San Diego Wedding Photographer

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This past January, I took a group of photographers over to Thailand and Cambodia for another Raddest Photo Trip Ever (RPTE). I’ve been doing these for about 5 years now and it’s truly one of the best parts of my year (aside from leaving Clive and Lindsay, of course). So I took myself, one of my best buds, Hank Martin, and 13 other strangers out on the trip of a lifetime…

Days four, five, and six are incredible. Day four is simply relaxing and enjoying (literally) my favorite place to stay in the world. We all get hour (or two hour!) massages for like 7 bucks and ate some of everyone’s favorite food on the trip. Some people go on walks to take photographs of the town of Kanchanaburi (my favorite city in Thailand). I’ve been fortunate enough to have stayed at some of the best hotels and resorts in Thailand, Fiji, France, Bali, Cayman Islands, and so on… and Kaan’s place makes them all forgettable, in my opinion. Without fail, people tend to have two favorite parts of this trip. Cambodia tends to be everyone’s favorite place overall with relaxing together at VN guesthouse with our dear friend, Kaan, as #2. It’s really something you can only experience. I was bleeding internally from my Crohn’s disease pretty extensively when we arrived to Kanchanaburi. Being a stress related disease, I was no longer bleeding by the end of our second day there — and I continued that throughout the rest of the trip. Kaan’s place is a slice of heaven, as far as I’m concerned. Her thai food and everything else she makes… it’s all soooooo good! Every year I go back, past RPTE’ers always tell me to have some banana pancakes for them at Kaan’s place.

Day five starts out wrestling elephants in the River Kwai (blogged about that here) and goes straight into tiger temple. It’s an amazing day for animal lovers (and shocks most non-animal lovers into being animal lovers :). Tiger Temple has a lot of controversy around it, but I’ve been going for 7 years and have seen the place transform to a tiny monestary to an all out resort. I’m against any and all inhumane treatment of animals — but I have friends who’ve worked there for years who have moved to Thailand to work there out of their love for tigers. None of us have ever seen anything sketchy. If I ever do, I’ll stop going — simple as that :)

The next morning, we head out to some of the world’s most beautiful waterfalls — Erawan falls. It’s an all day wonderland of waterfalls. A must for water lovers :D

Let’s get right to it!

Kaan’s place — the VN guesthouse. Nowhere on earth like it :) iPhone + VSCO cam from my instagram feed.

Hank’s.

Hanks’s.

Hank getting a lovely massage and Michael getting the most painful massage of his life :P Be careful when ordering a traditional Thai massage! iPhone + VSCO cam from my instagram feed.

Another set from Anna Jones’ ripping instagram feed.

It was a HOOOOTTTT day the afternoon we did Tiger Temple — and Tiger Temple has NO shade. That kind of heat without any break is really bad for my Crohn’s so I skipped out while Hank (who shot the above) took everyone. Here’s some proof the tigers aren’t drugged :P About 20 people are allowed to see the tigers playtime after they close down for the day. Tigers sleep as if they were drugged through hot days — every day in Thailand. In the evening, when we do this, they start to wake up quick and play. And they play exactly like cats!!! Nothing really separates you from them, either. It’s a unique, fun experience :)

The beginning of Erawan falls. Just testing out the water :) Another one from Lotta (I freaking love her images).

Luke’s rugged, brute strength causing Anna’s eyes to burn while also causing some random guy to dive away out of fear. That’s my take, at least.

The above and below of me and Hank were taken by Showiteer extraordinaire; the great Kate Meyer :D

Luke is a firefighter and a friendly giant :)

Michael; one of the best people I’ve ever met. More on that when we cross the border into Cambodia…

Vince and Kate. Love this one.

One of these things is not like the other :P

Anna Jones!

Anna (Jones) grabbed this one of me making the following images…

Josh and Jenny :)

Lotta always has her camera going :)

I love this image from Kate Meyer.

Sunsets from Kaan’s deck; they’re good for the soul.

Hank got a tattoo last year the night before we left Kanchanaburi for Cambodia. He wanted a traditional bamboo tattoo and found the raddest guy, Dang, on the main road in town. So when he wanted some more on this trip, he went straight to Dang :)

I thought I took the above photo. Then I found out it was Anna Jones’ photo that snuck onto Hank’s camera and made its way into my LR. Curse you, Anna!

That loft up in the top right is where we hang out, eat meals, watch the sunset, and just enjoy life.

Kaan, my favorite person in all of Thailand. She’s truly on in a million.

Tomorrow, we head to my favorite country in the world: Cambodia! Hands down, the best place of the whole trip — which is why we’re there a few days longer at the end of the trip :)

If you want to get a chance to go on the next RPTE, email me at info@bobbyearle.com with “NEXT RPTE!!!” as your subject. Last year’s sold out within a day of posting it online so start getting your ducks in a row if you want to join me on the trip of a lifetime!!!

Bobby

Contact Bobby / View Wedding Portfolio / Travel the Globe with Bobby

Twitter // My Instagram // Lindsay’s Instagram // Facebook

This past January, I took a group of photographers over to Thailand and Cambodia for another Raddest Photo Trip Ever (RPTE). I’ve been doing these for about 5 years now and it’s truly one of the best parts of my year (aside from leaving Clive and Lindsay, of course). So I took myself, one of my best buds, Hank Martin, and 13 other strangers out on the trip of a lifetime…

Photo thanks to Josh :)

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Disclaimer: Let me be very clear about one thing. I have been fortunate enough to spend extended periods of time with both wild elephants and “tame” elephants. This is an animal that has my heart — and it is an animal that I believe deserves unique respect and protection. Without question, I would trade every one of my experiences with tame elephants in Asia — which are plenty and have been some of my favorite experiences to date — for just one day out in the bush with wild African elephants. There is no close second for me when it comes to enjoying elephants in the wild. Seeing them in their natural environment — with all of their intricate complexities and instinctive differences from other animals — is quite possibly the greatest non “human-to-human” experience of my life. But we live in the real world — not utopia — and elephants in Thailand have very few options; with living in the wild being the most unrealistic option.

So do the elephants love carrying around tourists? Some do, some don’t. Do the baskets that some mahoots use to carry people wear on the elephants’ backs? Probably. Is this the most ideal situation for them to be in? Not a chance. But is it the best situation for the Asian elephant in Thailand and the local Burmese mahoots that barely scrape by to provide the most basic food and shelter for their families and elephants? Unfortunately, yes. I long for a day where Thailand gets it’s black market trade and poaching of elephants under total control — so that they can have Asian elephant sanctuaries filled with these contemporary dinosaurs. But that day simply isn’t here yet. So the elephants and the local people team up in a mutually beneficial arrangement. Tourism. The goal I have is to visit places who treat their elephants with love and provide a decent life for them compared to the alternatives :)

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So I’m skipping out of place a little bit here, but I just can’t wait to blog the elephants! I say this nearly every year, but it’s the truth; I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend so much time with elephants over the years. Walking over to the gentle giant, sitting in a river in rural Thailand, and simply jumping on — this is a common experience that has completely lost it’s shock but has retained all of its awe :). Elephants are magical. They are one of the few animals on this planet that close the gap between the animal kingdom and the human race for so many non-animal enthusiasts. Everyone loves elephants. And with good reason!

Needless to say, this day tends to be a major highlight for everyone. Honestly, how many people wouldn’t want to climb onto an elephant in the River Kwai, ride bareback, and have him/her play bucking broncos with you while you make failed attempts at staying on?! It’s truly a once in a lifetime experience for everyone. Everyone walks away with a deeper, richer understanding of how special these animals are. I walk away reminded of how beautiful and fulfilling nature is, how important it is that humans be fair and responsible when it comes to the animal kingdom, and how grateful I am for experiencing such things first hand :)

All of mine and Hank’s images below are processed with Fuji 160C film through VSCO. Hank shot JPEG and VSCO in LR is meant for RAW files — so that’s why they look a little different despite using the same film…

The mahoots here love taking your camera for a bit and snapping away like paparazzi :) – Hank.

Vince (from Louisiana) and Brett and Linda (from Oklahoma). In years past, the oldest attendants were usually myself or Lindsay — but I’m so glad these three decided to come along with all of us :) – Hank.

Another set from Anna Jones’ ripping instagram feed.

Two Josh’s and their wives; Brie on the left and Jenny on the right :)

The above left image shows some huts. These are one of the main reasons I come here. The local mahoots here are from Myanmar (Burma) and have endured intense hardships. I have had a soft spot in my heart for these people ever since becoming friends with some Burmese people about a decade ago and hearing about what they’ve had to live through. Some images from Hank of the Burmese mahoots and their families who are helped by this tourism…

That awkward moment where you think someone might be coming up behind you… and it’s a giant elephant. Hank’s image :)

Kate Meyer grabbed this one of me shooting the following images of Josh (Neil)…

I took the first photo of an elephant spraying Josh. Brie (Josh Neil’s wife) took the second a millisecond after …

Zoom in on that front lens element — not a drop. Cat like reflexes :P

Hank grabbed this of Anna Jones :)

Kate getting splashed to high heaven. Hank’s again :)

Hank and Lotta grabbed these two images of me playing bucking bronco (Hank’s first, Lotta’s second)…

That is one of the funnest things out there. The power elephants have is felt here in how little they are trying when they easily throw you off.

I love this one Hank grabbed of me. Elephants make life better :)

Luke would sort of be the elephant of the group in the sense that he’s the biggest, strongest dude on the trip. A light shoulder shrug from the elephant kicks him to the curb like nothing :P

Mama and papa Neil. Hank’s :)

Josh Neil was the first of his group to sign up. He wanted his wife, Brie, to go, but she was finishing up her schooling. They decided to just go for it so then Brie was coming. Then Josh wrote me — with just two or three seats left open — asking if his parents could come. It was so fun seeing this family make some really fun memories all over the place :)

Lotta grabbed this one of Anna Aberg and Vince :)

Kate shot this one of Vince. It perfectly documents how Vince shoots. The guy never ceased to impress me with his ability to get in and out of things with almost never being noticed. It allowed him to get shots that no one on any past trip — myself included — have gotten.

I LOVE this shot Kate got of Jenny. Jenny’s smile is heartwarming for me :)

Hanky Panky. The next few images highlight something that I love about Hank. He connects with animals differently than almost anyone I know…

I love each and every one of these individuals and consider myself so fortunate to have spent two weeks experiencing life with them. Miss you all!

If you want to get a chance to go on the next RPTE, email me at info@bobbyearle.com with “NEXT RPTE!!!” as your subject. Last year’s sold out within a day of posting it online so start getting your ducks in a row if you want to join me on the trip of a lifetime!!!

Bobby

Contact Bobby / View Wedding Portfolio / Travel the Globe with Bobby

Twitter // My Instagram // Lindsay’s Instagram // Facebook

This past January, I took a group of photographers over to Thailand and Cambodia for another Raddest Photo Trip Ever (RPTE). I’ve been doing these for about 5 years now and it’s truly one of the best parts of my year (aside from leaving Clive and Lindsay, of course). So I took myself, one of my best buds, Hank Martin, and 13 other strangers out on the trip of a lifetime.

I met Hank through his wife, Amy Martin, after she went on RPTE 2009. They both came on RPTE 2010: China and they are just another set of life long friends I’ve made from this trip.

So Days one and two of RPTE 2013! I always love these days. No one knows each other yet everyone somehow manages to become shockingly close within these 48 hours.

We start off at Surin Beach, a favorite beach of mine in Phuket that is quickly becoming WAY too crowded (unfortunately, that’s how it’s becoming for Thailand, as a whole, these last 3 years. I’m thinking about moving away from Thailand and possibly adding on a beach location in Cambodia instead for the next RPTE???). After sunsetting and eating at a restaurant on the beach, we rest up for day 2: private boat charter around the islands :)
Another plane trip to Thailand. My instagram feed + vscocam.

Half the group crossing as a group. I always love the uncertainty involved in group crossings :P

Surin beach. Anna Aberg is one of my two fav Swedes of all time! From Anna’s instagram feed.

Josh launching off the wave walk in Surin beach higher than anyone I’ve seen. And we got lucky because often times this beach is flat like a lake :P

Sunrise on our private boat + thais lunching. From Lotta’s instagram feed. She’s my other favorite Swede!

Newlyweds, Josh and Brie :)

The colors in the Phi Phi islands are absolutely incredible. I feel like the Goonies pirate ship is going to pop out at any minute :)

Anna Jones has my favorite instagram feed of everyone I follow. I’ve become such a fan of her work. Even when she highlights my hunchback :P

Swedish Anna on a rarely empty Egg island (first time I’ve seen it empty in 6 years).

Josh again. I’m a huge fan of this guy’s work, as well.

Kate! I miss this New Yorker! From Swedish Anna’s instagram + vscocam.

Michael Hicks. One of the best country boys you’ll ever meet. He looks tiny here but ol’ hightower helped us win some mean volleyball on this trip :)

Josh and Brie’s honeymoon extending a few more months :)

If you want to get a chance to go on the next RPTE, email me at info@bobbyearle.com with “NEXT RPTE!!!” as your subject. Last year’s sold out within a day of posting it online so start getting your ducks in a row if you want to join me on the trip of a lifetime!!!

Bobby

Contact Bobby / View Wedding Portfolio / Travel the Globe with Bobby

I’ll be getting ready to start up the next RPTE pretty soon here so email me at info@bobbyearle.com with the subject “NEXT RPTE” if you’re wanting to go on the trip of a lifetime! I’ll be making BIG changes for the next trip — and I think the next RPTE will be the best one ever. I’m really excited about it. This past RPTE sold out in ONE day and I had to turn a lot of people down :( so jump on it!