I have recently finished a six month voyage through India. It is a great country for photography offering a variety of landscapes, amazing architecture and a variety of interesting cultures to capture. Wherever you go in India there is always something to document photographically. Whilst I was in the South of India in the state of Kerala I spent a few days in Fort Kochi. This small coastal city is a great place for both street and architectural photography with a huge mix of different influences from throughout the ages. The area is famous for it's Portuguese, Dutch and British architecture, as well as the elaborate Chinese fishing nets which were introduced by Chinese explorers in the 14th century.

Silhouette Sunset Images by Geraint Rowland Photography.

Street Photography in India.

Photography in Kerala, India.

How to take silhouette photographs.

Composition in Photography.

Travel Photography blog by Geraint Rowland.

I'm sure that in the right conditions the Chinese fishing nets can be photographed beautifully, but during my time there the sky was dull and the vibrant sunsets lacking! Instead I decided to experiment with some silhouette style images along the coastline. I enjoy taking silhouette photographs, I feel that their simplicity adds to their overall beauty and the addition of people can add a lot of emotion.

When taking silhouetted images, as with much of photography, the most important element is light. The subject that you want to be silhouetted should be directly in front of the light source. In addition, the background needs to be lighter than the foreground to create the silhouette. In these images the late afternoon sun was directly behind the people making it perfect for the high contrast silhouetted results. Choose subjects that are easily recognisable as your silhouettes and keep it simple. Try to avoid distracting elements within the frame and make use of the surrounding negative space. The subjects I took here were on a coastal walkway and I was slightly lower down on the beach shooting up. This angled technique ensured I had no distracting noise in the background of the frame. These images were taken using a Canon 5D4 and a Sigma 135mm 1.8 art lens. The extra range on the lens allowed me to stand a little further back and photograph away comfortably. However, any type of lens can be used successfully for silhouettes, practice until you create the perfect shot and have fun doing so.

I have written several previous travel photo essays for Dezine which can be found on their website. More of my travel photography can be found on my website, my Instagram, my Facebook and my Flickr account. If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or collaborating in any way please email: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.

Last year I spent a couple of months in Senegal where I experienced some beautiful sunsets. I spent the majority of the time in the capital city of Dakar, but also traveled to Lompoul in the north of the country and Zinguinchor in the southern region. Along with capturing a lot of travel and street photography style shots I also captured some stunning sunsets especially at Yoff beach close to the Airport in Dakar. Click through the slide show below to view some sunsets from Senegal:

Sunsets of Senegal by Geraint Rowland Photography.

A fishermen and his pelicans at sunset in Senegal, West Africa.

A photo shoot takes place at sunset on Ngor island in Senegal.

A boy rides his BMX bike along Yoff beach in Dakar at sunset.

Two dogs playing in the ocean at sunset in Lompoul in Senegal.

Taking sunset photos by Geraint Rowland

A beautiful sunset silhouette image taken on one of the many beaches on the Dakar peninsula in Senegal.

Senegal, like the rest of West Africa I have visited is fantastic for photography. With so many people around there is always something interesting and or unusual to capture. Whilst I was in Dakar they were celebrating the Tabaski Festival. Tabaski is based on Islamic beliefs and culminates with each family sacrificing a sheep and then eating it. There are sheep everywhere in Dakar, tied up on the roadsides, being washed in the Ocean or being sold at markets. Here is a previous blog I wrote on the fascinating beach area of Yoff in Dakar.

In Lompoul in the north there are beautiful remote beaches, interesting fishing towns and a small desert with orange sand dunes where you can camp and take camel rides. To the south lies Ziguinchor, the second largest city of Senegal lying at the mouth of the Casamance river and largely separated from the rest of the country by The Gambia.

Throughout the country I witnessed some beautiful sunsets. Sunsets always seem to be amongst my most liked photos. I think there is something instantly enjoyable about an image of the setting sun, it is something that everyone can relate to. I especially like sunset images that contain an additional element, be it a person or an animal. My favourite sunset image I capture in Senegal was of a fisherman feeding his two pet Pelicans at Yoff beach. I love the composition, the lighting and the added comic nature of these peculiar birds. Whilst in Senegal was travelling without a tripod so had to rely on taking hand held shots or creating abstract images when I ran out of light. Here is a blog I wrote with some tips about taking sunset photos.

More of my travel photography from Senegal can be found on my website, my Instagram, and my Flickr account. If you are interested in purchasing any prints, using an image online or would like further information please send me an email at: geraintrowlandphotography@gmail.com.