Travel Diary - Sri Lanka Part 1 : Columbo

January 03, 2024 in travel

I got a little shutter happy this past trip to Sri Lanka and ended up with far more images that I cared to sift through, but with that, I had the fun problem of trying to pare down the mountains of images into something that would be not akin to drinking out of a firehose. So, here we are. This first batch of images are all from Columbo and it’s not hard to understand how I got a bit overzealous and snapped away if you get to travel here. While most people hop in and out of Columbo, I absolutely love shooting here. The Columbo Fort station, Pettah Market, it’s a street photographer’s dream. Keep checking back for parts 2 and 3 where we head down to the beaches and to the old Dutch fort of Galle. On that note, we’ve extended our Sri Lanka photography tour next year and so sign up over here and join us!

Travel Diary: Siem Reap, Cambodia

December 18, 2023 in travel

Recently, a last minute opportunity came up and I jumped at the chance to have a sneaky weekend in Siem Reap. Home to the temples of Angkor Wat, the last time I got a chance to visit Siem Reap was this past February on a similar last minute decision. I mentioned a slick shiny airport in the last blog post

Boats line the harbour in the port of Labuan Bajo, gateway to Komodo National Park, Indonesia shot by travel photographer Lee Starnes

Travel Diary : Komodo and Nusa Penida, Indonesia

November 20, 2023 in travel

It’s been crazy busy lately, so I’ve had a backlog of images from some travel earlier this year and I’m just now able to get to these. Over the summer, Komodo was calling and I definitely answered. The small town of Labuan Bajo was a dusty little town the last time I was there and while its still a small town, it’s definitely not dusty anymore.

Relection of a Tricycle in the port of Coron Town, Palawan, Philippines by photographer Lee Starnes

Travel Diary: Coron, Philippines

November 08, 2023 in travel

It’s been over 8 years since I’ve been to Coron and I’d heard things had changed drastically since then, so as I headed back to the land of WW2 shipwrecks and incredible scenery, I wondered how this sleepy town of my memory had changed. While there’s actually a pub that serves craft beer, and there’s a bit more traffic, it still had much the same vibe as I remembered.

Star Ferry and the Hong Kong Maritime Museum at night. Shot by Lee Starnes, Vietnam travel and product photographer.

Travel Diary: Hong Kong

August 08, 2023 in travel

During my weekly scan through google flights, I came across cheap flights to Hong Kong and impulse bought a ticket so off I went to Hong Kong for a few days. With no real itinerary in mind other than gorging myself on dumplings and catching up with some friends, strolling around Hong Kong aimlessly with my camera was such a fun way to see the city with new eyes while revisiting some old haunts.

Sun sets over Angkor Wat, photographed by Lee Starnes.

Travel Diary: Siem Reap and the Temples of Angkor

March 10, 2023 in travel

Recently, I had the opportunity to hop over to Siem Reap to revisit the temples of Angkor for the first time in 9 years. My previous visit was my first to Cambodia and within 6 months of moving back to Southeast Asia. Needless to say, it was an incredible trip to an absolutely magical place. The temples of Angkor are out of a storybook to say the least. It was a lesson in very early rises to avoid the crowds and to see the temples at their very best. Moments of stillness as the sun peaked through the jungle burned some truly unforgettable memories into my mind. So, when the time came to take a weekender, I was quick to jump at the chance. I wondered how Siem Reap, the city just a few kilometers outside of the temple complex, had changed over the last decade. Had it fallen victim to overdevelopment and lost its charm? Had it survived the pandemic? Would the magic I experienced exploring the temples still be there years later? I had so many questions. One way to find out, right?

surfers walk down sayulita beach, Mexico by travel photographer Lee Starnes

Travel Diary : ¡Viva Mexico!

March 08, 2023 in travel

In previous musings, I mentioned the 8 hour layover in Japan on the way to Mexico. If you haven’t checked that one out, have a gander. In any event, the warmer winds of Mexico were a wonderful reprise from the cold and rainy Tokyo. While a bit chilly at night, the crisp air in the morning followed by the midday heat is right up my alley. Sayulita and San Pancho lie just a short drive north of the perennial tourist outpost of Puerto Vallarta. Both surfer hangouts, Sayulita has grown into a fiesta filled destination with quiet beaches just short little jaunts from the center of town. Getting back to Mexico was incredible and how i’ve missed Latin culture. Music, food, fiery blood… give it to me. Here are a few of my favourite frames from what was far too short a stay. A return is definitely high on the list of travel priorities for the foreseeable future. And as always go give me a follow over on IG if you like these types of images.

long exposure panning shot of a taxi in shibuya, tokyo, japan by photographer lee starnes

Travel Diary : 8 hours in Japan

February 07, 2023 in travel

During the Tet holiday, countless city dwellers flock to their hometowns to reunite with their families to bring in the Lunar New Year. As an expat, it gives an opportunity to have a nice little break to regroup after the hectic holiday season. This year Mexico was on the docket for sand, waves and all the tacos. On the way, I had a 10 hour layover in Tokyo, so I had to take advantage and go wander through one of my favorite cities on the planet. I wasn’t quite prepared for the weather as the beach was on the agenda for the rest of the trip, but I bundled up and ventured out for Ramen, a few highballs, and of course shooting lots of street photography. While the weather was a bit drizzly and cold, I can’t get enough of Japan, so there wasn’t much that could dampen my spirits. The energy of Tokyo is incredible and I could wander that city in whatever weather mother nature could throw at me. Here are a few of my favorite images from this quick stop and be on the look out for all the Mexico images coming next week. As always, head over to my Instagram for more.