The GD Photo Workshops in Asia...
confirmed dates for Sept. & Oct.
Cambodia, Nepal & Philippines.



© Gunther Deichmann - discover the
undiscovered in Cambodia

You find we go beyond the normal tourist locations, experience adventure with a touch of luxury in some of the best destinations in Asia. Discover the undiscovered with your digital camera.
Gunther has many years of experience in Cambodia and Nepal, you explore places seldom visit by others.

Understand light and composition, meet new people and immerse yourself in new cultures, getting the shot right in the first place is the main objective in these workshops. Learn how to see with your eyes and using the camera only as a tool to capture the ultimate image. Photoshop manipulation is not on the agenda.

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.

The workshops are for advanced amateurs who want to gain insight into how to make better photographs for editorial, stock sales or for personal satisfaction. A digital SLR camera capable of capturing RAW images is required. Students are encouraged to bring their own laptop.

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.

For more info go to:

GD Photo Workshops

Cambodia, Siem Reap and Phnom Penh
PHOTO WORKSHOP in September 12 - 18, 2010
Final bookings must be made by latest 19th of July


PACKAGE PRICE: US $1,795.00 (airfare not included) for more details please email us at gdeichmann@mac.com

The price is inclusive of the following:

• 7 days and 6 nights stay inclusive of accommodation bed and breakfast at a 5star Boutique Hotel (Siem Reap)

• Ground transportation and guides including visit to the Tonle Sap lake

• Bottled water will be provided throughout the excursions.

• Heritage site permit fees.

• (only 4 more slots available)

Full details and outline of course will be send to you upon request.
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. Pls. send us an email for more information for the Phnom Penh extension.

7 days Angkor Wat and beyond...explore and discover the hidden Khmer treasures, please book this workshop early it is our most popular one.
Read what students had to say from our previous Photo Workshops in Cambodia & India.

© Gunther Deichmann - ancient Temples
& ritual Cambodia


© Gunther Deichmann - Siem Reap Cambodia

October 14 - 21, 2010 Bookings close by 9th of August.
Only 4 spaces remaining! 
Nepal, Kathmandu
A 7 day Journey into Nepal, final itinerary yet to be finalized, please stay tuned for more info very soon. Shortly we announce the price and upon request we provide you with a detailed Itinerary and Course outline.

© Gunther Deichmann - Sadhu Nepal

© Gunther Deichmann - Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal

Oct. 29 -Nov01, 2010 Bookings close by 31st of August.
PHOTOGRAPHY LESSONS IN PALAWAN: Learn from the Pro. in cooperation with Power Mac Center Manila Philippines.
Four days of fun and learning travel photography..exploring nature's beauty in Palawan
Target: Amateurs and semi-pro (max 8 participants) please book this one early. Peso 12,000 (does not include Hotel and accommodation charges yet)
Philippines only! Course outline soon to be announced.
For registration: workshops@powermaccenter.com

© Gunther Deichmann -perfect camouflaged Monitor Lizard
cooling of in the lagoon on Dimakya Island Palawan, Philippines



© Gunther Deichmann - Flying Fox, - Fruit Bats
on Dimakya Island Palawan, Philippines

Hope to see you on one of our GD Photo Workshops,
GD

Aperture 3 essentials & basic Photography,
using your camera and understanding the
work-flow after the shoot.

July 23-25

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.
This course is for amateurs and semi pros.

Course fee: Peso 8,500.00 per participant for 3 days
1 to 4 PM except on the last day there is an additional 1 hour (1 to 5 PM)

For details: www.powermaccenter.com

For registration: workshops@powermaccenter.com

See a basic course outline below:

Day 1. Short introduction and presentation on basic photography
3:00 hours.
Lecture on your camera and problems you’re facing
How to use your equipment and make the most out off it, hands on and learning the basics.
E.g. basic operation of your camera the a-b-c. tips and tricks.
Short walk around Greenbelt 3 with GD using your camera in the field.
Setting up your computer for Photography and uploading images.
A. The first upload to the computer using Aperture 3 or iPhoto ’09
Basic lessons on digital photography.
Q&A

Day 2.
3 hours
Another short walk in Greenbelt with GD implementing the lessons from day one.
Hands on and advise including some critique after the shoot and upload of images.
B. The digital workflow after the shoot, Aperture 3 or iPhoto more advanced training,
plus backing up your images the correct way.
Q&A

Day 3.
4 hours
Final lessons learned and discussion, plus more tips, tricks and techniques from GD on Photography.
Participants go out alone for about 30 minutes and shoot some simple assignments given by GD.
After they return evaluation and lessons learned, final editing and fine-tuning with Aperture 3 or iPhoto.
What to do with your photos after the final shoot and edit;
integration on the Mac e.g. creating slideshows, presentations with iWork etc,.
Q&A

Soccer fever in Manila, Philippines?

© Gunther Deichmann - from the car window, street vendor
selling soccer balls near Makati. Leica D-Lux 4

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.
GD

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.
(two images one with the drop and one without it)
After this was done I imported the Motion Clip and soundtrack into Aperture 3, added text plus photos... export and it was done.
GD

Also on:

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG9DwR_tLIQ
Vimeo: http://www.vimeo.com/12789048

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.

A little spring-clean the other day revealed an old treasure from some 24 years ago.
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)
Wow …memories starting to buzz in my head… oh boy, do I remember this one!

24 years later…technology brings an old project back to life; sometimes it is nice to go back in time.
“This is like a 25 year anniversary for me since the project started in 1985.”

To cut a long story short we did some reproduction of this long forgotten marvel and after some cropping and adjusting the pages were ready for an update.

I used Aperture 3.0.3 for the editing and the final slide show, Motion from Final Cut Studio for the intro, and the Soundtrack I created again in GarageBand.

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.

All Photos taken on locations in the Northern Territory of Australia…with some places extremely remote and difficult to reach.

At Ayers Rock we used an old fashion pushbike that we had repainted and restored, at the Olga’s the parachute setup looked simple, but the Girl almost drifted away as the wind picked up.

On the first day at Rainbow Valley the Camels didn’t arrive on time, so we had to come back the next day and get the Job done. The dresses for the girls (BTW Identical Twins) in this shot had been specially designed and tailored for this setup.

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.

Then to Palm Valley… the track to Palm Valley is only accessible with a 4WD vehicle, following the usually dry bed of the Finke River. Within the Finke Gorge National Park, is an east-west running valley in the Krichauff Range 123 km (138 km by road) southwest of Alice Springs.

Kings Canyon… a tough climb and a long walk, Kings Canyon is part of the Watarrka National Park in Northern Territory, Australia. Sitting at the western end of the George Gill Range, it is 323 km southwest of Alice Springs and 1,316 km south of Darwin.

Kakadu National Park… getting the Girls into the Kayak at Yellow Waters proved to be exciting but also very stressful, there are plenty of very large Saltwater Crocodiles around. My assistant kept a lookout with binoculars just in case, of course we had a larger boat right next to the Kayak where I was shooting.
BTW…the original color of the Kayak was white, I had it re-painted in red just for this shot.

Another cool location was Katherine Gorge, walking for hours to get to the 7th Gorge. Katherine Gorge is not just one spectacular Gorge but a series of 13 gorges along the Katherine River.

At Fog Dam we transported a complete dinning set into the swamp, another extreme, timing was of the essence here. I also flew in an Aboriginal friend of mine from the island of Bathurst just of the coast of Darwin, and the fish for dinner…that is another story.

The Gove Peninsula was some how difficult, far away at the top end of the Northern Territory, but luck was on our side. A Coast Guard Plane was parked at the airport so
I ask the pilot if he could do a few fly over for us…. which he did.

At the Arnhem Land Escarpment and Twin Falls we used Helicopters due to their remoteness. Getting into the Twin falls proved even difficult by Chopper, bringing the Crew down one by one.

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. Shooting over four-month off and on, covering some enormous distances.

These were the days of film…no computers existed with Photoshop, but then that was the challenge…would I do it again? Of course… any time.
GD

Also on:

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/TIMEJOURNEY#p/a/u/0/iMIjYGN4OcU

Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/guntherdeichmann

Guess who came for dinner...



© Gunther Deichmann - El Rio y Mar dinner time...

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.

Our group was sitting at the dining table at the end of the pier when suddenly one of the staff caught my attention. 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.

© Gunther Deichmann – almost like a painting... a Lion fish.
No need for Photoshop…
Nature provides all the texture and colors.

Maybe attracted by the light, or was he going to join us for dinner…we never know.
I instantly grabbed my camera, which was parked on the dining table only a few meters away.

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.

© Gunther Deichmann – even he was not invited
I am so glad he dropped by.

What else can I say…never leave your camera behind, even if you have dinner with your friends.
BTW…there is some cool muck diving at El Rio y Mar and the Dugong Dive Center has a Dive Center right at the resort.

However in my case there was no need to take the plunge…the fish came “right to me,” or did he came for dinner?
GD

Dramatic skies, enchanting colors…
a tropical kaleidoscope.



© Gunther Deichmann - view from the Pier at El Rio y Mar,
Palawan Philippines

Oh… how I love this time of the year, the monsoon has finally arrived cooling things down a bit, a good time for some different photography.

© Gunther Deichmann - sunrise on the way to Calauit Island
Palawan Philippines

It started all on my last day on Dimakya Island, storm clouds rolled overhead, the first rain for this season had arrived. The day before on my way to Calauit Island we had painted skies at sunrise, an indication that things where about to change, great I thought.

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.
The ocean is so calm but the colors can be spectacular and lets face it we do need water, natures gift to man.

© Gunther Deichmann - near Club Paradise,
Palawan Philippines

© Gunther Deichmann - the Monsoon has arrived
Palawan Philippines

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.”

© Gunther Deichmann - arriving at El Rio y Mar,
Palawan Philippines

After my arrival I settled into my quarters (wow, these are very cool cottages) and had my usual cup of coffee first. Then I wondered around the Resort area which is nested in super healthy Mangroves, nature... again all around me.

© Gunther Deichmann - my home... sadly my stay was just to
short but I shall return. El Rio y Mar Palawan Philippines



© Gunther Deichmann - very healthy Mangroves just behind my
cottage during a tropical rain shower

Red Mangrove: Flowers of the red mangrove are fertilized and begin to develop.  The propagule or seedling, does not drop from the tree immediately, but continues to grow in place.  If there are no storms or other disturbances, the red mangrove seedling and its companions can advance the shoreline as they stabilize the soils beneath them.  In nature however, storms tend to keep the system in balance. 

© Gunther Deichmann - Human cutting of mangroves can cause severe erosion problems during major storms or tsunami. Mangroves are also a very important breeding ground for fish and other marine critters. Palawan has some very healthy Mangrove forest along its coastline.

I took it easy the first few hours, besides it was Sunday and now1:00 PM not a very good time to shoot anyway.
Then of a sudden... at 3:00PM all hell broke loose with a great tropical downpour, fantastic I thought, grabbed the umbrella and started to work at the Mangroves.

After about 45 minutes it was all over, the sky cleared up nicely with the clouds disappearing in the distance.

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.

© Gunther Deichmann - a cool night in tropical Paradise
El Rio y Mar, Palawan, Philippines

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. My suspense again...

Unfortunately I could only stay one day in El Rio y Mar before hitting back to Manila, oh how I wished I could had extended my stay, but I shall return, a promise I will keep.

It was amazing how many photos I managed to take in such a short time, these are only a few on today’s post.
To top it all off, the image below was taken just 3 hours prior my departure, just after breakfast near the swimming pool area.

© Gunther Deichmann - Brown-throated Sunbird near the pool
area at El Rio y Mar, Palawan, Philippines

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.
GD

The latest Software update 10.6.4 includes a fix and resolve an issue editing
photos with iPhoto or Aperture 3 in full screen view.

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 that causes the keyboard or trackpad to become unresponsive
• resolve an issue that may prevent some Adobe Creative Suite 3 applications from opening
• address issues copying, renaming, or deleting files on SMB file servers
• improve reliability of VPN connections
• resolve a playback issue in DVD Player when using Good Quality deinterlacing
• resolve an issue editing photos with iPhoto or Aperture in full screen view
• improve compatibility with some braille displays

From Jurassic Park to the Future...

It was a big day yesterday for Juergen Warnke Chairman of Club Paradise and El Rio y Mar...he decided to make the switch from PC to Mac. 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.

Juergen Warnke is all smiles at the Power Mac Center
Greenbelt 3 during his first test drive.

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. He is also looking into an additional iMac for the Resort and a Cinema Screen for his office, the perfect combination. He now has all the Battery Power on the road and the luxury for the office.

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. Wow the win by the Swiss over Spain was just awesome.

Happy Switchers...Othmar Frei and Juergen Warnke at the
Cave Wine Bar at Werdenberg in Yakal street Makati.

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.
So there you have it, two new-bees and happy switchers. Othmar I ask, how is your new Mac? Oh boy I should have made the switch a lot earlier, it is just so cool...just love it. Great... after that we had a few Glasses of wine and watched the soccer game.

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.
Until tomorrow,
GD

Part 2...endemic wildlife has its home on
Dimakya Island, Palawan Philippines

© Gunther Deichmann - at sunset Fruit Bats from the
second colony take off into the sky.

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
Home of Club Paradise.
Note: All images have been processed using Aperture 3 using only RAW file image adjustments and cropping.
No manipulation in Photoshop.

© Gunther Deichmann - my home for four days...Club Paradise,
Palawan Philippines

We all know that the diving is just so amazing in this area, from shipwrecks to an unspoiled immaculate house reef right in front of your cottages. Where Turtles roam and Dugongs feed on the adjourning sea grass beds not to mention all those critters and tropical fish on the reef. A paradise for underwater Photographers.

However as mention before in Part 1, on my recent trip to Palawan I concentrated on the wildlife above the waves where another paradise was waiting for me…

© Gunther Deichmann - The Brown-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis), also known as the Plain-throated Sunbird, is a species of bird in the Nectariniidae family. It is found in a wide range of semi-open habitats in south-east Asia, ranging from Myanmar to the Lesser Sundas and west Philippines

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)

© Gunther Deichmann - luck was on my side when I wondered through the Resort, when I spotted these Herons right next to one of the Buildings. Entertaining me for a few moments before they took off in the undergrowth.

Rufous Night-Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus). The Rufous Night-Heron hunts for food during night time. They primarily eat small fish, crustaceans, frogs, aquatic insects, and small mammals. They live near bodies of water such as rivers, streams, marshes, seas and lagoons. They fly at dusk to their feeding ground producing a "kwok" sound.
Rufous Night-Heron can be easily identified if it's young or mature because of its distinct color. The juvenile changes its color from spotted and streaked brown into plain brown with a black cap on top of its head when it becomes an adult.

© Gunther Deichmann - I spotted this CALAMIAN DEER close to the natural lagoon Dimakya Island on my second day, just a minute stroll from my cottage.

CALAMIAN DEER (Axis calamianesis). The Calamian Deer is also known as the "hog deer". The name "hog deer" arises from its habit of crashing through the undergrowth with its head down like a pig, rather than leaping over obstacles as other deer do. Hog deer are heavy-set and compact, standing only about 28" high at the shoulder.

Calamian Deer is an endemic species restricted in the Palawan Faunal Region and is considered endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). They are found in the Calamianes Islands, Northern Palawan. Axis deer in general take readily to water and are said to be good swimmers. They are predominantly grazers, and they eat also fallen flowers and fruits of forest trees.

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 guess I have to make another trip and catch up with some of the other animals that have eluded me on this visit.

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.

© Gunther Deichmann - this photograph was taken on Calauit Island during my recent visit to Palawan. Deforestation has greatly reduced its numbers and the Philippine Bearcat is on the endangered species list

The Binturong (Arctictis binturong), also known as the Asian Bearcat, the Palawan Bearcat, or simply the Bearcat, is a species of the family Viverridae, which includes the civets and genets.
It is the only member of its genus. The binturong is neither a bear nor a cat, and the real meaning of the original name has been lost, as the local language that gave it that name is now extinct. Its natural habitat is in trees of forest canopy in rainforest.

It is nocturnal and sleeps on branches. It eats primarily fruit, but also has been known to eat eggs, shoots, leaves, and small animals, such as rodents or birds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binturong

© Gunther Deichmann - photo of Palawan Porcupine was taken on Calauit Island during my recent visit to Palawan.

The Philippine Porcupine (Hystrix pumila), or the Indonesian Porcupine or the Palawan Porcupine, is a species of rodent in the Hystricidae family (Old World porcupines). It is endemic to the island of Palawan in the Philippines. Common Name: PALAWAN PORCUPINE Scientific Name: Hystrix pumila Local Name: Durian / Landak
Conservation Status: Apparently stable, but these species are reported to be persecuted by farmers as pests in coconut plantations.A locally common to uncommon species found in primary and secondary forest in the mountains and in the lowlands.

This species also prefer caves, but are commonly found under tree buttresses or in rock crevices.It is an endemic species restricted in the Palawan Faunal Region. It has been recorded in the islands of Busuanga, Calauit, Coron, and on the Mainland at the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, and the forested areas of El Nido.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Porcupine

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.

Just one more...
jumping with joy in Paradise.



© Gunther Deichmann - Club Paradise,
Palawan Philippines


Please Note: A Photo Workshop in Paradise - Oct 29-Nov 1

PHOTOGRAPHY LESSONS IN PALAWAN: Learn from the Pro. in conjunction with the Power Mac Center
Four days of fun and learning travel photography..exploring nature's beauty in Palawan
Amateurs and semi-pro (max 8 participants) please book this one early.
For more info pls. contact:

Email: 
workshops@powermaccenter.com
tutorial@powermaccenter.com

2/L Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center Paseo de Roxas Avenue, Makati City, Philippines 
Tel: 7297087
3/L TriNoma, Edsa cor North Ave. Quezon City
Tel: 9013981

For other Workshops in 2010 plus Cambodia and Nepal please go to:
http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/page1/calendar.html

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:

June 25-27 and July 23-25
PHOTOGRAPHY & AFTER THE SHOOT
Experience Aperture 3 basics and integration on the Mac. Plus tips and tricks on Photography, learning how to use the camera.
Amateurs and semi-pro

August 23-25
PHOTOGRAPHY FOR MOM
" How to shoot your kids! "
Basic camera use, techniques in child photography & creating projects on Mac.

Oct 29-Nov 1
PHOTOGRAPHY LESSONS IN PALAWAN: Learn from the Pro.
Four days of fun and learning travel photography..exploring nature's beauty in Palawan
Amateurs and semi-pro (max 8 participants) please book this one early.

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.

Contact: http://www.powermaccenter.com/education

2/L Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center Paseo de Roxas Avenue, Makati City, Philippines Beside Music One and First Aid
Tel./ fax no.: (632) 729-7128 Tel. no. for Solutions desk: 729 - 7088 Text line: (+63917) 580-6852
Operating Hours: Mon to Thurs: 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Fri to Sat: 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sun: 11:00 am to 9:00 pm
Power Mac Center Greenbelt 3, right beside our 1 on 1 Tutorial Room Details here.
Tel. no.: (632) 729-7087

For other Workshops in 2010 plus Cambodia and Nepal please go to:
http://www.deichmann-photo.com/gdphotoworkshop/page1/calendar.html

Jurassic Park? No... Club Paradise
Palawan Philippines - Part 1



© Gunther Deichmann - like... Jurassic Park..."Flying Foxes"
Fruit Bats & a Heron on Dimakya Island

Part 1:
All Photographs on this Blog Post taken the very first day (actually half a day, I arrived about 11:00 AM) on Dimakya Island
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. Don't you love it!

I returned last night from Palawan the last Frontier in the Philippines...Nature at its best. The past week my Blog posts have been very thin and I didn't bring my MacBook Pro this time either...just the cameras and plenty CF Cards.

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.
Spending quality time with friends in "Jurassic Park" for a change...plus Aperture 3 worked so well that I am almost done with the editing the day after my return.

I left Manila on a Cebu Pacific flight to Busuanga and after about 50 minutes arrived at the new Busuanga Airport, wow things have really changed since my last visit here. I had been to Club Paradise before but that was many moons ago, so it was interesting to find out what changes had taken place besides the new airport. After a short jeepney ride I boarded the Boat from Club Paradise for Dimakya Island.

© Gunther Deichmann - arrived on Dimakya Island Home of
Club Paradise & Dugong Dive Center
Palawan, Philippines

Located on Dimakya Island and also the Home of my good friend Dirk Fahrenbach from Dugong Dive Center. Dimakya Island undoubtedly one of Asia’s Eden, the Philippine’s Last Frontier and the Calamianes group of Islands is perhaps one of the world's best-kept secrets among travel destinations and at the same time the Home of Club Paradise.


The Resort had also undergone some facilities changes including a Spa and the Dugong Dive Center is offering now some Liveaboards trips to APO Reef and other areas.
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.

Within few minutes of my arrival I spotted the Flying Foxes having the their usual midday rest...hanging upside down in the trees right next to the Resort. Oh this is great!
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...

Dirk...GD... some diving too? Absolutely NOT! What? Are you sick? No... I am going to have some fun running around in the Jungle and heat finding these other creatures almost everybody seems to forget about.
...there are plenty great shots of Dugongs and marine critters by good Underwater Photographers already, besides our good friend and excellent underwater photographer Tony Wu is going to visit you next year anyway and he is getting all those great underwater shots. As for me... I am getting sweaty and dirty trying to find some endemic animals on this beautiful island.
Dirk...GD you're crazy...yep I know!

Ok.,OK...but may be in a couple of days Dirk commented with a grin... sorry Buddy not this time. However in the evening I am having a couple of drinks with you. Dirk...I don't believe it....you left your computer at home...yes my friend, otherwise no drinks later...Dirk...oh I get it now...!

© Gunther Deichmann - A Monitor Lizard cooling off in the Lagoon on the Island, he was my very first encounter on day one. I followed him around for about 2 hours trying to get the perfect shot of him in his natural environment.

© Gunther Deichmann - Abstract reflections of nature in the lagoon. A natural attractant to wetland inhabitants and visitors, thus, wildlife around the lagoon area (such as herons, bulbuls and kingfishers) continues to inhabit the island. The climax vegetation and the hills are also preserved in their natural state. These areas provide habitat to other birds which area displaced in the flatlands.

© Gunther Deichmann - Just one more my "friendly" but very shy
Monitor Lizard in the Lagoon on the Island

© Gunther Deichmann - my lucky day... the Dugong Dive Center still had some hatchlings before their release, a great opportunity for me to get some shots at sunset.The Turtle protection program on the island is a joint effort between the staff and management from Club Paradise and Dugong Dive Center http://www.dugongdivecenter.com/turtle_program.html

The resort has engaged in an active tagging program for marine turtles to study their habitat range. From February to October 1991, 12 marine turtles were tagged using the markers from Pawikan Conservation Project of the DENR.

© Gunther Deichmann - Painted Sky - the end of day one...& what a day it was in Paradise.
A few more days and more exotic nature will follow, so please stay tuned for Part 2 and 3.

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.
Until soon...Save and Protect our Environment!
GD