Down by the Sea, Chorillos, Lima, Peru

Chorrillos is a district of the Lima Province in Peru and part of the city of Lima. It gets its name from the Spanish word for "trickle of water".  Chorillos is located next to Barranco on the coastline of Lima and has several different beach areas facing the pacific ocean.  

'Playa de Pescadores', is a small fishing beach that is full of activity and a very interesting place to spend a few hours, people watch and enjoy the sunset.  On the shoreline you can have fresh ceviche (Peru's national dish consisting of raw fish marinaded in fresh lime juice and chilli).  On the small pier you can have a go at fishing for crab and small fish or take a boat tour around the local coastline of Chorillos and Lima.  From this side of Chorrillos, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the bay of Lima taking in the views of Barranco, Miraflores and beyond.  On a clear day, in the distance you can see La Punta and the San Lorenzo island in the district of Callao.  

Directly next to Playa de Pescadores is a private exclusive beach and sports club called Regatas.  Regatas is one of the most exclusive sports clubs in Lima and attracts the rich and famous Peruvians who go there to exercise, sunbathe and relax.

Around the headland you have the small secluded beach of La Herradura which was a deluxe beach resort in the 19th century.  These days the seafront has several seafood restaurants where you can enjoy traditional Peruvian cuisine and watch the sun go down.  The beach is also home to one of Lima's best surfing spots, La Herradura.  The wave needs a big swell to work properly and has hosted several international surfing competitions.

On the coastal road between the malecon of Chorillos and La Herradura you pass the rocky headland peninsula of El Salto de Fraile.  Here lies an exclusive restaurant with the same name, and a legend of forbidden love that ended tragically.  The tale involves young love which resulted in a pregnancy and the young man being sent to a convent for his sins and made into a friar.  These days at the same spot you can watch locals reenact the tale.  Men from the local Chorillos area dress as Monks and dive off the cliffs into the perilous ocean below.  I have heard rumours that at least one person has died doing this dive.  It’s a fascinating place however and I intend to return in the next few weeks to capture more of their dives.

More of my Lima photography can be found on my website, my Instagram, and my Flickr account. A Spanish translation of this blog can be found here. If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.

Fotografía con efecto panning o barrido

¿Qué es panning? 

‘Panning’ es una técnica usada para capturar sujetos en movimiento. La idea básica detrás del ‘panning’ es seguir con tu cámara al sujeto en movimiento. Una vez perfeccionada la técnica podrás producir imágenes con el sujeto relativamente bien enfocado y con el fondo barrido o ‘blureado’. Este barrido del fondo nos agrega la sensación de velocidad y movimiento, por lo tanto puede ser usada perfectamente con cualquier sujeto en movimiento rápido como carros, animales, ciclistas, etc. Da clic a través de la galería y encontrarás algunos ejemplos de fotografías que he capturado en mis viajes con la técnica de ‘panning’.

Cómo dominar la técnica fotográfica de ‘panning’

La fotografía con ‘panning’ requiere mucha práctica y algo de suerte. Para tener un ‘panning’ exitoso deberías seguir con tu cámara al sujeto en movimiento emparejando la velocidad y dirección del mismo. El ‘panning’ es más fácil con sujetos que se mueven en una línea relativamente recta, de esta forma se podrá predecir hacia dónde se moverá el sujeto. Un reciente y famoso ejemplo de esto es la foto de Usain Bolt ganando la carrera de los 100 metros en los juegos olímpicos de Río 2016. El fotógrafo aquí habla sobre cómo capturó la foto. 

Tips para capturar exitosas fotografías con ‘panning’:

Usa una baja velocidad de disparo:  Experimenta dependiendo la luz y la velocidad del sujeto, pero, es bueno empezar con 1/60 o menos. Ten en cuenta que entre más rápida sea tu velocidad de obturación, más fácil será mantener el sujeto nítido. Cuanto más rápido sea el sujeto, más difícil será seguirlo, lo que significa que los ciclistas y patinadores serán más fáciles de seguir que las motocicletas y los autos de carreras.

Trayectoria del sujeto. Sigue el sujeto antes, durante y después del disparo con un movimiento suave y continuo. 

Establece el modo de disparo continuo. Esto te dará más oportunidades de capturar el mejor momento así como minimizar el movimiento de la cámara al presionar el obturador.

Elige un fondo interesante. Aunque el fondo se verá borroso, es de suma importancia para tu foto, por lo cual es importante que tu fondo sea interesante y colorido.

Mantén tu cámara tan estable como sea posible. Debido a la baja velocidad de obturación hay una mayor posibilidad de desenfoque en movimiento. Te recomiendo que uses el visor en lugar de la pantalla cuando hagas ‘panning’.

La práctica hace la perfección:  Como todo en fotografía, la práctica es requerida. Intenta hacer ‘panning’ con diferentes objetos en movimiento en distintas locaciones hasta que te conviertas en un maestro de esta difícil técnica. Recientemente tuve la oportunidad de hacer ‘panning’ en La Habana, con sus coloridos coches antiguos.

Más sobre mis fotografías de viaje pueden ser encontradas en mi sitio, instagram y flickr. Si estás interesado en comprar alguna de mis fotos, usar la imagen online o para cualquier información, por favor, envíame un email: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.

Down by the Sea, Senegal

I recently spent a couple of months in Senegal, a country in West Africa.  I spent the majority of that time in the capital Dakar, mainly at the beach town of Yoff.  The town is built along the broad beach at Yoff Bay which faces the Atlantic Ocean, directly north of the city centre of Dakar.  In West Africa the beach is much more than a place to relax and soak up the sun.  Click through the slideshow below for some of my travel photos taken at Yoff Beach in Dakar:

The beach at Yoff is used as a means of transportation with Horse & Cart transporting people and produce along the beach.  In the afternoons the beach becomes a huge gym with hundreds of Sengalese coming to exercise in groups or alone.  Several football games take place along the stretch of sand and men practice the Sengalese form of wrestling by the shore.  Yoff is also a place to pray with one of the biggest Mosques in Dakar situated overlooking the beach.  

The most important function of the beach however is access to the ocean for it's fish.  At the far end of the beach lies the fishing centre where many colourful fishing boats line the sand.  On the shore women wash and prepare the fish, old fridges lie around storing the catch of the day and locals visit to make a purchase.  Everyone here seems to be involved in some way with fishing, be it transporting, cleaning, cooking, catching or selling the daily catch.  A very lively and colourful place it was great for photography.  The beach also has regular and consistent surf, another good reason to visit and spend a few days there...

More of my travel photography from Senegal can be found on my website, my Instagram, and my Flickr account.  If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.

Panning Photography by Geraint Rowland

What is panning?  Panning is a technique used when photographing moving subjects.  The basic idea behind panning photography is that you pan your camera along in time with the moving subject.  Once perfected it can produce images with a relatively sharp subject and a blurred background.  This blurring of the background adds to the overall feeling of speed and movement and can be used effectively with any fast moving subject such as cars, animals, cyclists etc.  Click through the slideshow below for some panning photography examples that I have taken on my travels:

How to master the photographic technique of panning

Panning photography requires a lot of practice and often some luck.  For successful panning your camera should follow the subject's movement whilst matching it's speed and direction. Panning is easiest with subjects that are moving in a relatively straight line so that you can predict where they will be moving to.  A recent famous example of this is the photo of Usian Bolt winning the 100 metre race at the Rio 2016 Olympics.  The photographer talks about taking the photo here.  

Some tips for taking successful panning photographs:

Use a slow shutter speed.  Experiment depending on the light and speed of the subject but start with 1/60 or lower.  Bear in mind that the faster your shutter speed the easier it will be to keep the subject crisp.  The faster the subject, the more difficult it will be to pan, meaning cyclists and skateboarders will be easier to pan than motorcycles and racing cars.

Track your subject.  Follow the subject before during and after the shot in a smooth and continuous motion.

Set the Shooting mode to Continuous.  This will allow for more opportunity to capture the best moment as well as minimising camera shake from pressing the shutter.

Choose an interesting background.  Although the background will be blurred it will form an important part of the photo so choose a background that is interesting and colourful.

Keep your camera as stable as possible.  Due to the slower shutter speed there is an increased chance of motion blur.  I recommend using the viewfinder as opposed to an LCD screen when panning. 

Practice makes perfect.  As with everything in photography, practice is required.  Try panning with different moving subjects and in different locations until you master this difficult technique.  I had some time recently to give the technique a revisit in Havana with all of its colourful vintage cars.

More of my travel photography can be found on my website, my Instagram, and my Flickr account.  If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.  

Cuba and Cigars

Cuba is famous for it's cigars, and in Havana they are everywhere.  People smoking them, or posing for photographs with them, or trying to sell you them.  Cuban cigars are rolled from tobacco leaves found throughout the country of Cuba and are said to be among the best in the world.  Despite American trade sanctions against Cuban products, cigars remain one of the country's biggest exports.  In 2016 Cuba exported $445 million worth of cigars worldwide.  Here are some portraits I took in La Habana, the Capital of Cuba of Cubans with cigars, click through the slide show below:

All of the above photos were taken with a Canon 5D IV using natural light.  The lenses used were the Canon 50mm 1.4 prime lens and the Sigma Art lens at 135mm.  Some of the people I captured in Havana were there for the tourism and received money in exchange for photos, but a couple were strangers in the street whom I asked if I could photograph.  I like the additional prop of the cigar in these head shot portraits, it adds a particular Cuban feel to the images.  

More of my travel photography from Cuba can be found on my website, my Facebook and my Flickr account.  If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.  

Street Portraits in Havana, Cuba

I recently spent a week in Havana, the Capital of Cuba.  It's a great place for photos, full of old classic cars, interesting architecture, and a lot of colour.  Whilst in Havana I also took several portrait shots of some of the locals.  When I first started taking photos I took mainly nature shots: flowers and landscapes.  I then became interested in Street photography capturing people around the World in a candid manner.  A friend once told me that the best photographs are those which contain people and I now tend to agree with that more and more.  Click through the slideshow below for some black and white Cuban portraits:

All of the above photos were taken with a Canon 5D IV using natural light.  The lenses used were the Canon 50mm 1.4 prime lens and the Sigma Art lens at 135mm.  Some of the people I captured in Havana were there for the tourism and received money in exchange for photos, but a couple were strangers in the street whom I asked if I could photograph.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words and with street portraits I believe you get an even more interesting story from an image.  I was happy with the head shots I got in and around Havana and plan to take some more in the future.  I converted the images to black and white using Lightroom as I preferred the overall mood of the resulting series.  However, Havana is a colourful place and it is often nice to see the images in colour.  One of the cigar smoking ladies can be seen in colour here, whilst the cigar smoking gentleman can be viewed here.

Cuba is a country located in the Caribbean, south of the US state of Florida, west of Haiti and north of Jamaica.  Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, and has over 11 million inhabitants. Havana (Habana or La Habana in Spanish) is the capital city and leading commercial centre of Cuba.

More of my travel photography from Cuba can be found on my website, my Facebook and my Flickr account.  If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.  

Peruvian Sunset Photography by Geraint Rowland

Sunset images are still one of my favourite types of photo to take.  No two are ever the same and if taken well they have universal appeal.  In the last five years I have spent a large amount of time in Peru and have photographed a lot of Peruvian sunsets.  The majority of time has been in Lima, which can have amazing sunsets during the Summer months, but I have witnessed equally stunning sunsets in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, Arequipa, Iquitos near the Amazon, and the beaches in the North such as Huanchaco, Chicama, and Chiclayo.  Click through the first slideshow below to view some of my Peruvian sunset photos: 

How to take good sunset photographs

There is a wealth of useful information online regarding how to capture sunsets and the techniques involved.  Without getting too technical here are some tips for shooting beautiful sunsets:

Timing: When taking sunset photos, preparation is obviously important, being in the right place at the right time is a must.  So if you can, try and take photos of the setting sun at the best time of the year.  For example, Lima is often referred to as the Grey City (Lima La Gris) due to the constant fog for much of the year.  In Lima you will have a much better chance of capturing a good sunset during the summer months (December to January).  Get to the chosen location in plenty of time to experiment with different angles and frames.  Don't forget to wait some time after the sun sets, this is the time the sky often becomes the most spectacular.  

Tripod: As the sun drops, so does the light, for a clear image you will need a good tripod.  This will also help if you want to capture movement in your sunset images (such as the motion of the water).  In addition, long exposure photos can make the colours more vivd.  If you do not have a tripod, try resting your camera on a solid surface or at ground level.  If this is not possible you will have to increase the ISO and open up the aperture as much as possible.

Travel: To capture the best sunsets you have to travel.  This doesn't necessarily mean you have to travel overseas to exotic locations but this obviously helps.  Instead, try and explore your local area to end up with a variety of sunset shots from different locations as opposed to going to the same tried and tested spot each time.  Click through the carousel below for more images of the setting sun taken in Lima:

More of my travel photography from Peru can be found on my website, my Facebook and my Flickr account.  I recently wrote a blog on Ocean Art Photography, many of my abstract photos are taken during the sunset period.  If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.  

Photographing the Coastline of Great Britain

In the summer of 2015 a small group of cyclists set off from Anglesey in North Wales for a 64 day journey, circumnavigating the coastline of Great Britain.  At the start of July the cyclists began their epic journey cycling the entire coastline of Wales, Scotland and England before finally arriving back at their starting point seven weeks later.  I was employed as photographer & social media manager, and in addition to capturing daily images of the riders I also documented the coastline and countryside as we travelled around.  Over the course of the 6,700 kilometre journey I took over 20,000 photographs.  Click through the first slideshow below for a look at some of the sights we saw along the way:

In addition to the cycling element the Countrywide Great Tour was also a celebration of the beautiful and varied coastline of England, Scotland and Wales.  With the cyclists always riding in sight, sound and smell of the sea we got to witness the beauty of Great Britain during the summertime.  

I wrote a previous blog on the Countrywide Great Tour of 2015 with a selection of cycling photos which can be viewed here.  In addition I posted a photo everyday to my Flickr account, which can be viewed here: CGT2015 Flickr Album.  Here are some more images from our trip around the coastline of Great Britain, click through the second slideshow below:    

The Countrywide Great Tour was an amazing experience and I recommend anyone to get involved in 2018 when the Great Tour is returning.  More of my images from the Countrywide Great Tour can be viewed on my website, my Facebook and my Flickr account.  If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.  

Black and White Portraits in The Gambia

I recently spent two months in Senegal, during that time I travelled south to the Cassamance area staying in Ziguinchor.  From Ziguinchor I travelled north to spend a couple of weeks in The Gambia.  I spent a couple of weeks living in the Serekunda area some 11 km's west of Banjul, the capital of The Gambia.  This set of black and white photographs were taken outside a traditional Gambian home.  Click through the slideshow below for some black and white portraits I took of the local Gambian children there:

All of the above photos were taken with a Canon 5D2 and a 50mm 1.4 prime lens.  Some of the images were taken candidly whilst others were obviously posed.  I converted the images to black and white using Lightroom as I preferred the overall mood of the resulting series.  

The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa that is completely surrounded by Senegal except for it's coastline on the Atlantic Ocean.  Despite a third of Gambians living under the poverty line, the people there are extremely friendly and welcoming.  In fact The Gambia is often referred to as the 'Smiling Coast of West Africa'.  I hope to return soon to explore more of the country and take more photos.

More of my travel photography from West Africa can be found on my website, my Facebook and my Flickr account.  If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.  

Day of the Dead at the Cementerio Nueva Esperanza in Lima

In 2015 I spent a fascinating day experiencing the Day of the Dead at Cementerio Nueva Esperanza in Lima, Peru.  This huge sprawling cemetery is the second largest in the World and on the 1st of November thousands of Peruvians visit to pay respect to their departed.  Very much a family affair, the Day of the Dead is a celebration of happiness and remembrance of the deceased as opposed to one of sadness.  A day where musicians play music to the dead, traditional Peruvian Dancers (Danza de las tijeras) perform, couples share beer by the graves and children embrace and play.  Click through the slideshow below to view the Día de Muertos images taken in Cementerio Nueva Esperanza in Lima, Peru:

Day of the Dead, also known as All Souls Day is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and other parts of Latin America on October 31st, November 1st, and November 2nd.  In Spanish, the Day of the Dead is called Día de Muertos, or Día de los Muertos.  Click through the carousel below for more images from the day of the dead in Lima:

A photo blog of the Mexican day of the dead can be found here.  More of my travel photos can be found on my website, my Facebook page and my Flickr account.  If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.