrace as a place for romantic dinners, relaxing evenings at the bar with live music, as well as for wedding and birthday banquets. It was a bit tricky as the season was already over and the terrace didn’t look her most inviting. We were also struggling with bad weather and little time and resources to organize models, props and clothes….but I think we pulled it off in the end. Big thanks goes to Claudio di Mari www.claudiodimari.com a young and promising Sicilian designer that’s already made a name in Milan and other major cities and Parisi www.paristtaormina.it high fashion stores for men, women, children, jeans and accessories since 1950…who have been so kind as to supply the clothes for the “bride and the groom”

Hotel Metropole, Taormina Sicily

Here are some of the photos that I recently took for 5star Hotel Metroploe in Taormina, Sicily. You will soon be able to see them on their website and in their brochure as well. I still have a few more photos to finish and will upload them here as well once that is done....and with some more hotel info. In the meantime, enjoy the photos and start planning your trip to Sicily :) I do recomend a visit if you are in Sicily...even just for a meal or a drink. I am writing a post for the photo enthusiasts as well, about how I went about some of the shoots...you will find it under "Lessons" in a couple of days. I am writing a post for the photo enthusiasts as well, about how I went about some of the shoots...you will find it under "Lessons" in a couple of days.

The Mauritian Cultural Gem

Beneath the surface of Mauritius tropical beauty: with the sharp mountain line, rolling hills, white sandy beaches, rare plants and fragrant flowers, the rich marine life, fresh cascades and the warm turquoise blue ocean. Behind the famous five-star resorts, the high-class golf clubs and the world-class deep-sea fishing, there is a treasure that often remains undiscovered by visitors; the Mauritian culture…. or more correctly cultures.

Seychelles, Maldives or Mauritius?

What are the differences and how do you choose where to go? All three countries are located in the Indian Ocean and are famous for their white coral sand beaches, clear turquoise blue waters, excellent diving and deep sea fishing, as much as for their top class hotels and spas.