Photographing Sunrise Around the World Once the blue hour appears from hours of darkness, it’s likely there’s a photographer, perhaps thousands of them, packing their bags and venturing out to a location with one specific purpose. To photograph the rising sun. When the world is waking up, photographers are out and about scouring coastlines, alpine vistas and angles in cities all over, hoping for a golden glow that illuminates their chosen scene. The Travel Photography Club is now filled with both amateur and professional photographers from over 18 countries, I wanted to collate a series of ima ..read more

Visual Hotel Review: Park Hotel Tokyo Walking into a room filled with goldfish swimming across the walls, Geisha smiling from behind the bed, and a view towards Mt Fuji, it felt like I’d stepped into a colourful dream of all things quintessentially Japanese. Perched in the Shiodome Media Tower, Park Hotel Tokyo offers more than just a luxurious stay—it provides an immersive journey into Japanese art and culture. With panoramic views of Tokyo’s skyline and an artistic ethos that permeates every corner, the hotel seamlessly blends contemporary design with traditional aesthetics. Located in the h ..read more

Shiba Park Hotel: A Haven for Book Lovers in the Heart of Tokyo Imagine a hotel where you can wander the hall to find a curated library just waiting to provide a book for the evening. If you can’t find an ideal book on your floor, you can venture down to the lobby or second floor for even larger areas designated to books from around the world, covering topics of art, travel, culture and more. Shiba Park Hotel combines contemporary comfort with a unique literary concept, creating a welcoming space where guests can unwind and explore the world through books. It’s a concept I believe should be re ..read more

Drift to sleep as icebergs float by your bungalow There are few places where waking up feels like an instant adventure. At this lodge, not only does the day ahead present the possibility of whale sightings, photogenic huts and hiking trails, but it also starts with an iceberg check. Before brushing your teeth, a peek out the window will reveal how many icebergs have floated into the bay overnight, or perhaps, even drifted out. The thrill is that it all depends on the seas, the wind, and those big floating beauties. You could wake to a 50ft frozen monster in front, or a whole bunch of berg ..read more

Visual Hotel Review: Awasi Atacama, San Pedro de Atacama There’s an atmosphere inside the walls of Awasi Atacama that’s hard to describe. A type of calm that allows you to breathe deeper and refresh. A warmth that makes you feel at home amongst carefully curated décor, cuisine and design. Then there’s the beautiful balance of immersive adventure and relaxation. It’s the type of place you’ll forever be grateful you stayed, somewhere so unlike anywhere else, you’ll also always dream of returning and will likely recommend it to anyone willing to listen to your travel tales. ————- Let’s skip to th ..read more

Visual Hotel Review: Madikwe Safari Lodge Five years ago, I photographed the King. The Lion King to be precise. It’s a moment I remember so intensely, even shedding a tear or two at the time. The gazing eyes of a male lion, peering directly into my lens, were so overwhelming, all-consuming and wildly wonderful. It remains one of my favourite images to date and was taken in the wilderness of Madikwe Game Reserve, in the North-West province of South Africa. As luck would have it, I was invited back to photograph the reserve with Adventure World and South Africa Tourism, only this time, we stayed ..read more

Visual Hotel Review: The Twelve Apostles Hotel Warm hues were already glistening across the Atlantic as I checked into my room at the Twelve Apostles Hotel before quickly changing for evening cocktails at The Leopard Bar. When I know the sun is setting though, I don’t faff about getting fancy. With the Atlantic Terrace pool located between my room and the bar, I had the ideal opportunity to stop and photograph the sunset before meeting the group. Sparkles shone across the ornately tiled mermaid mosaic and the deep navy deckchairs and umbrellas were illuminated with one last dose of daily glow ..read more

Durban – KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa Waves, wildlife and a diverse heritage are found beyond the shores of Natal Bay, where Durban sprawls along a stunning coastline in KwaZulu-Natal province. Now, I’ll be honest, Durban is a city I’ve skipped by on numerous occasions when flying in to photograph wildlife on safari in South Africa. A recent trip to Africa’s annual tourism conference, Indaba, held in Durban, revealed what I’d been missing and I want to share a peek at the photogenic experiences I had, so you know what to add to your itinerary when visiting. Photograph Sunrise Over the ..read more

Visual Hotel Review: Bushmans Kloof – A Wilderness Retreat in South Africa Rarely does somewhere surprise me in the way Bushmans Kloof did. Knowing little about the Cederberg Mountains, my research before arriving conjured up expectations of an isolated luxury lodge where I’d be relaxing to the sweet sounds of silence and gazing upon a rocky wilderness. What greeted me was a botanical wonderland, visually diverse and vast, with a soundtrack of birdsong and a welcoming waddle of ducks outside my villa. It lived up to the expectations, and went beyond, about as far beyond as the visible galaxy o ..read more

Visual Hotel Review: The Oyster Box, South Africa Arriving late in the evening, the attention to detail was obvious as I glanced around the lobby, taking mental snapshots of the art, décor and architecture I wanted to photograph during my stay. Like stepping onto a film set, it felt timeless, charming, and so very welcoming, there’s even a resident cat, Skabenga, slinking around the halls. Heading straight to bed after the 22-hour travel day from Australia, I settled into the plush pink pillow and set my alarm for sunrise. I didn’t want to miss a moment of what The Oyster Box’s location promis ..read more