Horseback Riding

For our last day in Kuta we wanted to do something a little different... and we ended up horseback riding on the beach! I have always wanted to do this, but never had the opportunity to and let me tell you, it was well worth the wait! The horse stable caters to riders of all different levels, and because I am an experienced rider I was able to get my fix of galloping, for awhile at least!

I was not able to carry my camera while riding because my horse "Morning Glory" was extremely skittish and spooked at pretty much anything (helicopters, tarps, anything shiny)! So all the photographs you see below were taken by my better half, John. All those years of watching me edit photos have paid off, he got some great shots!
This was a fantastic day, and I still cant wipe the smile off my face! Tomorrow we leave Kuta, and move to Ubud for our last week in Bali! Kuta has been a great place to start our trip, but I am looking forward to a slower pace and some relaxation by the rice fields.

Denpasar

Even since I read about it in my Bali guide book, I've had my heart set on visiting Pasar Badung, the largest traditional market place on the island. Today we made the short trip into the city of Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali, to experience this huge market. My book described it as a "lively, open-air market full of color and excitement... the fruit, vegetable and fish market is full of spectacular topical harvests." This four-story market was much different then my books pleasant description!

We instantly found ourselves far away from any hint of a tourist location, and the only foreigners in a mile radius. As if being the only white person in the market wasn't distracting enough, the fact that I had rather large and expensive camera strapped around my neck made me stand out even more! I could feel the eyes of everyone on us as we made our way through this "open-air market." The building was crammed with small stalls, hundreds of people, and all different types of food,. Its hard to describe the conditions inside, but there was no lights or electricity, and the putrid smell of spoiled food (we only made it through the first floor of the building). This was not at all what I expected, and was my first really look into a third-world counties marketplace.

The photographs shown here are from the outside section of the market (it was much to dark inside to get any decent photographs), and do not even begin to show the conditions from inside the market.

While in Denpasar, we also visited the Bali Museum and Para Jagatnatha (a temple next to the museum). The temple was built in the 1970's to worship Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, the Supreme God. A small but beautifully build temple with a lily pond surrounding the shrine was a nice break from the heat and humidity of the afternoon.

At the temple we saw our first Balinese calender, where each day is represented by an image (either good or bad). The Balinese plan activities such as cremations, weddings, buying a home, and even fishing trips based on the calender and your birth date. This complex calender is made up of 30 seven-day weeks along with 9 overlapping cycles of different lengths. The illustrations for each day are quite beautiful and the fortune telling abilities of the calender are an interesting change from the plain American calender.

Another side to paradise

After a leisure day of relaxing, I have been able to process much more of what I've experienced here...

The poverty of Bali, is at best kept from the eyes of foreign tourist. If you only come to Bali for the warm weather, and favorable exchange rate you can easily avoid seeing any unpleasant sights of the poor or needy. The Indonesian Rupiah is valued at somewhere around 30% less than the US Dollar, making it nearly impossible for the Balinese to travel outside of the island. Most locals have learned English not from schools, because of their expensive price tag, but through interactions with tourist (or there need for interactions with tourists). The under lying truth to Bali is that without its tourist base it would be in much worse shape. There is no real economy on the island, besides agriculture (mainly rice cultivation), so all aspects of the island have catered to tourist from all around the world.

As a photographer, I am happiest when I am photographing, especially when I am given the opportunity to document a part of the world that in new and exciting to me. I have struggled with how to show the poverty of Bali, and if I wish to show it at all. I can turn my head and ignore what is in front of me, or show the reality of life here. I want to create an accurate depiction of Bali, but whats the real value of photographing the struggles of another human for my own gain? Its a fine line, and a question that must be answered.

When you see striking beauty one moment and trash covering the streets the next, it becomes hard to distinguish which is a more authentic look at the present state of Bali. Its a classic Catch-22 between the need for tourism, and the destruction that tourism has also caused to the land and its transformation of the people. For better or for worse, this is the reality of Bali. I just hope that those who visit here see the other side of this idyllic paradise, not just the image advertised throughout the world.

Culture in Bali

Yesterday, was yet another jam packed day of travel in Bali. These types of days are exhausting, but we are able to see so many different parts of the island its well worth the time!

We drove toward the rice fields, volcano's, and the art center of Bali. Each village in central Bali specializes in a different type of craft; woodcarving, silver and gold, painting, and batiking. We stopped in each village and watched the skilled craftsman create the different types of art. In many cases the trade is a family business, that is passed down through generations. Each artist is encourages to create in whatever style they wish, and they work solely from their imagination, no sketches or copying of others creations.

Below are photographs from the batiking process, as well as a women working on a loom weaving textiles. The loom she was working with was very old, and clearly has been used often throughout its lifetime. Both processes are fascinating to watch, and the amount of time and skill put into each piece is very impressive.

In the morning we saw our first traditional Balinese dance, the Barong and Kris Dance. The play represents an eternal fight between good and evil spirits. Barong (a mythological animal) represent a good spirit and Rangda (a mythological monster) represents an evil one. The performance was very interesting, with brightly colored costumes and makeup, along with precise and controlled movements from every dancer. We are hoping to see more of the many different styles of Balinese dance over the next week.

We were able to see two very beautiful, and very different temples as we traveled through Central Bali. The first temple was a rather large temple that is reserved for worship only by the people who are residents of the town. Bali has thousands of temples ranging in size from small temples located in homes, to large city temples for anyone to worship at.

A good Hindu, prays three times a day, and even a "bad Hindu" still manages to pray once a day. Religion here is not an afterthought reserved for Sunday service, but rather an important part of each day, an opportunity to stay connected to the spirit world in all activities.

The temple below was filled with men and women making many different types of food and offerings. Groups of women sat in the shade talking and laughing as their hands stayed busy creating small works of art. While the men sat together looking over papers and finances in a much more serious tone.

For lunch we were able to dine at a restaurant over looking the Kintamani Volcano and Lake Batur. This stunning view allowed us to see our first Balinese volcano, and the evidence of its last eruption in 1995.

The second temple is set in the remote and lush jungle of Bali. There were several different pools of water and fountains, making this one of the most beautiful and peaceful temples of the region.

Another unique part of this temple was its wildlife. With several Balinese deers in cages, we were able to see this unique and strange animal that sadly is at the brink of extinction. Notice their two fang like teeth!

Finally we made our way to the terraced rice paddies, something I have been looking forward to since we started planning this trip. They were magnificent, and true sight to been seen, and we made it just in time to see them before harvest started. The rice fields rely on a complex network of irrigation channel, tunnels and aqueducts that diverts water from sources high up in the mountains to the flat lands. This system dates back to 9th century AD and allows for "wet rice farming" to continue today.

Another wonderful day of new experiences, and our first look into the culture and rural lifestyle of central Bali.

South Bali

Today felt like three days combined into one. A casual day of shopping and swimming quickly became filled with unexpected events and our first look into South Bali.

MORNING: While shopping around Kuta, we stumbled upon a large procession walking down the middle of the street, this was a funeral service. Hundreds of men and women, musicians, and the brightly decorated casket traveled down the street toward Kuta Beach. We soon became part of the ceremony, making our way to the cremation area set aside on the beach. This was an incredible experience; the music, chanting, and ritual were unlike anything I have ever seen. Unsure at first, if photographing a funeral was a respectable thing to do, I soon realized that no one seemed to mind and was able to capture some great images of the funeral.

Although I did not know the name of the women who passed, its clear that she made a lasting impression in her community with well over 500 people are her funeral! Unlike American funerals that are usually filled with tears and morning, this was more like a gathering of the town to celebrate and honor a life well lived.

AFTERNOON: For Lunch we traveled south to Jimbaran, a large village known for its fishing settlement and traditional Balinese compounds. The beach is lined with thatch-roofed restaurants specializing in fresh seafood that the customer chooses and then is grilled and sent to your table. This was one of the best meals we have eaten here so far, and the views of the ocean, dotted with brightly painted boats and fishermen is a perfect setting to enjoy a meal.

EVENING: We made our way to the most southern tip of Bali to visit the Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple. This is one of Bali's most sacred temple and until the beginning of the 20th century only the princes of Denpasar were allowed to worship here. While walking around the temple, the sounds of waves crashing on the rocks below and herds of cows grazing in the fields nearby adds to the tranquil nature of this area. To my surprise there are hundreds of local monkeys that inhabit this temple, and many of them had newborn babies!

First 24 hours

After a 14 hour plane ride, 3 hour layover, and another 5 hour flight we finally made it to Bali! Its hard to explain the realization of seeing a place you have studied and read about for months; there are the things that you expect to see and hear, but when they are actually in front of you its quite different.

Our first 24 hours have been spent wondering around the city of Kuta. Since we were picked up from the airport and taken directly to our cottages, we had no sense of where we exactly were on this island. Overwhelming at first, but once we started to explore the city, it became very clear that Bali is everything I could of ever hoped for, and so much more!

The banten, or offering, above is one of the first things I noticed about Bali. You will find these scattered about the island, and are usually made of organic material. Through their offerings the Balinese honor their gods, devils, ancestors and spirits. Although much more complex offering are reserved for family compounds, the ones on the ground of the building's entrance and crossroads are used as protection from the numerous devils that congregate in these places.

You would expect their to be stark contact between Balinese traditions (based on a combination of Hinduism, Buddhism, Animism and local traditions) and the modern tourist world but ironically they are woven together. Throughout Kuta you will see a small shops and restaurants catering to tourists on the main roads by Kuta Beach, but take only a few steps off the main streets and you will find yourself in a whole other world. The lines between tourist area and native area are almost impossible to detect (that is until you've wondered into one). Much of Balinese traditions have endured changing times because of the attention they have received world wide. Although tourism has changed this area in so many ways, it is clear that their unique beliefs and traditions are still honored and protected.

The traffic is Bali is insane, just walking on the side of the street is a hazard. There are no real dividers between different directions of traffic, meaning everyone weaves and bobs around one another in narrow streets crowed with shops and tourist. Fortunately the people of Bali are friendly and kind and I have seen little disrespect toward one another.

This is only the beginning, and I could not be more excited to see what is next...

Indonesia here I come!

After months and months of planning its finally here!

By the time this post goes live I will be somewhere over the Pacific Ocean on my way to the Indonesian island of Bali. Along with getting some much needed vacation time, I will be documenting my trip, the people of Bali, and their amazing culture centered around art, balance, and ritual ceremonies. Since I have only traveled throughout Europe I am thrilled to have the opportunity to see a new an unfamiliar part of our world.

Check back soon for updates, and pictures of my Bali adventure.

"One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." - Henry Miller

What are you saying?

I came across this short film made by Zack Arias for a guest blog entry on http://www.scottkelby.com/. A very powerful look into the sometimes dark and frustrating world of artists, mainly photographers. This is a brilliant film, watch it all the way through! Thank you Zack for sharing this with the world, it certainly helped me keep life and my photography in perspective!

Intimate Session

Lately, I've had the opportunity to photograph a few intimate sessions, and below you will find more photographs from my last intimate session. I really enjoy photographing these types of sessions, it is a great opportunity to capture the beauty of the human form and showcase how uniquely beautiful we all are!

"The body is mortal, but the person dwelling in the body is immortal and immeasurable." - Bhagavad Gita

Maternity Session

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of photographing a intimate pregnancy session! I had a wonderful time trying out some new things, and really playing around with lighting and posing. I am in the works of adding an intimate gallery to my website, I will be sure to write a post when it is complete.

"Before you were born... I loved you" - Unknown

Looking for a new workout?

Well then, CrossFit just might be for you! Over the last few weeks I've been photographing CrossFit Irvine, which is a core strength and conditioning program designed for the enhancement of human performance and a return to functionality. Below are some of my photographs from their workouts. If you are interested in attending a workout or learning more about CrossFit Irvine please check out the link below.

http://www.crossfitirvine.com/