Testimonials Philippines
“The Philipines trip was fantastic!! Karl is a great leader who was always on top of things.” ~Julie F.
“I am so glad that I decided to go on this trip. You [trip leader, Karl Grobl] are by far the best tour leader I have ever known. Your joie de vivre is refreshing, inspiring, and contagious. I also felt that you sincerely cared about each individual making sure that we each got help when needed. I have never traveled with a photo guide who made a continual effort to record our trip not just the places we went, but filming us enjoying the adventure. Thank you for making this visit to the Philippines so memorable.” ~Charlotte F.
“I had a wonderful trip full of memorable experiences, especially the boxing gym in Cebu. Both Karl and Patrick are very talented tour leaders and complement each other very well. They are really good at bringing out the best of everyone and are wonderful human beings as well. Accommodations were good, food was mixed but that’s more representative of the Philippines in general. Logistics were flawless and the trip was well planned. If I was to try to critique anything, I would say the trip was a little more relaxed around the photo opportunities than I usually prefer. I like to start at blue hour, and end after blue hour in the evening in interesting venues. I was able to do some of this on my own but the locations were not always conducive to these early/late shoots. There is nothing wrong with a more relaxed photography tour, it just may not be the best fit for my interest. I filled out my vacation with side trips to shantytowns, a couple of cemeteries, an offshore fishing village, and Palawan, which really left me photographically fulfilled and excited to return to the Philippines again.” ~Barry C.
“[I] Was not sure how much I would like the trip, but always wanted to see the Philippines so I went. Turned out I loved it and the people, the food, hotels were all great. It’s just a great adventure with so many photo opportunities.” ~Richard E.
“This trip was Fantastic- ranked as a 10 [most favorable]! It was a life-changing/enhancing experience for me, as I tend to be a traveler with trepidation. I enjoyed the people in our group, many were more advanced, and very generous to me with tips and instruction. And, of course, there was much learning from viewing the work of the others. The local guides were helpful and Karl is a great guy. We were well taken care of. Throughout the trip, I really enjoyed meeting, conversing with, and photographing the Filipinos. They ware warm, congenial, and handsome. I particularly liked photographing the children, and shot some great pictures. Thanks for the opportunity.” ~Lawrence B.
“I flew to the Philippines, but I had no idea what to expect . . . I was assuming it would be another opportunity to improve my photography skills. Little did I know . . . the countryside with the endless green rice terraces, the magnificent mountains, the islands with their amazing white sandy beaches – all so heartbreakingly beautiful. The Filipinos are the warmest, nicest people one can imagine, whether living in the big city of Manila, old Vigan or the Island of Bohol. What a great and wonderful surprise . . . lots of fun . . .YES, we did [take great pictures]. It was hard to come up with poor images when the surrounding is so beautiful and Karl being such a great teacher.
So many people have said nice things about you [Karl] through the years . . . your way of dealing and approaching the individuals whose images you have captured . . . when I look at the images [you take] I can see the sparkle in the eyes of those you have photographed, and I know you have talked to them, showed a real interest [in them] and smiled. They in return have lowered their defenses, engaged with a smile of their own, a giggle or maybe even sadness- but no anger or toughness. And at times, when I look at the images [Karl’s], I just sit there and wait for these people to begin talking. Almost always there is a dialogue. The ability to carry a dialogue and share is a strong feature in Karl’s teaching. He offers the information, he shares his knowledge. You don’t have to ask for help, Karl watches you in action and is there to encourage or correct – either way, you feel you gain.”
~Ruti A.
“Karl was great. He is one of the best tour leaders we have had. He made sure that we were well informed about settings and anything else we asked for. His constant reminders to check settings at the stops made us think about what we needed to change before we got going at each location. He’s a great teacher. He knew when to let us go and when to remind us of tricky situations for our setups. . . Outside of the people, I’d say Vigan [my favorite part of the trip] was nice and Sagada was a great spot for photos . . . [The local guides] were good but Karl was so much better. . . the trip was well priced. . . Loved the discussions with Karl and the group.”
~Ed F.
“I really loved all the locations we visited . . . the mountain roads and areas . . . (e.g Baguio & Sagada) were spectacular. There were excellent photo opportunities in almost every place we went . . . Karl was an excellent teacher in helping me learn how to take control of my Nikon D-90 and learn what I could do with a little bit of thought and preparation . . . I feel I made great strides forward.. The favorite part for me was discovering the beauty of a country that I knew very little about. I was also very taken by the friendliness and openness of almost all of the Filipinos we met and we photographed.
Not only were they very friendly and polite (even in the poorest areas-e.g railroad bridge in Manila) but there seemed to be a real sense of community – i.e. of caring for their neighbors and family – in so many places we visited . . . The local guides were knowledgeable and helpful. I especially appreciated Ferdz taking time to critique my photos and suggest a number of ways to improve them . . . This trip gave me the support I needed to become a better technical photographer, and also a few tips on how to compose better pictures . . . I learned a great deal about how to use [my Nikon 10-24 wide-angle lens] effectively. I thank Jim Cline for recommending that lens . . . I think I got some very good pictures . . . I would recommend the trip to someone who was at least a serious amateur photographer. It’s a great way to see a country, meet many people, and learn some of the stories of the people and places – and at the same time improve your photography and take some nice (if not great) pictures. I am looking forward to future trips.“
~Herb H.
“The pre-trip information was excellent and well enough in advance. Great info for things to pack based on the region. The hotels were wonderful and staff very accommodating. We ate very well . . . especially [at] the seaside restaurant in Manila . . . where they cooked [fresh fish] right there for dinner. Yum! The walking tour [in Manila] was nice. The people were a definite highlight. I also enjoyed the fish market in Bohol. It was a great photo op! I loved the peacefulness of Bohol and scheduling the beach at the end of the trip was a good call. I liked Karl’s reminders about various [camera] settings and his suggestions about how to shoot in particular lighting situations. I really liked [guides and fellow photographers] Red Santos and Ferdz. They really added to our trip. Ferdz was especially helpful. Both guides really added to our trip. Jim and Karl are wonderful and accommodating. I appreciate Karl’s enthusiasm and the time he took to scope out some really incredible photo opportunities.”
~Anietra H.