Memorial Day Photo Blog
A number of photos from my recent trip to Badlands National Park, Mt. Rushmore and Devil’s Tower National Monuments.
Seoul Fashion Week
Twice a year, Seoul hosts one of the largest fashion shows in the world for one week in April and October. This event attracts a huge number of people to Dongdaemun Design Plaza, where the main events are held. On the day I visited, a Saturday in October, the location was swamped with models and photographers, both amateur and professional, as well as normal observers. The scene can feel overwhelming at first but it is easy to make it work. After a few minutes, it is easy to naturally integrate into the mass of people and start enjoying yourself at Seoul Fashion Week.
Seoul Fashion Week
October
Twice a year, Seoul hosts one of the largest fashion shows in the world for one week in April and October.
Two very different takes on fashion week.
This event attracts a huge number of people to Dongdaemun Design Plaza, where the main events are held. On the day I visited, a Saturday in October, the location was swamped with models and photographers, both amateur and professional, as well as normal observers. The scene can feel overwhelming at first but it is easy to make it work. After a few minutes, it is easy to naturally integrate into the mass of people and start enjoying yourself.
All over the plaza, there are people waiting to pose and model for passer-byes. The majority of them are concentrated on the ramp going from the street level down to the lower plaza. For the majority of the day, outside of the early morning and sunset, the ramp was the worst place to shoot as there is harsh, direct, unflattering sunlight on everyone. The ramp is also the most crowded area which makes isolating a subject difficult because, even if only a single person is in your frame, there is a high chance there will be shadows from adjacent people falling where they are not wanted. There are a few examples of “hard” and “soft” light below.
Better to go anywhere with some shade. Best is to find a spot where the light is reflected off of the building. The metal acts as a giant reflector casting soft beautiful light. Another benefit of these spots is that they are usually less crowded..
While shooting, remember that you are around one of the most interesting structures in the country. With the crowds, it can be tempting to gravitate towards shooting tight but it is important to try and include some og the background for added interest.
Side note: The central staircase has a blur carpet along it. It is blocked off during the day. In the spring, I went on the last night as the crews where cleaning and disassembling and my girlfriend and I were able to go on the carpet for some nice shots un-bothered. There are a few photos of the staircase below. The center shot is one I took in spring.
For gear, I took a 35mm 1.4, 50mm 1.4, and 70-200m 2.8. I was quite happy with that choice but I would switch the long lens for my 85mm because the working distances are short, the longer focal length was not needed, and the faster aperature would have been nice. Do bring fast lenses as they make isolating a subject in a crowd easier.
Namsan
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Namsan mountain is a popular choice to shoot cityscapes. Personally, I think that there are many other places that offer a better view of the city for photography. There are two good shots to be had in my opinion. The first is from the top shooting north towards Myeongdong with Bukhansan National Park in the background. The second is getting a medium shot of the tower itself from a viewpoint along the road to the top.
I haven't been lucky with the air quality and weather to get a nice photo looking north so I have no example to show. However, there is a 24 hour live webcam stream looking north from the tower that I often use as a gauge to judge how sunsets will look. You can find the stream here.
Gangbyeon Station Techno Mart
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
On the 9th floor of the Techno Mart is a large outdoor terrace that is accessible to the public. From this point, there is a great view of both Lotte Tower and the Peace Bridge. I really appreciate that this is an area that is open to the public, free, and has a great view. No sneaking required.
The subway bridge that spans the Han acts as a good leading line. There is a higher platform on the left side of the terrace. While it does give a slightly better view, there is safety wire all around that is quite high. Towards the middle is a shorter platform that provides the easiest and safest view. From the middle platform, I found that the relationship between the tower and bridge to be less than ideal. In search of a better composition, I found that putting my camera on the ledge under the railing towards the right side of the area was an improvement. Don't do this unless you have a very stable tabletop tripod and a firm grip. Note that there are bright lights lower on the building and they can cause lens flare.
The area closes at 9pm which might be a little early if you go in the summer.
I would recommend lenses between 16mm and 85mm. 16mm is wide enough to get a lot of the freeway below in a photo with the tower while 50 or 85mm nicely frames the tower with the bridge.
Achasan - Seoul Photo Location
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
This mountain has a special place in my heart as it was the first good night view that I had of the city. My co-teacher took me up one Saturday and I was really happy with the sprawling views all around. At the time, I was living in Suwon and getting to the Mountain was quite the mission but, living in Seoul, it became more accessible.
Starting from Achasan station on line 5 exit 2, it's about 40-50 minutes up to a good spot to shoot. The pavilion is a great location to grab a shot like the one above. Farther up, the path becomes a bit wider and you can enjoy a view of Lotte Tower without trees or power lines getting in the way. Farther still, you can look west to Namsan Tower and most of Seoul.
For this location, I would recommend bringing focal lengths between 50 and 200mm. When shooting Lotte Tower with the Peace Bridge in the frame, I found 135mm to be the ideal focal length.
Umyeonsan - Seoul Photo Location
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
This is a new favorite location for me and I love racing to the top after work in time for sunset.. Getting to the "photo island" at the top takes about an hour from Nambu Bus Terminal. Be prepared for close to 300 meters of elevation gain. In the summer heat, it was brutal. The nearest subway station is Nambu Bus Terminal. Head toward the Seoul Arts Center. From there, various trails head to the top
I would recommend 50mm and 85mm. These two focal lengths seem to work best with this location to use the large road as a leading line up towards Namsan Tower. Stitching photos together with a 50mm makes for great panoramas.
Below is the map location of the beginning of the trail I use. It is a pedestrian bridge with a large waterfall on the mountain side.
Lotte Tower - Seoul Photo Location
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Lotte Tower in Jamsil shouldn't be written off just because it is a busy tourist attraction. On a clear day, the tower gives you a panoramic view of the city in every direction. There are three floors and enough space to find an area of the windows to shoot from yourself. Because you are shooting out of the windows of a busy attraction, bring something to wipe the windows and well as a jacket to cover your camera. Cleaning the handprints and blocking stray light and reflections will give the best chance of a clean image.
I recommend going on a weekday. While there are normally long lines on Saturday and Sunday, there were only a few people there on the weekday I went. Keep in mind that it is 28,000 won per person to go to the top.
I would recommend focal lengths above 24mm. There are a lot of opportunity to be creative here. Bring something to cover the window around your lens when you shoot to cut out reflections. As a side note, large lenses are not allowed. I saw a 70-200 at the top but my own 100-400 was refused.
Namhansanseong - Seoul Photo Location
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
This is one of the more difficult locations to get to before sunset if you get off at 6, like I do. I have taken two paths to the top. The first is to go to Macheon station and head towards Seongbulsa temple. From there, you have an hour-long hike for 2km that includes 370 meters of elevation gain. While it takes a bit of effort, it did make the view from the top all the better. The easier and faster way is to take the subway to Sanseong Station and then catch bus number 9-1 to Sanseong-ri. From there, it's about a 20-minute walk to the gate but there is still around 100m of elevation gain.
The reason I love this location so much is that you get Lotte Tower, Namsan Tower, and Bukhansan in one easy shot. In July, the sun sets between Lotte Tower and Namsan Tower for a few days.
There is a road that goes right up to the gate. Due to the ease of access with a car, do not expect to be alone. On a mediocre day, there were still 10 people but on a nice night when I went there were closer to 50, so many that there wasn't enough room for everyone to set up where there is a clear view.
Apgujeong - Seoul Photo Location
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
This is Old Faithful for me. If you are in the Gangnam area or live near line 5, this is a wonderfully accessible area. There are many apartments that are older high-rises and have roof access. When going in, be quick and don't linger. When on the roofs, tread lightly and try to stay over the elevator area. The less bothersome we are, the less likely they are to kick people out.
From the roofs, you are treated to a great view of the river, Dongho Bridge, and Namsan Tower. Once the light fades, Dongho Bridge and Namsan tower light up and become highlighted against the darker surrounding buildings.
I would recommend taking lenses with a focal length on full frame between 24 and 100mm.
Banpo Bridge - Seoul Photo Locations
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
Seoul is a fascinating city to see. However, most rarely get a good look of the vastness. As part of an ongoing series of blog posts. I am documenting all of the great locations to photograph a good cityscape of Seoul. In these posts, there should be enough information to know what to expect and if it is worth the journey.
The Banpo Bridge area holds a number of good subjects to shoot. In the summer, water is shot from and lit up on the east side of the bridge. If you can get up to one of the apartment blocks, you can get a good shot of Some Sevit with the bridge and Namsan tower in the background. Looking to the east, there is a clear view towards Yeiudo.
This is one of the faster locations to get to and can be accessed from Express Bus Terminal or Sinbanpo Station.
Be warned, the roof of the building I went up was locked and, after about an hour on the top floor, one of the residents told me off for being there and I left. Your mileage of those buildings may vary. From the apartments that line the edge of the park, it is possible to get a photo similar to the one at the top.
From the park itself, there are many possibilities. The bridge has a water shot at set times for most of the year and is lit nicely at night. There are views looking down the river towards Yeuido. Finally, being closer to Some Sevit allows for more detailed and abstract shots of the colorful building.
A Trip to Jeju in Black and White
Jeju Island is always a popular destination for those in South Korea. It is close enough to Seoul to be a viable weekend trip. The flights to Jeju are not terribly expensive even during those times that everyone has a vacation. Activities on the island suite a variety of tastes. This, my third trip to Jeju, offered the opportunity to explore far more of the island than on either of my previous trips allowed. With seven full days and a rental car to ferry us around, we covered a lot of ground.
Jeju Island is always a popular destination for those in South Korea. It is close enough to Seoul to be a viable weekend trip. The flights to Jeju are not terribly expensive even during those times that everyone has a vacation. Activities on the island suite a variety of tastes. This, my third trip to Jeju, offered the opportunity to explore far more of the island than on either of my previous trips allowed. With seven full days and a rental car to ferry us around, we covered a lot of ground.
Beaches
A big reason that my girlfriend and I went to Jeju was that we would be able to spend time on the sand soaking up the sun. We laid on Hyeopjae Beach as well as Jungmun Beach. If I were to recommend one, it would be Hyeopjae. The water was beautiful, the sand clean and fine, and there was a little more space to swim. At Jungmun, there was only a small portion of the beach that you could swim in without the lifeguards rousing which crowded all of the visitors into one spot and left the majority of the beach sadly unused. At both, however, the allowed space to swim didn't go out into deep water with the deepest being about five feet. Crowding was also an issue at both. There are many people who go to these beaches during the peak summer season.
In spite of these issues, it is quite enjoyable to rent an umbrella, lie on a towel, and take a nap while listening to the waves. If you don't mind not being able to go in the water, you can set up away from the swimming area and enjoy a more relaxed beach-side experience.
Mountains
Seongsan Ilchulbong
There are various mountains scattered around the island. The main two that we visited were Hallasan and Seongsan Ilchulbong.
We hiked Hallasan on our fifth day. Our hike started with a 4:30 am alarm and a short drive to the start of Gwaneumsa trail. Looking online, this trail came up as the most difficult and that's why we picked it. It took us three hours and forty minutes to make it to the top. Along the way, we passed out of the tree line and were greeted with the white of being in a cloud. A great benefit of starting so early and picking the difficult trail was that we almost had the trail to ourselves. No one was coming down yet and no hikers were on the same area that we were. Even though visibility was poor, it was good to get out and enjoy the fresh air and exercise. After 1400 meters of ascent, we made it to the top, took our picture, and went back down because it was cold and we couldn't see anything.
So, after nearly two years in Korea, I can joyfully say I have completed its highest mountain. I'd rate the difficulty as moderate.
The second significant mountain that we spent time at was Seongsan Ilchulbong, or Sunrise Peak. The remnant of a long extinct volcano, this dramatic feature of the landscape grabbed my attention and I could spend all day shooting it. Gwangchigi Beach offers a great place to photograph the peak from at sunrise. At low tide, the rocks act as great leading lines.
If you get to the park early enough (right after sunrise), there will not be anyone manning the tickets booths to the park and you can walk right in. The tour busses don't get there until a little late so the park is quite and very enjoyable. From there, it is a short distance and a good amount of stairs to the top. The view is better from the bottom or the beach.
Udo
Udo Island is an attraction that I have wanted to visit since before my first visit. This small island is wonderful and seems completely different from the main island so close to it. After walking around for a bit, we rented electric bikes that made getting around the island very easy. It took about an hour to get around the island at a leisurely pace. Along the way, there are a large number of cute cafes and restaurants. We stopped at one to get peanut ice cream as it's one of the most popular things to do.
Lonely Tree
This, the most romantic spot for photos on the island, is a single tree with two small mountains to the sides of it. Along with the tree, there is beautiful grass flowing in the wind. While there are often many couples coming to take selfies in front of the tree if you wait there will be windows where you can grab a photo without anyone in the frame.
At sunset during the summer, there is wonderful soft light and it really lends itself to grabbing a portrait.
Image Gallery
Daegu Lantern Festival
Every year the weekend before Buddha's birthday, the city of Daegu hold a wonderful lantern festival at Duryu park. A sea of lanterns lit up and rose into the fading light of the sky. The wind took them into the distant sunset. There were great moments with kids looking up with wonder and families coming together to send off their wishes.
Every year the weekend before Buddha's birthday, the city of Daegu hold a wonderful lantern festival at Duryu park. We didn't buy tickets online. From what I read online, it was a bit futile to try to buy them because the previous year 15,000 tickets sold out in around thirty seconds and the website does not have an English version. The tickets also go on sale at midnight which is way past my bedtime. So Andrea and I started early in the hopes of getting a first come first serve ticket.
The day started with an alarm at 4:45 am. After getting dressed and a quick cab ride later, we were at Suseo station for the 6:00 am train to Busan. At 7:40, we had arrived at Dongdaegu station. The subway is pretty simple with only three lines. There was only one transfer to get to the Duryu subway stop from Dongdaegu. One stop past Duryu station has a McDonalds for a quick bite and coffee.
We got to the park at 10 am and there were already quite a few people in line for the free tickets. According to the Korean man that was sitting next to us, there were only 2,000 free first-come-first-served tickets this year and you couldn't buy tickets for the other zones the day of. The free tickets were for the blue zone which faces away from the tower. However, free tickets are nice considering the price we paid for our train from Seoul.
The blue section.
By 11, there were blue wristbands on our arms and we had a few hours until they opened the venue at 3 pm. We grabbed some lunch and a few snacks at a convenience store outside of the park before heading to wait in line. When they did open the gate, we were some of the first people inside and grabbed a very nice spot. The section didn't fill up for a few hours so, unless you want a good spot for photos, you can come later. Because the blue section faces the sun, I recommend you bring a hat, large umbrella, and a lot of sunscreen to protect yourself. The sun is intense until it dips below the tree line around 7 pm. There was a lot of waiting that day. There are performances on the main stage but they are far away and difficult to see from most of the outer sections.
Using their jackets to shade themselves.
We were far from the entertainment.
Andrea and I spent a number of hours hanging out, talking, and reading. As time went on we noticed a good number of people sneaking into the red section, the inner grounds of the stadium. It didn't seem as though the guards cared much at all because one man pointed out people were sneaking in and I'm confident they saw a few people make their way in but they didn't do anything. A few minutes before the lanterns went up, I went through the barrier and down the short staircase into the red zone. I wanted to see the lanterns let go up close and get a few shots with the tower in the background.
Write here…
I didn't have much time to scout before they released the lanterns at 8 pm. It all seemed to happen so quickly. A sea of lanterns lit up and rose into the fading light of the sky. The wind took them into the distant sunset. There were great moments with kids looking up with wonder and families coming together to send off their wishes.
It didn't take long before the last lanterns were gone, the lights came on, and most people headed to the exit. The event was over but there was still a monk dancing on the stage with vigor.
Outside of the stadium, there is a lantern parade that starts a few minutes after the lanterns which is fun to watch. If you go to the Seoul Lantern Parade the previous Saturday, you can probably skip this one to get home sooner. I booked the 11:30 train back to Seoul because what I had read said the event lasted until 10:30 or 11 but, if you skip the parade, a 9:30 or 10 pm train might be better.
Camera Stuff
Not knowing what to expect, I'm fairly happy with a few of the shots I have. The "hero" shot of all the lanterns rising in front of the tower is best taken from the south section of the yellow or northwest section of the pink zone. My biggest tip would be to expose for the lanterns. The camera will blow out the lanterns because the rest of the scene is quite dim.
Because this is a night event with fast-moving lanterns, I would recommend bringing fast lenses with image stabilization. I used a 20mm 1.4 and 50mm 1.4 for most of my shots but, if I did it again, I would choose a 24-70 2.8 and 70-200 2.8. Those should cover the field of view needed and require fewer lens changes. Don't be afraid to bump your ISO up into a high range. Many of my shots of people holding a lantern were at an ISO of 2000-6400 while the wider shots were ISO 800-1600. Many people brought tripods and many ended up not using theirs. I didn't bring mine because I wanted to go light and didn't foresee myself using one. It's a tossup if I would bring one if I go again. If I knew that I would be in the central portion, the red or green sections, I wouldn't so I could be flexible. If I had tickets for the yellow or pink, I would bring one to have a few more stable shots.
Zapangi - Magwon
In the Mapo-gu area, around 500 meters from the Magwon subway stop, lies a cafe that has a small menu filled with some beautiful creations. Zapangi offers decorated donuts, cakes in a tin, milk in a bottle, as well as colorful drinks.
In the Mapo-gu area, around 500 meters from the Magwon subway stop, lies a cafe that has a small menu filled with some beautiful creations. Zapangi offers decorated donuts, cakes in a tin, milk in a bottle, as well as colorful drinks. I found this cafe to be quite pricey, however. If I remember correctly, the drink in the picture above was around 12,000 won with donuts costing 5,000.
You'll find that many people come to just get a photo of the entrance. It's the most interesting door I've come across in the country. There is a bench, dog-shaped figure, and the door is the font of a vintage vending machine displaying their four offerings. It's perfect to get that perfect picture for your friends.
Seating isn't a strength of Zapangi. There isn't much seating to begin with and what is there is only bench seating without proper tables. At least there are seat cushions and pillows that make it fairly comfortable.
Our order was surprisingly tasty. The donuts weren't too sweet or too cake-like. The drinks were average fair but I think many people order them more for their presentation.
In conclusion, I'd recommend going to this Zapangi once or twice to enjoy the experience. However, I don't believe this is a spot I'd keep going back to. While what we ordered looked very nice and tasted fine, the high price and distance from other options make me look for closer options.
Address: 400-2 Mangwon-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Ban Bossy Boutique
A bright cafe three stories up with wonderful hot chocolate and photogenic decorations.
Ban Bossy is a moderately large cafe that is bright and spacious. The floor to ceiling windows and location on the third floor allow for an abundance of natural light that would make for a great place to read.
There is a lot of seating in the space including tables, a couch, and bean bag chair outside. The tables are particularly attractive with the tops made out of sage, grey, and brown colored granite-like material. The chairs on the balcony look like they would be a great place to relax during the summer months.
There are plenty of photogenic decorations scattered around the cafe. In one corner there is a vending machine selling leggings. In the opposite corner, there is a small booth to take photos in that says, "I'm not bossy. I am the boss." No matter where you are in the space, it is easy to get the cafe's nice sign in your photos.
We ordered a banana latte, hot chocolate, and two macaroons. The hot chocolate was the highlight of our order. So much so that I felt as though I could drink a gallon of the stuff. It came in a tall matt black mug. The banana latte was a big disappointment. I had high hopes when it came out in an adorable little teacup but it tasted off and I wouldn't recommend ordering it. As for the macaroons, I never really order them but I found them to be enjoyable.
The look of "I ordered the wrong drink."
During the hour or so of our visit, there was only one other patron so if you are looking for something a bit less crowded than normal this might be a good option.
Hoho Myoll - Hapjeong
A cafe with a VW bus inside.
Hoho Myoll is a medium sized cafe with a full sized VW bus that includes a small floor table and blankets. In the back, there are two large cubbies to sit in and, if you aren't getting photos in the bus, this is where I would recommend sitting as they have the most room. There are also a number of smaller tables throughout the space.
Since I was going last year, they changed the layout a bit so that the coffee bar area sits near the entrance to the cafe leaving the kitchen area exposed. The kitchen wasn't in use during our visit but there were a few signs up and having it exposed was more interesting that it just being a wall.
The real reason I have come back here more than a few times is because I really enjoy the drinks. The creme is delicious and you should get one with it. I always ask the barista if my order comes with it. During one of our visits, my friend just ordered a cup full of creme.
The cafe has been quite busy while we've been there and many of the visitors want pictures in the VW bus and it often one of the first places people sit, so you might have to wait a bit for a turn in it..
Wifi password: hohomyoll
Back In Korea
I'm back in South Korea. It is cold.
Well, it took a lot longer to get back into the country than I had originally planned. From a job falling through to delaying so I could go on a few special family trips, there always seemed to be some reason that I was still in the states. I finally got a job that was at the same school as my girlfriend.
I was planning on being there as soon as my visa came in but, once it did, the recruiter informed me that the school wasn't ready and I would start January 18th. I wasn't happy about it and had them fly me out a bit sooner so I could spend Christmas with my girlfriend. I got in on Christmas Eve and was able to spend it with her.
We are supposed to be in Daechi but, because the school wasn't ready, she has been in Bundang since arriving in November and she was kind enough to give me a place to stay.
Now, what I should have done was take the few weeks I had before work would start and go around to some of the less accessible parts of Korea that will be difficult to do with a work week but I am hesitant to spend a lot of money at the moment. I did come up with a few trips that I would like to compete this year:
Olle Trail in Jeju.
A temple stay.
As many National Parks as possible.
Most of my time was spent at cafes. If there is one thing I love about Korea, it's the coffee culture. There is great coffee everywhere and they are wonderful little businesses.
One day I went to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza. This is one of my favorite places to take photos. Because it was so cold, there weren't many people and it felt as though I had the whole place to myself. I didn't stay too long though. After an hour I couldn't feel my fingers even with gloves on. The crazy thing was that there were two women doing there own little photo shoot with one of them spending quite a bit of time in just a black dress. It was too bad I didn't snap a quick shot of them.
There were two Saturdays where we went up to Seoul. We were planning to go to the Daelim Museum the first time but it was a bit too busy and we decided to go again the next weekend. Instead, we went to the entrance of Gyeongbokgung Palace and watched the actors do the changing of the guard performance.
Afterwards, it was up to the Bukchon Hanok Village. I enjoy shooting here but you really have to get there early to get photos without a bunch of other people in the background. We found a side street that wasn't too busy to take a few shots. To my great dismay, a few of the houses on the main road of the village are being renovated and have large barriers up for the construction. They are a giant eyesore and, if you plan on shooting there, you'll have to plan around that or go once they have finished.
Around sunset, we made it to Common Grounds, a complex made with shipping containers filled with shops and restaurants. Outside, there are also four food trucks that look semi-permanently placed in the center of the courtyard. I'm not really sure how much they keep the spirit of a food truck if they don't move.
Seven days later we made it to the Paper, Present exhibit at the Daelim Museum. It was a three story building filled with the most elaborate paper crafts I've ever seen. The first floor was filled with intricate works lacking color. The second floor had three sections with household and everyday items in paper form, small creatures, and a room of paper flowers hanging from the ceiling. The final level was a single room with mirror walls, pink reeds, and calm music. This was supposed to be a representation of a summer field and was the most interesting of the levels.
Work started last week. They don't have a lot for me to do yet but I've started moving into my own apartment in Daechi. Hopefully, I'll have more focused and interesting entries to come.
OCTOBER 2017 ROAD TRIP PART 1
So many miles. So many moments.
9236 miles.
Albuquerque. Colorado Springs. Denver. Grand Teton National Park. Yellowstone National Park. Cannon Beach. Olympic National Park. Seattle. Thor's Well. San Francisco. Yosemite. Los Angeles. White Sands National Monument.
Quite the trip. I'll admit that the itinerary suffered from a bit of scope creep but there are simply so many locations to visit.
First up was the Balloon Fiesta.
It's amazing to be able to visit the balloon festival again after two years. Not a great start, I'll admit. I busted open my eyebrow shortly after arriving but a morning glow with a black eye is still quite nice. The glow happened so fast that I only had time to take a few shots. The whole event really is something special. Specifically, the fact that so many people are willing to get up at some god awful hour to wait in traffic to see this amazing event. If only my big sis was here to round out the family.
The organized frenzy of mass ascension was soon upon us. Row after row of hot air balloons are laid out, inflated, burn and ascend. Not long after the first balloons rise, the sun rises over the Sandia Mountains to the east and illuminates the colorful canvas. Soon, there are hundreds of balloons passing overhead. Unlike my 2016 visit, most of them didn't drift far away making for a dense airspace. My black eye is looking blacker. My girlfriend tells me it looks like I'm wearing makeup. So, yeah. In the evening, we went in the hopes of seeing the evening glow for the first time. Unfortunately, it was too windy for the balloons to even stand up. We didn't feel up to staying around for the fireworks and that was the night.
The next morning was even earlier. It was to be a very special day where we went up in one of the balloons. It was so cold. I really shouldn't have lost my gloves in the car. Idiot. To get to the point, it was clear but too windy to launch. So, it was the end of the festival. I'm really quite sad that we didn't get to go up but it was just as special seeing the event the second time.
On a side note, where was the Spiderpig balloon? That was my favorite one!
After dropping off my parents at the airport, I was off to Colorado Springs. I was hoping to make it in time to take a few photos of Garden of the Gods before the sun set behind the mountains. Sadly, I made it about 10 minutes too late. Sunrise it was!
A great benefit to taking my mother's minivan is that I can lay out in the back to sleep. It's far more comfortable than sleeping in the driver's seat. I was up and at 'em, waiting for sunrise well before I needed to be. The fact that this place, Garden of the Gods, is a public park is incredible. The color was great for the 20 or so minutes before the sun came up over the horizon. That's all I wanted to do in Colorado Springs.
It was such a short drive to Denver. In retrospect, I should have gone up into the mountains to see the Aspens turning gold. I'll keep it in mind for the next trip. I didn't do much in Denver besides go to REI drooling over outdoor gear and put new tires on the car. The only reason I had to stop in Denver to to wait for my girlfriend to arrive. She was flying in from Canada to spend a few weeks on the road with me. On Tuesday, October 17th, she landed around noon and I met her at the baggage claim. I had some major trouble rolling her suitcase to the car. The darned thing kept rolling to the side.
AND WE WERE OFF....only to stop an hour in.
When we stopped for food the car wouldn't start. Thought the battery was dead but once the AAA tech arrived he told us it was probably the starter. His short term fix was to find something long and thin to poke the starter when it was acting up. I ended up using my tripod to poke it a few times.
That night we made it about an hour outside the east entrance of Teton National Park. It was a good spot to stop because it meant that Andrea's first view of the landscape would be a crisp clear sunrise at Schwabacher's Landing. It was cold and I was so happy to finally be in a climate other than summer. It seemed as though we missed the fall colors by about a week. Oh well, next time.
We spent a few days in the park and did quite a bit during the short days. Two sunrises at the landing, one at Snake River Overlook, had the car repaired in Jackson Hole, explored Jenny and Jackson Lakes, spotted a few moose, and finally spent one sunset each at Snake River Overlook and Oxbow Bend.
Something I didn't account for was that the facilities in the park were closed. This mainly meant no showers or camping in the park. There wasn't much to do about the showers unless we got an expensive room in Jackson Hole. Luckily, Andrea is accommodating and wasn't too put off by my scent. As for camping, the ranger I spoke to suggested that we set up near Shadow Mountain in the National Forest just outside the park. The road wasn't maintained very well and made for a bumpy ride. They were cold nights that required thick wool socks.
On the third day, a snowstorm was coming in from the west. The clouds of the storm made for some of the best photos I have of the park. We moved up into Yellowstone and planned to explore the park for a week or so. In the park, there were only two campgrounds open, one at the southern end and one at the northern. We set up at the southern as it was the first one we passed. After that, off to Old Faithful. The snow was coming down now. The springs and geysers were expelling vast amounts of steam, swaying in the direction of the wind. It made for a moody experience that I haven't experienced in the area before.
We stopped in the visitor center to find out that Craig Pass, our route back to the campground was closed. The closure meant that we had to drive the entire Grand Loop. Not too bad. We stopped every so often to take in the views and wildlife. The bison were easy to spot lounging near a stream. Andrea, with her eagle eyes, spotted a coyote (I think) off the side of the road. The last sight we visited was Yellowstone Falls. It was only a quick stop because the sun was setting and I didn't want to drive on snow and ice covered roads in the dark. It was for the best as the snow fall increased and the road condition made me uncomfortable. Eight miles from a comfortable sleeping bag the road was closed. Apparently there were 10 or so accidents on the road. After about two hours of waiting, a ranger led the four vehicles who were staying at the sight through while the others were turned away.
The next morning, the roads were still closed and calling the ranger station informed me that they were expecting more snow and that they didn't expect the roads to open for a day or two. Not wanting to waste days doing little to nothing, Andrea and I decided to head to Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast.
On the way out, we were blessed to see a grizzly bear grazing in the snow just off the side of the highway. It is always special to see these large animals.
LAWRENCE, KANSAS - JUNE
I take a quick trip up to Kansas to catch up with friends and be sociable.
After about a year and a half, it was about time to go and visit old friends. I’m terrible at keeping up with people when I don’t see them even if I do occasionally send a cute letter. So, I took a few days and drove the seven hours to Lawrence, Kansas.
It was so nostalgic being back. After living there for four years, it should be expected. I was strangely nervous, though. I hadn’t seen these people in a hot minute and I had no idea what the dynamic would be. Lucky, as you always hope with old friends, it was as if I had never left. Another good thing was that the majority of the people I was looking forward to seeing were all condensed at Henry’s Upstairs, the bar they all work at. You’ll find some pictures of the bros below.
I didn’t spend much time in Kansas City. I thought I would but there wasn’t much that interested me and haven’t experienced before. The cafes made me miss Seoul (coming back to you, baby).
That last day, we got up early to watch the French Open. Nadal vs. Wawrinka. I was really hoping for a Swiss win but Nadal had some other plans. At least it was a quick match. I don’t know if my heart could take a five set loss and then get the texts from my girlfriend saying how happy she was that Nadal won.
Once that beatdown had concluded, we got on the tennis court ourselves and hit a few balls before my drive back down to Texas. I can probably count the number of times I’ve played in the last two years on my hands but it didn’t go so badly. I hit a few balls in…..and a few over the fence. Took some fun pictures though. In retrospect, I’m really feeling contrasty black and whites at the moment.