MAYAMAGIK’S TRAVEL BLOG

Road Trip Photography

Travel Photography by Christian Köhlert

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MAYAMAGIK’S TRAVEL BLOG

New Orleans and Baja California Sur

My Road Trip Photography Blog in 2018 was not growing as intense as the year before. I just took a trip back to the US and further on to Baja California. This endeavor was a conscious decision because the journey from Canada to Mexico in 2017 was overwhelming, and I needed some quiet time. Nevertheless, I was eager to continue my new lifestyle at the beach.

I had two objectives on my list. First, I wanted to continue my book project and finish the raw manuscript before returning to Europe. My secondary task was to improve my surfing skills. As I probably mentioned before, at some point, surfing is not that easy to learn, especially if you are way past your 30th birthday. So, I had to put up some effort that I wanted to continue to do at San Pedrito Beach close to Todos Santos, Baja California.

Before I made my way back to Baja, I had two weeks in New Orleans, an exciting experience. I took a lot of photos there. Also, I made a couple of trips around the south end of the Baja California peninsula. Please enjoy the pictures!

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Los Barriles Airbnb Photography

Los Barriles AirBnB Photography

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6. June 2018

During my 2018 season in Baja California, I got a convenient little offer to take photos of a friend’s AirBnB in Los Barriles. Since renting an Airbnb facility is all about having good photos to showcase on the website, I got asked to provide professional pictures.

San Pedrito Beach El Pescadero Todos Santos Baja California Sur

San Pedrito Beach | El Pescadero, B.C.S.

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23. May 2018

This time is only my 2nd season in San Pedrito Beach in El Pescadero close to Todos Santos. I came here first on new Year's eve 2016/2017. Due to some unforeseen events, I stayed at this place longer than expected.

New Orleans Street photography downtown

Exploring New Orleans

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22. March 2018

In February 2017, I traveled for the first time to the city of New Orleans in Lousiana. I have never been to this part of the USA, but I got invited by a good friend, which allowed me to experience the unique atmosphere of the dirty south.

MAYAMAGIK’S TRAVEL BLOG

Road Trip from Canada through the USA

This Photo Road Trip started in 2016 in Medicine Hat, Canada. The plan was to build an RV from an old Ford F-250 and move down to Central America. After ten months, this journey ended in Baja California, Mexico, after my Travelmate struggled with the issues concerning a slipped disc incident in his neck. This Road Trip was one of the biggest adventures, and I hope the pictures can tell a bit of the story.

This whole Road Trip has had another much more profound aspect than surfing, traveling, and taking pictures. It was also an internal journey, all about self-exploration and finding a new path in life. Therefore I used special techniques to manifest a targeted reality. I wrote about this internal process in my Spiritual Van Life Blog.

MORE INFORMATION SPIRITUAL VAN LIFE

About Road Trip Photography

All pictures were shot in 2016 and 2017 along my journey. In the early summer of 2016, I started on a road trip that I had planned with an old friend. Jens and I grew up together in Magdeburg, Germany. Now we would roam together North America from Canada to the Baja California in Mexico.

This journey commenced in Medicine Hat in Canada, where we set up our vehicle for the road trip, which should lead us down to Central America. Photography is my passion so telling this story in pictures became an ongoing project. So please enjoy this Road Trip Photography Blog through the Americas.

Road Trip Photo Equipment

If you want the best results in terms of the quality of your pictures, you need a full format camera. Those devices are big and bulky, and they draw attention. That is the coin’s backside—not to mention that this kind of photo equipment is expensive. I chose a different setup. I bought myself the latest GH4 from Panasonic along with a Metabone Speedbooster.

I have three lenses: 24mm, 50mm, and 85mm, made by Canon. The reason for this setup is the ability to shoot footage with it. It is a compromise between both worlds of Photography and Filming. The GH4 is good enough to shoot some decent photos even with a smaller sensor. As a backup, I have a 25mm f0.95 Voigtländer.

My Canada and USA Travel Blog

ROAD TRIP THROUGH CANADA TO THE SOUTH OF THE USA

Bradley Nowell Sublime Memorial Grafiti

Sublime Photos Of Long Beach, California

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24. August 2017

I stayed for two nights in Long Beach, which is southwest of Los Angeles. I always wanted to come to this town because of one of my favorite bands called “Sublime.” Well, at least they had been my favorite band back in my teenage years. So, that’s why Longs Beach was an important place to go.

Skyline San Diego California Road Trip Photography

San Diego Road Trip Photography | California

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24. August 2017

Only a few days remained till I met up with Jens in Mexico again. So I hurried up to drive further south to the border. On my way, I crossed San Diego and many other smaller cities. I took out my camera whenever I found some time. Well, that was not the perfect setting for a photographer.

Los Angeles California Road Trip Photography

Road Trip to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles

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24. August 2017

Early in the morning, I took a trip from Malibu to the Getty Museum in the outskirts of Los Angeles. It is the perfect place to improve my skills as an architectural photographer. The whole facility is a piece of art in itself. You could be there for days and still, you could discover new angles to take unique pictures from.

malibu beach california photography road trip

Road Trip California Coastline Photography

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22. August 2017

I proceeded along highway 101 to see the amazing California coastline passing some beautiful cities like Monterey, Santa Barbara, and Malibu. Every city is unique in its way. I was roaming around and did some great photos. Still, I realized that I only get the same themes.

bike santa cruz california photography road trip

Road Trip Photography Santa Cruz, California

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22. August 2017

My next destination was Santa Cruz at the California coast. Time was pressing on my road trip. I had to make a giant leap from Nevada to the sandy beaches of California. Some friends from New Zealand came over to Santa Cruz.

all seeing eye illuminati pyramid lake petroglyphs nevada

Pyramid Lake | Petroglyphs Photography

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22. August 2017

So how did I end up at the Petroglyphs at Pyramid Lake in Nevada, you ask? Well, the other friend I visited in Otis was Gary Vey. He is quite a famous investigator into the petroglyph phenomena. We decided to go together through Oregon and see Pyramid Lake in Nevada. There are some amazing petroglyphs.

Reggae Band Jaskamon in Licoln City | Road Trip Travel Photography of Oregon | USA

Reggae Band “Jaskamon” in Lincoln City

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21. August 2017

The reggae band Jaskamon played many times in Lincoln City, but that is not where it originates. Close to Lincoln City in Oregon is a small town called Otis. This location is the place where my friends are living. I stayed with them for almost two weeks, where I took a lot of pictures related to my friend Bary’s band.

Cannon Bay Oregon Photo Travel Blog Photography

Road Trip Along the Oregon Coast

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21. August 2017

SA before. That was already 2 years ago, but back from this experience, I knew it is one of the more beautiful states. The east coast of Oregon is full of pristine beaches and thigh forests. It is a paradise for photographers. Unfortunately, I did not have much time to fully focus on photography.

Washington State Road Trip Photography

Road Trip through Washington State, USA

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21. August 2017

Unfortunately, Jens could not cross the border to Washington State in the USA because he offended some minor law. A tiny device called a "weed grinder" was the reason. From this point on, photography became a secondary obligation. I was all on my own to bring the camper down to Mexico.

Mountain Canada Road Trip Photography

Through Alberta and British Columbia

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20. August 2017

While traveling through Alberta and British Columbia, I could take the first photos of our actual road trip. Jens was driving, and I could focus on my camera. Along this road, we camped at friends of Jens. Most of those guys are skateboarders.

Medicine Hat Canada Road Trip Photography Alberta Mayamagik Christian Koehlert

Medicine Hat Street Photography | Canada

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20. August 2017

I took in Medicine Hat, Canada, mainly capture the new environment. We were living in the suburbs of Medicine Hat with friends of Jens. This location was the headquarters of our road trip. Here we put together our camper vehicle.

Monteux Switzerland Photography

Montreux Street Photography, Switzerland

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20. August 2017

The small town of Montreux, close to the French border, has been my home for the last two years. The following pictures should give you an impression of the social-cultural context I was coming from before I decided to go on this road trip to the Americas. Many photos are from early 2016.

Surfing Road Trip Photography Baja

BAJA CALIFORNIA SURF AND TRAVEL PHOTO BLOG

San Pedrito Beach El Pescadero Todos Santos Baja California Sur

Pescadero and Todos Santos, BCS

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17. September 2017

I have often been to Todos Santos since we were staying at San Pedrito Beach in Mexico on the south end of Baja California. It is an excellent place to find some rare items and surfing gear.

Apparitions Festival San Pedrito Baja California

Apparitions Festival at San Pedrito Beach

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15. September 2017

The Apparitions Festival came to San Pedrito Beach. There are not too many events with electronic music close to Todos Santos, and suddenly we were in the middle of it. Still, we had to move our camper down the beach to make space for the Festival to build up.

Puppy Crisis San Pedrito Baja California

Puppy Crisis At San Pedrito, Baja California

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3. September 2017

o world news in San Pedrito Beach, we stayed focused on local events like the Puppy Crisis. This situation developed right next to us. Someone left a box with eight young dogs in the camping area, and our neighbor Raynolds found it.

Surfing With Friends San Pedrito Baja California

Surfing with Friends at San Pedrito Beach

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2. September 2017

edrito Beach was such an excellent spot for surfing and camping that we emailed our friends who were also roaming Baja California. As a surf spot, it is a mix between El Conejo and „The Wall“ since it has some nice sandy beach break, but a big part of it.

Surfer Dudes of San Pedrito Baja California

Playa De San Pedrito Photography | BCS

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2. September 2017

ntos on the Baja California. It is a well-known spot for surfers traveling through this part of Mexico. Since my travel-mate Jens needed some treatment for his blockage in his neck, we made a stop-over at Playa de San Pedrito.

Surfing El Conejo Beach Baja California

Surfing at El Conejo Beach | Baja California

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2. September 2017

Our next stop on our Road Trip ended up at El Conejo Beach. We started at Coyote Beach and proceeded further south to find this new surf spot. El Conejo Beach is already close to La Paz – deep at the south end of the Baja California Sur.

The Wall Baja California Mexico Punta Santa Rosalillita Road Trip Photography

“The Wall” Baja California Surfing & Camping

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31. August 2017

nta Santa Rosalillita, we had two new members on our team. Back in Guerrero Negro, we met two traveling surfers from New Zealand. Together we went to one of the most notorious surf spots along the Baja California called “The Wall.”

Playa El Coyote, Baja California | Beach close to Mulegé

El Coyote Beach at Mulegé | Baja California

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31. August 2017

o a beautiful beach called Playa El Coyote. This area is much more green and picturesque than the surf spots we visited on the other side of Baja California. For the second time on our trip down the Baja, we were on the east side of the peninsula.

Kids in Guerrero Negro

Road Trip To Guerrero Negro, Baja California

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31. August 2017

We went further down the Baja California and ended up in Guerrero Negro. It is a small city in the middle of the desert. We stayed there for a couple of days in order to wash our clothes and to fill up our supplies. While waiting for our laundry I could take a lot of photos.

Quatro Casas Baja California Road Trip Photography

Road Trip Baja California Photography

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25. August 2017

We continued along Baja California from a tiny fisher village to the next one. Since most of the landscape is desert, there is not much variety in the photos I could take. So I focused with my camera on the minor differences.

Baja California Road Trip Photography

Surfing at Punta San José, Baja California

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25. August 2017

first time along the whole road trip I could discover a place with the camera. Well, there is not so much out there. Most of the area is desert, but still, I could capture many different moods and angles in about 200 pictures.

Sundown San Miguel Ensenada Baja California

Surfing at San Miguel in Ensenada

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25. August 2017

There is a place called San Miguel, which is a famous surfer spot. Jens was waiting there for me. We were back together, which gave me much more time and space to focus on photography and surfing.

ROAD TRIP PHOTOGRAPHY

From Oregon to New Zealand

The following Road Trip Photography Blog shows you my “Walkabout” from Wellington through the wildness of New Zealand. During my trip through the most amazing landscapes, I did my best to document my experiences with photos. I hope you can sense my devotion to Photography and my ambition to capture the most authentic sceneries.

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Road Trip Photography of Oregon, USA

OREGON AND WASHINGTON LATE SUMMER, 2014

About Road Trip in New Zealand

When the opportunity opened up to travel to New Zealand, I knew I would like to document the whole trip in still pictures. Up to this point, I always used my film camera to capture the impressions of my journeys.

From all that I heard, New Zealand is a beauty. Both islands are packed with beautiful landscapes and pristine nature. For a photographer, New Zealand is a paradise that wants to be conquered and captured on film. So I took my backpack and photo equipment along.

Before I got to New Zealand, I made a 5-week stop-over in Oregon, USA. By coincidence, Oregon has quite similar features compared to New Zealand. Some landscapes along the coast close to Lincoln City or around Portland look precisely like some national parks around Wellington. That’s why Oregon was like a warm-up for New Zealand when it comes to Photography.

When I finally arrived in Wellington, spring was approaching slowly. So I had quite some time in the capital of New Zealand. That’s why urban Photography dominates my first pictures of New Zealand. Soon after, I went on my “walkabout,” which brought me to some exciting locations – but look for yourself.

My Photo Equipment in NZ

When I went on my journey to New Zealand back in 2014, I was looking for a small camera to travel around with a backpack. For that reason, a full format camera was just too big and expensive to risk such a precious piece of photo equipment in unpredictable weather conditions.

Since I already had lenses for my Panasonic AG AF101 video camera, I needed just a different camera that uses the MFT standard for Photography. So I took the most effortless approach and bought myself a Panasonic GH2.

My favorite lens was the Voightländer 25mm 0.95. This fancy piece of photo equipment was more expensive than the rest of the Panasonic GH2. It is a high-speed and sharp lens. The downside is that it is all manual. It is like back in the days when Daddy used to take hours before he shot a picture. Aperture and focus are full manually adjusted, which brought me back to the old-school style of Photography.

With the combination of the GH2 and the Voigtländer 25mm, it is like learning Photography from the very basics again. You need to develop some skills to get some good photos in a dynamic situation, especially in low light conditions and when you want the shallow depth of field effect for portraits.

Oregon Photo Travel Blog Photography

Road Trip with Jaskamon through Oregon

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17. September 2017

We went to different locations, foremost around Portland in Oregon, in producing the video. I attended the band's gigs, but I also went to Mount Helen in Washington. This enormous volcano crater got famous in the 80′ when it produced a tremendous outburst.

Harley Otis Festival Oregon Run 21

Run 21 | Oldschool Biker Festival in Otis, OR

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17. September 2017

In 2014 a biker festival called RUN 21 was held for the first time in Otis. Otis is a tiny community close to Lincoln City in Oregon. So this event was exceptional for this small place. The Run 21 Festival...

Oregon Berrys Lawn Service Licoln City

Barry’s Lawn Service | Lincoln City, Oregon

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17. September 2017

b as a photographer. Gary’s good friend has a lawn service, and he needed some photos for his website. During this photo session, I had the opportunity to get some more impressions of the Oregon coast.

Oregon Lincoln City Photography

First Impressions of Otis and Lincoln City

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17. September 2017

After getting picked up from the airport in Portland, we went to Otis, a small community close to Lincoln City in Oregon. As soon as I could manage my jetlag, I started to roam around with Gary to get my first impressions of my new context.

Photography of New Zealand

FROM WELLINGTON INTO THE WILDERNESS

Luminate Festival 2015 New Zealand

Photography of 2015 Luminate Festival

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29. September 2017

The Luminate Festival was the best outro for my New Zealand adventure I could think of. After a period of intense travel activities, it has been the perfect retreat to tune in and drop out. We had hundreds of people dancing around a fire at the opening ceremony.

Reid's Farm Taupo New Zealand

My Reid’s Farm Experience | Lake Taupo, NZ

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29. September 2017

Reid’s Farm is one of the probably hundreds of free camping sites in New Zealand. It is one of those places you are looking for while traveling on the north island with a limited budget and a backpack.

Reid's Farm Taupo New Zealand

Walkabout Through New Zealand

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29. September 2017

lkabout. I grabbed my backpack and my camera to roam through New Zealand just by walking off from Wellington. Well, I didn’t come too far. Somewhere between Wellington and Lake Taupo.

Wellington Surfing New Zealand

Wellington, New Zealand | First Impressions

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29. September 2017

I finally arrived in Wellington, New Zealand. I stayed with my friends in Wellington for the first two months, where I took my first photos. There were so many lovely spots around the city where people used to go for a surf or hang out at the beaches.

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