Gunther Deichmann's Blog

Part two; Vanishing Cultures & Tradition - rare photos of ceremonial & tribal Aboriginals from Arnhem Land, Australia.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2012-01-31T13:18:08+08:00

An alternative to Arnhem Land is to visit Kakadu National park, which is more accessible, and the Aboriginals left their mark here too, in particular at Obirri Rock, a fantastic gallery of detailed ancient rock art. ...A visit to Yellow Waters in Kakadu National Park is a must once in the area, a swamp (flood plains) with its amazing variety and abundant of wildlife, huge congregation of water fowls, white breasted sea eagles on trees, monitor lizards and saltwater crocodiles that make this area a haven for wildlife photographers. The Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory have left a great legacy of their culture in the form of art that can be found in caves and rock overhangs where it is protected from the elements. ...After my visit to the “Ruined City” a burial ceremony took place a few days later at the Roper River aboriginal settlement and after some discussions with the Elders I was permitted to take part in this ceremony…well at least for the first part of the burial, an experience that I never forget. ...This is another important time for ceremonies on the death of a person, when people paint themselves white as seen in my photos, cut their own bodies to show their remorse for the loss of their loved one, and conduct a series of rituals, songs and dances to ensure the person’s spirit leaves the area and returns to its birth place, from where it can later be reborn.

Vanishing Cultures & Tradition - part one; rare & historical photos of tribal Aboriginals from Central Australia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2012-01-25T19:01:30+08:00

I was fortunately enough to experience some of this amazing culture first hand during the late 70th and mid 80th taken part in tribal ceremonies, visited remote areas in Central Australia, took part of a Burial Ceremony and traveled to sacred parts in Arnhem Land, northern Australia. ...Some color images (slides) had to be turned into black and white due their color fading over the years, however they still represent this unique culture through Australia’s past. ...So lets start with part one and the most sacred site in Australia…Ayers Rock or know to the Aborigines as “ULURU” ...The word Uluru means, “the all-knowing and everlasting” this giant freestanding rock is indeed the most sacred site in Australia to the Aboriginal people and an awesome site for any visitor. ...But there are so many other mystical places in the Center that played an important role for the Aboriginal Dreamtime, places like the Olgas some 30 miles west of Ayers Rock, remote and spectacular Kings Canyon, Palm Valley an Oasis in the desert, Chambers Pillar or Rainbow Valley just south of Alice Springs.

NEWS RELEASE - Exotissimo Travel Launch Specialist Photography Workshops in ASIA led by International Photographer.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2012-01-23T15:16:44+08:00

(Bangkok, 19 January 2012) Exotissimo Travel, Asia’s leading DMC has unveiled a collection of niche photography workshop tours covering four top destinations in Southeast Asia. ...This novel selection of tours are open to all ages and abilities with professional photographer Gunther Deichmann teaching new techniques from basic to advanced over the course of each. ...It's a rare opportunity to explore the unique cultural practices of a country while gaining insight into the architecture and heritage of a destination that few tourists see. ...Each destination covered has its own distinctive qualities and cultural practices that we expose ourselves to, capturing the essence with our cameras while learning new techniques along the way.” ...They also encompass Exo’s philosophy of connecting with the people and culture of a place, as they take guests to many areas off the well trodden tourist path and into local areas where its possible to interact with villagers and learn about their way of life.

Travel Photography: Destination tips, Island Portraits from Chuuk - Pohnpei - Yap & Palau, Micronesia.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2012-01-16T17:36:33+08:00

These are some of my favorite Portraits of people in Micronesia from the remote Island of Pohnpei with its mysterious ruins of Nan Madol (also called the Venice of the Pacific) or to Chuuk know better as Truk Lagoon where a whole Japanese fleet was sunk during WWII. ...Women young and old are topless not only during ceremonies and festivals but all year around, you even get greeted at the arrival at the airport by traditional dressed women, for the women being topless is a very normal and cultural part of this island. ...Pohnpei "upon (pohn) a stone altar (pei)" (formerly known as Ponape) is the name of one of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), situated among the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group. ...The magnificent islands of the Republic of Palau, fondly called Belau by its friendly inhabitants, were named by early explorers and have been known to the outside world at one time or another as West Caroline Islands, the Palaos, the New Philippines, Panlog, and the Pelew Islands. ...If you like to visit some of these amazing places and you happen to be at the Duesseldorf Boot Show in January then you have to check out the Booth of Sam's Tours and the Palau Visitors Authority.

Travel Photography: The story behind the photos, female Elephants dress up for the occasion, kaleidoscope of colors Rajasthan, India.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2012-01-11T15:03:10+08:00

Fancy meeting an Elephant in a beauty parlor, now that would be something right, but this is what happen in Jaipur with the exception the parlor is outside. ...Some of these majestic animals are covered from head to toe literally, ready for the yearly parade in Jaipur that is held and coincide with the Holi Festival. (festival of colors) ...According to some legends at the time of ‘Samudra Manthan’ when demons and Gods were busy in churning the ocean Gods were fortunate to receive an elephant called “Airavata” which later became the divine vehicle (vahana) of India ...The elephants parading their decorated trunks and tusks however the most noticeable feature of this festival is that all Elephants who take part in this festival are female Elephants. ...If you like to experience this amazing kaleidoscope of colors and roam around those gorgeous female Elephants then why don’t you join us on our GD Photo Workshop in 2013.

Discover & Explore ASIA with GD Photo Workshops: Updated Calendar & site for 2012 & 2013

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2012-01-05T00:37:44+08:00

We are pleased to announce a complete update and revised Calendar for 2012 & 2013 on our GD Photo Workshop Site. ...All 2012 dates are confirmed, our itineraries and full details are available upon request or by our agent's Exotissimo website. We're traveling to some places rarely visited by others, hence making our workshops more unique and flexible that makes a lifetime experience for you to remember. Take for example our new and next Myanmar Journey in 2012 - this Special Trip was designed by Photographers for Photographers. ...On this journey we will explore the remote parts of the country but also some of the known places.

Published article in Asian Geographic - A Walk Through Time - Phnom Kulen, Cambodia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2012-01-03T12:18:14+08:00

Below is a very short excerpt from a seven (7) page article in the latest Asian Geographic magazine on Phnom Kulen and its hidden treasures in Cambodia. ...I am grateful to the publisher/editor/graphic designer for publishing this article from my beloved Cambodia and of-course my gratitude to Jamie Irena Rayer - Keet who wrote the excellent text for this story. ...It may only be forty-six kilometers away from the august Angkor Wat but this is one Cambodian paradise where you won’t be seeing busloads of Teva-sandaled, video-cam toting tourists anytime soon. ... A hilly terrain famed for its extensive history and natural resource of red sandstone, Phnom Kulen also boasts a national park, refreshing waterfalls, peculiar rivers and a massive 8m long Buddha reclining at its summit. ...Lately however, she has been seducing archaeologists and leaving intrigued historians trailing in her wake, gambling life and limb as they tread through her dense jungle in their quest to unearth more of the secrets embedded within her elusive rupestrian treasure…

Travel Photography: One beautiful afternoon at the U Beins Teak Wood Bridge, Myanmar

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-12-30T18:42:15+08:00

It was during our last GD Photo Workshop near Mandalay in Myanmar when we visited the U Beins Teak Wood Bridge in Amarapura at sunset. What a beautiful afternoon it turned out to be, blessed and lucky with the weather we encountered some stunning light right up to dusk. ...The 1.2 km wooden footbridge (longest teak bridge in the world) built by the mayor U Bein salvaging the unwanted teak columns from the old palace during the move to Mandalay. ...Join us for another breathtaking journey through Myanmar on our upcoming GD Photo Workshop in June 2012, visiting not only the well known places but also more remote parts of this truly amazing Country. ...For our other published destinations: Sri Lanka - Central India - Bhutan - Vietnam - Laos & Cambodia please CLICK this LINK our Photo Workshop Calendar in ASIA for 2012

Photography: A nice letter in response to my recent post RIP Photoshop in 2012 & beyond.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-12-28T13:46:26+08:00

If I didn’t know you and or had not been with you when you took some of the images I know of…I would have a hard time not assuming that somehow Photoshop played a role. You’re right….there is a time and place for Photoshop….but in order to protect the integrity of and respect for accomplished photographers and their images, the viewer does indeed need to know / deserve to be informed if and when images are manipulated. ...I recall the image you took one day with your point and shoot camera while we were sitting having a beer at Riptide overlooking Malakal Harbor, Palau…..the one with the tiki torch by the railing just before sunset. ...This has been an odd year for us…we’ve hardly been in touch ….not like before..but it’s also been a year in which I’ve seen the real Gunther ..the passionate photographer Gunther, re-emerge from the demands of the digital clutter that somehow seems to want to over take us and extinguish who we really are. Wish I could have been as successful in making change in 2011 as you were, and for 2012, I will look not just to your amazing images for inspiration but to how successfully you’ve managed to reshape your future by renewing your first passion…..your photography.

Photography: RIP Photoshop in 2012, the cruel story behind the photo...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-12-26T19:54:05+08:00

In a few days we’re moving into 2012 and this is my last post for 2011 with the conclusion that there is NO room for Photoshop in photographing Documentary, Nature, Journalism, Culture, Travel and in true story telling. ...It was during this exhibition that I overheard a group of people saying how wonderful and great this image was, with the exception of some comments that this could only have been done in Photoshop. Now that is cruel if you ask me… I contained my disappointment and anger, even if I had to explain it to them they would have not believed me, as the saying goes, good photos do not need an explanation. ...Some adjustment of the color temperature for images taken under difficult lighting conditions plus a few minor tweaks all amounting to less then 10%, good Photographers shoot right in the first place and do not rely on PS, we done it on film so why not now. ...As for me in 2012, I continue to create images without the use of PS like I have done for the past 30 years, so RIP Photoshop for 2012 and beyond.

Travel Photography: Bizarre, strange, utterly weird & disgusting, photos from along the road.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-12-18T18:57:01+08:00

During most of my travels I come across the nice and beautiful things our planet has to offer. The funny, bizarre and strange encounters, but sometimes I see things rather unpleasant. Like the time I discovered the unloading of massive shark fins in Indonesia, and I am talking about massive! Little explanation is needed for most of the photos below, with the exception of the disgusting ones. ...© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com

Photography: Nine pages published in Asian Geographic special ONE ASIA Edition.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-12-15T19:03:24+08:00

Asian Geographic Magazine just published a special edition during the ONE ASIA Event in Singapore recently. ...I am featured with some nine pages and a couple shots on the cover but this special issue of Asian Geographic includes also other amazing photographers like: Michael Yamashita - Steve McCurry - Michael Freeman - David Doubilet - Joe Quinn - Steve De Neef - John Arifin - Aaron Wong - Alexander Mustard - Michael Aw - Tri Huu Luu and William Chua This is a copy you should get your hands on, lots of cool information, references, techniques and stunning great Photos below and above the waves. I have created a pdf file with Keynote and you can check it out under publications on my main site under spreads or covers.

Photography: Singapore ONE ASIA round up & latest NEWS on the Adventure GD Photo Workshops Asia.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-12-14T14:25:46+08:00

A quick round up from my recent trip to Singapore where I attended the ONE ASIA festival as a speaker and Judge for the Images without Borders together with Michael Yamashita and Steve McCurry. Besides the event I caught up also with good old friends, in particular Michael Freeman who I had not seen for a very long time. ...But I also caught up with some of my Photo Workshop Students and friends in particle Christina Feldt from Germany and Chia Loy Chuan with his charming wife from Singapore. ...My gratitude to John Thet, Publisher of Asian Geographic Magazine and Organizer of the ONE ASIA Event for inviting me again this year. ...I also found the time to get my last roll of film (Ektachrome) processed and scanned in Singapore, I post an interesting article about this exercise shortly.

Travel Adventure GD Photo Workshops now with Exotissimo, Myanmar & Indochina 2012, plus One Asia Event Singapore.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-12-09T11:19:40+08:00

I am currently in Singapore as a Guest speaker (Geographical Travel Photography) for the ONE ASIA Images of Asia Festival hosted and organized by the Asian Geographic Magazine . ...Also I am part of the Live Judging together with Steve McCurry and Michael Yamashita on December 10 for this years Images without Borders Photo competition. So, if you in Singapore please drop by the Suntec Center and join us for this years ONE ASIA Festival. ...and Myanmar is now available at the Exotissimo website, our NEW Partner for the GD Photo Workshops in Asia. ...NOTE: There are still a couple of spots available for Sri Lanka - Central India and Bhutan in 2012 (for Bhutan only 2 more spots avail.) for more info pls click this LINK.

Travel Photography: Twelve Asian faces from 2011; thoughtful, bizarre, happy and sad plus one sleepy. See you soon at the ONE ASIA Festival Singapore.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-12-05T19:05:44+08:00

In a few more days 2011 is coming to an end and I am now preparing for my last trip this year to Singapore, leaving in a couple of days. I am part again of the ONE ASIA Festival - Celebrate the Images of Asia as a Speaker and Judge for the Asia Without Borders Photo Competition. I am really looking forward to catch up again with Michael Yamashita who was there also last year, and get together with Steve McCurry, Michael Freeman and Manuel Librodo plus many others, and of course with some good old friends. Hope to see some of you there; for detailed information on the ONE ASIA FESTIVAL please click the LINKS. But before I report from Singapore (I know the connection will be fine this time) I like to share with you some images taken in 2011, people from Cambodia, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Myanmar.

Travel Photography Asia: Beautiful People & true Colors from Laos, Cambodia & Myanmar.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-11-29T18:24:41+08:00

I am always in search for true colors and besides the question above, which is my favorite photograph I also get often ask about my colors. ...It is all out there, in front of us ready for the taking with what ever camera you use, let your eyes guide you, separating colors from the background. ...But have said that, we almost don't get a choice these days…in the digital age we have to use Computers and editing softwares; I am still looking for a roll of Ektachrome to be processed, that I shot recently in Cambodia. ...All my camera settings are pretty much set on default and my images are processed with Aperture 3 using only the RAW Image conversion, color temperature, slightly sharpening, a little contrast and the usual cropping/straightening tools and of course getting rid of sensor dust, that little evil thing in digital photography. During the film days we didn't have all those tools, you had to do a lot of bracketing and if you missed it then that was-it.

Adventure Travel Photography: Tourists to the rescue…& another Deja Vu at Tham Theung Caves, Laos

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-11-23T19:09:28+08:00

I had visited the lower cave called Tham Ting (lower cave) some 20 years ago and with the exception of more tourists swarming around and more Buddha statues were deposited, little had changed over the years. ...With no Tripod and only the little pop up flash on my Nikon D300s (left my D700 in the boat and was in no mood to climb the stairs again) I thought this is going to be a tough one, besides this cave was big. ...I almost gave up, when all of a sudden a large group of Italian Tourist appeared, all equipped with the for hire flashlights; and for sure a good business day for the local lady at the entrance, ha, ha. ...I got it… jammed the camera into a crack, pushed hard and holding on (you might end up with a few scratches on your Camera but other then that, it works, besides holding your breath) now I instructed my assistant Arj to shine his torch towards the temple area. ...But I still did not get enough light for a good and usable shot… then the Italian Tourists entered the cave and came to my rescue… shining their flashlights in all direction…wow and thank you.

Adventure Travel Photography: The Students Work from the GD Photo Workshops Laos-Cambodia & Myanmar.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-11-19T18:15:47+08:00

I keep this text very brief today and rather let the Images do the talking, we have ask our participants to select their personal favored Photos from the last three workshops. ...The images posted had been sent to us and we posted them unaltered the way we received them, we only resized them to make them fit for the web. Please do respect the copyright of all the persons who submitted their images and refrain from copying any images in any way. ...Enjoy the photos from the participants who at times had to work very hard to create these cool images. We have also updated the testimonials and our GD Photo Workshop site with a new announcement in the Calendar for a very special Myanmar GD Photo Workshop in 2012.

Travel Photography: Deja vu…recreating a Photo at the same location...but 12 years later.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-11-16T15:57:12+08:00

I might add that the shot I took 12 years ago was not at all a setup; it just so happens that this Monk was actually standing at the window when I spotted it and this photo was later published many times. ...I had actually planned this all along to re create the image I took some 12 years ago, but of course there was very little hope that a Monk was standing again at the window. ...I normally don’t set shots up, but in this case I found it interesting what I could come up with, shooting digital instead of Kodachrome film from the same location but 12 years later. ...I let you decide which of the two images featured is Digital or Kodachrome 200 film, I might add that the digital image was shot at the same 200 ISO and no Photoshop or other manipulation has been used. ...This amazing teakwood monastery has not changed much at all except for the surrounding areas that have now additional more modern looking buildings, other than that it was pretty much the same.

Travel Photography:The story behind the photos, “A little Girl and her simple way recycling soft drink cans.”

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-11-15T15:31:28+08:00

I was watching her and kept shooting a few frames now and then, as she playfully emptied the leftovers before she arranged the cans along the road. By now it was getting very dark and I had to push my ISO higher as she kept arranging the cans in a very playful manner and I was wondering…is she collecting them or is she just playing? Vehicles and pushbikes going by, but this little girl was paying no attention to the traffic or our group, she just kept on lining up her cans. ...Now neatly arranged, she suddenly started to jump up an down flattening the cans with her feet, picked them up and disappeared as quick as she had arrived. ...The process of a very simple recycling was complete, I am sure the only thing left to do for her was to take the flattened cans and sell them for a few Riel (Cambodian currency) at the local Village.

Aperture 3 Tip: Serial number problems & re-installing the original Aperture 3 from the box

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-11-14T16:25:10+08:00

The serial number was rejected even if the Mac was New or had a completely reformatted Drive and the serial number came from the original Aperture 3 package. So if you experience any installation issues with Aperture 3 after you have bought a new or moved over to a different Mac then try this: ...Create a new USER account (you can always delete that one later anyway) and then using your original CD for Aperture 3 and install it here, now the serial number will work. ...After you have done this you can either keep your newly created account or you can just delete it in the system preference and switch back to your account. ...Aperture 3 is now installed and the only thing left to do is, perform a software update to Aperture 3.2.1 and you're done, (the update is approx.

Adventure Travel Photography: Behind the Scene from the GD PhotoWorkshop Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-11-12T17:59:02+08:00

Click on Johnny above or the LINKS but please NOTE since we done some major updates on my Blog and the GD Photo Workshop site you might have to REFRESH your Browser in order for you to see the latest images. ...Their work (The Students Work) will also be up in about a week and I keep you posted when this is done, but from what I have seen already there are some very nice images amongst them…in short, everybody did real well. But now enjoy the fun part "Behind The Scene"… and as mention above, it all started with Johnny Depp on my way to Bangkok with Arj and David entertaining myself with the iPhone and my little Leica on the way. The photos Behind the Scene are not in any particular order, taken by my self, Arj and by some of the participants using what ever camera was handy at the time, from iPhones, point and shoot and DSLR's. You might take also note that we have moved the “Behind the Scene” and “The Students Work” now to the GD Photo Workshop pages and removed it from my Blog.

Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar, the first post after a long Journey with the Travel Adventure GD Photo Workshops.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-11-07T12:59:22+08:00

But to be honest, I survived without the net nicely and had more time on the road creating images and looking after my Photo Workshop participants in Laos-Cambodia and Myanmar. ...But I also like to thank all the great people, we photographed (without them no images) and of course my gratitude to our Guides and Drivers through out the Journey who made our travel so much easier and pleasant. My special thanks also to Alexia and all the staff from Exotissimo who have done a superb job, the staff and management from the Satri House in Luang Prabang, Laos (what an amazing place) and of course to the Heritage Suites Hotel and Heritage Adventures in Siem Reap Cambodia. ...I might mention, this year was very special in many ways; for 20 years I have been traveling to Cambodia and 5 Years of the GD Photo Workshops with the Heritage Suites Hotel in Siem Reap (they surprised me with a super cool “Birthday Cake” on our last night) yummy… I can still taste it…and Mojan could not help himself and had three slices, mind you it was a real big Cake. ...You might take also note that we have moved the “Behind the Scene” and “The Students Work” now to the GD Photo Workshop pages and removed it from my Blog.

Photography: How I love this Quote by Ernst Haas & so fitting prior my Journey to Laos - Cambodia & Myanmar

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-09-14T16:53:04+08:00

Finished the last Aperture 3 advanced tutorial at the Power Mac Center last week, got some important meetings out of my way and now the TIME has come…the packing has started (mind you very light) for our Cultural - Archaeological, Travel and Adventure GD Photo Workshops to Laos - Cambodia and Myanmar. ...In todays post, definitely the last one prior my departure (next one I have no clue from where) I have chosen only images taken with my iPhone and my little Leica D-Lux 4 which are my companion most of the time and the reason for my favorite quote by Ernst Haas; read the complete story below: ...Two laddies from Nova Scotia had made a huge effort to be there and were great Leica fans, worked in a camera store, saved to have them and held Ernst on high for being a Leica user (although he used Nikons on his Marlboro shoots, when the chips were down).   ...About four days into the workshop, he finally maxxed out on the Leica adoration these kids displayed, and in the midst of a discussion, when one of them asked one more question aimed at establishing the superiority of Wetzlar; ...Yep, that is me in 1992 outside a French Cafe in Phnom Penh and my first visit to Cambodia covering a story on the Mekong River for Animan Magazine, no digital…no laptops, etc. just the good old film…and a bit younger mind you.

Travel Photography: Asian Geographic Passport just published a cool article & soon reporting from Laos, Cambodia & Myanmar

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-09-09T12:56:00+08:00

This will also be one of my last Blog posts before I am leaving for Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, not enough time while on the road and some areas have non or very poor internet connection. ... Of course and this goes without saying, I try my very best to post an update here on my Blog when ever it is possible…the endless Journey continuos. Shortly we start our last major GD Photo Workshops for 2011 to Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar and for those who could not make it (we're fully booked) check out my report/Blog posts on my return with photos from behind the scenes and selected image by our participants. ...An exciting Journey just around the corner with some very cool surprises and announcements along the way, not to mention our 5th year anniversary in Cambodia which we celebrate at the Heritage Suites Hotel our base in Siem Reap. ...Laos is going to be amazing with its mountains and spectacular scenery and our base in Luang Prabang at the Satri House, in Cambodia we venture into some of the lesser know areas by 4x4 wheel drives, then in Myanmar we have a the full moon with us in Bagan and on the Inle Lake intercepting a very cool Burmese festival along the way.

Preview of three amazing destinations; Laos - Cambodia - Myanmar, with the GD Photo Workshops Asia.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-08-29T14:58:20+08:00

I have included some photos from my previous trip to Northern Thailand and Laos, images I took on assignment covering the Mekong River for Animan Magazine in Switzerland, a three month Journey many years ago and taken on Kodachrome film. ...After Siem Reap we hit the road again to Battambang where we spend our remaining days in Cambodia exploring this amazing town with its french colonial buildings and the surrounding areas including a trip to Phnom Ek and the Killing Caves. ...I am also happy to announce that we're fully booked for all three workshops and for those who missed out this time please check our Calendar for 2012, exotic destinations are planned to Sri Lanka - Central India - Bhutan (for Bhutan only two more spots available) Tibet - Mongolia and later in the year Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia (for this one we have worked out a very special Itinerary, this one will be awesome). ...My thanks to all our partners who have been instrumental in preparing and organizing some of theses difficult destinations; Alexia from Exotissimo Travel Thailand and Laos, The Heritage Suites Hotel Relais & Chateaux and The Heritage Adventures in Cambodia and the Satri House Relais & Chateaux in Laos. ...Not to be missed are Heritage sites like Angkor Wat and The Bayon as well as the Cambodian sunrise, which all provide great photo opportunities for you to hone your photography skills and capture your tapestry of Siem Reap’s rich culture, people and heritage as seen through your Eyes.

Announcement: Important info for GD Photo Workshops in Asia, effective new dates Sri Lanka - Central India - Bhutan 2012

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-08-16T20:56:03+08:00

Join us for two amazing Adventure GD Photo Workshops to Sri Lanka and Central India. Breathtaking wildlife and awesome scenery in Sri Lanka plus amazing culture including the Dambulla Cave Temple dating to the first Century BC and a lot more will be on our itinerary. ... Our central India workshop will take you back in time; to some seldom seen Cave temples, namely the Ellora and Ajanta cave system. BHUTAN 2012 Only 3 more spots available, hurry this workshop is filling up very fast. ...The village of Talo, high on the hills above Punakha is located at an altitude 2800m.

More on Lion OS X plus Aperture 3 training, six days at Power Mac Center in cooperation with Filipinas Heritage Library Manila Philippines

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-08-16T14:11:41+08:00

Hands on…The Digital Dark Room and Aperture 3, we finished yesterday our first session for this week, (three hours per session) now another 2 more to go and a special advanced one at the Power Mac Center on the weekend. ...We show you the ultimate way of editing your photos with Apple's Aperture 3 software, creating proper back ups, how to add music to your Aperture 3 slideshow using GarageBand plus a lot more. ...Very busy for the next few weeks, plus one more advanced course on Aperture 3 in September at PMC, all this before I have to get ready for my GD Photo Workshops to Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. ...There is some good news and bad news, some older Mac's don't support Airdrop so if you installed Lion and can't find the AirDrop Icon then most likely your machine does not support AirDrop. ...AirDrop is one of the great new features of Lion that provides a really easy way to share files between supported, Wi-Fi enabled Macs, without having to connect through the local Wi-Fi network.

Exciting updates on GD Travel Adventure Photo Workshops, Culture & Nature expeditions through out Asia and beyond.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-08-11T12:44:39+08:00

Adventure and fun at the same time, stress is not on our agenda, everyday has its little surprises and rewards, from culture experiences, wildlife encounters and fantastic photo opportunities and the whole search is for the unknown, so you can really expect the unexpected. ...It is Gunther’s Philosophy about Photography that exposes you to a very different kind of image… a quote by Oscar Wilde says it all; “To look at a thing is very different from seeing it." ...We take Photography very seriously but at the same time find the precious hours after the shoot to relax and talk about our daily adventures, sharing each other’s experiences and the images we created. ...Please Note: Our workshops for Laos-Cambodia 2011 is now fully booked and we have only one more spot for Myanmar but if you're still interested you have to confirm your bookings by the 20th of August. We have also announced our destinations and Calendar dates for 2012 and working very close now with one of the Top Travel Agencies in Asia (soon there will be a major announcement regarding this exciting new development)

Tips & Tricks for Aperture 3 and OS X Lion, better performance on new and older Mac's.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-08-09T14:06:08+08:00

But before all of this exciting re-installing of Lion you better have a very good back up of your whole system and files, actually Time Machine done an excellent Job when I did my Lion Installation and I did not loose anything. ...Yes, at first it seems a bit slow in response but other than that it is running very smooth, of course from past experience I switched of the Graphic Card automatic switching and now also in the System Preference the Restore Windows when quitting and re-opening apps. ...I also recommend whenever you're doing some serious hard work in Aperture 3, Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5 or other Pro softwares that uses a lot of the Graphic Cards to turn of all other applications unless you have 8 Gig of Ram installed. ...Soon I am leaving for my GD Photo Workshops to Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar but prior my departure you can join me this August and the first part of September at Power Mac Center for some serious sessions on Aperture 3 and the Digital Dark Room, in cooperation with the Filipinas Heritage Library and Power Mac Center in Greenbelt 3, Makati. ...You know this little Apple on the top left hand side, where you find out all these things about your Mac including your serial number, check out the new addition in Lion, I think this is very cool and slick.

One week in Bangkok; from high tech to bizarre photography & a short exclusive GD Photo Workshop.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-08-02T19:42:19+08:00

Last week in Bangkok was something out of the ordinary with a lot of different situations and images plus a short GD Photo Workshop for some exclusive clients. Unfortunately I want be able to talk or show some of the high tech images due to restrictions of the project but at least I can share some of the more strange and bizarre photos with you. ...I am back in Manila now and working on the final preparations for our GD Photo Workshop to Laos - Cambodia and Myanmar, which starts in September. BTW…We are fully booked for Laos and Cambodia now and have only one more spot available for Myanmar, so if you like to join us for Myanmar you have to confirm this to us by latest August 12th, 2011 we can’t except any more bookings after this date. ...I am also conducting some Aperture 3 and digital darkroom seminars at Power Mac Center and Filipinas Heritage Library in Manila during the month of August and early September, for more details on those please click on the LINKS.

Apple: OS X Lion installed & test driving now… so far I am impressed & doing some very good lap time.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-07-21T13:27:21+08:00

Don't know why this happen to me all the time…a coincident maybe, I mention in my last post on Sri Lanka that my next post would be from Thailand, but then came Lion OS X last night. ...You might ask why going through all this trouble and burning midnight oil, (BTW I love the Band) but I am a Certified Apple Pro Trainer for Aperture and have classroom session and workshops I need to know if there are any issues so I can trouble shoot when needed. ...Lion OS X is only available via download for the Apple App Store and it is about 3.5Gig this is a big Baby for downloading, so a very good connection is important, don't try this with a dial up, which brings me to the next issue, there are some rumors that Apple is going to supply some Memory sticks for some US$ 69.00 with Lion OS X but they want be available until August and this is not sure either. If you must get Lion now go to a friends place buy some wine and sleep on the couch over night, or ask your Boss if you can do it at work, a good connection and healthy relationship in this case with your Boss is important to. ...Mail is now very slick just like on your iPhone or iPad, love this new look, but you might have to get use to the new way of scrolling and if you don't like it then you can always set it up to your preference.

Travel Photography: Sri Lanka’s beautiful people, caves and Buddhism culture, the story behind the photos.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-07-19T20:33:51+08:00

I have selected just a few photos for this short but rewarding Journey and if you like to see more please feel free to check out all the other photos from Sri Lanka on my PhotoShelter Archives and Galleries. ...After an hour drive we got to our Hotel and managed to get a few hours sleep, but it was more like 2 hours since we had to hit the road to the Dambula Cave Temple in the morning…oh my gosh it was morning already. Tiered but the adrenalin was doing a good job, it was after all my first visit to Sri Lanka, and right from the arrival I had a very good feel about it, the people seem to be very nice, actually super nice as we discovered during our entire trip. On the way to the Dambula Caves there were lots of photo opportunities along the road, from Rubber plantations, handcrafted Batik, the famous Ceylon Tea,and so many other interesting subjects including a snake charmer with a huge Python and Cobra and of course Dambula which had been on my agenda for many years. ...I almost collapsed half way up…my energy was fading fast from lack of sleep and long hours on the road, puffing… I had no choice but to hire a friend of our Guide who just happen to be there to help me and carry my backpack …or was this planned?

Photography: Seeing simply... "I have seen colors which I thought didn't exist, but they do."

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-07-16T13:30:08+08:00

A short break from my usual travel photography coloring yours and my world today, below is a selection of photos from different places, representing colors around us everyday. There is one more article coming from my recent trip to Sri Lanka and I post that one in about a week prior my departure for Bangkok, Thailand. Then in September we start our GD PhotoWorkshops to Laos - Cambodia and Myanmar and I be on the road for some four weeks. After the workshops a short break before leaving for Palau and of course in between I have some Aperture 3 Seminars and workshops - Digital Darkroom for Photographers- with the Power Mac Center and the Filipinas Heritage Library in Manila Philippines. Then I am invited again in December for the "ONE ASIA" in Singapore as a Guest Speaker and Judge for the Images of Asia Festival starting on the 9th until the 12th of December 2011.

Travel Photography: Medieval Labyrinth, Bats & a replica Taj Mahal, discover the undiscovered in India.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-07-11T19:51:09+08:00

Medieval is putting it mildly... after I paid a visit to Aurangabad and discovered the undiscovered, in particular roaming around all day at the Daulatabad Fort with its spooky labyrinth and fortifications. This was definitely going back in time… Daulatabad Fort is also very different from other Indian Forts I visited before…medieval is the right description for sure. ...I found out later that even most Indians don’t know that there is a “second Taj Mahal” in the country, a perfect replica but only about a third in size in comparison to the Taj in Agra. ...Aurangabad is a good base for visiting the Ellora and Ajanta Caves that I described in my earlier articles and one can spend easy a few days here wondering around discovering the undiscovered. ...In 2012 our GD Photo Workshop will take place in this area and if you have a sense of adventure, a love for Photography then why not join us to one of the lesser visited places in India.

Travel Photography: India Part 3 - Kailasa the unrivaled centerpiece of Ellora & the story behind the photos continuous.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-07-05T11:01:17+08:00

You’re speechless once you stand in front of this awesome architecture know as the Kailasa that is certainly the unrivaled centerpiece of Ellora, and it was only a few days ago when I stumbled up on an article on the web from the ...The other place mention under “Ancient Worlds” of course was no other than Angkor Wat in Cambodia a place that I have been visiting since 1992 and do so again this coming September.( ...So, let me introduce you to this amazing temple (Cave 16), also known as the Kailasa or the Kailasanatha, yet another place I can return to over and over again! ...Like with all the other caves, Ajanta and Ellora all photos been processed with Aperture 3 only, using in most cases only the basic RAW file adjustments, however in some of the cave images additional adjustments were required, mainly adjusting the White Balance using also Aperture 3 this was required due to the extreme mix light conditions in these caves. ...Now, if you ever get the feeling or the urge to go back in time discovering the undiscovered, then a visit to this amazing place should be on you next travel Itinerary.

News:Power Mac Center Manila Philippines, first Apple store in the country to receive an Apple Authorized Training Center (AATC)

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-06-30T10:56:43+08:00

Power Mac Center becomes the first Apple store in the country to receive an Apple Authorized Training Center (AATC) offering IT Track certification. ...Power Mac Center’s Classroom at Greenbelt 3 is now an accredited AATC and will begin to offer Apple certified courses to companies, schools, and individuals who wish to learn or expand their knowledge on Apple’s Pro applications. Moreover, the new AATC is now qualified to offer Apple certification exams for professionals looking to establish their expertise, and better market their skills in the field of digital technology. With already two accredited Apple Certified Trainers in its Greenbelt store, Power Mac Center continues to consistently train its employees to deliver quality educational services, with the end view of an AATC accreditation for its other flagship stores as well. This worldwide recognition further raises the level of commitment of all Power Mac Center employees to a truly reliable and outstanding service as demonstrated by the global Apple workforce.

Travel Photography India:Part 2 the challenge continuous at Ellora Caves, unsurpassed in Indian art & the story behind the photos.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-06-27T12:42:24+08:00

The Ellora Caves are no different in their amazing architecture, with the exception that they have fewer paintings but feature more impressive and very intricate sculptures, in particularly the rich ornamentation found through out these caves. ...Ellora is another amazing place that begs for a few more visits, actually one can spend a whole day in just one cave, wondering around dreaming of the past… thinking what it was like during the days of their occupation. ...All photos been processed with Aperture 3 only, using in most cases only the basic RAW file adjustments, however in some of the cave images additional adjustments were required, mainly adjusting the White Balance using also Aperture 3 this was required due to the extreme mix light conditions in these caves. ...It is the unrivaled centerpiece of Ellora, designed to recall Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva and looks like a freestanding, multi-storied temple complex, but it was carved out of one single rock, and covers an area double the size of Parthenon in Athens. ...I was speechless when I arrived at this awesome structures for the first time, I had never seen anything like it before that was so amazing and carved out of a single rock with such details and precision as cave 16 Kailasa or Kailasanatha temple.

Underwater Photography Braking News: The World's Journal of Ocean Photo & Video

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-06-24T14:21:01+08:00

New York, USA; Munich, Germany; Singapore - June 18, 2011 - Scuba Diver AustralAsia, the premier dive magazine of the Asia-Pacific region, has teamed up with DivePhotoGuide.com, a world leader in underwater photography media, and Edition Fifty Fathoms, the prestigious fine art magazine, to create Scuba Diver Through the Lens, the first international magazine dedicated entirely to underwater photography and videography. ..."Scuba diving is a huge part of the adventure-tourism industry and underwater photography has always been an important part of promoting the sport," said John Thet, publisher of Asian Geographic Magazines Pte Ltd and one of the visionaries behind the new title. ...Among the companies' six magazines titles, Asian Geographic Magazines Pte Ltd is the publisher of both Scuba Diver AustralAsia as well as Asian Diver magazines, the two most important and well-established scuba diving magazines in the Asia-Pacific region. ...Other titles include the flagship magazine ASIAN Geographic, a vocal supporter of environmental, conservation and social issues; PASSPORT, showcasing the best of travel and adventure in Asia Pacific; JUNIOR, the only magazine about Asia that's dedicated to young ones; and THE READ, educating teenagers and young adults in a fun and informative way. ...Starting in 2008, the Edition will be published 12 times â€“ one for each letter in its name, or one for each number on a clock's face, as "Fifty Fathoms" also stands for the very first diving watch.

Motion 5, Final Cut Pro X & Compressor 4 important things to watch out for during installations

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-06-22T19:02:56+08:00

A few useful information on the newly released Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5 and new Compressor 4 before I go back to my articles, the story behind the photos, next one in line are the Ellora Caves in India scheduled for early next week. ...Apple has just released a complete new Final Cut Pro X, Motion 5 and Compressor 4, within a few hours of the release I had Motion 5 downloaded and installed, I love using Motion for my Presentations together with Aperture 3. ...But the biggest shock came when I was looking for my previous older version of Motion, I could not locate it anymore, well that was late last night (I guess it was early morning) and with a clear head the next day I did manage to find it. ...It is indeed confusing that the new FCP/Motion/Compressor are installed “on top” of the old ones, meaning into the exact same directory, the icon you have in your dock automatically points to the new version without you having to change anything, as mention fully auto and no warnings or advise prior installation or download. ...On the first glance the new Motion 5 interface looks very slick and cool from what I can tell so far (only downloaded it last night) a lot easier to use and to work with, but more on that later...and make sure you have a very a good internet connection for these huge files.

Travel Photography: The story behind the Photos: A challenge at Ajanta Caves, unsurpassed in Indian art.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-06-17T17:59:22+08:00

Sri Lanka and India, I am going to post a series of articles within the next few weeks from my recent trip to Sri Lanka and Central India, our next destination for the GD Photo Workshops in early 2012. September is only around the corner for our last trip in 2011 to Laos-Cambodia and Myanmar and in between a short trip to Thailand…Time is flying so fast and I don’t have much of this “commodity” at the moment, only a few more month left to introduce you to some stories behind the photos before reporting direct from our locations in Laos and Cambodia, unfortunately no live reports from Myanmar. ...After seeing this amazing place I came to the conclusion, that if anyone comes to me these days and said, I am sorry I can’t do this…I shake my head, smile and say…my good friend, you have no Idea what can be done! ...It maybe an obstacle for some visitors/photographers but for me it is a welcome precaution for the preservation of this unique treasure cove and in line with my Philosophy; “sometimes it is better to take home the memory instead pursuing the image.” ...All photos have been processed with Aperture 3 only, using in most cases only the basic RAW file adjustments, however in some of the cave images additional adjustments were required, mainly adjusting the White Balance using also Aperture 3 due to the extreme mix light conditions in these caves.

New Gallery with Fine Art and decor photos now on Photoshelter, perfect for interior wall displays

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-06-11T20:09:40+08:00

I have created a new Gallery in PhotoShelter with selected Fine Art and decor photos ideally suited for interior wall displays for home or offices. ...If you're looking for any other images use the search box type your keywords or go to all Galleries. The soundtrack from this small video clip was created with GarageBand, click on this LINK or the Image below to see the new gallery selection in PhotoShelter. ...This little multimedia presentation above was created to announce a new Gallery on PhotoShelter while in the background huge file transfers took place, moving Terra Bytes of photos from one Hard drive to another, a yearly maintenance but ever so important. Back-up and more back-ups, and as a reminder that I be giving a talk at Power Mac Center Greenbelt 3 on the 25th of June starting at 6:00 PM.

Environment:Palau International Airport is getting a nice facelift, thanks to the Shark Sanctuary

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-06-07T18:36:16+08:00

The Palau International Airport is getting a nice facelift, thanks to the "Worlds 1st Shark Sanctuary" in cooperation with the airport authorities in Palau: PEW, Palau Shark Sanctuary, the Palau Visitors Authorities (PVA) and many other individuals, like Dermot Keane the Founder of the Palau Shark sanctuary who made this possible. Websync International; Arnold Munz, Hermes Singson and myself (responsible for the production) are proud to be associated with this project, and of course the generosity from the contributing Photographers: Todd Essick, Mandy Etpison & Gunther Deichmann without their help and photos this could not have been achieved, besides keeping an almost impossible deadline. ...Showcasing an Environmental statement, a Government committed to the conservation of our natural resources and our precious marine life, and at the same time educating international Visitors up on arrival and departure...another first for Palau. ...Palau Shark Sanctuary Dermot Keane Founder Box 7076 Koror, PW 96940, Palau phone: +680-488-7267 e-mail sharksanctuary@gmail.com www.sharksanctuary.com About Palau Shark Sanctuary Palau Shark Sanctuary was founded in 2001 in an effort to end the annihilation of Palau's sharks as a result of rampant shark-finning at the hands of foreign long-line fishing vessels licensed by Palau to fish in their waters. ...On September 25, 2009, President Johnson Toribiong from Palau declared the EEZ of Palau the world’s first shark sanctuary during a speech in front of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.

Environment - Late Breaking NEWS: Palau withdraws from agreement with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society 

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-06-04T13:32:42+08:00

Instead, according to Sea Shepherd sources, the Japanese government is supposed to support Palau by providing a patrol vessel and financial support as an alternative to Sea Shepherd’s involvement.  ...“While this decision came as a surprise to us, Palau Shark Sanctuary remains fully committed to the protection of Palau’s sharks and seeks full enforcement of the sanctuary declared by President Toribiong in 2009. ...Palau Shark Sanctuary was founded in 2001 in an effort to end the annihilation of Palau's sharks as a result of rampant shark-finning at the hands of foreign long-line fishing vessels licensed by Palau to fish in their waters. ...Remengesau Jr., became a key supporter of the efforts of Palau Shark Sanctuary; in September 2003 he signed in to law some of the toughest anti-shark-finning legislation in the world. On September 25, 2009, President Johnson Toribiong from Palau declared the EEZ of Palau the world’s first shark sanctuary during a speech in front of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.

Photography: Basic back up solutions for your photos at Power Mac Center June 25, 2011

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-06-02T22:05:35+08:00

We spend thousands of Dollars on camera and computer equipment but trying to skip on a backup system, which is very affordable these days. Well,... until disaster strikes, but then it is to late, years of important travel images, family snap shots and even wedding photos gone for ever. Join me for simple solutions and a proper back-up of all your Photos...believe me, you sleep a lot better at night, besides it is really not that expensive. Basic Back-up Solutions for Your Photos with Gunther Deichmann @ Power Mac Center Greenbelt 3, Saturday, JUNE 25, 2011. ...For more info pls. contact Power Mac Center http://powermaccenter.com/services/training/learning_series

GD Adventure Photo Workshops Asia:Unforgettable places & faces...discover the undiscovered!

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-05-28T21:58:37+08:00

For more information on all our Photo Workshops in 2011/2012 please click this LINK or the photo above. For Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar we have only two (2) more spots available, if you like to join these you have to finalize your bookings by latest June 10, 2011. ...Our exciting Photo Workshop to Bhutan is also filling up fast, we have only four (4) more spots available, this one you have to book early, by latest on or before October 15, 2011, we're taken reservation now, first come first serve basis. ...I am looking forward now to our Adventure Travel Photo Workshop into Laos-Cambodia and Myanmar, I have worked out a super exciting Itinerary, but I am also happy in catching up with some good old friends especially from our base in Siem Reap the Heritage Suites Hotel. ...In early July I have a three day workshop with the Filipinas Heritage Library in Manila and later that month a week long trip to Thailand for some interesting photography.

Travel Photography: The story behind the photos, one morning at the Varanasi Railway station.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-05-25T21:21:22+08:00

Varanasi one of India's most holiest City, is no exception on the contrary it is a colorful beehive like atmosphere, where everyday people come and go including pilgrims from all over the country visiting this Holy place called Varanasi. ...But the contrast amongst people from all walks of life is what makes this Railway station so very special not to mention the Holy Cows trying to “catch a ride... maybe.” These Cows or even Bulls wondering in and out of the station undisturbed and if by any chance one of them should stand in front of the train, well… there is for sure a delay in the departures… Holy Cow indeed. ...Amazing, crazy and utterly weird but ever so interesting is the scene which plays in front of you everyday, passengers stepping over spaced out people who had to many drinks the night before or took on just a bit to much during the Holi Festival, this is what that sums up the Varanasi Railway station. But somehow the system works and is fairly efficient, as I had experienced some years ago in Mumbai where you find not one but numerous railway stations, super crowded but it works.

Now on PhotoShelter…Nepal 2011, from Marijuana smoking Sadus to awesome colors & the bizarre.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-05-21T22:44:36+08:00

After a very busy week I managed to update and upload the latest images from my recent trip and workshop in Nepal. Last week I was really tied up with lectures on the Digital Darkroom (mind you NO Photoshop) that was organized by the Filipinas Heritage Library and the Power Mac Center in Greenbelt 3, Makati. Three 3 hour sessions with 15 students and all about Aperture 3 the Digital Darkroom, the workflow after the shoot and backing up your important photos on external hard drives. ...Over the weekend I am finalizing my Itinerary’s for our up coming GD Photo Workshops to Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar…and believe me…they will be awesome. BTW…We have only 2 more spots available for Laos and Myanmar and only one more slot for Cambodia, if you’re interested please get in touch with me ASAP all bookings will be closed very shortly.

Photography: Incredible India - the stories behind some of the images from Delhi & Varanasi, India

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-05-15T15:02:14+08:00

The latest images from Delhi and Varanasi, India March 2011 are now uploaded in my PhotoShelter Archives and Galleries to view them click on the Images or this LINK. ...Using a slow shutter speed and working my Nikon in manual mode and occasional using my popup flash on a rear curtain mode shooting many frames in the crowded streets of Varanasi. ...I spotted these two boys from the distance and before my Rickshaw pulled level with them I had my camera adjusted shooting in burst mode hoping for at least one image. The above image is the outcome...almost like a painting, NO other treatment in Photoshop or any other software, using Aperture 3 and adjusting only the exposure by about one stop. ...For this shot I picked a high vantage point using an Aperture of f:20 to get a slow shutter speed to achieve the motion blur, now I just had to wait patiently for an incoming train.

Photography: The story behind the photos; one beautiful morning on the Ganges River in Varanasi, India

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-05-11T18:25:47+08:00

Man and Nature: Man and his constructions … sometimes ugly and sometimes nice…however Nature can make them all look very beautiful, in this case it was Water the source of all life, that created these amazing reflections on the Ganges River in India. ...It was indeed a beautiful morning with blue skies and calm waters, with the exception of a slight ripple now and then creating amazing colors in front of me, little evidence of the normally polluted Ganges River. The colors of India reflecting right before my eyes… maybe it was this beautiful play of light and color that people have seen for hundreds of years, drawn them to it and worshiping -– The river Ganga Ma, "Mother Ganges." ...I just hope that man can and will control the pollution which has taken its toll on the environment, so that we can cherish this mighty river and it's amazing reflections for many more years to come. ...Let me use for todays post and images a quote from my good friend Pete Turner - "Ultimately, simplicity is the goal - in every art, and achieving simplicity is one of the hardest things to do.

Photography: Gunther Deichmann’s MAIN Web - Gallery updated with the latest Photos from Sri Lanka, India & Nepal.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-05-06T13:51:17+08:00

PLEASE NOTE: You might have to refresh your Browser or even individual pages and maybe have to empty your cache since this was a major update on the site, with new Buttons and photos however this issue will take care of its self in due time. ...However some color temperature corrections have been performed on some of the new photos from Central India (Cave images only) India 3 Gallery, due to the complexity and extremely difficult light conditions of mixed light which varied from Day light to tungsten to fluorescent plus what ever else there was… a total mix of all sorts of lights mixed together real bad. ...In this particular case I was also not allowed to use any strobes/or for that matter any other light source, to make it worse even the use of a tripod was strictly forbidden using only 250 to max. ...They are in excellent condition and to avoid any more damage no additional lights are allowed except for what is provided, which in some case is very little or almost non-existing. ...The latest and complete selection from Sri Lanka is already uploaded on my PhotoShelter site; the complete selection from Central India, Varanasi, Delhi and Nepal will follow soon.

Travel Photography: GD Photo Workshop India - Nepal March 2011... some of the Students work

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-04-29T15:20:55+08:00

by the participants from our last GD Photo Workshop to India and Nepal. ...It is done...uploaded some of the participants photos from our last workshop in India and Nepal, what I really like is that everybody got some very different images from each other. Everybody also made their own selection and I am sure once they have had more time to edit more exciting images will appear on their own Web sites, Face Book or Flickr. Thank you all for been part of the GD PhotoWorkshops and I am looking forward to see some of you again for our exciting trip to Laos-Cambodia and Myanmar. You have been an absolutely fantastic Group and it was so much fun being with you.

Travel Photography: Awesome Sri Lanka, in search for the unusual, now in my PhotoShelter Galleries

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-04-27T21:31:50+08:00

I have just uploaded the first photos from Sri Lanka onto my PhotoShelter Achieves and Gallery to view them all please click this LINK or the Photos. ...A merely 4 days coving as much as possible, a very short visit by any photography standards but my main objective on this trip was to follow the long standing Buddhism tradition which is still not yet completed. ...I must say I am very impressed and defiantly return for sure in the not so distance future, I just fell in love with this beautiful place with its warm and friendly people. As a matter of fact we have a GD Photo Workshop planed for 2012 together with another remarkable destination in Central India to follow …another awesome place but more on that later, 14 days of amazing sights. ...With a history that dates back over 2,000 years, Sri Lanka is home to some of the best preserved Asian monuments and showcases no fewer than 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites, all remarkably preserved to surpass more well-known world class attractions.

Photo Workshops: India & Nepal, the Images Behind the Scene, from giant shish kebabs to a squashed Squirrel…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-04-25T17:23:58+08:00

Rice wine and very strong Beer, Sadus, real “weed” along the road side, an almost busted knee, false beards...but most of all great people & participants traveling in chaotic streets having real good fun, ...It was a great Group and we had a lot of fun besides producing some very nice images, the selected photos from each and everyone (The Students Work) will be uploaded also very soon and I should be done with that task by end of this week. ..."David at the time was standing, taken photos… he sat down…at that very moment a very cute Squirrel run underneath his butt, Dave jumped up and to his amazement a groggy little squirrel appeared…Hubert run over to his rescue...not Dave's I might add and started to perform some basic first aid on this little bugger (but no mouth to mouth) and then let him go…off he went... a bit groggy mind you (why I am not surprised) but otherwise OK." Then our Nepalese dinner with ample rice wine (oh Boy not feeling so good the next day) and not to mention the hat trick (our fashion show at Bhaktapur) plus David winning the Golden Carrot Award for his well executed “F” assignment and so much more. ...My gratitude and thanks again to all the participants for being so nice and so much fun we were almost a United Nations assembly coming from: USA -Hong Kong - Indonesia-Singapore - Italy - Switzerland - Philippines & Australia.

Photography: Special Easter report from the Philippines…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-04-22T22:03:36+08:00

Some of the photos from this event can be very disturbing due to their graphic nature, I advise to view them at your own discretion. If you like to view the images at your own discretion please go to my PhotoShelter Archives and Galleries and click this LINK or the image above. A quick change from India and Nepal… I have posted today photos, a few hours after the event from the Easter “celebration” this Friday in Pamapanga about an hours drive from Manila. ...It was an interesting trip to say the least, another Idea, which came about in our good old Cave Wine Bar a few days ago. ...But after a few hours I had some mixed feelings when I saw very young children taken part in this long traditional event, I don’t like to go into more details now, but this was one of the things I found very disturbing.

Travel Photography: Three Countries, surrounded by people & colors…Sri Lanka-India-Nepal

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-04-20T17:33:45+08:00

My recent journey started in Sri Lanka from there to Central India (a lot more on those places later) and then to Delhi for the start of our recent GD Photo Workshop. ...The photos I have selected today are from Sri Lanka-India & Nepal, taken from before the photo workshop and during, lets call it “Surrounded by people & colors” ...Images from my special trip to central India and some amazing photos from Sri Lanka deserve a special Blog post and I will post them in due time. ...I been busy these past few days in revamping my main website (Home page and some changes in the Nepal section) which is best viewed in Safari, don't know why there is always an issue with Firefox. (pls. make sure you do refresh your Browser to see the changes) see the screenshot below. ...You might find it also interesting to know, that during the whole trip my Nikon Cameras performed without a glitch, and I used 85% of the time the new Nikon 24.0 to 120.0mm f:4 and the 50mm f:1.4 G lens for the entire trip, with the 50mm lens been my favorite.

Travel Photography Asia: Sri Lanka - India - Nepal, a quest for the un-usual

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-04-05T20:24:17+08:00

In search for the un-usual from my last Journey ...I like to share with you some images from my last Journey and the never ending quest for the un-usual, a few photos from three Countries and its Buddhism, more in the coming weeks once I am done with my editing. Also stories from each and every place I visited during the past few weeks with detail description on culture & history, plus a lot more from our recent GD Photo Workshops to India and Nepal. ...All Photos above taken with the Nikon D700 & D300S using the 50mm f:1.4 G and the new 24.0 -120.0 f:4 Lens. Maximum 400 ISO and no flash or other artificial light has been used, edited and processed in Aperture 3 using only the basic editing tools and RAW conversion; no manipulation, Photoshop or any other software was used either.

GD Photo Workshop Varanasi India: From Dawn to Dusk on the Ganges River

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-04-03T13:45:42+08:00

Varanasi the most Holiest and oldest City in India, is an amazing Kaleidoscope of Color and activities along the River Bank of the Ganges...a photographers nightmare or paradise which ever you prefer. ...In the coming weeks I am going to report a lot more from this truly amazing city which was also one of our destination for this years GD Photo Workshop where we also celebrated the Holi Festival on the 20th of March. ...The story of the Ganges, from her source to the sea, from old times to new, is the story of India's civilization and culture, of the rise and fall of empires, of great and proud cities, of adventures of man… ...This is done because it is auspicious to have water of the Holy Ganges in the house, and also so that if someone is dying, that person will be able to drink its water. Many Hindus believe that the water from the Ganges can cleanse a person's soul of all past sins, and that it can also cure the ill...for more info go to Wikipedia

Thanks to all the participants from the India-Nepal GD Photo Workshop

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-04-01T15:48:30+08:00

My very special and sincere thanks to all who participated, you have been an awesome group to say the least, not only sharing your friendship but producing some of the very best images I have seen from any of my workshops. ...In due time I be showcasing some of these amazing images from India and Nepal on my Blog (The Students Work) and of course the fun photos. ...I am still on the road and have to keep this post short, prior the Workshops in India and Nepal I travelled also to Sri Lanka and to other parts of India, but this story and photos have to wait until I am back. My thanks goes also to all the drivers and guides who provided us with a safe and interesting Journey, thanks to you all and my gratitude to Sheena from Shroff international Travel for arranging at times the not so easy logistics, a BIg Thank You. ...Again my Gratitude and thanks to all the participants who made these two Photo Workshops so awesome, see you soon again for yet another Journey.

Late NEWS: Sea Shepherd to send vessel to patrol the territorial waters of Palau supporting the Shark Sanctuary

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-04-01T13:16:23+08:00

Koror/Palau, March 31, 2011 – The support of a high-tech vessel will have a significant impact on the marine law enforcement against illegal fishing practices after Palau declared its waters a marine sanctuary.  ...The well equipped conservation society taps into high-tech resources such as helicopter surveillance, drone (UAV) technology, fast interceptor boats, and radar tracking systems, putting the marine enforcement entity of Palau at par with the illegal fishing operations it is trying to fight since the implementation of the world’s first shark sanctuary in September 2009, followed by the extension to a complete marine sanctuary in November 2010.  Dermot Keane, Founder of non-profit organization Palau Shark Sanctuary, who established the contact between Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and the Presidential Office of Palau, and signed the Memorandum of Agreement as a witness, comments: “This is a major milestone for Palau’s conservation efforts and clearly sends the right message to the world: our nation is serious about the enforcement of our marine protection laws, and with the help of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, even small nations can make a big difference.” ...Palau Shark Sanctuary was founded in 2001 in an effort to end the annihilation of Palau's sharks as a result of rampant shark-finning at the hands of foreign long-line fishing vessels licensed by Palau to fish in their waters.

Photography: Last two Photos for February plus some interesting applications for the iPad, iPod & iPhone.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-02-28T18:40:22+08:00

Only a few words today...two images, one from Cambodia and the other one from Palau Micronesia and a little intro into some interesting Applications for your iPad, iPhone 4 or iPod. ...I am leaving for some exciting destinations plus our GD Photo Workshop in India and Nepal, so my Blog post's will be a bit thin for the next few weeks. ...I highly recommend "Definition" a very cool and useful App when you need to find the ...Perfect for the iPhone and featured as a New & Noteworthy Photography app in iTunes! Perfect for photographers of all skill levels, My Shot List for Travel by Ralph Velasco is the

Almost forgotten & unpublished photos from Laos & GD Photo Workshops in Asia 2011

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-02-23T18:57:41+08:00

We can confirm also for 2011 our combination for Laos & Cambodia starting on September 24th to the 7th of October 2011 the final Itinerary and schedules will follow shortly for the above confirmed Workshops on my GD Photo Workshop site. ...In Laos we spend time in Vientiane and Luang Prabang including traveling up the Mekong River, we have also changed our standard Itinerary in Cambodia, besides visiting Angkor Wat, Tonle Sap and Phnom Kulen, we travel this time to Battambang which is also called the real Cambodia with it's Monasteries and superb French Colonial Buildings, not to mention hidden Temples, some of which are older then Angkor and seldom visited places en route. ...Lao way of life is very much influenced by the Buddhism as can be seen through the way that Lao people live and behave. ... Buddhism was the only thing that bound people together and taught people to be good people and stay away from doing wrong things in the past when the law enforcement was not in place. Laos traces its history to the kingdom of Lan Xang (Million Elephants), founded in the 14th century, by a Lao warlord, Fa Ngum, who took over Vientiane with 10,000 Khmer troops.

GD Photo Workshops in Asia and unpublished Kodachrome images from Myanmar

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-02-19T19:40:39+08:00

We preparing at the moment a unique itinerary which will not only take you to the more known places but also to areas very rarely visited by others. ...Please Note: For those who are interested you can also join Laos - Cambodia and travel with us from our starting destination in Laos. ...According to ancient tradition, only five likenesses of the Buddha were said to have been made during his lifetime: Two were in India, two in paradise, and the fifth is the Maha Muni or "Great Sage". Archaeologists believe the image was probably cast during the reign of King Chandra Surya, who ascended the throne in AD 146, some 600 years after the Buddha actually passed away. ...The country is bordered by the People's Republic of China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, and the Bay of Bengal to the south-west, with the Andaman Sea defining its southern periphery.

World Wide Announcement Nikon 2011 COOLPIX Spring Series are released! New CoolPix P300 with a fast, f/1.8 lens

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-02-10T13:29:14+08:00

Media Press Release - Nikon Singapore - NIKON announces the release of the following 9 new digital compact cameras – COOLPIX Series that will be available in Singapore soon! ...COOLPIX P300 ...Worthwhile noting is that the Nikon CoolPix P300 has a Fast, f/1.8 lens A number of Nikon's optical technologies have been concentrated in the f/1.8 lens, resulting in the fastest* lens available with a compact digital camera. For more details/description and Photos please go to: http://www.nikon.com.sg/index.php

Photography: Media Release - Nikon Asia and Objectifs Present “Through Asian Eyes”

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-01-26T18:30:45+08:00

online visitors with the diverse perspectives of contemporary photography from over Asia ...Nikon Asia, in collaboration with Objectifs, has launched “Through Asian Eyes” - an online Asian photography exhibition initiative, tailor-made for Asian photography enthusiasts. The annual-long initiative will feature a specific theme in each quarter with different emerging photographers in Asia sharing their unique perspectives as well the styles they have employed to represent the state of the world today, the changing times, influences and beliefs in Asia. ...Objectifs is a visual arts centre for all photography and filmmaking enthusiasts and professionals. Established in 2003, Objectifs has become one of the leading visual arts centre in Southeast Asia, providing instructions in photography and filmmaking at different skill levels.

GD Photo Workshops Asia: Soon the Colors of India and Nepal... the Journey continuos.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-01-23T18:07:08+08:00

The Journey Through Color & Time continuous very soon with our first Photography Workshops to India and Nepal, starting on the 17th of March, 14 days of adventure and pure color. The two workshops are fully booked, but if you interested you can already make a reservation for our Sri Lanka and India Workshop in 2012 or choose some of the other workshops in our Calendar for 2011 and 2012. ...A unique itinerary has been work on which takes you to unusual places in India and Sri Lanka in 2012. More details and the full itinerary will be available by mid April 2011. Please Note: We only travel in small groups between 8 to 10 participants max. on all published destinations, providing you the full attention of Gunther Deichmann, making these workshops very personal and a fulfilling experience for you.

Photography: The book Journey Through Color and Time...the last copies

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-01-22T17:50:29+08:00

The book "Journey Through Color & Time" first published in 2006, a limited and signed edition with 360 pages, hardcover and full color through out. ...For more info and testimonials please CLICK THIS LINK to view some images from the Book click this LINK. Yes, time has changed for all of us over the years, and I often get ask how I have adopted to the digital age. My answer is quiet simple; I shoot the same way I always have, it is not the equipment, but your eyes, feelings and mind that creates the ultimate image. ...My approach and my soul are the same, and as is my philosophy about light and color. - GD -

Environment & Photography: Is this the last fish? A fishy tale from the Fish Port.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-01-20T17:09:56+08:00

I started to think if this was just a bad day or the fish stocks getting depleted, but that we can figure out some other time. ...I looked around and there was this squashed fish right behind me...the culprit for me loosing my balance for a moment. ...Is this the last Fish?', now you might think this is a real fishy tale but it is indeed very true and you better believe me. It was an interesting night, working only with available light and the Nikon D700 at ISO 400 plus the Nikon 50mm f:1.4 Lens. ... A few hours later I edited all the images in Aperture 3.1 and uploaded them into my PhotoShelter Archives & Gallery, check out (only 69 Photos) from the evenings take and CLICK this LINK or the Image above.

Photography: “The Wild One” the story behind the image

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-01-18T17:28:30+08:00

I had been assigned to cover Australia’s National Parks for a publisher to do a book called “Australia’s National Wonders”. ... We started a conversation and I told her that I give her a lift to the next town but had to go first to this Park with this rock formation. I ask her if she would mind posing as a model for some additional shots…sure, that’s OK!” ...Then I had this idea…we pulled up on gas station and I bought some leather chamois for cleaning the windshield. Once we arrived at my location a few hour later (remember vast distances in Australia) I sat down and started to work ripping the chamois to pieces, roughed it up with some rocks and used my trusty Swiss army knife for the final touches creating a brand new outfit for her.

Photography: One of the coolest articles I have come accross recently.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-01-13T13:24:12+08:00

© 2009 Ken Rockwell In respect for Ken Rockwell and the rightful owner of the copyright of this article I am only posting today the LINK to this fantastic article...it is some thing I firmly believe in and I totally agree with...check out the complete and cool article including quotes by Ernst Hass, Ansel Adams and many others. http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/notcamera.htm Thank you Ken for the excellent and very open no thrills article! I totally agree.

Exciting NEW updates on GD Photo Workshops in Asia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-01-12T17:00:24+08:00

We have just updated the Calendar for the GD Photo Workshops, new info on Vietnam for May 2011and for September/October 2011 Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, now you can join us on all three destinations with a stopover in Bangkok for two days. ...Please Note: Bookings for Laos and Cambodia are almost full we have only 2 more spots available more detailed info on the Calendar. ...Please note, we only travel in small groups between 8 to 10 participants on all published destinations, providing you the full attention of Gunther Deichmann, making these workshops very personal and a fulfilling experience for you. Once you have Registered without any obligation we get in touch with you direct via email and provide you all the details.

First week in 2011…from iWine to Nikon, iMovie for the iPhone 4 & the latest from the new Apple App Store.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2011-01-09T19:37:48+08:00

Three of them I can recommend already of which two of them are for Free, my good friend Tony Wu put me onto the first one called Alfred very slick, I have integrated Albert now in to my family…Albert does a great Job in finding things in a jiffy and uses a nice big font. ...For example if you’re running a company and a faulty product was delivered with your last shipment then you use your iPhone take a quick shot and RemoteSnap Server transfers your images direct to your Mac Desktop, nicely tucked away in a folder keeping your iPhone free with these type of images from work. ...No cables or connecting you camera it is all done via Wi-fi…of course you have to have that…I run a good test drive yesterday and it works like a charm. ...I had a good play around with this one, of course it has its limitations if you compare it with its bigger Brother but it does a real neat Job with your iPhone’s HD camera and in no time you put a slick looking Video together. ...So there you have it, catching up with some friends which iLike, the iWine at the Cave Bar or better known now as the iBar, all these things which iLike in the first week of the New Year.

Photography: Delicious Colors... A Journey Through Color & Time continues in 2011

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-12-31T11:19:44+08:00

The Journey Through Color & Time continues in 2011 and I am looking forward to some exciting workshops in India and Nepal, followed by some other interesting and colorful destinations. We have also just published the latest Calendar dates with new destinations for 2011 and 2012 and performed a major overhaul on the GD Photo Workshop site, just in time for the NEW YEAR. ...But I managed to find some time in between to see some good friends and share a glass of wine...or was it more than one... of course never leaving home without my little Leica D-Lux 4 camera; today's featured images are all from the past few days and I like to share them with you on my last post for 2010...simply "Delicious Colors." ...Now I like to wish everybody a colorful and very Happy New Year and please remember to take care of Mother Nature in 2011 and beyond...

Photography: In search for colors...wishing you a colorful & very Happy New Year

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-12-26T21:52:02+08:00

A very happy New Year - prost Neujahr - bonne année - onnellista uutta vuotta - gelukkig Nieuwjaar - ath bhliain faoi mhaise - selamat tahun baru - godt nytt år - szczliwego nowego roku - feliz ano novo - gott nytt år manigong bagong taon - sawatdii pimaï - kung hé fat tsoi - xin nian kuai le / xin nian hao - godt nytår - eutichismenos o kainourgios chronos - felice anno nuovo, buon anno - S novim godom - sreno novo leto - Cung Chúc Tân Xuân ...2010 is slowly coming to an end; I have selected some images taken on my travels with my small Point and Shoot Leica D-Lux 4 using only available light, on planes, during functions, taken the kids to the Mall, in taxis, cars and airport stop overs. As mention many times before...never leave home without it...the camera that is, you never know what you might encounter and having this small "baby" with me, I get never bored or "lonely". ...During my earlier days, I never thought much about B&W...color has and always will be my true passion, we're living in an amazing colorful world from nature to modern architecture, it is all around us... I remember only to vivid the beautiful creations by nature in autumn or the stark but ever so colorful outback of Australia, the amazing colors in India or the colors of Santorini.

Travel Photography: Cambodia & 60 minutes of great light on the way to Phnom Penh

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-12-22T20:52:20+08:00

Dirk, Tony, Arj and myself had an early start on our last day in Battambang, Cambodia, visiting first Ek Phnom an 11th century Angkorian-era ruin built as a Hindu temple under Suryavarman I and then to Phnom Sampeou temple plus the killing Cave before hitting the road for Phnom Penh. ...The Idea was to get to Krakor for a full moon rise over the Tonle Sap Lake, as it turned out we did miss that one, we saw the full moon but by the time we got to Krakor it was to late. Never mind I thought, we catch the Moonrise in Phnom Penh over the Mekong River instead the next day and we certainly did…but that is yet another story. ...Now I had what I was hoping for…foreground, color, people, landscape, great cloud formations and some amazing afternoon light, forgetting completely my Moonrise…but then again, we got it the next day in Phnom Penh, but yet again another story behind the images. ...Everything fell right into place, but it lasted only a few minutes before the big tube looking cloud broke up and the light slowly lost its color except for the Rainbow, which hang around a little bit longer.

Photography: Season Greetings & a Tropical Winter... Umbrellas in Snow.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-12-15T22:17:05+08:00

It is this time of the Year again...a sincere and special ..."Some of us like the Tropics this time of the Year... & some of us like to roll around in the snow... ...© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com ...© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com

Travel Photography: True Colors of Santorini, Greece, the travel story behind the images.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-12-10T22:53:35+08:00

It is winter in Europe now and I thought to give everybody a little break from Asia and share with you some photos from one of my favorite places... called Santorini in Greece all images on this post are taken a few years ago during the winter month of February. ...Santorini in Greece, one of the most thought after holiday destinations for the rich and famous, also a destination for Honeymooners and a popular spot for the Gay community during the summer month, but Santorini has a lot more to offer; from incredible Landscapes, amazing colors, great wines and the super red cherry tomatoes. ...Wow I thought, I wonder how this one is going to turn out…I had decided to go to Santorini for it's amazing colors… you know how much I love colors, but going there in the middle of winter...well almost everyone said I was ga, ga. ...After a few hours on my first day I did managed and found a very cozy place, close by my Hotel, where I had my Greek Salads every night with a special order of those locally grown real red cheery tomatoes and some Santorini wine, which BTW is excellent. ...After waiting on the roadside for a few anxious minutes I managed to flag down a cab, wow that was lucky… not many cabs around that time of the year, told the driver to take me to this cliff I checked out the previous day and off we went.

Aperture 3 & Photography: Aperture 3.1.1 via software update improvements on iLife, Flickr, slideshows plus a lot more

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-12-10T14:33:19+08:00

• Fixes a issue that in rare cases, could cause image files to be deleted when dragging a folder containing both images and text files from the Finder into Aperture. • Resolves an issue that could prevent images added to a library using the "Import Folders as Projects and Albums" option from being imported correctly. • Addresses an issue that caused Aperture to quit unexpectedly if you cancelled an import when using the "Import Folders as Folders and Projects" option, and when the source folder contained one or more non-image files. ... • Addresses an issue that could prevent the Aperture First Aid from opening correctly after upgrading a library from 3.0 to 3.1. ... • Fixes an issue that could cause a MobileMe account to be removed from the Aperture source list if the account password was changed at www.me.com.

Photography: Sometimes you need a bit of luck, the story behind the photo.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-12-04T22:40:08+08:00

I was living at the time in Alice Springs and like many times before checking the weather pattern in the sky…hmmm, maybe if I am lucky and drive down to Rainbow Valley I get some nice cloud formations over the colorful rock face. But nothing prepared me for what the weather had in store for me that day, I jumped into my 4X4 wheel drive and set off on jet another visit to Rainbow Valley. A visit like so many times before to one my favorite locations south of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia, located in the Dessert where temperatures can soar into the 50°C. ...I arrived around 3:00PM waiting patiently and watching the sky, then all of a sudden about an hour or so later, all hell broke loose and this time luck was on my side, an amazing weather spectacle unfolded right in front of my eyes in the beautiful late afternoon light. The rock formation is called Rainbow Valley, but the weather condition that day added certainly a rare touch to it…there I was, the perfect rainbow (double) unfolded right in front of my eyes over this amazing rock formation.

Travel Photography: Mysterious places... Nan Madol in Pohnpei called the Venice of the Pacific.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-12-02T16:11:02+08:00

Nan Madol is a ruined city that lies off the eastern shore of the island of Pohnpei, in the Federated States of Micronesia, and was the capital of the Saudeleur dynasty until about AD 1500. ...A local story holds that when Nan Madol was being built a powerful magician living in the well inhabited region on the northwest of the island was solicited, and that his help was a major factor in completing the buildings. ...The city Nan Madol consists of a series of small artificial islands linked by a network of canals and is often called the "Venice of the Pacific” The name Nan Madol means "spaces between" and is a reference to the canals that crisscross the ruins. ...Today Nan Madol forms an archaeological district covering more than 18 km² and includes the stone architecture built up on a coral reef flat along the shore of Temwen Island, several other artificial islets, and the adjacent Pohnpei main island coastline. The site core with its stone walls encloses an area approximately 1.5 km long by 0.5 km wide and it contains nearly 100 artificial islets—stone and coral fill platforms—bordered by tidal canals.

Nature Travel Photography: Tonle Sap freshwater swamp forests, Kampong Phluk, Cambodia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-11-26T23:14:35+08:00

When traveling on the Tonle Sap in Cambodia there is always a surprise or two waiting, nature at its best and my last visit in September during my GD Photo Workshop was no exception. ...I have never seen this before and the group started to click away feverishly, I must admit this was one cool site to be hold...the contrast alone was just awesome and you know how much I love RED. I done some research since then but don't have an explanation from where all these flowers came from, except for, that the wet season had been very late this year and didn't wash the seeds and flowers from the trees away. Below are some excerpts from Wikipedia and other sources information on this amazing fresh water lake in Cambodia, and as the saying goes... nature always has a surprise or two and that is what I like so much and keep returning to this incredible place year after year. ...Water is pushed up from the Mekong into the lake, increasing its area to 16,000 square km and its depth to up to nine meters, flooding nearby fields and forests.

A day of mourning on this day, the 25th of Nov. 2010 & In support for the Cambodian people.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-11-25T13:55:56+08:00

A day of mourning on this day, the 25th of Nov. 2010 & in support for the Cambodian people who have lost their loved ones on the 22nd of November 2010. A stampede killing over 350 people and injuring hundreds more in Phnom Penh during the annual water festival . Prime minister Hun Sen lit incense and laid a wreath near the bridge where the accident happen and has described the stampede as the country's biggest tragedy since the Khmer Rouge era in the 1970s, which left an estimated 1.7 million people dead. For more on this tragic event please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11832900

Travel Photography: Photos from the car window, as long you’re not behind the wheel.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-11-20T14:22:25+08:00

I am one of those people who can’t sleep at all when traveling in cars, trains or what ever other transportation, always looking around for this shot along the road…even at night on long Journeys. ...However DON'T try and take Photos if you’re the one behind the wheel... no photo is worth crashing into a tree or causing an accident, but as a passenger go for it! ...Of course this doesn't work with the front windscreen, so you have to make sure it is nice and clean before you start your Journey, also the autofocus can be a bit of a problem shooting through the front...better switch to manual. ...You be surprised what images you can get from the car window; people are not aware you taken photos and sometime you come across the totally unexpected, things you never see or able to get when outside the car. ...So next time you’re a passenger in a car, bus or what ever transportation you’re using, have some fun and take some photos through the car or what ever window you're sitting next to it.

Environment News: After Palau, Micronesia now Raja Ampat, Indonesia declares a Shark Sanctuary.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-11-16T13:23:46+08:00

Misool Eco Resort and Shark Savers announced today that a Shark Sanctuary has been declared for the entire 17,760 square miles of Raja Ampat, Indonesia. ...We are excited to announce that the Regent of Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Bupati Drs Marcus Wanma, has declared a Shark Sanctuary for the entire 17,760 square mile area of Raja Ampat. This declaration is a direct response to the proposal presented by Shark Savers and our partner, Misool Eco Resort. ... • Forbidden to catch sharks, manta rays, mobulas, live reef fish for the aquarium trade, dugongs and turtles. ...This is an important milestone, as Raja Ampat enjoys the highest marine biodiversity level on the planet with 1397 species of fish and over 600 species of coral recorded.

First test on Aperture 3 after OS X 10.6.5 update, good News... much faster & smoother.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-11-11T17:27:46+08:00

The first test results...after the software OS X 10.6.5 update... ...These are only my initial findings after installing the OS X 10.6.5 software update using a 15 inch i7 MacBook Pro with 6 Gig of Ram and the Automatic graphics switching turned off in the energy panel. ...Toggling back and forth to full screen and at the same time editing multiple images in full screen mode is a huge improvement. ...Using the Lupe; focus on cursor in the Browser mode is now much more liquid. There you have it, I am sure I find a lot more improvements down the road, but these are my first findings as far Aperture 3 is concerned, so if you have not updated to OS X 10.6.5 yet, then you better do it asap it is in my opinion one of the best OS X software updates for Aperture.

Late News: Software Update OS X 10.6.5 improvement for Aperture 3 & iPhoto, test driving now.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-11-11T14:07:30+08:00

The 10.6.5 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac, including fixes that: ... ▪ address a printing issue for some HP printers connected to an AirPort Extreme ▪ resolve an issue when dragging contacts from Address Book to iCal ▪ address an issue where dragging an item from a stack causes the Dock to not automatically hide ...For information on the security content of this update, please visit:

Underwater Photography: “Super Bowl” of Underwater Photography & Video Competitions  Announces $120,000 Prize Pool

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-11-11T13:29:24+08:00

NEW YORK, NY (Nov 1, 2010) -- One of the largest, most prestigious and unique series of international underwater photo & vide competitions kicks off its 6th anniversary this year with over $120,000 in world class prizes. Often referred to as the “Super Bowl” of underwater imagery events, the Our World Underwater and DEEP Indonesia competitions truly showcase the art of underwater imagery from across the globe while celebrating the beauty, mystery and delicacy of the oceans. ...Our World Underwater, one of the largest diving expos in the US, and DEEP Indonesia, the first and only scuba diving and water sports expo in Indonesia. Prizes include nearly 40 trips to some of the best dive resorts and live aboard's in the world, underwater photo and video equipment, and scuba diving gear. ...Winners for each respective competition will be announced live on stage at the Our World Underwater film festival in Chicago (February 18-20, 2011), and exhibited at DEEP Indonesia in Jakarta (March 31 – April 3, 2010,), and will be published by supporting media partners worldwide.

Travel Photography Asia: A short visit to Ayutthaya also called Venice of the East

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-11-07T18:14:47+08:00

Some 90 kilometers from Bangkok is Ayutthaya the capital of the kingdom of Thailand for many centuries between 1350 and 1767. ...I had not been to Ayutthaya for a very long time, but recently spend a short afternoon at this ancient capital during my visit to Thailand. ...We arrived in Ayutthaya in the late afternoon and had less then two hours of light left, but just enough to get some nice images. ...The city was founded in 1350 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya kingdom or Siam. ...It is estimated that Ayutthaya by the year 1600 CE had a population of about 300,000, with the population perhaps reaching 1,000,000 around 1700 CE, making it one of the world's largest cities at that time.

Photography: New look & make up changes on my Photo Shelter & updates on my main GD Site

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-11-02T20:34:03+08:00

Portfolios will give me now the option in displaying some Galleries in a different way, this is also very useful in showcasing some new material now and then or specific projects from time to time, instead going trough thousands of Gallery Images. Plus you have the option to check on the Info and Captions as well, of course these are only selected photos if you looking for something specific just go to the Galleries or select the search options which is found on the top bar. ...The search and all other function including the main Galleries are still the same and work just like before, I have already put up three Portfolios (marked with a red square on the new looking Home page screenshot) there is the Main Portfolio of about 160 Photos a selections from all the Countries I have visited. ...Then there is a small collection of rare and historical images from Australia, some of those are in B&W, and finally another small Portfolio, show casing Images taken from the car window in Mumbai India a couple of years ago. ...See the above screenshots with the new PS Home Page look and samples of the new Portfolio options, or click on the links and check it out.

iLife 11 quick glance at the new interface of iMovie. Behind the Scene India 2010

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-11-01T15:48:42+08:00

Had a little time on my hands yesterday...very little actually, but decided to check out iMovie in iLife '11. Wow, this is so cool with an almost all new interface and so many more possibilities, Apple got it right all the way, easy to use interface and slick new effects and options including all the new share options to YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo etc.,etc. In no time at all I created this short trailer with some still images from our last GD Photo Workshop in India 2010 using images from the Holi Celebration, of course the possibilities are endless once the creative juices start to flow, this is only my very first attempt using the new iMovie. ...What is also super cool....my Aperture 3 Library including the Video clips are all in the iMovie Media Browser, of course the iPhoto and iTunes Library is there too. again total integration! My next project is going to be a lot more elaborate using Stills and Video clips combined and maybe mix in a bit of Motion too, but today it is only a very small appetizer the main course has to wait until I get the time...hopefully very soon.

Photography Event: Singapore goes all the way, from TV appearance to the One Asia festival Images of Asia & a lot of fun.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-27T21:13:15+08:00

Then to the Hotel…well not really a Hotel but super cool Apartments called Fraser Place, I had to be early in Singapore due to the Judging of the "Life at the Singapore River Competition" that was sponsored by Frasers. ...Thanks to Fraser and Asian Geographic for providing such a cool accommodation, a couple of days later Manuel Librado arrived who was also a Judge for "Life at the Singapore River" including John Thet and Diego Garcia from the Asian Geographic Magazine. ...A reality TV series for amateur and semi-professional photographers where we let your photos do the talkingTHE BIG SHOT of Singapore is about the moving stories behind that photography which often at times, when taken well, can speak a thousand words. ...Saturday the first day of the show was interesting, meeting other Photographers and Celebrity Speakers like Michael Yamashita, James Whitlow Delano (James still shoots B&W film which is so cool these days) Manuel Librado and many others. ...Lunita Mendoza Editor Asian Geographic, Leslie Quek from AG, John Thet Publisher AG, Daren Tan Nikon Singapore, Rod Andrewartha and friends, Diego Garcia, Elysee Tan AG, Lester Ledesma, Annamarie Blight CNN, Discovery Channel, Philippine Airlines, Silk Air and so many others, I be here all night if I list them all... so please forgive me.

First good look at the all new iPhoto from iLife '11

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-25T22:10:51+08:00

I found a few minutes today and had a quick look at the all new iPhoto from iLife '11 and I have to admit... ...Access to the basic adjustment tools are easy, great new options for slideshows, new layouts for cards and books etc. and as mention, this is only my very first impression. I had no time to go any deeper now, but will do so very soon, in the meantime I like to share with you some screenshots at least on the new iPhoto. Had a quick look at GarageBand and iMovie too, lots of new and cool things, but again not enough time at the moment. I am also working on another post from my trip to Singapore and the "Celebrating Images of Asia" Event which finished last night with a great Party.

Just installed iLife 11 test driving now...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-25T17:39:00+08:00

Just installed iLife 11 test driving it now... more in a few days, looks very good so far.

News: Straits Times, Singapore, Celebrating Images of Asia article

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-23T10:19:42+08:00

Photography and videography enthusiasts will gather this weekend in Hall 402 at Suntec Convention Centre for Images of Asia, an event that showcases the wonders of the Asian continent. ...Today it has blossomed into AsianGeographic’s OneAisa Festival, where various programmes and events including the Images of Asia, will lead the way to the grand finale in 2011 (OneAsiaFestival.com). ...Besides photo exhibitions, video screenings and workshops, there will also be more than 70 companies showcasing the latest products such as cameras, lenses and filters, travel-related accessories, and computer software. ...This year’s prizes will include the Canon EOS 5D Mk II (EF 24-105mm) worth $5,800, Canon EOS 50D (EF-S18-55m) worth $2,099 and watches from Tissot. ...Canon Singapore, which has been the major prize sponsor since the days of Asian Geographic’s Asia Without Borders Photo Competition, has played a significant role throughout the years in the competitions.

Photography: Updated my PhotoShelter Archives and Galleries with all the latest Images from Cambodia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-23T01:39:49+08:00

Just updated my PhotoShelter Archives & Galleries with all the latest images from Cambodia October 2010 Click this LINK or on the Image below. © Gunther Deichmann - The Bamboo Train, near Battambang, Cambodia Oct. 2010

News: Oct. 20, Aperture 3.1 is here! Plus ProKit Update addresses issues within Aperture 3

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-21T12:45:49+08:00

Every year, about this time we get some major upgrades and Apple announces new products...the web is buzzing again with a New MacBook Air, iLife '11 an Apps store, the list just goes on. ...This update improves overall stability and performance, and addresses compatibility with iLife '11. ...The update is recommended for all users of Aperture 3. ...Fixes a problem in Logic Pro and MainStage where numeric parameters display-incorrect information. This update is recommended for all users of Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Pro, Motion, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro, Aperture, Final Cut Express, Soundtrack, Logic Studio, Logic Pro, MainStage, WaveBurner and Logic Express.

Travel Photography: New Cambodian Photos in support of Celebrating the Images of Asia Event Singapore

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-20T19:51:00+08:00

Greetings from Singapore, I like to thank the Organizers and sponsor for inviting me and to be part of this truly great event in Singapore. Some schedules have been moved around a bit and I be giving now also a talk on travel Photography on Saturday and the topic on Sunday will be... ...Detailed guide to using apple software to get more from your photographs, including workflow after the shoot with tips on backing ...The images on today's post are from my last Journey in Cambodia, September 2010, a complete selection will soon be available on my PhotoShelter archives. ...I be reporting back from Singapore as the days go by so please stay tuned, there is also another TV event which I am part off it, more on that later.

Travel Photography Asia: GD PHOTO WORKSHOP CALENDAR 2011, India-Nepal & Laos-Cambodia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-14T20:53:58+08:00

March 17/18th (depending on the arrival of the participants) to the 24th/25th (celebrating Holi on the 20th in Varanasi) then we have our option to leave from Delhi to Kathmandu in Nepal our extension and second Workshop from the 25th to the 31st / 01 of April, again depending on the departure of participants. You can also choose just one of the destinations either India or Nepal, or join us on both in India & Nepal and book the combination. ...I complete Itinerary is shortly avail. and I send this one to those who are interested, pls. remember this workshop is almost full, only two more spaces available for India and only 3 more for Nepal. ...We can confirm also for 2011 a combination for Laos & Cambodia starting on September 24th to the 6th/7th of October 2011 the final Itinerary and schedules will follow shortly for the above confirmed Workshops on my GD Photo Workshop site. ...Again, you can also just choose one of the destinations either Laos or Cambodia, or join us either in Laos or Cambodia, or go with the combination.

Travel Photography Cambodia 2010: Selection of Photos uploaded in my Blog Gallery

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-13T20:38:24+08:00

I have uploaded a small selection from this recent trip, more Photos from Cambodia and other Countries you find on my PhotoShelter Archives and Galleries including the latest images from India and Nepal in 2010. ...A lot will happen in Singapore, from a TV appearance as a Judge on a TV show, then there is the Fraser Suites Judging "Capture Life by the Singapore River" photographic contest and of course the "Celebrating the Images of Asia" Show at Suntec from the 23rd to the 24th of October, for sure a very busy week. ...Please Note: Our GD Photo Workshop in March/April 2011 to India and Nepal is just about full, we have only two more vacancies our bookings will close by latest November 10. We are also getting a lot of inquiries for our Workshop in Laos and Cambodia by late September 2011 and have only 4 more spaces available. ...Reporting soon from Singapore, and if you happen to be in Singapore you can find me or join one of my Workshops at Suntec "Celebrating the Images of Asia" from the 23rd to the 24th of October.

GD Photo Workshop Manila: Fantastic & kind people plus10 iMacs and Aperture 3

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-10T20:09:39+08:00

To the Power Mac Center with their support team Andrew, Mark and Jeffrey, you have been outstanding and so supportive to make the work flow after the shoot very easy with Aperture 3 and taken some workload of me. ...It was real fun seeing all those cool images going through Aperture 3 without a glitch, we only did some basic processing but the organization of that many images was so easy using Aperture 3 plus it gave the participants a chance to see how efficient Aperture performs when dealing with large volumes of Photos. Thanks again to the Power Mac Center Team, their help with this volume of Images certainly made my life a lot easier, I also like to mention Maleng Raysag from the PMC Education Devision who was instrumental in setting this up for us. ...On Saturday morning we wondered around in the old part of Manila and I was on hand with advise and shooting techniques, after the morning session we went back to Makati to the facilities of the Word for the World Christian Church where a room was prepared with some 10 iMac units from the Power Mac Center. ...After some well needed lunch I gave a short talk about the morning shoot before we hit the road again for the afternoon session at the American Cemetery Memorial Park, this location proved to be a real challenge for all participants.

International Photo Event in Singapore: One Asia, Celebrating The Images of Asia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-08T11:58:45+08:00

ONE ASIA - Celebrating The Images of Asia 23 -24 OCT 2010 Hall 402 Suntec, Singapore Join me and many others in Singapore for this truly great event at Suntec, lets CELEBRATE THE IMAGES OF ASIA for more info go to the ...Hope to see you there!

Travel Photography: GD Photo Workshop Cambodia 2010, the Students work

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-06T19:10:59+08:00

Another great Photo Workshop in Cambodia is behind us and I have uploaded all the students work into the Gallery called "The Students Work". Some amazing Images have been taken and on purpose I ask the participants to choose six of their favorable ones, I didn't do any editing or enhancing. Editing is part of Photography and sometimes the hardest part in deciding which images to choose out of thousands taken on a trip, there might be others and I have seen some during the workshop which are equally good or even better then the ones represented here. ...On another note I might mention that my good friend Dirk Fahrenbach our Video Man on this trip, he took some amazing stills with his little waterproof Olympus Point and Shoot Camera, well it gets to show you it's not always in the equipment you use, however I let you be the Judge once you open the Gallery. ...I am also working on a Video from this Photo Workshop for the first time using of course Aperture 3 and mixing in the footage from Dirk's Sony Video Cam, however due to time constraints at the moment this will not be finished for a while, but I keep you posted.

GD Photo Workshop in Cambodia 2010 behind the scene, the fun part.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-02T00:58:54+08:00

It is done, after going through tons of images from everybody I uploaded a Gallery behind the Scene on my Blog. I took the image below on my way home at the Changi Airport in Singapore at 3AM in the morning and I thought it is very fitting for the announcement of the Behind the Scene. ...Selected images from the Participants will be up soon too, still waiting for some more sets to come in, so in the meantime enjoy the Behind the Scenes. I had to keep the Photos a bit smaller than usual, we just had so many to choose from, in the Gallery you find a representation of some 86 images. Hope you enjoy them as much I have enjoyed the last Cambodia Photo Workshop.

Announcement: GD Photo Workshops for 2011, India-Nepal & Laos-Cambodia the confirmed dates.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-10-01T13:31:17+08:00

Then we have our option to leave from Delhi to Kathmandu in Nepal this is our extension and second Workshop from the 25th of March to the 01 of April. You can also just choose one of the destinations either India or Nepal, or go with the combination. Other 2011 Photo Workshops I announce very soon, but India and Nepal is confirmed for 2011. ...I can also confirm for 2011 a combination for Laos & Cambodia starting on September 24th to the 6th/7th of October 2011 the final Itinerary and schedules will follow shortly for the above confirmed Workshops on my GD Photo Workshop site. http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/ ...India and Nepal 2011 is almost fully booked and we have only two more vacancies, bookings for India and Nepal will close by latest first week of November.

Travel Photography Asia, GD Photo Workshop & a long colorful Journey through Cambodia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-09-29T20:15:29+08:00

Pad Thai in Siem Reap to the bizarre Happy Chicken Soup at the Smok’n Pot in Battambang or the first Hamburger with French Fries in three weeks at the FCC (Foreign Correspondence Club) in Phnom Penh. ...It was indeed a long but very rewarding trip, starting with the annual GD Photo Workshop in Siem Reap, and this time it was also recorded on Video by my good buddy Dirk Fahrenbach. Editing the Video and mixing it later with some still images in Aperture 3 will take time, so for the meantime let’s contend ourselves with some still images. ...Instead going into long history lessons today I decided to post a mix bag of images from the whole trip, photos behind the scene and the selected images from the participants will also follow in due time. ...I just love this time of the year, seldom a boring day, the weather was absolutely perfect, got drenched by tropical rain at times and minutes later rewarded with a Rainbow on the horizon.

Travel Photography Cambodia, our last day in Siem Reap at the Heritage Suites Hotel

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-09-25T13:58:01+08:00

Arj and myself arrived back last night in Siem Reap traveling from Phnom Penh by road, the Tonle Sap has now been completely circumnavigated by road and Boat. The Heritage Suites Hotel welcomed as again with their friendly staff last night, now I have a few minutes to spare editing some images from yesterdays travel in Aperture 3, which performed just fantastic the whole trip. ...Due to time constrains I only posted two image today...but there are so many more to follow in the next few weeks weeding through some over 10th images. I like to take this opportunity again and thank all participants of this years GD PhotoWorkshop in Cambodia and of course to all the staff at the Heritage Suites Hotel for their exceptional service and over the top accommodation. ...I also report in the coming weeks on the extended travel across the Tonle Sap Lake to Battambang and Phnom Penh then back again to Siem Reap.

Reporting from the Heritage Suites Hotel and the GD Photo Workshop in Cambodia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-09-19T13:30:57+08:00

A very special thanks to the staff and Management from the Heritage Suites Hotel in Siem Reap for not only providing an outstanding service but accommodating at times our crazy requests, like super early Breakfast at 4:30 AM. ...This post has been way overdue but time was not on my side, need to get some sleep sometimes, most mornings we started at 4:30 AM and by the time we finished at our Round Table at the Heritage Suites Hotel it was already 11:00 PM. ...This workshop was extremely rewarding, all participants shooting some real amazing images, I post a selection of those again once I am back home and of course cool photos behind the scenes. ...JP Yulo who left yesterday has send me his Quote already (see below) thanks to JP for his kind words and all other participants very much for being part of our 2010 Cambodian GD Photo Workshop… you have been a fantastic Group! ...I keep today’s post very brief…not enough hours in the day and another very early start tomorrow, however a complete report will follow with lots of cool images and some nice surprises…oh no, my suspense again.

Travel Photography: On the Road again, Thailand to Cambodia via Poipet

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-09-11T18:46:05+08:00

Settled into the Heritage Suites Hotel in Siem Reap and getting ready for our GD PhotoWorkshop after a nice ride from Thailand to Cambodia, crossing at the Border Town of Poipet. Excellent road conditions from Bangkok and equally good on the Cambodian side, below are only a few photos from this first leg of our Journey. ...I also decided today to cross the Tonle Lake Sap Lake by Boat to Battambang after the workshop, not by road anymore as previously planned, some 6 hours by Boat across the lake and straight to the pier of Battambang City. But now the Photo workshop first, everybody will arrive tomorrow and we start seriously on the 13th, I try and report and pending on my time, long days ahead of us. However the internet connection is as to be expected... excellent at the Heritage Suites Hotel.

Aperture 3 Event in Asia, Bangkok Thailand, plus through the Hotel Window

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-09-09T15:14:50+08:00

Today I found the time to report quickly from Bangkok Thailand from the Aperture Event at the Art and Culture Center organized by Apple Hong Kong, Thailand and the Fotofile Group Co. ...This was just to good to miss even my meeting with the Thai Apple Team was in a few minutes...then the phone rang right in the middle while I was trying to capture that last incredible light of the day. ...The event was superbly organized by the Apple Thai Team and Fotofile Group Co. in Bangkok, special thanks to all for making me part of this event, I truly enjoyed it. ...Today I keep it very brief, instead let the photos do the talking, tomorrow we are leaving for Cambodia via the Border Town of Poipet need to be in Siem Reap for the start of my yearly Photo Workshop. ...My next post will be from the Heritage Suites Hotel in Siem Reap our base for the next 10 days where the Journey continuos...oh BTW, thanks to Arj who took all those shots with my little Leica D-Lux 4 during the event, great job buddy.

Travel Photography Asia: The Journey continues Aperture 3 event in Bangkok & GD Photo Workshop in Cambodia.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-09-03T22:05:42+08:00

We spend a few more days in Phnom Penh before some of us fly out, but I continue with my buddy Arj for Siem Reap again by car on the other side of the Tonle Sap before leaving Cambodia and back to Manila. ...That's it for September; October is going to be equally busy if not more, preparing for a local Photo Workshop organized by my good friend Luis Martin Harder with support from the Power Mac Center for the 8th and 9th of the month with some 30 plus participants over two days. ...After that a visit to Singapore for the One Asia Festival – Images of Asia a fantastic event organized by Asian Geographic Magazine with guest speakers, workshops and event judges like Steve McCurry, Michael Yamashita, James Whitlow Delano, Gunther Deichmann, Tay Kay Chin & David Tay and others. ...At the end of the month (29 to the 1st of November) a 4 day Photo Workshop in Palawan organized and co sponsored by Power Mac Center and Club Paradise in Palawan exploring and photographing nature but at the same time understanding the essentials after the shoot. ...Now I have to pack my Bags and get ready for the road less traveled in Cambodia, please forgive me if my post’s will be a bit thin in the next few weeks.

Travel Photography: "The Shy One" through the Classroom Window, Chuuk Micronesia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-08-28T21:30:17+08:00

It is not known when the islands of Chuuk were first settled, but, based on archaeological evidence, these islands had originally been settled more than 2000 years ago. ... Based on archaeological evidence, it seems that, after about 200 AD, there was no continuous settlement until about 1300 AD. ...© Gunther Deichmann - a Chuukese blowing the Shell as a welcome sign - the language of Chuuk belongs to the enormous Malayo-Polynesian family, one of the major branches of the Austronesian language phylum. ...A major shipwreck site from WWII, Truk Lagoon is unquestionably the world's best shipwreck diving destination. Here, more than 50 hulks have been transformed into ship-reefs, holding the very best of the undersea world and maritime history at one site.

Aperture 3: Tips, tricks & techniques, seldom mention controls & adjustments in Aperture 3

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-08-28T18:31:09+08:00

I believe it is a cool new edition for beginners in Photography, an easy way on checking your focus after the shoot. I use it a lot during my training sessions explaining where the focus was during the actual shot, a cool teaching feature. ...Hover over the Focus Points button in the Camera Info pane to see the focus points used by your camera to auto focus the image. ...This is a great one… at times we come across these ugly purple and blue fringes produced by certain lenses. ...Use Halo Reduction to remove blue and purple fringes sometimes produced with certain lenses on overexposed areas.

Photography: Join me at Celebrating the Images of Asia Event, Suntec, Singapore 23-24 October 2010

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-08-24T16:20:28+08:00

I like to thank the organizers of "CELEBRATING THE IMAGES OF ASIA" for their invitation and making me part of this great event in Singapore. I am one of the Guest Speakers during the event and conduct also some 90min. ...A detailed guide using Apple Aperture 3 software to get more from your photographs, plus the important essentials and workflow after the shoot including tips on backing up your files in the field using Aperture 3 software. ...Excerpts from the website: Images of Asia – 23 to 24 Oct 2010 The first event under the OneAsia Festival umbrella will be a showcase of the IMAGES of Asia, featuring a gallery to display the shortlisted entries in the Asia Without Borders (AWB) photo competition, a screening area for inspirational documentaries on Asia, plus famous professional photographers and videographers giving talks and workshops to inspire you to pick up a camera/camcorder and capture your own images of Asia.

Aperture 3 & Snow Leopard: Graphics Software update released.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-08-21T16:54:26+08:00

Apple released a Software update, improvements on Graphic performance on Aperture 3 and others, recommended for all Aperture 3 users. It is for download now via your software update.

Travel Photography: Simplicity, Light & True Colors of Boracay Philippines, a colorful Time Machine.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-08-19T18:22:37+08:00

Sometimes we repeat ourselves, like the other day when I was looking for images in my PhotoShelter Archives and Galleries and I came across the ones from Borobudur and Yogyakarta in Indonesia. (previous post) ...I stumbled across the Philippines Boracay folder and out of curiosity I had a quick look, but then decided to share some of those photos with you, again a nice mix of film and digital. ...© Gunther Deichmann - Boracay 2005, when I woke up in the morning...before brushing my teeth and going to the bathroom I spotted these cloth pegs on the Balcony...the rest you can see above...color, light & simplicity! ...So, easy on Photoshop, filters etc.,...believe me, Mother Nature has the best light & colors we could ever ask for and that is a real blessing. ...Soon, very soon I stop digging in my Archives and share with you new images from Cambodia, so please stay tuned, I be reporting direct from our GD Photo Workshop base in Siem Reap at the Heritage Suites Hotel.

Travel Photography: Experience is the mysterious, Borobudur & Yogyakarta Indonesia.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-08-16T21:24:54+08:00

During my visit to Borobudur I observed the sun and thought it be so nice if I could get the sun to break just through the openings of the stupas…so I waited. Patience paid of and I managed to squeeze in just a few frames, bracketing the exposure as much as possible and then? ...I had to wait a few weeks before I got back to Australia, send the film for processing to Melbourne since Kodak was the only Lab who could process Kodachrome at that time. After the boxes of slides arrived I looked with excitement for those images from Borobudur, once I found them amongst all those others my grin was brighter then the light table…remember no Computer…well only those super large ones which nobody could afford. ...If you interested please let me know, this one promise to be very cool and affordable, I post the dates (2011) once I finalized the details, so please stay tuned.

PHOTOiNEWS - Beta Version soon available for Photographers

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-08-13T22:55:47+08:00

We are proud to announce the launching of a Web Photo Gallery – PHOTOiNEWS - Beta Version exclusive for Mac users, in cooperation with Websync Intl. ...We include a forum and individual Gallery’s to all members and of course participants from the GD Photo Workshops. ...Our objective is to showcase the very best Photos from our members and expose them to a broader international market without being lost in Cyberspace plus providing interesting articles and discussions. ...In addition previous and future participants of the GD Photo Workshops have a free membership subscription automatically. You have your own account password and username of course, upload your images, change your themes and many more exciting features.

Travel Photography Workshop: Cambodia September 2010. The Road less traveled... Siem Reap & beyond.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-08-10T22:09:45+08:00

I just finished the Itinerary for the Journey after our Photo Workshop in Siem Reap Cambodia, and for those who would like to join, please contact me for more details as this trip is only for a very limited number of participants. Traveling by road and stops I have selected including a couple days in Batambang with it's amazing Colonial architecture, along the majestic Tonle Sap Lake traveling south to Phnom Penh. ...By Ox Cart if weather permitting to the remote temple of Bantey Ampoeu (part of our Siem Reap Workshop) ...The remote temple of Bantey Ampoeu (part of our Siem Reap Workshop)

Travel Photography: A Tribute to Kodachrome, the last roll is on the road with Steve McCurry

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-08-05T17:24:48+08:00

I am glad it is Steve McCurry who has taken the last roll of Kodachrome on the road for its final Journey, who else could do it better justice then him. ...Of course there where so many others who loved, treasured and created some amazing images with this extraordinary film, legends like Ernst Haas, Pete Turner and Eric Meola used it all. ...I can't remember how many rolls I have shot prior the digital age, thousands I guess and the slides which are still with me look as good then ever. I used Kodachrome exclusively in Australia and in many other parts of the world, on my Magazine assignment covering the Mekong River in 1992 I carried no less than 300 rolls with me. ...The images on this post are all shot on Kodachrome 25 ASA except for the photo of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, here I used the hard to get Kodachrome Tungsten film at 40 ASA.

The Long Road to Great Travel Photography, published in Asian Geographic Passport

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-08-03T18:22:58+08:00

Asian Geographic Passport has just published in their June/July Issue an article over 3 pages "The Long Road to Great Travel Photography" the Magazine is available at Newsstands & Airports, you can also check out the pdf file @ http://www.deichmann-photo.com/publications.html See below some quotes; you find a lot more tips, information and other quotes in the article. ..."Sometimes it is better to take home a memory than the Photo. ...Join me on one of my Photo Workshops in Asia, for more information and dates please go to

Aperture 3 tip: More viewing space in full screen mode

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-08-03T15:07:00+08:00

The nice thing about Aperture 3 interface is that you have at full screen no clutter or obstruction, viewing your Photos at full screen mode made easy. All panels are floating and they can be called up any time and moved around freely. But if you need even more space and your Info/Adjustment panels gets in the way, then try this: Click with your cursor on the adjustment you like to make and hold down the shift key the adjustment panel disappears showing you only the slider you're working with at the time. This is very useful if the Adjustment panels gets in the way and you like to view your images at its fullest, it is really that simple.

Travel Photography: Killing time during Airport stop overs & during flights, using only the iPhone & Leica D-Lux 4 Camera

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-08-01T04:43:22+08:00

I am on my way home but still have a few more hours to go, my stop over in Singapore is quiet long so I decided to do an edit in Aperture 3 using Photos from my quick trip to the USA. All Photos are taken at various airports and inside the aircraft from Manila to Hong Kong, San Francisco, Korea and back to Singapore where I am posting this blog at 4:54 AM, my next flight to Manila is not until 9:00 AM. ...Within the next few days and after I catch up with a good sleep I post some cool new Aperture 3 tips but please give me a few days rest first. See below a Photo Kaleidoscope from all my stops and from inside the aircraft... killing time and taken photos what ever took my fancy, wondering around between Gates, waiting for the next connection using only the iPhone and my little Leica D-Lux 4. Now I am going to have some early breakfast and wait for my final connection back home.

Mystical Asia: Multimedia presentation created with Aperture 3 slideshow, Motion & Garageband

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-07-25T19:41:40+08:00

I have been flood out the past few days with Photography and Aperture 3 workshops at the Power Mac Center at Greenbelt 3 Makati. Tomorrow I have another session the whole day at the University of the Philippines Diliman sponsored by Power Mac Center Educational Division, all this prior my departure for the US on Tuesday. But I promised on my last post that I share with you yet another cool Multimedia Demo/Presentation and here it is, "Mystical Asia" a 2.56 min. ...I finished this demo only a few days ago, amazing stuff you can create using a MacBook Pro and of course the cool Aperture 3 slideshow with GarageBand and my new "Girlfriend called Motion" from Final Cut Studio. ...Please note the video is best viewed using your Safari Browser we experienced recently that in Firefox some script codes appear underneath the QT window, the video will still play correctly but it looks a bit strange.

News: Late evening makeup session for my Photography Blog...plus very soon a cool Multimedia presentation

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-07-22T23:06:49+08:00

Overall new look, changed the images and moved things from the right to the left, etc. and more uniform with my GD Photo Workshop site. http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/ ...Early this evening I sat down with my Partner and Webmaster Arj to discuss some other issues when I had this crazy idea... ...That how it all started... a few hours later it was done, we did encounter some glitches but otherwise it went smooth, if you find something not working properly please let me know so we can fix it. ...This one is promising to be very cool and slick, I have it uploaded by latest on Monday...need to get it done prior my departure for San Francisco on Tuesday. I hope you like the new look of the Blog, if you don't see any changes right away please refresh your Browser.

Photo Workshop: Cambodia and beyond...last call for reservations

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-07-13T21:00:44+08:00

We are getting very close to our final bookings for our GD PhotoWorkshop in Cambodia from the 12 to 18th of September 2010, we have only 3 more spaces available and our bookings will close by July 25th. For more info please go to: http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/page1/calendar.html A complete Course outline is available up on request, please email me and I send you the PDF file, thank you. http://www.deichmann-photo.com/contact/contact.php

Exploring Mystical Cambodia, Multimedia presentation using Aperture 3, Motion & GarageBand

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-07-09T23:17:37+08:00

Mystical Cambodia is a Journey into the past...created for my GD Photo Workshops and my love for Cambodia. ...The short Video clip at the end was taken with a Nikon D300s long after sunset with very little light left. I created the soundtrack for this project entirely in GarageBand which took about 20 min. You might noticed that I am using Aperture 3 slideshows with Motion lately, it is just an awesome combination for Multimedia presentations, tutorials or just for fun. For info on my GD Photo Workshops please click this LINK

Aperture 3, iPhoto & Snow Leopard: Tips, tricks & techniques... getting more out of your Mac

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-07-04T17:00:16+08:00

Did you know when you're browsing the web in Safari and found an article you like to share with friends or business partners that with a simple click you can send the page without copy and paste via e-mail? ...Just highlight the document or what ever you like to look at and press "Spacebar" Wow... so much faster and efficient, I use it a lot for a Quick Look at photos, pdf files with multiple pages or other documents. ...Very useful for screenshots, finding the right one quick, also great for locating Videos or photos you might have uploaded on your desk top and of course reading documents in full screen without open the software is just so much more fun. ...Don't be shy give it a test drive and play around a bit... you find endless possibilities and remember next time you’re looking for this elusive photo, video, document or like to read your pdf pages in full screen, just highlight the Icon press "SPACEBAR" without open the software. ...Of course you can also import your whole iPhoto Library if you chose to do so, in my workflow I use iPhoto for private photographs and my low res. images for the Web, using Aperture 3 for my pro and heavy workload.

Adventure Photo Workshops in Asia: Cambodia-Nepal & Philippines... discover the undiscovered with your digital camera

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-30T12:46:50+08:00

At the same time master the after the shoot workflow, critique, tips, tricks and techniques, plus securing your Photos with the implementation of a complete back up system during our classroom sessions at the Hotel. ...Students will work in digital formats and for those with experience on Mac Computers Gunther will guide you through the understanding of Aperture. (including the latest version 3.0.3) He will also teach basic editing skills in Photoshop. Gunther is a certified Apple Pro Trainer for Aperture and has years of hands on knowledge using Photoshop as a photography tool. ...Please Note: If you like to take part of the Phnom Penh extension additional fees are applicable, this is in addition to our Siem Reap 7 day Workshop and a great opportunity for those who like to add some extra days and explore/discover Phnom Penh and surrounding areas. ...7 days Angkor Wat and beyond...explore and discover the hidden Khmer treasures, please book this workshop early it is our most popular one.

Aperture 3 Essentials & basic Photography course at Power Mac Center, Makati Philippines

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-29T14:35:32+08:00

Doing it right from the start and avoiding problems later, using your camera and Aperture 3 is really not that complicated. Switching from iPhoto to Aperture 3 the easy way, organizing all your photos the correct way, create Aperture 3 slideshows, import and edit video (movies) in Aperture 3. Correct your photos the professional way without the use of Photoshop, export your photos to Facebook with a click of the button...plus tips, tricks and techniques on photography. ...E.g. basic operation of your camera the a-b-c. tips and tricks. ...Final lessons learned and discussion, plus more tips, tricks and techniques from GD on Photography.

Photography: Soccer fever in Manila Philippines? From the car window...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-27T12:49:07+08:00

Soccer fever in Manila, Philippines? © Gunther Deichmann - from the car window, street vendor selling soccer balls near Makati. ...Today on my way to Makati this happy street vendor came up to my Taxi window trying to sell me a soccer ball, I can't recall seen a street vendor selling soccer balls. Must be connected to all the action in South Africa at the World Cup.

Photography & Environment: WATER...no life with out it, 40 sec. clip using Aperture 3, Motion & GarageBand

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-25T20:41:30+08:00

The Idea about this short environmental clip came from my last trip to Palawan, when the first rain and the Monsoon arrived for this season. Running around in the rain at El Rio y Mar capturing the freshness of the vegetation around me, I decided later to put a few images together to create this clip called "WATER" using the Aperture 3 slideshow, Motion & GarageBand. The actual rain sound was recorded on location with my Nikon D300s and mixed together with another soundtrack in GarageBand. Motion and final assembly: In this case I used a template from Motion modified it and added the rain drop images. ...After this was done I imported the Motion Clip and soundtrack into Aperture 3, added text plus photos... export and it was done.

Photography: Fireworks over Manila Bay Philippines & party time... it is Manila Day today!

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-24T21:06:08+08:00

Manila Day... & Fireworks over Manila Bay.. A quick shot with my small Leica D-Lux 4 from my window, then into Aperture 3 and it was done, about 5 min. ago.

Photography & Environment: Life & death of a Turtle, Aperture 3 slide show with Motion & GarageBand

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-24T18:10:13+08:00

During my recent trip to Palawan in the Philippines I saw young Turtles released by the Dugong Dive Center's & Club Paradise ...A sad sight...and you might say... it's the cycle of life, but in many cases Turtles die from eating Plastic Bags. ... Only recently another dead Turtle in the area had been examined and cause of dead was due to plastic, found in the stomach content. A stark reminder that we should not trow any plastic bags or other plastic items into our precious ocean, we should stop all together using plastic bags, hence the reason for this short message and video clip today. ...(Video footage from the Nikon D300s) Except for the Jellyfish and the large Turtle underwater all other video footage and the floating dead turtle were taken in Palawan during my trip... a sad but true story.

A blast from the past...an Australian Calendar. Using Aperture 3 slide show, Motion & GarageBand an awesome combination…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-22T18:42:43+08:00

Securely tucked away I spotted this old Calendar, which I produced many moons ago for the Northern Territory Tourist Commission in Australia. (the Calendar was a bit creased and crinkled but ok otherwise) ...In the good old days we had no computers, everything was shot on Kodachrome 25 ASA with the exception of the moon, and in two other layouts I added the clouds manually via duplicating the film, adding the elements. ...Devils Marbles…setting up a Hang Glider on these two Rocks proved to be dangerous and a real challenge, crossing our fingers that no wind gust blowing the hang glider of the rocks including our model. To top it off, the ladders we used to get everything on top of these two balancing rocks where about 2 feet to short; solving these problems on location can be quiet a challenge in the outback miles from nowhere. ...More or less that was it…of course I had a small but very efficient crew; all the Girls locals from the Northern Territory were absolutely great and comfortable in the Australian Outback.

Photography: Guess who came for dinner…a fish tale from Palawan, Philippines

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-20T23:31:02+08:00

As promised here is the photo from my last day at El Rio y Mar…amazing this Lion fish arrived just in time for dinner. If you read Part 3 from my recent Palawan trip then you might remember I was talking about my last night and dinner at the pier at El Rio y Mar. ...He was pointing at the steps at the end of the pier, so I walked over to him and to my amaze there was this Lion fish cruising around. ...To get more light onto this fellow I used the build in flash on my Nikon D700 this time…wow the light and the texture of the steps created this cool abstract image of a Lion fish. ...However in my case there was no need to take the plunge…the fish came “right to me,” or did he came for dinner?

Nature & Travel Photography: Part 3 Jurassic Park? The Monsoon has arrived...nature & the weather, Palawan Philippines

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-18T21:47:30+08:00

You might think oh no…this bad weather is going to ruin everything…actually not, it is the other way around, well at least for me I just love this time of the year. ...I said goodbye to Club Paradise and all those great people who made my stay so awesome, Dirk Fahrenbach from Dugong Dive Center and Juergen Warnke joined me for a short 20 min. boat ride to El Rio y Mar…which is just “around the corner.” ...I went around the place and took some Photos of the Resort and at sunset I spotted this amazing dark cloud on the horizon in the bay. (see first photo above) Another wow left my lips before it went to dark and I got ready for our dinner at the pier. ...By now it was 7:00 PM and I thought…well that is it for today but then the big surprise…sorry folks you have to wait for this one…I promises in a couple of days you get to see it. ...One thing is for sure if you travel to Palawan in the Philippines nature is all around you…as they say, it is the Philippines last frontier, but for me it is the lost Paradise or plain and simple Jurassic Park.

Aperture 3 in full screen view: Software update, resolved an issue editing photos in the latest OS X 10.6.4 update

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-17T23:05:08+08:00

The latest Software update 10.6.4 includes a fix and resolve an issue editing ...Make sure you have a good connection this one is very big some 641.1 MB The 10.6.4 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard. It includes Safari 5 and general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac, including fixes that: ... • resolve an issue editing photos with iPhoto or Aperture in full screen view

News: Switching from PC to Mac had been long overdue for these two...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-17T11:45:21+08:00

During my recent visit in Palawan I had a lot of chats with Juergen about the efficiency on the Mac and a week later we went together to the Power Mac Center to check out the units. ...Being a Business man who travels a lot Juergen decided on the new Mac Book Pro 13 inch, I certainly going to help him with the initial setup and get him up and running in no time. ...After we left the Power Mac Center we switched for a Glass of Wine at my favorite Wine Bar the "Cave" and just in time for the World Cup Soccer game between Switzerland and Spain. ...Othmar Frei the GM of Werdenberg Corp. a good friend who switched also just recently to a Mac greeted us, it was only a couple of weeks ago that we both went to the Power Mac Center to get his Mac Book Pro i7. ...Tomorrow I continue with my adventures from Palawan... "and then came the rain"...but that should never stop you from taken photos...almost like making the switch from a Pc to a Mac...it is never to late.

Nature & Travel Photography: Part 2 Jurassic Park? No...endemic wildlife in Palawan Philippines

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-13T18:57:06+08:00

The endemic wildlife of Palawan is just so amazing…and you don’t have to venture very far to encounter Birds, Anteaters, Porcupines, Deer, Lizards and Turtles you just need a little patience “walk and talk” quietly and you find them on Dimakya Island ...My second and third day on the island was blessed with encounters of Herons, Pigeons, Calamine Deer and of course the ever presence of Flying foxes — or Fruit Bats, but this time from a different colony at the other end of the island. (see the photo above) ...Of course my stay was way to short to capture all the endemic species like the Scaly Anteater or Pangolin, some of the Owls (I certainly heard them at night) and many other Bird species. ...I also traveled to Calauit the famous Island with its African introduced species, but my report from this part of Palawan has to wait a bit, lets just concentrate on some of the Philippine endemic wildlife first. ...For the 3rd part I share with you some of the cool cloud formations, sunrise & sunsets that occur this time of the year…the onset of the monsoon and my favorite travel time, so please stay tuned for Part 3.

Photography & Aperture 3 Workshops plus a lot more at Power Mac Center Makati, Philippines

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-11T16:23:24+08:00

Photography tips, tricks & techniques, plus Aperture 3 tutorials @ Power Mac Center Greenbelt 3, Makati Before I continue with my "Jurassic Park" in Club Paradise Palawan, Philippines Part 2 just a quick announcement on upcoming additional Workshops and Seminars at the Power Mac Center Greenbelt 3 Makati, please see the dates below: ...Plus tips and tricks on Photography, learning how to use the camera. ...We also offer personalized 1on 1 tutorial and consultancy on Aperture 3, please contact the Power Mac Center for details and schedules. Understanding the workflow after the shoot and complete back up solutions for your Photos using Aperture 3.

Nature & Travel Photography: Jurassic Park? Well, almost at Club Paradise in Palawan Philippines - Part 1

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-06-08T16:41:21+08:00

Watch out for part 2 & 3 more nature and interesting animals soon to follow on my Blog...plus a cool marine creature taken during our dinner at the Pier of El Rio y Mar...ha, ha my suspense again. ...I knew if I had brought my Laptop the nights would have been very long, spending hours sorting the photos on Aperture 3 and having non or very little time for my good buddy Dirk Fahrenbach, plus Juergen Warnke was on the Island too this time. ...The islands house reef is world famous for its marine life and is frequently visited by Dugongs, as a matter of fact this season has seen a record number of these amazing animals right in front of the Resort... a divers paradise without a doubt. ...I checked into my cottage located right on the beach, changed into something more comfortable before setting off for a little exploratory walk with Dirk to the other side of the Island...but first we had a nice cup of coffee and a good chat... ...Before I am signing off today, (only today, plenty to come yet) a special thanks to all the staff and Management at Club Paradise & El Rio y Mar and of course to Dirk Fahrenbach and his staff from Dugong Dive Center.

Apple Mac: Power Mac Center Redefined Greenbelt 3 Makati, Philippines, it was Party Time...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-05-29T15:49:09+08:00

It all started on Thursday the 27th of May 2010, after undergoing some major renovation the past few months PMC open its doors again with a big Bang, attended by celebrities, personalities and Press it was certainly a party to remember not to mention the great food and drinks. ...If you need a new Mac, iPod Touch or what ever your heart desires drop in to this truly amazing...awesome new PMC and avail of up to 15% discount which is still available until Sunday. ...A cool new Classroom... and the nice redefined 1 on 1 tutorial room are now open...as a matter of fact we have an Aperture 3 Introduction on Sunday the 30th from 6 to...? Lets see, we might just make this one a bit longer, please drop by and join me and find out what Aperture 3 is all about. http://powermaccenter.com/services/training/learning_series Todays Photos are from the last few days...however I am working on a nice fast slideshow from the event as well and we post this one later, of course it will be created using Aperture 3 and GarageBand, so please stay tuned.

Nature Photography: Wetlands & wildlife of Kakadu National Park Northern Territory, Australia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-05-26T20:05:54+08:00

Keep an eye out also for the Frill-necked Lizard and if you lucky enough he might just run like you have never seen a Lizard run before... on his hind legs upright almost like a human posture, comical and amusing. (see him in action below) Then of course the ever so impressive Saltwater crocodile who makes his home just about anywhere in the Top End of Australia...so beware where you go for a swim... you never know where one of these guys is waiting. I am leaving next week for Palawan in the Philippines, another Natures Paradise getting a break from Manila it be interesting to see what awaits me on Dimakya Island also the Home of my good friend Dirk Fahrenbach from Dugong Dive Center. ...These forests contain several impressive trees, among them the banyan fig, which can be recognized by its large, spreading aerial roots, and the kapok tree, which has a spiny trunk, large, waxy red flowers and pods full of cotton-like material. ...The White-bellied Sea-eagle is one of the largest raptors in Southeast Asia, and the second largest bird of prey in Australia after the Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) which stands up to 1 m.

Aperture 3 Slide show demo including Motion from Final Cut Studio & GarageBand...endless possibilities

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-05-23T21:27:40+08:00

Incorporating Motion from Final Cut Studio into an Aperture 3 Slide Show is giving us some cool possibilities. I created the Motion Clips with Motion which is part of Final Cut Studio, very nice as an intro and finish for your Aperture Slide shows. The sound (2 separate tracks) I previously created in GarageBand and had them in my iTunes Library. Like with everything else on a Mac a perfect integration, when open Motion I had access to all my Photos in my Aperture 3.0.3 Library and could have also used my soundtracks, but in this exercise I added the sound later in Aperture 3.0.3 It was real fun messing around with Motion and creating this short demo, with endless possibilities at your fingertips you can produce a nice and cool looking Multi Media show using Aperture 3, Motion and GarageBand.

Travel Photography: PhotoShelter update…latest images from Nepal uploaded…now available in the Archives & Gallery.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-05-20T14:10:20+08:00

Wow it is done…just finished uploading the latest images (high resolution) from Nepal from my recent trip in Feb/March 2010. Due to other commitments Nepal got a bit delayed, the latest Photos from India have been on my PhotoShelter Archives for some time. ...Check out the selected Images in my PhotoShelter Gallery, of course there are a many more in the archives if you can’t find what you’re looking for in the Gallery just type in the Search box. ...Animal Sacrifice – Fossils – People - Buddhist Temples & Monasteries – Monks – Cremations - Hindu Ceremonies & the ever so strange Sadhus from Kathmandu in Nepal “A true Journey through Color, Culture & Time.” ...The Photos on this Blog post are only a small taste what is stored in my PhotoShelter Archives and Galleries.

Aperture 3 & the Battery life of the 15 inch MacBook Pro i7, simulated field test… plus a cool tip on Previews.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-05-16T19:40:42+08:00

I run a simulation field test on the Battery life of my New 15 inch Macbook Pro i7 yesterday pushing it to the limit trying to find out how long the Battery would last when fully charged. ...My external 360 Gig Lacie Rugged Hard drive was also connected, as a matter of fact that is where all my reference file are located for this project. ...Extreme circumstances…and most of the time we’re not going to push it so hard, but at least I know how long I can work before looking for a power outlet when I am in a tricky situation. ...If you don’t see some of your Previews in the Aperture Browser (black frame) or you have the feeling they playing up…don’t panic just perform this simple exercise: ...However if the next menu tells you (screenshot) that the previews are already up-to-date just perform the next step and all your missing previews will be back on the screen.

Aperture 3 & the New MacBook Pro Core i7 is it faster & more efficient? My first test & impression.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-05-09T17:50:36+08:00

I didn't use any speed test tools but my first impression running Aperture 3 on the new 15 inch MacBook Pro i7 are very good. ...I really pushed it a bit the other day as I kept on toggling back and forth bringing in new Raw Photos on the screen…instantly they kept flashing in front of me. ...The other cool thing I have a lot more space on my hard drive now (comes with a 500Gig drive) great when you don’t like to carry all your external drives with you. 90% of the time I store all my Photos as reference files on external hard drives, but it is nice to know you have this extra space in times when you need it most. As a matter of fact, a good friend of mine was so impressed that he went out yesterday to buy the new MacBook Pro i7…a hard-core PC user until now, he made the switch from his old PC to a Mac. Please Note: If you migrating your system from your old Mac to the New one, have your Aperture 3 license handy you will be asked to enter it upon launching the software.

Aperture 3 Slide show including Movie clip using GarageBand for sound, Journey Through Culture & Time

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-05-01T19:16:03+08:00

I had a little time on my hands today plus I was in the right mood...so I created this short Slide show presentation in Aperture 3.0.3 using a Video Clip which I had prepared previously and using three different soundtracks. ...I like the Share or Export options in Aperture 3, you can send it almost anywhere never leaving Aperture 3, this is only a short clip but the possibilities are there. ...The Globe at the beginning of the slide show (Movie .mov) I made last week, the original lengths had been some 2.5 minutes. I just dragged the .mov file into my slideshow trimmed it down with the Movie setting in Aperture 3 to approx. 37 sec.added text, images and the three soundtracks...then hit Export and I was done. This coming week (on Friday the 7th) we have an Aperture 3 launch at the Power Mac Center in TriNoma where you can see the same presentation in high resolution on a large screen.

Aperture 3 Users:Release notes & Library info, latest update for Aperture 3 to 3.0.3

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-04-30T20:07:15+08:00

Apple Aperture 3 Users... This is the 3rd update since its release. Aperture 3.0.3: Release notes & also interesting guidelines for upgrading your Aperture library read more and get all the details @ http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2518

Travel Photography: Updated PhotoShelter…amazing, awesome, colorful and very chaotic Varanasi…India’s oldest city.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-04-24T20:03:39+08:00

The last Photos from my recent trip to India are now residing in my PhotoShelter Archives, well… almost all, I am still working my way through the Nepal Photographs. Hopefully I am done with them shortly too, but India is done, thanks to Aperture 3 and a patient wife who let me work without interruption these past few weeks so I can finish my editing. ...Varanasi also commonly known as Benares or Banaras is a city situated on the banks of the River Ganges in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, regarded as holy by Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. ...Varanasi is one of the holiest places in Buddhism too, being one of the four pilgrimage sites said to have been designated by Gautama Buddha himself (the others being Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya, and Lumbini). ...Watching the sunrise over the mighty Ganges River and observing the numerous rituals along the riverbank is mesmerizing, where hundreds of worshippers can be seen bathing in the sacred waters.

Late News: Updated Home Page with new photo selection from Nepal

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-04-22T19:37:10+08:00

Home Page updated with Nepal... Go to the Home Page...click the Image above Only minutes ago we updated my Main Home Page Gallery with Nepal, if you can spare a moment why don't you have a look. You might have to refresh your Browser to update the Photos, by next week the complete collection (only a few at the moment) on Nepal and Kathmandu will be uploaded on my Photoshelter Archive & viewable in the Gallery. http://www.deichmann-photo.com/

Dive Travel: Pura Vida Beach & Dive Resort in the Philippines, is very connected for Underwater Photographers.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-04-22T16:57:05+08:00

I decided to take a short break from the Himalayas (still editing Nepal) and go down to the Sea Level… let me introduce you to a very cool Dive destination in the Philippines. ...I stayed in many Resorts and Hotels and encountered the same problem over and over again, with the exception of Pura Vida Beach and Dive Resort, they are very much connected in more ways then one. ...So if you’re an Underwater Photographer check out Sea Explorers and the Pura Vida Beach & Dive Resort in Dumaguette Philippines, besides great accommodation including a Spa it is also an Underwater Photographers Paradise. ...Pura Vida Beach & Dive Resort plus Sea Explorers are very well connected, not only from an electrical point of view, but also through out the many Islands and Dive sites in their area. So, on your next visit to the Philippines check out Pura Vida and go Island Hopping with Sea Explorers and this time you can leave your extension cords at home.

PhotoShelter update...just uploaded additional Photos from India 2010

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-04-20T23:57:48+08:00

© Gunther Deichmann - a very cool & colorful look, Elephant during the Elephant Festival in Jaipur Rajasthan Feb.2010 ...I have just updated again my PhotoShelter Archives with some additional Photographs from India 2010, more images from Varanasi in India and Nepal by latest next week. ...© Gunther Deichmann - the night before the Holi Festival, spectacular Bon fires are lit all over the city, Jaipur Rajasthan Feb.

The first Photos from Nepal & India 2010 have been uploaded to my PhotoShelter Archives and Gallery

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-04-18T01:05:22+08:00

The very first Images from Nepal and India have been uploaded to my PhotoShelter Archives and can viewed in the Gallery. We also did a bit of a clean up including changed the main Image on my PhotoShelter Home Page, more new Photos from India and Nepal will be uploaded shortly. Check out the first Images @ http://www.photoshelter.com/c/gdeichmann GD

Photography & Aperture 3: People...Colors & Expressions from India & Nepal - "Small Taste of the Latest"

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-04-16T20:10:54+08:00

I have uploaded today only a small selection of Photos (50) under the category "Small Taste of the Latest" from India and Nepal. ...Colors & Expression" for this Gallery, other images from Monasteries, People, Religion, Landscapes and way of life, etc., will follow in my PhotoShelter Gallery soon. ...This has been a great trip all around from our Photo Workshop experience in India and then to the edge of the Himalayas in Nepal. ...If you're interested to join me on one of my Photo Workshops Adventure Travel with your Digital Camera, please contact me or check out the Calendar dates for 2010 on my GD PhotoWorkshop site by clicking this LINK. I hope you enjoy this small selection of Photographs from India and Nepal as I have enjoyed these two very special and amazing places.

Photography:The Students Work... Photographs from our India 2010 GD Photo Workshop

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-04-10T21:40:38+08:00

It is done, I have uploaded the work from the students in the Gallery 'The Students Work" a selection of six images each from their recent GD PhotoWorkshop in India Feb. ...Note: If you don't see the new images right away you might have to refresh your Browser, please enjoy the Photos and refrain from copying them, they are all protected by © copyright to each individual Photographer. ...Shooting from early morning until dusk then back to our Hotels for a quick meal and shower, then we started our work on our Computers, uploading the images and working with Aperture 3 (except for two who used Lightroom). ...Interesting everybody jumped into the cold water and worked with Aperture 3 (installed on our first night at the Hotel in Delhi)which was only released a few days prior our departure for India. ...Please note: I have also updated my Home Page on my Main Website and changed some Photos from India in the Gallery section.

Aperture 3 exporting Smart Albums as new Library an excellent photo management solution.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-04-05T15:25:16+08:00

But did you know Aperture 3.0.2 has also the capability to export your Smart Albums as a new Library, one of the slickest new additions in Aperture 3 but it is seldom mention. ...You can export this Smart Album including your Masters (consolidate Masters) as a New Library to any destination you might see fit which is super cool. ...In my case the benefits are very simple, I can store my edited photos in a different location and whenever I need them just switch Libraries later, easy access plus I keep all my edited photographs together. ...Almost done...the only thing left to do...choose a folder or not, consolidate or not consolidate, previews (small screenshot below )etc. everything is so flexible, it is all up to you and your workflow. ...I suggest you create a small Smart Album first, like a "Test Smart Album"and feel your way around, but you better watch out...you might fall in love with it, like I have.

Aperture 3 customization and flexibility, Aperture has come a long way…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-04-04T17:45:14+08:00

Believe me I get my fare share of it, just like the other day during one of my Seminars when someone ask me why his new Camera does not import the RAW Images into Aperture. ...As an Aperture user (since day one) and Certified Trainer my advice is get used to the software, study it well just like you would your new Camera Manual. (both are of equal importance) ...As time goes by Apple is for sure going to release upgrades that improves Aperture 3 even further, they are listening and have in my Opinion done a fantastic Job so far. ...Apple is thinking ahead, the build in Video function is already a huge leap forward if you like to use it or not… but it is there, the same goes for Faces and Places. Lightroom just announced a Video function for their latest version but no editing capabilities, I like the simple video editing in Aperture 3, of-course it is not Final Cut editing but you can produce some pretty good slideshows/presentation on the fly.

Adventure Travel Photography: Behind the Scenes...GD PhotoWorkshop in India, the fun images

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-04-01T21:17:06+08:00

I just uploaded the images from "Behind the Scene India" into the Gallery all taken during our last GD Photo Workshop February/March 2010. ...The current Gallery "The Students Work" is still active with Cambodia but will be replaced very soon with nice Photos from the participants during our last GD Photo Workshop in India. ...Please Note: If you click the LINK and you see Photos from Cambodia you might have to refresh your Browser to view this new and entertaining set of images from India. As soon I have the students work uploaded I let everybody know, I am very proud of them, they did a great Job and you get to see some excellent images very soon. Shortly I am going to share with you also some of my images from India and Nepal, in my Gallery "Small Taste of the Latest" and of course a much broader selection will be available on my PhotoShelter Gallery soon too.

Travel Photography & Aperture: 15000 images later…Test drive & road tested Aperture 3 in Nepal & India

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-03-28T16:15:47+08:00

Let me describe some of the new features I used for most of the time during my recent trip, they not only impressed me but made my editing on the road so easy… just awesome, sometimes pushing my MacBook Pro and Aperture 3 to the limit. ...It was good timing with the new release of Aperture 3, I created a brand new Library for my recent trip (actually two, one for India and one for Nepal) but can always go back to my previous ones at a mouse click. ...During my Photo workshop in India all participants installed Aperture 3 and after a short intro they where all up and running without any major problems…in other words the learning curve or upgrading from Aperture 2 to 3 is relatively easy. ...Now, if your SLR has a Video function look no further, Aperture 3 will import all your Videos, with or without sound and you can edit all of that right in Aperture 3 creating awesome slide shows/presentations on the fly without ever leaving Aperture 3. ...Very easy…go to the top left hand side click Aperture and after that you see the drop down menu, click on Customize, a keyboard will show. (see screenshot) now you can customize your shortcuts like I have done with the Highlight Hot & Cold Areas.

Adventure Travel Photography: Déjà vu in Nepal...Fossils, Gurkha Knifes, Masks & Monkey skulls...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-03-24T16:29:21+08:00

Whenever I travel to different destinations in the world I always keep an eye out for those creatures long gone but been part of our evolution and my earlier life. ...Mixed with other religious and bizarre souvenir items; ugly ashtrays…cool looking masks, Gurkha Knifes (that be a challenge to get them on the plane) false and real gemstones, Buddha Statues, Prayer Wheels and lots of items made from Pashmina Wool…plus so many other obscure items, the list goes on and on. ...What was new to me after some research; I discovered that these fossils are for sale mainly to the locals, their Believe in those fossilized creatures was something very different I found out. ...Word got out fairly quick that there was this strange foreigner with a camera who had a keen interest in Fossils…and soon I had just about every Vendor on Durban Square chasing me, showcasing their very best Ammonites. Sure I would have loved to buy a whole bunch of them…but these Rocks are very heavy and Excess baggage is expensive, so I contended myself with a couple good specimen.

Adventure Travel with your Digital Camera...thank's for being part of the GD Photo Workshop in India

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-03-21T18:43:11+08:00

I only got back a few days ago, but today I like to take the opportunity to thank all participants who joined my recent Photo Workshop in India, at the same time I like to thank also our fantastic Driver who took care of us where ever we ventured, he made certain that our Journey was a safe one. ...In the coming weeks when I have received some images from the students I post some of their photos on my GD PhotoWorkshop site but also an Album again from behind the scenes...there are some real funny ones. Furthermore once I am done with my editing I create another Album from my recent trip to India and Nepal, which you're going to find soon under a "Small Taste of the Latest"... currently featured Cambodia. My gratitude to Shroff International Travel for a superb Job, organizing this difficult but rewarding Journey, thank you so very much. ...Please stay tuned for much more in the next few weeks...for other Aperture 3 Seminars & Photo Workshops in 2010 please click this LINK.

Aperture 3 & Travel Photography in Asia: Monastery colors in Nepal

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-03-14T17:34:59+08:00

And don't forget to check out the Calendar dates on my GD Photo Workshop site, Introduction into Aperture 3 plus some cool Aperture & iLife '09 Seminars at the Power Mac Center Manila. ...Also our GD Photo Workshop in Nepal during October 2010 is filling up fast, only four (4) spots available, please go to the GD PhotoWorkshop site for more info @ October 15 - 22, 2010 (DATES CONFIRMED) ...Monastery Colors in Nepal,one of my last visits in Kathmandu was at the Kopan Monastery a Tibetan Buddhist monastery near Boudhanath, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal. ...I have always been fascinated by Tibetan Buddhism and the Kopan Monastery was high on my list, today I like to share with you a few images...colorful and graphic & no manipulation has been applied in any way using only at times the Quick Fix in Aperture 3. ...The fiber is also known as pashm (Persian word for Wool) or pashmina (Persian / Hindi word driven from Pashm) for its use in the handmade shawls of Kashmir, India.

Aperture 3 & Travel Photography: One afternoon at the Bouddhanath Stupa, Kathmandu Nepal

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-03-10T22:48:25+08:00

The Journey is coming slowly to an end, 6 more days before I am hitting back home, I have not written many Blogs during this Journey one of the major factors been... ...I make up for it once I get back... over 15,000 images by now, Aperture 3 loaded straight out of the Box before my trip performed absolutely flawless all RAW images have been stored on my external Lacie Drives as reference files. ...We arrived in Kathmandu a couple of days ago and went out this afternoon to visit one of the biggest Stupas called Bouddhanath located in Little Tibet, when refugees entered Nepal from Tibet in the 1950s, many decided to live around Bouddhanath. A very special mention I have to give to our our Guide Lil Tapa who has been a book of knowledge together with a great personality and sense of humor, thank you so much Lil! ...The Stupa is on the ancient trade route from Tibet which enters the Kathmandu Valley by the village of Sankhu in the northeast corner, passes by Boudnath Stupa to the ancient and smaller stupa of Cā-bahī (often called 'Little Boudnath').

Travel Photography India: A brief encounter with Steve McCurry & cruising the Ganges

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-03-06T23:07:56+08:00

Tomorrow we 're leaving via land to our next destination Nepal with a stop over at Lumbini, located in Nepal and is considered the birthplace of Gautam Buddha., after Lumbini we continue on to Kathmandu where we spend another 5 days or so. ...Like many places of worship, Varanasi has given me great insight, but short of turning GD’s photography blog into a book on metaphysical musings, he has kindly asked me only to write of the essence of our experience here so far. (and not with-holding the fact that the tailor is also waiting for me to try on my superbly handmade silk Indian Alibabá pants: in all 10 colors!) ...The driver was not a bit surprised to be battling giant busloads of tourists on the narrow dust-lined streets: We had passed the harmonious phase of the lull before the storm, which we were told was meant to crack at daybreak, when the frenzy of yesterday takes place all over again. There was already a flurry of activity as we edged towards the bank of the Ganga: sadhus painting their weathered faces into cracked mirrors, flower sellers mulling about while mendicants braced themselves for another day, and shop keepers literally shifting the dust from one place to another with feather-dusters. ...Most of the out-of-towners like us were here to go boating on the river at sunrise; with the only difference being that GD had specifically requested a motorized vessel instead of the usual row-boat, not that there was any speed to the finish but riding against the current was not going to be easy without technology, even on holy waters.

Travel Photography & GD PhotoWorkshop, the Incredible Colors of India

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-03-04T03:01:12+08:00

© Gunther Deichmann - Jaipur Rajasthan, India Feb. ...We just arrived back in Delhi from Rajasthan and Agra...now I am fighting with the connection and I am very tiered, some of the Photo Workshop participants have to catch the plane back home about right now, they just had enough time for a quick shower in our Hotel. ...I am leaving with Jamie and Bebet tomorrow afternoon for Varanasi and then overland back to Nepal, another 12 or so days to go before hitting back home. ...The colors of Incredible India; only a few images today need to do a lot more editing when time permits, but many more to come in due time, plus I put up a nice Gallery when I am back home. ...In the next few days I have no internet connection but try my best to stay in touch once I get to Kathmandu in Nepal, until then enjoy the images.

GD Photo Workshop & Aperture 3, Happy Holi from Jaipur Rajasthan India

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-03-02T01:11:43+08:00

Jaipur was vibrating with wild celebrations, drum beats of Indian rock and roll ala Shankar and its stimulating sisterly companions, raving bashes not only of the carnivalesque kind but apparently even veiled beatings and the none too unusual vengeance murders that ‘happen’, but as we were reassured, those only ‘happened in other cities and very rarely in Jaipur so not to worry Ma’am and Sir’. ...Ok, ok I confess I was the only one with the excessive concern for hair oils, cream based moisturizers, shower caps, disposable cotton underclothes, emergency eye drops, SPF 50 lip balm and goodness knows what else I had stashed in my sling bag. ... Newspapers (and Tony) had been playing up the dehydrating effects of the dyes on skin and hair, and GI Jane as I may be, I’d certainly had no wish to walk around Incredible India with post-Holi skin lesions or a kerosene scrubbed frizz. ...We’d gotten so used to the mendicants following us around for the past 2 hours, pushcarts, trolleys, gypsy children and all across town that literally the replies (as polite as we attempted to remain) just came out of us naturally. ...Thousands of dollars of equipment strapped to our necks, I found it oxymoronic that for 150 rupees ($3 USD), each of us were as excited as kids on Christmas morn and happy as pie with our old fashioned black and white photos that were washed and developed in a pail of water on the street, ready in less than 10 minutes, and hey, it came with a negative too.

Travel Photography & Photo Work Shop in India, celebrating the Holi festival

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-03-01T15:38:58+08:00

I am in a bit of a rush today...need to get out in the street again with my students to celebrate the Holi Festival the most colorful of all Indian Festivals in Jaipur Rajasthan India. ...So please forgive me if this will be a very short Blog today, we're having a great time and the highlight will be later tonight, yesterday we went crazy at the Elephant festival which was so fantastic. Today we're going to get covered in color from top to bottom and last night we participated at a Temple the pre Holi event, with huge fires lit up all over town. ...Sorry have to run now...but so much more later, thanks also to Aperture 3 uploading has been easy and fast, I am already at some 4000 images. © Gunther Deichmann - it is going to get a lot worst today...

Travel Photography & Aperture 3: The first images from Nepal, Kathmandu Colors...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-24T22:45:14+08:00

Arrived in New Delhi this afternoon after 4 days in Kathmandu Nepal...a little sad that I had to leave but I am going to be back there in about two weeks after my PhotoWorkshop in India. ...Internet connection is Ok now, and I am using the spare time to write this long overdue post before all my students arrive later tonight, tomorrow we're busy exploring the old part of Delhi, the first part of our Indian Journey. ...A lot more soon from this amazing place in the Himalayas called Nepal, with old tradition of Hindu & Buddhism, as a matter of fact I be visiting the Birth place of Buddha in about 10 days which is just across the border from India in Nepal..." ...Now a little about Aperture 3 from the road and straight out of the Box pushing it in the past few days, no complains... ...Once I am back in Manila, I upload a new Photo Gallery with some of the latest images from Nepal & India...please have patience as this could take some time, I have a few more weeks to shoot yet.

Adventure Travel Photography with Aperture 3: India & Nepal plus the GD Photo Workshop in Rajasthan

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-17T21:19:04+08:00

In a few hours another Journey begins...leaving first for Thailand and Nepal then to India for the start of my GD PhotoWorkshop. ... After the Workshop back to Delhi, I then continue my Journey to Varanasi one of the holiest places in India and travel over land back to Nepal. I try to update my Blogs as much as possible but that depends on the internet connection and if I am not to tired in the evenings. I am all packed now, Aperture 3 is prepared and ready for the Road show, I am really looking forward to see my students in Delhi very soon for an exciting Photo Workshop in Incredible India. ...I guess that is it for the time being, I try to report along the way, but that depends on the connection.

Aperture 3 & Travel Photography: Switching Library made easy now, perfect for shooting thousands of Photos

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-15T17:01:55+08:00

Switching the Library made easy now in Aperture 3 and this is so very useful as a Travel Photographer like myself who end up shooting thousands of Photos on any given trip. Now I can split my Library into Regions or even Countries have easy access and manage all my files very quick without over loading one Library. This was possible before, but it was a lot more complicated, now it is almost to easy... another super improvement from the previous Aperture 2. ...Most of the plug-in if not all at the moment work only in 32 Bit and if you like to use them you have to restart Aperture 3, click on the image you like to edit (in my case I use the Noise Ninja Plug-in) click on the right mouse button, a small drop down menu appears and you see edit with Plug-in (32 bit) this will restart you Aperture 3 in 32 bit mode and stays like that until you close Aperture 3. ...In a few days I am leaving for my main trip this year, plus my GD Photo Workshop in India where my lucky students have the opportunity to study and work with Aperture 3 in the field.

Aperture 3 & Video: Soon at Power Mac Center Philippines, combining Photos & Video from your DSLR in Aperture 3

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-13T13:35:32+08:00

A few questions came up these past few days; can you edit, combine Video and still images in Aperture 3? ... With Aperture 3 you can edit and combine your Video footage and still images, plus sound all within Aperture 3. We have some interesting Seminars and demos coming up very soon at the Power Mac Center how create stunning presentations combining Photos with your video footage shoot on your DSLR only using one software, Aperture 3. ...During the next few weeks I try my best to produce some simple presentations form my travels in India and Nepal ...Please stay tuned for more or check out the Calendar dates for our Seminars and Tutorials at the PMC @ http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/

Aperture 3: Fantastic New Import Settings, backing up your Photos made easy now, plus the new Zoom

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-13T11:57:54+08:00

Making a back up of your files during Import is a breeze now with the all new import Panel in Aperture 3, but there are many other settings in the new Import Panel but I love the Backup Location option. ...Then you scroll down at the Import panel and at the bottom you see this new back up Location window, point to you location where you like to store your back ups and you're done. When you import images now you have an instant back up but still working with reference files of your other drive, this is one of the coolest new addition in Aperture 3. I recommend you have a close look at the new import panel, study it and see what suits your work flow, but having the ability now to make an instant back up of your Photos in a separate location during Import I think is brilliant and a real time saver. Another very new cool addition is the Zoom option (Z key) if you press this now say on full screen you have a new small thumbnail window, but now you can zoom in more, not just 100% very cool and so handy.

Aperture 3:New Presets with a nice Thumbnail view, so cool for very quick adjustments.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-12T13:06:26+08:00

Another very cool new feature in Aperture 3 is Presets found when you open the Adjustment panel, not only easy accessible but with a nice preview. ... Great for quick adjustments, just click on Presets and a menu appears, the only thing left to do move your cursor over the various adjustments options, and every time you move your cursor over a different effect/adjustment a nice size thumbnail appears along side of it, showing you the changes. There is plenty to choose from; all your Black &White and color adjustments are at your fingertips now. A superb new addition and something I am going to use a lot from now on. Try it out and I am sure you’re going to be impressed just like me.

Aperture 3:Travel Photography...Tip for Places, use your iPhone or your Digital Camera with a GPS

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-11T20:58:00+08:00

I am looking forward to use this all new function when I hit the road next week for India, especially when leaving New Delhi for Varanasi and then by road to Kathmandu in Nepal. ...If you're not using a Digital Camera with a GPS function that is Ok. just use your iPhone and whenever you stop or from the Car window take a quick shot. ...10 days ago I went to the Island of Mindoro/Puerto Galera and I took some happy snaps with the iPhone, then on the way back I also stopped in Batangas and then back to Manila. ...Ok the only "drawback" is that my wife from now on always knows where I am or I have been, ha, ha. but that is fine with me too, nothing to hide. ...To activate your Places before they work you have to go first to the Aperture 3 Preferences settings and activate it, then click on the Advanced setting a small drop down menu appears and you see Look up Places, the default setting is on Never just click on the Automatically and you're done.

Aperture 3: Trail Version Tip...Important notice plus Infrared filter and Polarizing via Quick Brushes

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-11T18:33:45+08:00

I am going to be in big trouble again spending my Valentine's Day messing around with Aperture 3 but thanks to my very understanding Wife I think I get away with it. ...If you click on the Adjustments a drop down menu appears and right at the top you see the Quick Brushes and in the drop down menu you find the Polarizing. ...For those of you who have already Aperture 2 installed please take note of the important info below, that is if you can't wait for your upgrade to become available and dying to try out the all new Aperture 3 Trail version. ...If you already have a licensed copy of Aperture in your Applications folder, you need to move or rename it before installing the Aperture 3 trial. ...To open an Aperture library with an older version of Aperture (1.x or 2) after you use the Aperture 3 trial, drag the library onto the application icon of the older version.

Aperture 3: Travel Photography and Multi Media presentations direct from locations

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-10T12:26:47+08:00

So here we are back into Photography, Aperture 3 is certainly going to make our workflow more easy and more fun, GPS and Places, the new Curves, put back from the Trash, Chromatic Aberrations the list goes on and on. We have also color coding which some of us find very useful for on the road editing, however I have a slight grin on my face and you might ask why. ...My advise as an Aperture user from day one and as a Certified Trainer, get to know one software real well and stick with it, in due time and it is happening right now changes will happen, remember “Rome was also not build in one day” have patience, good things take time. ...You all know I am leaving very soon and if all goes well I have Aperture 3 running and give it a real good and realistic Road test for some 4 weeks in the field trying to post images with the new Facebook function , Locations via Places, the new video function and for sure I am going to work with the new Curves. ...The web is totally saturated at the moment, the talk of the Town is Aperture 3, but now I am looking forward to some cool Photography and only then I write more in details about all those new features which certainly sound all very exciting.

Travel Photography with Aperture 3 mapping your destinations is easy now

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-10T01:16:29+08:00

Another cool addition in Aperture 3 is Places, time permitting I try to map on my next trip the locations in Nepal and India...the Journey starts next week. Further more in late March we also start our Aperture 3 Seminars/Introductions at the Power Mac Center pls. stay tuned or check the dates @ http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/page1/calendar.html ...If you’re shooting with a GPS-enabled camera, Aperture 3 uses reverse geocoding to convert location coordinates into familiar location names, then displays those locations on the Places map. If you’re using a separate GPS tracking device, the path of your photo journey appears on the map when you import a track log. ...If you need to change the location of your shot, drag the pin on the map across the street or across the country.

More Raw support in Aperture 3 including Leica D-Lux 4 and Panasonic Lumix Cameras

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-10T00:56:34+08:00

More RAW support in Aperture 3 now, for a full list of Cameras go to: http://www.apple.com/aperture/specs/raw.html ...You’ve done some great things with iPhoto, and now you’re ready to do more. Aperture 3 is designed to make the move from iPhoto easy and seamless. See how easy it is...http://www.apple.com/aperture/iphoto-to-aperture/

Photography & Aperture 3 with Curves and Chromatic Aberration Filters, perfect for Underwater Photography

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-09T23:55:20+08:00

I can’t help myself I am so excited with all those New features in Aperture 3... this includes the long missing but now included Curves and Chromatic Aberration Filters. ...I am itching to give Aperture 3 a real test drive in the field throwing around thousands of images, add some Video from my Nikon D300s, utilizing the 64 Bit from Snow Leopard and all those other new editing features, well what more can I ask for. ...BTW...now our Underwater Photographer going to love the new Curves Tool and Chromatic Aberration Filters, (and not only our Underwater Photographers) I just hope they had the patience and waited for the all NEW Aperture 3 and if not they might have to switch back to Aperture now. ...Linear mode is best when dealing with extended range data and highlights, while Gamma-Corrected mode can be especially helpful when working with shadows. ...Because the Curves tool supports the “extended range” data sometimes available in RAW images, you can set the Range control in Curves to Extended in order to see the “out of range” highlight data that you may be able to recover.

Aperture 3 Let the multi media show begin... plus all the other NEW features

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-09T23:26:06+08:00

Let the multi- media show begin...with Aperture 3 amazing new features including incorporating your video from your DSLR for more details check out the new and updated Aperture 3 website. ...If you’re moving from iPhoto ’09, the slideshows you created with themes such as Snapshot and Shatter are preserved in all their brilliance. ...If your camera records video, you can import it into your library along with your stills and include it in your slideshow. ...If you’re including video in your slideshow, you can add the audio from the video, too. ...When using the Classic and Ken Burns themes, you can add titles anywhere in the slideshow in your choice of font, size, and style.

Breaking News! Aperture & Photography, Apple just announced Aperture 3 the first details...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-09T21:48:48+08:00

It is finally here Aperture 3, Apple has just announced today Aperture 3, now I am going to be in for some serious test driving shortly, stay tuned for more info as they become available. ...But there is so much more...just incredible and if you’re a Mac user then this is it...if you’re not, then you might think about switching now. ...As I have said many time before, all good things take time and when Apple comes up with something they do it real well…like in Photography patience! In the next few weeks I am going to be busy running around in India and Kathmandu but at the same time I have to do some real test driving with Aperture 3. ...Videos can be imported, edited (using trimming features like found on the iPhone) and exported, and they can be used in the newly updated Slideshow tool (which we’ll talk about below).

Photography & Mac, iPhoto Slideshow & Aperture at Power Mac Center TriNoma, Manila Philippines

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-08T15:20:21+08:00

Please join me at Power Mac Center TriNoma on February 15, 2010 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm “Tell Your Story through Photos” - iPhoto Slideshow & Aperture plus a lot more...basic photo management and photo slideshow tools on your Mac. ...REGISTER NOW AND DISCOVER THE MACINTOSH ADVANTAGE! Contact training@ powermaccenter.com • tutorial@powermaccenter.com • 0918-2680603 • 0922 8481577 ...Please check out also the latest updates on the

NEWS PRESS RELEASE: IMAGES WITHOUT BORDERS, international Photographers helping Doctors Without Borders in Haiti

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-04T13:21:50+08:00

I have just received this Press Release, I am proud to be part of Images without Borders, extending our help for the people in Haiti. ...One hundred and twenty five professional photographers from seven countries have sent their finest images for sale to Images Without Borders, including Peter Carey, Tomas Van Houtryve, Martin Vargas, Jeffrey Lynch, Scott Wood, Julie Dermansky, George Long, Kit Wohl, Gunther Deichmann, and Ian Talbot. ...“While Images Without Borders was born from the recent earthquake in Haiti, it offers a new and channel for artists and art lovers to make contributions over the long term.” ...Images Without Borders sells gallery-quality prints from images donated by world-class photographers, with all sales proceeds (minus the printing costs) going directly to Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in support of their work. ...Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. www.doctorswithoutborders.net

Photography & Aperture 2: Tips,Tricks & techniques, "pushing" your Monochrome Mixer & Color sliders.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-02-03T15:08:20+08:00

I shoot color, seldom B&W with the odd exception or when it is requested by a client, I am also not a friend of any type of manipulation but for commercial and advertising work I sometimes have to follow the clients need. ...Making simple adjustments using the Monochrome Mixer in Aperture 2, but this time we take it a step further; I just love the Monochrome Mixer in Aperture 2 creating on the fly some nice Black and White images and reducing the color in others using the color slider. ...Large red square; here you find all your adjustments you need for creating nice B&W images, you can make some basic adjustments with another drop down menu that gives you a good selection of traditional B&W filters. ...Since this was a commercial shoot and the client requested some B&W’s I edited them all in Aperture 2 and tweaked them a little more then I normally would do. ...Removing saturation: The image with the glass and lemon I did not convert using the Monochrome Mixer, I used the Color slider in the Adjustment panel and moved all of them to the left (minus -) in the saturation, except for the yellow one, this one I increased to approx. 50 (plus +) in the saturation.

Light is photography... photography is light, interesting & unusual Photos from my last trip.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-31T18:12:41+08:00

When the light is just right... ...Before leaving for India and Nepal in February I like to share with you some simple but unusual Photos from my last Journey, no other explanation is needed judge for yourself...is it a setup or have they been manipulated later? For those of you who are interested I am happy to post an explanation on my Blog prior my departure to India. © Gunther Deichmann - The Palm Leaf - Jan. ...Check out also the latest GD PhotoWorkshop Calendar updates, only posted yesterday with the latest dates, Workshops/Seminars at the Power Mac Center in Manila & some new international destinations for 2010 & 2011.

Photography & Environment: Hot & Sour Coca Cola with a touch of Petrol. Recycling Plastic?

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-30T15:04:22+08:00

I guess it is recycling...sort off... our plastic by-products at least for the Bottles, but when it comes to the sheer number of plastic bags then we are way behind the disposal. During my Travel I come across a lot of weird and crazy things, like in Cambodia where they use Plastic Bottles for Gasoline along the country road (see the photo below) a favorite image from my Facebook Friend Steve Galano, it was actually Steve who requested some more of these type of images. ...Here you go Steve as promised; on my way home the other day from Batangas in the Philippines I spotted these Coca Cola Bottles along the road containing some with Vinegar others with Vinegar and Chili, what amazed me the Coca Cola labels where in perfect condition and made me think... I am sure after all the Coca Cola had gone they must have cleaned these Bottles before re-using them for what ever concoction they had in mind. ...Or lets take all those plastic bags which get thrown overboard by ships only to be found later in stomachs of dead Turtles which they mistakenly took for their natural food, the jelly fish...and not only Turtles!

Photography: "Blues Night" messing up the Bar on our first evening...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-27T22:08:32+08:00

It was on our first night at Buri Resort in Puerto Galera, everybody had gone to sleep with the exception of the Bartender... it was way to early for me to do the same so I decided to have a couple of Beers with my buddy Arj and listening to some cool Blues from my MacBook Pro. A few moments later while looking at the ceiling I jumped up and started to unpack my cameras, the rest of the evening...well, you see on this Blog. ...No image manipulation of any kind, using only the Nikon D700 with a 24 to120 mm VR lens at ISO 400 straight shots with only a little adjustments in Aperture 2. ...In the coming days I post some more very interesting and unusual Photos from my last Journey. So, if you into Blues then turn up the volume, sit back, have a drink and check out the images.

Photography: Three days on the Beach with Aperture 2 & great Light in the sky.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-26T21:25:28+08:00

Direct from the Beach... thanks to a good internet connection at Buri Resort and Spa; the weather has been great particular very early in the morning and in the afternoon. ...More interesting images will follow shortly but today I like to share with you some scenes in the afternoon taken over the past three days all taken from the same location but with amazing color changes everyday. Edited a few minutes ago with Aperture 2 on my MacBook Pro applying only minor adjustments, very quick and easy right in front of the beach. ...The cool part is, by the time I get back home I am almost done with all my editing (2000 images in three days) and concentrate on my next Journey. ...Now I am going to have a couple of beers under the stars with my buddy Arnold before going to bed.

Support Images without Borders, Photographers helping Haiti with contributions of their Images

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-23T18:22:49+08:00

I am happy to announce to be part of the Images without Borders making photos available for sale and raising money for the Earth Quake victims in Haiti, for the substantial and ongoing donation to Doctors without Borders. Soon you find some of my Images on their site which is sponsored by PhotoShelter and others. Thanks for the opportunity to be part of Images without Borders. ...Excerpts from the Blog Post Images without Borders below. Thanks to the contributions of nearly 100 fine photographers from around the world and the donations from Photoshelter, Bay Photo Lab, and Adorama Pix, we are able to make these fine art prints available to the public for a very low cost...read more @ http://imageswithoutborders.blogspot.com/

Photography: Painted skies & oceans the Colors of Micronesia, adventure travel with your Digital Camera.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-20T13:07:20+08:00

A dramatic sunset in the Pacific, the Image above taken between Chuuk (Truk Lagoon) and Pohnpei in Micronesia. ...Together, the FSM comprises approximately 607 small islands in the Western Pacific spread over almost 1,700 miles (2,700 km) from east to west just above the equator some 2,500 miles (4,000 km) southwest of Hawaii and about 1,800 miles (2,900 km) north of eastern Australia, above Papua New Guinea. ...Chuuk or better known amongst the Scuba Diving community as Truk Lagoon is a must for Divers who like to explore the amazing WWII wrecks in this Lagoon. ...Palau is also know as one of the best Dive destinations in the world, diving highlights include Blue Corner and the Blue Hole, plus so many others. In 2009 Palau became also the first Shark Sanctuary in the World, one of Natures best kept secret with its amazing bio diversity below and above the waves.

Combining Photos & Video using the Leica D-Lux 4 with “A little Help from my Little Friends”

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-19T15:10:23+08:00

If you ever pass through Manila then you should check out the Hobbit House (Lord of the Rings) in Malate, founded in 1973 by Expat Jim Turner, a fun and very entertaining place with good music, food and cold beers. ...Some very special, fun loving people run this establishment, the “Little People” with their big hearts, great smiles and cool sense of humor. ...I thought… lets try out the video function on the Leica, and see what I can come up with… no tripod using only available light…oh boy it was dark. ...Nothing special, just a fun video with the help of my little friends. ...So, there you have it, never leave home without a camera, try to shoot and experiment just for fun sometimes.

Messing around with new software, GarageBand & the Nikon D300s mixing Images & Video for presentations.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-14T19:26:58+08:00

During my last trip in Cambodia I used the new Nikon D300s a lot (I might add for the first time) but had very little time to test the Video function on the D300s (a lot more when I get back from Nepal/India in March) All image editing was done with Aperture 2.1.4 and the video was very quickly edited using the new Quick Time on Snow Leopard which is fast and so easy to use. I managed to get a bit of Video footage, nothing special but easily applied in a presentation like this. ...In due time and when I get back from India I put up a nice mix with stills and Video. Having the ability now to create presentations where we can use stills and video combined is just so nice and cool.

Photography: A Never Ending Story & Times have changed, updates & PhotoShelter plus a letter from a publisher

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-11T22:35:31+08:00

I received the news from Tony while working on my new GD Photo Workshop site, uploaded yesterday new images into my Agency archives and today finished with more make up on the GD Photo Workshop site (it never stops) plus uploaded some 200 new Photos to my PhotoShelter Archives. ...A lot of work done in a relative short time, but it needs to be done, how good are your images if you only have them parked on your Hard drives. ...But sometimes I sit back and think about the old days; the horror of labeling slides, storing and editing, and sending them via FedEx or DHL to Agencies was a real pain and expensive! ...Now back to Tony, my inspiration for this article; Tony just received his new jazzed up MacBook Pro and was beaming with sheer joy, I wont go into tech details now but we both came to the same conclusion…”It is a Never Ending Story” Yes there is a need to upgrade your Computer otherwise you can’t keep up with the huge file size and Videos, but a very good MacBook Pro is a lot cheaper than some of those Cameras, Tony made the right decision and upgraded his system after many years, it was time.

Travel Photography: Sneak Preview Cambodia, December 2009 Photo Gallery updated on my Blog

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-10T22:19:22+08:00

In September 2009 we had our very cool and humoring GD Photo Workshop in Siem Reap and then in December I had to return to finish a few projects on my own, namely the very soon to be launched Heritage Suites Hotel and Heritage Adventures websites. ...During my last trip in December 2009 I did spend more time at the Hotel then shooting but I guess that’s life and work, however I had to show my good friend and webmaster Arnold around a bit since it was his very first trip to Cambodia, plus I had to finish a couple other things deep in the Jungle. ...What I like about Cambodia so much, no matter how often I go back, say for example Angkor Wat I always find and discover new things or the light is just in my favor like on the day I took Arnold for the first time to Angkor in the afternoon. ...Due to unavailability of flights from Siem Reap (sort off lucky for us) we chose to drive from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, a town I know only to well, again we only had two days but since I know my way around it was easy to get to the right places at the right time. ...Thanks to Aperture 2, editing was fast and smooth, plus I have finished all my tagging, key wording etc., uploaded all the latest images into Archives from my Agencies and in a few days everything will also be on my PhotoShelter Archives and Galleries.

Announcement: Travel Adventure with your Digital Camera...New look for GD Photo Workshop site,

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-06T17:59:14+08:00

Thanks to my good friend and web guru Arnold for hanging in there with me until the early hours in the morning. ...Now directly wired to my Blog (press the button GD Photo Workshops) plus on my main site, nicely integrated, ha, ha how I love this word and YES it was all done on a MacBook Pro. ...This one is easier to update and has already all the PhotoWorkshop dates for 2010, India being the first, starting in February and the participants getting very excited already. A lot of rambling the other day on tech issues, so I keep this one brief plus I have to catch up with some more sleep, so I am not sure on that one either since my good Buddy Dirk from the Dugong Dive Center in Palawan is on the way to me. Take a moment and check out the NEW site and if you feel up to it join me on one of my Photo Workshops in 2010 or 2011.

Aperture 2.1.4 Tip: Sluggish? Perform a Consistency & Rebuild, plus using Nikon D300s & Aperture 2

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-04T18:10:41+08:00

As a matter of fact I was in Cambodia at the time when the update arrived...installed it and imported all my RAW photos from the Nikon D300s without any problems, about 2000 plus of them, including some Video files and Aperture 2.1.4 ask me where to store them too. ...I have mention the word Patience in my post from the 24th of December...see below some excerpts from the article, we see more new Camera models in 2010 and if we like it or not they will require some more powerful computers to cope with the ever increase in MB per image. ...As a serious Photographer I don’t like to test things, I like them to work…don’t forget who came out first with the almost perfect Digital Photography workflow…Aperture was way ahead and made things possible which had been very difficult before and could only achieved with Photoshop then. Patience…all real GOOD things take Time and I am sure Apple will come up with something soon enough…they have always done so in the past, maybe a bit slower but for sure it will be awesome and no need for Beta testing. ...This works well if you have a lot of projects and images, however you have to have a bit of patience running the Rebuilding or Consistency Check as this could take some time, it all depends on the size of your Library.

GD Photo Workshops 2010 adventure travel with your Camera... Journey Through Color & Time.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2010-01-03T16:54:59+08:00

For those of you who live in Manila I am also conducting regular Seminars and Photography related Workshops on Aperture 2, iLife and Pages at Power Mac Center in TriNoma and Greenbelt 3 Makati. (please contact the Power Mac Center for schedules and details) ...Other Photo Workshops been finalized for Palau in Micronesia (Natures best kept secret) an amazing Journey into Myanmar/Burma, Laos and of course once again one of our favorite destination Cambodia later in the year. ...On most days, we will be learning exposure and capture techniques with our digital cameras in the morning & afternoons then using Adobe Photoshop and Aperture for exploring the digital imaging workflow at lunchtimes and in the evenings. ...Students will be pushed to photograph not only scenes and environments, but also the people and life for example in Siam Reap and Angkor Wat, Cambodia or India. ...He will review and critique your portfolio, and works-in-process, discuss careers, getting published and give you an idea of where you are, and what to do next to become better, but most important you will learn how to see things in a different light.

Photography: Toothless Smiles & Color … young & old happy faces from my Journeys, what ever happen to the Tooth Fairy?

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-12-28T22:32:41+08:00

Happy without or only a few teeth…people I have encountered from the high Plateau in Tibet, to the markets and temples of Bali and to the Banks of the Mekong River in Cambodia. ...No Camera and Tech talk today…2009 was packed already and I am sure we see a lot more of it in 2010...besides Christmas shopping is over, well at least for most of us. ...Today I like to take the opportunity and express my gratitude and sincere thanks to all those people who made my Journeys save and filled my heart with laughter and even sadness at times. ...Have a great and fantastic 2010… take care of our precious environment and if you get the chance…even the slightest… don’t forget to laugh with or without teeth! ...A very happy New Year - prost Neujahr - bonne année - onnellista uutta vuotta - gelukkig Nieuwjaar - ath bhliain faoi mhaise - selamat tahun baru - godt nytt år - szczliwego nowego roku - feliz ano novo - gott nytt år manigong bagong taon - sawatdii pimaï - kung hé fat tsoi - xin nian kuai le / xin nian hao - godt nytår - eutichismenos o kainourgios chronos - felice anno nuovo, buon anno - S novim godom - sreno novo leto - Cung Chúc Tân Xuân

iLife - Aperture 2 - Tips, Tricks and Techniques... be a Professional Photographer this Holiday Season.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-12-26T13:23:32+08:00

Power Mac Center TriNoma presents... ...Be a Professional Photographer this Holiday Season... presented by Power Mac Center TriNoma ...A one hour special on iLife - Aperture 2 - Tips, Tricks and Techniques by Gunther Deichmann. Power Mac Center TriNoma, 30th of December from 5:00 to 6:00 PM For questions and special requests, you can call 729-7087 or 88, or email us at training@powermaccenter.com

Photography: Cambodia round up…one day in Phnom Penh… Aperture 2 comments & where to next…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-12-24T20:49:19+08:00

A lot of changes have taken place in Phnom Penh since my first visit in 1992 and again in 2005, I have been spending more time these past few years in the Siem Reap area. ...A must on any ones list if you visit Phnom Penh, great food, cold Beer and a cool atmosphere, this time around they had a great Gallery of Photos from my famous Rock stars on the walls; Garry Moore, Chrissie Hynde's from the Pretenders, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, Pat Garrett from Midnight Oil, Rolling Stones and just about everybody else from the good old days… plus a cool Blues/Jazz Band was playing on our first evening in Phnom Penh. But you also find walls covered with Photos from the Vietnam War and the horrific reign of the Pol Pot Regime, some disturbing images but it is the reality from the past or even now in the streets of Phnom Penh where you see people with out their limbs. ...As a serious Photographer I don’t like to test things, I like them to work…don’t forget who came out first with the almost perfect Digital Photography workflow…Aperture was way ahead and made things possible which had been very difficult before and could only achieved with Photoshop. ...Patience…all real GOOD things take Time and I am sure Apple will come up with something soon enough…they have always done so in the past, maybe a bit slower but for sure it will be awesome and no need for Beta testing.

Season Greetings... a sincere THANK YOU to all my friends & supporters

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-12-24T16:09:51+08:00

Season Greetings! It is this time of the Year again...a sincere and special THANK YOU To all my friends and supporters, have a great time and take good care.

Travel Photography: Another amazing Cambodian Journey is coming to an End & Aperture 2 Software update just in time for my Nikon D300s RAW files.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-12-19T00:12:46+08:00

As for me, I am leaving tomorrow Siem Reap for Phnom Penh and after a few days back to Manila just in time to spend Christmas with my family. ...PS. according to him my Eye sight is still Ok... hmmm and since his wife is also a Medical Doctor my Blood Pressure is fine too...must be the good wine at the Heritage Suite Hotel. ...Our stay at the Heritage Suite Hotel (Arnold my Web Guru and myself) was as great than ever, with the superb company of the Management and staff, in particular the GM Varona and Jam from Marketing, not to mention the ever so entertaining Didier from the Heritage Adventures. ...Can you imaging how happy I was when Apple announced a few Days ago the RAW file update for Aperture 2, which of course included the Nikon D300s just in time for my test drive in Cambodia. ...Sorry I have to keep this Blog post brief today, need to pack my things yet and I rather let the images speak…a lot more photos will follow but due to some pending publications I can’t share them at this time.

Travel Photography: Straight out of the Box & into the Jungle the Nikon D300s plus the new 50mm f:1.4 G Lens…test-drive in Cambodia.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-12-15T23:31:58+08:00

The D300s is the replacement unit for my water damaged D2x…remember the Rice Paddy incident in September…thanks to Nikon Singapore for providing me an excellent deal and rescuing my totally water drenched 180 2.8 mm lens. ...The first time I used the Camera was at Phnom Kulen shooting some rare red Bananas, yes you have heard right, RED Bananas, supposedly only found in the Jungles of Phnom Kulen. It was here that I used also the new 50mm f:1.4 G lens for the first time, I am truly impressed with excellent image quality even at f:1.4 wide open with superb color rendition. ...After the red Bananas I shot some Butterflies at the Phnom Kulen Waterfall and then we went deeper into Jungle to a very special Cave only using the D300s with a mix of Lenses... fighting darkness, water dripping from the ceiling and Bat shit. ...I have another super early start tomorrow, so I finish now with my first verdict that the D300s is an outstanding Camera and with the 50mm f: 1.4 G Lens just awesome.

Travel Photography: Hidden places…Adventure in Cambodia with a touch of Class…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-12-10T08:50:18+08:00

Crazy me got up this morning at 4AM don’t ask me why since I had no Photography planned for the day but that is going to change very soon. ...I keep today’s Blog brief, as a matter of fact it is just to say hi from the Heritage Suite Hotel in Siem Reap my quarters for the next ten days. ...Finishing what I missed on my last trip plus there is some additional work to be done for the Heritage Adventures and Heritage Suite Hotel. ...Oh before I forget, the Wi-Fi connections is just out of this world at the Heritage, excellent reception in all rooms now or you can relax at the poolside for some early morning surfing and listening to the native birds tweeting. OK., that’s it for this morning, a lot more in the coming days, you just have to stay tuned or subscribe to my RSS feed.

Travel Photography & a lot more; next week from the Heritage Suite Hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia, plus testing the new Nikon D300s in the field.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-12-02T22:20:59+08:00

Thanks again to Arjun Shroff from Shroff International Travel who has taken care of all my last minute travel arrangements, he really performed some magic to get me onto some of the flights. ...However I do give the Ox Cart a miss this time, don’t like to loose another Camera, you might remember from one of my previous Blog post when I lost my Nikon D2x in the rice paddy. ...After our Photo Workshop in India I have another very big and exciting surprise but that one has to wait too… yes I know, my suspense again, sorry about that. ...Going through the equipment check now and have to pack my bags by Friday, from the 8th of December I try to update my Blog at least every two days from the Heritage Suite Hotel direct from Siem Reap, and of course the latest news from the Heritage Adventures as well. In between all of this I have some Aperture 2, iLife and iWork Seminars and Workshops at the Power Mac Center in Manila, for sure a very busy but exciting start for 2010.

Busy time ahead for Sam’s Tours Digital Photo Center... the Kids have arrived!

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-11-27T00:06:23+08:00

It is buzzing with Kids and adults at Sam’s Tours in Palau THE PALAU KIDS SEA CAMP has started...fun and education for Children another first for Palau and Sam’s Tours. ...Sam's Tours Digital Photography Center is fully equipped to cater to digital photographers of all interest levels from those with handy “point-and-shoot” cameras to the most demanding digital photographers shooting in RAW format. Our six top of the line Apple iMac workstations are loaded with terabytes and terabytes of storage, archiving and secure data back up systems, lots of RAM, and completely optimized for digital imaging with Apple Aperture image management software, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Bridge, Toast, and topped off with DSL Wi-Fi internet access. ...Our rental equipment includes the latest Canon Powershot SD850 digital cameras and Canon ZR830 mini digital video cameras complete with underwater housings, large storage media, plenty of additional batteries, and full service support from our professionally trained Photo Center staff. ...Other Photo Center amenities include a padded and dry camera prep table, battery charging stations, 110V and 220V electrical supply, separate camera rinse tanks, camera drying station equipped with towels and compressed air, and secure storage for your housings, equipment cases and other accessories.

Travel Photography: Going back in Time prior Digital & Photoshop, plus updated PhotoShelter Galleries with Cambodia & India.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-11-23T20:55:56+08:00

It is nice sometimes when you go back in Time, looking at images you created without a Digital Camera and the use of Photoshop, remembering the good old days... ...The other day I went through my archives and came across one of those images, taken in Phnom Penh in 1992, Pol Pot was still hiding somewhere in the Jungle near Phnom Kulen near Siem Reap. Memories starting to flash in front of my eyes...the "Wild West" days of Cambodia...bad memories carved into the faces of Cambodians... the Killing Fields still fresh in their mind... a time I will never forget. ...I have also updated my PhotoShelter Gallery on India with some new edits and have added a NEW Gallery from my recent trip to Cambodia. ...There is also one more Gallery from Cambodia but this one is password protect due to a pending article, don’t worry I open this one in due time, I guess it is my suspense again.

Cool companion for your iPhone, iPod or your Mac, the X-mini a speaker system for your travel.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-11-18T21:14:53+08:00

This one fits in your pocket and I use it on my iPhone to show clients and friends presentations or videos, lets be honest a presentation with good sound/music is so much nicer and you don't have to pass the earphone around anymore. Don’t know yet its availability outside Asia, but you can get it for about US$ 34.00 at Power Mac Center in Manila and of course in Singapore where it is manufactured. I was amazed by the output, a perfect companion when you travel or like to listen to your favorite music in your Hotel Room. Another cool feature…you can hook up more than one unit and fill the room with your favorite music from your iPhone or iPod I am thinking to try out the X-mini on my next flight inside the aircraft… but on second thoughts I better not, they might throw me off the plane for playing my music to loud.

GD Photo Workshop: Journey through Incredible India in 2010 final dates and information

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-11-15T21:17:33+08:00

We are currently working on the final Itinerary however our PhotoWorkshop will coincide with one of the most important Festivals in India...lets celebrate "Holi" and the Elephant festival in Jaipur Rajasthan at the same time. New Delhi and Agra with its magnificent Taj Mahal is also part of our itinerary, more information will be available very soon. ...The Workshop is filling up fast, as of today we only have three (3) vacancies left, bookings are only on a first come basis and have to be confirmed by no later than January 10, 2010. I hope you understand that due to the complexity and logistics of this workshop we can't except anymore bookings after January 10. ...Please stay tuned for more details and info soon on this Blog or you can contact me direct.

Journey Through Color & Sounds…India ”cooking” with Aperture 2, GarageBand, iPhone & FotoMagico 3 Pro

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-11-13T19:45:10+08:00

Just follow these simple steps…after editing the images in Aperture 2 make sure you filed them in their Albums or Smart Albums for easy access in FotoMagico later via the nice build in Media Browser. ...Of course you have also access the same way to your iTunes Libraries, GarageBand and Videos, yes videos… with FotoMagico 3 Pro you can also include your film clips and mix them up with your still images. ...Once you happy with the flow of your images open the Media Browser again and pick your Music, select the track you like and drag it on the audio time line. ...Options for voice over and additional audio tracks are available, but we keep it simple today…I created the basic Journey Through Colors & Sound slideshow in about an hour of course not including the editing in Aperture 2 and mixing the audio in GarageBand. ...If you export direct to YouTube like in my case, make sure you have an account or create one before, the rest is fully automatic but could take some time depending on the lengths of your show and of course your connection speed.

Travel Photography: Rare visit to Bantey Ampoeu, Cambodia during the Monsoon season, Website changes & a little Aperture 2.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-11-09T15:40:19+08:00

I decided the other day to change the intro page on my main web gallery…for how long I don’t know, lets see. ...Now to Bantey Ampoeu, a remote Khmer temple hidden in the Jungle and a great example of natures power if left alone. ...Bantey Ampoeu is certainly off the tourist track and during the Monsoon can be reached only by Ox Cart… a one and half hour journey through Rice Fields and Jungle. ...Difficult to get there in the rainy season but the colors and vegetation in the late afternoon make it a very rewarding journey, as long you don’t mind the Leeches and getting into "Muddy Waters". Thanks to Didier from the Heritage Adventures who took me to Bantey Ampoeu during the worst…but for me the best time of the year.

Behind the scene...Giggles, a little fun from Cambodia using Aperture 2, GarageBand & FotoMagico.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-11-04T21:15:35+08:00

Wake up early in the Morning... came about that all our excursions started around 4 to 5 AM everyday and the Giggles where part of our daily routine... just a fun and great group. The Soundtrack was entirely produced in GarageBand and since we had so much fun I just couldn't help myself in getting this one out...of course I had to add some Giggles... ...I have mention FotoMagico a few times in my previous Blog post's, but the latest FotoMagico 3 Version 3.0.8 is so cool and for those of you who are not familiar with it I can highly recommend it. ...An excellent software easy to use with superb quality, you have all the settings you ever going to need for producing high end slide shows/presentations (including HDTV) or export it to the web. You can add sound, text plus some cool transitions at your finger tips, great integration on the Mac with access to your

Photography: "Eyes - like light, without it we can't see." a magic moment in Cambodia.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-10-30T21:18:52+08:00

© Gunther Deichmann - the magic of natural light, ...To finish the month of October, I decided today to share this Photograph with you . The Image above is from my last trip to Cambodia...remember I mention in one of my previous posts that I keep you in suspense, well here is one of them, others will follow... and more suspense again. No more words needed now...enjoy natures gift to us... called light! "Eyes-like light, without it we can't see."

Photography & iPhone…Tips on cool applications, not only for Travel, Underwater & general Photography.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-10-28T21:39:20+08:00

If you’re an iPhone 3G or 3Gs user and you’re a Photographer, Diver, Underwater Photographer or you just like to watch the Sunset with your girlfriend in your arms then these cool applications could come in very handy, provided you have your "hand’s free..." ...Lets use Cambodia and India as an example; upon arrival how many times have you asked at your Hotel or the locals what time is sunset or sunrise, only to be told…oh about 5:00 AM is sunrise and sunset is around about… 5:30PM, hmmm… it is always about or something like that… Very seldom you get an accurate answer, I like to know the exact time… if not you could miss a great shot, even more so if you have to travel to your final destination where you like to be for those early morning or late afternoon shots. ...In other words you can plan your trip in such a way that you can be certain that you will be on a specific location in time for this magic Moonrise with your girlfriend, Camera or just waiting for the Werewolf…check out the website for a full explanation and info at: ...The one which really stands out is fairly new and called Dimensions from pocketDEMO fantastic and super cool…I could describe this one for ever but instead have posted the LINK so you can check it out, I have tested it and fell in love with it, a must for US$ 1.99 some useful devices for Photography and many other uses in this amazing iPhone application toolbox.

Tips, tricks & techniques: Few seldom mentioned features on Snow Leopard.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-10-26T22:47:04+08:00

Say for example you done your cleanup and deleted hundreds of documents, all of them in the Trash, just to make sure you open the Trash and check for a last time before you empty it, just in case, we don’t want to delete anything we might need or we dumped by mistake. In Snow Leopard you open the Trash located at the Dock, ones the folder is open check your files and the ones you like to keep or have thrown out by mistake you just highlight those, then you go to File scroll down and you see Put Back click on it and your files go back where they came from in the first place. ...For those new to Leopard and now Snow Leopard: Quick Look is a super cool feature but did you know once you clicked on it, (you can use the right mouse button to get to it or go to File) it not only shows you the document but you can do a lot more without open the actually software, Acrobat Reader in this case since I used a pdf file. ...ok nothing new…but it is to big, you like to see a few more pages then just hit – (minus button on the keyboard) and it gets smaller every time you hit it to the size you comfortable with, nice if you use another keyboard. ...Another cool addition on all new Mac’s is the Expose button also called Show all Windows, this one is located on your keyboard (F3) have a go at it open multiple windows and click on F3 real nice and so convenient.

Palawan & beyond...Power Mac Center presents GD Photo Workshop at Club Paradise

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-10-24T15:51:50+08:00

You are cordially invited to a 4 nights 5 days exclusive Photo Workshop at Club Paradise Palawan with Gunther Deichmann, international multi-awarded travel photographer and Apple Pro Certified Aperture Trainer. Registration fees includes airfare and accommodation from Manila to Club Paradise Palawan, all meals (full Board) and full hands on with Aperture 2. ...Please book early this Workshop is for a limited number of participants only! ...For more information and a recent Video on Club Paradise check out the links below: The Underwater Channel filmed at Club Paradise and Dugong Dive Center. a very cool Video from this dream destination in Palawan, Philippines. http://www.theunderwaterchannel.tv/clipinfo/4003142

Photography: Rumors & Suspense new products…last week has been very hectic on the Net with new DSLR's, Software & Apple products.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-10-24T00:23:28+08:00

Technology is progressing at blazing speed… and there is nothing wrong with that, but we should also spend some quality time and money on education, or we forget the real art of Photography soon, becoming a slave of “Photoshopmania”… etc. ...I have to admit Aperture 1 was a bit tough to work with, but since Aperture 2 everything is just perfect and lets not forget that Aperture 1 was the Pioneer in the new workflow for Photographers and not only in digital…I have mixed both digital and scanned images to produce my Book in Aperture 1 Plus you can’t beat the integration on the Mac with Aperture 2… it is just awesome. OK maybe I am also a bit biased like David Schloss from Mac Create and the Aperture User Network who has just written this very cool and interesting article; see below excerpts and the Link to the complete article. ...For me patience is one of the most important aspects in good photography… lets see and wait when Apple announces a new upgrade to Aperture 2, I am happy with anything they come up with. I have the patience… I can wait, no problems, but now I have to do some more work in Aperture 2... just like David.

Photography Workflow: Tips, Tricks & Techniques cool plug in for Aperture 2, plus a nice feedback from our recent Photo Workshop.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-10-16T12:54:02+08:00

And for those who have missed it from one of my earlier Blogs I like to re-introduce a very cool Aperture 2 plug in BurnToDisc 2 by Blue Room Software, one of the most useful plug-ins for Aperture 2., for me that is. ...I been using BurnToDisc for a long time and can highly recommended this plug in for Aperture 2.1.4 just fantastic when you're on the road or your Agencies screaming for images! ...I had already created a Smart folder with a selection of Photos, now I narrowed it down even further and selected the ones which had been requested, selecting them one by one by holding down the Apple (Command key), after my selection I open BurnToDisc. ...Again, no need to open another software this is direct from within Aperture 2, BurnToDisc has many different options to choose from, even burning multiple Discs, it will show you also how much space you have or is available on your Disc once you have selected your images and open the plug-in. The nice part is when burning versions to a Disc you can chose within the program which file format you would like to use, in my case I needed them in tiff at 8 bits.

Travel Photography: Small Taste of the Latest from Cambodia... a Gallery with few NEW Photographs.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-10-12T19:41:53+08:00

First of all…my apologies if you experienced some problems with the latest Blog post, we had some major interruption and technical glitches on the Internet during uploading of the most recent post and images. ...Today I like to share with you some images from these few days before and the ones I managed to sneak in during our Workshop...when I had the chance. Thanks to Aperture 2 my editing (the only software) is just about done but now I have to start the painful job in uploading high res. files to my agency archives in Europe. I also stayed a few extra days after the workshop to work on a particular project, but those Images I can’t post yet due to a variety of reasons... ...Once we have everything in place I defiantly share with you some rare and amazing images, but for now…the ones from today have to do.

Late NEWS: We have encountered some major Internet problems, sorry for the inconvinience

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-10-12T11:54:53+08:00

My apologies if you experienced some problems with the latest Blog post, we had some major interruption on the Internet during uploading Sorry for the inconvenience. Back to normal shortly!!! We re-post asap. GD

Photographs in between during the GD Photo Workshop in Cambodia... just a leaf & the window plus another testimonial.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-10-09T23:22:53+08:00

The past few days I have been busy with editing and compiling an article, hence the reason for being so quiet, plus I have to admit that I have a slight hangover from last night. ...Of course good old Luis had prepared a great meal, fantastic food and some good red wine, actually the wine was so good that I ended up indulging myself more then it was good for me today, anyway we had a great evening talking shop. ...A few days ago our "Cowgirl" Jamie send me this fantastic testimonial from our Photo Workshop, after reading it I had watery eyes, thank you so much Jamie not only for what you wrote but also for your kindness and great friendship. ...Now a GD Photo Workshop announcement; the bookings for our Indian Photo Workshop are open, this one we have to start early with our bookings the exact dates and Itinerary will be finalized shortly but it is in early March 2010. ...If you have not done so, check out the photos The Students work just click this LINK and the fun images Behind the Scene or go above to the Menu bar.

Photographs by the Students from the GD Photo Workshop, Angkor Wat & beyond... plus the first testimonials.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-10-05T14:12:49+08:00

Check out these cool images & click this LINK or go to The Students work on the top bar, you can also click on the image above. ...Plus the Journey to some of the amazing places in Cambodia during our GD Photo Workshop "Angkor Wat & beyond... thank you all for being such a warm and happy group, you have been fantastic! ...Thank’s to Jamie from Jakarta, Indonesia, Joerg from Shanghai, China, Luis from Manila, Philippines, Richard from HongKong and Hubert also from Manila, Philippines for their participation in my PhotoWorkshop, Angkor Wat & beyond…you have been a fantastic Group, thank you very much for your kind words and friendship, miss you all. ...I am also grateful to the Management and staff from the Heritage Suite Hotel who made all of this possible with their smile and hard work, you made our stay just so fantastic, thank you from the bottom of my heart. A very, special mention goes to my good friend and long time Guide Savuth who was beside us all the time not only carrying some equipment but digging out the bogged 4X4 wheel drive at Mt.

Travel Photography: Muddy Waters with Aperture 2 & the Monochrome Mixer from our Photo Workshop in Cambodia.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-10-03T19:24:35+08:00

I choose today’s Images because of what is happen in Asia & the Pacific; Quake in Indonesia, the Tsunami in Samoa, the floods in the Philippines, Vietnam and now also in Cambodia…I just got word that Siem Reap also got affected badly by Typhhon KETSANA...mud and rain... flooded Countries. ...My thoughts go out to all those people who have suffered greatly during this trying times, this is NATURE and a stark reminder that we are at the mercy off it at times…no technology can prevent the fury of Nature. The Images on today’s Blog have been taken just outside the Ta Prohm Temple on a rainy and very wet morning during our recent Photo Workshop in Siem Reap Cambodia '09, I call it "Muddy Waters" I hope a welcome change from all those disturbing images from the past few days and days to come. ...Visiting Cambodia in the off season can be a challenge but it is also very rewarding, amazing shades of greens are found all over the temples and in the country side. ...In my next Blog post when the Internet connections have improved... remember we still have Typhoon PARMA hanging around, I post a New Gallery with six images from each participant from the Photo Workshop in Cambodia, it is there preferred choice from the trip, so please stay tuned.

Travel Photography: Photos from behind the scene in Cambodia, the incredible and very funny group

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-29T19:21:23+08:00

It has been an incredible week, just back from Cambodia and right into the floods and sadness of Manila, not to mention the World News from Palau on the Worlds first Shark Sanctuary. I have uploaded the behind the scene Photos from our recent Journey and Cambodian PhotoWorkshop adventure on this Blog. The best of six images from the participants will be uploaded also shortly but today it is behind the scenes, the funny part of our Photo Workshop. ...Many thanks to all my students, you have been an incredible Group, listening, learning but you also made me laugh non stop. ... It has been a great trip and hopefully I see some of you in India next year, details be announce soon on this Blog.

Hard Work does pay off; it was one man's dream, believing in one Goal that one day our Sharks can be protected & not only in Palau.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-28T22:59:29+08:00

Yes, President Johnson Toribiong from Palau made it now possible and it is a World first but there are so many others who deserve some credit too, hard at work and believing to make our planet a better one. ...Believing in something and taken it to the finishing line is not always easy, of course President Toribiong did the last sprint and announced the first Shark Sanctuary in the World at the United Nations in New York on the 25th of September 2009. ...My involvement with the Shark Sanctuary goes way back, as a matter of fact many moons ago, but that is not important now, what is important that this tiny Nation in the Pacific set an example for the rest of the World and I sincerely hope that others will follow. ...Congratulations again to the President of Palau and all those others who have worked so hard behind the scene in achieving this amazing Goal, I am proud of you all. ...The founder of Palau Shark Sanctuary, Dermot Keane, Managing Director of Palau dive shop Sam’s Tours, was on hand to greet the President and thanked him for declaring Palau a Shark Sanctuary.

Kaleidoscope of recent events…flooded streets, Palau World News & Snow Leopard with Aperture 2 from our Photo Workshop in Cambodia.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-26T15:42:48+08:00

It is raining Cat and Dogs in Manila, the worst I have seen in a very long time, then yesterday Palau in the Limelight with an extraordinary achievement declaring at the UN in New York the Worlds first Shark Sanctuary, a little update on Snow Leopard, Aperture 2.1.4 & slowly drifting back to my recent Photo Workshop in Cambodia. ...I just made it home last night…& now we lost power too...nice to have a Mac BookPro with a fully charged Battery and what better way to recap the past few days in a few sentences on today’s Blog, the only question is when do I get this post uploaded, your guess is as good then mine... ...I also notice that there is no more Software update via the Desktop, (Download Only) now you have to go direct into the system, which is fine, but if you have a slow connection or get interrupted that could cause a problem. ...Now back to Cambodia, my sincere thanks to all participants from my last Photo Workshop “Angkor Wat & beyond…” you have been a great group and made my job so much easier, thanks again to you all, I will remember the friendship we shared and for sure the non-stop giggles, thanks to you all I had a great time too. ...But one thing for sure, I was impressed with their images and dedication to Photography, they did an outstanding job not only in the field but after the shoot too using Aperture 2 for the workflow.

Palau says NO to Shark fins! World first in the protection of Sharks...Poachers watch out!

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-25T13:41:09+08:00

Palau President Johnson Toribiong has announced only a few hours ago at the UN in New York that Palau is the first WORLD SHARK SANCTUARY ! ...The tiny Nation of Palau has taken the first step... ...© Gunther Deichmann - Archive Image published as the Photo of the week in Stern Magazine and other world wide publication last year. ...My respect and congratulation to President Johnson Toribiong and the Government of Palau for taken this unprecedented step in the conservation of our endangered sharks. I sincerely hope that other Nation will follow and stop this cruel and inhumane killing of our Sharks, I am very proud to be associated with Palau and its conservation policies.

BREAKING NEWS! Palau President Toribiong has announced at the U.N. in New York that Palau is the first WORLD SHARK SANCTUARY !

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-25T11:34:51+08:00

We have to take a short break from Cambodia due to this fantastic Environmental NEWS from Palau, a world first towards the conservation and protection of Sharks. ...Palau President Toribiong has announced only a few hours ago at the UN in New York that Palau is the first WORLD SHARK SANCTUARY ! This is a milestone in the conservation and preservation of Sharks in Palau, setting an example for the rest of the World. ...Just been advised that Palau President Johnson Toribiong will announce in 30 minutes at the UN Conference in New York that Palau is the first WORLD SHARK SANCTUARY !!!!!!!!!!! ...These creatures are being slaughtered and are perhaps at the brink of extinction unless we take positive action to protect them," said President Toribiong.

The hazards of Travel Photography...the Camera bag in the Rice Paddy and bogged down in black mud... the last two days in Cambodia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-22T23:52:26+08:00

My last day in Cambodia was less eventful than the day before when my Camera bag dropped into the Rice Paddy from the Ox Cart, one Camera body and one lens has to go for a major repair Job to Nikon in Singapore. (I am glad I always bring a back up... second Camera boddy and lens)Today my last day...a little less exciting, we only got bogged with our 4X4 Wheel drive in black mud....ha, ha a slight reminder of my good old Australian Days in the outback. ...A very special thank you again to Didier Faraud from the Heritage Adventure who really went out of his way to show us some places where "almost" no man had gone before. As a matter of fact the minefields in this area had only been cleared last year, some very special images will follow once I am back in Manila. ...A robed monk was sitting at the computer screen in the shop, and GD was trying to get a shot of him sat paradoxically under a flat screen TV with a Jackie Chan movie flashing above him.

Words of Wisdom from one of my students from our Cambodia Photo Workshop Angkor Wat & beyond…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-20T23:25:40+08:00

Today’s Blog Post… for a change not written by me but by one of my cool Students Jamie; I only did the uploading … read below what she has to complain about … ...“Well I think I’m perfectly unsanitary enough, thank you very much,” I threw back bemusedly at him before laying down upon the 14th Century laterite stones of the incredible Preah Khan temple in Siem Reap. I was trying for yet another shot at my elusive subject, which happened to be an enormous silk cotton tree growing on the top of a 900 yr old temple in serious disrepair, and dirt was the last thing on my mind. ...Indeed GD had promised an intense 6 day, 5 night photography course in Cambodia, but he sure hadn’t warned us that learning was going to be so much fun. Our outdoor photography classroom included stunning ancient temple ruins, polychromatic floating villages, lush tropical jungles, waterfalls, caves, local food huts, bar counters, and last but not least the infamous ‘round table’ where all of us eagerly gathered for our highly animated photo editing sessions on Aperture 2.

Photo Workshop in the Cambodian Jungle…seldom visited places.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-19T21:45:01+08:00

We left the Heritage Suite Hotel at 4:30 AM yesterday…the last day of our Photo Workshop for Kulen to the river of a thousand Lingas and the Kulen Waterfall. ...But the highlight of the day was a very special trip in the afternoon deep into the Jungle to a seldom visited place that can only be reached by 4X4 wheel drive and then another hour on foot. A lot more images from this destination will follow in the coming weeks…believe me this place is absolutely amazing. I am still catching up with some sleep, long hours everyday the past week, but fun and very rewarding for all in the Group. ...As mentioned above some amazing images will follow later, but today I like to share with you Photos from the Participants in action during this trip in the Jungle.

Travel Photography the Tonle Sap, Cambodia, supported by Heritage Adventures & Hotel, the GD Photo Workshop

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-17T22:08:16+08:00

Due to some difficulties the past few days with our internet connection and early morning hour Photography trips I keep this Blog brief and rather let the images do the talking... ...We are into our fourth day and I am extremely impressed with the Images from my students, as a matter of fact they have really outdone themselves, not only in the field but everybody has reached a very good level and expertise on Aperture 2...the workflow after the shoot. Special thanks to Didier Faraud from the Heritage Adventure who is organizing some very special trips for us and of course the Management from the Heritage Suite Hotel in Siem Reap, who has provided us with and excellent service throughout the week. ...I the next couple of weeks I be reporting in more details from the whole trip and put up a special Gallery with images from all the Participants...today is only a small appetizer from this morning. ...Tomorrow is another 4:30 AM start, so I sign off now, but a lot more from Cambodia and our Photo Workshop soon.

Photo Workshop in Cambodia, the first report...direct from the Heritage Suite Hotel in Siem Reap

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-15T22:26:27+08:00

Sorry for the long silence but I did have some problems with the connection the past few days. ...My students took some amazing Photographs since the start of the workshop two days ago, a very cool selection will follow shortly. ...A great bunch and amazingly all using MacBooks Pro's with Aperture 2 loaded except for on using Lightroom on his Mac. Tomorrow we start at 4:45 for our sunrise session, but this time not at Angkor Wat, I keep you in suspense again, the Heritage Suite Hotel Management has organized are real cool trip. Hence the reason I have to keep it very brief now, need some sleep and a good rest.

Photography: Never leave home with out a Camera…small or big, you never know.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-06T21:13:58+08:00

This is my last Blog post from Manila for a while; I am leaving in a few days for Siem Reap in Cambodia. ...But now I like to share with you two more interesting Photographs that I took one evening a few days ago…to and from a meeting. ...On the way this cool sunset happen right in front of me, of course I had my little companion the Leica D-Lux 4 with me and took some Photographs before I continued. Later that evening on the way home, after some wine with my good friends Luis Harder & Ross Capilli I spotted this interesting lamp outside a Restaurant with a cool reflection behind it. ...Reporting soon from Siem Reap & Angkor Wat in Cambodia, interesting articles from the River with a thousand Lingas and the Tonle Sap Lake plus a lot more…

Test driving Aperture 2.1.4 on Snow Leopard. Is Aperture 2 running smoother & more efficient now?

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-05T18:40:51+08:00

As a serious Aperture user and Trainer I couldn’t wait to take Aperture 2.1.4 for an extensive test-drive, finding out if things have improved or not using Snow Leopard. ...Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6) installed on a MacBook Pro 2.66 GHz, Intel Core 2 Duo, Memory 4 GB and the Graphics Card set to higher performance in the System preference (you find the Graphics settings in the Energy Saver) ...I exported some 28 high res Raw images in one go as Versions to full jpg size, wow, that went real fast, again a huge improvement. ...Hitting the Z key (zoom) wow again, it is instant; the bit sluggish Navigation before is now very smooth, the same applies for the Loupe much faster and so much more responsive on all settings. ...So, if you’re using Aperture 2.1.4 go ahead and install Snow Leopard, find out why I love Aperture even more now, feel and experience the difference.

Test driving Snow Leopard...on Aperture 2, Rapid Weaver, FotoMagico and the awesome new Quick Time, my first assessment.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-09-03T22:19:08+08:00

I keep this very brief today but my first assessment and compatibility using Aperture 2, Rapid Weaver 4.3 (I am using it now) plus a quick test on FotoMagico and the new Quick Time in Snow Leopard. ...I learned the hard way on Rapid Weaver, but not a big issue, for those who use RW make sure you install Rapid Weaver 4.3 prior installing Snow Leopard you can get the upgrade for free if you have a licensed copy, just click the LINK below. ...It goes without saying Safari is humming very fast and nice, even Firefox is running a lot faster now, not to mention Mail and all those other cool things under the Hood. ...Installation was a breeze and I encountered no problems at all, this is a new Super Cat with a lot more under the hood, more info in due time...have to run a few more laps. ...Don't panic if opening of your software takes bit of time, this is only for the first time around, Snow Leopard has to update all your existing files like Mail, Aperture etc.,etc. but after that you fly & there is so much more!

Travel Photography: Spectacular Down Under, exploring the Outback of Central Australia with your Camera.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-31T17:32:27+08:00

September is around the corner and so is our Photo Workshop in Cambodia, but before I start reporting direct from Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, let me introduce you to one more seldom featured “remote” place from the Land Down Under, Australia. When you explore the Outback of Australia you have to be ready for almost anything; not only for the spectacular Rock formations you pass, but the unexpected Wildlife crossing your path, make sure your Camera is ready for any encounter. ...Definitely worth the visit, and if you like to catch the best light then you have to pack your camping gear and spend a night under the stars which is another awesome experience at this amazing Rock formation. ...You should always take precaution when traveling alone in the Outback, make sure you bring enough water with you, also two spare tires are better than one, remember you are far from any civilization. ...My first Dog in Australia was actually a Blue Heeler called “Tina”, my constant companion during my outback travel over many years, a fantastic Dog and loyal companion which I will never forget.

Late NEWS: Environment & Photography…Extinction threat to flying fox!

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-26T21:03:06+08:00

Is this the last image of thousands of Flying Foxes, known also as Fruit Bats? ...I took this Photograph many years ago while flying back in a Helicopter from Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory Australia. ...Scientists are urging the government of Malaysia to ban the hunting of the world's largest fruit bat. Researchers say the large flying fox will be wiped out on the Malaysian peninsula if the current unsustainable level of hunting continues. Writing in the Journal of Applied Ecology they say around 22,000 of the animals are legally hunted each year and more killed illegally.

Travel Photography: Angkor Wat & beyond… the Photo Workshop is approaching soon.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-26T18:49:28+08:00

In a few days I switch gears and getting ready for another exciting trip with students discovering the beauty in this remarkable place with its ancient history and culture. Once in Cambodia I try my very best to update my Blog and Twitter every 48 hours from our Base at The Heritage Suite Hotel with stories and images from the day’s events, including the best Photograph from each day taken by one of the students. Packing the gear and final preparation are on my agenda in the next few days, I know my Students getting excited, as for me no explanation is needed… I just love Cambodia where you can always discover something new and exciting. ... Ice on a small Motorbike, from the provicial Town to the Village. ...I have lined up a few more interesting posts for the next few days before I start my articles on Cambodia in earnest.

Photography & Aperture 2 at Lyceum University Cavite Philippines, a Mac Campus Roadshow sponsored by Power Mac Center.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-25T15:55:06+08:00

The Power Mac Center Training Devision had set up an array of iMac’s manned by their staff explaining to Students and Teachers the possibilities on a Mac. ...The program of the day included lectures on Integration on the Mac, Photography, Digital workflow using Aperture2 and a basic Photo Competition using what ever Camera was available; Cell phones, Compact Digital Cameras to SLR’s. , etc. Part of the presentations included how the Mac can help you and how to speed things up using Aperture 2, (Aperture 2 & beyond…) iWork ’09 and iLife ’09 explaining the cool integration. ...After the assignment, with the help of Andrew & Mark-Lee from Power Mac Center we uploaded the images into folders and imported them into Aperture 2 for fast processing and judging using the star rating system in Aperture. ...Another fun Day minus the rain today, being with a cool group of Students, Teachers and Faculty members using only simple Cameras but creating some nice images.

Travel & Landscape Photography, an ancient & prehistoric Reef comes to life again with colors in northwestern Australia.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-23T18:34:52+08:00

Geiki Gorge; this is part two (2) of places in Australia that seldom get a mention in Books or Magazines but should be on any Photographers itinerary when visiting Australia…of course that is if you have the time. ...But now lets travel back in time and visit Geiki Gorge, an ancient reef formed during the Devonian period, comparing modern reefs like the Great Barrier Reef to those in prehistoric times. ...Geiki Gorge is an ancient reef but unlike modern reefs, which are built by corals, algae and a group of now extinct lime-secreting organisms built the bulk of this reef. ...As the ocean floor slowly subsided over the 50 million years of the Devonian period, the reef-building organisms were able to keep pace, building up and up until, in places, the reef became more than two kilometers thick. The limestone ranges, formed from the ancient barrier reef, wind across the country between 50 and 100 meters above the surrounding plains, in much the same way that the reef would have reared above the Devonian sea floor.

Travel & Landscape Photography; colors of the Rainbow in Central Australia, seldom visited places in the Outback.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-21T13:52:48+08:00

Part one of two places in Australia that seldom get a mention in Books or Magazines but should be on any Photographers itinerary when visiting Australia…of course that is if you have the time. ...Today I like to introduce you to Rainbow Valley, one of the most amazing places I have photographed a “short distance” (100KM) south of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Central Australia. ...But when the weather is on your side and it starts to rain, a rare occasion in this part of Australia the clay pan fills up with water producing some spectacular natural reflections. ...I always kept an eye on the weather during my stay in Alice Springs, as soon I saw some clouds building up I took the chance to take the 100KM drive to Rainbow Valley, not always lucky but on two occasion I managed to get a Rainbow. ...The best time to visit this remarkable place is in the late afternoon; you might not catch a Rainbow, but the colors during and after sunset are just out of this world.

Photography Tips, Tricks & Techniques; Frequent Asked Questions from students & amateur photographers.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-16T16:55:51+08:00

A: The Nikon D40 is fine, you be amazed the images you can create with just one Camera and a standard lens, think before you shoot. ...A: I am recommending a Digital SLR with one or two lenses, no need for high power telephoto lenses and a small tri-pod (equipment also depends on the type of workshop) Of course you should bring along a laptop for up-loading your images, with software installed for editing. ...A: Basically the same what I have described above, but I always carry two cameras bodies and additional lenses, but when we go into the field I only bring one camera with one lens to show the students what can be done with little equipment. ...A: It all depends entirely on the given assignment, but I usually have a Theme/Story or a subject planned out, but then you never know what is around the next corner, you have to be ready all the time and make quick decisions. ...A: I use the Computer just for up-loading and basic editing, however part of the learning curve is to understand the software and the workflow after the shoot, caption your images, using only minor adjustments for the RAW files.

Photography & the Environment; Déjà vu… culling Camels in Central Australia.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-15T16:27:16+08:00

Yes, there are lots of Camels Down Under roaming the Desert, they had been introduced in the mid 19th Century to help the early Explorers to traverse the vast outback. ...But if a new culling of Camels is to be done, it should be in a human way and not like before leaving wounded animals to a slow and horrific death. Culling had been carried out before shooting Camels, Buffalos and Horses from Helicopters, these are difficult and moving targets, leaving the animals wounded for days, suffering a slow and painful death. ...Or as Animal welfare groups suggesting; birth control, giving animals a drug to render them infertile, another more humane alternative. ...So the Australian government has set aside $16m (£9.7m) to contain the problem and one proposal is to shoot the camels from helicopters or on foot.

Travel Photography & the Environment: Ayers Rock Australia, is the Climb coming to an end?

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-14T18:02:29+08:00

In my opinion I don’t think so, I can’t remember how many times I visited this remarkable place in the Australian Outback and never had the urge to climb it. ...I have also noticed similar climbing attempts at Angkor Wat in Cambodia too, watching tourist climbing the ancient ruins makes my hair stand up, soon very soon there be a major accident, not to mention the environmental impact it is having on this ancient and fragile architectural Wonder. ...For me Ayers Rock is very much a spiritual place where I can sit back and let the colors play in front of me, thinking about the Aboriginal Dream Time and how it must have been thousands of years ago, a place we should all respect and treasure. ...The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has called for an end to people climbing the 348m-high rock, sacred to indigenous people, as part of a 10-year draft plan. ...Uluru is 348 meters (1141 feet) high, 3.6 km long (2.2 miles), 1.9 km wide (1.2 miles),9.4 km or 5.8 miles around the base (that's walking),covers 3.33 km2 (1.29 miles2),extends about several km/miles into the ground, it is not exactly known how far (despite the numbers you might have read).

Underwater & Aerial Photography:The passion of one man from a Boeing 747-400 at 31,000 feet to 120 feet below the waves.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-11T17:54:51+08:00

So, why don’t you book your next Dive Vacation with La Laguna Beach Club & Dive Center, say hi to Frank & Donno, if you lucky you might run into Rod, but if he is not around you can always purchase a nice Print of this great aerial shot at LLBC. ...Take my word for it, I have been using these dive guides from LLBC for many years and some of the images I took would not have been possible without their help and eagle eyes. .......yes you’re on the right website… we have changed the front/intro page on my main website, http://www.deichmann-photo.com/ I hope you like it. ...The new front page of my website is a small token of how we perceive and interpret light as we see it through our eyes, a simple concrete wall in the backyard of our building with a light shaft from the adjourning building lasting for only 30 minutes demonstrates this well. ...Using the D700 Nikon at f: 5.6 exposing between the light and shadow part of the wall, then imported into Aperture 2 adjusted the shadow and highlights a bit, applied a little sharpening and a new background/intro page for my main website was created.

Travel Photography: Exclusive travel report from Palau Micronesia, some call it the last Paradise on Earth.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-09T21:17:02+08:00

For all our Camera enthusiast we highly recommend Sam’s Tour’s Digital Photo Center which is fully equipped with iMac Computers and state of the art Software like Aperture, plus an in-house Video facility operated by award-winning High Definition Underwater Filmmaker and Digital Video Producer, Dr. ...Many guests that fly in from the states catch a flight out of L.A. or San Francisco to Japan and then catch a flight from Japan to Guam (there are multiple flights a day from Japan flying into Guam) and then Guam to Palau. ...With magnificent reefs that contain over 1300 species of fish and 400 species of coral, it is no surprise that it is recognized as one of the best and most consistent places to see a huge diversity and abundance of both small tropical fish and large pelagic predators. ...Between the coastal mangroves of Babeldaob and the outer reef walls of the Ngemelis and Pelelui, exists an extensive shallow and deep water lagoon containing limestone islands, sheltered marine lakes, and narrow passages that provide a mixture of different habitats that support a variety of fish and coral. ...Terrestrially, Palau has one of the most diverse assemblages of flora and fauna in Micronesia The different geology, predominantly the limestone Rock Islands and the large volcanic main island of Babeldaob provide excellent substrate for a diverse number of trees, plants, birds, and reptiles.

Photography & Aperture 2, Friday afternoon at Café Havana, Tips, Tricks & Techniques plus applications you might find interesting for the iPhone 3G

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-08T18:18:50+08:00

A nice start for the weekend had a great time with my friend Juergen Warnke from Club Paradise in Palawan at the Cuban “Café Havana” in Greenbelt 3 in Makati. ...First of all the smooth integration on a Mac, it is flawless and very smooth, plus in Aperture you can make adjustments at any stage. E.g. if you have an image selected you can pull up the adjustment-HUD right there in the Browser, Full screen in book layouts etc., no need to go back and forth. ...From what I know and heard of LR this cant be done, LR puts way too much emphasis on the software while Aperture lets you focus on what you want to do with your image. ...In one of my recent Blogs I recommended the GPS from MotionX, another interesting one is AudioBoo you record your voice or a conversation with friend then post it on Twitter or Facebook.

Photography: Photo Workshop News for Cambodia, Laos and India plus New Images in my PhotoShelter Archives.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-06T22:15:34+08:00

It’s raining cat and dogs for the past few days, there is still Color around us, but you have to bring your Camera along. ...The image above and other NEW images from the past few days already residing in my PhotoShelter Gallery/Archives. ...Now from the Philippines to Cambodia; my GDPhotoWorkshop in September ’09 “Angkor Wat & Beyond” Siem Reap, Cambodia is fast approaching, we’re ready to go in September and bookings are closed now. Just a few images below from one of my earlier trips to Angkor Wat Siem Reap, Cambodia. ...However, I make a major announcement very shortly regarding all my future PhotoWorkshops including more to Cambodia, (this year) but also into Laos and other Exotic destinations in Asia, plus preparations are made for India in 2010.

Photography, an image can speak a thousand words...Respect & Prayers for Corazon Aquino...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-05T13:31:18+08:00

former President of the Philippines. © Gunther Deichmann - Prayers for Former President Corazon Aquino, a child holding a Candle inside a church in Manila, on the 4th of August 2009, the colorful reflections are from the Church windows’ for Filipinos there is always hope, may the future be prosperous & democracy will prevail. ...Aquino's presidency saw the restoration of democratic institutions in the Philippines, through the enactment of a new Constitution which limited the powers of the presidency, restored the bicameral Congress, and renewed emphasis on civil liberties. Her administration was likewise hampered by several military coup attempts by disaffected members of the Philippine military which derailed a return to full political stability and economic development. All images © Gunther Deichmann - Manila August 4th 2009

Photography Seminar & Mac Product Training Adamson University Manila, plus using Aperture 2 for something different.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-08-01T20:19:19+08:00

The past two days have been very busy, yesterday the Power Mac Centers 15th Anniversary at their new SM North Edsa store, and today Photography Seminars with Mac Product Training at the Adamson University. ...The program of the day included lectures on Photography, Digital workflow and a basic Photo Competition using what ever Camera was available; Cell phones, Compact Cameras to SLR’s. etc. ...After the assignment, with the help of Andrew & Mark-Lee from Power Mac Center we uploaded the images into folders and imported them into Aperture 2 for fast processing and judging using the star rating system in Aperture 2. It proved again how easy it is to work with Aperture 2 making selections and using it for something very different today, after all we had to go through some 200 images fast. Most of the students came from the Computer Science Dept. but had a high interest in Photography and the three lucky winners received prizes sponsored by Power Mac Center.

Underwater Photography: After running out of film it was difficult finding this tiny & elusive critter again.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-31T14:37:14+08:00

I wrote this article some time ago for my good friends at FINS Online, FINS is one of the best sources for all your underwater Images,Videos and cool stories, check out their website @ http://www.finsonline.com/ ...The original Image had been scanned & stored as digital file in tiff format on my external hard drive, I just imported the file into Aperture 2 made minor correction & a long forgotten image became a life again. ...It was during a night dive in Anilao in the Philippines that I spotted this amazing miniature frogfish, around one centimeter in length. ...Since it was a shallow dive, my guide and I still had plenty of air, so I signaled to him, then went back up to the boat to change film. ...After I changed film and went back down to where my trusted dive guide was waiting for me, it took a while, but we found the little frogfish again.

Power Mac Center celebrates their 15th Anniversary, plus be part of Photography & Mac Learning Sessions.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-30T16:10:46+08:00

Congratulation & Best wishes to the Power Mac Center ...GUNTHER DEICHMANN, international acclaimed travel photographer as he shares his exciting works and experience on travel photography. See the latest techniques in making the most out of your pictures...... Join the photo competition at the end of the seminar. Interested participants may bring their digital cameras or cell phone cameras to join... and lastly, learn why Mac is the best computer for schools.

Breaking NEWS! Puerto Galera Diver part of new discovered Ship Wreck of Borneo, treasures worth over 10 million US Dollars.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-30T15:06:41+08:00

Diver from Puerto Galera, Philippines, is an old friend whom I have dived with many times, he is also is one of the crewmembers that recently discovered the “Forbes” Wreck that sank in 1806 of Borneo, Nick is all smiles now. ...We picked up this report from the German newspaper Bild.de Unfortunately the text is only in German but have a look at some of the Photos. 1.5 tons of Silver Coins, Gold jewelry, Canons, Crystal and Ming Porcelain valued at over 10 million US Dollars. ...Martin Wenzels (42) Augen leuchten, wenn er in seinem Dresdner Büro der Immobilienfirma WIP von seinem kostspieligen Hobby erzählt. ...Und hat jetzt mit seinem Partner Klaus Keppler (71, gebürtig aus Freiburg) den ganz großen Fang gemacht: Sie fanden das Wrack des Piratenschiffes „Forbes“, das 1806 vor Borneo sank.

Wildlife Photography: Is Kakadu National Park in Australia under threat? Cane Toads invaded the far north.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-28T17:29:23+08:00

A very recent (July 09) documentary and study on the ANIMAL PLANET TV Channel showed clearly the interference in Nature by man…NOW a real problem in Kakadu National Park & other parts of Northern Australia. ...The idea was to eradicate the grey back cane beetle pests, now the cane toad is considered a pest and invasive species in many of its introduced regions because its toxic skin kills many native predators when ingested. ...Because of its voracious appetite, the cane toad has been introduced to many regions of the Pacific and the Caribbean islands as a method of agricultural pest control, notably failing in the case of Australia in 1935, and derives its common name from its use against the grey back cane beetle pests. ...They have reached the western part of the Northern Territory, and without intervention, are expected to reach the east Kimberley region of Western Australia in one to three years time. ...With only a relatively narrow band of non-arid country between the eastern Kimberley and the Top End of the Northern Territory, suitable cane toad habitat funnels down to such a relatively small ‘land bridge’ that there is a unique opportunity to slow and hopefully halt their march westwards across Northern Australia.

Photography: Leichardt Grasshopper, a rare & bizarre Insect from a remote part in Arnhem Land, N. T. Australia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-26T17:13:56+08:00

I squatted behind some rocks and as I looked up I spotted this bizarre Insect, but not just one, a dozen or so brightly colored orange Grasshoppers covering the small plant right in front of me. ...Once I had my shots, I started to realize that this maybe something very special, sure enough, after my return to Darwin I showed the one specimen, I had collected to the Curator of the Northern Territory Museum. Gunther - this is the very rare Leichardt Grasshopper he said with excitement, they are only found in remote parts of the Northern Territory there have been no sightings for hundred years. ...Its strong colors are a defense against predators which works so well that this little grasshopper has Attitude - often it doesn't even bother to fly away when predators approach, exactly what happen when I took the Photos that morning. ...Normally I leave animals where I find them and don’t interfere with nature, but in this case the Curator thanked me for bringing in just one specimen for research, it was after all about 100 years later.

GPS MotionX for the iPhone, it really works! The perfect travel companion.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-25T15:56:34+08:00

Read below an article from a very happy Dive Instructor in Palawan Philippines, finding those dive sites again is a breeze now. A few months ago I introduced my good buddy Dirk Fahrenbach from Dugong Dive Center & Club Paradise to the iPhone and recommended at the same time some cool applications including the GPS from MotionX, with Facebook and Twitter integration. ...I am totally amazed how great this software is, the Dugong Dive Center has 3 big dive boats and I have one GPS for each boat from well-known companies. ...No need for an expensive and complicated GPS, the one from MotionX is doing just fine, the only problem is… I have 3 boats but only one iPhone…at the moment that is, ha, ha. ...If you have a Facebook account, enter your login information in the “Connect to Facebook” window that opens.

New Home Page layout & modification for deichmann-photo.com

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-24T16:13:11+08:00

Screenshot of the NEW Home Page You know we recently improved, updated & created a new look for my Blog pages http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html. Long overdue, today we uploaded a NEW Home Page look on my main Web Site/Gallery http://www.deichmann-photo.com/home.html Of course we change the images from time to time and the small flash slide show on the right hand side shows always a few of the latest images, running India at the moment. We made the flash slide show simple and small, keeping the fast loading time of the site plus having all the SEO benefits too.

Photography & unexpected elements you sometimes discover during editing, how a fisherman lost his Sunglasses.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-21T17:51:49+08:00

The things you discover when you do your editing…sometimes strange or bizarre or just…Wow, I didn’t see that when I took that shot. The image below is just one of those weird occasions; a couple of years ago I was in Chuuk Micronesia and one morning during breakfast on the Veranda of the Hotel I spotted this Fisherman casting his net. It was pouring rain at the time so I thought this was a nice shot just from the breakfast table without getting wet, an easy one. Later during my editing in Aperture I noticed the Fisherman’s Sunglasses in mid air, if I had realized this during the actual shot I would have told him…hey you just dropped your Sunshades. ...I guess he is still looking for them “today”, he was fishing at an incoming tide and I am sure his Glasses are gone.

Photography & amazing architecture, Sikandra Akbar Mausoleum & my first morning at the Taj Mahal, India

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-20T21:11:59+08:00

A little History and impressive architecture from India...before arriving at the Taj Mahal I stopped at the Sikandra Akbar Mausoleum, Sikandra the last resting place of the Mughal Emperor Akbar Sikandra Akbar. ...So, if you take a trip from Delhi to Agra you should stop and spend a couple of hours at this architecture marvel, a stop you want regret. ...The Tomb of Akbar the Great is an important architectural masterpiece set in 48 Ha (119 acres) of grounds in Sikandra a suburb of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. The third Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great (1542 – 1605), himself commenced its construction in around 1600, according to Tartary tradition to commence the construction of one's tomb during one's lifetime. Akbar himself planned his own tomb and selected a suitable site for it, after his death, Akbar's son Jahangir completed the construction in 1605-1613.

Photo News: Some minor fine-tuning & improvements on my Photography Blog page, plus stormy weather in Manila

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-18T13:34:29+08:00

We made a few more changes on my Photography Blog pages, added a Twitter Widget and did a little clean up. Plus the weather has been real bad in Manila, almost like the Image below, well not quiet as bad but we have a lot of gusty winds and lots of rain. It is the Monsoon season after all, the only problem is I have to run out to Makati now for my scheduled Aperture 2 and Photography Workshop at the Power Mac Center. ...© Gunther Deichmann - Typhoon Huaning in 1997, shot with my X700 Minolta in an old Hugyfot Underwater Housing right on Roxas Boulevard,

Photo Tips, Tricks & Techniques…messing around with the Nikon D700 using a high ISO setting, results from a rainy day.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-16T16:48:35+08:00

I decided to grab a cup of Coffee and had a look at the back of our Building, that’s when I spotted the Philippines Flag in my neighbors window, ok lets try out the Nikon D700 at high ISO speed and see what I can come up with. (see the shot above) ...Using the Nikon D700 with a f/2.8 180 mm lens (one of my favorites and perfect for the D700) I set the ISO on 1600 and for some shots on 800 ISO. ...A few minutes later I had imported the RAW files from my CF Card into Aperture 2 and made only these adjustments; Cropping, Auto level, some sharpening (which I do for all digital Images) well, believe it or not, that was it folks… no other twists, turns, pushing and pulling! ...It is now an hour later and concluded this rainy day coffee break…the Nikon D700 performed just great at high ISO plus the color was perfect, well for me anyway. ...1600 ISO) As you know I have tested it up to 12000 ISO (you can go to 25000) in the past, but using such a high ISO setting I can only recommend it under extreme circumstances, but it is nice to know you can do it.

Burned some Midnight Oil & uploaded additional Images on India from Aperture 2 into my PhotoShelter Gallery

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-16T01:07:40+08:00

Burned some Midnight Oil and finished some more editing on India, have uploaded some 39 additional NEW images onto my PhotoShelter Archive. Using the PhotoShelter export plug in for Aperture...life made easy. Check out the Gallery @ ...My special selection from the Taj Mahal & Rajasthan India April 09” © Gunther Deichmann - Rajasthan India April ‘09

Photography: Australian Saltwater Crocodiles from Hatchlings to 22 feet & the Giant Crocodile “Sweetheart”

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-15T21:12:43+08:00

Once imported and you made some adjustment you can always revert back to your original file just like you would do with Raw images, this makes Aperture 2 perfect for archiving, cataloging even for your older images, using just one system instead of many. ...Some old historical records from 1930 or there about claim they had been caught up to 33 feet in length, however no photographic records has surfaced to prove this, but I do believe it. I myself encountered Crocs bigger then the Boat I was sitting in and the boat was 22 feet, it is no joke sitting in an Aluminum Dingy and this massive Croc slides in from the muddy banks hitting in your direction. ...I could fill up a book with the many encounters I had with these amazing animals, feeling scared at times and vulnerable, but I am also happy that in my life time I experience the only true survivor of our prehistoric past. ...Then there was “Sweetheart” a 5.5 meter saltwater crocodile that lived in the Finnis River in the Northern Territory of Australia, some 55 kilometers south west of Darwin city.

Photography & Australian galloping Crocodiles, rare & long forgotten photos imported into Aperture 2

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-12T18:31:16+08:00

Images from the past can have a good market value even today, shooting for so many years and we’re all getting older (and wiser I hope) we sometimes forget these cool images from the past, some of them will never outdate. ...So, if you have images from way back have a good look at them you never know what you might come across and if you end up using them or not makes no difference it is worth the memory from times long gone. ...There has only been one recorded attack by a freshwater crocodile on a human; this attack took place at Barramundi Gorge (also known as Maguk) in Kakadu National Park and resulted in very minor injuries to the victim, who managed to swim and walk away from the attack. ...This species can be found in areas where Saltwater Crocodiles cannot and are known to inhabit areas above the escarpment in Kakadu National Park and in very arid & rocky conditions (such as Katherine Gorge, where they are very common and relatively safe from saltwater crocodiles during the dry season.) ...This species, until recently, was common throughout much of northern Australia, especially where the much larger and far more dangerous Saltwater Crocodile is not found (such as more arid inland areas and higher elevations) but in recent years the population has dropped dramatically due to the ingestion of local populations of the invasive Cane Toad.

Underwater Photography & Marine Education without getting wet, an afternoon with the Kids & the Nikon D700 at 1600 ISO.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-05T20:22:48+08:00

A long overdue excursion with my Boys and my Nikon D700 on the “leash” to the Manila Ocean Park, a fairly new and large Ocean Park – the Philippines’ first state-of-the-art Oceanarium and open water marine habitat. ...So off we went today to check it out; my verdict not bad for Manila and certainly an education on Marine life for children and adults alike. ...I guess it is still fairly new so you can expect a lot of visitors for the time being, getting some clean shots with my camera was almost imposable, but then I had the boys with me, defiantly a priority today. ...The Nikon D700 was set on 1600 ISO, another great test drive, the shots came out OK with except able noise at this high ISO setting, the most difficult part was to get clean shots due to the large crowd. ...Also the boot ride to view some of the larger animals from the top was way to expensive for the given 10 min. this is actually a waste of money and time, you’re better off to spend more time below in the Aquarium area.

Travel Photography on the ground & from the International Space Station, an interesting view at Lake Sambhar in India.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-04T19:15:57+08:00

During my visit to Rajasthan I visit the largest Salt Lake in India, well not much to shoot except for the vastness of this lake and of course in the small town ship of Sambhar. ... The red part of the Lake is algae which the Flamingos feed on, however the small township of Sambhar is defently worth a visit with it’s Hindi Temple and white washed buildings, I had the feeling of being back in Santorini,Greece again. ...East of the dam is a railroad, built by the British (before India’s independence) that provides access from Sambhar Lake City to the salt works. More importantly, Sambhar has been designated as a Ramsar site (recognized wetland of international importance) because the wetland is a key wintering area for tens of thousands of flamingos and other birds that migrate from northern Asia. The lake is actually an extensive saline wetland, with water depths fluctuating from just a few centimeters (1 inch) during the dry season to about 3 meters (10 feet) after monsoon season.

About Time... a New Look & Style for my GD Photography Blog.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-07-02T21:58:29+08:00

It was about Time...just like the Rock Band “Ten Years After” well not quiet ten years, but I have been thinking about it for some time. We added a few new features to the blog to make reading and finding things more easier, the new look with the swoosh represents my color RED and movement in my images. We have also added a new button for the GD Photo Workshops where I am going to update the latest info on our current Workshops. Of course there is a link to my GD PhotoWorkshop site for more information, this is where we feature some of the participants work after the event. © Gunther Deichmann - movement in the Thar Desert India, April 09

Travel Photography: Do your research prior your departure it can help you later. The colorful Sari from India

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-28T18:27:31+08:00

It is very important that you do your research well in advance prior you departure to any destination, don’t relay on your travel companion or your Travel Agency. They can help but knowing it yourself can be a tremendous help in understanding the Culture, Tradition and the do’s and don’ts for any new Country you might plan to visit. ...Google has made our life fairly easy these days, you can find just about anything, so do spend some time and do your research well, you will not regret it later. ...The history of Indian clothing trace the sari back to the Indus Valley Civilization, which flourished during 2800-1800 BCE around the western part of the Indian Subcontinent. ...Patterns of dress change throughout the world now and then but, the Sari has survived because it is the main wear of rural India. 75% of the population (now a billion as per official estimate) wear versatile sari.

Photography:The art of Fine Art Printing, reproducing your Digital Photos in high quality.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-25T14:46:38+08:00

A big enlargement graces the wall at the PMC, Photo Exhibit at the Power Mac Center in Greenbelt 3, Makati, Philippines some of the images from Rajasthan will be on display from June until the end of July. ...More Photos on display at the Power Mac Center in Greenbelt 3, if you in the area check out also the Multi Media presentation on the Apple TV set-up. ...We invite you to learn more about these opportunities, so we can show you how you can maximize the value of your art by making reproductions using the most cost-effective means. We use only top quality 7 & 8 color-Archival Inks on a wide selection of Archival Fine Art Papers or Canvas that you may choose from in our studios. ...Another tremendous advantage of giclee printing is that digital images can be reproduced to almost any size and onto various media, giving the artist the ability to customize prints for a specific client.

Photography... a sad day! My Tribute to Kodachrome Film...one of best films ever produced. Kodak Retires KODACHROME Film!

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-23T13:18:42+08:00

As part of a tribute to KODACHROME Film, Kodak will donate the last rolls of the film to George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film in Rochester, which houses the world’s largest collection of cameras and related artifacts. ...ROCHESTER, N.Y.--Eastman Kodak Company announced today that it will retire KODACHROME Color Film this year, concluding its 74-year run as a photography icon. Sales of KODACHROME Film, which became the world’s first commercially successful color film in 1935, have declined dramatically in recent years as photographers turned to newer KODAK Films or to the digital imaging technologies that Kodak pioneered. ...Kodak has continued to bring innovative new film products to market, including seven new professional still films and several new VISION2 and VISION3 motion picture films in the past three years. These new still film products are among those that have become the dominant choice for those professional and advanced amateur photographers who use KODAK Films...for the complete Press release go to: http://www.pdngearguide.com/gearguide/content_

Twitter plug-in & Aperture 2…useful in Travel Photography, or is it just another gimmick?

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-22T15:53:37+08:00

The world is twitting like crazy now…some very good stuff but there is also some real rubbish out there, I guess that applies to just about everything with today’s technology. ...For example; you traveling and get this great image a real scoop, you easily upload this image and have it on Twitter in no time direct from within your Aperture 2 Project and let the world know. ...You can also use the Twitter plug-in to share images with your friends & family, keep them informed, letting them know where you are and this can be fun. ...You can’t Export your image using the Previews, of course you can work around this, but then why use Aperture in the first place if this is the software you’re using while on the road. ...Try it out and install it, definitely fun to use and you never know when you have this scoop of a photo you like to share with the rest of the world on Twitter.

Photography, Aperture 2 & GarageBand equals a nice Keynote presentation plus a lot more.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-17T14:59:51+08:00

7MB, best viewed using a ...Leading up to the Power Mac Center Event... 7000 images later, Aperture 2 & beyond I have produced a Presentation in Keynote using GarageBand for the soundtrack. I converted the Keynote presentation into a small Quick Time file to give you a small Preview on the Net, join us at the Power Mac Center for more on Aperture 2 & beyond. Watch the high resolution Keynote presentation & all the other things you can do on a Mac using your images from Aperture 2. ...Also on YouTube NOW in higher resolution,

Photography & Aperture 2 Training/ Free Seminars & WORKSHOPS at the Power Mac Center, the things you can do after the shoot.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-16T18:35:58+08:00

June & July ’09 Aperture 2, a Power Mac Center special, Images from India on display through out the Store plus get the chance to win a limited edition Book (available in August ’09) with the images from Rajasthan, India... entirely produced using Aperture 2 plus a lot more. Photography & Aperture 2 Training/ Free Seminars & WORKSHOPS at the Power Mac Center incorporating Keynote & Pages from iWork 09 ...plus a little GarageBand using the iPhone as a Recorder. The Seminars: An introduction to Aperture 2 the workflow after the shoot and the things you can do with your selected images using iLife ’09 GarageBand and iWork ’09 working with Pages and Keynote plus a lot more. ...The Workshops: Travel Photography and Aperture 2, tips and tricks while on the road plus the integration on the Mac using Pages and Keynote from iWork ’09 the possibilities after the shoot. ...Consultation on Aperture 2: Trouble shooting, performance improvement, ideal set-up & storage solutions, choice of Hard Drives, how to back up your images and any other Questions you might have to make your workflow easy using Aperture 2 after the shoot.

Take Control...coincident? When your pictures don’t turn out the way you want (underwater or on land), it’s tempting to blame your camera

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-15T10:12:44+08:00

Tony Wu, remember the guy who made me green with envy when he send me these Dinosaurs images (one of my previous Blogs) posted an interesting article today, ...What ever it is, a story worthwhile reading It just occurred to me that the dinosaur exhibit I went to recently provides a convenient backdrop for making a photographic point…specifically, that if you want to take nice pictures, you should really learn how to control exposure manually. For the sake of illustration, let’s compare a couple of images. First, here’s a photo of the trio of Mapusauruses on display (with a veggiesaurus of some sort in the background), taken with a Sony DSC-W300 compact digital camera set on P mode (automatic everything): read the complete article @ http://www.tonywublog.com/

Photography: The Battle between Camera Models…Canon v. Nikon plus Sony, Pentax, Olympus and so many others. Aren’t we forgetting something?

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-14T22:20:39+08:00

From a Pro point of view I really don’t give a damn…I use a Nikon, I got used to it, if I loose it tomorrow I get another Nikon, because I am used to it! ...Many years ago I was shooting with X700 Minoltas, I pushed them to the limit in the Outback of Australia under extreme conditions, shot pages after pages for Stern Magazine, GEO published my Images including for their calendars and I shot the cover of Time. ...You might asked why I don’t use Minolta anymore, very simple they stopped producing Pro cameras and the company as such is no longer, otherwise I be still using them now. ...There are some great photographers out there who use neither Nikon or Canon, the problem in today’s Photography is very simple…we go and look at the web, checking reports etc. get too involved with lines, numbers and what gadgets are build in. (not to mention Photoshop, see one of my earlier blogs) ...Today’s Pro Cameras are very good, but you have to learn how to use them and read the manual, once you understand the basics concentrate on your subjects.

News: Two Interesting stories...Delete, Delete & Undelete from the New York Times plus Dinosaurs from Tony Wu

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-13T18:43:07+08:00

Tony made me green with envy, he had the opportunity in Japan to Visit my “past” yes, you all know I still love my fossils. As a good friend would do... he send me some Images in the past few days...to get me going...grrrrrrr, but thanks anyway Tony, much appreciated. ...Dinosaur, It seems like this was my week to see old stuff…expensive fossils on Monday, and yesterday, a dinosaur exhibit at the National Museum of Nature and Science Tokyo. ...I devoured every dinosaur book in every library and bookstore that I came across, and I probably spent hundreds of hours digging through gravel, mountain rocks, river beds, construction sites, etc. for fossils. ...I drew dinosaurs at school (usually during reading and grammar classes), and dreamed up all sorts of little projects to pursue in lieu of doing homework.

Breaking NEWS!!! MacFixIt has announced New Mac Trojan targeting Mac OS

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-13T17:01:34+08:00

Mac has again been targeted by malicious software according to a report only 12 hours ago from ...2009 has seen quite an onslaught of malicious software targeting the Mac OS. ...While malware remains uncommon on the Mac, Apple has had to stray from assertions that the platform is effectively immune to problems experienced by Windows users. A high-profile Trojan released this year has been tied to pirated copies of iWork and Photoshop, and it is believed that more malware will debut as Macs gain popularity. ...Read the complete article @ http://www.macnn.com/articles/09/06/11/new.mac.malware.circulates/

Aperture 2 & Travel Photography how to deal with 7000 images after the shoot, Seminars & Workshops at the Power Mac Center

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-12T16:54:36+08:00

How I work with Aperture 2 & deal with 7000 images after the shoot, visit my Seminars and Workshops at the Power Mac Center in Makati, Greenbelt 3, see the dates below. ...For questions and special requests, you can call 729-7087 or 88, or email us at training@powermaccenter.com ...The Seminars: An introduction to Aperture 2 the workflow after the shoot and the things you can do with your selected images using iLife ’09 GarageBand and iWork ’09 working with Pages and Keynote plus a lot more. ...The Workshops: Travel Photography and Aperture 2, tips and tricks while on the road plus the integration on the Mac using Pages and Keynote from iWork ’09 the possibilities after the shoot. How to record on the road by just using your iPhone and creating real sound tracks later in GarageBand for your slide shows and Keynote presentations.

Late Breaking NEWS...Palau cites human rights in resettling detainees

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-11T19:05:35+08:00

Palau cites human rights in resettling detainees Associated Press, 06.11.09, 12:44 AM EDT WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- Palau's president says his tiny Pacific island state considered human rights - and not China's reaction - when it agreed to take in 17 Chinese Muslim separatists detained at Guantanamo Bay. Palau President Johnson Toribiong says his country has agreed to a U.S. request to resettle the detainees out of humanitarian concerns and because their imprisonment is unlawful... read the complete article and more NEWS LINKS at:

Travel Photography: Colors… if you travel through Rajasthan in India then you’re surrounded by it, color is everywhere!

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-11T16:09:17+08:00

© Gunther Deichmann - Bangles are part of traditional Indian jewelry and its origin is from the late 18th Century, from hindi bangli “glass bracelet”. ... Inexpensive Bangles made from plastic are slowly replacing those made by glass, but the ones made of glass are still preferred at traditional occasions such as marriages and on festivals. ...Hindus believe that the gods released a swan with a lotus in its beak and let it fall on earth where Brahma would perform a grand yagna. ...The Bikaner Fort also known as Junagarh Fort is an impregnable fortress that has withstood the ravages of time and has remained unconquered since elapsed times. ... One could spend a whole day here wandering through the corridors of this tryly amazing place, a treasure cove for Photographers, Art lovers and Historians.

Photography & gadgets...the Net is full of them, do we really need them? Have we forgotten how to create real images without resorting to Photoshop or other toys.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-09T22:27:17+08:00

There is a place for PS no question about it and I have been using PS also but in the right context in commercial and advertising Photography, but not for my documentary and nature work. ...Since we are in a new age now, of course we need software like Aperture 2 or Lightroom to process our digital images, but lets think for a moment…are we manipulating to much? We do need to process the digital images converting from Raw or creating B/W images, some sharpening and at times adjusting the white balance all of that is acceptable today, but not changing the overall look and color. ...Hence the reason that many good images have been judged and misunderstood today, oh this is a great shot but I am sure he/she done this in the computer. I stop rambling on now, trying to explain, I don’t have the answers and properly want change a thing but it is somewhat very sad in particular for our next generation and only the proper education can make a difference.

Photography & Aperture 2: Black and White in India, conversion made easy provided the subject is right.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-07T21:00:52+08:00

I am known for my strong colors and contrast, but occasional I convert images to Black and White due to their nature and subjects. ...Aperture 2 makes it very easy and I have explained the process on numerous occasion in my Blogs. I thought I share with you today some images which I felt where perfect for the conversion, again these shots have been taken from The Car Window one of my favorite shooting techniques when traveling. ...How I work with Aperture 2 and deal with some 7000 images after the shoot check out my Seminars and Workshops at the Power Mac Center in Makati, Greenbelt 3, see the dates below. ...Join me on a Journey through Rajasthan using Aperture and the Mac, how to create slideshows, Keynote presentations with sound from GarageBand recorded on an iPhone, prepare and produce Flyers and Posters using Pages

Late News: Images, great food and super company at the Hyatt Hotel Manila, Philippines. “ A Taste of India”

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-04T23:20:22+08:00

I also had the pleasure to be in the company of Lawrence Siason from the Power Mac Center and his wife, my good friend Luis Harder and Company and my better half Grace the sometime driving force behind me. Overall a fantastic evening, a very special thanks goes to Arjun Shroff and his charming family from Shroff International Travel, without their help and India Tourism my Images on display tonight would not have been there. ...Later in the evening I had a surprise visit by my very good friend Dirk Fahrenbach from Club Paradise and Dugong Dive Center, he just snowed in at the spare of the moment. ...We have also some seminars and workshops at the Power Mac Center in Greenbelt 3 shortly, and if you have the time please drop by, I am only to happy to guide you through my Light. ...A very special thanks to the Engineering Dept, PR and Marketing Dept. at the Hyatt Hotel Manila for a very professional service, they did such a great Job, and of course it goes without saying, thanks to the Chefs for a real ”Taste of India”.

Travel Photography: Never leave home without it…the Camera that is. Monsoon rain… & how to fight boredom in traffic jams…with the Leica D-Lux 4

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-04T15:23:00+08:00

I had no choice but things had to be done, I rather have stayed at home in this weather, a 2 hour affair become a whole day madness in flooded streets and traffic jams. ...Of course I always have my travel companion with me, the Leica D-Lux 4 just in case or when I get too bored sitting around waiting for the cars to move. Rain was pounding the vehicle and the light from the traffic was painting colors on the windshield creating some abstract colors right in front of me, so I started to shoot what was right in front of me. ...The weather this time of the year is nothing new…the wet season has arrived and is here to stay for a few month and if I have to venture out again, maybe I see some more interesting subjects to shoot, at least I am not getting bored sitting in traffic jams. The way it looks, it is going to be another very wet and traffic clogged affair today, lucky I am not too far from the Hyatt Hotel where I have to be at 6:30 PM tonight, enjoying “A Taste of India”.

Travel Photography: Compact Flash Cards and a fully-grown Beard for sale... where else can you find that... but in Incredible India

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-06-02T21:42:52+08:00

It is truly amazing what you come across in India; take New Delhi for example, visiting the Red Fort one afternoon I saw this vendor selling “fully grown beards”. ...Then in Jaipur at the entrance of the astronomy and observatory area, a vendor approached me; I guess he had spotted my Nikons, he was trying to sell me CF Cards up to 4 gigs. ...I am not sure who is going to buy them, but I am sure some tourist might get them after their Card is full; this guy was selling them in all shapes and sizes up to 4 Gigs. ...In other words, if you run out of supplies on your trip in India I am sure there is always someone around the corner who carries what you looking for. ... You just have to watch out how genuine these things are, carry your own CF Cards makes a lot more sense and it is a lot safer for your valuable images, as for the beard; who needs one in this heat anyway.

Travel Photography in Rajasthan India continuous…vibrant colors, amazing architecture in Bikaner and Mandawa.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-05-31T19:56:02+08:00

You find Havallis throughout Rajasthan but in Mandawa they are very special, here you see Havallis with amazing paintings in great details on the outer walls. © Gunther Deichmann - the back of the BHANWAR NIWAS a Heritage Hotel in Bikaner, it goes without saying... if you in Bikaner you have to spend the night at this truly amazing place. www.bhanwarniwas.com In some of my future blogs I introduce you to the interior of this Hotel. Today, the world comes to this storybook town to see its colorful frescoes on every subject under the sun, that is, ranging from the religious to the erotic; from copies of popular English prints to witty social satire, rendered in the inimitable style of the local artist. ...I forgot who told me during my visit to this amazing town, apparently Mandawa and Venice in Italy are the only two places in the world showcasing this type of paintings on the outside walls... a real outdoor Art Gallery. ...For the latest images on Rajasthan in India please go to my selection upper right hand side on this Blog or click this LINK http://www.deichmann-photo.com/page2/page2.html

Photography & Aperture 2... plus a Taste of India at the Hyatt Hotel Manila, Philippines with two chefs from The Leela Kempinski Hotel and Residences in New Delhi

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-05-29T17:56:07+08:00

At the same time some of my Images from India will also be on display at the Hyatt Hotel during the flavors of authentic Indian cuisine at the Market Café. ...I talk about my experience on the road, the workflow and how to deal with large number of images after the shoot, but most important the things you can do with your images using the integration on the Mac, you be amazed by the possibilities. ...In the meantime you can check out some authentic Indian cuisine at the Hyatt Hotel in Manila, for more info see the Press release from the Hyatt Hotel below: ...From 4th to 21st of June, “A Taste of India” brings the diverse and varied flavours of authentic Indian cuisine to Market Café at Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila in the form of popular dishes from north India that will spice up the sumptuous buffet. The hotel has invited Chef Ashwani Kumar and Chef Chandramani Geeband, two chefs from The Leela Kempinski Hotel and Residences in New Delhi to create an explosion of Indian spices for a truly splendid culinary feast.

Back to India & the final details on the GD PhotoWorkshop in Cambodia “Angkor Wat and beyond” in September 2009 will be announced shortly.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-05-24T20:57:20+08:00

Since my return from Bangkok and the TDEX show I have been working on my project from India, but a lot more work has to be done, I post some more details during the month of June. ...By end of next week you find also the final details on our upcoming GD Photo-Workshop on my GD Photo-Workshop Site, already booked participants however will receive an email within the next few days with all the information. We are almost fully booked, so if you’re interested please contact me ASAP, final closing date for bookings will be June 22, 2009. As mention previously in my Blog, this GD PhotoWorkshop will go beyond Angkor Wat and for the first time we have included the Tonle Sap Lake and some other interesting places seldom visit by Tourists.

Where have all the Tourists…People gone? The new International Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok looked deserted. Who is to blame? A coincident?

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-05-23T21:24:02+08:00

When I arrived at the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport a couple of days ago, I could not help noticing how empty it appeared. A coincident or was it due to the Red and Yellow shirts, the Swine Flu, the current Economic crisis or the simple off season? I passed through this Airport many times on my way to Cambodia or other destinations, but for the first time I have seen it that deserted. ...When checked in at airline counter I looked around and jokingly asked the attendant if I was the only one on the flight to Manila? ...Normally I have to cue up during my check in but this time I was done in seconds and had plenty of time to wonder around taken photos of empty shops and hallways.

Nikon D700 at 6400 ISO in Bangkok Thailand...the final frame after the Thailand Dive & Travel Expo

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-05-22T16:31:55+08:00

Goodbye to Bangkok and my friends Tony, Mean & Aye from Fins...but I am sure we see each other again soon, Tony Wu is still in Bangkok for a couple of weeks before hitting back to Japan. However Tony and myself dreamed up an interesting new project but more on that later, sounds familiar... my suspense again. ...On my last day in Bangkok I took the opportunity and shot some frames across the Chao Phraya River which runs through the heart of Bangkok using my Nikon D700 at ISO 6400, lets call it “The last frame”. Amazing how the Nikon D700 can handle this type of situation, even at the high ISO the noise is acceptable. Of course not for huge blowups, but good enough for the web or smaller reproductions in print, and if it gets too noisy at even higher ISO (24000) then we can always resort to Noise Ninja a separate Plug-in for Aperture 2.

Underwater Photography & Aperture 2 during and after the Thailand Dive and Travel Expo, part 2

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-05-20T23:04:34+08:00

The Thailand Dive and Travel Expo finished last Sunday but I kept busy and giving Tony Wu and the FINS Team some more pointers and shortcuts on Aperture 2. Sunday the 17 of May, the last Aperture 2 seminar in the open area at the Thailand Dive and Travel Expo, a very interesting crowd and some photographer even brought their MacBook Pro’s with them. ...Later in the week I also caught up with my long time friends, well known Photo-Journalist John Everingham and Chris Ryan in Bangkok, talked about the good old days and chatting way over a few beers overlooking the Chao Phraya River which flows through the heart of Bangkok. ...This is the nice part about Travel Photography catching up with old friends and making new ones, tomorrow it is back to Manila where I have a lot more work to do on my India Project...but more on that later. Special thanks again to the organizers from the TDEX and of course to Mean and Aye from Fins for making my stay in Bangkok so enjoyable.

Underwater Photography & Aperture 2 at the Thailand Dive and Travel Expo TDEX in Bangkok

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-05-17T13:32:46+08:00

As you might know I am currently in Bangkok attending the TDEX show with my good friends from FINS, I have to admit I am pleasantly surprised at the show and the attendance, it is quiet a crowd. ...The Fins Team is working non stop conducting live interviews which will be featured on their website, I keep myself busy with some Aperture 2 Seminars on Saturday and Sunday explaining the basics on Aperture. ...Tony Wu a world class underwater Photographer is having his own Seminars on basic Underwater Photography and how to light your subjects below the waves. ...I keep this blog short today, have to run for my Sunday session on Aperture, but before I do I like to take this opportunity and thank Fins and the TDEX organizers for inviting me to this truly great show in Thailand. ...Once I have returned I post some more images and stories from this years TDEX show in Bangkok.

Photography, Animals & Fossils from the Thar Desert in Rajasthan India... a large & arid region in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-05-12T22:51:15+08:00

My fascination with fossils and my earlier Job in Paleontology goes way back to my younger days; so it came as no surprise that prior my departure to India I did some research to find out if there are any fossils on my route. Sure enough, fossils have been found in the Thar Desert, from plant life, whole fossilized tree trunks and one of my favorite the Ammonites. ...My Guide took me one afternoon into a very small side street to a small shop, which was selling gemstones, and other precious stones, quiet a treasure cove as I discovered. ...Not in perfect condition but never the less I found my Fossils, I only wish I would have had more time and look for them myself, but then there is always next time. ...The sea withdrew after twenty five million years and the sediments were uplifted animal fossils of that period are found in the rocks in many areas.

NEW India images residing now in my PhotoShelter Archives...including Pink Floyd “Wish You Where Here”

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-05-11T14:36:26+08:00

If you’re searching for particular images, use the search field option implemented on all pages on my Web site or at this Blog (Stock Photos Search Archives, upper left hand side). ...I have to admit burning a bit of Midnight Oil the past few days going through thousands of images, but now it is out of my system. ...The only thing missing now is to update my main website with the new category “India” this will be implemented by late Tuesday this week. ...Now I have to get ready for my trip to Thailand to the TDEX (Thailand Dive & Travel Expo) only a short trip, I am back in a week. ...I have also prepared some articles on the Hotels, Food and other special things from my Journey trough Rajasthan, they will be available soon on this blog.

A Journey through awesome colors, from Elephants to Camels in the Thar Desert, to Venice like paintings, its People, food and culture…that is Rajasthan in India.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-05-08T22:09:27+08:00

I managed to do it… thanks to Aperture 2 the main editing has been done and I am uploading most of the images in high resolution from my recent trip to India as we speak into my PhotoShelter Archives. Very soon a Gallery is available with some of the best images from this truly amazing Journey through Rajasthan in India and of course the fantastic Taj Mahal. The pressure has been on because I am leaving again next week for Thailand, I have been invited by the Organizers and Fins Magazine to give some lectures on Aperture 2 during the TDEX Show, (Thailand Dive & Travel Expo) for the dates on the Aperture 2 seminars click this LINK. I am looking forward to catch up with old friends again, like Tony Wu, Aye and Mean from Fins, plus I have the opportunity to shoot some more images in Thailand, which I need for my seminars a couple days later. I know some of you have been waiting to see some more Images from India including the Taj Mahal, so I have prepared prior my next departure “Rajasthan & the Taj Mahal India” Gallery on this Blog.

Amazing Colors and sacred Rats, the Journey through Rajasthan continuous, it is truly Incredible India.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-05-03T20:51:21+08:00

I have to admit it was a strange feeling once I entered the temple barefoot and saw the Rats running all over the place, every corner and niche was crawling with them. ...This area is totally overrun with countless rats, someone even told me that these Rats die all young due to Diabetics, been constantly feed with sweets, however I have heard no scientific proof to support this claim. ...Karni Mata made an agreement with Yama that from now on all of her tribes people would be reborn as rats until they could be born back into the clan. So, there you have it from grey-brown rats to multi color on the way a kaleidoscope of colors and strange things, now I know why they call it Incredible India. A selection of my favorite images from the trip will be up soon on my Main website and a lot more in my PhotoShelter Archives, but first I have to do some more editing, you just have to stay tuned and watch out for the announcement.

Travel Photography: Rajasthan India… 3000 km & 7000 images later... amazing colors, fantastic food, incredible people & Aperture 2 performed flawless.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-04-29T14:59:22+08:00

Sad to say but I am back… wish I could have stayed longer but my Journey through Rajasthan in India has come to an end, however I have promised myself to return. ...In the next few weeks I share with you some of the amazing sites and colors, but today I like to take the opportunity and thank all my Guides and Drivers for an excellent service and providing me with a save journey through out. My special thanks to India Tourism and Rajasthan Tours in Jaipur for providing me with an incredible inside into Rajasthan, with out their help and assistance this Journey would not have been possible. ...The MacBook Pro with Aperture 2 performed equally great, Aperture 2 never let me down and managed the 7000 plus images like a breeze, I honestly don’t know what I would have done without. ...I guess that is it for today; need a few days rest, but soon a lot more, including some incredible images from India including the Taj Mahal.

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY: A Photographers Paradise...but also a Photographers nightmare...you need a lot of discipline.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-04-16T02:22:52+08:00

I have arrived in Jaipur - Rajasthan very sleepy from the long journey and the incredible heat this time of the year but I could not resist to share this image with you. ...It is very easy to fall into the trap and shoot blindly where ever you go, a sheer paradise but you need a lot of discipline to get the right subjects...not an easy task in Rajasthan. I took the image above on my way into the town of Jaipur, but there are so many others and I do have some very cool surprises or too waiting... you know I love my suspense. Tomorrow another early start to some more remote places in the area, now I get a few hours rest and if all goes well I be in touch again soon. A big thanks to Aperture 2 which enables me to do all my editing fairly fast everyday, don’t know what I would have done without it.

Incredible India... just amazing Agra and the Taj Mahal

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-04-15T01:56:57+08:00

Tonight is the first time I had some time...plus a reasonable internet connection, after 36 hours in Delhi we traveled to Agra where the amazing Taj Mahal is located. Luck was on my side on the first day at the Taj, a group of traditional women from Jodhpur in Rajasthan visited the Taj at the same time. I was surrounded by colors at this truly amazing Building the Taj Mahal...it goes without saying, the Taj is one of the most amazing and beautiful structures I have ever encountered. I keep it short tonight, tomorrow we are leaving early again for Jaipur and then on to Jodhpur the heart of Rajasthan. Sorry I can’t upload any more images...so many of them, but in due time I share many more with you.

Travel Photography: Next Blog post will be from Rajasthan in India...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-04-08T22:30:22+08:00

Well, that’s it for a while... next time you hear from me is in India. As mention my Blog post will be a bit thin from tomorrow onwards, but please stay tuned you never know where I get the chance to update it from. ... I have to do it all when I get back at the end of April. I have chosen an amazing route through Rajasthan and some of the places I am going to visit for my assignment will be a bit remote, but I try very hard to post some short info and Images whenever I can.

Travel Photography: The final preparations are done, I be reporting soon from Incredible India but that depends on my Internet connection.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-04-05T17:26:23+08:00

Oh no, these are definitely not my legs…I just thought this image is appropriate since I am leaving in a few days, as you can see... stock images do come in very handy. ...I try and travel as light as possible, the Cameras being the most heavy but also the most important part, no need to bring a suitcase full of gear which you’re not going to use anyway. ...However I do carry a few white t-shirts, they came in very handy as a natural reflector when shooting people… the only thing you have to do, wear and wash them. Strong and good Rubber shoes, a hat or baseball cap for sun protection plus some of those other items I have pointed out in one of my recent Blogs from the 17th of March 2009, check the Archive: Traveler’s Essentials…tips and advise prior your Departure to your next exotic destination... traveling in South East Asia Now I am almost ready for my iPod listening to Canned Heat “On the Road again”, I stay in touch from India provided time and internet connections work out, but I can hear the sound of the Sitars already.

Summer Kiddies Workshop... iMac's loaded with Drawing and simple Animation Software for the Kids, face painting and a lot more…a week full of fun.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-04-03T22:20:32+08:00

Playing the Blues... about week ago I spend an afternoon with my children at a Shopping Mall…Fun for the Kids…”Summer Kiddies Workshop” at the Rockwell Shopping Mall, Manila, Philippines. A weeklong fun event organized by the Power Mac Center Educational Division, plus I came across this Piano player who just happen to be there. ...Laughter and giggles came from the Kids once they discovered and had a go at Photo Booth…just watching them was real good entertainment. ...There was also an artist on hand who painted some cartoons on the Kid's faces, nice to see that a company like the PMC organized this week long fun and educational event for children. All images on this post are taken with the Leica D-Lux 4 my constant travel companion,back home a few hours later, I created the layout with the new Pages from iWork '09

Web Site updated implementation of the Search Archive Field on all Web pages

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-04-01T20:40:25+08:00

I am getting very close to my departure and I couldn’t leave it alone …had to make some changes prior me leaving for India on my main Web Site. ...If your search fails or only very few images show up (could be many reason e.g. like misspelling or the English verses the American spelling “Color or Colour” go to all Galleries once the page is open. ...We have deleted the “Journey Through Color & Time” Book page, almost out of Print, hence the decision to remove the page, but if you’re still interested in purchasing a copy just send me an email. (http://www.deichmann-photo.com/contact/contact.php) ...Both Sites will have some more modification soon, but they have to wait now until I get back, plus some other exciting NEWS up on my return from India, but more on that later, as you know I love suspense... In the meantime just stay tuned or subscribe to my Blog that I try to update now and then while I am on the road…I guess it all depends on my connection and time.

Photo Workshop in Cambodia…Angkor Wat and beyond, the final dates have been announced

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-30T14:34:19+08:00

We have finalized and can confirm the Dates for our GD PhotoWorkshop in Cambodia… Siem Reap…”Angkor Wat and beyond...” besides Angkor Wat and the other nearby Temples which we are going to visit anyway, this time we travel also beyond; to the amazing Phnum Kulen area north of Siem Reap, the Tonle Sap Lake plus other seldom visited Temples and places. 6 nights and 7 days from the 13th until the 19th of September, please make sure and reserve your space now, final bookings have to be made by latest June 15, 2009. This Workshop is filling up fast already; you can make a non-committed reservation now and reserve your space prior June 2009. ...We have also made some changes on the GD PhotoWorkshop site, there you find some very use full and additional information.

Aperture 2 & Travel Photography preparations prior your Departure “Triple T” Tips, Tricks and Techniques.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-29T18:18:32+08:00

I use to do this a long time ago leaving things for later…but since the arrival of Aperture I don’t leave things for later anymore…if I do, it wont get done anyway… ...A few days before my departure I sit down and clean my MacBook Pro of all those things which I don’t need to bring, in other words cleaning out my Libraries including the iPhoto one and store all this other stuff on my external hard drive I keep at home. ...Cities, People, Culture, Animals etc., plus I always create one for Generic this is for all those images that you don’t have time for or they are difficult to integrate at the time. ...Which brings me to another point; don’t put things off, add as much information during Import as possible it is only a few extra minutes, everything is still fresh in your mind, plus you have some locals around you who could assist in the right spelling of local names etc. ...I work in the field with two identical Lacie 360 Gig Rugged Hard Drives and import all my images as reference files, the second 360 Gig Drive is a back up for the first one lets call them A & B.

Travel Photography…Tips, Tricks and Techniques “Triple T” connecting your Card Reader & Hard Drives to your MacBook Pro, LACIE'S flat Fire Wire Cables…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-27T16:15:46+08:00

Just prior my departure for India I got blessed with these flat Cables by LACIE, saving space and no more stiff cables… ...I am sure some of you get annoyed just like me with those old and stiff Fire wire Cables for your Card Reader or connecting your Computer to your external Hard Drives, this is especially true when on the road. Now LACIE has come up with a cool solution with their Flat Fire Wire 400 and 800 cables, perfect for traveling daisy chaining your external Hard Drives and connecting your CF Card Readers all at once to your Mac. ...No more stiff and annoying cables, welcome travel companions with the 360 or 500 Gig LACIE Rugged Hard Drives, the perfect back up solution when on the road. Available locally at the Power Mac Center in the Philippines, they also stock the 360 and 500 Gig LACIE Rugged Hard Drives.

Photo Workshop in Cambodia...due to popular demand I have posted some more details prior my departure to India.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-24T22:32:06+08:00

Due to popular demand I have posted some more details on the GD Photo Workshop for this coming September in Siem Reap Cambodia, see below the details: This workshop will include the Tonle Sap Lake and the Water Village, furthermore we be exploring some ancient Temples/Ruins seldom visited by others except you. Of course we still visit and shoot at Angkor Wat during Sunrise and Sunset, plus a lot more during this trip. ...Total lengths of the Workshop is from Sunday (exact date to be announced in May) to Saturday (7 nights in a luxury Boutique Hotel) Photography in the field, the workflow and critic after the shoot - class room sessions at the Hotel...but don’t worry we spend more time in the field and get the shot right in the first place. More details; what to bring, cost per per person, etc., will be available in May, but participants can travel from their Home destination to Siem Reap in Cambodia direct, upon arrival we have made all the necessary arrangements for your transport to the Hotel.

Cambodia GDPhotoWorkShop...September 2009 Siem Reap, Angkor Wat and beyond...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-23T16:13:06+08:00

I am happy to announce our GDPhotoWorkShop for the month of September ’09 ...with the title “Siem Reap, Angkor Wat & beyond.” This is only the initial announcement, all other details will be posted upon my return from India towards the end of May. If you’re interested you can contact me and reserve your space without any obligation for the time being, final bookings have to be made by latest August 15, 2009. With only 8 to 12 max participants I recommend you make your bookings early, just click this LINK: http://www.deichmann-photo.com/contact/contact.php

Underwater Photography: Spectacular Underwater Video from the House Reef at Club Paradise & other locations in Palawan, Philippines…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-19T14:27:52+08:00

This Video has been around for sometime but the full length has never reached the Web, now we have decided to share this truly amazing Underwater Video by my good friend Dirk Fahrenbach with you in YouTube. ...Edited and sound by Gunther Deichmann using GarageBand, Soundtrack Pro and Royalty released tracks from Sounddogs created on a MacPro using iMovie ’06 (yes the good old iMovie 06) with some additional Plug-ins. ...The full Video (DVD) has 20:18 minutes of great Marine Life; “Dancing Cuttle Fish”, Turtles, Dugongs and all the Critters you can imagine captured on this truly great Video by Dirk. Unfortunately YouTube only allows us to run 10 min., the full version 20:18 min. will be uploaded in a few days into the Video Gallery of Dirk’s Website @ http://www.dugongdivecenter.com/ I am sure once you have seen the Underwater World from this exotic destination you pack your Dive gear and book your next trip to Club Paradise and Dive with Dirk at Dugong Dive Center.

Traveler’s Essentials…tips and advise prior your Departure to your next exotic destination... traveling in South East Asia

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-17T20:38:09+08:00

Visit your doctor and get extra quantities of any medications you are on and make sure you’re vaccinated against endemic diseases (there is a list for every country). ...Get hold of a number of small bills of local currency for tipping purposes, (change some US$ at the airport upon arrival into small bills, it is a lot safer and you have some small change for your Taxi or Tri-Cycle ride) very important in Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar/Burma, Laos and Vietnam (a stack of US$ 1.00 notes are fine) Cambodia is famous for the “One Dollar” everything is “One Dollar.” ...This will give relief from diarrhea but doesn’t treat the underlying infection so use it only if you can’t access a toilet and get help immediately if there’s any blood or anything unusual in the movement or you have a fever. ...These are only the very basics and of course you need to decide what else you like to bring along, for our Photographer friends I highly recommend a small Umbrella, some plastic bags, Raincoat, a small flashlight and spare batteries. The good old Swiss Army Knife is also a great companion, but make sure you DON’T carry that one in your hand carry, they will take it off you, store it in your check in luggage.

Photography & Aperture 2: Tips, Tricks & Techniques…“Triple T”, Editing and Rating your images in Aperture 2 while on the Road, it doesn’t get any faster.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-16T16:09:44+08:00

Below an introduction and Overview of the Aperture Rating System, but first I like to explain how I do my Rating and Editing in Aperture 2 on the road, the very fast and simple way. ...Usually I use the Project name and add the word “selected”, I set the parameter to 5 stars and now all my 5 star images are contained within this Smart Album, all 200 of them. Now I go through them again and the ones I don’t like I demote by hitting the Keys from 1 to 4 leaving me with only the 5 star ones, now I have for example. 85 images left in this Smart Album. ...Again this is entirely up to you, but for me it is the first impression of any image that counts, something that turns me on from the first time I see it, besides everything is still fresh in my mind. ...While a “yes or no” judgment of an image can work for a small selection of photos, with a larger collection of similar images that show small variations, photographers need an organized method of noting which images are superior shots, which deserve further review, and which are poor quality or rejects.

Aperture 2: “Triple T” Tips, Tricks & Techniques… how come I cant use some of my Adjustment tools? Quick Preview mode is activated…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-15T18:13:07+08:00

The adjustment Panel is NOT active; I guess this happen to the best of us from time to time, we might accidentally activated the Quick Preview Button, or forgot to switch it off. ...But to provide accurate feedback, image- processing function requires a view of the original pixel data, which you don’t get with Quick Preview. This is the reason why a lot of the adjustments tools are not available to you when Quick Preview is activated. Experiment with the Quick Preview button, find out how it improves your speed in editing thousands of images without time delay and if you wonder why you cant make certain adjustments then just click and deactivate the Quick Preview button. As for me, one of the best new additions in Aperture 2, much faster editing and not only during import.

Travel Photography: Tips, Tricks & Techniques “Triple T” continues, preparing for the next trip…don’t leave home without DATA RESCUE II

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-12T17:26:37+08:00

Checking and cleaning my MacBookPro; backing up on Time Machine & moving older files over to another hard drive, keeping it nice and clean with lots of spare hard drive space. ...It is not an issue how often and when I use it, I hope never just the peace of mind having it around is worth the price. I did recover some images for a friend who had deleted all his images from his CF Card plus I fixed an old external hard drive. ...Data Rescue II is the best digital data recovery software on the market for recovering files from a problem hard drive or that have been previously deleted. ...Stay tuned, in the next few days I post an article on: Health and Travel related matters, which is the right medication to bring along besides your Aspirin.

Aperture 2 the perfect companion in the field and at home, introduction and solution for todays DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER above and below the waves.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-11T16:22:18+08:00

Aperture 2 is a powerful and easy-to-use digital image management system that can track thousands of digital images and provides the advanced photographer with high-quality image management and adjustment tools. ...Not only that, Aperture is the perfect companion in the field providing you with all the editing tools you need and by the time you get back home from a trip your work is almost done. ...Advanced RAW workflow: From capture to output, you can work with your images captured as RAW files, without having to first convert them to another format before viewing, adjusting, organizing, or printing them. ...Nondestructive image processing: Designed to protect your images from the moment they’re imported, Aperture identifies your original images as digital “masters” and has built-in safeguards to help ensure that you don’t accidentally overwrite or modify them. ...Download the Aperture 2 trail version and check it out, you want regret it, however if you get stuck Apple provides you with some cool videos (http://www.apple.com/aperture/tutorials/) plus some other useful links below.

Photography & the Integration of Aperture 2 on a Mac plus iLife '09 Workshop

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-07T21:20:08+08:00

iLife + an introduction to iWork ’09 ...Join me on March 20 - Photography & the Integration of Aperture 2 on a Mac & on March 21- iLife 09 Workshop with iWork ’09. All sessions will have computer set-ups for your hands-on guided sessions and training starts at 1pm-3pm Please make your reservations at the Power Mac Center, limited Computer set-ups available, these are additional and special workshops and not necessary listed on the Training Center announcements. Go to the registration page @ http://www.powermaccenter.com/training.php

Aperture 2: BurnToDisc 2... this Plug-in for Aperture is the ideal travel companion, a solution for your clients plus a great additional back.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-05T12:06:29+08:00

In the first week of March 2009 we saw a lot of new Software and updates; Pixelmator from my previous blog, BurnTo Disc (my Blog today), Apple announced a few days ago a new Digital RAW Compatibility Update and yesterday we received an iLife Support update, iPhoto, Airport Client and Airport Utility. ...You could also export your Version or Masters on to your Desk top, then use Toast or your Burn folder to burn CD’s or DVD’s but that is more complicated, why not go direct to BurnToDisc within Aperture 2. ...Just before you leave for the airport you present him with a CD or DVD of the selected images from the shoot and you both have a big smile on your face. ...BurnToDisc is an Aperture Plug-In that simplifies the process of exporting your images and burning them to DVDs and CDs for sharing, archiving or off-site storage. ...When you select a collection of images from within Aperture and invoke BurnToDisc via the Burn Masters To Disc... or Burn Versions To Disc... menu item, a new Export Session is initiated.

Pixelmator the answer to Photoshop? Is it less intimidating for the novice and easier to use for editing after we export the Images from Aperture 2 or iPhoto?

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-04T12:39:42+08:00

I started many Moons ago in Photoshop, but then there was nothing else around at the time, now we have Aperture 2 and Lightroom to do all our hard editing work. Pixemator…No, I have not downloaded it yet, however it is very tempting for a prize of US$ 59.00 I have checked some reports and reviews to give me an inside to find out what is going on… ...I guess the best thing to do, open the Pixelmator Website and check it out for yourself, but from what I have read, it is not as intimidating as Photoshop and apparently works super fast on Leopard. ...If all of those things are true then we might have a real nice go between Aperture 2 and Pixelmator without the heavy use of Photoshop, not to mention the intimidation and heavy prize tag of the later one. Aperture 2 will do most of your editing and take care of your RAW files and when you do need that little extra for advertising or commercial work maybe then Pixelmator is the answer now.

Aperture 2 Tip: Don’t panic when you see the Consistency and Rebuild window but make sure you have everything backed up on an external drive.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-03T13:20:18+08:00

This works well if you have a lot of projects and images, however you have to have a bit of patience running the Rebuilding or Consistency Check as this could take some time, it all depends on the size of your Library. Don’t Panic again if after the Consistency Check some of your Projects and files have disappeared, no worries just repeat the step and this time run Rebuild and you find all your Projects are there. If you’re not comfortable activating the Rebuild or Consistency Check window then just wait until the window appears one day, but then you have almost no choice but to go through this exercise keeping Aperture 2 running nice smoothly. ...Now a final word of advise, make sure you made a back up of all your Images on an external drive, regardless how good your Mac or how big your drive is and how well Aperture 2 performs, back up is rule number one… disaster can strike anytime. ...Back home I then transfer all my files and Projects to my Mac Pro storing everything again on my Raid system for back ups, only then I delete the Images on my portable Hard drives.

Aperture 2 release... Raw Support for the Nikon D3X and the Epson R-D1x

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-03T13:08:31+08:00

Apple announced today the RAW Support for the New Nikon D3X Apple today released the latest Digital RAW Compatibility Update, adding the Epson R-D1x and the Nikon D3X to the extensive list of digital camera bodies and backs supported by Aperture 2, iPhoto ’08, and iPhoto ’09. You can obtain the Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 2.5 by selecting Software Update in the Apple menu or from the Apple support site. http://support.apple.com/downloads/Digital_Camera_ RAW_Compatibility_Update_2_5?

iLife '09 and GarageBand: Lets play some Blues... cool Music made easy for your Presentations and Podcast

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-03-01T17:52:10+08:00

The new and improved interface of GarageBand is just so very cool with endless possibilities, and once you have added some Jam Packs to it you be amazed what you can create if you’re a musician or not...but it helps if you like or like me love music. ...Start with Magic GarageBand first, familiarize yourself and later get more adventures and explore all the other possibilities, the trick is to work in the beginning with Magic GarageBand, from the menu choose Magic GarageBand and move the various instruments around until you’re happy with the overall sound. ...Add some Voices, Guitars, Effects (there is so much to choose from) or what ever you feel like, split and separate the tracks and move them around until you have a nice and now very different sound track. Send it to iTunes and you’re done, well almost... dont be shy,you do have to spend some time and experiment with GarageBand and if you love Music it is a lot of fun too. ...Please note: I recommend when running Garageband to turn off all other Applications, Garageband does require a bit of processing power, but on a MacBook Pro you should have no problems at all.

iWork fast…Designing Letterheads, Stationary, Brochures & a lot more on the fly with iWork ’09 using Pages.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-02-27T18:18:37+08:00

Working fast…if you’re on the road or at home, as Photographers we don’t like spending to much time in dealing with all those other things…but we have too, a necessary evil. ...Here are some samples of a stationary set and a simple brochure created in just one hour with the new iWork’09 using Pages. Apple has made it very easy for us, providing some cool Templates (a lot of them) in iWork ‘09 using Pages to create some slick looking Brochures, Stationary, Posters and so much more on the fly. The integrations on the Mac making the production so very easy and you don’t have to be a Rocket Scientist to work it all out. ...The templates make it easy, but you can always modify and add your own personal touch to it like changing the font, colors, graphics or adding shapes, tables or charts.

Aperture 2 Tip: Missing icon in the Toolbar…tips, tricks & techniques, triple “T” continues, customizing your toolbar and finding the Activity Icon.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-02-25T17:54:53+08:00

One of the participants ask me how come he does not have the Activity Icon like I do…is there something wrong with my software? ...Once you have installed Aperture 2 all the settings are in Default, he been using Aperture but had not seen or found this Icon and missing out on this very nice feature in ...So, if you a newcomer to Aperture 2 then this little tip might come in very handy, see below the screenshot of the Customization Panel for the Toolbar. Put your Mouse Cursor on the Toolbar hold down the control key (ctr) and click on the Toolbar a small dropdown menu appears, now select Customize Toolbar and a large window appears with all your tools. ...I recommend for newcomers to Aperture 2 to select Icons with text, easy to remember in the beginning and once you get up to speed with Aperture 2 you can use the ones only with the Icon or text giving you more space in your Toolbar.

Aperture 2:Tips, tricks and techniques… Triple “T” continues, recovering an overexposed image from the Nikon D700

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-02-23T18:26:51+08:00

It is not easy sometimes as a Pro to make things go wrong on purpose especially when using the new Nikon D700. ...I thought, hey this is a good exercise for bringing back the highlights in Aperture 2, so I shot some correct exposed images but also on purpose overexposed some for today’s session on how to bring back the highlights using Aperture 2. Highlight Hot & Cold Areas came in very handy in this exercise, (you find this in theView panel ) for the applied adjustment details go to the GD Photo Tutorial Panel upper left hand side or click this LINK. ...After all my corrections I converted the image also into a nice Black and White using the Green Filter this time. ...Before we go into all the details I like to give some praise to the Nikon D700, excellent performance in any light condition, yes I have done some test shots already at 6400 ISO and that just blew me away, but more on that later.

Where was Eric Clapton...a Guitar line up at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Manila "Elevator Blues" plus the new GarageBand'09

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-02-21T12:49:19+08:00

Most of you know my passion for music in particular Blues, a few days ago while attending a meeting at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Manila I spotted these Guitars lined up next to the Elevator. ...“Arnold...the only thing missing is Eric Clapton,” as it turned out there was a major rock secession in progress in one of the Ballrooms, sorry folks no Clapton, John Mayall or even Bob Marley otherwise I would have not gone back to my meeting. ...I could not resist and pulled out my constant companion the little Leica D-Lux4 and shot some frames, remember in one of my earlier Blogs never leave Home without it, (the camera that is) even when you have to attend a meeting you never know what is around the next corner or outside an Elevator in this case. ...I like the revised and new interface a lot, simple and clean and for those who like to learn an instrument GarageBand’09 has now some very cool tutorials guiding you step by step through the learning process for Piano or Guitar. ...Check out the new GarageBand ’09 play some Guitar tunes and create your very own music for all your presentations, GarageBand’09 is super cool and a big improvement from its previous versions.

Travel Photography: South East Asia Exposed, images from the “The Underexposed” featuring our first selection from Vietnam…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-02-14T13:12:26+08:00

Some of them I know personally, others only from emails, this is the first Blog in a NEW series called “The Underexposed” bringing together talented and passionate semi pro and amateur Photographer from all over South East Asia, I might add, we might venture also more East later, but for now it is S.E.A Every month we show you in a NEW GALLERY 12 selected images from these S.E.A Countries sharing with you the magic of this part of the world, which I call home. ...The answer is quiet simple…sharing images from this region and given these Photographers some “Exposure” they deserve, besides they are a real nice bunch plus given you the “right exposure” before venturing into S.E. ...Today we start with Massimo Casal from Hanoi in Vietnam, I have known Massimo only from emails and my Blogs on Aperture 2 Tutorials & you might remember some images from him in my previous Blogs. To check the 12 images in the Gallery please click this LINK or go to “The Underexposed” lower left hand side bar on this Blog page, but now enjoy the first images “The Underexposed” by Massimo.

iPhoto ’09 acceleration into the future… jazzed up that even the Pro is going to like it, integration at its finest. “Triple T” tips, tricks and techniques

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-02-13T18:01:16+08:00

As an Aperture 2 user and Trainer this is quiet a statement on my headline, but after spending some time with the new iPhoto ’09 I have to admit this version is awesome. ...The small presentation below shows you what can be done, created again in only a few minutes using the Media Browser to add Music (created previously in GarageBand) I then exported it to QT and this little piece was done. ...You have a Book and a simple presentation to go with, its easy to create and you don’t have to be a Rocket scientist to work it out, use common sense and you find you master iPhoto ’09 in no time. ...Select a folder with the images or create a new one with the images you like to use for the Book, then click on the Book icon, you can choose between auto flow or manual adding the images, you still have the option to move them around after they have been placed. ...Add a smart Album just like in Aperture 2 or create your Mobile Me Web Gallery all of this and the improved interface makes the new iPhoto ’09 a ripper… my only “worry” …what is going to come for Aperture 2 down the road, this could be very interesting.

iWork ’09 & Aperture 2 creating a Poster in Pages on the fly, thanks to the integration, having access to my Aperture 2 Library via the Media Browser

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-02-12T23:35:31+08:00

After my Workshop today on Travel Photography and Aperture 2 at the Power Mac Center, Makati Manila, I picked up a copy of the new iWork ’09. ...I always loved iWork in particular Keynote, I do just about all my presentations with this cool software with endless possibilities to choose from and using Pages when I am in a hurry and need to create something with…Pages. What is the difference between ’08 and ’09 iWork…well unless I don’t go to sleep tonight I can explain all the new things to you, but I must rest sometimes too. Don’t worry in due time I give iWork ‘09 a very good test drive, however I can tell you this much; major improvements, awesome new Templates for Pages and super cool ones for Keynote... a lot of new ones. ...It is the perfect integration on the Mac which makes all of this possible, no matter where you go the Media Browser is always around, hence the reason why I am as a Photographer love iWork and iLife, I have access to my Aperture 2 and iPhoto Libraries get into my GarageBand, iTunes and Videos without ever leaving the software.

Environment: The Beds and Trees are burning in Australia…Why?

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-02-11T23:47:06+08:00

WHY??? © Gunther Deichmann - Composite Image As a fellow Australian I like to express my sympathy to those relatives who have lost loved ones and properties during these raging Bushfires. What amazes me, these fires have been deliberately lit…I have no words for such a crime, I am speechless… GD

Internet connection down…iPhone to the rescue… iWeb ’09 and a new website from Fins Magazine plus the first “Underexposed” on the 15th of this month…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-02-11T22:34:22+08:00

Totally frustrated by not having an Internet connection these past few days almost drove me in insane…but then came the iPhone to the rescue, oh boy did it ever. ...Now we are back, up and running, not only me but my good friends at Fins Magazine too with their brand NEW Website…I like it and think it is super cool or is it the Music? ...I have also fixed a few things on my Commercial Photography site…we had a few problems but now I am running iWeb ’09,which is super slick by the way, the new WIDGETS are just awesome; HTML Snipet,Google Maps, RSS Feed, YouTube, Google AdSense, iSight Movie, iSight Photo, Countdown, All is Ok now, so why dont you check it out...best viewed on Safari. ...The NEW iLife ‘09 is so cool from what I have tried out and seen, super improvements, but more on that later need to do some more test driving. ...On or about the 15th of this month I am going to introduce you to our very first “UNDEREXPOSED” guy, Massimo Casal from Hanoi in Vietnam.

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY & APERTURE 2 plus iPhoto and APERTURE 2

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-02-05T15:57:00+08:00

February 2009, Seminars at the Power Mac Center, ...plus iPhoto and APERTURE 2 For bookings and more information click this LINK or the screenshot above. For questions and special requests, you can call 729-7087 or 88,

Photography: Shadows & Colors …images from a commercial shoot, behind the Scene plus the first verdict on the Nikon D700 & soon “The Underexposed”

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-02-03T22:18:06+08:00

A few hours I returned from a commercial Photo shoot and I thought why not share these images with you…sorry cant show you yet the commercial Images but certainly these ones. Non of the images have been a setup or been manipulated in Photoshop, they just happen to be there. This was also the first time the Nikon D700 got a very good workout, I am very pleased and extremely satisfied with the D700…she just performed awesome. ...In my next Blog I am introducing a new series called “The Underexposed” images from semi pro and amateur Photographers but with great talent from all over South East Asia. ...Photographers I have met during my travel while others I have only known from Emails my Aperture 2 Workshops and Blogs they like to share their love and passion for Photography with you very soon.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-29T14:14:17+08:00

A lot of Legal mumble jumble...we are photographers in the first place and YES we have and need to protect our work, it is our right to do so, but how far do we go in doing so? ...On the other hand the web is not so forgiving, copy and paste is so easy...and here I do agree with Jason, place a watermark on the image will help, but it is never perfect. Cloning with Photoshop makes it easy, if you do place a watermark on your image set the opacity to very weak (say 10% or less) and cover the whole image, this way it does not disturb the image to much and it is difficult to clone. ...The web is full of images like in Flickr, Multiply etc., and most of them dont have a Copyright Watermark, very inviting... it is just like leaving the key in your car engine, or leaving your camera bag in the Taxi and ask the driver to wait until you come back from the Toilet. I dont have the perfect solution and I dont believe the registration is either, unless you’re a Richard Avedon or some other very famous Photographer, for the time being a good and well placed watermark is a very good choice and if you can proof without any reasonable doubt it is your image you have a very good chance in any court.

Travel Photography & Aperture 2: iTalk with iTalk Sync a handy Application for the iPhone, applying Metadata via copy and paste into Aperture 2 plus a lot more.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-28T00:09:36+08:00

Ok.enough sweet talk…say you walking around those amazing Temples in Cambodia with their strange names or you just hanging around a side walk Café, now you use your iPhone and start recording, OK that is nothing new. ...Easy, you synchronize your iPhone with your Lap Top and start up iTalk Sync, the recordings from the day are now on your Desk Top or place them in iTunes, it is that easy. But It gets much better, since you gave every recording a name or added additional text to it, a small text file is also attached and parked right next to your sound file on your Desk Top. ...The transfer from the iPhone to Computer is wireless, OK. if no Wi-Fi is available you can always play back the recording and work on your caption manual and transfer everything later when a connection is available, but at least you have a nice recording with all the information. ...Your recordings will be transferred as high-quality AIFF files, which you can play in iTunes or in most other media players. iTunes will give you the option of burning your recordings onto audio CDs, or converting them to a different format such as AAC/MP3, for use with portable music players.

Environment: Living fossil... a true love story at age 111...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-27T12:42:41+08:00

Most of my readers know my fascination for Fossils and the Environment not to mention my interest in Archeological subjects. I thought I share this little amusing but true story about Henry with you, thanks to Walter Ty for bringing this to my attention. The image I feature today is NOT Henry but of a Frillneck Lizard another amazing reptile from the Top End, the Northern Territory of Australia. ...Tuatara are the last surviving reptiles of their kind, a rare New Zealand reptile has become a father, possibly for the first time, at the age of 111. The keepers of Henry, a tuatara, had thought he was past his prime - especially after showing no interest in females during 40 years in captivity.

PHOTOGRAPHY & APERTURE 2 using the Sharpening tools, plus a cool TIP for your iPhone “TRIPLE T” continues…

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-26T17:38:21+08:00

My Camera settings are all set to normal, because it is very difficult to judge from the LCD screen how much or how little sharpening to apply. I have set all my sharpening parameters in Aperture 2 and since I know my Cameras I perform all the Edge or Sharpening in the Computer using my standard settings. ...My recommendation experiment with some of your images and don’t worry you can always go back to your untouched Original, that is the beauty about Aperture’s non-destructive editing. ...In Aperture select IMAGES and on the drop down menu choose Dodge & Burn then on the small drop down window (red square) select Sharpening, choose your brush size and strengths and apply your Sharpening on selected areas only. This iPhone application is truly one of the better ones, very practical and useful, now I have arranged all my most frequent and important Phone Numbers, no more scrolling and searching just touch and go or should I say call…

Photography...never leave home with out it, the CAMERA that is, rediscovering Herb Ritts & Richard Avedon

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-21T20:08:00+08:00

Take your Camera for a walk...where ever you go; with the family, to meetings, functions or just for a stroll in the Park with your Dog, a Compact one is sometimes good enough, because you never know what crosses your path. The other day, I walked out of my Apartment and my Son Brandon was jumping up the stairs, beautiful late afternoon light streaming through the window lighting the staircase. ...I used a slow shutter-speed to emphasize on movement, taken with my little Leica D-Lux 4, processed in Aperture 2 without enhancements, this was natural light at its best. The following day I attended a function and during my visit to the Toilet “I spotted two famous Photographers inside”, Herb Ritts and Richard Avedon with two famous and classic images. ...Herb Ritts began his photographic career in the late 70's and gained a reputation as a master of art and commercial photography...

Aperture 2 and the iPhone3G some use full tips, tricks & techniques for your travel Photography. Is the iPhone3G our Digital Swiss Army Knife?

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-20T13:25:49+08:00

In many ways it has become almost that, with the exception of “chopping up firewood, repairing the toilet seat or fixing the car”, but at least you have a Phone to call, text or email the repairman. ...Yes, I did download some games, he, he…and when I am traveling in a Taxi and get stuck in one of those real Traffic Jam’s I get the iPhone out check my email and afterwards play some games or listen to my favorite Blues music. ...Most of the Applications the iPhone comes with I like, but I am not going into great details with those today, I rather look at some of the other Applications I found useful and having them all in my pocket now is just great. ...If your preference setting is set to open Aperture when a Camera is connected watch out… Aperture 2 opens up and tries to import all photos you have taken with your iPhone, as a Pro I found this a bit irritating. ...But what I do like is having the ability to import my images all or selected Albums from my Aperture Library just like you would do with your images in iPhoto.

Tips, tricks & techniques on Travel Photography & future tutorials Aperture 2...

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-17T19:27:00+08:00

The first out of my new series Triple “T”… at least twice a month I share with you tips, tricks & techniques on Travel Photography and bring you more tutorials on Aperture 2 easy to follow with images and screenshots. ...Well first of all, it is my job and expertise, I have been doing it for 30 years now: second I like to explore and discover different Cultures and Countries, meeting with people from all nationalities, getting involved in their culture and tradition searching for the unusual within. ...This is extremely important; research the places you intend of visiting, relax upon arrival and don’t start shooting on your first day unless an opportunity arises, check out the place first and talk to the locals. ...I try to get to know them, but I guess most important is to hire a local Guide who can get you into places Tourist seldom venture, besides he or she breaks down the language barrier and has a good knowledge of the local customs. ...I treat all my destinations the same there is always something interesting to shoot, but Tibet, Cambodia, Myanmar and the small island of Santorini in Greece have been my favorite places so far, but I guess my heart is in Australia because that is where it all started.

Environment: Muy Magazine in Spain & Portugal good timing for the International Year of the Shark 2009...and more Photography Aperture Tutorials soon

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-16T15:15:05+08:00

“Muy Interesante Magazine” in Spain and Portugal have published in their January 2009 issues the image on the shark fins, the same Photo appeared in November 2008 as the Photo of the Week in the German Stern Magazine. Now I like to take the opportunity and announce our support for the new released website; the Palau Shark Sanctuary and our support for the International Year of the Sharks in 2009. Sam’s Tours in Palau Micronesia also launched today the 16 of January 2009 their NEW Sharkweeks.com website, introducing special educational shark dives every week in Palau. ...So, if you venture to Palau for your next Dive Trip, dive with Sam’s Tours and shoot these great shark images and afterwards process them in their modern Digital Photo Center. The DPC is fully equipped with six iMac’s and has a complete back up system, software like iLife, Aperture and Photoshop Elements are installed on all machines.

Travel Photography:“Made to Order from Papua New Guinea” Bali has it all…from Fossils to bizarre looking artifacts.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-14T21:34:56+08:00

During my recent trip to Bali Indonesia I came across many interesting things, from giant Bath tubs made out of a single solid rock boulder to the complimentary wash basins for the bathroom. ...No matter what you looking for, most likely you find it in Bali and not only in Ubud, art and crafts are all over the place. From imitations to the real thing, you find it all in Bali. ...I took these images during my last trip to Bali when I visited one of the enormous Artifacts shops along the road. From fossils to just about anything from Papua New Guinea they had in store, and since I am always looking for the unusual we stopped the car and I shot these bizarre carving from Papua with the colorful wall behind just being perfect.

Nikon D700 v. Nikon F5 film Camera, a test between digital and film photography, check out this cool video.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-13T23:05:37+08:00

I have picked up this interesting article and Video clip the other day on the web, an amazing and very cool video of Nikon D700 v. the Nikon F5 Film Camera. The show was produced on the Gadget Show with a good English humor using a Pro Photographers Studio. ...Digital cameras have improved in leaps and bounds over the last few years but does film still produce the best results? I am not going to give you the results, that would be to easy but you can find out on ...Both Cameras had the same ISO setting at 400 & the blow up size of the images measured from top to bottom 17 meters and took two days to print.

Photography: Seldom seen Images from my Archives in PHOTOSHELTER... from Europe to Australia to Tahiti in the Pacific, South East Asia, Tibet & India.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-11T19:53:38+08:00

I prepared a PhotoShelter Widget for easy viewing, a quick look into my Archives, I have selected some 148 images from 25 different Countries to give you a glimpse into my travel photography over the years. ... The widget provides you also with different view options, including Full Screen, see screenshot below, this is very cool just click on the toolbar below the widget if you wish to view the Images larger plus some other options.

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY: Interesting response to my last blog article, plus the SANTORINI, GREECE Widget.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-09T12:22:15+08:00

feedSRC=http%3A//pa.photoshelter.com/c/gdeichmann/gallery-show/G0000EA6VlZLp7dI%3Ffeed%3Drss%26ppg%3D200" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="425" height="319"> ...Oh boy, not an easy answer...but let me explain a bit about my Photography, as for being very good... this is up for the audience and readers to judge I am merely creating images and I love doing so. ...I think one of the most important aspects of good Photography is critique...critique and more critique, if you can handle critique then you’re on the right road, but if you dont or get offended then do something else. ...As I have pointed out in my previous blog, keep your equipment simple you be amazed what you can do with just one Camera and one lens, discipline yourself working like this for a while, a challenge you might say...but very rewarding in the end. ...Next week on the 15th of January you find an interesting article of mine in the Manila Bulletin, they might help to answer some of your other questions, dont worry if you dont reside in Manila I am posting those same questions and answers a few days later on my blog.

Travel Photography the Journey continues...plus an interesting Flash presentation

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-08T22:47:28+08:00

I treat all my destinations the same there is always something interesting to shoot, but Tibet, Cambodia, Myanmar and the small island of Santorini in Greece have been my favorite places so far, but I guess my heart is in Australia because that is where it all started. This year I am planning to go back to Cambodia and India, but if everything works out Ok I might be visiting Africa which has been long on my list. In other words the Journey continues...see below a little flash presentation Color is all around us, we just have to separate the different shades and forms then everything will come together, you just have to stay tuned. ...No Photoshop straight from the Camera into Aperture 2 and to this Blog

Photography Masters from the past and present…an inspiration and a short Journey through History including Links.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-04T20:54:28+08:00

The true Pioneers in Black &White and Color Photography…of course I can mention many more but I deliberately have chosen the ones below, some of them have left us but others are still with us and up to this day creating stunning images. ...I am lucky and thankful for working and meeting with Pete during the mid ’80 we traveled together in the Northern Territory of Australia shooting Ayers Rock and a few years later ventured out to Western Australia shooting the Pinnacle Desert, we became good friends and communicate up to this day. For pure inspiration you should take a few minutes and check out the amazing images on his website, a true master of color if not the ultimate in color photography. ...Of course prior to color we had the breathtaking work in Black and White by Ansel Adams or the legendary Henri Cartier Bresson with his photo book “The Decisive Moment”. Then there is the controversial Bert Stern and not to be missed Rebecca Blake with her unique fashion photography at the time, she was also the Photography consultant for the Film “The eyes of Laura Mars” starring Faye Dunaway.

Aperture 2 tutorial and tips… Photography, converting Color to Black & White using the build in filters from Aperture.

gdeichmann@mac.com — 2009-01-03T22:25:22+08:00

I have discussed the conversion from Color to B&W using Aperture 2 in some of my previous Blogs, but today I show you some comparison with actual images using the different filters in Aperture 2. ...I have noticed recently more people experiment with Black and White images, I guess it has become a lot easier these days with all those different software’s available to us. ...In the old days it was a lot more time consuming and required a lot of skills in the Darkroom messing around with Chemicals…Developer…Fixer and the Stop bath words and terms seldom used today. ...I am very much of a Color person and seldom shot Black and White in the past but appreciate the techniques and art form, creating good black and white Prints is not easy even with today’s software and technology. Are we ever get the magic of Masters like Ansel Adams with the software of today…I am not sure but I know we can create some pretty good images and prints.