Some of My Favorite Travel and Landscape Photos from the Past Year

2017 is coming to a close and it's time once again to look back at the images I've created over the past year. I do a variety of photography styles, but my favorite genres will always be travel and landscapes. There's something about going to a place and not only capturing it's beauty, but also using various photography techniques to bring out aspects of the scene that go beyond what is visible to the naked eye. Going to a location at the ideal time for beautiful light and applying techniques such as long exposures, various filters, and post production can make a scene surreal and almost magical at times.

Here are a few of my favorite landscape and travel images that I shot over the past year:

DDP + I
Seoul, South Korea
Canon 5D Mark II + EF 24-70 f/2.8
After a portrait shoot in Seoul, I decided to visit the Dongdaemun Design Plaza. It's a futuristic structure designed by the world-famous architect Zaha Hadid. It has become one of the newest iconic locations in Seoul. It's hard to capture individuals in the space due to the large amount of foot traffic, but I was able to capture this lone figure standing in the light.

Masan Cityscape
Changwon, South Korea
Fuji X-T1 + 35mm f/2.0, multi-frame panorama
This image was taken while on assignment for Seoul Magazine. It took a lot of effort going up the mountain and waiting in the chilly spring air for the blue hour. I was blessed with a very clear day and high visibility, which resulted in this very nice cityscape.

Hakdong Sunrise
Geoje, South Korea
Fujifilm X-E1 + 18mm f/2.0 + Cokin ND Filter
This image was taken during a sunrise photography workshop I was conducting. We chose the beautiful southern island of Geoje, which has picturesque beaches and mountains. The long exposure captured the motion in the waves and gives a silky quality to the water.

Autumn at Uhwajeong
Naejangsan, South Korea
Fujifilm X-T1 + XF 16-55 f/2.8
This one was made fairly recently. I took an autumn road trip to one of South Korea's most picturesque locations, Mt. Naejang. Uhwajeong Pavillon, with it's Korean traditional architecture and reflective pool really shines in autumn. The colorful leaves make the scene picture perfect.

Sunset View from Namsan Tower
Seoul, South Korea
Fujifilm X-T1 + XF 16-55mm f/2.8
Here's another image that was taken during a one on one photography workshop I was conducting in Seoul. We went up to Mt. Namsan, home of the N-Seoul Tower. The panoramic view of Korea's capital city is stunning from here, especially during sunset.

East Sea Sunrise
Hajodae, Yangyang, South Korea
Fujifilm X-T1 + 16-55mm f/2.8
I wrote and photographed a feature for Seoul Magazin about the town of Yangyang in Gangwon Province. This small farming town has become the country's surfing capital due to it's ideal location and multiple white sand beaches. However, it was this morning lookout at Hajodae that captured my heart during this shoot.

Hundred Islands
Pangasinan, Philippines
DJI Mavic Pro
This is the location of one of the most iconic and beautiful natural wonders of the Philippines: the Hundred Islands. Hundred Islands National Park is a protected area and as the name suggests, it consists of over 100 small islands, each with its own unique feature and charm. The view was breathtaking as I flew my drone over the islands.

Sunset Curves
Tongyeong, South Korea
Fujifilm X-T1 + XF 16-55mm f/2.8, panorama
I'm very fortunate to be living in an area that has a great view of Tongyeong Harbor. I've literally seen hundreds of sunsets over the Tongyeong Bridge, but on this particular evening, the sky was truly something special.

Lighthouse Island
Tongyeong, South Korea
DJI Mavic Pro
This year, I've had a lot of fun flying and photographing with my drone. Deungdaeseom (등대섬), or Lighthouse Island, is a small, picturesque island adjacent to the larger Somaemuldo Island in Tongyeong, South Korea. About an hour's ferry ride from the Tongyeong Ferry Terminal, Somaemuldo and Deungdaeseom are popular destinations for visitors for it's beautiful views and relatively pristine landscapes. To get to Lighthouse Island, you can either hike for 40 minutes across Somaemuldo or rent a private boat to get you there directly. A land bridge connects the two islands, but is impassable during high tide.

Looking Out at Lighthouse Island
Tongyeong, South Korea
Fujifilm X-T1 + XF 16-55mm f/2.8

I'm going to end this post with a self portrait. Taken at Lighthouse Island (same as previous picture), this photo sums up the way I've seen the world this year: far, wide, and beautiful. It has been truly a great year for me and my photography, and I look forward to what the next year will have in store.

Thank you for joining me on this quick look back at my year. This is just a handful of my favorite images from 2017, and I may share some more soon.

Til next post. Cheers!