Reymon de Real PhotographyMEN IN ORANGE
Posted on August 4, 2020
MOONLIGHT CRUISES
Posted on July 22, 2020
PUERTO DE PUNTA DEL ESTE
Posted on July 16, 2020
MORNING WALK SHOTS
Posted on July 12, 2020
COLORFUL BERMUDA
Posted on July 7, 2020
ANGKOR WOW!
Posted on June 24, 2020
STEEL CITY LIGHTS
Posted on June 11, 2020
The photos below were taken inside Altius Restaurant using my iPhone 7Plus.
LADIES OF THE MOAT
Posted on May 28, 2020
THE HOUSE ON A ROCK
Posted on May 20, 2020
STUNNING ACADIA
Posted on May 3, 2020
ANGKOR IN ROUGE
Posted on April 23, 2020
THE CHEDIS OF WAT PHO
Posted on April 16, 2020
Around the complex are these pyramid-like structures called chedis, which remind me of the pawns on a chess board but much more colorful. These structures covered in beautiful mosaic tiles houses the ashes of members of the royal family. The larger chedis supposedly contain relics of Buddha. The main photo above was taken using my iPhone 7 Plus while the rest below were taken using my Canon Rebel T6s.
BRIDAL VEIL FALLS
Posted on April 14, 2020
LILIES D’ANGKOR
Posted on April 11, 2020
During my trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia, I stayed at the Belmond La Residence D’Angkor Hotel. This luxury hotel is situated right in the heart of town and the lush foliage all over the property makes you feel like you’re in the middle of a tropical forest. Just outside of the main lobby is a pond filled with beautiful purple and white water lilies. As soon as I saw them I knew I needed to photograph such mystical blooms. I took these photos late in the afternoon when lighting was no longer harsh and the sun was casting shadows in the water. I love how the dark pond waters made the color of the lilies brighter and richer. In Cambodian culture, the water lily is a symbol of purity, spontaneous generation and divine birth while for Buddhists, it is a symbol of enlightenment.
TO CATCH A DRAGON FLY
Posted on April 10, 2020
PHRA BUDDHASAIYAS
Posted on April 2, 2020
Last time I was in Bangkok was 15 years ago and so much has changed since my last visit. However, revisiting this magnificent statue brought out the same sense of amazement I felt the first time I saw it many years ago. This time though I made sure I had my cameras ready and photographed every inch of the temple’s interior. The first three photos were taken using my GoPro Hero 7 Black with a wide angle setting while the rest were taken using my Canon Rebel T6s. I had to take a number of test shots to capture the perfect lighting, something one can do with a DSLR but not with a GoPro. I wanted to capture the serenity inside the temple at the same time highlighting the “goldness” of Buddha. These are my favorite shots!
CATCHING THE FISHERMAN
Posted on March 29, 2020
TIAN TAN BUDDHA
Posted on March 23, 2020
TA PROHM
Posted on March 18, 2020
ON THE WINGS OF LOVE
Posted on March 14, 2020
INTRAMUROS
Posted on March 10, 2020
DANCING LIGHTS
Posted on March 6, 2020
THE GUARDIANS OF PHRA MONDOP
Posted on March 1, 2020
NANAY
Posted on February 22, 2020
GIANT GOLDEN KISSES
Posted on January 19, 2020
The Phra Si Ratthana Chedi is a golden stupa or chedi, which is part of the Emerald Buddha temple, inside the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. This stupa, which looks like a giant Kisses, is one of the most symbolic icons of Thailand often used for their tourism materials. These photos were taken during my trip to Bangkok last November 2019 and unfortunately we were there close to lunch time so the lights were a little harsh and the photos not as dramatic had these been taken earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon when the richer colors of the sun would reflect on the golden surface of the temple. Anyway, all these photos were taken with my GoPro Hero 7 Black using a wide lens technique.
MARCH OF THE WATER BUFFALOS
Posted on December 13, 2019
These photos were taken in Siem Reap, Cambodia from inside a moving van on my way to one of the many temples outside the city. I was playing with super fast shutter speed and was amazed to have captured clear photos despite the speed of the van. I thought they looked cute marching down the street like they exactly know where they were headed. These animals are commonly used for farming around Asia and in the Philippines, we call them “carabao” and make white cheese out of their milk.
THE PEAK
Posted on December 5, 2019
A trip to Hong Kong isn’t complete without visiting Victoria Peak, an elevation on the island side of the city with breathtaking views of the metropolis and the harbor. The Peak, as locals call it, is accessible by a funicular tram from Central Hong Kong as well as by vehicle or by hiking up the hill. I took the tram as the station was just a short walk from my hotel. The Peak also happens to be the most visited place in Hong Kong and is probably every photographer’s dream spot for a bird’s eye view and panoramic shot of the city. Here are some of the photos I took using my Canon Rebel T6s during my trip to this fabulous city last month.
GIRLS OF ANGKOR
Posted on November 28, 2019
Siem Reap, Cambodia was one of the cities I visited during my trip around Southeast Asia. Of course Angkor Wat was in the itinerary and it was quite an experience seeing the temple ruins in person but I will feature my photos of the temple at a later post. For now, here are photos I took of these local girls in their traditional dresses posing with the tourists around the temple. Their costumes are just beautiful especially the golden headdresses…very exotic…very mystical.
SUNSET IN HONG KONG
Posted on November 23, 2019
I just returned from my three-week trip to Asia and happily I could say I had one of the best trips of my life. Asia is such a mystical and enchanting region and each country has so much to offer with one place amazingly much different from the other. First stop of my vacation was in Hong Kong, which had to be booked last minute due to the ongoing protests. Thankfully I have a friend who lives there so I got pointers on what days the protests are least likely to happen…weekdays. I booked a suite at the InterContinental Hong Kong and my room offered panoramic views of the city the kind we see on postcards and travel magazines. I took hundreds of photographs from my hotel room window capturing Hong Kong’s iconic views and here are some taken at sunset.
CRYSTAL CAVE
Posted on October 23, 2019
The Crystal Caves in the island of Bermuda is a natural attraction formed during the Ice Age located about a hundred feet underground. During my cruise to this lovely island last June of this year, I made sure to pay this awe-inspiring natural wonder a visit. The cave is about 250 feet long and 40 feet wide with a clear water lake at the bottom and a roof covered with thousands of shining stalactites. The cave was discovered in the 1900’s when two kids playing cricket accidentally discovered the entrance while trying to recover their ball. Today, the Crystal Caves is one of Bermuda’s major attractions. And here’s a little trivia for everyone…the very first tourist to descend into the cave was the legendary author Mark Twain who visited it in 1908. Next time you find yourself heading to Bermuda, make sure to put Crystal Cave on top of your must visit list. Below are additinal photos I took during my visit.
SUMMER IN GOLD
Posted on October 14, 2019
It was rather confusing to see leaves of gold along the coastal areas of Maine right in the heart of summer. Coming from a state where fall is just as green as spring, I reckoned this was regular occurence in this part of the country. Maybe those of you who live up north can clarify me on this. I took these photos during my New England cruise last June while the ship was sailing out of Bar Harbor, Maine. I thought the leaves were gorgeous while the rocky shorelines looked fierce. I would love to visit this part of the country again during the peak of autumn…and will most likely do it by land, not by sea.
EARLY MORNING FLIGHT
Posted on October 7, 2019
During one of my morning walks on the beach I saw this flock of birds flying along the shoreline so I immediately pulled out my phone to photograph them as they flew in front of the rising sun. I thought it was awesome seeing them perfectly arranged in a V formation with each bird knowing their exact position during the flight. Thankfully my phone was able to capture each bird including those right in front of the sun. It is amazing how well a phone camera can capture moments like this.
LES ECLAIREURS LIGHTHOUSE
Posted on September 29, 2019
Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse is a lighthouse located on a rocky island in The Beagle Channel, in the Tierra del Fuego Region of Patagonia, Argentina. The lighthouse is more famously known as The Lighthouse at the End of the World. I visited it on an excursion during my South American cruise last December of 2018. I was initially worried when I saw the small boat for our excursion knowing the seas were a little rough that day. With my personal history of motion sickness, I was readying myself for some projectile moments. I don’t know if it was the excitement of being in a faraway land or the thrill of taking photos on a boat that was swaying like crazy that I survived the whole experience taking hundreds of photographs. My only worry at that time was that the photos would turn out blurry due to the extreme motions. I’m glad they all turned out great. Resting on and flying around the tiny island is a colony of Antarctic Shags also known as Antarctic Cormorants, which are very common in that part of the world. Below are other photos I took of the lighthouse.
LADY LIBERTY
Posted on September 25, 2019
I’ve been to New York City numerous times but have never made it to the Statue of Liberty. Twice I booked a ferry ride around Manhattan and both times they were cancelled due to bad weather. Somehow fate seemed to be telling me I needed to stay away from Lady Liberty.
Last year I finally became a naturalized citizen and during my trip to New York early this summer I thought it was the rightful time to pay the lady in green a visit. I was filled with excitement waking up to a bright and sunny morning then catching the metro to downtown and waiting for the ferry to take me to Liberty Island. As the ferry sailed closer, a strong sense of exhilaration took over me when I came face to face with the Statue of Liberty. As an immigrant to this country, I can now relate how those early Europeans felt when they were greeted by this colossal statue as they sailed into the New York harbor more than a hundred years ago. My journey may have been much easier compared to those early immigrants but all the years of waiting for my employer to inform me that I can finally move to America was quite a stressful experience indeed.
As I walked around the complex I recalled the lines from “The New Colossus” a sonnet written by Emma Lazarus, which were inscribed on a bronze plaque and placed on the pedestal of the statue. The famous last stanza of the sonnet goes: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
My visit to the Statue of Liberty was both gratifying and liberating. It was the culmination of my long journey to this land of milk and honey as well as a validation to my American Dream.
HEAVEN’S ON FIRE
Posted on September 19, 2019
I’ve been absent from this page for almost 3 months now and despite trying to post a blog multiple times I always end up not uploading them. Don’t get me wrong, I have hundreds of photographs waiting to be posted but I just can’t seem to finish a blog. I admit I am not much of a writer so my struggle have always been with the narrative that goes with the photographs. So let’s just say for the past 3 months I lost the ability to write something comprehensible. Yikes!
A few days ago I was sitting out on my balcony to catch the sunset when suddenly the sky transformed into a pandemonium of reds, oranges and gold. I dashed into my apartment to grab my camera and took a few panoramic shots before switching to close ups of the blazing sky. When I saw the results I thought these photos may be the right materials for my comeback. Just like the fiery sky captured in these photographs my desire to post a blog finally started burning.
Yay! It’s good to be back!!!
THE VESSEL (TKA)
Posted on June 19, 2019
The Hudson Yards in New York City has a new architectural landmark called The Vessel (TKA). TKA is acronym for “Temporarily Known As” since the new construction does not have an official name at this time. The architect is actually encouraging the public to come up with a name and submit it at their website at https://www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/whats-next. Here are some photos I took of the Vessel with my GoPro Hero 7 Black using the wide-angle lens mode. Access is free but you will need to get your tickets in advance as entry is on a schedule basis. I lined up around 11AM and got a ticket in 5 minutes for a 12 noon entry…Unfortunately, I got hungry and decided to eat and missed my schedule…so no photos from the inside. LOL!
BREATHLESS IN CAPE ELIZABETH
Posted on June 9, 2019
The Portland Head Light is a historic lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine and is famously known as the most photographed lighthouse in the United States. I am currently on a cruise around the New England area and one of the stops was Portland, Maine. I booked an excursion that included a visit to this famous landmark in order to join the very many who were mesmerized by its breathtaking views. Cape Elizabeth was the last stop of a whole day excursion and upon my first glimpse of the lighthouse my breath was immediately taken away. Here are some of the photos I took and am very delighted with the outcome, although my only regret was not having enough time to photograph it from the other side of the cliff due to the limited 30-minute stop. I also tried the cotton effect for the waves but my attempts didn’t turn out well as it was too bright. Perhaps another visit in the near future to try that effect (with the right lighting) as well as have all the time in the world to capture this beauty from all available angles.
I DREAM OF VENICE
Posted on June 1, 2019
Venice is a place like no other…walking around this ancient city is like being in a dream. The narrow alleys, the endless canals and the magnificent architecture evokes a magical atmosphere one will never experience anywhere else in the world. During my visit to this water world, I felt like I crossed to another dimension and found myself in photography heaven. Every nook and corner of this city is just worth photographing with the one above being one of my favorites. This was taken from the Ponte dell’Accademia at around 10 in the morning on my way to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. I love how the Grand Canal looked deserted despite it being taken in the middle of the morning. The photo also looks a bit eeriee with the ominous clouds and the absence of any signs of life like an abandoned city in some post apocalyptic film. However, one can’t deny the beauty that this ancient Italian city exudes thereby making it one of the most visited cities in the world. Photo was taken using an iPhone 7Plus.
BABY MAKES THREE
Posted on May 13, 2019
Four years ago I photographed this lovely couple for their engagement photos. Melanie and Gary are really good friends of mine so it was quite difficult to say no when they asked me to do the shoot. My hesitation at that time was due to my inexperience with portraits although the photos turned out really great much to my surprise and to their satisfaction. Fast forward to February of this year, Melanie and Gary asked me again for another photography session, this time a maternity shoot for their first baby. This time I felt more confident knowing this will be the second time I will do a portrait photoshoot. 😬 Fortunately, Melanie did all the research (again) and found this nature park with a carousel close to where they live as well as a children’s park inside their development. I had so much fun doing this shoot as I was able to use the new techniques I learned online (ha!). Here are some of the photos I took and before I forget, congratulations to them for a healthy baby boy who was born this morning (May 13, 2019). Is a baby photoshoot coming up next? We’ll see….
VELVETY CASCADES
Posted on May 1, 2019
Two years ago I joined a hiking tour outside of Juneau, Alaska and found myself trekking inside a rainforest crossing rivers filled with bright red spawning salmons. The tour was guided by a photographer who took us to places for photography opportunities and one of the stops was a white water cascade running from far deep in the forest. I wanted to try a long exposure shot to create the cotton-water effect to achieve a flowy and velvety look but was initially hesitant as I didn’t bring a tripod. I decided to be resourceful and mounted my camera on a pile of rocks then used my remote control so as not to shake the camera while taking shots. Some shots, however, were taken handheld with me holding my breath for a few seconds to stay still. Here are some of the photos that turned out well and worthy for a feature on this page.
A HAPPY FEET ENCOUNTER
Posted on April 29, 2019
I have never seen a penguin in person, not even in a zoo…so imagine my excitement when my cruise to South America took me to Puerto Madryn, Argentina where a colony of Magellanic penguins live. These cute and adorable animals have been the subject of many Hollywood movies and my personal favorite is Happy Feet. During my excursion I was hoping the penguins would perform a dance routine but all I got was a waddle. LOL! Anyway, I went wild taking photos of these lovely creatures imagining myself as some National Geographic photographer. Some playfully posed while the others were a bit shy and hid inside their burrows. My favorite photo is the one above of a parent and child sharing a tender moment of connection when their beaks touched. Penguins are supposedly great parents…they even starve for weeks just to protect their chicks while the other parent go hunting for food. It was such an exhilarating experience standing close to these beautiful creatures. By the way, I kept my distance and zoomed my lens in order to capture these photos. I visited two penguin colonies and will feature the other colony in another post.
PENINSULA VALDES
Posted on April 21, 2019
In the northeast region of the Chubut Province in Argentina is a peninsula extending out to the Atlantic Ocean hosting diverse ecosystems unique to that part of the world. The Peninsula Valdes is home to the guanacos, rheas and maras while it’s shorelines are littered with sea lions, seals and the adorable Magellanic penguins. The land meanwhile varies from rocky cliffs and beaches to mudflats, sand dunes and expansive grasslands. This dynamic ecosystem was declared a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1999 and was one of the places to explore when my cruise docked at the nearby town of Puerto Madryn. I took hundreds of photographs of the interesting flora and fauna and will feature them in groups on succeeding posts. The photographs in this post were taken at one of the lookout points for elephant seals and whales and I thought the flat and arid terrain was really interesting especially for someone who lived around palm trees all his life. I love the colors of the grasses and shrubs, a beautiful combination of brown, yellow and green, carpeting the flat terrain as far as my eyes can see. Argentina is such a beautiful country that I wish I had more time to explore and photograph it. Maybe someday fate will allow me for another visit.
TWILIGHT AT THE END OF THE WORLD
Posted on April 10, 2019
The city of Ushuaia in Argentina, famously known as the southernmost city in the world, is also referred to as the End of the World. Last December of 2018, I embarked on a cruise that took me to the very tip of South America with a stop at this remote yet thriving city. Ushuaia is a major tourist destination and also serves as the key access point to the Antartic islands. The photographs in this post were taken from the topmost deck of the ship capturing the port, the city as well as the snow capped Martial Mountains in the distance. The bluish tinge in the photos is primarily due to them being taken around the blue hour of twilight. I was also able to explore the Tierra del Fuego National Park right outside of the city but will feature my photos on that trip in another post.
ARCH OVER THE HOOVER
Posted on April 6, 2019
A trip to Las Vegas isn’t complete without a side trip to the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon, although, the dam is oftentimes just a brief stop on the way to the Grand Canyon. When I visited Las Vegas last February, I decided to book a tour of just the dam in order to explore the entire complex including the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, an arch bridge that spans the Colorado River and connects the states of Nevada and Arizona. Before the bridge was built, all traffic goes right on top of the dam with everyone slowing down to observe and take photos resulting to major traffic jams. The bridge now allows continuous driving for regular commuters while avoiding the tourists on the dam below. The bridge just like the dam is considered as a major fear of engineering being the highest concrete arch bridge in the world. The tour included a walk on the bridge providing us a bird’s eye view of the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Colorado River. Here are some photos I took of the bridge during my visit to this architectural masterpiece.
ICY ESCAPE
Posted on March 19, 2019
I finally got to visit Salt Lake City, Utah…if a brief layover at their airport counts. I was flying back home to Florida following a weekend of rest and recreation in Las Vegas when I decided to hop on an earlier flight with a stop at the city also known as the “Crossroads of the West”. Imagine my excitement seeing the blanket of snow spread out as far as my eyes can see. Everything was white like a giant bag of flour exploded and settled all over the place. As the plane circled the city before landing into the airport I took multiple photos of the splendor in white below me. I love how the sun subtly hid behind a curtain of clouds illuminating the entire terrain in a pale golden haze like it was a set from Star Wars or The Lord of the Rings. The photo above is my favorite with a few more of those I like below. All photos were taken using my iPhone 7Plus.
RUSTY BEAUTY ON THE TIGRE
Posted on March 13, 2019
Cruising the Tigre River in Buenos Aires, Argentina is a fascinating experience and during my visit I had a great time with my camera capturing everything from humble homes with their rickety docks to huge mansions with manicured lawns and fancy boats. I learned during the cruise that the Tigre Delta is one of the largest in the world and it does not empty into the sea or ocean. Instead the water flows into the Río de la Plata, which is a humongous river that separates Argentina and Uruguay. The guide also mentioned that the islands and canals of the Tigre is what Venice would have looked liked before it got developed. I took hundreds of photographs during the cruise and one of my favorite subjects was that of a boat all rusty and dilapidated abandoned beside one of the islands. I love the contrast between the orange-red-brown color of the rust and the greenness of the lush vegetation in the background. The reeds growing out of the muddy water isolating the boat from the rest of the river also created a sense of finality on the fate of the boat. I’m glad we were sailing slowly as it allowed me to take a good number of photos of the boat from various angles. Below are more photos I took of the rusty beauty in the Tigre. Hope you guys like them.
THE WATERWORKS
Posted on February 17, 2019
Last weekend I flew to Vegas just because…the original plan was to drive to Orlando and hit the parks but unfortunately the weather forecast wasn’t ideal for outdoor activities so I decided to head somewhere else. My last trip to Vegas was in 2017 so I thought another visit was just right on time plus the fact that the weather forecast was ideal. In an hour I booked my flight and a room at the Bellagio Hotel with a view of their fabulous fountains. I specifically booked the fountain view room so I can take night shots of the strip and the dancing waterworks. To my dismay, the hotel windows were covered with dust that my DSLR captured every molecule of the desert sand that was stuck on the window. I tried adjusting the focus on my lens to no avail. I decided to try my iPhone 7Plus by pressing it flat on the glass window and lo and behold the dust was nowhere to be seen in my photos. Of course the quality would have been much better had I used my DSLR but somehow my iPhone did an awesome job as well.
LA MANO (THE HAND)
Posted on February 7, 2019
La Mano or The Hand is a sculpture by Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal located at Brava Beach in Punta Del Este, Uruguay. Punta del Este was one of the stops of my South American cruise and to my luck an Argentinian friend was in town for the summer and offered to show me the city. We made this our first stop in an attempt to avoid the bus loads of cruise ship passengers who will swarm around this sculpture in an instant like a colony of bees. I intentionally left my DSLR on the ship for this stop so I used my iphone to take these photos. I wished the sky was clear that day but somehow the clouds provide a unique perspective to the photographs.
TRAVEL SERIES: CELEBRITY ECLIPSE
Posted on January 26, 2019
I easily get seasick so I’m probably the last person you’d think would jump on a cruise ship in an instant. Surprisingly, I have been in more than a dozen cruises and am looking forward to my next one June of this year. I have sailed around Europe, Alaska, the Caribbean, South America and across the Atlantic Ocean and my goal is to have cruised around the world before I eventually leave this planet. A month ago I was on a two-week South American cruise on board the Celebrity Eclipse and had an amazing time even meeting new friends. The cruise started in Buenos Aires, Argentina sailing down to Cape Horn, Chile, which is the tip of South America, then up to Uruguay before docking back in Buenos Aires. The ship is almost 10 years old but is still in great shape thanks to regular maintenance. Celebrity Cruises is the premium brand of Royal Caribbean and has been awarded by several travel magazines as one of the best premium cruises in the world. Above is a photo I took of the main dining room while below are photos I took around the ship including a photo of my stateroom using my GoPro Hero7 camera. The ship’s interior is very tastefully decorated, which was made cheerful by the Christmas decorations during my cruise. The ship in itself is a destination complete with specialty restaurants, a theater, casino, game rooms, bars, swimming pools, gym, spa and more. My preference for Celebrity is primarily due to the quality of the service, food and the crowd it attracts…much older and relaxed, fewer children and lastly no bar fights. LOL!
Library (both photos above)
Theater
Casino
Entertainment Court (both photos above)
Grand Foyer (both photos above)
Shops on the Boulevard
Promenade Deck
Multi-Floor View
My Stateroom
FABULOUSLY DEAD
Posted on January 21, 2019
The Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires is recognized as one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. It is where most of Argentina’s who’s who are laid to rest, probably so they won’t have to travel far to attend those high society parties in the afterlife. The cemetery is situated in the high end district of Recoleta and is open to the public seven days a week. The mausoleums are arranged like city blocks designed in Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Baroque and Neo Gothic architectural styles and decorated with elaborate statues. This cemetery is one of the must see places when visiting Buenos Aires. Below are a few of the many photos I took during my tour of the place.
