portraits – rene bauer photography

Demonstrations in Seoul

I heard of various demonstrations and protests in South Korea. I also learned it’s part of their culture to raise their voices and protest on the streets. The usually quite and rather shy and friendly people change their mood when they think they have to be heard. But that’s what i heard. If you have any opinion about it, please let me know in the comments.

However, when i was still in Seoul before the elections, big crowds gathered in different streets and squares to support their political leaders and parties. Although there were different political groups nearby, there was never a feeling of threat or hate. In the opposite, they seemed to be determined, but also peacefully and smiling, taking it as a nice event to be with friends and same minded people.

Myself had no own political opinion, but just wandered trough the crowds and collected some impressions.

Mai 12, 2024Mai 10, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: Asia, culture, reportage, SouthKorea, travelTags: Asia, crowd, demonstration, election, people, politic, portraits, protest, renebauerphotography, reportage, seoul, SouthKorea, Travel Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

South Korea: Namsangol Hanok Village

At the foot of the mountain Namsan with the Seoul Tower is a traditional village located. This Namsangol Hanok Village shows the architecture and daily life in a traditional Korean houses called ‚Hanok‘

Mai 5, 2024Mai 5, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: Asia, culture, portrait, reportage, SouthKorea, tradition, travelTags: architecture, Asia, buildings, citypark, dailylife, gates, interieur, kids, korea, museum, park, people, portraits, renebauerphotography, reportage, SouthKorea, tradition, Travel Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Hanbok – South Korea’s Traditional Dresses

Did you noticed the beautiful traditional dresses in my last post? Well, these dresses called Hanbok and are popular for photo shoots at Gyeongbokgung Palace. At the nearby streets they rent it out and offer even make-up and hairstyling services for that occasion.

Friends, couples and families walking dressed up trough the old palace. They’re all in good mood and the scenery feels like a happy, sunny day in the 18th century.

Mai 1, 2024Mai 1, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: Asia, Fashion, history, humansofplanetearth, photoshoot, portrait, reportage, SouthKorea, tradition, travelTags: Asia, dresses, Fashion, Gyeongbokgung, hanbok, palace, people, portraits, renebauerphotography, reportage, seoul, SouthKorea, tradition, Travel Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Taiwan: At The Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

Modern Taiwan was founded by the former president and revolutionary leader Chiang Kai-Shek, after Chinese civil war in 1949. It is only understandable that the people wanted to dedicate a special memorial place to him. So, the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall was build. This huge complex was build between 1976 and 1980.

People gathering to hundreds inside the gigantic hall to watch the hourly change of the guards of honor. It’s an impressive performance of the skilled guards. A great subject for photo- and videographers too, if you get a place in the front row though.

Nowadays the people enjoying the huge park with ponds and cherry trees. Especially a warm, sunny day like lucky me got here. Certainly there are many people taking selfies and group photos for memories. Amongst them was a young lady i got into talk with. Sofia took a few photos for her Instagram account ( https://www.instagram.com/sofiameeow/ ) and agreed for a quick, spontaneous photo session on this beautiful location.

April 19, 2024April 19, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: Asia, culture, history, photoshoot, portrait, travelTags: Asia, ceremony, cherryblossoms, guard, historicalsite, history, kaishek, kaishekmemorial, memorial, nature, park, people, photosession, portraits, renebauerphotography, reportage, sightseeing, taipei, taiwan, Travel Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Taipei/Taiwan: „Not your Baby“

Back in the streets of Taipei i was welcomed nicely by the team of a noodle restaurant. With this culinary and emotional uplift i went out for another stroll in a unknown street of this huge city.

Of course i came across a temple. Always impressing how people including a short visit to their place of faith while their out for shopping or eating. On the streets there’s always enough food to taste, street musicians to listen to and also historical buildings to set back in the old times.

One of the greater pleasure, i have to admit, is to sit on a street cafe and watching people. Some are in a hurry, whilst others enjoying a chat on the street, or just communicate non-verbal with their fashion „Not your baby“

April 14, 2024April 14, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: Asia, culture, Fashion, gastronomy, humansofplanetearth, portrait, reportage, travel, urbanlifeTags: Asia, food, market, notyourbaby, people, portraits, religion, renebauerphotography, reportage, sightseeing, streetphotography, taipei, taiwan, taoism, temple, Travel, worshipper, worshipping Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Taiwan: Street of Tainan

Last impressions of the streets of Tainan

April 12, 2024April 12, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: Asia, culture, food, gastronomy, humansofplanetearth, portrait, reportage, roadtrip, travel, urbanlifeTags: Asia, food, nightmarket, people, pet, portraits, renebauerphotography, reportage, streetlife, streetphotography, streets, tainan, taiwan, Travel, urbanlife Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Taiwan: People Of Tainan

Roaming through the streets of Tainan many people gave me a smile or a wink or even posing in front of my camera. So did the lady with helmet, who had seen me with camera and jumped literally towards me. The three guys in bicycle training who winked me and posed shy but proud. Two young ladies nicely dressed up with amazing, traditional hairstyle posed happily on the street. Not to forget the proud owner of a ‚Vespa‘ shop, which caught my attention, since this brand is rarely seen here.

März 29, 2024März 28, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: Asia, culture, humansofplanetearth, portrait, reportage, tradition, travelTags: Asia, fareast, people, peoplephotography, portraits, renebauerphotography, reportage, streetphotography, tainan, taiwan, Travel, vespa Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Taiwan: The Unique Hot Springs On Lü Dao

Why should I take a trip to the Island of Lü Dao, also known as ‚Green Island‘, just for a bath in the ‚Zahori Hot Springs‘? The answer is simple: because this place is one of only three saltwater hot springs in the world! Learned this, i just had to go, if just for a day trip and short dip there.

The idea of a day trip ended up to a five day vacancy on the beautiful Green Island. But later more about it. On my first visit in the pool area i expected the place full of people, but ended up alone there. At least for almost an half hour or so. It’s a public bath, that’s why i couldn’t run around with my Nikon camera. But i grabbed my cell phone for a few pictures, whilst i’m pretty on my own in the pool.

My blue baseball cap replaced with a blue swimming cap i dived in the warm water. And while i’m floating in the different pools with water temperatures up to around 42°C, one of the staff member was willing to explain me, where the water comes from and how it get pumped up from the sea into the pools. The hottest pool is at the top, and its water flows down terrace like pools, mixed with colder water to reach the specific temperature of each pool.

He was also telling me with a proud tone, that there was only three saltwater hot springs on the world, but that one in Japan isn’t accessible anymore due an earthquake. Now there are only one left in Italy, and this one on Lü Dao.

März 15, 2024März 15, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: Asia, culture, landscape, nature, portrait, reportage, tradition, travelTags: Asia, bath, fareast, greenisland, hotsprings, island, landscape, lüdao, nature, pool, portraits, renebauerphotography, reportage, sea, selfies, swimming, taiwan, tauting, Travel, zahori, zahorihotsprings Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Nights out in Taoyuan and Taipei

Many years back i met a beautiful couple on travel. Somehow we stayed in touch, but i postponed my trip to Taiwan year for year. Meanwhile they got two wonderful kids. After my first days in Taiwan and the great experience of the Lantern Festival in Shifen, my friends invited me for dinner in a ‚hot pot‘-restaurant in Taoyuan. The food was delivered to the table by a robotic trolley and was really delicious. But there was more entertainment by a ‚changing mask‘- dancer, which was great amusement (but not only) for the kids. I’m so thankful for my friends, who gave me this great evening, i would rarely experienced on my own.

The next evening i was just strolling around my neighborhood in Taipei. Surprised of the lively street around it. The famous tower building Taipei 101 was mostly in clouds. That’s why i postponed the viewpoint up there. Just having a walk on the streets was amazingly interesting already.

März 3, 2024März 1, 2024 by Rene Bauer Categories: Asia, culture, food, gastronomy, reportage, tradition, travel, urbanlifeTags: Asia, city, citylife, cityvibes, citywalk, dance, dinner, entertainment, food, friends, maskdance, night, nightout, people, portraits, renebauerphotography, spicy, taipei, taipei101, taiwan, taoyuan, Travel Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Winter In Turkey: Gelibolu/Gallipoli

Winter in Turkey impressions #17: Gelibolu, also known as Gallipoli, gained sad notoriety after a disastrous battle on WWI with many thousands killed. In the history of the many New Zealander and Australian soldiers involved it bekam known as ANZAC day.

For me was it the end of an very interesting trip trough the history of times. But before i left Turkey, i met an very nice couple riding a Honda Africa Twin. A newly wed couple, it turned out, on their trip trough their own country. After a nice chat, i handed over a sticker, which i got from an other Turkish friend and motobiker.

Güle güle ve yakında görüşürüz. Teşekkür ederim Türkiyem!