Feedback and Testimonials 
India Reinhart MeyerDusseldorf, Germany Hi GD, Cambodia Cheng YongSingapore/Manila - Asian Development Bank (ADB) Dear GD: Cambodia Reinhart MeyerDusseldorf, Germany Hi GD, Cambodia Hi Gunther Myanmar Heather LatondresseVancouver, Canada Dear Gunther Myanmar Bernice FargusAustralia/Hongkong Hi Gunther Myanmar Robert and Vie HumbersonUSA and Indonesia Hello GD Myanmar JP YuloPhilippines Hi GD, Myanmar Hubert WeberSwitzerland Dear GD (Professor) Myanmar Reinhart MeyerGermany Myanmar Cheng YongSingapore/Manila - Asian Development Bank (ADB) GD : Bhutan Hubert WeberSwitzerland/Philippines Hi GD, Bhutan Massimo CasalItaly/Indonesia Dear Gunther, Bhutan JP Hi Gunther! Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar Richard CawthraHong Kong Hi GD, Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar Christina FeldtGermany "I participated at GD's workshop in Cambodia and can highly recommend this experience. Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar Tony PondUSA Hi GD, Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar Dave MyersUSA Hi GD Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar Loy Chuan Hi GD Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar Reinhart MeyerDuesseldorf, Germany Lieber Gunther, India and Nepal Hubert WeberSwitzerland Dear GD, India and Nepal Robert HumbersonUSA/Indonesia Hi Gunther, India and Nepal Tony PondCalifornia, USA Hi GD, India and Nepal Max CasalItaly/Indonesia Dear Gunther, India Chia Loy ChuanSingapore "Dear GD, India JP YuloPhilippines Hi GD, India Dave MyersUSA/Philippines Hi GD, India Richard CawthraHong Kong Dear Gunther, Cambodia JP YuloManila, Philippines Dear Gunther, Cambodia Rod AndrewarthaSydney, Australia Dear Gunther Cambodia Dave MyersUSA/Philippines Dear Gunther, Cambodia Anthony PondUSA Hi Gunther India JamieSingapore Dear GD, India Richard CawthraHong Kong I like to share with you this very nice letter I have just received from Richard Cawthra India Tony PondNewport Beach, California, USA Hi Gunther, India Huber WeberManila, Philippines Hi GD Cambodia Richard CawthraHong Kong Gunther,
Cambodia Jamie Irenaliena KeetJakarta, Indonesia Dear GD,
Cambodia Joerg Schueler Lieber Gunther,
Cambodia Hubert WeberSwitzerland Dear Gunther,
Cambodia Jojo Ochoa Cambodia Mark CoxPhotographer & Adventurer Hi Gunther, Cambodia Jun MirandaPresident of Philippine Center for Creative Imaging and Co organizer of the GD Photo Workshop Hi GD, Cambodia Jasmin Hi Mr. GD, Cambodia Bebet Cambodia Lawrence Dear Gunther, Cambodia Anli and Eleanor Hi, Gunther,
an invitation to participate in a trip to India was what followed was color, color, Holi, and the fascination
of this great country that we experienced together in various destinations. Super program, to complete
the World Heritage Site Taj Mahal, it all came together. In short, it was once again a pleasure to discover
this enchanting country with Gunther Deichmann to be allowed.
Thank you for the "journey of discovery".
1. It was a rewarding 10-day workshop in Cambodia with you as the Teacher, Guide, Instructor, and Mentor.
2. You again selflessly shared your expertise, knowledge, and skills throughout the workshop days. I felt I have improved in the use of the camera, composition of target subject ,
deeper understanding of depth of field, etc., I wish to learn more to learn to take good pictures that are sharp. I felt I have learned a lot more in this Workshop, compared to the previous one
I first attended in Myanmar last year,
3. Despite the unpredictable weather during the Workshop, there were no down-time as far as getting out and be on the
move to take pictures.I admired you for responding to the situation and acted swiftly based on your many years of invaluable
Experience as a Pro.
4. Thanks for helping me to learn more to organize the pictures and other features , in the use of Aperture Software.
5. With the gain in confidence for a beginner like me, and now knowing a little more about digital photography, I look forward
to the next Workshop in India.
6. In summary, I cannot thank you for more as you have inspired me to wish to learn to improve taking better pictures as a hobby.
God bless.
.... another trip with GD!
There is nothing to say, except: it was again fantastic. Location, timing, objects, everything fit and was consistent.
Even the adverse weather conditions such as rain were successfully used for the image design. Angkor experienced
as a photographic Renaissance.
Many thanks for the sharing of knowledge, training and information about the different places. Aperture was again
successfully taught here for image management and editing. For here, thank you so much for the successful journey.
I was honored when asked to join Gunther and a small group of his friends for an exploratory trip to Southern Cambodia earlier this year.
As in the past we got some great shots, some good tutoring from Gunther and had a great time visiting and traveling with friends
that I'd met on previous workshops. Having traveled and shot photos in seven different countries, and some of them more than once,
I would recommend any workshop that Gunther offers.
How can one capture such a wonderful adventure in just a few words?
Myanmar had a magnificent blend of subjects to 'shoot'; from its people to the temples and stupas but what stood out most for me were the delightful times we spent at the monasteries with the little monks and nuns.
Kudos to you, Gunther for getting us access into these places as we rarely saw another tourist. In fact over the whole trip, even in popular areas, you managed to find us locations to shoot where it appeared we were the only tourists that were there! Having been on many photo tours all around the world it was a delight to find citizens of a country that were totally unspoiled by tourists . . . . they were as interested in meeting us as we were them.
Sure, most mornings were very early, but all serious photographers know you can't find good lighting if you only start out at 9 AM. Lots of time to rest up once you get home! And having only 9 participants in our group was a delight.
Thanks once again to you for all your private tutorials on Aperture as I'm now progressing quite well based on your help. Now I need an assistant to help me get through my thousands of images!
If anyone is thinking of taking a photography workshop in South East Asia, you have to do it with Gunther!
I have only good things to say about my experience with you and the crew in Myanmar.
Boy did I learn a lot. I was pushed to my technical limit and then some. I fully intend to build
on this great experience. I arrived home totally hyper and in love with photography.
I look forward with impatience to my adventures on the Gunther Express next year.
Hello Sri Lanka and Rajasthan, here I come.
Many thanks for all your help and also for taking us to wonderful
photo opportunities.
See you soon.
Bernice Fargus
Australia/Hongkong
How are you doing? We really enjoyed the trip to Myanmar.
- Great trip, great photos and a great time. Myanmar - Even the name stirs up fantasies of a magic land from another time, another world. Myanmar is one of those places where the reality surpasses expectations. There is so much to see and experience, especially from the photographer's point of view, that a lot of time and effort can be wasted finding the right place, only to arrive at the wrong time for good light and composition.
GD solves that. He has been traveling to Myanmar for over 20 years and uses his experience to get you to the right place at the right time and generally when tourists are not overwhelming the shots.
Additionally, his "eye" is superb and he forces you to see things differently.
This is my fourth trip with GD and my photography has improved each and every time I've joined him.
Great place, highly recommended for those photographers who want
Adventure in places that are off the beaten track.
Thanks a lot!
Robert and Vie Humberson,
USA and Indonesia
Our trip to Myanmar is now my fourth GD photo workshop and just when I thought I already learned everything I needed to learn in travel photography from you, you pull one more out of the bag. Who would have ever imagined “dancing” is an integral part of photography?
It was a long and arduous workshop, but reviewing the images we captured made it all fulfilling (although some I took also made me cringe), and the amazing company of fellow participants made it all bearable. We had an excellent guide in Tin who made all our travel arrangements appear seamless and whose assistance was greatly valued.
Now, after Myanmar, I can’t stop wondering what other tricks you have in your bag, but I guess I’ll have to sign up for my 5th GD photo workshop to find out...
Many thanks and all the best,
JP Yulo, Philippines
It was again a special and unforgettable GD Photo Workshop trip in Myanmar and Cambodia, and the trip is still going on for me with all the editing of the thousands of photos I have taken during this trip.
I would like to congratulate you for a well-organized trip, it was really fantastic not only the sites I have seen in Myanmar and Cambodia but also all the Participants (new and old familiar faces) I was able to meet during the trip.
Thanks a lot again!
Hubert Weber,
Switzerland
Hi GD
-Traveling with Gunther Deichmann? No, with Gunther Deichmann you don´t travel; with Gunther Deichmann you will get a travel experience!
Reisen mit Gunther Deichmann? Nein, mit Gunther Deichmann reist man nicht; mit Gunther Deichmann werden Reisen erlebt!... und das in vollen Zuegen, es gibt keinen Ort und keine location, die nicht sorgfaeltig ausgesucht wurde, um den photographischen Anspruechen der students gerecht zu werden.Abweichend von den Touristenstroemen werden die interessantesten und sehenswertesten highlights „im rechten Licht und Zeitpunkt“ besucht; nein, fotographisch erforscht und abgelichtet.
Die studentische Lernkurve wurde in den abendlichen Diskussionen der besten Tagesphotos eroertert und so wertvolle Hinweise fuer die kommenden Aufgaben gegeben.Begonnen wurde der Tag mit einer Angabe der Kamera-Grundeinstellung (lense, ISO) fuer das jeweilige Projekt.
Arbeit, Reisen, Spass: all das - und mehr – erlebt und erfaehrt man mit Gunther Deichmann.Zufall, hier nicht, Plan B oder C funktionierte immer, sollte Plan A versagen. Besonderen Dank gilt auch unserem unermuedlichen guide „Tin“ mit all seinem Wissen ueber Land und Leute, und den Fahrern der vans.
Reisen mit Gunther Deichmann? Mit Gunther Deichmann erlebt man Reisen, es bleibt in tiefer Erinnerung! Die Resultate, verbunden mit der tiefen Freude ueber das Erlernte sprechen fuer sich.
Mit Gunther Deichmann reise ich ueber das Ende der Welt hinaus, ohne zu fragen!! Es wird nicht die letzte Reise gewesen sein mit GD.
Vielen Dank fuer das unermuedliche engagement, Gruss Mojan Reinhart Meyer, Duesseldorf, Germany
Greetings.
This is to thank you how much I have learned during the recent photo workshop in Myanmar.
I am a beginner trying to learn the basic skills of digital photography. When I attended the 2/3 days class
sessions conducted by you, in Manila some time ago I felt that I did not have the full understanding in the
fundamentals of digital photography. You encouraged me to attend the "out of town photo workshop" like
the one I joined with a group of others in Myanmar.
My learning experience
> I feel that I have a better understanding, gained more confidence in handling the camera now.
For example: That I must assess and think of the subject first and compose the picture before I click the shutter.
> despite the diverse group with different level of experience and expertise in digital photography , you still had time
and patiently helped me (a beginner) to navigate through and explain how I should take the pictures of the subjects
we encountered. Your comments on the outputs during the critique sessions were very helpful to enable me to understand
and not make the mistakes in the future when taking photos of similar nature. The comments of the other group mates also helped.
But also seeing other group mates' outputs allowed me to learn from them.
> it was an enriching experience to get to know the group mates from other nationalities. The bond of friendship and
closeness with the group mates when I had to leave the group was a memory stored in my mind. An unforgettable
and enriching experience.
> the group mates are friendly and we share our learning experiences together during breakfasts/lunches/dinners.
Literally those few day sessions - we eat , sleep talking about digital photography. There was so much sharing
and trying to help each other along the way during the "shooting sessions". A case in point was when suddenly
my camera was not responding when I clicked , and there was this group mate who had the same type of camera
helped me to adjust the settings and allowed me to go on shooting.
It was the first day of the shoot and I was really nervous thinking "what if the camera really is faulty".
Summary:
1. I have gained and learned a little more about the basic fundamentals of digital photography.
2. I look forward to join other photography sessions organized by you - which you have already indicated the time table.
There is so much more to learn to enjoy the hobby of digital photography. GD : you are a motivating factor for me to push
myself to continue to learn about digital photography.
3. I must say that you are a great photographer , a good teacher. Although you are a professional , you freely share
your experiences, and willingly teach others to be a "better photographer". I can attest to that because I am a beginner
knowing "next to nothing", but am excited to go on pursuing digital photography as a hobby.
Meeting and getting to know you , and learning to enjoy digital photography, is a blessing for me.
I wish you well.
Thank you and warm regards,
Cheng Yong, Singapore/Manila - Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Singapore
An unforgettable and challenging Bhutan photo workshop in thin air on horseback with the perfect pick nick and stunning Landscapes, very friendly people and an interesting history and of course lots of colors. Bhutan is in my opinion a photographers dream.
I also would like to thank you for the well organized trip and superb camaraderie like in all your Workshops. Cant wait for the next one.
Hubert Weber
Switzerland/Philippines
Thanks again GD and hope to see you soon.
Bhutan has always been in my "dream list" and you made it happens!
With wonderful landscapes and the genuine Bhutanese people this was my best photographic adventure.
On top of this the usual perfect organization of the GD workshops made the perfection!
Thank you Gunther for sharing with us hints & tips and guiding us in improving our creativity and technique.
Last thank you to all the participants for making this workshop the funniest ever!
Looking forward for the next one!
Cheers Max
Massimo Casal
Italy/Indonesia
Bhutan has been on my bucket list for years and thanks to GD's photo workshop, I was able to scratch
that item off my list this year. The Kingdom did not disappoint, neither did the great company I was with
(special mention must go to Luis and Hubert who generously came to my rescue when my gear acted up
towards the end of the trip). Notwithstanding the long days and arduous land travels, GD's photo workshop
to Bhutan was all worth it. Spectacular landscape, warm, friendly locals, and exotic architecture all conspired
to deliver stunning images - some captured on our CF cards, others etched on our hearts and memories.
All the best GD,
JP
Just wanted to say thanks for organizing such a memorable workshop in Myanmar. This was the
perhaps most demanding workshop yet, with challenging shooting conditions (and many early starts!)
that stretched our skills to the limit and beyond but which ultimately made the journey so rewarding.
Special thanks for the thought and effort put into the itinerary, in particular the late change to take
us to Kyauk Se, which was one of the highlights for me. As usual the critique sessions were very
helpful, not only to receive honest and constructive feedback but also to be inspired and learn from
seeing the work of the other participants. Speaking of the team, it was great to meet up with so many
familiar faces and make some new friends, one couldn't wish for a better team to go shooting with and
look forward to hopefully seeing all of you again on another
GD photo adventure.
Thanks again GD,
Richard Cawthra
Hong Kong
We had quite an intensive week, getting up for early sunrise shots and not stopping until late
at night, which was great. You can learn a lot from just observing how GD works, he is a crack.
The workshop is very well organized, the group was a lot of fun and GD and his assistant made
this trip a really wonderful and fun experience. Book it!"
By the way: I am coming to Singapore in December!!!
Already talked to Loy and we both will be there.
Cheers
Christina Feldt, Germany
Another challenging workshop with Gunther Deichmann on the recent Laos/Cambodia/Myanmar GD Photoworkshops.
We were really put through the paces in various cave temples, wet jungles, flooded jeep tracks and the like looking for
and shooting the different photo ops these countries have to offer. Whether it was working handheld in low light in a
dripping cave, going for the motion shot on a clickety-clack train, or shooting hundreds of Buddhist monks having their
midday meal, we definitely were working outside our comfort zone in the pursuit of some unique travel photography.
With Gunther's experienced eye to guide us we were pushed to get more drama in our exposure and compositions
and to use color in a more compelling way. Definitely recommended.
Tony Pond, USA
From sweating hot to uncomfortably cold with a few monsoon rains and heavy flooding thrown in just for good measure.
All these things and more just added to the experience. Another great GD photo workshop has come to an end. I would
like to thank GD, for the effort that he puts forth, making sure that everyone gets the help they need. Whether as a group
or one on one, he's there when you need him.
Thanks again GD,
Dave Myers, USA
"It was another great journey with GD. So much to shoot, so much to learn. Photography is a never ending passion
for our team and this has kept us together so well throughout the weeks. There is always something to look forward
to each and everyday, and the assignments really got us on our toes to look out for extraordinary stuff. The critique
sessions at the end of the day also helped us very much and is an excellent way to learn from one another. It opened
our eyes to what each of us are seeing - and all the good points and mistakes that each of us made. Both Cambodia
and Myanmar were awesome experience. Thank you GD for all the guidance, honest critiques and comments about
our work, and most of all, for such a wonderful trip which I truly enjoyed. Well done!"
Take care and see you in Singapore in Dec!
Best,
Loy Chuan, Singapore
ich habe mit Dir zusammen und der internationalen Gruppe Asien (Laos, Cambodia und Myanmar) bereist.
Eigentlich nichts ungewoehnliches, aber …, es war nicht das Asien, das sonst zu sehen ist, es ist das Asien,
wie es wirklich ist, abseits der ueblichen Touristenpfade. Deine Planung und Durchfuehrung der Reisen,
gepaart mit den richtigen Plaetzen zu den richtigen Zeiten an den entsprechenden Orten ist beispiellos
und zeugt von absoluter Professionalitaet und Kennen der jeweiligen Location.
Selbstverstaendlich wurde auch den Fotographieanfaengern zuerst die richtige Handhabung der Kamera
gezeigt, unterstuetzend wurden Tips fuer den richtigen „Blickwinkel“ auf die Objekte gegeben, es wurde
aber auch mit sach- und fachgerechten Anmerkungen zu den Objekten nicht gespart. Die fotographischen
Tages-Resultate sind immer mit einer zu verzeichnenden Lernkurve rezensiert worden, sodass der Erfolg
fast garantiert ist. Mit Gunther Deichmann reise ich (!) bedenkenlos bis an das Ende der Welt (und viel weiter
darueber hinaus), ohne irgendwelche Fragen zu stellen; ich habe mich ihm anvertraut und wurde in keiner
Weise enttaeuscht, im Gegenteil, es war eine absolute Bereicherung mit seinem professionellen Arbeitsstil
und Koennen konfrontiert zu werden, der keine Fragen offenlaesst, ein Asien-Kenner par excellence.
Funktionierte e.g. wetterbedingt Plan „A“ nicht, so gab es immer Plan „B“, wenn nicht sogar Plan „C“ oder „D“,
es wurde nichts dem Zufall ueberlassen, so das der fotographische Anspruch immer gewaehrleistet wurde.
Der Spassfaktor kam aber dabei nie zu kurz!!
Vielen lieben Dank fuer Deine immer waehrende Bereitschaft, sofort zu helfen und ein Objekt
„richtig einzufangen“.
Diese Reise mache ich jederzeit noch einmal mit Dir, DANKE Gunther Deichmann.
Herzlichst Mojan (Duesseldorf, Germany), you've got a new best friend, me.
Reinhart Meyer
I would like to thank and congratulate you on a very well organized photo workshop in India and Nepal.
I had a blast not only shooting around all the interesting places in India and Nepal but also the camaraderie
(Especially the rise wine) with you and the whole group it was amazing and a privilege to be around such good people.
Thank you very much my friend hope to see you soon again.
Hubert Weber, Switzerland
Lions and tigers and bears oh me, lions and tigers and bears oh my, oops wrong trip, wrong book. Spices, colors,
and holy men and temples oh me; spices, colors and holy men oh my! What a trip, a combination straight out of
Rudyard Kipling's writings and Turner's watercolors - except on this one you get the beauty plus the beast (congestion,
smells, noise etc). Fortunately we had Gunther to lead us and show us where to be at what time of the day for the best light
and the best activity. Everyone got great photos and had a great experience - I recommend this trip for the adventurous
photographer of most any level. And keep the rice wine flowing!
Take care,
Robert Humberson,
USA/Indonesia
"I thoroughly enjoyed Gunther's India/Nepal 2011 Photo workshop. Gunther's indefatigable enthusiasm for photography
and travel, along with his vast experience, really add that extra "boost" to these workshops. India / Nepal 2011 was no
exception. Amidst the chaos and color of the local scene, we were really kept on our toes with our daily assignments,
designed to look for the extraordinary in the mundane and to take away some challenging images. Exercises and tips
in capturing motion blur were really helpful. Whether night shooting on the Ghats of Varanasi or enjoying a Nepalese
dinner in Kathmandu following a day of temples and prayer wheels, there's always an element of fun mixed with the
photo technique in Gunther's workshop. Let me also add that logistics for the workshop ran smoothly. From airport
pickup when I arrived early to local guides with informative handouts to airport transfers and in-town transportation,
things ran without a hitch. Well done, Gunther.
Tony Pond
California, USA"
The Nepal workshop is definitely an unforgettable experience. A mixture of colors, cultures and people that will be
always in my mind.
This was possible thanks to an impeccable organization suitable to who really loves travel photography.
With your guidance and your straightforward comments I absolutely improved my style and technique and learnt
how to look at subjects in a more deeply and sometime different way.
I would like to thank you for all this and also the other participants for all the good and fun time spent together!
Max Casal, Italy/Indonesia
It has been a great and wonderful experience to travel with you. During the week in Varanasi, I was able to
experience some of the best and worst that India has to offer, and has definitely turned out to be one of the
most deeply moving experiences of my life. You have taught me to see colors and movement in a different
way, and there's no better place to do it than in India. Nepal was an awesome experience as well. Thanks
for all the guidance, honest critiques and comments about our work. The assignments were interesting and
really got us to think out of the box. I will really love to put what I've learnt from you into doing photojournalism
in future hopefully. Thanks for everything once again and hope to see you and the rest of the guys very soon."
Cheers,
Chia Loy Chuan, Singapore
India is indeed a fascinating country and I was simply awed by the abundance of subjects to shoot.
Many of what I learned from the Cambodia workshop I got to apply in India, but was able to pick up
a few new skills as well, in particular: pre-setting and burst shooting for fast paced environments and
fleeting magic moments.
With (a.) amazing company (Bob striking almost everyone off his Christmas card list & Dave’s unsuccessful
attempt to flatten a squirrel notwithstanding), (b.) top-notch, passionate instructor, and (c.) awesome location,
GD’s India Photo Workshop 2011 was everything I expected and much, much more.
JP Yulo, Philippines
I just arrived at home on the 16th, it was good to get together with you, Arj and Hubert in Makati. I've been
thinking about what I could write about our trip to India and Nepal and the only way I could possibly describe
it is to say that India was crazy and Nepal was great. What a wonderful bunch of people to have traveled with.
The workshop was very well organized and the nightly entertainment, You and Bob, was great. The sites,
sounds and smells as well as the photo opportunities we encountered will be with me always. It's a trip I'll never forget.
I hope to see each of the group again as we travel in pursuit of that next great photo.
Pat yourself on the back GD for a workshop well done.
Take Care my friend,
Dave Myers, USA/Philippines
It was wonderful to meet up with you again for such an incredible journey in India.
It was great to share the experience of the Holi festival and Aarti ceremonies with
you in Varanasi and to develop and refine my camera craft during the week, picking
up some new skills and insight along the way. I have never seen colors as vivid as I
did on this trip and with your guidance I now have many wonderful images to bear witness.
The organization of the trip was spot on from beginning to end and the choice and variety of
shooting locations provided both inspiration and challenge in good measure.
I'd also like to say a big thanks to all of the gang on tour, the camaraderie made the experience
all the richer and I hope to shoot with you all again in the future. I'd like to sign off by thanking you
for arranging the side trip to Agra, as with the workshop, everything worked to plan and rounded off
a fantastic time in India.
Until the next time, take care,
Richard Cawthra, Hongkong
Yours is by far the most grueling workshops I've ever attended, but also the most fulfilling.
A balanced mixture of good fun and serious work. You have certainly elevated my photography
skills several notches higher.
No doubt, your workshop is one of the best investments I've ever made. Thank you!
Cheers!
JP Yulo, Manila Philippines
I expected the workshop to be demanding, but I was wrong. It was TWICE as demanding as I’d expected.
Lucky I don’t mind getting up early, and then getting down and dirty, wet and weary, all in the hunt for
the perfect shot! All in all I’ve learnt a number of things about photography techniques and style, perhaps
the most important being to really LOOK at the subject and LOOK for the interesting and unusual
angle - the angle others walk past. Many thanks, Gunther, for your time.”
Rod Andrewartha,
Sydney Australia
Wow, what an experience. I've been back from Cambodia for nearly two weeks now and the workshop still isn't over.
Our last assignment was to send you six of our best photos, I'm trying to pick them out of the 5,000 pictures that I took,
boy, what a job. As the novice of the group I probably had the most to learn about photography and editing, some of
the do's and don'ts so to speak, I surely wasn't let down. It's been a long time since I've been so challenged not only
physically but mentally as well. I found nothing easy about this workshop but wouldn't trade the experience for anything.
The participants were great and the places we saw, along with the pictures we took, will instill in me nothing but fond memories.
Take care my friend
Dave Myers,
Philippines/USA
This was my second GD Photo Workshop with Gunther and I feel I was put through the paces. Pre-dawn starts were no
problem but some of the on-sight exercises were very challenging. Like trying to shoot an assignment with instructions to
make it vertical, keep all three carvings in focus (foreground, mid & background) in a dark and damp corridor in one of the
ruins with a bright shaft of sunlight piercing through and doing the whole thing handheld while shooting at max 400 ISO.
We were all sweating that one. But it made us work and see the possibilities that we might otherwise have ignored.
Of course, the evening reward was seen working at the roundtable at the Heritage Suites Hotel with a friendly beer in
hand as some incredible images emerged from our computers. All thanks to Gunther.
Cheers,
Anthony Pond, USA
Thank You for showing me a different India! Even though I'd been there before, I knew that with you I would see it
in a more unconventional way.. Mundane activities take on special significance, while the common becomes
uncannily particular!
Among other lessons on our learning curve I have understood that:
- Research and Preplanning are vital elements,
- Details can sometimes play a major part in the big picture,
- Patience is not just a virtue - but rather a tool that allows your subject to 'come to you'; and
- Photography is not just about taking the picture, but rather it is about escorting the viewer into the moment..
Above all, I've learnt that Learning with you means learning to learn differently. And that has been the most important lesson for me.
It reminds me of Henry D. Thoreau's wise words: 'When any real progress is made, we unlearn and learn anew what we thought we
knew before'; which is precisely the educational overhaul that I underwent throughout the trip.
Thanks for everything GD, for sharing and caring, and for arranging a safe and enjoyable workshop for all of
us in Incredibly Chaotic India :) It brought together a group of fun and creative individuals who travelled and
worked very well together, forming an exceptional comradeship along the way. Three cheers to the first class
photo mob!!! aka Luis, Bebet, Hubert, Joerg, & Tony! *mutual kudos to Richard for the kind words.
And while we're at it, a super Namaste to Lil Thapa - a gem of Nepal, fabulous guide and true friend.
Oh and GD, if you hadn't saved me from the Sadhu upon the River Ganga in Varanasi.. AND from that fateful
cup of 'Ganges milk tea' - "made from the purified water of the Ganges River".. who knows.. I might've spent
the rest of my time in India constructively observing chipped paint peeling off the hospital walls ;)
Till the next adventure then!
Big Hugs,
Jamie - Singapore
p.s.*Apologies for the terribly late note, as I am still on the road after India & Nepal!
who joined our Photo Workshop in Cambodia last year, read on below:
Hi Gunther,
Hope you are well, have just looked through the images from the class in India and am blown away by
some of the images the gang captured. Reading your blog entries on the road seeing all the familiar
faces reconvene, I felt like I had almost let you and the rest of the Cambodia class of 09 down by
being the only absentee.... alas I was already booked to tour Vietnam.
I think Hubert's pictures show development from those he shot in Cambodia and its hard to find new
compliments for Luis' eye for people. In particular I think the "neighbors" shot is an absolute stunner.
I like Tony's No 4 &5 (Am i right that this is the guy we met at the lunch stop on Tonle Sap?) and Jamie's
sunrise shot is also a winner.
On the tech front, have been playing with a trial of Aperture 3. I do like it and it has now caught
up (with presets) and past LR in some areas (brushes i think are now better than LR) but no being
able to move the 25K images I have in LR and keeping my edits is a big hurdle to get over.
Also LR still has one feature I love - ability to add a graduated filter, know I should not need
it but it can be a savior for big landscape shots.
Well take care and look forward to seeing Joerg's images when he shares them!
All the best
Richard - Hongkong
"India with Gunther Deichmann was certainly a journey through color and time. From the spice markets of Old Delhi
to the forts and festivals of Jaipur to the grandeur of the Taj Mahal, Gunther's practiced eye guided our small group through
the color and history of Rajasthan India. During the workshop I learned to use color in a more effective way, to isolate and
emphasize color to show the essence in an image. Following his mantra of going against the grain, against the crowd,
I was able to make more compelling images as Gunther suggested new angles, new viewpoints.
Seeing behind the lens was just one aspect of the workshop. In front of the computer, I learned new strategies for data backup,
workflow and initial processing. Whether working in Aperture or Lightroom (I am a LR guy) the lessons were equally helpful.
But beyond the camera and computer, Gunther's playfulness during the week added that extra, personal touch that made the
workshop a success. Whether careening down the twisted streets of Old Delhi in bicycle rickshaws or hoisting beers while still
covered in Holi powder in Jaipur, Gunther helped fuel the group dynamics into a FUN experience for the group.
I also want to thank Gunther for the unseen aspect of the trip -- making sure the whole thing ran as smoothly as possible.
India's a chaotic place to begin with. I know there were many details he attended to insure our satisfaction.
From accommodations, to transportation, to local guides, to fixing the occasional glitch -- these behind-the-scene logistics
made our trip a success.
Thanks again,
Tony Pond
Newport Beach, California, USA"
First and foremost let me thank you for showing me and the rest of the group the colors and ancient
history of India, which I personally enjoyed very much.
After the trip I started to edit the photos with the new Aperture 3 (still not finished almost 4000 images).
I must say that I have some photos that I am very proud of.
The teaching, tips and handling of the camera and post processing with Aperture we have learned during
the Cambodia trip really paid off for me in a big way in India.
There is still a lot to learn and practice to improve my camera works but I’m sure there will be more
GD Workshops in the future which I will definitely participate whenever time permits.
Hope to see you soon one of these days.
Hubert Weber
Apologies for the delay, had some internet issues here in HK and then had to travel back to UK for business last
week at short notice and had to travel without laptop.
Thanks for leading me through such an amazing experience on the recent workshop and opening my eyes
to the fascinating country that is Cambodia.
Before the workshop i set myself some goals for what i wanted to achieve and gain from the workshop and
i can fairly say i achieved them all and more and the experience enriched both by your knowledge and teaching style.
Goals:
1. To broaden my horizons and think outside of landscape subject matter: the rich and vibrant life around the temples
and on the Tonle Sap provided a wonderful and diverse choice of subjects and I enjoyed learning to shoot with people as the subject
of the shot rather than seeing them as a blot on my landscape.
2. Improve camera technique; the low light session we did in Preah Kahn, was a complete eureka moment for me,
suddenly i got it, how to examine and assess light conditions and quickly make exposure decisions. This alone would have
seen me return home happy but work on exposing for high contrast subject matter and the motion shooting session were the
cherry on the cake.
Whilst I was the "outsider" of the group working with lightroom, I nonetheless picked up some very useful workflow pointers
in our computer sessions, particularly data backup strategies and initial workflow tips for importing and review and
sorting of images. The aperture vs lightroom feature discussions also provoked me to think about some of the functionality
in lightroom and to uncover some features/options I didnt know were tucked away in the corners.
The organisation of the workshop, from collection at the airport until returning there a week later was immaculate and
I cannot praise enough the staff at the Heritage who were all so friendly and helpful. I could not have wished for a more perfect
place to stay, The Heritage is a gem of a hotel, oozing with character and was a like a home from home for the week. Thanks
also to Didier for arranging some special trips/treats for us all and your trusty sidekick Savuth for taking care of all our needs
during the workshop.
I deliberately left my third objective for the workshop until the end as it is the most important thing for me
with my photography - Have fun - for me the greatest part of the process is in the "seeing" of a picture and then
translating what you have in your mind's eye into an image and the workshop delivered 100% all the way.
For this the credit not only goes to you but also Luis, Hubert, Joerg and Jamie who were all such good company
to go shooting with.
Hopefully will have the chance to do so again in the coming years.
Richard
The words 'Thank you' somehow express insufficient appreciation for all the experiences that you have
shared with us at the photo workshop in Siem Reap, Cambodia. You have an amazing ability to impart your
vast knowledge of photography and other worldly treasures with your eager students through a totally relaxed
and funky manner. I have to say that the 6 month anticipation period of the workshop was well worth the nail biting wait!
A word of thanks for..
The rest of the guys were utterly magnificent and supportive, always ready to lend a helping hand, answer or explain any queries
and basically doing a real good job of mocking me as the only cowgirl in the team! ;) Luis, Joerg, Hubert, Richard, GD, Didier,
& Savuth - Big Hugs to all of you and I really hope to see you all again on another one of GD's amazing photo workshops, as
Hubert said, wherever that may be. Meanwhile, keep that camera clicking!
Once again, thanks a bunch, Gunther.
As one member of staff at the Heritage remarked to me on the last day: it looked as though I didn't want to leave!
Well, I didn't, but I'm sure we'll be back on another photography jaunt very soon.
YOU ROCK GD!
See you in Incredible India
The giggle factory,
Jamie Irenaliena Rayer Keet ;)
vielen Dank fuer Dein Mail. Auch mir hat es in Kambodscha super gefallen und meine Lernerwartungen haben sich voll erfuellt.
Der Workshop war toll und ich konnte meine Aperture Lernkurve erheblich verkuerzen und steiler gestalten. Eigentlich war das ja der
Grund fuer meine Teilnahme.
Diese Uebungen mit eigenen Fotos unter Anleitung eines Profis zu machen war die Kroenung und eine seltene Gelegenheit fuer mich
und ich hoffe, dass wir demnaechst eine weitere Moeglichkeit haben werden, gemeinsam zu touren, fotografieren und Aperture zu
entdecken bzw. zu ueben.
Im Anschluss war ich gemeinsam mit Hubert noch in Bangkok und wir waren einmal nachts und einmal tagsueber zum Foto Shooting.
Es war mein erster
Aufenthalt in Bangkok und war ebenfalls interessant.
Somit bin ich rundherum zufrieden nach Shanghai zurueckgekehrt und plane schon die naechste (Indien-) Tour.
Herzliche Gruesse aus Shanghai
Joerg Schueler
Why to join a PhotoWorkshop? It’s simple I own a pretty good Camera, a MacBook Pro with Aperture 2.0 Software
installed and with this equipment I though I will get some good Photos but ……..!!!! There was definitely something
missing in each and every Picture I have made.
I admired Gunther’s work for a long time especially his last Book Journey through Color and Time
When Gunther announced that he is organizing a PhotoWorshop in Cambodia again, inclusive of Hotel, Excursions,
Permits, etc., I grabbed the opportunity and immediately joined.
We were billeted at the Heritage Suite Hotel in Siem Reap, a Boutique style hotel not to small and defensibly not to big,
the Rooms or Bungalow are awesome, the Staff very friendly and accommodating (which Joerg and I appreciated,
we had the bar for ourselves on late nights… or was it early in the morning?)The Food was very good too,
which is very important for me!
We started early in the morning and Gunther explained; it doesn’t matter what camera you have, its your eyes
and what they see will make a great shot. Of course the basic knowledge how to use your camera how to capture
the light and shadows of a scene was part of his teaching too.
The early mornings and the late afternoons were reserved for shooting at different incredible Temples, which surround Siem Reap.
Mid afternoon and late evenings we had the Computer sessions, how to use Aperture 2.0 properly, setup’s such as; adjusting your
Raw images, key wording, caption etc., but equally important how to store your photos on external disks etc., and of course the
editing of your photos which is actually the hardest part, how to use self critic on your own pictures.
After the Workshop I took time to take it all in what I had learned from Gunther (GD), I must say the quality, the post
processing of photos has improved tremendously and they are worlds apart from what they had been before.
I noticed also, that I walk with a different Eye through the City now; I see colors, light, shapes, scenes that I have
never noticed before, but they have been there all the time.
So, thank you Gunther and all the great people, which joined the workshop for all you have given me on the way
to make better photos and understand the basic of Photography.
Hope to see you guys again soon, for another PhotoWorkshop with Gunther wherever that might be.
Hubert Weber
How're you doing? Me, I've been showing off my pictures in Cambodia (untouched) and of course
they like what they've seen (i mean my wife and kids - hehehe).
Aren't you back yet. Hope we can get together again. I really learned a lot from our experience
and I thank you and Jun for inviting me.
See you!
Jojo Ochoa
I can't begin to tell you what an amazing time I had in Cambodia with you & the amazing
people we did the course with, History was in the making I think. We have taken some amazing photo's you have taught me so many things I need to
look for. Your eye for seeing incredible things which one would not normally see. Not only these things are special to me but you have inspired me even
more, plus my friendship to you has grown even more, for this my friend I thank you for the bottom of my heart .
Cambodia itself ! wow I was in awe not stop the wonder the history the amazing temples this feeling
I had in side of me was magical, behind every stone was was story to be told ! around every corner, one could not wait to see what was there to be photographed.
I know now that my life has changed & I have to be a Photographer more than anything & you taught me light * color is the key.
As for my new friends please could you pass on this mail to the wonderful people that accepted me as a
fellow photographer, you were all very special to me & am excited about new adventures together.
All in all I'm complete & extremely happy with everything the monks were wonderful for the icing
n the cake & the hotel everyone was fantastic, last but bby no means the least our trusty guide, which I could never pronounce his name, thanks so much.
Mark Cox
Photographer & Adventurer.
Congratulations for a very successful workshop. I really learned a lot. My only wish is I can go back again.
The group is very happy. Very minor suggestions. We all got back without a hitch.
Regards,
Jun Miranda
President
Philippine Center for Creative Imaging
and Co organizer of the GD Photo Workshop
Welcome back! Just wanted to say I had the best time in Cambodia . Loved the different sights,
sounds, culture, people and food! As the youngest (assuming?04) and greenest 26one among the "great bunch", I have to say I probably
learned the most from you and even some of the guys (Kuya Luis was really great with encouraging me). This experience has taught me not to be
content on just waiting for the moment but going out and looking for it. Be proud in knowing that you have touched my life by inspiring me through your wisdom.
Thank you,
Jasmin
Good to know you're back.
Haven't thanked you enough for our Cambodia experience as well the friendship you have extended.
Would have loved to stay and extra day to shoot Tonle Sap , well, maybe next time.
Hope to shoot with you again and perhaps a couple of beers in Malate/Penguin.
Later,
Bebet
Welcome back! I heard from Francis that everyone had a great time with the workshop. Congratulations. =)
Best Regards,
Lawrence
You must be back yourself from one of the most fascinating trips we have experienced. Anli and I finally understand
how the place can draw you back again and again. It's ancient ruins stand amongst us, reminding us that life passes us by, leaving behind only what each one of us
has contributed while we pass this earth.
We return with the promise to be more in touch with our spiritual selves, to enjoy life every moment knowing that
life is here and now. We enjoyed your lead and remember all that you have taught us.
We loved the company, the hotel and the camaraderie shared. Hope to see you soon.
Best regards,
Anli and Eleanor