The Opal Coast

The Côte d'Opale, or the Opal Coast, is a coastal strip in the north of France. For many an ideal holiday destination and perfect for a road trip because it has so much beauty to offer. In this news item we tell you more about what exactly it has to offer and how the name Opal Coast actually came about.

Picturesque fishing villages and rugged coastlines

The coast stretches from Calais to Berck-sur-Mer and is 120 kilometers long, full of numerous picturesque fishing villages and sandy beaches. The coastline also consists of large areas of chalk cliffs. These are high, steep limestone rocks formed by the sea and wind. You will also find extensive green fields with dune grass and colorful flowers.

The name Opal Coast was first mentioned by the writer and painter Édouard Lévêque in 1911. He made the comparison between the opal and the coast. The gemstone can change in all kinds of colors, which would correspond to the landscape consisting of the blue water, light-colored beach and the white chalk cliffs.

A piece of history and Battery Todt

Along the coast you will also find some historic buildings and monuments from the first and second world wars. Because the mainland near Calais is so close to England, it played a major role during the wars. Therefore, during the Second World War, some bunkers along the coast were built by the Germans. For example, that of Battery Todt, near the village of Audinghen. Because the location was so favorable, the shells could even reach England. The battery is now a museum and can therefore be visited up close.

Street-Art murals Boulogne-sur-Mer

In addition to recreation, the Opal Coast is also ideal for photographing. Because the landscape is so diverse, you can come home with a lot of creative pictures. Not only the nature is interesting to capture, but also the artistic side of the Opal Coast should not be forgotten. Boulogne-sur-Mer is the street art capital of Northern France. You will find several colorful murals scattered throughout the village. With the street art walk you walk past all the works of art, as if it were an open-air museum. Because it is so popular, there is now an annual festival where street artists can enjoy themselves again and expand the collection.

Photography tour Opal Coast

Would you like to visit the Opal Coast yourself and learn to take beautiful pictures? Then the 5-day photography trip to the Côte d’Opale may be something for you!

During this photography trip we will start shooting with a long shutter speed, we will use the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, you will learn to capture the street art paintings beautifully and we will visit the hidden gems along the coast. Also not to be missed are the two impressive capes Cap Blanc-Nez and Cap Griz-Nez. We also travel in small groups, so you can expect a lot of personal guidance.

Let’s click!

Holi Color in India

The world famous Holi Color festival in India is known for its colorful and traditional festivities during the New Year of the Hindus. In this news item we tell you more about the meaning behind Holi Color and how you as a photographer can best capture this event.

Holika Dahan

Holika Dahan is celebrated the day before the colorful festival, but actually starts 40 days in advance. Then a cutting of a miracle tree is planted, called Holika. A pyre is made around it that grows bigger every day. During Holika Dahan, this pile is set on fire, symbolizing the burning of the Holika. However, the name comes from an old folk tale in India, in which the evil Holika (sister of King Hirankashyapu) went up in fire and Prahlaad, the king's son survived the same pyre.

Holi-Phagwa

The Holi-Phagwa is another name for the Holi Color festival. This festival celebrates the New Year and the victory of good over evil. Since it takes place every year in March, it is also a big spring festival. This day everyone takes to the streets and the scented water and colored powder flies non-stop through the air. The color powders come in all kinds of different colors, each with its own meaning. For example, yellow stands for success, pink for love and harmony and blue for healing and protection.

Shooting during Holi Color

Of course, this exuberant and colorful festival is beautiful to capture, but it is also a challenge for the photographer and the camera itself. It is therefore important to pack your camera equipment (and lens) well so that it is protected against the crowds, but of course also against all the colored powder and water that is thrown.

Do you want a nice atmosphere of the festival? Then photographing from a higher point with a view of the busy streets and squares is a good idea. Portraits also give great results, especially if you manage to capture the emotion in the photo. And finally, be well prepared so you know the best photo locations. Locals can help you with that.

Photography Tour Rajasthan North – India

During the photography trip we travel through Rajasthan, a state in North India. The Holi Color Festival is also celebrated here on a grand scale and is therefore not to be missed during the tour. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable experience and a colorful experience on this photography tour.

Sustainable travel in Iceland

Iceland, a natural beauty when it comes to the most beautiful and magical natural phenomena in Europe. Close to home yet so surprising, behind every corner another fantastic landscape with geysers, waterfalls, ice or sand deserts. Also one of the most sustainable destinations in Europe and very suitable for travelers who want to travel environmentally conscious.

What makes Iceland so sustainable?

Mainly due to the energy they generate from what nature has to offer. Most energy comes from geothermal sources. Hveravellir is a landscape full of such springs and definitely worth a visit to take beautiful pictures all the hidden gems of Iceland. In addition to sustainable energy, Iceland is also committed to 'responsible tourism', so that it remains accessible to tourists in the future. This is done by spreading tourism as much as possible so that the untouched areas are not put under pressure. The 'Green Steps Program' makes it possible for travelers to use public transport for free with a Reykjavik City Card.

Transportation to and around Iceland

Although Iceland is located in Europe, it is still far from the mainland, but it is still easy to reach. The most sustainable option is by bus and the M/S Norröna ferry from Hirtshals, Denmark, this ferry sails all year round and also passes through the Faroe Islands. All you need is time, the crossing takes about two days. Once in Iceland it is best to use public transport or rent a car. In the high season there are daily buses, during the low season there is an adjusted timetable. If you want to rent a car, an off-road vehicle is recommended, it is very suitable for exploring the rough landscape.

Sustainable stay

Do you want to stay somewhere sustainable and local in Iceland? Then it is best to look for a local supplier with a Nordic Swan or Vakinn environmental label. That way you are assured of sustainable accommodation. (With Travelmarks photography travel you are always assured of an environmentally conscious trip). Another option is a farmstay, where you will stay with people on a farm, often a bit remote, but it will take you to the most beautiful places. If you want to explore nature even more, wild camping is also a good alternative. With a camping card it is possible to camp more cheaply throughout Iceland.

Local drinks and food

Iceland is the place to be for fish-lovers. It is the specialty at every restaurant and the fish is fresh from the sea. Freshly prepared and often served in different ways. Fresh fruit and vegetables are somewhat more difficult to come by due to the limited possibilities in agriculture. But more and more vegetables are grown in greenhouses heated with geothermal energy. For vegetarians and vegans, more and more delicious foods can be found on the menus, because vegan food has become more accessible in recent years.

Photography trip North and South Iceland

Excited about the beauty of Iceland? Take a look at the sustainable photographytrip to North and South Iceland in the summer. An unforgettable journey including a visit to the undiscovered North and the most beautiful places of the Golden Circle.

Shooting in versatile Luxembourg

Luxembourg has exceeded all our expectations, we are fans! We would like to take you along in this blog to the most beautiful things that Luxembourg is home to. By the way, did you know that Luxembourg is in the top 10 of most sustainable countries in the world? All the more reason to visit this awesome country!

In this dynamic time it remains a surprise how developments follow eachother up. We thought it's wise to develop a photo trip close to home. Simply accessible and with a van from the Netherlands we travel together. After some research, Luxembourg rolled out and we don't regret it!

Waterfalls, primeval forests and rock formations… better know as Müllerthal trail

Walking along the ancient paths you really feel like you are in another world. The Müllerthal trail is one of the most beautiful hiking trails in Europe. Do you want to walk the entire route? Then 112 beautiful kilometers are waiting for you. We didn't walk them all, but we did a lot and included a number of gems in our photo weekend. The rock formations and caves of Hohllay impress and the Schiessentümpel waterfall clatters peacefully into the landscape, here you really switch off! By the way, you don't have to make long or heavy hikes during our weekend, which is nice.

Vianden and Esch-sur-Sûre by night

How picturesque do you want it to be? Vianden and Esch-sur-Sûr sparkle in the light of the blue hour. These medieval-looking villages are a source of conviviality and we can't say no to that, right? Both villages are characterized by the castle ruins that lie on top of the hills. A beautiful sight as soon as the evening light sets in. We have found exactly the right places from which to photograph this. For a moment you imagine yourself in a completely different era.

The old city center 'Grund' of Luxemburg City

Another gem is the old town center 'Grund'. Many times more Burgundian than the modern part and packed with character. As soon as you glance down over the city walls, you will see the babbling Alzette river meander gracefully through the old streets of Luxembourg City. From the right positions, this produces beautiful photos, where shooting with long shutter speeds adds extra character to the photo. Here too it is only a matter of waiting for the blue hour to set in and Luxembourg City changes with the magic of the evening.

Industrial Belval

What photographer doesn't love a beautiful industrial environment? We sure do! A visit to Belval should therefore certainly not be missed when visiting Luxembourg. The beauty of this location is that they have preserved the industry that used to be active here. In fact, they fused it with modern architecture. They definitely did that to their credit! You can stroll there and behind every corner there is a new composition. A top location for every photographer who appreciates an industrial environment.

Turelbaach Castle

This is without a doubt our favorite! A true 'hidden gem' and a feast for the eyes. Hard to find… but we have discovered the entrance to this majestic temple, as far as we are concerned the showpiece of Luxembourg! We don't really want to reveal too much, we like to see that a rare location like this remains undiscovered by the general public. We are happy to share it with the photographers who will join us on our photography weekend.

4-day photo tour Luxembourg

A sustainable photography trip close to home, in versatile Luxembourg. Four full days, a wonderful long photo weekend! You will see the best of what Luxembourg has to offer, including true hidden gems. We travel in small groups, so you can expect a lot of personal guidance. Has this blog piqued your interest? Does Luxembourg seem worth exploring to you? Be sure to take a look at our photo trip Luxembourg for more information.

We look forward to taking you to the most beautiful places… let's click!

Welcome to the second part of the interview series called “Customer Stories”, where we will listen together to the wonderful stories and experiences our customers have to tell. Enjoy… speaking: Joost Smeets

First of all, I would like to ask you a few questions regarding the workshops you have attended. You started with us with a basic workshop. What drove you to continue from that basic photography with other workshops?

First of all, the results you see. During the workshops you will receive tips that you can apply right away. Thanks to these results, you will have more fun in photography again. The social aspect also makes it a lot of fun. You can exchange ideas and I just really enjoy it.

You have been involved in photography before, but you no longer enjoyed it as before. How do you think this happened.

This was because at a certain moment I no longer got any inspiration. That took the fun out of shooting for me. During the workshops you will be with several people and you will also receive inspiration from the group.

Which workshop did you experience as the most instructive?

I find this a very difficult one, but then I go for the evening photography workshop in Venlo. This was a very instructive workshop especially for camera settings. I found this workshop very diverse and challenging.

Which workshop did you enjoy the most?

The workshop I liked the most was the evening photography workshop in Scheveningen. This was also the workshop with which I achieved the best results.

Did you experience sufficient personal attention during the workshops?

Yes, that's how I've always felt. Only once did I notice that the group was too large, but even then the attention was well distributed.

Is there a workshop that you are missing in our package?

A nature photography workshop in Belgium, Mark and I went here last weekend. What I would like even more is an evening photography workshop in Amersfoort or Deventer. These kind of cities are really beautiful to photograph. With castles, bridges and water where you can take beautiful reflection photos. What I would also really like is a workshop where the focus is on architecture. For this I would go to Germany or Belgium.

Then I would now like to ask you some questions about the scout trip you took with Mark to Iceland. You went on a scout trip to Iceland, which turned out to be a very special trip. How did you experience Iceland yourself?

I hadn't been there before but I really loved it. I really liked everything about Iceland. If you drive around there and you turn a bend you have a completely different view. You suddenly go from the green old lava fields to a black beach. The variety in landscape was really huge. Wherever you look, everything is beautiful.

Are there elements that you would leave out of the trip yourself?

In the south there were some spots in between. It was sometimes too touristy in these places. You can certainly go to these places, but then you have to make sure you get there early. This is especially important for photography.

Are there elements that you would add to the trip yourself?

Perhaps the west fjords, to make it even more unique. Furthermore, I would personally like to camp a bit more. The challenge here, however, is that the weather can be changeable. It's all part of beautiful Iceland.

How did you experience the accommodations?

You should actually try to avoid hotels as much as possible. It is best to use a guesthouse or a hostel, which are affordable and doable in Iceland.

Did you experience non sustainable activities during the trip?

You drive a Jeep during the trip, that could be more sustainable, but the market in Iceland is not that far yet. For the rest, we cleaned up our own waste throughout the trip. Because there were few trash cans available, people are quicker to store their waste to throw it away at another time. As a result, there was almost no waste in Iceland.

Do you want to join, just like Joost our workshops or are you curious to the photography trip Iceland, feel free to check it out on the website and ask any question that comes to mind. We are happy to help you!

Team Travelmarks… let's click!

Welcome to the first part of the interview series called “Customer Stories”, where we will listen to the wonderful stories and experiences our customers have to tell. Enjoy… and let yourself be carried away in this beautiful 19-day trip through Kenya, which Gerard & Antoinette have booked through Travelmarks-Photography. Speaking: Antoinette

Was this your first time visiting Kenya?

Yes, this was indeed the first time we visited Kenya. Together with my husband Gerard, I made this trip.

And how did you experience the trip in general, if you had to summarize it briefly?

Like a dream trip that matched what we needed at the time.

And what did you think was the most spectacular experience you had in Kenya?

I think the great migration. We have seen it several times. This was very special for me. This was also the reason why we wanted to make this trip and that is also the reason why we started this.

Can you describe to me how it felt experience the great migration?

For me it was mainly a feeling of “YIPPIE”. I was absolutely thrilled to be able to experience this. I work as a photographer myself and I was able to take so many pictures of the migration. It had been on my to-do list for a long time and to get this great opportunitie to capture it in a beautiful way is really a dream come true. I will be able to enjoy this for a long time to come, but I can also use it in my work as a photographer and that is very special to me.

And if you wanted to share a favorite photo with us related to the great migration, which one would it be for you?

How did you find the variety of wild life?

This was the sixth African country we went to. But our trip in Kenya was the highlight. We have really been able to admire a lot of different types of wild life here. So close together and in so many large groups. This made the trip very special for us.

How did you experience the help from Travelmarks-photography?

My husband and I made the decision at some point to visit Kenya. We then requested a quote and we found it too expensive. And the trip didn't quite match what we wanted. So then I called Mark to ask for tips. Then Mark said he would be happy to put the trip together for us. He started working on this itinerary. He then gave us tips, including the best route to take and gave us the opportunity to photograph the Masai tribes. Also where we had to be exactly and at what time. And those tips were very valuable to me.

Did you experience a lot of tourism and crowds during the trip?

Our guide told us that in places where the migration takes place more often, there are sometimes as many as 200 cars. Making it almost a fight between drivers to be able to see it. We did not experience it that way, we had at most 20 cars on each side of the river. This also made it easy to maneuver the car to a place you wanted to photograph. We've had parks where we drove half a day and we didn't meet anyone. At the same time, that is very sad because you know that the population in Kenya is very dependent on tourism. On the other hand, it also gives you the peace of mind to enjoy the beauty. This was also the reason that we wanted to go to Kenya. We have been so very busy this past year.

You have visited several national parks, which one is the best above the rest for you?

Our trip was all about wild life. As my sister said, "You go to a zoo for 19 days." But you do go to all kinds of different zoos for 19 days. And when I look at all those different national parks, I thought Sambura was amazing and Amboseli was also very special. Samburu is naturally dry and the water has risen from below, creating a very special landscape. So Samburu because of the drought and the heat. And Amboseli because of the diversity time of all animals.

During the trip you also got to know Jackson, your guide in Kenya. How did you experience this collaboration?

In a word, insane! As I just said this was our sixth trip in Africa. Either we travel ourselves or we do a private trip. Which means you are with three of you for 16 hours a day. You must therefore also have a click with your guide. You have to get along, you have to respect each other's privacy, you have to know when to have fun and when not to. And especially knowing when to give each other some rest and he was especially good at that. The other plus for me was how highly experienced he was, and that's kind of what I demand. From a photographic point of view I sometimes want to be in a certain place at 5 o'clock, or at 7 o'clock at a certain tree where the sun is just rising. I don't want a guide who just drives around a bit, I want a guide who knows where to go. And also, for example, can recognize the areas where you see certain animals. For example, he was super good at spotting lions. He recognized by the behavior of other animals that a lion was nearby. He had a lot of knowledge and experience and these were real plus points for me.

How was your experience with the Solio Ranch?

I thought it was a special park. Solio Ranch is the sanctuary for the rhinoceroses, so you have hundreds of rhinoceroses, both white and black. The area was beautiful and we saw so many rhinoceroses here. And what was funny was that everyone always has a preference for a certain animal. And I've had that with ostriches, for example, I really wanted to see dancing and jumping ostriches, our guide had that with the black rhinoceros. So he totally raved and totally loved the solio ranch and to see that black rhinoceros. And in the end we succeeded, and that was of course also a very nice experience. Solio ranch was a real addition for me.

How did you experience Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha?

It's something completely different. The environment is completely different because there is a lot of water instead of the drought, which we mainly saw for the rest of the trip. For example, we have seen hundreds of pelicans and flamingos here. gezien.

Because of this different experience, it makes it more special for me. What you also see here is that the water comes up from the ground more and more and gets higher. As a result, more and more land is absorbed by the water. Trees die and houses are flooded. This also creates a completely different atmosphere. For example, you see a lot of dead trees sticking out of the water, which I was able to take beautiful pictures of.

Did the trip meet all your expectations?

The trip actually exceeded my expectations. It was the interplay of the right environment at the right time. Good photographic thoughts were given and my wishes were listened to. I am very critical in that regard. I don't just go on a trip that I paid a lot of money for, I want to get what I want. And that has been listened to very carefully. I just thought it was a very nice and special trip.